FEAR HAS A NAME by Creston Mapes
Series: Book 1 of 3: The Crittendon Files
Publisher: Rooftop Press, February 4, 2019
Review by Gwen M. Plano
In this fast-moving psychological thriller, readers are brought into the mind of a mentally ill man, Grander Meade. Raised by fanatical parents, Grander lacks the normal interpersonal skills of most of the population. He is a loner, disrespected by many, especially his father.
Pamela Wagner went to school with Grander and felt compassionate toward him. Unbeknown to her, she was the only person who was kind to him. Once school was over, Pamela forgot about him. But Grander never forgot about her.
She got out to gaze at the water and feel the breeze whip her hair.
Yes, waves and clouds and storms would roll in, but God would be the lifter of her head.
Everything. Everything. Everything must be thrust onto Him.
Fear Has a Name by Creston Mapes
This was a suspenseful and thought-provoking read. Intense but plausible, it kept me on edge wondering and questioning. Mapes ingeniously drew me into deep faith questions – about trust, about the love of our neighbors, and about life’s purpose. The last lines of the book hit home: They were all guilty. All deserved judgment. Sentencing. Imprisonment. Yet someone had chosen to love – radically. That’s what Pam wanted to do. Jack lowered his head. Perhaps that was why all this had happened. To show a man mercy. To show a man Christ on the cross.
This is a clean, Christian-based, thriller. The characters are well-developed and easy to relate to. The ending is brilliant, and I salute Mapes for the creative crescendo.
I give Fear Has a Name five cheering fish.
I purchased a Kindle copy of Fear has a Name from my local bookstore.
The Well Read Fish 
It sounds gripping, Gwen. Even the cover adds a sense of danger and intensity. You make me want to read this book AND book two! Oo, and I see that it’s on Kindle Unlimited.
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Thank you, Priscilla. After discovering Mapes, I’ve come to love Christian thrillers. I think you’ll enjoy his work as well.
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Excellent review, Gwen! Fear Has A Name was one of my early reads of Creston Mapes. I’ve enjoyed several of his books. We’re starting to see more Christian thrillers, such as those by Candle Sutton. For those who like long series with a mashup of dystopian and thriller vibes, Jame Lee Grey does a fine job of capturing and holding your attention for long spans.
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Thank you, Grant, for the kind words and for recommending Sutton and Grey. I’m unfamiliar with them and will check them out. Before I started reading Mapes, I didn’t know there were Christian thrillers.
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I’ve been studying this genre, and for writers who love thrillers with Christian precepts but without the muck of many bestsellers, this is an exciting arena. At Amazon, there are “categories” that help us find more of these novels, but not all authors use them. Thus, a quick search query is “Christian thrillers.” For an in-depth scan, check out these sanctioned Amazon categories: 1. Christian Mystery & Suspense; 2. Christian Futuristic Fiction; 3. Christian Suspense. There are other Amazon “ghost” categories, but they ultimately funnel into the sanctioned three. For those who use the Publisher Rocket tool, it’s a snap to find more of these books. For those unfamiliar with the tool, check out this post: https://tameyourbook.com/publisher-rocket-for-research/
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Thank you, Grant. Very helpful! I’ll follow up. 😊
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I already have this one waiting on my Kindle. (You introduced me to Mapes. Thank you for that.) This thoughtful review tells me I’ll enjoy this story when I finally get to it. Thanks for sharing, Gwen.
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You’re welcome, Staci. Like you, I’ve many books waiting on my Kindle. So many great reads and so little time. 😊
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Exactly!
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This sounds like an exciting read. The last lines really drew me in, and gave me pause. Thanks for your review, Gwen.
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Mapes often gives me pause and helps me see the other side of a situation. Thank you for bringing that point up, Joan. 😊
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Those are such difficult questions with answers that we probably don’t expect when from a mind unlike the norm (not good or bad, just different). I love reading about people with brains that work differently than ours so this could fall into that category.
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It was an enlightening reading experience for me, Jacqui. I like books that make me ponder, and this one certainly did that. 😊
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Excellent review, Gwen. I had seen this book before, and thought I might want to read it. Now I know I want to read it.
Thanks!
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Thank you, Steve. You won’t be disappointed if you take the leap. All the best to you. 😊
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This sounds like an intriguing book, Gwen, and I love that cover. You have me curious about what becomes of Grander and how his life will intertwine with Pamela’s later in the book. Excellent review!
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It is a thought-provoking book, Mae. Mapes is talented in creating characters that keep readers wondering. Thank you for the kind words. 😊
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Wonderful review, Gwen. Great highlight of the ending, too. Sounds like one I’d enjoy.
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I think you would enjoy it, Denise. Thank you for commenting as you have. 😊
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I think it’s easy to turn our backs on those perceived as ‘different’. It takes compassion and bravery to buck the trend.
This sounds interesting.
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Absolutely, Jacquie. In the end, I felt that compassion. Thank you so much. 😊
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Sounds like a thrilling read, Gwen – and what a cover! You never know the effect you may have on someone’s life.
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So true, Teri. This Mapes book made me pause and consider that aspect. 😊
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Hi Gwen, this sounds like a wonderful story. It is always reassuring when there is one good person. It restores faith in humanity.
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Absolutely, Robbie. And in Mapes’ story, the one person is a quiet, unassuming woman who dared to love. It gave me much to think about.
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A brave person 🌼
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This is a new author to me, but one I must check out. Thanks, Gwen!
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You’re most welcome, Olga. I’ve read several books by Mapes and enjoyed each of them.
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