Book Review

Every summer I read as many books as possible. I've always done so, for as long as I can remember, summertime was reading time. Lying in the sun, or lying on my bed I'd read away the hot days.  It's still my preferred method for beating the heat. Misty of Chincoteague was one of my childhood favorites, then as a teenager I was all about those Harlequin Romance paperbacks. As an adult I'm more likely to read a mystery or thriller, Mary Higgins Clark, Dean Koontz, Janet Evanovich,and John Grisham are some of my go-to authors. I also try to include a biography or two in my summer reading list. I hope you have time for reading all year, but especially in the summer.

Are you looking for a good book to read this summer? My friend, Idelle, has published a book, True Mercy, and it's available on Amazon. Here is my review:

Review of True Mercy by Idelle Kursman

Reviewer: Sue Donald

In her debut novel, “True Mercy”, the author depicts with skill two unlikely heroes, Adam, a young man who has moderate Autism, and his recently widowed father, Bruce. In this fast paced novel Ms. Kursman tells the story of how Adam and Bruce rescue Marina, a young woman running from Russian sex traffickers, whom Adam finds shortly after her escape.  While they are helping her find her way back to her native country, Moldova, to be reunited with her family, she is helping them find their way through the loss of the wife and mother whom the father and son depended on for care and direction.

In his child-like way Adam longs for the mother who took care of him his whole life and looks to his new friend Marina for the mother’s love he misses.  Bruce is trying to hold everything together-the full time care of his child-like adult son, his job, and his own grief when Marina enters the picture.  Feeling this is a complication he does not need, and fearing for the safety of Adam, he tries not to get involved in her troubles.  Inevitably the goodness of his spirit wins out and the three find themselves dodging danger and dealing with the police and criminals; hurling them into an adventure none had ever dreamed of.

The complex and seemingly unrelated subjects of Autism and the sex trade are woven together in a believable and easily understood manner. The drama unfolds primarily in Morristown, a rural northwestern New Jersey town. With a quiet neighborhood, pizzeria, and the local hospital depicted authentically, you get a sense of how unusual the events portrayed would be in such a quiet, bucolic setting.  The twists and turns of this thriller will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next. You will root for Bruce and Adam to find their way through their grief and for Marina to be saved and reunited with her loving family in Moldova. Skillfully crafted characters and well set scenes make this a good read for a weekend afternoon.