“A morbid gloom hung in silence over the courtroom. And it dawned on Deetz—they were all human beings in that place. If they wanted to, they could all relate with one another—about life’s struggles, trials, ups, downs, joys, losses. But somewhere along the line, this one, Rogan Sneed, had chosen to venture outside the norm of what human beings are allowed to do, are supposed to do. Maybe he was insane or bi-polar or mentally ill. Or maybe something like demons really did exist—inside certain human beings. Whatever the case, whatever the reason for this insanity, whatever had caused Rogan Sneed to snap—Deetz found himself at a place he’d never been in his life. Wishing everyone could get along. Wanting peace—within himself and with those around him. Wanting love. Joy. Kindness. Serenity...” from Signs of Life.
This is my second book by Creston Mapes and I’m still trying to process my feelings. Marketed as a “Christian thriller,” author Creston Mapes has a way of getting his stories to wedge their way into your mind without using any graphic language or images. But he does use imagery. And emotions. And deep, personal points of view.
This is the story of three men: a teenage shooter, the detective who interrogates him, and a man who lost his wife in the violent event. The setting is Portland, Oregon and the location of the shooting is Pioneer Square, a place I’ve been to many times, which made this story feel all the more realistic.
The POVs are the detective, Wayne Deetz, and the widower, Tyson Cooper. They are strong characters, but also representatives of many others who were affected that horrific day, May 7, 2018. All fictional, though you forget that as you read.
So what makes it a “Christian thriller?”
Over the course of one year we follow Deetz and Cooper as they try to make sense of this senseless act and reassemble their lives. Because, honestly, how does one move forward from something so terrible? They question everything, reevaluate everything, second guess everything. They grapple with their faith, friendships, guilt, grief, there are thoughts of revenge, forgiveness, compassion, love, renewal, and an attempt to heal. And the reader is completely enveloped, putting everything through our own filters, making us think of such powerful issues like light versus dark, the death penalty, nature versus nurture, life after death, family, and loss.
This is a gripping story which I highly recommend. It will stay with you and, difficult as the subject is, maybe that’s a good thing.
9.5/10 Stars
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