I'll be honest: I'm kind of a snob when it comes to Christian fiction. To me, it seems that so much of it is either very much contrived and preachy or very much not-really-Christian with a few references to Jesus thrown in to make it (sort of) work. That's why I was so so SO pleasantly surprised by Meg Moseley's A Stillness of Chimes. It's like a real story. Written by a real author. With real talent. It's really good!
Laura Gantt has just lost her mother, so she's hanging out in her hometown of Prospect, Georgia for awhile to settle her household. Twelve years ago, she lost her father to a suspected lake drowning, but now rumors are circling that he's been seen around the area. Former fiance and lifelong friend, Sean, has his doubts, but he's willing to help Laura find out. Together, they discover the truth---with some very surprising secrets being unearthed along the way.
I love a good mystery and this one didn't disappoint---too much. I usually do have the mystery figured out early on, but it's always fun to see how it all plays out. Though I had this one about half way through, I definitely enjoyed this story of grace, forgiveness, and ultimate sacrifice. The scenes where Laura misses and remembers her mother lead me to believe that this author has dealt with that kind of loss on a personal level. The part where she takes the last blackberries out of the freezer and makes a cobbler---with the last berries ever picked by her mother---oh. my. goodness. Girls, that was too much. Really made me miss my mama so far away in Oregon. For more info, check out the author bio and read chapter one.
I've been on the lookout for good Southern fiction---this one is a definite must-read. Do you have any other good suggestions for me? Lets make a list in the comments---and don't forget to link up with the Homemaking Party!
I received this book from Blogging for Books to review on my blog. All opinions are honest and are my own.