CFBA presents MY SON, JOHN by Kathi Macias

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingMy Son, John(Sheaf House Publishers - April 2009)byKathi Macias

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathi Macias is an award-winning author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction books. She has also ghostwritten and collaborated on books for a number of well-known individuals. She is a staff member for The Christian Communicator Manuscript Critique Service and a member of The Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network, Christian Authors Network, American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Writers Fellowship International, Advanced Writers/Speakers Association, for who she serves as membership chair, and orange County Christian Writers Fellowship. She is the 2008 winner of AWSA’s Golden Scroll Award.

A Former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Macias is a credentialed minister and served as an associate pastor at a large church in Southern California, where she did biblical counseling, trained small group leaders, and oversaw support/recovery ministries. She is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and has appeared on several radio and TV programs.



ABOUT THE BOOK


Murder.

Could there be a more chilling word?

Could it be any more horrible than to have a loved one killed, brutally and heartlessly, without obvious reason or motive?

When Liz Peterson's elderly mother is found viciously beaten to death in her home, Liz and her husband, Charles, along with their grown son, John, and teenage daughter, Sarah, are horrified beyond words. Their previously predictable, respectable lives seem to have vanished without a trace, as they struggle to make sense of a senseless act.

And then a second blow-more devastating, if possible, than the first-rocks them to their core. John is arrested for his grandmother's murder. As what's left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons' longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Will family ties and relationships withstand such a crushing blow, or will evil succeed in dividing and conquering this once close and inseparable family?

Watch the chilling trailer!!



If you would like to read the first chapter of My Son, John, go HERE


JEN'S THOUGHTS

I had a hard time with this one. Not because of the subject matter, but the way it's presented.

For the most part, the characters are well thought out. As a woman whose mother has been murdered, Liz is as messed up as you'd expect. Not only does she have to morn her mother, but she has to deal with the revelation that her son, John, is the killer. Her reactions, such as wanting to do little more than sleep away the pain, are right on pitch. Unfortunately, not everything hits the same note. For example, Kate, John's aunt, is concerned for his welfare and goes to visit him in prison, hoping to be a bridge between him and his the mother. The problem is, Kate - who is Liz's sister - never seems like a woman who's dealing with the death of her mother, which she is.

Another problem for me was the shifting point of view. Most of the story is told in the first person, from Liz's perspective. But a few times, the viewpoint shifts to John or his sister, Sarah. At those times, the story is told in third person. But the first time it happens isn't until chapter eight. By that time, the each shift was quite jarring.

Still, there are some great things in this book. Any mother can relate to the raw emotions Liz goes through as she tries to reconcile her love for her son with the crime he's committed. Don't let the trailer fool you... there's no gore in this book. The murder is not described in detail, other than the fact that there was "so much blood." What is graphic are the emotions of a family devastated by a brutal crime.