Unveiling the Past by Kim Vogel Sawyer

I very much enjoyed this sequel to Bringing Maggie Home. Kim Vogel Sawyer does a great job of writing an exciting mystery, while delving into relevant topics like forgiveness, grace and brokenness. Meghan DeFord is a cold-case detective assigned to get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearance of a banker who left for work and was never seen again. The case stirs up wounds from her own past by her own absent father. Meghan must choose between bitterness and resentment or healing and restoration.

Some favorite characters from the first book return in this one: Meghan's mother, Diane, and her grandmother, Hazel. Both are women with difficult pasts who have found healing and hope in their faith and relationship with Christ. Both are wonderfully warm and funny and add much to the story.

Another relevant topic that Unveiling the Past addresses is marriage. Meghan's husband, Sean, longs to start a family, but Meghan is reluctant and fearful. They both struggle to express their feelings and must learn how to communicate and understand each other.

If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction and like a good mystery, you will definitely enjoy Unveiling the Past. Although it is a sequel, it does stand alone if you haven't read the first book, Bringing Maggie Home.

Stories That Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner

I just recently discovered author, Susie Finkbeiner, and she has quickly become a favorite!  I loved her latest book, Stories That Bind Us. Set in the 60's, this historical Christian novel sucks you into the story right away.  At age 40, Betty Sweet unexpectedly becomes a widow and is overcome with grief.  She and her husband never had children and she was a homemaker, so she has no family or career to distract her. 

While struggling with to find her purpose in life, Betty's estranged sister,Clara, and her young son come to  visit and Betty quickly falls in love with her nephew, Hugo.  When Clara spirals into the darkness of depression and is hospitalized, Betty is left to care for Hugo.  Although inexperienced and unsure, she turns out to be a wonderful mother figure for her nephew and delights in telling him wonderful stories that she weaves just for him. 

This oh so charming tale is a joy to read and I enjoyed very page, reluctant for it to end.  Although a sweet story, it also deals with raw topics like depression, suicide, and racism.  If you have not yet discovered master storyteller, Susie Finkbeiner, I urge you to check her out.  I'm quite sure you can't go wrong with any of her books, but this one would be a great place to start!