Monday, April 29, 2013

THE KILLING OF LUTHER DUNN by Sharon Balts


Luther and Sigrid Dunn don’t have much of marriage. He is always leaving her alone to care for their two girls as well as the farm while he’s off running his stage business, among other things. When Luther’s stage is robbed and he goes missing, she hires Tom, an orphan from town, to help her out. Sigrid is angry and bitter toward her lying, cheating husband. She’s doesn't even mourn when they believe they've found his body. She is determined to go on and raise the girls and take care of the farm on her own. Sigrid finds it’s tougher than she anticipated and reluctantly accepts help from her neighbor, Jake Kearney. Jake takes Tom under his wing and shows him what to do. He’s good with the girls too, including his niece (Suzie) whom he’s raising on his own. Jake knows of Luther’s unfaithfulness and doesn’t understand how any man could do such a thing to a woman like Sigrid. He finds himself attracted to her and soon realizes why. As Jake works to help Sigrid with the farm and the children, he finds he’s also slowly chipping away at the wall around her heart. She’s growing very fond of Jake, Tom and Suzie. But she’s just not sure she can trust Jake. What if he turns out to be like Luther. Luther’s murder is still unsolved and it seems like Jake is not telling her everything. Will she soften her heart and learn to trust this man who’s helped her in so many ways? And what will happen when she learns the truth about Luther?

The Killing of Luther Dunn is an unforgettable tale, packed with unforgettable characters. Sigrid, who was Norwegian, was spunky and full of backbone yet a loving woman who only wanted a loving relationship with a man. Jake stole my heart right from the start, a strong, principled man, but far from perfect. I loved his sense of humor! Jake and Sigrid's relationship was funny, touching and loaded with tension. This story had multiple layers and was so intertwined that it made you want to keep reading to find out what would happen next and how it would all work out. One verse that came alive was Proverbs 21:2, “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” So many times we do things that seem right and good but what is our motive? That’s a tough question and it causes the reader to examine their own heart. There are several Norwegian characters and I loved that the author wrote their voices as if they were speaking English with their Norwegian accent. For me, it really added depth and authenticity to the story. I've read all of Sharon Balts’ books and I think this is her best yet! I highly recommend The Killing of Luther Dunn. Don’t you just love that title? Well wait ‘til you read the story!

*This complimentary copy was provided by the author and Tate Publishing in exchange for an honest review*

Paperback: 310 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing (May 7, 2013)
ISBN-10: 1622956281
ISBN-13: 978-1622956289

For more information about Sharon Balts and her other books, I recommend you visit her website at http://www.inspired2author.com/

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