Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Deadly Disclosures by Julie Cave


A Suspense-filled fiction mystery which answers an ominous question: How far will some go to silence an influential Christian voice?
Thomas Whitfield, proud Secretary of the Smithsonian and its extensive scientific influence, has disappeared from his office with foul play suspected. Dinah Harris, an FBI agent struggling with alcohol and depression, is seeking answers amidst the fallout of her own personal issues. Whitfield's body is eventually found, and other people connected to him begin dying as well, ultimately exposing a broader conspiracy connected to him begin dying as well, ultimately exposing a broader conspiracy connected to Whitfield's recent conversion to Christ and promotion of a biblical worldview in an academic world of financial gain hostile to this concept. Will Dinah be able to experience the redemptive power of Christ before it's too late? Or will the ominous danger stalking her investigation claim another victim?



This was an interesting book to read. It is a mystery novel mixed in with theology, which made it sometimes a fascinating read while other times a bit frustrating to follow.

The book’s strength lies in the detective aspect. Dinah, the main character, is an FBI agent with quite a lot of problems of her own. Her characterization was well done, making her likeable even at her worst. She is a strong heroine with lots of spunk who lit up the pages in which she appeared. Ferguson, her partner, makes for a good foil for her, and they both make a good addition to the mystery genre.

The main issue I had with the book is the amount of religion involved. The plot line, of course, necessitates some theology, but not to the level or degree present in this story. Although I am a staunch believer in evolution, I would have gladly gone along with a premise in which creationism is the key if it had been less preachy. The way the conflict between evolution vs. creationism is shown starts off well, but then veers off into conjecture and Bible-preaching. Many scenes with Andy and Thomas could have been shortened considerably or erased altogether, since it felt more like their conversations were crafted to convince the reader than to advance the plot. Speaking as a non-Christian, it was hard to stay interested in the preaching, leaving me anxious for the story to move along.

This is a good mystery story and I know a lot of people will enjoy it. The main character did hook me enough to make me want to read the next book in the series, regardless of what I thought of the amount of religion involved, so definitely give it a try.


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