Blood Ransom (Mission Hope Series)

I was initially interested in Lisa Harris's book, Blood Ransom, for the simple reason that it is set in Africa and, having grown up there, I can't resist Africa-themed books. The story is set in the fictional central African country of Dhambizao, on the banks of the Congo River. The central character, Natalie Sinclair, is an American working for an aid organization in one of the northern cities of Dhambizao. When Joseph, a teenage boy witnesses and photographs the abduction of almost everyone in his home village, plus several murders, he turns to Natalie for help in exposing the supposedly mythical "ghost soldiers." She, in turn, takes him to a clinic to get his wound seen to, which is where she meets Dr. Chad Talcott, an American doctor whom Natalie had known in high school. The story picks up speed when Natalie shows the boy's pictures to her boss, who has always assured her that the "ghost soldiers" who kidnap whole villages and force them to work as slaves were nothing more than wild rumors. Natalie, Chad, and Joseph end up in a race to reach the capital city and the American embassy before being killed by those who don't want the photos to be seen. To add another layer of urgency and danger, the country of Dhambizao is about to have it's first-ever "real" election, after a bloody coup which had put the current president in power seventeen years previously--and Joseph had overheard a conversation indicating that the election was going to be rigged. While this is a gripping and action-packed suspense story (with a little romance thrown in), I also appreciated the accurate details of life in Africa. There were several little vignettes of normal Africans going about their everyday lives, and that added greatly to the believability of the story. The theme of the story is one that may make some people squirm--modern-day slavery, exploitation, and corruption pitted against sacrifice and redemption--but I'm hoping that this hard-to-put-down book will open some eyes to the kind of exploitation that goes on in third world countries all the time. This book is a great read whether you care about the agenda or not.

Natalie Sinclair is working to help with diseases in Africa and in the village of Republic of Shambizao when she meets a long time school mate of hers, Dr. Chat Talcott. They are both trying to help the people in any way they can. But, someone don't want them to find our what is going on in the country but Natalie is determined to do so. She works with Steve and Patrick but finds out that the two men can not be trusted. She and Chad have a thing going between them and start working together. But someone is trying to stop them from fining out and it is time for a new election for the president. It seems as everywhere they turn they get into trouble or someone gets killed. My thoughts: I really liked this blook and the more you get into it the better it gets. It keeps you wondering who will be next in getting killed and what will happen at the election. One of Lisa's best books I think. So go buy a copy and read all about the turmoil that is going on in Africa.

New from Zondervan, Blood Ransom by Lisa Harris is a fast-paced adventure set deep in Africa. Natalie Sinclair works in villages, helping to rid the people of disease. She's heard the stories of Ghost Soldiers, but no one believes that they exist. Why would Ghost Soldiers empty villages of their inhabitants and leave nothing behind except for some blood on the ground? Natalie befriends one of her translators, Joseph, and he brings back shocking evidence that this indeed is happening. And it happened in his village, to his family. He has the pictures to prove it. Follow Natalie as the next week unwinds in ways she could have never imagined. The pictures eventually pull her into discovering government cover-ups and even a plot to kill the current president. Lisa Harris has written a book that does much more than entertain the reader. It leaves the reader with a lot to think about. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our little lives that we forget the injustice that goes on in the world around us. Fantastic book! Short chapters which makes it easy to pick up when you've got a few minutes in between loads of laundry.

Natalie Sinclair went to the Republic of Dhambizao to find ways to bring healing to the African country but what she finds is a sickness far more devastating and insidious than Ebola or Malaria. Just five days before national elections, which hope to prove peaceful, Natalie meets Joseph Komboli. The young man tells her a horrifying story of "Ghost Soldiers" that raided his village and took his family away to work as slaves in the mineral mines. Somewhere near that village is the proof, a camera he used to record an evil everyone from high government officials to humanitarian workers refuse to admit even exists. Soon Natalie, Joseph, and Dr. Chad Talcott find themselves in a race for their lives to prove what no one wants to believe. Though better known for her cozy mysteries and light romance, author Lisa Harris moves to new ground in this the first of her Mission Hope Series. Sure, there's a budding romance and the usual relational issues one might expect from Lisa's writing but that is where the similarities between her previous works and Blood Ransom end. Human trafficking and modern day slavery is real and too often either ignored or glossed over. Through the medium of fiction and suspense we are immersed in a world that unfortunately is far from fiction. The author is a missionary in Mozambique and it is obvious she knows what she is talking about. There is nothing cozy or romantic about a people abused by their own government and exploited by the greed of those they will never see face to face. Blood Ransom is about slavery but it focuses more on those who need to be convinced rather than those who are actually suffering. We see little of the plight of Joseph's family mining for precious metals so we can have cheap cell phones in the Western world. Instead, the author focuses on the difficulties involved in proving such atrocities are real and in finding anyone who cares. But there is hope in this story. Good men like Dr. Talcott do exist and others who have become callous and cynical can still have their hearts pricked. This is an excellent first suspense novel for a seasoned romance writer. The pacing is good and we are swept along with the main characters in their desperate attempt at shining the light on a great darkness. While the ending is bit rushed, all in all Lisa Harris had done a great job of telling a good story while at the same time dealing with a difficult topic. That balancing act is seldom accomplished with great success and this novel is an exception to the rule. We look forward, as this series continues, to the hope this author shines on her beloved continent and the people that live, love, and suffer there.

Life was never free of fear in the Republic of Dhambizao, but with the upcoming elections, everyone was even more concerned and cautious. Seventeen years ago, the country was ravished by a brutal coup. The man who instigated the take over and assumed the presidency was now promising a fair election, but could he be trusted? Furthermore, in a country overwhelmed by corruption and loyalties sold to the highest bidder, could the opposition be trusted to keep the elections fair. Five days before the election while shopping in a Kasili market, American Natalie Sinclair is approached by Joseph, a former interpreter. He tells her a horrifying story of Ghost Soldiers raiding his village, murdering some and capturing others. He was able to take pictures, but unfortunately his camera was lost while fleeing from the massacre. Almost as troubling as the invasion, was the conversation he overheard between two soldiers. Apparently, despite the UN's efforts and intervention, the elections were rigged. The country was on the brink of another civil war. I'm a sucker for novels set amid corruption and poverty in third world countries. I'm pretty sure each one I've read I've loved. There's something about people thrown into impossible situations and defeating environments, that puts pampered American life in perspective. These stories offer a great glimpse of hope in the midst of overwhelming odds as well as encouragement to remember to pray for those we can't personally be present to help. I love these types of stories and Blood Ransom did not disappoint. This book starts strong and continues at a steady pace to the end. The prologue was spectacular and ensured that I kept reading. Seeing the raid through Joseph's eyes was very powerful and stayed with me throughout the entire story. It was described in vivid, not graphic terms. The cries of the villagers heard in the opening stays with the reader, and each time the photos are mentioned, the images of fear and brutality resurface. Harris truly set this book up for impact from the opening and never let the reader forget the goal was not just to prevent a corrupt election, but to free people from slavery. It was a great presentation that heightened the intensity and kept my interest. Harris explored several spiritual themes including forgiveness and cruelty in the world. While I prefer these topics to be better embedded in the story, given the character's backgrounds and personalities, the spiritual conversations and internal dialog were not too intrusive. At times the exchanges were pretty generic, but at least the characters acknowledged the clique nature of their statements. There are small sections that are a bit heavy in exploring God's will and a couple of awkward evangelical moments, but for the most part it was not distracting. Blood Ransom is a strong first book to the Mission Hope Series. The characters are enjoyable and the setting spectacular. While a descent amount of time is