There Were Signs by Georgia Curtis Ling

But There Were Signs by Georgia Curtis Ling
Series: NA/Standalone
Publisher: Georgia Curtis Ling on September 4, 2025

REVIEW BY STACI TROILO

I was looking for a new-to-me Christian suspense author and stumbled upon this standalone novel by Georgia Curtis Ling. While not what I expected, I enjoyed it very much.

I gravitate toward mysteries because I like to guess who the villain is before the characters do (and before the author reveals it). That was a pleasure I was denied in this book, as it was clear from the beginning who the killer was, but this is suspense, not mystery, so that often comes with the territory and I found I didn’t really mind.

Besides, while we know who did it, the motivation and history are still a mystery, and it was exciting to learn these things along with the amateur sleuths.

Speaking of them, I fell for the group. It’s a small circle of friends who are married to pastors. While their shared vocation could make for overly sappy, unrealistic characters, that wasn’t the case. Each had her own personality, complete with flaws and quirks that made them feel more like people and less like the stereotypical cast of a Christian novel.

Because they are married to pastors (men we don’t see much of), it’s no wonder the religious element is front and center. Many books in this genre have a subtle faith message, but this one puts God first. Don’t worry; there’s some preaching, but it’s not PREACHY.

“Watch over us and wrap us in your comforting arms, and, Lord God, help us fight our battles against flesh and blood in our search for the truth. In your precious and holy name, I pray. Amen.”

Ada’s prayers had a way of transporting us to the feet of Jesus.

Georgia Curtis Ling, But There Were Signs

The protagonist is Ally Marshall, who is the POV character for several chapters, but the book is structured so that many characters have chapters in their perspectives. It’s never hard to follow. Text alone is clear, but names are provided in the chapter titles.

The flow is logical, the pacing solid. Despite some truly horrific subject matter, there’s nothing overtly graphic or visceral, yet readers will sense the danger. The end may have wrapped up a bit fast, and a few details  happened off-page that I’d have preferred seeing, so I’m deducting points for that.

This book starts with the murder of a friend and blossoms into so much more. It’s a book I happily recommend written by an author I will read again. 4 fish.

_{I read But There Were Signs through Kindle Unlimited.}