DEAD WAKE, by Erik Larson

            I finished reading Dead Wake several days ago, and still can't stop thinking about it. Larson unwraps the story step by step, just as the events happened. By giving us names and details about various passengers, he gives this historic event a sense of immediacy.

            The narrative switches back and forth between the captain of the German submarine that ultimately sank the Lusitania and the shipboard days that unfold during the Lusitania's fateful final trip to England. Again, the details are what make the story.

            I've read The Devil in the White City and Thunderstruck, also by Erik Larson, so I knew I'd enjoy Dead Wake. But I had no idea how thoroughly captivating this book would be. I read every word, all the way through the end notes--which are interesting in themselves.

            Larson's narrative voice shines through Dead Wake. You don't have to be a history buff to appreciate this story. It's one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

IN EVERY HEARTBEAT, by Kim Vogel Sawyer

In Every Heartbeat explores the lives of three best friends who grew up in the same orphanage and have been granted scholarships to the same college. Libby Conley’s heart’s desire is to become a journalist. The other two orphans, Pete Leidig and Bennett Martin, have conflicting plans. Pete has always dreamed of being a pastor, while all Bennett wants to do is belong somewhere—no matter what the cost.

During the course of her goal to excel at journalism, Libby makes a shocking discovery that threatens Pete’s ambitions. This discovery sends each of the three friends down unexpected paths. The twists the story takes from this point will keep the reader engrossed.

In Every Heartbeat examines the hurts that Libby, Pete and Bennett carry within that propel them toward their diverse goals. The novel is set just prior to World War One, and Sawyer adds excellent detail to make the time period come alive. Fans of Sawyer’s historical fiction will fall in love with In Every Heartbeat.

I love the cover picture! If you’ve already read this book, I’d love to hear from you with your thoughts on the story.

(My thanks to Bethany House for providing my review copy.)

The Bell Messenger, by Robert Cornuke and Alton Gansky

The Bell Messenger was recommended to me by a visitor to my website. I've asked readers to share some of their favorite book titles with me, and Kay suggested I add The Bell Messenger to my library. I'm so glad I did. The story is a combination of historical fiction and contemporary action.

The authors, Robert Cornuke and Alton Gansky, have spun an intricate plot that revolves around a bible originally carried by a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. When the soldier is mortally wounded in action, he insists that the Union officer who shot him take the bible. “A dry rain cometh if you do not take the book,” he whispers.

In the story that follows, the bible eventually comes to a young man in 1980, and through his efforts the reader learns of the book's journey from a Virginia battlefield to a California railroad camp, into World War I, and across the sands of Egypt. Each life it touches connects with the life of the previous owner. Ordinarily I don’t like stories that use an object to connect decades, but The Bell Messenger manages to do so without feeling episodic.

A word to squeamish readers—the battle scenes are quite graphic. A little more so than I would have liked. However, the fascinating tales of the bible's owners more than make up for a little gore. At the end, Cornuke and Gansky tie the various sections together in a satisfying conclusion.

I recommend The Bell Messenger. I’d love to hear comments from others who've read it.