Salty Like Blood

I have to admit I was not going to read this book. The cover of the book did not appeal to me and it looked rather gory, I am so glad I changed my mind. This Christian fiction book covers suspense, hope, revenge, and forgiveness. Salty Like Blood attempts to answer the question, "Why would a God of love allow so much pain?" Dr. David Conner's career is on the fact track. He is about to make partner. Suddenly life is turned upside down when his seven year old daughter goes missing. Everything Dr. Conner's has worked so hard for, his marriage and his medical practice, are now threatened to be destroyed. Dr. Conner's would not accept the fact that his daughter had died from drowning in the Chesapeake Bay. He also comes face to face with the guilt he has been carrying around for a lifetime and only God can rescue him. This is not your normal Christian fiction style book; I love the real characters throughout this book. There are some side stories that add extra depth to the story, and some side stories that I believe could have been left out. But it was a book that kept me up late into the night. Just when you feel you have everything figured out Harry Kraus keeps you guessing. This story is about any parent's nightmare and it is not a "feel good" book, but it is a powerful story about the journey towards forgiveness. Could you ever forgive a person who took your child? If you are looking for a book you can not put down, I recommend Salty Life Blood. I look forward to more books by harry Kraus, M.D.

I ALWAYS enjoy Harry Kraus novels....have read them all. I loved this one and found it full of mystery as well as issues we all face...forgiveness, God's grace, and compassion. I wish he would write a sequel because I, like another reviewer, wonder who was the heavy man at the end of book. I can't wait for his next book.

Harry Kraus is definitely, in my opinion, an up and coming writer and if he keeps on like this he could become one of the greats. Salty Like Blood is the story of one man's desperate efforts to find his daughter. Everyone else thinks she was swept out to sea but he is convinced she was abducted and will put everything on the line to prove it and save her. Plenty of twists, turns and sub plots coupled with a masterful ending make this a great read. The only real complaint I have is that it switches between first-person and third person context constantly, which is VERY annoying at first!

What a great novel this is; it may be my all-time favorite! This Christian fiction contains a compelling plot with suspense, hope, romance, revenge, and forgiveness, centered around amazingly real characters. I suppose we've all asked the question, "Why would a God of love allow such pain?" This book attempts to answer that question, and the answer works for me! Perhaps it will for you too. By writing the narrative of the protagonist, David Connors, in first-person, and interspersing with chapters written in third-person narratives of the other characters, the author allows the reader to peek into the thinking of all involved. Meanwhile, careful editing creates a mystery that cannot help but pique the interest. Joanna Connors, David's vulnerable wife, reacts quite differently from him and tension builds. Even the periphery characters are well written and quite believable. The veiled, Somali neighbor, Amina, adds a layer to the complex tale, as do Sheriff Reynolds, who struggles to keep the law in his formerly peaceful town, Blake Swenson, the interfering former fiance, and Tricia Morgan, the ever-resourceful mother-in-law. Beautiful Swimmer, a boat, is a surprising character with all her attached memories. Details make this story come alive. The setting for most of the work is in Tippins, a created small town on the Chesapeake Bay, famous for the Tippins Crab Festival each August. (The author knows the difference between those of us who know how to eat a hard-shelled blue crab and others who use picks and those silly wooden hammers.) It made me long to return to my childhood home next summer for a dinner of steamed crabs piled high on brown paper. My suggestion is for you to get a copy ASAP. If you can't afford to buy a copy, contact your local library and request one be purchased so that you may be the first one to check it out.

This is my first Harry Kraus M.D. book but it won't be my last. Salty Like Blood is a riveting book. It held my attention from the beginning to end. It kept me guessing on a few situations too. The ending has twist you might not see coming. The main theme in the book is forgiveness with God and others. The characters and scenery are vivid. The plot is interesting and not completely predictable.