Faith, Hope, and Murder: A Community of Faith Mystery (Volume 1)

By Elise M Stone

Description:

Emotionally wounded, with prayers unanswered, Faith Andersen turned her back on God years ago. She's devoted herself to her work as a web designer--and a series of meaningless relationships in place of the love she desires. She's happier that way; at least, that's what she tells herself.   When her best friend asks her to help a stranger, she has no idea the problem is murder. The victim, a smuggler who brought drugs and human beings over the Mexican border, had plenty of enemies. And even more dangerous friends.   Pastor John Menard has problems of his own. When the pretty skeptic appears in his office to discuss a new web site for the church, John is intrigued, but cautious. With a recent divorce and an accusation of misconduct, he must win back the trust of his congregation--or risk losing his church. While he struggles to prove his innocence, there's no space in his life for a relationship.   As Faith investigates the murder, she finds herself with more questions than answers. Who killed the coyote? Is the stranger really who she seems? When John discovers Faith is poking into a homicide, he fears for her safety. Spiced with danger and opposing beliefs, their mutual attraction grows. But have they gotten themselves into more peril than either of them could have imagined?

Book Takeaway:

Every event in our lives is part of our spiritual journey.

Why the author wrote this book:

When I moved to Arizona, I discovered the issues of illegal immigration and drug smuggling were a lot more critical and a lot more complex than I had know when I lived in the Northeast. The desperation of people coming over the border is heartbreaking. At the same time, I began to realize that God had led me 2500 miles away from where I grew up for a purpose. I felt compelled to blend these two themes into a fictional story I could share with others who might be questioning and searching.