Christy J. (southernsassygirl) reviewed The Gold Digger (True Colors, Bk 9) on + 180 more book reviews
While Christian historical fiction is definitely my jam, Christian historical super-creepy-based-on-serial-killers fiction is not something I go out of my way to read! However, when I saw The Gold Digger recommended on an app as a book I might be interested in, I thought I'd give it a try.
WOW!
In the span of two days, I listened to every minute of this book. My attention span to do much else was pretty much gone. I had never heard of Belle Gunness (although, I have since read about the craziness which was her life), and while I suspected her from the very beginning as the killer, there were some events toward the end of the story that still left a bit of mystery. (I promise, I did not just spoil the story for you...once you have read the first 2-3 chapters, you'll see what I mean.) Since most of Belle's history is public knowledge, the author added some fictional characters and a beautiful redemption arc to soften what would otherwise be a depressing tale.
Liz Tolsma is still a fairly new author to me, but after reading The Gold Digger and loving it, I will definitely be seeking out more of her books in the future!
WOW!
In the span of two days, I listened to every minute of this book. My attention span to do much else was pretty much gone. I had never heard of Belle Gunness (although, I have since read about the craziness which was her life), and while I suspected her from the very beginning as the killer, there were some events toward the end of the story that still left a bit of mystery. (I promise, I did not just spoil the story for you...once you have read the first 2-3 chapters, you'll see what I mean.) Since most of Belle's history is public knowledge, the author added some fictional characters and a beautiful redemption arc to soften what would otherwise be a depressing tale.
Liz Tolsma is still a fairly new author to me, but after reading The Gold Digger and loving it, I will definitely be seeking out more of her books in the future!
As an avid reader of Christian fiction as well as general market fiction, I've been very interested to read a novel in the True Colors series, written by various authors, that "explores true, riveting stories of American criminal activity layered in historical romantic suspense." These are definitely a departure from the common (mis)perception of Christian fiction. The Gold Digger by Liz Tolsma was my introduction to this concept.
This saga begins in 1907 Indiana and features Belle Gunness, a real person in history who was a serial killer. Tolsma excels at weaving fictional characters around gruesome facts to allow readers to unravel the story as those involved at the time likely did. While the writing was less sophisticated than the novels I usually enjoy, I was completely engrossed in Belle's actions and was impressed by the factual accuracy of the novel's plot. I doubt I'd read a true crime book about this case, but I couldn't turn the pages of The Gold Digger fast enough. I look forward to reading more books in this series soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
This saga begins in 1907 Indiana and features Belle Gunness, a real person in history who was a serial killer. Tolsma excels at weaving fictional characters around gruesome facts to allow readers to unravel the story as those involved at the time likely did. While the writing was less sophisticated than the novels I usually enjoy, I was completely engrossed in Belle's actions and was impressed by the factual accuracy of the novel's plot. I doubt I'd read a true crime book about this case, but I couldn't turn the pages of The Gold Digger fast enough. I look forward to reading more books in this series soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
