Widows & Orphans (Rachael Flynn Mystery Series #1)

by Susan Meissner

Paperback, 2006

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Genres

Series

Rachael Flynn Mystery (1)

Publication

Harvest House Publishers (2006), 280 pages

Description

When attorney Rachael Flynn learns her bighearted younger brother has been arrested, she at first takes it in stride; Joshua has been in trouble before when his zeal for helping the downtrodden and disadvantaged pitted him against the law. But this time the charge is murder and he's confessed to the crime. Certain that he's innocent, Rachael begs Joshua to let her represent him, but her brother refuses her offer of counsel. As Rachael works on the case on her own, she begins to suspect that Josh knows who the real killer is, but she's unable to get him to cooperate with his defense. When Rachael asks her husband, Trace, and his fellow artist friends to sketch the scene of the crime as they see it, a new piece of the puzzle becomes apparent...a piece that ultimately leads to a much bigger truth.… (more)

Language

English

Original language

English

Physical description

280 p.; 8.5 inches

ISBN

0736919147 / 9780736919142

User reviews

LibraryThing member Tanya-dogearedcopy

Rachael Flynn is a NY-based lawyer whose brother has confessed to first degree homicide. She returns to her home state of Minnesota to provide moral support to her parents, and see what's what. She doesn't believe that her brother, a man who had dedicated his life to helping widows and orphans (as

per KJV James 1:27,) would kill a man; and so goes about investigating without actually interfering. One of the techniques she uses is to have her artist- husband and friends draw out possible scenarios; and reacting to what her instincts tell her. It is not clear from the publisher's summary, and should probably made more clear both for readers who like this sub-genre, and for those that don't; but this is Christian-based fiction: The character's personalities are religiously grounded; actions on the brother's part are based on a narrow interpretation of a Bible passage; and the protag ascribes divine and abstract values to her intuitive senses. As for the writing itself, it suffers somewhat structurally: Much of the book has Rachael Flynn running around declaiming that her brother couldn't have possibly have done the crime to which he has confessed; and that no one knows him like she does. There's not really any tension, or sense of anything really happening. In the end, the final scenario is played out twice, ostensibly from two POVs; but nothing is added to our understanding of the situation with the second re-telling. The scenario itself was interesting; but ultimately the novel was a good idea poorly executed.

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