Book Review – The Shadowed Mind by Julie Cave

Book Details:
Author: Julie Cave
Publisher: Master Books (2010)
Binding: Paperback
Page count: 288
ISBN: 978-0890515907

Recommendation:
Review Date: 1/4/2012 by Shaun Tabatt
Rating: Highly Recommended

Review:

At the close of Deadly Disclosures (book 1 in the Dinah Harris mystery series), Dinah Harris and her former partner Ferguson had just solved the Thomas Whitfield abduction case. Next up on Dinah’s calendar was beginning a rehabilitation program to aid her in combatting her struggles with alcoholism. The Shadowed Mind (book 2 in the Dinah Harris mystery series) picks up Dinah’s story about 6 months later. The now former FBI agent has completed her time in rehabilitation and is back home, trying to build a new life as a freelance criminal profiler and investigator. In many ways, you could say Dinah’s life is better than it was before rehab, but that’s not to say it is easy. Each day is a struggle as she continues to come to terms with the painful reality that her husband (Luke) and son (Sammy) are gone forever.  The temptation of alcohol still lingers in her mind each day, but she is finding the strength she needs to resist giving in to that temptation through her growing faith in Jesus Christ and the support of the Christian mentor who was assigned to her through the rehabilitation center’s outpatient recovery program.

Dinah’s work as a profiler was an important part of her life when she worked for the FBI and she is eager to put her skills to work again in the private sector.  Her first consulting opportunity comes from Detective Samson Cage, who she had crossed paths with during the Whitfield investigation.  Detective Cage is investigating the murder of a seventeen year old street kid named Lakeisha Tennant. While it wasn’t unusual for violence and the occasional homicide in that part of Washington D.C., there was a unique piece of evidence found on the victim that convinced Detective Cage to engage services of an expert profiler like Dinah. Tucked in to one of Lakeisha’s boots was a blank sympathy card with an old photo attached.  It really wasn’t all that much to go on, but it was a start.

Seemingly unrelated, in a different part of town, Ella Barnett is at home caring for her aging father John Barnett.  John was formerly president of a large bank, but that was some years ago.  John is now suffering from the later stages of Alzheimer’s and his mind has retreated to a time long before Ella was born. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Ella to care for her father.  She no longer feels safe taking him out in public as he often rambles on and on about searching for two boys named Peter and Henry.  His need to find these two boys is a bit confounding to Ella, but it is downright scary to the people they encounter in public.

One final character I need to mention that first appeared in Deadly Disclosures is presidential hopeful, Senator David Winters.  Senator Winters will do whatever it takes to further his political aspirations.  With the way things ended following the Whitfield investigation, Winters is Dinah’s sworn enemy and would like nothing more than to see her disappear forever.  I won’t give away any more of Senator Winters part in this story, but I have a sneaking suspicion he will show up again in Pieces of Light (book 3 in the Dinah Harris Mystery Series).

As the book progresses, these three disparate story lines will come together touching on the themes of eugenics and euthanasia, helping readers to come to terms with the question of whether or not there is intrinsic value in all human life, no matter how fragile or frail. In the midst of all this, readers will also be able to come alongside Dinah as she continues on her own journey of healing and faith, where she finally comes to terms with her catastrophic loss and the healing and restoration she continues to experience through her relationship with Jesus Christ.

I enthusiastically recommend The Shadowed Mind.  It is a masterfully written tale that not only keeps you on the edge of your seat, but also challenges you to seriously consider many of the important faith and worldview issues we face in our world today. While I am always a bit nervous about the quality of follow up books in any series, this book is written with the same quality and passion we saw from Julie Cave in Deadly Disclosures.  With the first and second books in the Dinah Harris mystery series under my belt, I can’t wait to start reading Pieces of Light!

Author Information:
Julie Cave credits her parents for introducing her to books at a young age, which fostered an enduring passion for reading and writing. As a child, her favorite authors were Enid Blyton and C.S. Lewis and it wasn’t long before she began copying them, writing short stories for anyone who would read them. At fifteen, two things happened which would shape her future: she heard a creation science speaker at her church which cemented her faith in God; and she finished her second novel-length story and realized she had fallen in love with writing novels. After school, she completed a health science degree, got married, and worked in banking and finance. All the while she wondered how she could combine her love of writing and her strong passion for Christian apologetics and evangelism. One weekend at a church camp, a friend asked, ‘What if the guy in charge of the Smithsonian Institution went missing?’ The result – and the answer to that question – is Julie’s maiden published novel, Deadly Disclosures. Since then, Julie has written and released the other two books in this trilogy, The Shadowed Mind and Pieces of Light. Julie has two daughters and lives in Brisbane, Australia with her family. She divides her time between being a wife, a mother and an author.

Where to buy:

• Amazon
• Master Books

Related Media:

• Julie Cave Web Site – www.juliecave.com
• Julie Cave on Facebook – www.facebook.com/julieacave
• Julie Cave on Twitter – www.twitter.com/julieacave
• Book Trailer

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Master Books for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.