Fear Has a Name

by Creston Mapes
David C. Cook

How Far Would He Go To Keep Them Safe?

It was more than a break-in. More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stalker targets his family, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are--if he is to protect the ones he loves. It will lead Crittendon into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and faith gone awry, as does his investigation of a missing pastor, whose apparent suicide is more than it appears.

Each move Crittendon makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocrisy, sin, and danger. He believed he'd never give in to fear. But that was before. And holding on to his faith won't be easy. Nor will keeping his family safe, and ending the terror. Because that might require him to step over lines he never dared to cross.

My Review:

This is the kind of novel that keeps you up until the wee hours of the night frantically turning pages. I will begin by stating that the Christians in this novel were not portrayed in the best of light. And of course, this is fine with me, because if we started with perfect Christians, what kind of story would we have? Jake was a very multifaceted character. I liked the investigative reporter side of him, as he was capable, resourceful, and creative to solve his cases. But as a Christian and husband, he sucked. He was two different people, and his dark side came out with the ones he loved instead of on the job.

And saints preserve us, Pam was the dumbest woman I have ever met in literature. Mapes did a good job of  making sure we saw her for all her faults and shortcomings, and I couldn't help but wish I could sit her down and have a talk. She confused me a little with the way she's smart and dumb at the same time, but I enjoyed that she wasn't written in as a perfect compliment to Jake's unsteady character.

I found it very interesting that Mapes actually has me sympathizing with the criminal. I feel that his terrible parents contributed to his unstable frame of mind, yet is a victim of his own making. No matter our past, we make our own choices, and the "bad guy" in this story was no different. A wonderful, suspenseful first novel to The Crittendon Files. 

This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.