After the death of her husband, Corrie Saunders retreats to the home in Saunders Creek that Jarrod loved in the hopes of remaining somehow connected to the man she loved and lost. In the midst of her grief, she begins to think that she can actually feel Jarrod in the house. If it isn't him, then something definitely strange is happening in the old house. Is it possible that her husband has come back to her? Jarrod's cousin Eli doesn't think so, but as he notices the oddities going on in Corrie's house, he begins to wonder about the realm of the unseen as well. The Widow of Saunders Creek by Tracey Bateman is filled with suspense, intrigue, and superstition giving us a look at what could be and a clear picture of the truth.
I'm sorry to have waited so long to review this book. I read it a couple of months ago and for some reason thought that I had reviewed it, but the page was still sitting in my draft box. The Widow of Saunders Creek is very good. It's different, and that's what I really liked about it. I was curious to see how Bateman would tackle the subject between the covers of Christian fiction, and I think she did a really good job. The book gets slightly weird in places when Corrie thinks she can feel Jarrod in the house, but Eli is a good counterpart because he knows the Truth and he desperately wants Corrie to know it too. I think it's a good story about superstition and about wanting something so bad that you can almost taste it. Bateman does a great job of showing Corrie's grief and desperation.
This isn't typical Christian fiction or suspense. It's a nice blend that kept me flipping the pages, and its one that sort of haunted me a few days after I read it (which is a really weird thing to say considering the topic). Pick it up; you won't be sorry.
Many thanks to the WaterBrook Multnomah for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
