Special Edition: Athol Dickson's Latest

Once you've published a few books, people often ask you to read their about-to-be-published books for possible endorsement. There's no way I could read all the books that I'm invited to enjoy, but every once in a while I move heaven and high water (as if I could!) to read something. Athol Dickson's was a book I made time for this past spring. Athol is an excellent, careful writer, but he also writes a gripping story that keeps your gaze flying over the page. In fact, I read the ending so quickly that I had to go back and read it again to savor the meaning and mystery of those last significant chapters.

If you like my books, I think you'll love THE CURE, Athol's latest. We're both caught by high concepts and the beauty of analogy (which reminds me of something I learned in theology this week--I need to blog about it. Remind me if I forget).

Anyway, without further ado, here's the "teaser" for Athol's book . . . as if it needed one.

The Cure
By Athol Dickson


Imagine a medicine that cures you of your worst vice.

One dose and you’re free. How much would a person pay for such a cure? How far would they go? Would they lie for it? Steal for it? Kill for it?

Riley Keep, former man of God, former missionary, has been a beggar on the streets for years, desperate to forget the past. His wife, daughter, work, and faith were all lost in the aftermath of one far-flung act of wickedness. Believing some things cannot be forgiven in this life, lately Riley has begun to think of giving up the ghost. Then he hears the rumors.

Miracles are happening in Maine.

An old woman fleeing a horrific monster, a lonely wife and mother tempted by forbidden desire, an impoverished lobsterman lured by tainted wealth, a young girl weighing life and death decisions, a small town cop with a murder on his hands . . . these are just a few of the citizens of Dublin, Maine, a picture postcard village slowly suffocating underneath an avalanche of hungry people searching for a miracle. But only Riley Keep will find what he desires. And only then will Riley learn if it will save him, or if it’s true what people say . . . .

Sometimes The Cure is worse than the disease.

Advance praise for The Cure:

“…well-written, intelligent follow-up to Dickson's Christy Award-winning River Rising. An involving, suspenseful take on God's transforming grace, it tackles a serious issue while providing an absorbing story.” (Library Journal)

“…unpredictable and surprising, even though clues are sprinkled throughout the book. The final twist was chilling…the author does a wonderful job weaving in the deceit and the actions of those unrestrained by ethics and driven by the bottom line…a powerful book, one that will remain on my bookshelf for a long time to come.” (Crosswalk)

“Rich with local dialect and scenery…. Dickson's approach is thought-provoking, and his prose beautifully evokes the taciturn spirit of the Mainers who people this novel….full of interesting ideas and well-developed characters.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

About the author:

Athol Dickson’s writing has been favorably compared to the work of Octavia Butler (Publisher’s Weekly) and Flannery O’Connor (The New York Times). His They Shall See God was a Christy Award finalist and his River Rising was a Christy Award winner, selected as one of the Booklist Top Ten Christian Novels of 2006, and a finalist for the Christianity Today Best Novel of 2006. He's also a very cool guy, he likes Cajun food, and he knows almost everything there is to know about boats and his lovely wife, Sue.

Learn more about Athol Dickson and his work at www.atholdickson.com or visit his blog at http://whatatholwrote.blogspot.com/ . If you visit his blog, tell him Angie sent you!

Order The Cure here or pick it up at your local bookstore.

~~Angie