Catherine Finger

A Chief of Police who is a woman. An accomplished woman who is hiding a secret. An overwhelmed woman who suffers abuse from her husband. Jo Oliver is the woman described above and now, because of a serial killer and the intense search to find him, her secret is about to be exposed.

Cleansed by Death explores the hunt for the Mentor Sister Serial Killer and Chief Jo's emotional distress that engulfs her during this search. There is a disturbing scene when she contemplates suicide but author Catherine Finger also shows the immense support that she receives from her co-workers and friends. Jo's special friend Gino constantly reminds her that she isn't alone and that she is truly valued by God. And then there is Nick Vitarello! He joins in the hunt for the killer and his support suggests that some old feelings still linger. What if Jo wasn't a married woman? Is is possible that their relationship might be renewed?

If you enjoy reading suspense novels with a faith message running through them, you will certainly want to read Cleansed by Death.

I received a digital copy of this book from the author and Celebrate Lit. I was under no obligation to write a favorable review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.… (mais)

Cleansed by Death is the start of the story of Jo Oliver and all of the people who surround her. Being the first book in the series, I was interested in seeing how the story would come to life. I was looking forward to reading this book because I typically enjoy suspense novels. I found myself riveted as I continued reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.

This book contains domestic abuse, something I would not think of a police chief falling prey to typically. The characters seem to have a depth to them that I enjoyed. I became caught up in this world the author created. I wanted to see how the story would end.

I felt caught up in seeing how Jo was willing to fight for her faith, marriage, and even her own life. So if you enjoy suspense novels, check this book out for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (mais)

“The vision had shown me how my life could look, if I would acknowledge God existed and invite Him into a relationship with me. God would live inside me and He would conquer the darkness on my behalf.”

This is the first time, to my knowledge, that I have read a series backwards. The blog tour was set up that way in order to showcase the release of book 4 first. Because I cringe at spoilers, I admit that I was initially chagrined when I realized the reverse chronology, but I will say that it was an interesting venture and that in the end I honestly did enjoy following Chief of Police Jo Oliver from the resolution of some points of her story to their beginnings. Unless this is your customary approach, however, my general advice is to read this series in order because the stories definitely build on one another.

As with any series worth its salt, the main character in “Cleansed by Death” undergoes a significant change not only from book one to book four, but also within book one itself. Jo Oliver’s metanoia occurs through visions and takes the form of spiritual warfare, culminating in one intense scene that readers may find disturbing. Her faith walk with Christ, of course, is not an immediate and perfect transformation but rather one that takes place one step at a time over the course of the whole series. What I did not understand or like in her character was the amount of drama that she continuously exudes. Because the story is related in the first-person from her perspective, the reader is drawn into the nasty details of both the Mentor Sister Serial Killer case and Jo’s divorce. For a police chief, she appears to be lacking in her instinct of what to do about her situation or how to keep herself safe. To me, this seems rather unbelievable, even accounting for the fact that she suffers from abuse.

One of the best inclusions in “Cleansed by Death”, in my opinion, is the character of little Samantha, whom Jo hopes to adopt soon. I appreciate that Finger gives a nod to adoption and enjoy how Sam heals Jo’s heart. As for the other characters, there is a mixture of those with good hearts and those who have more sinister motives. I

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.… (mais)

I read this series in a strange way and don’t recommend doing it. I started with the last book and ended with the first book in the series. I recommend starting with the first book. I enjoyed the story line but I got a bit confused about some of the characters through this whole series. I liked how the main character becomes more self reliant as the series progresses. I liked the suspense though it seemed to end abruptly. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.… (mais)