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An Open Heart
Their Messages—From Beyond the Grave—Might Destroy Him
They hover between life and death, their hearts stopped on the surgery table. And the messages Dr. Jace Rawlings’ open-heart surgery patients bring back from beyond the grave cannot be ignored. For they predict the deaths of people around him, and point a finger of suspicion straight at him. It thrusts Jace into a firestorm of controversy and danger. A maelstrom blown by the darker winds of political intrigue and spiritual warfare. And the forces working against him will do anything to stop him from uncovering a truth they will kill to hide. He’d come to Kenya to establish a heart-surgery program for the poor. But what he will find in that place where he grew up will put everything at risk–his marriage, his career . . . his life.
They hover between life and death, their hearts stopped on the surgery table. And the messages Dr. Jace Rawlings’ open-heart surgery patients bring back from beyond the grave cannot be ignored. For they predict the deaths of people around him, and point a finger of suspicion straight at him. It thrusts Jace into a firestorm of controversy and danger. A maelstrom blown by the darker winds of political intrigue and spiritual warfare. And the forces working against him will do anything to stop him from uncovering a truth they will kill to hide. He’d come to Kenya to establish a heart-surgery program for the poor. But what he will find in that place where he grew up will put everything at risk–his marriage, his career . . . his life.
448 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
34 people are currently reading
1207 people want to read
About the author
Harry Kraus
20 books112 followersHarry Kraus, M.D. is a board-certified surgeon, medical missionary to East Africa, and accomplished writer of both non-fiction and fiction. Medical realism and gripping plotlines distinguish his writing, as he gets most of his ideas with a scalpel in hand. Dr. Kraus resides in Virginia with his wife Kris and the youngest of his three sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
June 28, 2013
Moving from comfortable Virginia to Kenya to begin the nation’s first heart surgery programme sounds like a noble objective, but Dr Jace Rawlings is running away. He’s running away from a broken marriage, a possible affair and memory loss, and returning to the town where he grew up as a missionary kid, working at the hospital where his Dad was a doctor, and where he lost his faith and his twin sister.
But this is Africa, and there are challenges in getting the programme started, not least in getting the equipment through customs. And once Jace undertakes the first operation, he finds a strange after-effect: his patient is giving him messages from beyond this dimension. And that’s not his only problem. Someone is out to end the heart surgery programme, and it looks as though he might be implicated in a death back in the US.
I’ve read and enjoyed novels set in Africa and other exotic locations (particularly those by JM Windle). I’ve read and enjoyed medical dramas (by authors such as Candace Calvert and Hannah Alexander). I’ve read and enjoyed novels with a supernatural element (like The Widow of Saunders Creek or Illusion). And I’ve read and enjoyed several of Kraus’s previous books (including Perfect and the Claire McCall series), so I thought I would enjoy this. I did, but not as much as I expected.
The opening of Open Heart was excellent, as Jace found himself thrown in jail, then refusing to pay the bribes to release his medical equipment. But as I progressed, it felt as though the novel was trying to be a supernatural thriller (with supernatural messages and a witch doctor), a medical thriller (the surgery) and a suspense novel (who wants to end the heart programme and why, the US element and the back story about Jace’s twin sister) all at the same time. It was too much, and I’m not sure it worked.
But my big problem was Jace’s faith. While I could understand why he turned away from Christianity as a child, I didn’t see why he essentially faked faith throughout his adult life. He married another missionary kid, a strong Christian woman; he went to church, then he goes back to Africa to serve in a missionary hospital, yet he has no personal faith. (SPOILER: He then has a major change of heart at the end of the story, yet it came out of nowhere. It seemed convenient rather than heartfelt).
And there were times when Open Heart was let down by the writing. I found that the technical dialogue that comes across quickly in a TV medical drama doesn’t work so well on the page. It sounded authentic, but it read like a foreign language. There were too many points of view, odd changes of tense, and some of the scenes had a repetitious sentence structure (like starting consecutive paragraphs with adverbs). And there’s a spelling mistake in the Amazon blurb (it’s maelstrom, not maeltsrom), which isn’t good.
Overall, it could have been great, but it wasn’t.
Thanks to David C Cook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
But this is Africa, and there are challenges in getting the programme started, not least in getting the equipment through customs. And once Jace undertakes the first operation, he finds a strange after-effect: his patient is giving him messages from beyond this dimension. And that’s not his only problem. Someone is out to end the heart surgery programme, and it looks as though he might be implicated in a death back in the US.
