The Lovely Bones

First of all let me say that this book isn't about happy endings. Sadly most stories in life don’t have happy endings and this is what the author, Alice Sebold was trying to tell us. The Lovely Bones is about how the Salmon’s family’s world was turned upside down one winter night when their eldest daughter, Susie, disappears on her way home from school.
With next-to-nothing clues to go on, her father becomes obsessed with the neighbor who he thinks did it. The mother drowns her sorrow into escaping from the family. Lindsey, the sister, has to endure the stigma of being the murdered girl's sister and Buck, the baby, has to endure everyone's loss as well as his. Not only does Susie's death affect her family, it affects two of the people she knew in life, her first love and a friend she barely knew.

Written from Susie's point of view as she observes life on earth from heaven, it is written in a very touching way. This book should have come with a warning on the front cover; "Kleenexes are necessary while reading this book." It is haunting, and the sorrow lingers long after the last page has been turned. This novel is about how people deal with grief and how they move on in spite of the death of a loved one. It is about letting go and remembering. It is about life and death. In spite of its premises, it really isn't a book about revenge. It is about life.

I would definitely recommend you read The Lovely Bones, more so now since the movie based on the novel hits theaters on December 11, 2009.

The Girl With the Crooked Nose

If you like true story murder tales, you will find this book interesting. Written by Ted Botha, this book follows Frank Bender as he goes from being a photographer to creating plaster busts of unidentified murder victims. His uncanny ability to "see" a face through a blank skull, leads to identifications of many missing people, and arrest of the murderers.
This informative book also has photos detailing his procedures and the finished busts with photos of the actual victim. It is uncanny the ability that he has to do this "artwork."
A mix of true murder and creative crime solving, you'll enjoy this book from beginning to end!

A Son's Treachery and a Father's Forgiveness

"Murder by family" by Kent Whittaker is a quick read, partly because you cannot put it down. I found this book fascinating. I had watched this story on "48 Hours" and on "Oprah" and was interested in the forgiveness this father had for the son that murdered the rest of the family. Mr. Whittaker talks in detail of how God allowed different circumstances and events to happen as they did and how He used them to show Mr. Whittaker that He is in charge and although we may not understand, He is all about His own glory. Mr. Whittaker also is very candid about his own anger and confusion and clearly states that some of this anger was based on not knowing all that the police knew. I must say that while I find his forgiveness remarkable, I am not convinced of his son's repentance but, then again, I don't have to be. I felt bad for the father, but do think the son got what he deserved especially since the murder was his third attempt to kill his family. It is the ultimate betrayal any child can do to their parents and the fact that Kent can not only forgive his son, but also write about the journey is incredible.

The only downside to this book is that I wanted to know more about Bart, Kent’s son, and the whys and how this son who came from a good Christian family could end up being the mastermind behind the murders of his mother, brother and the attempted murder of his father. If you are looking to understand the mind of a killer, you only get one chapter in the book to illumine that question. Instead this book is a peek into the heart of a grieving husband and father who determined that he would live out his faith in the face of the worst circumstances imaginable. It's a glimpse of the prodigal son’s father, of King David mourning Absalom. It will leave you humbled and in awe. What makes this book so mesmerizing is the wrenching agony of the father as he comes to grips with the knowledge of what his son has done. And then to read how, as a devout Christian, Kent painfully tries to forgive his son and heal the rift between them. Anyone who is interested in the how-to of forgiveness and mercy will be engrossed by this story.

Intriguing Mystery

Farraday Road by Ace Collins


I absolutely love mysteries and especially those I can't solve, which I firmly believe is a sign of a good mystery. This book is a good mystery book, no, make that a "great" mystery. It is about a small-town lawyer, determined to find out why his wife was murdered, after both are chased by killers on a deserted road.

Twists and turns filled the pages and kept me reading the book until the wee hours. I finally had to put it down because I was falling asleep reading it! It has a surprise ending. (No cheating! Read it from the beginning). I passed it to my husband who enjoyed reading it also. I had to force him to put it down to eat.

Review by Kathy Stutzman