Nothing To Hide.

This is a funny title because I think I have been hiding from this blog. Where did the summer go? What have I been up to?
 In sometimes I feel like I have been in survivor mode. Bucket down the hatches and make it through. Yet I have seen God give me things that I have wanted for so long. I am beginning to move into more teaching and leadership roles in ministry and I am seeing a new confidence. I am also having good interaction with old friends that I thought were gone from my life. Plus I am meeting new people that make me thankful for the point I am in my life.
I am writing this blog to review a book. "Nothing to Hide" by J. Mark Bertrand. This is the third Roland March Mystery. I read and reviewed the previous book, "Pattern of Wounds". Roland is very much a loner. In this book, it seems like he is isolating himself even more. Even the chaos over changes in the police station, begin to isolate Roland as his leadership changes. Even if he didn't like or agree with the leadership, he finds comfort in the security and boundaries of it. In the previous book, Roland's wife Charlotte is his anchor. She always there to comfort him and give guidance. Their mutual grief over their daughter's death bonds them. Charlotte seems to be moving away from Roland. She has a spiritual faith that he doesn't share: she is busy with her law career and on the road all the time. Her appearances in this novel are limited to times of tragedy. Even the young neighbors who are Roland's safety and family have not only moved but are busy preparing for their first child. Again Roland is all alone.

So in this context, Roland is called to the murder scene. The victim's head is missing and his finger points to a clue. This case leads Roland into a messy maze. He follows one lead which he ends up stumbling and getting hurt. This is just a foreshadowing of what is to come. He stumbles his way into an undercover intelligence community where no one is really telling the truth. He puts people into jeopardy that he shouldn't, too easily trusts people that do have something to hide. He even learns that his own past is tied up into what is going on. He takes justice into his own hands and though he thinks he has nothing to lose and nothing to hide. I think in the end, he realizes that in his pursuit of justice, he risks way more than he should. In the end, the police community and his family are really what matter and honoring them.
 Plus we all have something to hide, there is more to the story than we all are willing to reveal.This is a good mystery and I was intrigued until the very end. I begin to have my suspicions about the killer, but only right before they are revealed.
I received no compensation for this review, other than a copy of this book form Bethany House, a division of Baker publishing.

P.S. I plan to start blogging more often.