I’ve read and enjoyed novels set in Africa and other exotic locations (particularly those by JM Windle). I’ve read and enjoyed medical dramas (by authors such as Candace Calvert and Hannah Alexander). I’ve read and enjoyed novels with a supernatural element (like The Widow of Saunders Creek or Illusion). And I’ve read and enjoyed several of Kraus’s previous books (including Perfect and the Claire McCall series), so I thought I would enjoy this. I did, but not as much as I expected.
The opening of Open Heart was excellent, as Jace found himself thrown in jail, then refusing to pay the bribes to release his medical equipment. But as I progressed, it felt as though the novel was trying to be a supernatural thriller (with supernatural messages and a witch doctor), a medical thriller (the surgery) and a suspense novel (who wants to end the heart programme and why, the US element and the back story about Jace’s twin sister) all at the same time. It was too much, and I’m not sure it worked.
But my big problem was Jace’s faith. While I could understand why he turned away from Christianity as a child, I didn’t see why he essentially faked faith throughout his adult life. He married another missionary kid, a strong Christian woman; he went to church, then he goes back to Africa to serve in a missionary hospital, yet he has no personal faith. (SPOILER: He then has a major change of heart at the end of the story, yet it came out of nowhere. It seemed convenient rather than heartfelt).
And there were times when Open Heart was let down by the writing. I found that the technical dialogue that comes across quickly in a TV medical drama doesn’t work so well on the page. It sounded authentic, but it read like a foreign language. There were too many points of view, odd changes of tense, and some of the scenes had a repetitious sentence structure (like starting consecutive paragraphs with adverbs). And there’s a spelling mistake in the Amazon blurb (it’s maelstrom, not maeltsrom), which isn’t good.
Overall, it could have been great, but it wasn’t.
Thanks to David C Cook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
March 20, 2016
Another winner from Dr. Harry Kraus. This one makes great usage of not only the medical theme, but also its African setting.
June 11, 2013
"Always trying to save the world, aren't you Jace? Well, look where it's gotten you now."
If-onlys crowded out hope. If only he'd upgraded to first class, maybe he wouldn't have arrived so sleep deprived, and his reactions would have been quicker. If only he'd let someone else pick him up at the airport instead of agreeing to drive a friend's Land Rover. If only that last goat hadn't tried to cross the road. He slipped his hand into his suit pocket and closed it around a small wad of shillings, the local currency in Kenya. If only he'd been willing to pay the bribe, he could have avoided the whole mess.
He should have known that the crowd that gathered around his Land Rover would have sided with the locals. "He was speeding," they had all agreed. Kikuyu mamas with colorful clashing sweaters and headscarves. Barefoot children pushing roasted corn beneath his nose, hoping for a sale. An old man on a donkey cart had rubbed his gray-chin stubble and nodded with apparent wisdom. "Shouldn't race on our roads." Everyone claimed it was Jace's fault. If he had only paid the bribe. If only.
In the latest novel from author Harry Kraus, An Open Heart takes the readers into the heart of Africa, right into the Great Rift Valley that separates Africa in two for his suspense thriller. The book opens with Jace Rawlings, a US heart surgeon who is sitting in a Kenyan jail awaiting the outcome of his crime, one that in most eyes would be ruled an accident but only if you were in the US. Only Jace wasn't in the US and now he could only begin to think of a way out of this mess. Only the prime minister of parliament in Nairobi is taking matters into his own hands to free Jake. He has consulted with Mzee Simeon Okayo, a town elder of Kisii who practices traditional witchcraft to assist with this most urgent matter and one that needs to be managed with discretion.
Only now it seems that Jace Rawlings has powers that even the local villagers have begun to take notice of beginning with the victim who died at the scene of his accident. Now it seems that what was once dead has now returned to life and now Jace it seems is the new magic man! Just when Jace arrived in Africa to escape his troubles in the US it seems like new ones have found their way to Africa and Jace's running is about to end.
