Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

Genre: Christian Suspense
Copyright: 2010
Pages: 320
Book Source: Phenix & Phenix Publicity

Synopsis: Losing everything has made Lexi hold those she loves tightly. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

Lexi lives in the shadow of choices her husband made. Especially Grant's choice to leave seven years ago, without a word. Her relationship with their daughter, Molly, is now the most important thing in her life. Lexi will do anything-work grueling hours, attend church on her only day off, sacrifice financially-just to see Molly smile.
When Grant shows up declaring his intent to re-enter their daughter's life, Lexi is skeptical of his motives. She soon determines not to let him near Molly. Then a drug dealer named Warden arrives on Lexi's doorstep, demanding payment of Grant's old debts.

But that's just the earthly perspective. Staggering supernatural events are spilling into her world in real and shocking ways. Hell's fury is great, but Heaven's power is greater still. In a novel that defies easy categorization, this has all the early buzz of the breakthrough read of 2010.

Review:
Earlier this year I read Burn, the novel co-authored by Tedd Dekker & Erin Healy so I was keen to see what Erin Healy's solo debut was like. I read a lot of suspense but not a lot with Christian elements and while these themes are an integral part of the story I didn't find them overwhelmingly so. This book is about choices, good versus evil and the healing power of forgiveness and love, mind you this is all wrapped up in a very supernatural blanket that has the reader questioning what's real and what's not.

Lexi's road in life as a single mother has been a tough one, her drug dealing husband disappeared for 7 years, her sister was murdered thrusting her father into the ravages of mental illness and her own past mistakes have come back to haunt her. The only constant in her life is her unconditional love for her daughter Molly. The characters are well developed, they're likeable, realistic and flawed, Angelo is delightful and one of my favourites and the baddies, well they're really ... bad.

The supernatural elements in this story make it an intriguing read with a creepy undercurrent and I was actually surprised with the level of suspense.

To learn more about Erin Healy and her work visit her website.

This month on The Eclectic Reader one lucky reader can win Linger OR Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage OR The Confessions of Catherine de Medici OR Eternal on the Water. Check this blog post for details. International entrants welcome.