The Doctor Digs a Grave -- 1998

The Doctor Digs a Grave
(1998)

Robin Hathaway

(...His own mother had had no delusions about her sons and would have been pleasantly surprised if anyone had wanted to marry them.) [Chapter 16]

Summary:
Dr. Andrew Fenimore was not your typical doctor. He actually cared more about his patients than the almighty dollar. So that was why, on the evening of October 29th he could be found helping a young boy bury his pet cat.

Even 200 years after his decease, the people of the city of Philadelphia remembered their founder, William Penn. And not just for his broad brimmed hat and somber clothing. They remembered his compassion for the people who had lived there before he and his had come: the Native Americans. That is why there was a place held with some esteem in the midst of the city. With MacDonald's on one side and a hotel on the other, an ancient burial ground of the Native tribe Lenni-Lenape that the city was not allowed to encroach on.

This was where Dr. Andrew Fenimore had taken his new friend to bury his pet. Obviously, he knew all about the history of the place which is why he took Horatio there. But the good doctor didn't expect to find it recently used. However, a newly inhabited grave was just what he discovered. This in itself was odd, of course, but not unexplainable because the body had been placed in the grave in the custom of their people: in a sitting position, facing east. Dr. Fenimore probably would have written the burial off as nothing if he hadn't been mugged in the process of discovery... with his own shovel.

The body was of a lovely young Lenni-Lenape woman. From all appearances, her death was from natural circumstances. But the further our doctor dug, the more dirt he found. (Forgive the most awful pun you have ever read. Please.) Even with the experience Dr. Fenimore had in detective work, he didn't suspect the whole truth... and it almost cost him his life.

What I Liked:
1: The humor. Excellent. Some of it was pretty corny but the good stuff was so good that it made up for it.
2: The mystery was good.
3: It was fairly clean.
4: It was well written... definitely a first novel. You can tell Mrs. Hathaway was still trying to find her style but that made it unique in a nice way.
5: Everything fit in it's own place. Nothing was in that book without a good reason. I liked that. :-)
6: The in depth look at the Natives and their customs. I really appreciated the effort Mrs. Hathaway went to explaining and making sure everything was accurate.

What I Didn't Like:
1: There was some language.

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.