Evelyn Barrett wants to die. As long as her daughter’s murderer dies with her, she is ready to go. Why did this man–this stranger–destroy her family? Why has he not been brought to justice? Why is she forced to live a life of anger and grief? Amid a million questions she cannot answer, Evelyn knows one thing for sure: this murderer must be punished for his crime.
Before it all, she was a successful attorney who won all the hard cases. Now that the case is personal, Evelyn will stop at nothing to seek her own version of justice. When another girl goes missing, Evelyn plows forward, ignoring the warnings from police detectives, the pleas of her grief-stricken husband, and the strange, almost supernatural tingles that tug at her. But as she follows the stench of evil, Evelyn learns that the hardest thing she will have to face may not be the death of her child after all. Perhaps the harder lesson is this: the ultimate truth–of crime and verdict, of life and death–cannot be swayed by a mother’s revenge.
In this first book of a new, page-turning series, a woman will be brought to her limits before she finally recognizes the movement of the Holy Spirit and reconnects with the source of true peace.
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Heather James is the author of the Lure of the Serpent Series, suspense novels that pack quick wit into the high heels of attorney turned vigilante, Evelyn Barrett.
In addition, Heather is a practicing lawyer in California and a columnist with The Bakersfield Californian. Her columns focus on the humorous aspects of marriage and parenthood. Heather is married and works at home, raising two young sons.
My Impressions:
Have you ever wondered how you would react in the face of terrible tragedy or horrific trauma? Unholy Hunger is the exploration of one woman’s experiences in the aftermath of her child’s abduction and murder. Evelyn faces a parent’s greatest nightmare. Her 4 year old daughter is taken from a park and later found dumped behind a hospital, dead and the victim of the unspeakable. From that point on, Evelyn is consumed with vengeance and nothing and nobody is going to stop her.
Unholy Hunger is a difficult book to read. The emotions are raw, and Evelyn’s actions lead her to self-destruction. It’s easy for the reader to spot all of the mistakes Evelyn is making. But would we react any differently? That is the question this book forces us to make. The writing style is blunt, the subject matter difficult to face and the characters react in ways that are not consistent with those in traditional Christian novels. But can you really pretty up child murder? Also, this is a debut novel and is a bit rough around the edges.
I am not sure I would have finished Unholy Hunger if I had not had to review it. This is not a book for everyone. However, if you can stand the harsh depiction of sin and evil in our world as well as the exploration of where God is in the midst of it, you should read Unholy Hunger. It would also be a good novel for a book group — the questions of what if and what would you do would promote in-depth discussions.
(I received Unholy Hunger from Kregel in return for a review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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