The Hidden Assassins

by: Robert Wilson

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Waking Lazarus

If you're both a practicing Christian and inherent murder-mystery fan, Waking Lazarus by T. L. Hines is for you. Published by Bethany House, a Christian publishing company, it contains all the requisite suspense and murder-mystery components as well as a liberal sprinkling of prayer and God. Obviously, Waking Lazarus isn't for everyone. But regardless of its appeal to Christian orthodox beliefs, as a murder-mystery novel alone this book is compelling as well as spell-binding. T. L. Hines could easily crash the big time if he ever chooses to downplay the religious aspects and concentrates instead on the mystery itself.

Jude Allman has been declared dead yet returned inexplicably to life three times; coming back at least once when he was already in the morgue with an ID attached to his bare toe.
Everything was OK at first; but naturally his miraculous recoveries earned him fame. Jude then appeared on TV talk shows, was featured in the newspapers, pursued by New Agers, individuals with life-threatening diseases, and those desiring healing for others.

Finally Jude became somewhat paranoid. He separated from his wife, moved away from the state, changed his name to Ron Gress, seldom saw his own son, and eventually accepted a job as a school janitor in Red Lodge, Montana – fifty miles from his father's nursing home in Billings. The constant battle for privacy finally got to him so now he lives in perpetual fear of discovery.

Ron has covered his windows and has state-of-the-art locks on every door, but that doesn't stop a woman called Kristina, who tracks him down and knows his actual identity. With her assistance, Ron begins to realize he's neglected his psychic ability as well as accepting the reason for those miraculous life returns.

Meanwhile there's a spate of kidnappings and disappearances of young children in the towns surrounding Red Lodge. The pattern is such that Ron knows it's only a matter of time before they begin to appear in Red Lodge as well. We're given some insight into the kidnapper's mind, who thinks of himself as two separate people – Normal and the Hunter (with a thirst for quarry).

When Ron's own son is kidnapped, Ron must set out on the path to his own eventual recovery; using his unusual abilities to extricate himself, his son, his son's close friend and the boy's mother from the madman's control. Ron accomplishes this in the final pages of the book.

I'm not sure that Waking Lazarus should even be included here. Eclectic beliefs, such as total adherence so strongly presented for any particular religion, have a decided odor of proselytizing and have no place in overall entertainment for the general public. Not that I have anything personally against the Christians!

Perhaps someday someone will write a book about the power of the mind – especially as it concerns the power of belief to create. The stronger the belief, the more powerful it is. Miracles most certainly do occur. The paranormal does exist, whether or not you give it credence. But constant reference to religious-based prayer (or any other religion-based action) is not to be foisted on an unsuspecting public in the guise of entertainment. That's expressly true of the portion of that public which doesn't share the religious convictions of the author.

Make no mistake – Waking Lazarus is an excellent murder-mystery, touching one of the most sensitive areas of our lives – the safety of our children. Bethany House might be commended for publication and release of this novel. Just be aware that books from this source will most likely be written from a purely Christian standpoint.

Alan Paul Curtis

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