"I'm nobody, she repeated, and things like this don't happen to nobodies, it's all my imagination, none of this is real. On and on she whispered her comforting mantra, unaware that she would never be nobody again."
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The Church Builder: A Novel by A. L. Shields Zondervan
book review by Carol Anderson, D.Min., ACSW, LMSW
What would you do if you were a nobody, an average person, who became a major player in a game played by avenging factions regarding faith vs. secular beliefs? This is the dilemma of Bethany Barclay, a lawyer who unwittingly becomes a pawn to two shadowy, self-righteous groups who believe they should have the power of the universe within their hands. Beth is troubled by the death of her friend, Annabelle Seaver. She soon finds her ex, Ken Kirkland, dead in her house, after he had confronted her about his mother's will which granted significant money to what some felt was a religious cult. As Bethany goes on the run, she finds herself involved with her ex-fiance who is possibly a leader of one of these groups. As she searches for the Pilate Stone, which supposedly will provide the answers regarding the existence of Jesus Christ, she doesn't know who to trust or what to believe.
This book is a Christian-based mystery novel, which provides an interesting dialogue of good vs. evil and the chess match between the players on both sides. The focus on this does offer gray areas of dialectical discourse, so one is not turned off regarding the bias towards religion. It offers exciting twists and turns, traitors within the mix, conspiracies, and murders. The characters are a mixture of strength such as Bethany, self-righteous individuals regarding their various beliefs, and ambiguity as to who is really on what side. It is engaging until the end. Since this book is the first in a series, the ending is not complete and may not work well for a stand alone novel. Overall, this is a good read.
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