I received An Open Heart by Harry Krauss compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and David C Cook Publishers for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is an interesting look at just what missionaries have to deal with in Africa. Not only the differences in cultures but also in religion. While the character of Jace Rawlings exemplifies the Christian doctor, he has to deal with the local people who still believe in the traditional witchdoctors to deal with virtually everything that happens to them from the crops to the weather. Is there more at work here than meets the eye? You'll have to pick this one up to see what the dead who are brought back to life have to say! I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I've read quite a few of Harry Kraus novels and the experience of being a board-certified surgeon and medical missionary bring a sense of realism to this novel in unremarkable ways.
If-onlys crowded out hope. If only he'd upgraded to first class, maybe he wouldn't have arrived so sleep deprived, and his reactions would have been quicker. If only he'd let someone else pick him up at the airport instead of agreeing to drive a friend's Land Rover. If only that last goat hadn't tried to cross the road. He slipped his hand into his suit pocket and closed it around a small wad of shillings, the local currency in Kenya. If only he'd been willing to pay the bribe, he could have avoided the whole mess.
He should have known that the crowd that gathered around his Land Rover would have sided with the locals. "He was speeding," they had all agreed. Kikuyu mamas with colorful clashing sweaters and headscarves. Barefoot children pushing roasted corn beneath his nose, hoping for a sale. An old man on a donkey cart had rubbed his gray-chin stubble and nodded with apparent wisdom. "Shouldn't race on our roads." Everyone claimed it was Jace's fault. If he had only paid the bribe. If only.
In the latest novel from author Harry Kraus, An Open Heart takes the readers into the heart of Africa, right into the Great Rift Valley that separates Africa in two for his suspense thriller. The book opens with Jace Rawlings, a US heart surgeon who is sitting in a Kenyan jail awaiting the outcome of his crime, one that in most eyes would be ruled an accident but only if you were in the US. Only Jace wasn't in the US and now he could only begin to think of a way out of this mess. Only the prime minister of parliament in Nairobi is taking matters into his own hands to free Jake. He has consulted with Mzee Simeon Okayo, a town elder of Kisii who practices traditional witchcraft to assist with this most urgent matter and one that needs to be managed with discretion.
Only now it seems that Jace Rawlings has powers that even the local villagers have begun to take notice of beginning with the victim who died at the scene of his accident. Now it seems that what was once dead has now returned to life and now Jace it seems is the new magic man! Just when Jace arrived in Africa to escape his troubles in the US it seems like new ones have found their way to Africa and Jace's running is about to end.
I received An Open Heart by Harry Krauss compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and David C Cook Publishers for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This is an interesting look at just what missionaries have to deal with in Africa. Not only the differences in cultures but also in religion. While the character of Jace Rawlings exemplifies the Christian doctor, he has to deal with the local people who still believe in the traditional witchdoctors to deal with virtually everything that happens to them from the crops to the weather. Is there more at work here than meets the eye? You'll have to pick this one up to see what the dead who are brought back to life have to say! I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I've read quite a few of Harry Kraus novels and the experience of being a board-certified surgeon and medical missionary bring a sense of realism to this novel in unremarkable ways.
June 10, 2013
Set in the beautiful but corrupt landscape of Kenya, Harry's Kraus latest book offers up medical drama, suspense, and spiritual warfare in a fast-paced read. I greatly enjoyed that the book largely takes place in Africa, and the fact that the author himself resides in Kenya shows in the authentic feel to the descriptions of people and places and cultural nuances. I was particularly fascinated by the witch doctor who plays a prominent role in the story, and the way that the people of Africa are so much more open to acknowledge the spiritual forces that are at work behind the scene. I have found this to be true myself in the missions trips I've taken, such as my recent trip to Thailand. Kraus' inclusion of this aspect of Kenyan culture made for a unique twist to the plot and one that I hope to see in future novels from him as well. In terms of the controversy surrounding Dr. Jace Rawlings, I must admit that the actions of the villain did not always make sense to me (and I can't say more without ruining the plot). Nevertheless, the cross-cultural element of the threat over Jace's life made for some extra-intense scenes indeed! As with all of Harry Kraus' books, I most appreciate the way in which he can so seamlessly weave the power of what Jesus has done on the cross into his novels. "An Open Heart" not only provides an entertaining ride, but points to the grace of Jesus at the same time.
I award this book a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Plan on picking up a copy of this book for yourself. You'll be glad you did!
Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, for the purposes of this unbiased review.
I award this book a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Plan on picking up a copy of this book for yourself. You'll be glad you did!
Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, for the purposes of this unbiased review.
