Into the Fire

Fear Has A Name by Creston Mapes delivers a good suspense that ties several seemingly unrelated incidents together while exploring the horrific abuses of one character, the debilitating depression of another, the desire to forgive in yet another, and the demanding rage that erupts from another. 

Jack Crittendon is a bona fide journalist who is keen to get the truth while investigating a missing pastor who is presumed to be headed to take his own life. Jack's wife Pam, mother to his two young daughters, experiences a home invasion and quickly gathers her girls and races over to their neighbor's house to call the police. 

Granger Meade is a lost man who's spent his life as an outsider after enduring unbearable emotional abuse from his pseudo-Christian parents who never once allowed him to feel or be loved. He was a gross inconvenience, a disappointment, a tool of the devil to them, and they never failed to make it apparent to him. There had been only one person in his life who gave him any positive attention, and her name is now Pamela Crittendon. 

The missing pastor is a husband and father of three boys. He's suffered with depression and been treated with different meds to determine which works best for him. His associate pastor criticizes his need for medication and questions how he could suffer from depression while being a Christian. When the pastor leaves the church one morning with all of his medication and pens a suicide note found on his desk, the assumption is he's gone somewhere to kill himself. Jack visits his distraught wife who insists he wouldn't commit suicide, interviews the church secretary who admits some interesting information, and speaks with the OCD associate pastor who he later discovers has way more wealth than the size and salary of that congregation could ever supply. 

Jack has hidden and suppressed his temper for years knowing it can get ugly. With the discovery of who has broken into their lives, his rage is barely simmering beneath the surface. Pam is more sympathetic but she's experiencing the onslaught of fear for herself and their two girls. 

The pastor is determined to end his worthless existence, listening to the enemy of his soul berate him. Guilt, sorrow, and emptiness plague him. Convincing himself that his wife and boys will be better off without him, his mission is to travel to a special place and get it over with. He's impeded by a persistent bag lady who tells him there's more for him to do. 

How these different lives intersect, the emotions ping ponging around in each of the individuals facing their own extreme trials, all the personal revelations regarding their faith, and the resulting conclusions to each circumstance produce a satisfying end to the unique fears each of the characters face as they learn fear definitely has a name.

(One small irrelevant problem for me is the cover. I love it, but I failed to tie it into the story. It appears to portray winter/snow, but the story is in the heat and storms of summer. If you've read this novel, perhaps you can enlighten me.)   

Father, please continue to bless Creston as he writes those stories you have just for him to tell. Please accommodate his needs and inspire him when he needs it most. Bless and encourage him and keep him safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.