The Whole Truth by James Scott Bell

James Scott Bell is one of those "up all night" authors...do NOT pick up his book if you have an early appointment or dinner is on the stove! Having said that, this is not one of my favorites.

But let me tell you why before you go...

Steve Conroy is the younger of two brothers, and he looks up to his big brother, Robert. Robert is the only one who can quite his fears when the night monsters come, and the only one who can defend him against the big neighborhood bullies.

But one night, even Robert can't keep the monsters out...and Stevie's life changes forever.

Forward into the future thirty years, and Steve is a lawyer...one of the kind you see on television, asking you if YOU'VE been injured in an auto accident, you know?? Not exactly Perry Mason, if you know what I mean.

A lawyer, a soon to be ex-wife, no paying clients, and no office once he finds his stuff on the curb. But Steve DOES have a coke habit that nearly cost him his practice...and that nearly costs him everything he has.

Until a phone call begins to unravel the past Steve has learned to live with since that terrible night when he was so little. And the truth of his entire life gets called into question.

Who can Steve trust for the truth? Johnny LaSalle, the ex-con who wants to hire Steve as his attorney on permanent retainer? Sienna, the new legal assistant who seems to know more than Steve does about case law? Or his sponsor, the one who keeps Steve from "blowing" his future?

Can Steve ever know the whole truth until he surrenders to God? What in the world is going on in his life?

Now, why I didn't like this one: I cared too much about Steve, and I could do nothing but watch his life twist and turn and go upside down. You know it's bad when you find yourself praying for a character. in. a. novel.

I mean, how bad is that??? And that is why James Scott Bell's books are so dangerous for me to read...his characters come to life and his scenarios become glimpses into troubled and disturbed worlds that you just. can't. stand. to. just. sit. there. and do. nothing.

Now, THAT'S good writing! And THAT'S James Scott Bell. "The Whole Truth" gets six out of five bookmarks from me, even though this story disturbed me in a not so enjoyable way. The writing is powerful, and I just want Stevie to be okay...which you'll know all about it in February 2008, as that's when Zondervan is releasing this amazing novel.

Happy Reading!

Deena