Review + GIVEAWAY: Beyond the Silence

Beyond the Silence
By Tracie Peterson, Kimberley Woodhouse
Bethany House, 2016


Summary

The shadows over this olive grove hide more than just the truth.

Lillian Porter has always wanted to fulfill her mother's dream of going west, so when she hears about a nanny position in Angels Camp, California, she defies her grandfather and takes a chance on a new future. But she quickly wonders if she made the right choice. Murky rumors swirl around Woodward Colton, her new employer, but the gossip doesn't match the man Lillian comes to know.

Still, something dark did happen in the family's past. Lillian's seven-year-old charge hasn't spoken in over a year. Gently, Lillian tries to coax him out of his shell, hoping he'll one day feel safe enough to share what scared him. But the Colton olive farm is no longer a safe place. Lillian encounters suspicious characters on their land and mysterious damage done to the farm. When the housekeeper is brutally attacked, the town once again suspects the worst. Will discovering the truth help Lillian clear the name of the man she has come to love---or will it endanger her even more?

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Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Connect with Tracie: website, Facebook

Kimberley Woodhouse is a multipublished author of fiction and nonfiction. A popular speaker/teacher, she's shared her theme of Joy Through Trials with over 150,000 people at more than a thousand venues across the country. She lives, writes, and homeschools with her husband of twenty-plus years and their two awesome teens live in Colorado. Connect with Kimberley: website, Twitter, Facebook


My thoughts

I am impressed with this collaboration between Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse. I’ve read several novels by Tracie and enjoy her style. Kimberly is known for her excellent suspense, and while I don’t read a lot of this genre, I wanted to try this book because of the authors. Rich in characterization, setting, suspense and plot, the combined skill set that Tracie and Kimberly bring to the table makes this a very entertaining and compelling read.

California olive grove

Woody and Lillian drew me to them immediately. The community of Angels Camp, California was not kind to Woody, and as a result of people’s blindness to his innocence, Woody was worn down, vulnerable, and just plain tired. And Lillian . . . Well, she was exactly what he and his son, Jimmy, needed. Lillian had a feistiness about her that I loved, but more importantly, she had the ability to look beyond appearances and she refused to listen to gossip.

Woody and Lillian were empathetic characters; they touched my heart in a personal way. And the same can be said for a few secondary characters as well – such as the housekeeper, Mrs. Goodman, and 7-year-old Jimmy, who is at the heart of this story. Another touching part was the welcoming acceptance and befriending of the sweet, gentle Harry, childlike in a grown-up body. I couldn’t get Harry off my mind, and like Lillian, wondered “How many people missed out on knowing kind souls because someone else labeled them as simpleminded?”

Beyond the Silence has a strong spiritual theme, which I greatly appreciated in a time when many Christian fiction stories fall short in this area. There’s a contrast in words, between Jimmy’s self-imposed silence after witnessing something no child should ever see, and that of the townspeople’s quick judgement, brash condemnation and gossip. The story’s much-needed message about the power of our words – for good or evil, to bless or hurt – gives much to think about.

I thought that Mark, one of my fellow bloggers whose reviews always command my respect, summed it up perfectly and I wanted to share his comment that I heartily agree with:  “Great job, ladies, on a book that personifies what Christian fiction should be, and what Christian suspense should be.” (Click on this link to see Mark’s review at Thoughts of a Sojourner)

Recommended.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Litfuse landing page:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/petersonwoodhouse

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GIVEAWAY

WINNER:

Congratulations to Marilyn on winning a copy of Beyond the Silence. However, the e-mail you provided did not work, so please contact me by 2/8 or I will need to draw another winner.

Are you a suspense fan? Do you like books that are co-written? Fan of Tracie and/or Kimberly’s books? To enter the drawing for Beyond the Silence, just leave a comment, then click on this Facebook link and share about the giveaway ("likes" to my FB page are also very much appreciated).

BE SURE to leave your name and your email address in a safe format - [at] and [dot] - for the drawing. E-mail required for entry. Contest ends at midnight PST on Friday, February 5. Winner will be chosen by Random.org and contacted by e-mail.

Eligibility: US residents

Shared on Book Musing Mondays