B.D. Lawrence's Blog, page 5
May 31, 2024
Talk Show Thursday: Interview of B.D. Lawrence
Check out my interview on Talkshow Thursday on the History, Hope & Happily Ever After website by Author Linda Shenton Matchett.
May 29, 2024
Book Review of Blood Red Deceit by Steve Rush
This complex and fascinating book covers justice and vengeance. There was the hope of redemption. The reader can judge if it was ever achieved. Like I started with, this story is complex. It starts as a mystery, but the mystery of who done it is answered about halfway through. The book then morphs into a high-paced suspense thriller. However, there are mystery elements that don’t get answered or resolved until close to the end.
About two-thirds of the story is told from the first-person point of view of Dr. Ridge Warner, a highly acclaimed forensic scientist who has also been trained within a covert agency that seems to be a cross between the FBI and CIA. He has fighting skills. I may have missed it, but never really understood what this agency was. The rest of the story is in third-person point of view from a few other characters. This is a technique I’ve seen more and more. I’m not a fan of the technique. I believe it takes away some of the mystery. However, that’s just a personal bent and it did not get in the way of enjoying the story.
The case that involves Ridge starts with a bang. Literally. An explosion. Seems like a straight-forward murder, though oddly staged, but is anything but. This story involves several government agencies, local cops, and an Olympic gold medalist turned highly trained super-agent. As mentioned, it’s complicated and layered, so the reader needs to pay attention to the twists and turns. Fortunately, I’m a slow reader so was able to keep most of it straight.
It’s well-written, though there are a few typos. Mainly tense changes, but also some wrong words. Again, nothing that takes away from the reading. Probably more noticeable because I’m a writer. The author layers in some interesting forensics during Ridge’s investigations which I found fascinating. And given the author’s background, I have no doubt of their accuracy and realism.
It’s a clean read. No graphic sex. No profanity. There is violence, but it’s not gratuitous and is necessary for the story. One of the opening scenes is graphic, but the violence gets less graphic from there.
I had several reading sessions where I read more than I intended. In other words, I didn’t want to put it down. I look forward to the next in the series. I kept my streak up for the year. Another very good read. I’ll rank this one number seven so far this year.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossDays Coming by Pat SimmonsThe Runaway Jury by John GrishamThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyBlood Red Deceit by Steve RushThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanBlack Cherry Blues by James Lee BurkeA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerField Training by Patrick O’DonnellDeadly Pursuit by Elle Gray
Commission earned
May 17, 2024
Book Review of The Runaway Jury by John Grisham
I like to categorize books by how they address the themes of justice, vengeance, and redemption. For this one, whether justice is served will depend on one’s view of the parties involved in the story. There is an undercurrent of vengeance. No redemption, at least at the moral and spiritual level.
This is the fifth Grisham novel I’ve read, and I’d rank it as the second best one, second only to The Testament: A Novel. This is not a crime novel, in that there are no violent crimes, no detectives, no chasing criminals. However, it is full of criminals. It’s not a thriller but carries an undercurrent of suspense through to the end. I wanted to keep reading to see how things would turn out. I had my theory as to who Marlee and Nicolas Easter were. My theory was wrong. It was a book that I kept thinking, there’s no way it’s going to turn out this way. And yet that is exactly how it turned out. And that wasn’t disappointing, just surprising. I applaud Mr. Grisham for the ending.
The story revolves around a civil trial. A man died of lung cancer and his family is suing the tobacco company that manufactured and sold the cigarettes that the dead man smoked. Three packs a day. The trial is fascinating. There is a plethora of information given about the tobacco industry. What is true and what is fictional license, I don’t know. The things the two teams of lawyers did to try and win the case were also amazing and fascinating. Again, how much of that really goes on, I’m not sure. I suspect both the facts given and the methods are closer to the truth than we’d like.
The other thing I had not realized, or at least had forgotten, was how clean a novel Grisham writes. No profanity. No on page sex. No violence, but then violence wasn’t necessary for the story.
