Christian Fiction Reviews by Christian Authors
Restoring Hope by Philippa CleallSeries: StandalonePublisher: Ark House Press (October 31, 2025) REVIEW BY GWEN M. PLANO In some ways, Restoring Hope is a familiar story. A young woman, Hope Elkins, escapes an abusive marriage and returns to her hometown to rebuild a family café and rediscovers herself. As the story unfolds, so do the foundational... Continue Reading →
Mercie's Secret by Michael GarrettSeries: Stand AlonePublisher: MegaCross (September 9, 2025) REVIEW BY KELLY GOSHORN Triggers: Sexual assault, betrayal, violence, emotional manipulation Mercie’s Secret is a deeply emotional Christian suspense novel that weaves together themes of redemption, betrayal, faith, and the lasting scars of past trauma. The novel centers on two complex protagonists, Mercie Halford... Continue Reading →
Rocky Mountain Pursuit by Mary AlfordSeries: StandalonePublisher: Love Inspired Suspense (February 1, 2016)Review by Gwen M. Plano In this fast-paced Christian suspense novel, Reyna Peterson is pursued by those intent on malice. She runs, not knowing why. She hides, not understanding the reason she must. Each movement brings her deeper into a complex web of deceit... Continue Reading →
This Present Darkness by Frank E. PerettiSeries: Book 1 of 2Publisher: Howard Books (February 14, 2012)Review by Mae Clair Decades ago, when I first discovered Christian fiction, one book set the bar for those that followed. I still have my first edition, trade paperback copy of Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness. I’ve reread it numerous... Continue Reading →
Tempest at Annabel's Lighthouse by Jaime Jo WrightStand-alone NovelPublisher: Bethany House Publishers, April 1, 2025 REVIEW BY JOAN HALL I've always had a fascination with lighthouses. When I learned Jamie Jo Wright's latest release was set in a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I immediately preordered a copy. After... Continue Reading →
Celebrity Pastor by Creston MapesPublisher: Rooftop Press (June 6, 2024)Review by Gwen M. Plano Creston Mapes is one of my favorite writers. His stories are fast-paced and thought-provoking—just what I enjoy. Though a suspense and thriller writer, he sidesteps gruesome details, as well as explicit sexual encounters, and creates stories that stand on their own. This book... Continue Reading →
The Benefactor by Colleen SnyderSeries: Knights of the Octagon, Book 1Publisher: Gordian Books, a division of Winged Publications (June 5, 2023)Review by Mae Clair The first book in The Knights of the Octagon series, this novel stands perfectly as a singular read—though I enjoyed it so much, I intend to purchase each successive book. The... Continue Reading →
Let My Daughter Go by Creston MapesSeries: Book 2 of 6 in the Signs of Life SeriesPublisher: Rooftop Press (June 1, 2020) REVIEW BY GWEN M. PLANO This contemporary religious fiction novel focuses on a kidnapping that echoes a prior string of abductions that eventually led to a massacre. The common culprit is a young woman... Continue Reading →
Signs of Life by Creston MapesBook 1 of 6: Signs of Life SeriesPublisher: Independent (August 7, 2019) REVIEW BY GWEN M. PLANO Signs of Life focuses on the ramifications of a mass shooting. It is told in the first person from the perspective of an aging detective (Wayne Deetz) and a bereaved husband (Tyson Cooper). The... Continue Reading →
The Well Read Fish 