Book Review: Serial Thriller: " The Corruptible" by Mark Mynheir (Please rate the review at the bottom)

"Dying on the toilet was not how I envisioned leaving this world." This is our introduction to the crusty, handicapped, ex-cop turned private investigator Ray Quinn. The Corruptible: A Ray Quinn Mystery is the second in a new series of books breathing life into the unlikely family of Ray, Crevis Creighton and Pam Winters at the Night Watchman Detective Agency. Oh, and we can't forget his adopted "son", Jim Beam. The story weaves through gritty underworld, high finance, drugs, alcohol, broken lives and even a biker gang. Set in Orlando, Mynheir brings you into the story with real life characters and amazing details. The writer's knowledge of police tactics and the locale bring you into the story.

This is Christian Fiction and a very good detective story. Ray's alcoholism, chronic pain, and job burnout are real-world. Crevis's disfunctional family is all too familiar, and their faithful angel Pam keeps them alive with prayer but isn't a plastic saint. All of these characters have a life-story that the readers will find resonance with. Christ's gospel is found at the beginning and woven through the overall story yet the writer does not forget that this is entertainment too.

This is a well told tale wrtten in short chapters. You can put it down without getting lost, yet you probably won't want to put it down. There is no bad language or compromising scenes-you can give this to Middle School and older readers with confidence. The book doesn't beat the reader with "religiousity". Rather, Christ is interpreted in the character at their point of need rather than a lecture Reading the first book of this series, "The Night Watchman", would help understand the characters better, however, Mynheir does a great job with the back story and it read well all by itself.

I enjoyed the book, will read his first book and look forward to future installments. I seldom read fiction and have never read a serial like this. Now and then you should just read for the joy of it and "The Corruptible" is a good choice. The book begins with this message and sees it through to the end, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ dies for us. Romans 5:8".

Multnomah press gave me this book free in exchange for this review as a part of the Blogging for Books program. Thanks to them for the opportunity to read a book that I probably would not have chosen and you for reading my blog.