Review: The Witness
Description:
From Monte Carlo to Morocco to Egypt and into Petra, Marwan Accad is pursued by authorities for murders he did not commit. Tracked by advanced intelligence-surveillance technology, his every location is eventually found out, His closest friend and ally hides him, only to have his family put in mortal danger; his brother and business partner help cover his tracks, but only for a brief time. Is it possible that this is an inside job, trying to kill him and set him up for the murders he didn’t commit? Marwan races against time to find his pursuers and their motives.
My Review:
The action in “The Witness” begins right with the first chapter, with murder, pursuit and attempted assassinations. The reader follows Marwan through Europe and into North Africa as he tries to escape those who hunt him. The action scenes grip you and don’t let go. Marwan is a believable hero and a sympathetic character.
The writing style was very unique but put you right inside Marwan’s thoughts and actions. I wanted more out of the female lead but still found her likable. But I have to say, author Josh McDowell’s secondary characters were by far the strongest, from the villains to the trusted friends.
The setting is rich, taking you all over the countryside and Cairo. From the pyramids to camel rides, this book feels like a journey itself.
I loved the tension and the chase of the police, always on Marwan’s tail. However, there were some elements to the plot I doubted as realistic and struggled with. Sometimes, the sense of urgency and danger disappeared completely, which diminished the pursuit and the lives at stake.
The mystery and the suspense were top-notch, however, and I finished the book within a few days. This is a great summer read for anyone looking for an escape and a moving tale of friendship and God’s love.
This book was provided to me by Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.
Read MoreThe Story Behind the Story: Lydia Tsirozidis
“I live in Athens, Greece, and many of my sisters in Christ, here, are Filipina housekeepers for wealthy Greek families. The Lord moved me to write Skipping Mountains after hearing countless testimonies from these women about the abuses they suffer at the hands of the rich. Although treated worse than animals by their employers, these humble women continue to live godly for Christ Jesus.What cinched the plot for me was actually one instance where the tables turned–one housekeeper later saw her wealthy mistress end up destitute.”
Thank you for stopping by, Lydia!
Read MoreThe Story Behind the Story: Deborah Raney
Deborah Raney
Deborah Raney – The “story” behind The Hanover Falls novels:
“My husband is always clipping stories out of the newspaper that he thinks I’ll find interesting––that he thinks might hold the seed of an idea for a future novel. One day he placed the story of nine heroic firefighters who were killed in a fire in Charleston, SC. That story and the career of my firefighter nephew, got me thinking about the lives of the survivors and how they find the will to go on after such a tragedy. The Hanover Falls novels explore the questions I encountered that day.
“The three-book series was contracted by Howard/Simon & Schuster and will follow the lives of several of the survivors of fallen firefighters as they try to piece their lives back together after a tragic fire at a homeless shelter in Hanover Falls.
“The research was the most difficult thing about this book because it took me WAY out of my comfort zone. Since part of the storyline of The Hanover Falls Novels series revolves around events in a homeless shelter, when our church asked for volunteers at our local shelter, I knew the Lord was prompting me to answer the call.
“My first night on duty was a Sunday and I was told to bring something to read since usually the hours were quiet and uneventful. I thought it strange when I arrived that no one else from my church was there yet. But I introduced myself to the volunteers from another church, and we began our evening serving supper to about twenty residents who had checked into the overnight-only shelter. Not once the entire night was there so much as a minute to sit and read. According to the other volunteers, this was the craziest and most eventful night they’d ever experienced at the shelter.
“As the night unfolded, we dealt with a suicide watch, a new fresh-out-of-jail admittance who turned out to be on the no-admit list, a bottle of Vodka discovered in the hallway that meant administering a (thankfully negative) Breathalyzer test on the main suspect, a mild altercation between a resident and a volunteer (not me!) and a phone that rang the entire 5-11 shift. Before the evening was over, I’d had some fascinating conversations with residents, and had the privilege of praying with a suicidal man.
“I went home with my brain brimming with ideas and information for my novel. Only after I arrived home after 11 p.m. did I glance at my calendar and do a double take. I had looked at my schedule wrong! I wasn’t supposed to show up for my shift until the following Sunday night! Nights like that one give me a fresh appreciation of how God often turns research into ministry––and of how He never wastes an experience in the life of a writer.”
Thank you, Deborah! What a fascinating story. Look for Almost Forever – Available now!
Read MoreMy “story” behind the story
In my childhood, my head was always filled with stories like the Chronicles of Narnia, the BFG, Call of the Wild and so many more. I gobbled up all the horse stories I could find. When I hit the sixth grade, I ran out of books that interested me, so I started reading Christian fiction and was hooked.
Around that same time, I got my first horse and began training and honing my riding skills. My horse was a registered Arabian mare named LL Naseem. I found a book of legendary Arabian stallions and found my horse was a descendent of one of them.
My very first novel was born – I wanted to read a story about a famous Arabian horse and the strong woman trainer who tamed it. But I couldn’t seem to find the right story, so I wrote one myself!
A few years later, I had the opportunity to interview a World War II veteran who had flown B-29s into hurricanes toward the end of the war to gather scientific data and weather statistics. His story enthralled me and soon there wasn’t a World War II history book I wouldn’t devour.
This brought about my passion for World War II and soon the two loves – writing and history – merged.
As I was brushing my teeth one night, the real lightning strike happened. I remembered the story of Wirtez II (see post here) and my first real novel was born. A strong woman horse trainer who braves the world war to find the horse she needs for her Arabian breeding farm. Then, throw in some murders here and there for excitement and a handsome British major.
This book was my focus for more than six years. I wrote it throughout high school and rewrote it in college. It is on its third full rewrite and now sitting on the shelf. Many “first” novels never see the light of publication, which is good thing. But the story of how that first novel came to be is one I hold dear to my heart.
My other novel ideas (of which there are hundreds) come from reading the newspaper, studying history, talking with people, observing crowds, creative daydreaming and more.
In the following weeks and months, I’m going to feature other authors and their stories of how their novels came to existence!
Read MorePlans in the works
I’m working on gathering stories from authors of all stages – published or unpublished – to learn the history behind their first novel. What was it that sparked their first urge to write the story, character or plot.
Know of someone with a fun story to share? Want to share a story of your own? Leave a comment with your email and I’ll contact you!
On Monday, I’ll share some of the history behind my novels.
Read MoreConnect with me