At times, the characterization is almost caricature, but I believe that’s intentional. Especially the characters that make up the jury. An eclectic set of individuals and fun to read about and watch as they try to arrive at a verdict.
The book was written twenty-eight years ago, but that doesn’t hinder its enjoyability. It’s also over five hundred pages long, so maybe too long for today’s reduced attention spans. However, it’s worth the read. Well-written. Fast-paced for something that has little to no action. Finally, a story that really made me think about the topics and the outcome.
I’ll rank this one number four. The other three above it are all must reads. The Runaway Jury is a four point five out of five stars. For the year, nine great books, and three good books. No duds yet.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossDays Coming by Pat SimmonsThe Runaway Jury by John GrishamThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanBlack Cherry Blues by James Lee BurkeA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerField Training by Patrick O’DonnellDeadly Pursuit by Elle Gray
Commission earned
April 25, 2024
Book Review of Black Cherry Blues by James Lee Burke
Going all the way back to 1989 for book number three in the Dave Robicheaux series. This is classic James Lee Burke. Dave Robicheaux is one of my favorite series characters and from that perspective this book shined. The book features justice. Maybe some ongoing redemption. And an undercurrent of vengeance from a couple of directions.
Burke has many of the classic private eye tropes. One of my favorites is the heavy sidekick. In this case, Cletus (Clete) is not necessarily a welcomed sidekick, but a necessary one. And in classic PI fashion, Robicheaux is the moral one and Clete is the one that does things outside the lines. One plot twist to this one is that Robicheaux crosses the line. Much of the book is about him trying to get himself out of the jam he got himself into due to that moral misstep.
As usual, Burke’s writing is phenomenal. Especially his sense of setting. Beautiful prose about both Louisiana and Montana. Nearly every chapter, almost every scene, Burke lays out the landscape, the weather, and natural beauty around his PI. He’s also a master of dialog. And he has some interesting and unusual characters in the story.
This book is more suspense than mystery. There’s never much doubt as to who has done what. Again, the story is more about Dave Robicheaux vindicating himself. Being early in the series, it’s shortly after the death of his wife, a death that lays a heavy burden of guilt on Robicheaux. The sub-plot of Robicheaux coming to terms with himself and his wife being gone runs throughout. In that sense, there is some redemption.
There is a fair amount of profanity. And there is some on page sex. The violence is necessary and not gratuitous. Burke’s writing carries the book. The story is strong, but not as strong as the other Dave Robicheaux books I’ve read. If you like classic private eye, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s not necessary to read numbers one and two as there is enough back story to give the reader a good sense of who Dave Robicheaux was and how he got to where he is at the start of this book.
Another good read for me this year. The streak continues. I’m going to rank this one number 7. It’s not quite as strong as what I’ve ranked 4 – 6.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossDays Coming by Pat SimmonsThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanBlack Cherry Blues by James Lee BurkeA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerField Training by Patrick O’DonnellDeadly Pursuit by Elle Gray
Commission earned
April 13, 2024
Book Review of Days Are Coming by Pat Simmons
This is a departure from the crime fiction I usually read. There are several crimes, but overall, this book is not crime fiction. It’s hard to classify. Christian fiction, I’d say. It’s an amazing book that I think every Christian should read. And if you’re a non-Christian, if you want to see what true modern Christianity should look like, then you should read it as well. Be prepared. It’s an interaction with God by these characters that may blow your mind. Of the themes I like to read about, redemption plays a huge part in this book. Redemption of souls for Christ.
This is book number three of The Intercessors series. I’ve not read the other two books and it’s not necessary to enjoy this one. From the first page, this book grabbed me. Reading it produced a lot of emotions in me. First, humility and even shame in my own Christian walk. The main characters in this book embrace their Christianity way more than most people I know, including myself. Through much of it I was also filled with inspiration. And finally, a longing to experience as a close a relationship with God as many of these characters have.
