Linda Hall
Island Of Refuge (1999)
Author: Linda Hall
Genre: Christian/Suspense
Plot Summary:
Peter is running from his past in Alberta Canada, and by accident or is it fate, finds himself on an Island off the coast of Maine. He meets many unusual inhabitants of the island, one in particular. A girl named Jo, but their friendship ends abruptly as Jo is found murdered. The reader comes to know several of the character’s private lives and feelings as the police from the mainland investigate any leads they can get their hands on. In a well-conceived plot, we learn about Jo’s life and just what she’s been up to these last few years before she shows up on the island. Jo lies to everyone and as the author unravels Jo’s lies the plot unravels along with them. Although the plot isn’t real quick to develop this who done it suspense is definitely a page-turner. The detail in which the reader learns about the characters is wonderful. As an added bonus this crime/suspense lacks the graphic scenes and language of many novels of it’s kind.
Geographical Setting: Lamb’s Island, Maine
Time Period: Present Day (1999)
Appeal Characteristics:
The main appeal for a book like this is the fact that it is a suspense mystery novel lacking the graphic scenes, obscene language, and sex of a regular mystery novel. The pace of the book is not overwhelmingly fast but the way that the author provides details into the past of many of the characters make it a page-turner. The tone, while not dark, can be classified as mysterious and owes a lot of its impact to the mystery-shrouded characters. While the character Jo is only present in a chapter or two, her decisions affect everybody. I like that because it helps remind the reader that noone lives in a vacuum and that every choice effects someone else. Another appeal to this book is that even though it is considered Christian fiction, Christianity stays in the foreground, always there but not in your face.
Read-alikes: Karen Kingsbury’s, When Joy Came To Stay, which is a great follow up to Hall’s novel, as it concerned with a girl named Maggie living a lie, but that lie catches up to her and ultimately changes her life, the same way in which the lies and the past end up changing those characters on Lamb’s Island. Velma Still Cooks in Leeway, by Vinita Hampton Wright. Once again this novel contains many quirky characters, all of which have dark mysterious past along with present troubles, as did our characters on Lamb’s Island. Leeway is also a small town where everyone knows everyone. Another similarity is that the story is told through Velma’s note and journals’, Linda hall makes quite a bit of references to Martha’s journal in Island of Refuge. And both stories contain elements of Christianity but not an overwhelming amount. Linda Hall herself makes for a great read alike, more particularly her novel entitled, Margaret’s Peace. The Story of course is set in Maine and involves a main character named Margaret. Margaret is trying to make peace with herself but the past always haunts her, and to make matters worse she learns of family secrets long since dead. Diary of Mattie Spenser, by Sandra Dallas, in which Mattie marries quite a catch in Luke Spenser, and they soon leave all behind to start a new life on the Colorado frontier. Although the plot and the setting are much different the common elements are great characterization, and the fact that Luke has a very hazy past, not known to Mattie until she is alone with him on the frontier. His past even holds a mysterious woman he has left behind. The final read alike comes from hours of research on the internet and Novelist itself, and is a series by Gerry Boyle. The series involves a reporter from the backwoods of Maine who is often entangled in mysteries. A book within the series entitled, Home Body, involves an homeless boy whose family secrets are anything but desirable
Red Flags: None
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