Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Listen by Rene Gutteridge - Re-post and a giveaway

I posted this review back on the 20th, and was so impressed with the book that I contacted the author to see if she'd do a giveaway. She agreed, so here it is again, giveaway details at the end of the review.

Nothing ever happens in the small town of Marlo . . . until the residents begin seeing their private conversations posted online for everyone to read. Then it’s neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, as paranoia and violence escalate. The police scramble to identify the person responsible for the posts and pull the plug on the Website before it destroys the town. But what responsibility do the people of the town have for the words they say when they think no one is listening? Life and death are in the power of the tongue.

I have read books by Rene Gutteridge before, and a lot of her books are lighthearted, funny mysteries. This one is more serious in nature, but was still an excellent read. The book starts out with someone hanging herself, mostly due to cruel words she overheard about herself, and then goes into the main story. Someone in the town is posting people's private conversations on the internet for everyone to read. No one knows who this "listener" is, and the longer it goes on, the more trouble it causes.

More  than one person becomes suspect, and when the guilty person was revealed, I was more than surprised, I was shocked.

This is more than just a mystery/suspense book - it shows how serious our words are, how people can be hurt by them, and hopefully by the end of the book, the reader will be more determined to be more careful about their own words.



About the author:

Rene Gutteridge is the author of sixteen novels, including the Storm series (Tyndale House Publishers) and Never the Bride, the Boo series, and the Occupational Hazards series from WaterBrook Press. She also released My Life as a Doormat and The Ultimate Gift: The Novelization with Thomas Nelson. Rene is also known for her Christian comedy sketches. She studied screenwriting while earning a mass communications degree, graduating magna cum laude from Oklahoma City University and earning the Excellence in Mass Communication Award. She served as the full-time director of drama for First United Methodist Church for five years before leaving to stay home and write. She enjoys instructing at writers conferences and in college classrooms. She lives with her husband, Sean, a musician, and their children in Oklahoma City. Visit her Web site at http://www.renegutteridge.com/.

The Giveaway:

This giveaway will run for one week - I will pick a winner on February 3rd. To enter, comment and tell me if you have ever read a book by Rene Gutteridge, and if so, list one you have read.

Open to US only.
Listen is available from Tyndale Publishing.
Read the first chapter here.

Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for the review copy they provided me.

16 comments:

Kimmy said...

I don't think I have read any by her, but this one sounds really interesting!!!

Annette W. said...

It's been a while, but I did read the Boo series! I knew the name was familiar. Thanks for reminding me of her!

Tammy G. said...

I read "My Life As A Doormat". Loved it and laughed all the way through the book. This book sounds interesting.

Kim M. said...

Haven't read any ... yet ;-) Steve and Charlotte would probably enjoy her books too!

Kim M. said...

I linked on my blog as well.... :-)

Unknown said...

I have a couple of her books on my shelf, but I haven't read them yet. I saw this book on a new release list awhile ago, and it sounds like a book that's right up my alley.

Please sign me up for your giveaway. :o)

Christy
orca0024 at yahoo dot com

Reading said...

I have read anything by her yet. But this sounds like an intersting read.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Carmen said...

Thoroughly enjoy Rene's books. Please enter me. Thank you.

desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

Cindy said...

I don't think I've read anything by her, but this book sounds really good! Sounds powerful, actually!

Carol M said...

I've never read her books. I would like to start with this one!
mittens0831 at aol dot com

Mark said...

Email entry for Karen K

rubynreba said...

I haven't read any books by Rene Gutteridge but I would like to.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Steve-n-Deb said...

This one sounds good, but I don't think I've read any of her books

Steven said...

Never read any of her books but this one looks good. Sign me up. :-)

Winning Readings said...

I don't recall reading any books by her, but this looks like one I'd like to read!

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I haven't read any of her books. Sounds like something I'd like though.

Wendy
ebeandebe at gmail dot com