Jude Morgan is the main character, one of the intercessors, and one of the pastors at Christ For All Church in St. Louis. He is awakened by God and told to pray, and that God is coming for the children. An ominous message, for sure, but one that turns out to be multi-faceted. Jude obeys and then God takes him and several others on a spiritual journey, where the characters fight serious spiritual warfare against the demons and the world coming for their children.
To be honest, I’m a bit at loss for words to say about this book other than it’s an incredible read and needs to be experienced. Not every book I’ve read is an experience, but this one is.
It’s a Christian book written by a Christian woman, so it’s clean. There is some violence, but it’s not over the top. And we live in a violent world, so it’s appropriate. The writing is good. The story moves rapidly. Tension builds. The ending is satisfying. I’m ranking this one number three of what I’ve read so far this year. The book will be released on April 15.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossDays Coming by Pat SimmonsThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerField Training by Patrick O’DonnellDeadly Pursuit by Elle GrayCommission earned
April 12, 2024
Interview of B.D. Lawrence (Me!) On Brave Authors
Check out my interview on the Brave Authors website. Then, browse around. There are blogs, other interviews, and interesting information about the other Brave Authors.
https://braveauthors.com/2024/04/09/interview-with-brave-author-b-d-lawrence/
March 27, 2024
Book Review of Field Training by Patrick O’Donnell and Michael Anderle
Being a police procedural, this book features justice. No real redemption or vengeance. And actually, one knock against it, no real story. Most police procedurals I’ve read have an underlying story carrying through it. Usually, a major case that propels the story forward. Many little stories in this one.
The book reads like an author’s first fiction novel. The narrator is heavy. It’s told from an omniscient point of view. I’m not sure if that was intentional, or just a lack of understanding of point of view. Lots of head hopping and lots of narrator commentary explaining things. I’m not criticizing this technique, just mentioning it because some readers get hung up on point of view.
It also reads like a journal of a rookie police officer going through their field training, which is the first twelve weeks after joining a police force. This one is set in Milwaukee and Michael Collins has been assigned to an inner-city precinct, thus lots of crime. Most of the story revolves around him, though we do get some tangents into the lives of some of the other detectives and police officers.
The real value in this book is the intense detail of police procedural work. I think writers may appreciate this book and series more than casual crime fiction readers because of that detail. For me, that is what kept me reading. Again, with no real story to carry it forward, it was the details that were of most interest. The cases that Michael works are interesting. Some are intense and exciting. These stories pull from the experience of Patrick O’Donnell. I listen to his podcast Cops and Writers, and I heard him interviewed where he told about his police background. Many of the stories O’Donnell told paralleled the adventures of Michael Collins.
I bought this book and the other three in the series for $0.99. That alone makes it worth the purchase. And again, if you’re interested in police procedure, it’s worth the read. I started the second novel and am happy to see some improvement on point of view. Seems to be more from Michael’s point of view. However, there are still the asides by the narrator to explain procedure, codes, techniques, and cop slang. One humorous aspect of the book is whenever a new character is introduced, we get a physical description of the person just like a cop would describe someone in their report.
This book has a lot of profanity. The violence is not over the top and there is no sex. I’ll rank this one number eight. Not as good as most of the rest I’ve read this year, but again, not a bad book. Just not well-polished.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerField Training by Patrick O’DonnellDeadly Pursuit by Elle GrayCommission earned
March 26, 2024
Book Review of My One Word by Mike Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen
This book is about a program started by Pastor Mike Ashcraft at Port City Community Church in 2007. It’s about picking one word to focus on for an entire year. The idea is that God will use that one word for personal change and spiritual growth.
The book is the explanation of the process that Ashcraft spawned at his church. It’s a collection of stories by Mike Ashcraft of how focusing on a single word changed people’s lives. And it’s a series of short vignettes of the one word people chose written by the person who chose that word.
This is a powerful concept. The book is worth reading for every Christian. I also believe non-Christians may find the idea and process enlightening as well. For the Christian the last couple chapters are the most powerful as Ashcraft writes about waiting on God and how important it is to keep focus on that one word and how God is using it in our lives.
