Review of Pastor B and the Haunted Church
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Pastor B and the Haunted Church" by Dorothy May Mercer.]
Pastor B and the Haunted Church: A Christian Mystery Suspense by Dorothy May Mercer is the first book in the Christian series about the River Heights Church. The River Heights Church is a 100-year-old mansion with a spooky history dating back to the 19th century, which the older congregation likes to tell stories about. Although Bishop Remarque thought assigning this declining church would be a relaxing experience before Reverend Alan Burke’s retirement, things changed when a non-member of the church established the George Mountbatten Reed Memorial Fund. Opportunities arise to renovate this old church instead of building a new church in a better part of the city. As Alan learns more about the church's history, he discovers that it is built on the site of a church that had been burned down when it was a stop for the Underground Railroad. How will this discovery impact the current church's renovations? Who established this fund and why? What are the spooky stories that the older members enjoy talking about?
Dorothy May Mercer does an excellent job keeping the mystery and suspense throughout the storyline, with deceit, jealousy, greed, embezzlement, gambling, the Underground Railroad, and a suicide attempt all playing significant roles. As if this isn't enough, add in a child transgender conflict between parents and paranormal activity. This is a lot of topics, but the author's writing skill keeps all of them flowing smoothly throughout the plot. One of my favorite aspects of this book is Alan's faith in God and the Bible and how they influenced his decisions. I admired Alan's insight on making surprise visits to people's places of employment to gain insight into their lives. The author also did a good job of showing how good leadership skills can be developed while volunteering at your church. For example, how do you deal with latecomers to a meeting, because most of the time, someone is always late? Alan and his wife, Sharon, were my two favorite characters because they always worked harmoniously to meet their individual goals. However, at times, Sharon had to take a backseat to Alan's religious duties, which made it more realistic. I laughed at Alan's effective way of getting church members to sit in the front pews.
I enjoyed this book so much that I am eager to read the next book in the series, which the author provided a short synopsis of at the end of this book. I gave this professionally edited book 5 out of 5 stars because of my reading enjoyment, the positive aspects discussed above, and the many life lessons I took away from it. There were no negative aspects to justify a lower rating for this book.
I recommend this book to mature readers who enjoy mysterious, suspenseful, historical, and paranormal Christian fiction. However, if non-borderline profanity or the topic of children considering transgender surgery offends you, you will want to avoid this book.
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Pastor B and the Haunted Church
View: on Bookshelves |
Pastor B and the Haunted Church: A Christian Mystery Suspense by Dorothy May Mercer is the first book in the Christian series about the River Heights Church. The River Heights Church is a 100-year-old mansion with a spooky history dating back to the 19th century, which the older congregation likes to tell stories about. Although Bishop Remarque thought assigning this declining church would be a relaxing experience before Reverend Alan Burke’s retirement, things changed when a non-member of the church established the George Mountbatten Reed Memorial Fund. Opportunities arise to renovate this old church instead of building a new church in a better part of the city. As Alan learns more about the church's history, he discovers that it is built on the site of a church that had been burned down when it was a stop for the Underground Railroad. How will this discovery impact the current church's renovations? Who established this fund and why? What are the spooky stories that the older members enjoy talking about?
Dorothy May Mercer does an excellent job keeping the mystery and suspense throughout the storyline, with deceit, jealousy, greed, embezzlement, gambling, the Underground Railroad, and a suicide attempt all playing significant roles. As if this isn't enough, add in a child transgender conflict between parents and paranormal activity. This is a lot of topics, but the author's writing skill keeps all of them flowing smoothly throughout the plot. One of my favorite aspects of this book is Alan's faith in God and the Bible and how they influenced his decisions. I admired Alan's insight on making surprise visits to people's places of employment to gain insight into their lives. The author also did a good job of showing how good leadership skills can be developed while volunteering at your church. For example, how do you deal with latecomers to a meeting, because most of the time, someone is always late? Alan and his wife, Sharon, were my two favorite characters because they always worked harmoniously to meet their individual goals. However, at times, Sharon had to take a backseat to Alan's religious duties, which made it more realistic. I laughed at Alan's effective way of getting church members to sit in the front pews.
I enjoyed this book so much that I am eager to read the next book in the series, which the author provided a short synopsis of at the end of this book. I gave this professionally edited book 5 out of 5 stars because of my reading enjoyment, the positive aspects discussed above, and the many life lessons I took away from it. There were no negative aspects to justify a lower rating for this book.
I recommend this book to mature readers who enjoy mysterious, suspenseful, historical, and paranormal Christian fiction. However, if non-borderline profanity or the topic of children considering transgender surgery offends you, you will want to avoid this book.
******
Pastor B and the Haunted Church
View: on Bookshelves |
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