Lynda Monahan’s poems in The Door at the End of Everything whisper cool hope over the raw road-rash of the miseries of life. With vivid speech, she takes the reader through things unspeakable. This is lived experience: depression, anxiety, abuse, fear, loneliness, grief, and mental illness. These are hard things. But these are real things. Monahan gives expression to things that are difficult to express, both by those who suffer them and for those who are trying to help. There is so much hurt in these lyrics of life, but there is hope.
An American Tragedy by Dan Flanigan is Book 4 in the Peter O'Keefe series. O'Keefe is a no-nonsense, seemingly lackadaisical private investigator. He's not pretentious, bordering on humble. He's no slouch. O'Keefe is a kindhearted, dedicated, honorable, and insightful private investigator. We find him caring for justice in this particular case, and seeing through the twists and motives in a tumultuous time. The "Tragedy" in this story is the horrific and devastating issue of child abuse.
Spies Among Us by Mel Harrison is the next in the Alex Boyd series. Alex is a Special Agent in Diplomatic Security and a Regional Security Officer. His wife, Rachel Smith, works with the US Embassy. Alex and Rachel are both assigned to London, England, at a time when the Russians are plotting nefarious schemes involving global security. The Russians are playing their hand on a particular spy whose growing romantic relationship with an American agent is feeding them delicate information.
“Jesus never promised a life without difficulties, but He does promise to guide us along the way, showering us with His presence, love and peace.” With those words, Mary Rooney Armand summarizes this compilation, Life Changing Stories. These thirty-four devotionals, written by different Christian women, show the variety of troubles and afflictions in life. Their genuine stories of heartache and pain also show the varied grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Jesus answers prayer. Jesus turns bad situations into blessings. Jesus helps His people.
Voice Treaty Truth was written by Barbara Miller was written in two weeks! Even though quickly written, the important subject matter is not presented without thought. In fact, Barbara Miller and her husband, Norman, have been involved in the aboriginal cause in Australia for decades. Her insights in this book are passionately and clearly reasoned. As with other racial issues in societies today, the issues in Australia are intensifying. This book was written quickly to address a very specific referendum.
F. Kennerly Clay's East of Nowhere captures the soul of the sixties with vivid and raw narrative. It's the story of her life, and what she knew and learned about her father's life. The book is not hagiography (where only the goodness of her father is told). The author clearly loves her father--deeply so--but she is realistic about him and her relationship with him. The author's father is perhaps typical of a free-spirited man from the sixties. His portrait, as she writes it and his poems convey it, is of a person who sees life differently than most.
