Risings: Fact or Fiction?

A little boy, beaten and left to die in an alley. A cop with a personal life out of control. When their worlds collide, God intervenes. Detective Ellie Saunders's homicide investigation takes a dramatic turn when a young victim "wakes up" in the morgue. The child has no memory prior to his "rising" except walking with his father along a shiny road. Ellie likes dealing with facts. She'd rather leave all the God-talk to her father, a retired minister, and to her partner, Jesse, a former vice cop with an annoying habit of inserting himself into her life. But will the facts she follows puts Ellie's life in mortal danger? And will she finally allow God into her heart forever?

My Review...

This is a book about life after death. Not the kind where one dies and goes to heaven. But the kind when one dies and comes back to life, again. You might say it's a controversial subject because there are so many different opinions about it. But the truth is, it has happened--and been documented--so many times, that medical science has its own name for the phenomenon. It's called, the Lazarus Syndrome. 

In THE RISING, Lynn Chandler-Willis has woven a compelling story about just such an occurrence. And from the very first sentence of, "The kid's not dead." it is a very hard book to put down. Detective Ellie Saunders is a person who deals with facts that can be proven (or otherwise), and is determined to track down not only an explanation, but whoever left the six-year-old in an alley to die in the first place. 

But one cannot brush up against such an incident without having their heart stirred. Even a well-guarded one. Her search for the truth takes the reader along a maze of speculative corridors, all the while asking the questions we would all probably ask if faced with the same situation. And somewhere along the line, one begins to ask themselves these questions, as well. 

Which is all I can say about the plot without giving away spoilers. At any rate, THE RISING is a well-written, suspense-filled mystery that will keep you wondering how it could all possibly end. Just right for a summer vacation when it doesn't matter too much if it keeps you reading into the night. One that will definitely keep you thinking about the subject even after you've turned the last page. Because it's a book that makes you think. 

And those are rare these days. 

Some words from Lynn...

Lynn Chandler-Willis

I’ve worked in the corporate world (hated it!), the television industry (fun job), the newspaper industry (burnt out), and even at a daycare center (stayed sick the entire time). I have two adult kids with great spouses who have blessed me with nine grandkids. They give me a lot of material.

I was born, raised, and continue to live in the heart of North Carolina – within walking distance to the kids and all the grands! I share my home and couch with Sam the cocker spaniel. He reminds me it’s okay to sometimes just sit and watch tv.

I believe in what if? I believe in the power of the kitchen table. Life and death decisions have been made around many. I believe sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes good things happen to bad people.  Wondering why that is will get you nowhere. Accept it and move on. Often things aren’t what they seem. I like peeling back the layers, uncovering the mystery, page by page.

You can find out more about Lynn and her work by visiting: http://lynnchandlerwillis.com