May 29, 2013
I got this book for Kindle from NetGalley and would actually like to stop and tip my hat to Harry Kraus. This was an EXCELLENT read and was beautifully written. When I started this book, I didn't expect a lot, because I'd never actually read a medical suspense novel before, but had absolutely no trouble getting through it! Finished it in a day. It's so much more than medical suspense and does have spiritual aspects to it. I definitely recommend to anyone, even people unfamiliar with the genre.
March 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this book and was planning to give it four stars until the last few chapters, which I had several problems with. I felt like this book ended very abruptly, leaving too many unanswered questions. Several of the most pivotal, dramatic scenes, instead of being captivating and tense, just read flat.
February 4, 2017
WOW! I was drawn into the story from the beginning. The danger and suspense kept me turning the pages. I so appreciated the faith element woven throughout this story. After reading this story, I now have a greater admiration for those who are called to the mission field. I highly recommend this book!
June 10, 2014
Loved this book until it started to become overly Christian. I guess that is what can happen when I get an ebook without doing some research
dnf
December 18, 2016Unfinished. I'm sure the writing is good, but I'm just not interested in reading it. I'm not into thrillers, especially angsty, depressing ones.
April 20, 2018
An Open Heart by Harry Kraus is a little bit of everything.
Dr Jace Rawlings worked hard to become a renowned heart surgeon.
But when he is in a serious accident and the governor's wife is killed...
the questions rise.
But more than the media's speculation, as it turned out, is haunting him.
Will returning to his missionary home in Kenya to start a heart program
reveal answers... and will he survive?
Heather Rawlings thought she knew her husband....
but will the separation reveal that there's more to the story?
News reporters can be a pain... but they come in handy when snooping around ... can she find the truth of what happened that night?
Doctors and nurses fight to save patients from death....
odd how sometimes the safest place seems to be in a room
full of equipment, beeping noises, and co-workers....
Follow your gut ... you will probably figure out the actual
trouble-maker long before you reach the end.
"I will NEVER serve You ...."
God, however, uses strange ways to get our attention.
Jace's bitter attitude towards faith is constantly challenged....
"Africa can be a scary place if you don't know Christ."
"Someone must be praying ... Christians got to you, didn't they?" Simeon noted.
Among other things,
I learned what a prison cell was like in Kenya,
a couple phrases used in Kenya,
a little bit about dress customs of the tribes,
and reminded that sometimes science just can't explain things.
This was the first book I've read by Dr Harry Kraus ...
and I'm happy to say that it won't be my last!
Dr Jace Rawlings worked hard to become a renowned heart surgeon.
But when he is in a serious accident and the governor's wife is killed...
the questions rise.
But more than the media's speculation, as it turned out, is haunting him.
Will returning to his missionary home in Kenya to start a heart program
reveal answers... and will he survive?
Heather Rawlings thought she knew her husband....
but will the separation reveal that there's more to the story?
News reporters can be a pain... but they come in handy when snooping around ... can she find the truth of what happened that night?
Doctors and nurses fight to save patients from death....
odd how sometimes the safest place seems to be in a room
full of equipment, beeping noises, and co-workers....
Follow your gut ... you will probably figure out the actual
trouble-maker long before you reach the end.
"I will NEVER serve You ...."
God, however, uses strange ways to get our attention.
Jace's bitter attitude towards faith is constantly challenged....
"Africa can be a scary place if you don't know Christ."
"Someone must be praying ... Christians got to you, didn't they?" Simeon noted.
Among other things,
I learned what a prison cell was like in Kenya,
a couple phrases used in Kenya,
a little bit about dress customs of the tribes,
and reminded that sometimes science just can't explain things.
This was the first book I've read by Dr Harry Kraus ...
and I'm happy to say that it won't be my last!
January 4, 2022
I’ve recently read a few of this authors books. I thoroughly enjoyed the Clair McCall series.
This book was… Okay…
Set up mostly in Kenya, the book follows Jace make right the wrongs of his past.
I found that there was way too much change in perspectives.
Also, I get Africa and corruption etc but this felt too outlandish. The depiction was over the top.
The book felt like it was written by a foreigner who possibly lived in Kenya for a bit and hated every second of it. Clearly the author doesn’t want anyone to ever visit Kenya.
Save for the boy who died from the mamba, I felt very little connection to the characters specifically Jace and I think that that’s my main problem with the book.
