Blood Sisters -- Melody Carlson -- 2001

Blood Sisters

(2001)

Melody Carlson

My Rating: 5 Stars

There are not many Christian novels that I can recommend, but I've read two of this author's books and was impressed with both of them. Plot, characters, spiritual lesson. It was all there and it was good.

Summary:

Judith Blackwell is at the end of her hopes and dreams. Her son had died of cancer years before and more recently, her beloved husband had been killed when the small plane he was traveling in crashed in the mountains. She was alone and there was no reason to prolong a miserable existence.

Her fingers picked at the pills the doctor had given her. He had meant for her to take two at a time but Judith had other intentions in mind. She divided the pills into rows of ten and filled her glass with water. But just as she returned to the table, she saw that week's mail and out of habit, began sorting through it. She found the envelope. No return address; no letter. Simply a newspaper clipping of an obituary.

Jasmine was dead.

Jolted back to the land of the living, Judith's mind slips back to Cedar Crest and Jasmine. When they were young, the girls had listened to the story of Tom Sawyer and when they had heard the part about blood brothers, they immediately went out and pricked their forefingers, mixing their blood for eternity: blood sisters.

Something about this untimely death seemed unbelievable to Judith. Images of the young, merry, beautiful Jasmine dance through her head until she simply had to know more... and that was when she called Cousin Polly. Cousin Polly owns and runs a beauty salon in Cedar Crest and is probably the biggest gossip in town. She's also probably the jolliest, happy person Judith had ever known. But even with her reputation, Cousin Polly becomes reticent and cool when Jasmine's name is mentioned. No matter what Judith says, Cousin Polly is mum on the subject.

When Judith puts down the phone, she realizes that there is only one thing to do: go to Cedar Creek and discover the details of Jasmine's death for herself. But she isn't going there for herself. She's going for Jasmine... for the sister she never had.

What she finds shocks her.

What I Liked:

1: The story was well told. Lots of talent and experience there.

2: The romance. Pretty sweet... and pretty subtle.

3: The mystery. I like.

4: How difficult issues, such as racism and suicide, are addressed and the reader is made to think.

5: Judith realizes that she was never alone, even in her darkest moments. God was always there for her.

6: This story showed how people can come from all circumstances and find the grace to succeed at whatever God has in store for them.