A Slow Burn by Mary DeMuth

My Review

I had the wonderful privilege of meeting Mary at the Write-to-Publish Conference at Wheaton College last June. I was thrilled to hear her message about writing redemptive fiction. I had begun reading Daisy Chain but hadn't finished it. But then knowing the author a little bit prompted me to keep going. I must confess that I'm a suspense reader and writer, so contemporary fiction isn't typically at the top of my list. But Mary's lyrically writing and rich charactertizations made me eager to finish this novel, especially now that I better understood the engine driving her writing.

I'm glad I kept reading Daisy Chain, which is an enjoyable though sometimes difficult read due to the harsh realities the characters must face. By the time I finished the tale, I had to know what was going to happen next. Mary cleverly left several critical story line elements unresolved. What exactly happened to Daisy and why? Will Jed ever let go of his bitterness and turn to God for spiritual healing? Will Hap turn from his abusive ways and become the pastor, father, and husband God desires Him to be? I'm still longing to see some hope and repentance emerge in the lives of these broken, devastated people.

So far I'm up to chapter six in A Slow Burn and loving Mary's poetic, lyrical style. After traveling through Daisy Chain in Jed's skin, I was a little disappointed, to be honest, not to see his point of view emerge at the beginning. But Mary must have her reasons. Now I'm seeing Emory's struggles and mistakes. I continue to hope that God's light will shine on these struggling lives. With that aim, I will keep reading and offer a full review here when I'm finished.


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If you would like to read the first chapter of A Slow Burn, go HERE.