It did not make sense how or why Jace faked his faith all that time. His conversion was also insincere.
Lastly, there were so many unanswered questions at the end of the book it felt like a chapter was missing
This book was… Okay…
Set up mostly in Kenya, the book follows Jace make right the wrongs of his past.
I found that there was way too much change in perspectives.
Also, I get Africa and corruption etc but this felt too outlandish. The depiction was over the top.
The book felt like it was written by a foreigner who possibly lived in Kenya for a bit and hated every second of it. Clearly the author doesn’t want anyone to ever visit Kenya.
Save for the boy who died from the mamba, I felt very little connection to the characters specifically Jace and I think that that’s my main problem with the book.
It did not make sense how or why Jace faked his faith all that time. His conversion was also insincere.
Lastly, there were so many unanswered questions at the end of the book it felt like a chapter was missing
September 8, 2025
Dr. Jace Rawlings, an agnostic, has left the US to return to Kenya, where he grew up as an MK (missionary's kid) to do open heart surgery for the poor in the same city he grew up in. Things are far from smooth since not everyone is happy to see him in Kenya. Back at home, he's suddenly being accused of murder, and his wife, who told him to leave their home, is torn and confused.
I wasn't thrilled with this thriller and will be returning the other books I borrowed by this author to the library unread. That said, the author has practised medicine in both Kenya and the US, but as far as I know, not as a missionary, so the medical and Kenyan aspects are quite accurate to the best of my knowledge.
I wasn't thrilled with this thriller and will be returning the other books I borrowed by this author to the library unread. That said, the author has practised medicine in both Kenya and the US, but as far as I know, not as a missionary, so the medical and Kenyan aspects are quite accurate to the best of my knowledge.
November 1, 2017
Unlike Harry Kraus' other books, this one got off to a very slow start. After a few chapters, it did pick up and had a reasonable storyline. Sadly, it didn't seem to have the easy flow of his other books and about 3/4th of the way into the book it all seemed less and less credible. This may have been partly due to my Western European background and the Kenyan setting of the book, but I still finished this book feeling disappointed that this book was not up to the author's normal standard.
March 12, 2018
Although raised by a missionary family serving in Kenya, Jace Rawlings did not share the faith of his parents and his twin sister. Many years later, as a famous heart surgeon, he returned to Kenya hoping to help the underprivileged natives of that country with his skills. Little did Jace know that he was taking the first step from skepticism to a transforming Faith ...
August 14, 2017
I have always had a heart for mission work in Africa. This story reminded me of the struggles and joys that are unique to this type of mission. There was suspense that sometimes took my breath away. I look forward to reading more of Harry Kraus's books.
December 12, 2017
I love this author and this book was no exception. A heart surgeon has a crisis in the U.S. and flees to Africa, and his problems get worse. This book does deal with spiritual warfare, but it is well done and not over the top like some. I couldn't put this one down until I finished it.
July 30, 2019
Great book
This is the first book I have read if Kraus. He really delivers and give a vivid picture of the spiritual realms that re constants in conflict. Thank goodness we know who wins!
This is the first book I have read if Kraus. He really delivers and give a vivid picture of the spiritual realms that re constants in conflict. Thank goodness we know who wins!
August 9, 2017
Intriguing....may have you questioning some of your former assumptions on religion.
March 15, 2019
I enjoyed this story, but the ending was terrible. It needed far more wrap up.
February 13, 2021
A really good book.
May 13, 2021
Good listening. Medicine, Africa, mystery, and spirituality.
January 9, 2022
This was a great book and a real page-turner! Think Christian medical fiction meets spiritual warfare. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
September 17, 2022
Great story with lots of twists until the very end
June 9, 2023
Very well written. Has you guessing all throughout the story and and turning the pages.
December 11, 2024
Political and spiritual warfare meet in USA and Kenya
What an amazing story of a cardiac surgeon who grew up in Africa and returned to make up for the death of his sister. He had no idea the political maneuvers happening on both side of the ocean until after he was in the middle of it and had signs and wonders all around him that were beyond reasonable explanations. Medical situations and spiritual attacks are brought together with just enough explanation to keep you reading and wondering who will win in the end. Definitely worth reading to find out!
