Review: Day of Reckoning

This is the second book in the Baxter series by Kathy Herman.  I could NOT put this book down, the story was extremely riveting.  I give this book 5 stars.

The events in this book are instigated by an event that took place 5 years prior.  According to the back cover of the book, "Many felt betrayed by fourth-generation textile magnate G.R. Logan's sudden decision to close the plant and move the operation to Costa Rica in order to hire a cheaper workforce.  The unemployment that followed triggered hard times for this close-knit community.  And somebody means to make Logan pay."

That "somebody" is obvious from early in the book, this is no whodunit story.  The perpetrator in this story kidnaps G.R. Logan's daughter and her best friend, and nobody but the reader is aware of who did it.  The FBI is again involved and tries to piece together who kidnapped the girls and why, using poems he leaves around town or sends to various people.  He does this for two reasons: to make G.R. Logan squirm and to the notoriety he seems to be getting a high off of.

In this book we see the dangers of letting anger and resentment stew inside.  Whether the anger comes out or is left within it is an ugly thing, which is what the author is trying to show with all the horrific acts that the perpetrator commits.  In Kathy Herman's first book of the series we see the importance of God's forgiveness in our lives.  In Day of Reckoning we see our need to forgive.  Extremely Biblical lesson as if we do not forgive others God will not forgive us.  It is important to realize we can't let anger and bitterness take hold, no matter how bad the wrong is that was committed against us.  The perpetrator in this book takes his anger to the extreme, but even those who keep it inside have it eating away at them.  I was a little shocked at the deeds Ms. Herman allowed her antagonist to commit when it came to the ghastliness of his acts.  And to add to the creepiness of it, we see him going about his daily life with no one the wiser and then return to his home to terrorize the girls some more.

Here is part of a character's testimony that really stuck out to me in this book.  "I want everyone who's listening to understand: If you're living with bitterness, a giant is growing inside you.  If you don't slay it, it can get big enough to kill your joy, your purpose, your hopes, your dreams... and maybe even someone you love." Ms. Herman does a great job showing the importance of forgiveness and not giving way to bitterness.  This is definitely not your happy go lucky, every thing will turn out all right book.  Though, we see how God will use all things to His purpose, even though the characters can't see it right away, just like in real life.  Definitely some twists I wasn't expecting.