キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか？ しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか？ 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな？』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう？もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Stardate 09.20.2006
Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is SQUAT by Taylor Field.
My Monday book giveaway is WISHING ON DANDELIONS by Mary DeMuth.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for SQUAT and the winner for WISHING ON DANDELIONS and post the title for another book I'm giving away.
Something That Lasts by James David Jordan.
When Ted Balik rises from his pew to speak, no one in the crowded sanctuary of the O'Fallon Bible Church can imagine that their peaceful community will be shattered by his shocking disclosure: Reverend David Parst, beloved husband and father and pastor, committed the unthinkable crime. He had an affair with Mrs. Balik.
As the church members explode into an uproar, Ted silently grabs a gun out of his pocket, raises it to his temple and pulls the trigger.
These few moments of horror plunge the reverend, his wife and their twelve-year-old son into a struggle with God and one another that will span generations - a struggle to find something that lasts beyond the rage, lies and fear.
Check out the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance today for a review of Something That Lasts.
ACFW!!!! I’m off to the ACFW conference in Dallas! I’m so excited to see all my friends. I’ll try to remember to take pictures. I’m very bad about that.
No book drawing on Thursday since I’ll be in Texas.
Have lots of fun without me!
Blog book giveaway:
My Thursday book giveaway is SQUAT by Taylor Field.
My Monday book giveaway is WISHING ON DANDELIONS by Mary DeMuth.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for SQUAT and the winner for WISHING ON DANDELIONS and post the title for another book I'm giving away.
Something That Lasts by James David Jordan.When Ted Balik rises from his pew to speak, no one in the crowded sanctuary of the O'Fallon Bible Church can imagine that their peaceful community will be shattered by his shocking disclosure: Reverend David Parst, beloved husband and father and pastor, committed the unthinkable crime. He had an affair with Mrs. Balik.
As the church members explode into an uproar, Ted silently grabs a gun out of his pocket, raises it to his temple and pulls the trigger.
These few moments of horror plunge the reverend, his wife and their twelve-year-old son into a struggle with God and one another that will span generations - a struggle to find something that lasts beyond the rage, lies and fear.
Check out the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance today for a review of Something That Lasts.ACFW!!!! I’m off to the ACFW conference in Dallas! I’m so excited to see all my friends. I’ll try to remember to take pictures. I’m very bad about that.
No book drawing on Thursday since I’ll be in Texas.
Have lots of fun without me!
Comments
Have a wonderful time at the conference. You'll be a superstar, as usual! ;-)
That book brings back several memories of pastors who have had affairs. I know for a friend of ours it changed her whole life. Her father was a pastor as well and when she found out about her husband's "other woman", it left both his family and hers in shock. I don't hear anything about him even though another very good friend helped the younger one through the whole episode. She was left with 3 children to raise on her own.
In another case of an older pastor, everybody was amazed that God blessed his work all through the affair and even after that. But then, that was a lot like David with Bathsheba. And yet. Yes, we see it as one of the greatest sins but for God there are really no degrees of sin. Gossip is just as bad a sin as murder or adultery, though in most cases, the impact is not as great.
Yes, it really does sound like a compelling book.