What an amazing story of a cardiac surgeon who grew up in Africa and returned to make up for the death of his sister. He had no idea the political maneuvers happening on both side of the ocean until after he was in the middle of it and had signs and wonders all around him that were beyond reasonable explanations. Medical situations and spiritual attacks are brought together with just enough explanation to keep you reading and wondering who will win in the end. Definitely worth reading to find out!
May 7, 2025
A heart surgeon goes to Africa to start an open heart unit and find his Savior!
June 25, 2013
Dr. Jace Rawlings, son of a missionary, is a renowned heart surgeon who saved the life of Virginia’s governor. Shortly after he receives admiration from the public, he quickly finds himself in the spotlight of suspicion when he is found injured at the scene of the accident where the governor’s wife, Anita Franks, was killed. Even after healing from serious head injuries, he can’t remember why he was with her that night. When Jace’s wife, and even himself, begins to question what Jace’s relationship was with Anita, he makes the sudden decision to return to the country where he was raised, Kenya, to start a program from his specialty. However, Jace soon discovers that the troubles he’s running away from are strengthened tenfold when he arrives.
Even though Jace turned his back on God many years ago, strange coincidences are making him begin to question even the science of medicine. It becomes clear that in Kenya, spirituality and unseen beings are at work. But what Jace needs to determine is whether these forces are good or evil and what business they have with him.
I have never had the opportunity to go on a mission trip, and the furthest I’ve been out of the United States was a vacation to Niagara Falls with my family when I was 11. Because of this, I love when novels are enriched with cultures from other countries. An Open Heart has African culture weaved through it. I was able to understand the culture shock the children of missionaries experience when they come into the Unites States and how they view materialism. The author is able to integrate his life experiences into the novel so that they naturally become Jace’s. There is exposure of the medical epidemics in Africa, including HIV and the ramifications of untreated diseases that are easily and readily cured in the Western world.
Corruption of the government and police are also a huge factor to the suspense. Characters who seem to be allies contradict themselves through conversations and actions. Government officials and the law can be easily bought with a bribe in Kenya, and you can never be sure who to trust.
The spirituality also brings in elements of the Kenyan culture. The African religion believes the witch doctors can cure ailments. However, the Western attitude of the witchcraft is that it’s harmless and ineffective. In An Open Heart, the witchcraft is initiation of a spiritual war. There are many supernatural events in the novel, including visions and spiritual intervention.
The mystery surrounding Anita’s death and Jace’s relationship with her is believable. Jace’s uncertainty of his own actions keeps the reader constantly guessing his character. When some evidence is surfaced from the crime scene, the stakes are raised. Was Anita’s death an accident or was it murder? Was Jace involved in anyway? Is he capable of having an affair? The multiple layers to the mystery make it complex and engrossing. Whether they are fans of medical mysteries or international missions, An Open Heart has many elements that will interest and engage a variety of readers.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. I did not, nor have I ever received compensation for a review.
Even though Jace turned his back on God many years ago, strange coincidences are making him begin to question even the science of medicine. It becomes clear that in Kenya, spirituality and unseen beings are at work. But what Jace needs to determine is whether these forces are good or evil and what business they have with him.
I have never had the opportunity to go on a mission trip, and the furthest I’ve been out of the United States was a vacation to Niagara Falls with my family when I was 11. Because of this, I love when novels are enriched with cultures from other countries. An Open Heart has African culture weaved through it. I was able to understand the culture shock the children of missionaries experience when they come into the Unites States and how they view materialism. The author is able to integrate his life experiences into the novel so that they naturally become Jace’s. There is exposure of the medical epidemics in Africa, including HIV and the ramifications of untreated diseases that are easily and readily cured in the Western world.
Corruption of the government and police are also a huge factor to the suspense. Characters who seem to be allies contradict themselves through conversations and actions. Government officials and the law can be easily bought with a bribe in Kenya, and you can never be sure who to trust.
The spirituality also brings in elements of the Kenyan culture. The African religion believes the witch doctors can cure ailments. However, the Western attitude of the witchcraft is that it’s harmless and ineffective. In An Open Heart, the witchcraft is initiation of a spiritual war. There are many supernatural events in the novel, including visions and spiritual intervention.
The mystery surrounding Anita’s death and Jace’s relationship with her is believable. Jace’s uncertainty of his own actions keeps the reader constantly guessing his character. When some evidence is surfaced from the crime scene, the stakes are raised. Was Anita’s death an accident or was it murder? Was Jace involved in anyway? Is he capable of having an affair? The multiple layers to the mystery make it complex and engrossing. Whether they are fans of medical mysteries or international missions, An Open Heart has many elements that will interest and engage a variety of readers.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. I did not, nor have I ever received compensation for a review.
