RIVER RISING, by Athol Dickson

River Rising opens with a scene in 1927 Louisiana, featuring an unnamed man poling his pirogue up the fog-covered Mississippi River toward a tiny town. From the start, his appearance and demeanor attract attention.

Dickson's opening had me from the first page. Soon we learn the stranger is Reverend Hale Poser, come to Pilotville to find his roots. His righteous soul is disturbed by what he sees of the community's hypocrisy. Whites and blacks exist more or less harmoniously during the week, but on Sunday they separate to their individual churches.

When Hale Poser takes a job as janitor in Pilotville's Negro Infirmary, it's not long before rumors of his ability to heal circulate through the community. Is he a miracle worker? The evidence is hard to deny.

Then a baby is kidnapped from the Infirmary, and Hale takes it upon himself to find her when others have given up. Where River Rising proceeds from that point is startling and oh-so realistic. Dickson is a masterful writer, as proved by River Rising being awarded the Christy Award for suspense in 2006.

For those who say they never read Christian fiction because it's insipid, I say read Athol Dickson's work. He’ll change your opinion.

On Agate Hill, by Lee Smith

I read an interview with Lee Smith in a writer's magazine last month, and was intrigued by her comments regarding On Agate Hill. So, I bought the book.The story is set in post-Civil War North Carolina. As readers of my book reviews know, I’m drawn to stories set in the Civil War period, particularly those set in the Confederate states. As someone who descended from a great-grandfather who fought for the Union, and who has lived her life on the west coast, I know very little of the effects of the war on the citizens of the southern states.

On Agate Hill is the story of Molly Petree, who is an orphan of thirteen when the book begins in 1872. Smith narrates Molly’s life through the use of diaries, letters, court records, and even sometimes song lyrics. It’s an unconventional method, but it serves this story well. By reading Molly’s words, and the words others write about her, the reader gets a fully dimensional view of an unforgettable heroine. The only drawback to this method of storytelling is the fact that when one of the sections ended, it created a natural place to stop reading and put the book down. But curiosity about what would happen to Molly next brought me back after those breaks.By the end of the story, I felt I had lost someone dear to me. Not a friend, exactly. More like an interesting relative who sends letters home telling of an exotic life beyond my imagining.

Molly’s life was far from exotic in the conventional sense. She never leaves North Carolina, but her life is ruled by her own definition of herself as a “bad girl.” Therefore, she doesn’t balk at challenging the status quo no matter where she finds herself. Smith has done a magnificent job of describing the beauty of North Carolina, especially the mountain areas. Her characters are all memorable—there aren’t any stick figures in this book.The privations of the reconstruction period following the Civil War are shown through Molly’s eyes in a way that makes them more real than melodramatic scenes could do.

On Agate Hill definitely falls in the category of literary fiction, and was written for the general market. Using movie ratings, I’d categorize it as PG-13. I recommend this book highly, especially for lovers of Civil War fiction.

Longings of the Heart

Bonnie Leon's latest book, Longings of the Heart, is a story about the consequences that arise when Hannah Bradshaw decides to withhold a truth about her past from her husband, John. Her decision to lie to him by omission creates ripples that affect many lives. A friendship is sundered, a marriage threatened, and a man violates his principles--all as a result of Hannah's decision.

I'm reminded of a quotation from one of Sir Walter Scott's poems: "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." Hannah's web of deception is tangled indeed.

Bonnie Leon has written a compelling story that draws the reader deeper and deeper as the consequences continue to unfold. Using the fascinating backdrop of early-day Australia, Leon brings her all-too-human characters to vibrant life on the page. I particularly enjoyed her portrayal of the boy, Thomas.

When Longings of the Heart soars to its heart-tugging conclusion, readers will reluctantly close the book, wishing the story didn't have to end. Fortunately, we will read more about John and Hannah Bradshaw in the final volume of the series, to be released next year.

Bonnie Leon is a long ways past being a debut author, but her writing is fresh with every volume. I recommend this book.