Sinner

CK Ivors has a team of investigators that you just get the biggest kick out of! She has a computer geek, an assistant and her cousin, a lawyer and her bodyguard, and a "spook"--someone who comes and goes at will, contacting her when he chooses to (not a ghost--a real person!). Together, they try to unravel the mystery of the Sinner--a phantom vigilante who appears to have lived for...150 years?? Interspersed among the story are bits of the first journal kept by this Sinner...his roots, if you will. He dreams of people who do unspeakable acts, and doesn't get relief until he punishes them...and it is gruesome, let me tell you. Not graphic, but you do get the point. The mystery is intriguing, the characters are very appealing, and the story is smoothly written. I was anticipating a sequel, but the end left me hanging in such a way that I'm not quite sure. But another novel from this author would be a pleasure and a must read for me. I consider Sharon Carter Rogers to be in the big leagues of gritty, spiritual suspense. If you enjoy Tedd Dekker and Robert Liparulo, Eric Wilson and Chris Wells...you'll LOVE Sharon Carter Rogers!!

This book grabbed me quickly and wouldn't let me go. I loved the way the author kept me in suspence. The plot and subplots were well interwoven. You'll be glad you read it.

First time novelist, Sharon Carter Rogers, delivers a compelling and original supernatural thriller with her first novel "Sinner." Rogers single-handedly renewed my hope in a genre that for far too long has lived underneath the safety of Frank Peretti's impressive shadow. Rogers has blazed her own trail offered us a hero who must fight the demons within, not without. "Sinner" is the story of how investigative writer CK Ivors crosses paths with a shadowy figure known as the "Sinner." CK's historical work has made her aware of the legend of Sinner, a vigilante who been spotted in the margins of history for the past 150 years. CK takes it upon herself to track down this inky figure until she finds her story irreversibly wrapped up in his. The character, "Sinner", is unforgettable. Sinner's vigilantism is driven by self-loathing and hatred for those who prey on the weak and defenseless. The Sinner not only battles himself and the wanton, but the God who he believes has forsaken him. His brand of justice is as brutal and pugilistic as that of the evil he fights. I can't say more without getting into "spoilers" but I classify the Sinner in the same genus of hero as Batman. I'll be sorely disappointed not to see more Sinner novels in coming years. CK Ivors is another compelling character who quite frankly merits another novel or two. In the novel CK's royalty checks have allowed her to assemble a large colorful staff to assist her. Rogers created fine characters to assist CK and I'd love to see their further exploits as well. Parents should note that the world of "Sinner" is dark, gritty and violent. The book opens with priest exposed in a sexual abuse scandal. Sinner's assaults on criminals are both surgical and barbaric. My "cringe factor" was tested a few times while reading this book. It should be noted that the violence is never gratuitous and that Rogers has painted a world in which evil is avenged. And yet, Rogers isn't content with vengeance and offers us a higher value on which she rests her well crafted novel. Rogers instantly has earned a place among authors like Brad Meltzer, Ted Dekker, or G.P. Taylor. She's an author I'll be looking for more of in the future.

Why have I never heard of this author before!?! My goodness. I started reading SINNER and next thing I knew I was hooked. This lady writes action like some bad girl of fiction, but always with a clear and tasteful sense of violence - never gratuitous. And the Sinner character is so well written I thought almost thought he was real. Also there are several journal entries from the Civil War that seem like they might be real too. Anyway, this book was captivating from the first page (when a mysterious stranger commits a heinous crime) to the last page (when a familiar stranger....no, I won't tell you. You'll just have to read it.) I really liked the detective characters of CK Ivors, Junebug Collins, Rebel Feine and the rest, but it was the Sinner himself that really kept me awake at night thinking. Is this a good guy or a criminal? What drives him to acts of violence and then, almost in the same moment, to acts of great compassion? Will he ever be caught, and if so, will he be the real Sinner or simply a copycat criminal? Could this kind of story really happen? You get the idea. Overall this is a tightly-woven suspense novel, but the spiritual layers included in it make for some really thought-provoking reading. At least I thought so.

Wow, I didn't know what to expect when a friend gave me a copy of SINNER, but I trusted my friend enough to give it a try-and I'm glad I did. This book unfolds like a mystery movie and that makes it hard to put down. It follows the mystery of the legendary Sinner, a guy who may or may not be real, but who keeps tracking down and punishing (sometimes killing) other bad guys. But shis Sinner guy isn't all that he seems to be either, so that's intriguing. Hot on his trail is the investigative writer, CK Ivors (who is also a fan of Superman collectibles) and she's dedided to make the Sinner the topic of her next book. Anyway, it gets pretty exciting and if you like thrillers with a spiritual twist, I think you'd like SINNER as well. I thought it was well done, especially for a brand new author.