October 25, 2013
Their Messages—From Beyond the Grave—Might Destroy Him
They hover between life and death, their hearts stopped on the surgery table. And the messages Dr. Jace Rawlings’ open-heart surgery patients bring back from beyond the grave cannot be ignored. For they predict the deaths of people around him, and point a finger of suspicion straight at him.
It thrusts Jace into a firestorm of controversy and danger. A maelstrom blown by the darker winds of political intrigue and spiritual warfare. And the forces working against him will do anything to stop him from uncovering a truth they will kill to hide. He’d come to Kenya to establish a heart-surgery program for the poor. But what he will find in that place where he grew up will put everything at risk–his marriage, his career . . . his life.
My Review:
This novel was my introduction to the genre of medical dramas in print. As missionary kids, Jace and Heather have a lot in common, and marriage seems like it will be a happy, forever road. But even the sun hides behind clouds, and when Jace finds himself operating on the governor, the governor's wife makes her play for the cardiothoracic surgeon. In the night that follows, even Jace doesn't know what happened. But Heather knows all too well that the man that promised to be faithful may not have kept his vows.
In the tempest that follows, Jace returns to Africa to perform heart surgery for the less fortunate. Rumors follow his wake in another continent, and when patients begin giving him messages that come true, he can no longer ignore the obvious; these messages are not wild guesses anyone could have come up with. As time runs out for both Heather and Jace, the question isn't whether they can find their way back to each other - but whether they will both survive long enough to see each other again.
This was a pulse racing novel in every sense of the word. It was so many things at once, I don't think I can fit it in a genre all by itself! There are so many things explored in this novel - so many themes and topics that my head was spinning with all the pieces of the puzzle. The highlight if this novel for me was the supernatural elements. I can't agree with the outcome of the patients that came back with messages for Jace, but the writing contained herein is some of the best suspense/mystery I've read in a while.
This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
They hover between life and death, their hearts stopped on the surgery table. And the messages Dr. Jace Rawlings’ open-heart surgery patients bring back from beyond the grave cannot be ignored. For they predict the deaths of people around him, and point a finger of suspicion straight at him.
It thrusts Jace into a firestorm of controversy and danger. A maelstrom blown by the darker winds of political intrigue and spiritual warfare. And the forces working against him will do anything to stop him from uncovering a truth they will kill to hide. He’d come to Kenya to establish a heart-surgery program for the poor. But what he will find in that place where he grew up will put everything at risk–his marriage, his career . . . his life.
My Review:
This novel was my introduction to the genre of medical dramas in print. As missionary kids, Jace and Heather have a lot in common, and marriage seems like it will be a happy, forever road. But even the sun hides behind clouds, and when Jace finds himself operating on the governor, the governor's wife makes her play for the cardiothoracic surgeon. In the night that follows, even Jace doesn't know what happened. But Heather knows all too well that the man that promised to be faithful may not have kept his vows.
In the tempest that follows, Jace returns to Africa to perform heart surgery for the less fortunate. Rumors follow his wake in another continent, and when patients begin giving him messages that come true, he can no longer ignore the obvious; these messages are not wild guesses anyone could have come up with. As time runs out for both Heather and Jace, the question isn't whether they can find their way back to each other - but whether they will both survive long enough to see each other again.
This was a pulse racing novel in every sense of the word. It was so many things at once, I don't think I can fit it in a genre all by itself! There are so many things explored in this novel - so many themes and topics that my head was spinning with all the pieces of the puzzle. The highlight if this novel for me was the supernatural elements. I can't agree with the outcome of the patients that came back with messages for Jace, but the writing contained herein is some of the best suspense/mystery I've read in a while.
This book was provided by the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2016
This was an enjoyable book. The plot was intriguing and fairly well-paced, but what was most interesting for me was the realistic description of its Kenyan setting. As a missionary in Africa, I found a lot to relate to and that's what made it primarily enjoyable for me. I have many missionary colleagues who've spent time in and around Kijabe (the hospital and RVA), both of which feature prominently in this book. I appreciated the author's balanced handling of its primary characters, including their struggles to accept or to appropriately live out their faith - something which I believe most Christian authors don't achieve as well as this author does. The plot also included a surprising mix of elements that wouldn't commonly be found in most Christian books. While those various elements helped keep the book interesting, it did sometimes create an uneven or unconvincing combination.
