Most of the time, I read material that is challenging to me in some area of my life, or historical material and biographies. Over the past few years, I have found this to be increasingly the case. However, once in a while, I still enjoy a good fictional novel. And Carrie Stuart Parks has provided a great story in the most recent novel I have read.
When Death Draws Near is the story of Gwen Marcey, a forensic artist. When her help is requested in rural Kentucky, she is drawn into a web full of multiple deaths, a radical variant of a faith she struggles with, and her own failures and worries. Full of suspense and intrigue, Parks weaves a tale that draws the reader into the life of Marcey, and creates a world that is hard to let go of until the last page is turned.
This is the first time I have read anything by Parks, and I am impressed. I’m looking forward to reading more of her work. Although she does not reach the level of some of my favorite authors, she has considerable talent and the ability to create a world that the reader is drawn into easily. Her characters are interesting and she develops them well. My only negative about this novel is that sometimes it was too fast paced. More than once, significant events occurred in the story line with little preparation for them. I was left wondering where that came from.
Many times a plot twist will create the same kind of tension, but in a better way. In Parks’ case, a bit more development between such significant events would help to smooth this a bit.
Over all, I really enjoyed When Death Draws Near. It was fast-paced and kept my attention captivated. I’m looking forward to the next one.
Ratings & Details For When Death Draws Near:
- Genre/Style: Fiction/Suspense
- Story/Plot: 8 of 10 stars
- Spiritual Content: 9 of 10 stars
- Readability/Flow: 8 of 10 stars
- Cover: 10 of 10 stars
- Overall Rating: 8 of 10 stars
Question: Have you ever read anything by Carrie Stuart Parks? If so, what did you think? If not, who are some of your favorite suspense authors? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.