Book Review: Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center)

I'm not usually a thriller reader, but the description of this book caught my eye, and since I'm getting a little worn out on romances, I thought I'd give it a try.

Book Description:  
Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

My Comments:

As I said, this isn't my usual reading material, so comparisons with other things are difficult.  I enjoyed the story, it was a real page turner, but I found the whole thing very improbable.  Any fiction requires from the reader a certain suspension of disbelief, but in this book people who knew they were in danger head off to places and situations that are really likely to be dangerous.  They trust people too quickly.  The web of bad guys is broad, and also somewhat improbable.  

The book is Christian fiction and features the contrast between the two main characters.  The female lead (she goes by different names in the book so I''ll leave her unnamed) has a deep faith and feels God's constant presence.  Even when she loses her memory, she doesn't lose her faith.  Ben lost his faith when he lost his wife and son.  While I wouldn't call it a book about their spiritual lives, the contrast between the two is obviously there to make a point--and Ben is one of the good guys.  

The title page indicates this is the first book in a series, and the story line is left slightly open, but not to the extent that the ending of this isn't satisfactory.    

Grade:  B+

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.  See their webpage about this book.