At the end of each chapter are reflection questions to help the reader with the process. Then, at the end of the book is a video discussion guide to go along with a separate video that can be acquired.
Even if you don’t want to participate in the one word process, this book is worth reading for the spiritual insights that Ashcraft shares. It’s under 200 pages and can be a quick read. I chose to read one chapter a week, though, and to focus on the concepts and insights of each chapter. I also chose my one word for 2024. It’s the word Focus. I need to focus on those things that matter the most. Those things that God wants for me that are the most important things.
The way this program is taught is that in everything we are going to do we should examine it through our one word. Ashcraft also encourages the reader to journal during this process to see how God uses our one word to change our lives.
This is one of those books I’ll probably re-read every year or two as it has a lot of depth. It’s a book that is useful throughout one’s life. The stories are inspirational. The vignettes are insightful. And the process can be life changing.
Commission earned
March 15, 2024
Book Review of Where is My Sister by Jane Daly
This is a fascinating novel exploring psychological manipulation. The story features justice and especially redemption for at least two major characters. Other themes this brave author takes on include homelessness, addiction and recovery, sex trafficking, adoption dynamics, and trauma.
Brianna comes from the ideal Christian family. Her life is set until a horrible cheerleading accident which drives her into the painful world of drug addiction. She spirals out of control to the point of ending up homeless and living on the streets of Sacramento. This is where the book picks up. Her salvation comes from a free women’s leadership program she’s introduced to by a college-age girl she meets. But is this program and its charismatic leader, Elizabeth Collins, truly what they are portrayed to be? Or is there something sinister going on in the beautiful mansion in the Los Lagos section of Sacramento?
The story is seen through the eyes of twenty-one-year-old Brianna and her older sister Morgan, who was adopted as a toddler from Haiti. Brianna also has a brother, Dillon, who was adopted from China. Daly portrays these major characters well and deeply explores the challenges of mixed-ethnic adoption. I felt for them, was frustrated with them, and rooted for them throughout. She also draws an excellent portrait of Elizabeth Collins. It’s easy to be drawn into Brianna’s confusion with how to feel about Elizabeth. About halfway through, the reader will know what Brianna doesn’t yet understand. There are enough clues dropped by Daly to lead the reader to understand the situation. This heightens the suspense and the frustration with Brianna.
Things heat up when Elizabeth’s estranged son, Malachi “Kai”, shows up. He’s the same age as the girls in the leadership program and in their words hot. His interactions with Brianna and her new best friend Emily add to Brianna’s confusion. His actions and words also add to the suspense, keeping the reader in the dark as to what his motivation is.
This is a clean read. Christianity plays a major factor in the story. Brianna becomes convinced that she is Esther from the Bible, and that God has placed her where she is for a purpose. Both Brianna and Morgan grow in their faith throughout the story. The book kept me reading. The writing was well crafted. Here’s a challenge for the reader: Count how many different types of gazes and looks characters can give. There are also some well-placed and creative metaphors that I appreciated.
I’m going to rank this one fourth of what I’ve read this year. The streak continues. Still not one less than good read this year.
The Record Keeper by Charles MartinThe Samaritan’s Patient by Chevron RossThe Maid by Nita ProseWhere is My Sister by Jane DalyThe Dark Wind by Tony HillermanA Vanishing Act by Edwina KiernanCali’s Hope by John Matthew WalkerDeadly Pursuit by Elle Gray
Commission earned
March 13, 2024
The Five Best Clean Crime Fiction Books
Shepherd.com has some interesting lists. Previously, I posted my three favorite reads of last year. Along with best of year lists, Shepherd.com has different authors that pick a topic and list their five favorite books in that topic.
On this is why I’m passionate about this topic, a little about my own clean crime fiction novel, and the list of the five books I chose and why I chose them.
Check it out here.
Don’t forget to browse around and check out the other authors and their topics.
Drop a comment and let me know what clean crime fiction books you’ve read and really liked.