There were also several elements to the characters' dialogues or personal motivations which I found to be a bit too "Christianese" and which might make the book less accessible to a non-Christian audience. (For example, the lead character's wife's multiple conversations about needing a husband who can "lead her well" but not describing why, which reveals the underlying assumption, common in American evangelical circles, that any woman needs a man to lead her. Also, multiple references to the way "prayer" works as a sort of abstract/concrete force in its own right, in reference to the primary tensions in the plot. This understanding would likely not be common outside Western Evangelicalism, though an understanding of it is assumed as natural in the narrative/dialogue of the book.)
Overall though, it was an enjoyable book, well-paced, an interesting primary plot point/tension, and with fairly realistic portrayals of its primary characters. These things can be rare in Christian books, especially with modern self-publishing being so common, so it was refreshing to find them here. If you're a Christian missionary anywhere in Africa, you might enjoy the perspectives and setting of this well-paced novel.
There were also several elements to the characters' dialogues or personal motivations which I found to be a bit too "Christianese" and which might make the book less accessible to a non-Christian audience. (For example, the lead character's wife's multiple conversations about needing a husband who can "lead her well" but not describing why, which reveals the underlying assumption, common in American evangelical circles, that any woman needs a man to lead her. Also, multiple references to the way "prayer" works as a sort of abstract/concrete force in its own right, in reference to the primary tensions in the plot. This understanding would likely not be common outside Western Evangelicalism, though an understanding of it is assumed as natural in the narrative/dialogue of the book.)
Overall though, it was an enjoyable book, well-paced, an interesting primary plot point/tension, and with fairly realistic portrayals of its primary characters. These things can be rare in Christian books, especially with modern self-publishing being so common, so it was refreshing to find them here. If you're a Christian missionary anywhere in Africa, you might enjoy the perspectives and setting of this well-paced novel.
June 12, 2013
Harry Kraus' books were the first medical suspense novels I read, and I loved everything he has written. He has moved to write for David C Cook, and it seems to be a good move for him. His first book for them, A Heartbeat Away, was awesome. This book, An Open Heart, was totally different, but I enjoyed it just as much.
Most of the book is set in Kenya, and Harry does a great job of painting a picture of what life is like there, and what it is like to be a doctor there, something he knows personally since he is there himself as a doctor.
I found myself relating to the main character, Jace, quite a bit. Although he is a fictional character, his struggles with God mirror mine so much, it was like reading about my own. And even though he is a fictional character, it was a great message to me that not everyone gets it as easily, not everyone who grows up in a Christian home just naturally has all the faith in God to make it, but instead struggles to find that faith. It was a great message that maybe won't resonate with a lot of readers, but it did with me, and I won't give any spoilers, but Jace's struggles with God did have a happy ending in the book.
There was a lot of suspense, and the book helped remind me that there is a very real evil in this world. We may never face an outright attack brought on by witch doctors, but evil is there, and the devil is fighting us all.
This is a book that I would read in one sitting, but I started it too late last night to finish it, as I had to be in bed earlier than normal, but it was good enough that I had a hard time putting it down. I highly recommend it, and am giving it 5 stars.
Most of the book is set in Kenya, and Harry does a great job of painting a picture of what life is like there, and what it is like to be a doctor there, something he knows personally since he is there himself as a doctor.
I found myself relating to the main character, Jace, quite a bit. Although he is a fictional character, his struggles with God mirror mine so much, it was like reading about my own. And even though he is a fictional character, it was a great message to me that not everyone gets it as easily, not everyone who grows up in a Christian home just naturally has all the faith in God to make it, but instead struggles to find that faith. It was a great message that maybe won't resonate with a lot of readers, but it did with me, and I won't give any spoilers, but Jace's struggles with God did have a happy ending in the book.
There was a lot of suspense, and the book helped remind me that there is a very real evil in this world. We may never face an outright attack brought on by witch doctors, but evil is there, and the devil is fighting us all.
This is a book that I would read in one sitting, but I started it too late last night to finish it, as I had to be in bed earlier than normal, but it was good enough that I had a hard time putting it down. I highly recommend it, and am giving it 5 stars.
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