Frantic by Mike Dellosso

Can a deranged serial killer be stopped before it s too late?


For gas station attendant Marny Toogood it s just another day on the job when an urgent message from a young girl in the backseat of a car draws him into a daring rescue attempt. Now on the run with the girl and her brother, Marny begins to realize he must conquer his own past and surrender all to Christ.

As they face kidnapping, underground cults, and other evils, can Marny trust the simple faith of a child and stand his ground against a power so twisted?

My review:
This is my first book review of 2012, and I am honored to review the newest book by one of my favorite authors, Mike Dellosso. The book is titled Frantic, and though I say this about each book he writes, I think it is his best yet.

Awesome s a word that gets overused, but it is a word that describes this book perfectly. Awesome. The story revolves around a young boy of eleven years of age, William. He has a special gift that seems almost magical, yet it is one we could all have: faith. Real faith. He believes, and it happens.

This book is fast-paced. I had a hard time finding a good stopping place when I needed to put the book down. It has a lot of action, a lot of running and chasing, and a lot of people die. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I will try not to give out too much that happens in the book.

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Mike's books, but I really liked his characters in this book. First off, is William. Sure, he is a fictional character in a fictional story, but he is what Jesus promised all of us. If we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Yes, it is only a story, but it made me hunger and wish for that kind of faith. Praying and really believing it would happen. Not just hoping it would happen.

Next up, Marnin, or "Marny." A young man who sees the bad in life, and feels he is basically an unlucky charm to anyone he comes into contact with. I identified a lot with him. No, I haven't had a lot of people die around me, nor had an abusive step-father, but I have tended to focus too much on the negative and hang back, afraid to step out on faith. And like Marny, I have let the past define who I am and affect me more than I should let it.

And then there is Esther. She is the older sibling of William, who she protects with her life.

The book has its villains also, but these three characters from the mind and pen (or maybe keyboard) of Mike Dellosso are not just characters in a Christian fiction novel. They are a lesson and example. I came away from the book feeling convicted for my lack of faith, for my ease in letting the negative things in life cloud my life and hold me back. I also came away with the desire for true faith.

There are some who look down on Christian fiction. They call it shallow. And some may be. This book, however, is not shallow. It is entertaining, gripping, and a terrific read that is hard to put down, but it has a message we all need to hear and take to heart. Actually more than one message. If we have faith - true faith, we can move mountains and more. Second, God can work anything out for the best, even when horribly evil men have nothing but bad planned for us. Thirdly, the past is just that -the past. We shouldn't let it rule us and define who we are and what we do. And lastly, no matter how negative our outlook is on life, no matter how far from God we may be, He can change anyone. At least that is what I got out of the book. :-)

About the author:
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mike now lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Jen, and their three daughters. He is a regular columnist for AVirtuousWoman.org, was a newspaper correspondent/columnist for over three years, has published several articles for The Candle of Prayer inspirational booklets, and has edited and contributed to numerous Christian-themed websites and e-newsletters. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers association, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer’s Network, and FaithWriters, and plans to join International Thriller Writers. He received his BA degree in sports exercise and medicine from Messiah College and his MBS degree in theology from Master’s Graduate School of Divinity.



Also by Mike:

Frantic was provided to me for review by the author, Mike Dellosso, and Realms Publishing.

Check out Mike's blog/website.