One of his best! My review of "What Follows After" by Dan Walsh

about the book....

In 1962, life was simple, the world made sense, and all families were happy.

And when they weren't, everyone knew you were supposed to pretend.

For the past year, Scott and Gina Harrison have been living a lie. While they show up at family get-togethers in the same car, they've actually been separated for over a year. To keep up the charade, they've even instructed their sons, Colt and Timmy, to lie--to their grandparents, their teachers, and their friends.

Colt, for one, has had enough, so he hatches a plan. He and his little brother will run away from their Florida home, head for their aunt's house in Georgia, and refuse to come home until their parents get back together. But when things go terribly, terribly wrong, Scott and Gina must come to grips with years of neglect and mistrust in order to recover their beloved sons, their love for one another, and their marriage.

In this emotional story, bestselling author Dan Walsh takes you on a journey to rediscover the things that matter most in life--love, truth, and family. With profound insight into the heart of a hurting child, he reminds us that a time will come to look back on hard times and smile, because we'll know that what follows after . . . is not what we expected at all.

my review....

Dan Walsh has long been one of my favourite authors, and "What Follows After" is another well-written, utterly absorbing read. Although this book would not be placed in the "suspense" category, I am not joking when I say that I found myself infused with tension, gripping the pages and barely able to refrain from rushing through the pages to see how things would resolve. Anyone who is a parent will see exactly what I mean as the plot unfolds! The author has woven together several different subplots into a unified whole, all set in a unique time in history I have never read about before. I was fascinated to observe people's reactions to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and I kept imagining how I would feel contemplating the potential of nuclear strikes near my home. But I was most absorbed into the fate of Scott and Gina's marriage and the welfare of their sons. I found myself reflecting on the health of my own marriage and whether I am treating my wife as she deserves to be treated. Am I investing in my children the way I need to? Am I being the man God has called me to be? The author has succeeded at creating a story that left my heart racing, while leaving me pondering the deeper questions of life at the same time. Now THAT takes skill!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish, from the dramatic, moving plot, to the wonderfully drawn characters, to the satisfying ending. Well done, Dan Walsh! 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

 about the author....

Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of several books, including The Dance and The Promisewith Gary Smalley, as well as The Unfinished Gift, The Discovery, and The Reunion. He has won three Carol Awards, and two of his novels were finalists for RT Book Reviews Inspirational Book of the Year for 2011 and 2012. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Dan served as a pastor for twenty-five years. He lives with his wife in the Daytona Beach area, where he's busy researching and writing his next novel. Visit www.danwalshbooks.com for more.