The morning after I began reading Heaven’s Prey by Canadian author, Janet Sketchley, I woke up thinking about the protagonist, Ruth Warren. Would Ruth be okay? Would she meet a horrible death or would she somehow escape from her captor? We were busy that day preparing a special dinner for company, but somewhere in the midst of the festivities, I snuck off to my room. One of my daughters found me there, with my head buried in Heaven’s Prey. “Mom,” she said, “why aren’t you downstairs with the rest of us?” I mumbled something lame about there not being enough chairs, but she wasn’t fooled. Ruth’s life was at stake and I was desperate to learn more.

Ruth Warren and her husband, Tony, have no children of their own and lose their beautiful, blonde haired niece, Susan, to a brutal and apparently remorseless killer and rapist named Harry Silver. Harry once had a brilliant career racing stock cars but his future was destroyed by his obsession with torturing and murdering young, blonde women. In spite of Ruth’s personal pain, she feels compelled to pray for Harry and then in a twist of circumstances, ends up as his captive, as well.

Heaven’s Prey, the first of the Redemption’s Edge series,  is fast paced, impeccably researched and detailed, and draws the reader in immediately to the plot line. The reader is both repelled and drawn to Harry  Silver, the antagonist,  as the author skillfully  weaves the history of his past into the reality of his present. Ruth is a woman of great faith and prayer, even in the midst of the greatest danger of her life.

During the next few weeks, we will be celebrating Christmas, and contemplating a holy God who came to dwell with  sinful human beings, so he could redeem and restore them. In Heaven’s Prey, Janet Sketchley throws the subjects of redemption and grace wide open. We can understand grace for every day sins but do we really want the bad guys to “get away” with their crimes?  Do we feel it is fair for a murderer and rapist to experience the same grace that we do? The author brings us face to face with these questions and the huge reservoir of grace and love that God has reserved for everyone.

Janet  is a very talented author who has written numerous articles and stories, including “The Road Trip That Wasn’t,” published in A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider: Words to  Stimulate The Mind and Delight The Spirit (edited by N.J.Lindquist and Wendy  Elaine Nelles). She is a wife and mother, and is active in her church and a variety  of writing groups. Her outstanding blog, Tenacity, thoughts on faith and fiction, can be found at janetsketchley.ca.

Heaven’s Prey is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and local stores can order print copies.

Note: Review copy provided by publisher: Choose Now Publishing.

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