THE FACE OF THE EARTH by Deborah Raney

Mitch and Jill Brannon are happily married and about to become empty nesters.  After attending a teacher’s conference, Jill leaves a message on their home phone that she is checking out of the hotel and should be home in time for supper.  However, when supper comes and goes and she still isn’t home Mitch is beside himself.  He contacts the police but they come up empty handed.  No clue as to what might have happened.  Shelley Austin is not only their neighbor but also Jill’s best friend.  She’s been there for Mitch and the kids since Jill’s disappearance.  As they work together to find Jill, they seem to be growing closer which definitely complicates the situation.  How can Mitch honor his marriage vows to Jill when she seems to have vanished from The Face of the Earth.

What if your spouse didn’t come home and you had no idea what happened? This was one of those stories that once you start reading you just can’t stop.  The author allows you to go through the ‘not knowing’ right along with Mitch, his kids and their neighbor, Shelley.  Wanting to find out what happened to Jill is what compels the reader to keep turning pages.  More than that though, I think the author did a great job of addressing all the areas of your life that would be affected if your spouse went missing.   Your marriage, your faith, your family would be forever changed.  It truly made me ponder how I would have responded if I were in Mitch’s position.  There are several twists and turns along the way which greatly enhances the readers’ experience.  I appreciated the author’s note at the end where she basically said that this side of heaven we will never understand why God allows tragedy in our lives but we can always trust that He is our comforter and Redeemer of lives.  In the world there will be trouble but if we build our life around Christ it is redemptive and meaningful.  What great insight! Deborah Raney is one of those authors who not only gives you a great story, but also causes you to be challenged as you read.

*This complimentary copy was provided by Howard Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (May 14, 2013)
ISBN-10:  1416599975
ISBN-13:   978-1416599975

For more information about this book or the authors other books, I invite you to visit her website at http://deborahraney.blogspot.com/