When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye one autumn morning, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. Her conference in Kansas City is only a few hours’ drive from their little town of Sylvia, Missouri. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.”
Mitch sets the table with their best china and lights some candles, looking forward to their first weekend as empty nesters.
But at eight o’clock, the candles have burned to stubs and Jill still hasn’t shown up. Mitch tries her cell phone only to get her voice mail over and over again. Their two college kids haven’t heard from their mom either.
At midnight, Mitch’s irritation turns to dread. And later, when the police and Missouri Highway Patrol have turned up nothing, the Kansas City hotel calls to say they’ve found property belonging to Jill in a hotel maid’s possession.
Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, and together they search for clues to Jill’s disappearance. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer—and decidedly complicated with Jill as the tie that binds them together. Just when Shelley decides to finally reveal her feelings for Mitch, a clue to Jill’s whereabouts is uncovered. But every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.
Deborah Raney is the award-winning author of several novels, including “A Nest of Sparrows” and the RITA award winning “Beneath a Southern Sky” and its sequel, “After the Rains.” Deborah’s first novel, “A Vow to Cherish,” was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures’ highly acclaimed film of the same title, which in December 2004 aired on prime time network TV for the second time. Deb’s novella, “Playing by Heart,” was a National Readers Choice Award winner and a 2004 Christy Award finalist. Her novel for Howard/Simon & Schuster, “Yesterday’s Embers,” appeared on the ECPA Christian fiction bestseller list. Known for her sensitive portrayal of family struggles and relationships, Deb has also written nonfiction books and articles and often speaks at women’s retreats and writers’ conferences around the country. She and her husband, illustrator/author Ken Raney, have four children and make their home in Kansas. Find out more at DeborahRaney.com
The Face of the Earth: A Novel by Deborah Raney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I call this the “perfect” book, I am not joking. This is a book that kept my entire attention from the very beginning until the end, and not many books can do that. This has something in it for everyone: mystery, romance, contemporary concerns, and true faith. This is a book that is clean and well-written.
In light of current media stories where people go missing far too often, this was a smart topic to cover in this book. The author kept me guessing almost until the end. At one point, I said to myself that she could steer the book at least fifty different ways. I had to force myself to stop and eat lunch and do other things that were necessary. I actually forgot that this was a fiction book.
IN addition to this, there is a very inconvenient romance, and I was greatly touched and conflicted as I read about it. I was so glad that those involved turned to the Lord. While the gospel message is not expressly stated in the book, it is clear that a foundation based on a relationship with God is absolutely key.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It should be a joy for anyone who enjoys mysteries and romances.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
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