The Rising

by Lynn Chandler Willis

A little boy, beaten and left to die in an alley. A cop with a personal life out of control. When their worlds collide, God intervenes. Detective Ellie Saunders's homicide investigation takes a dramatic turn when a young victim "wakes up" in the morgue. The child has no memory prior to his "rising" except walking with his father along a shiny road. Ellie likes dealing with facts. She'd rather leave all the God-talk to her father, a retired minister, and to her partner, Jesse, a former vice cop with an annoying habit of inserting himself into her life. But will the facts she follows puts Ellie's life in mortal danger? And will she finally allow God into her heart forever?

292 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2013

About the author

Born and raised in North Carolina, I feel most at home in a rural setting where the smell of fresh cut hay lingers. I have an adult son and daughter and nine grandchildren (yes, there is a set of twins in there!), and a brown border collie named Finn who happily sports her own fanbase. I confess to having enjoyed the writing prompts given in junior high English class and I'm a sucker for old photographs.

I'm honored to have won the 2013 GRACE Award for Excellence in Faith-based Fiction for my debut novel, THE RISING. I am also humbled to say I'm the first woman in 10 years to win the St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America Best 1st PI Novel Competition with WINK OF AN EYE (Minotaur Books, 2014). The book went on to be named a 2014 Shamus Award finalist for Best 1st P.I. Novel.

Reviews

[Lilly Maytree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about life after death. Not the kind where one dies and goes to heaven. But the kind when one dies and comes back to life, again. You might say it's a controversial subject because there are so many different opinions about it. But the truth is, it has happened--and been documented--so many times, that medical science has its own name for the phenomenon. It's called, the Lazarus Syndrome.

In THE RISING, Lynn Chandler-Willis has woven a compelling story about just such an occurrence. And from the very first sentence of, "The kid's not dead." it is a very hard book to put down. Detective Ellie Saunders is a person who deals with facts that can be proven (or otherwise), and is determined to track down not only an explanation, but whoever left the six-year-old in an alley to die in the first place.

But one cannot brush up against such an incident without having their heart stirred. Even a well-guarded one. Her search for the truth takes the reader along a maze of speculative corridors, all the while asking the questions we would all probably ask if faced with the same situation. And somewhere along the line, one begins to ask themselves these questions, as well.

Which is all I can say about the plot without giving away spoilers. At any rate, THE RISING is a well-written, suspense-filled mystery that will keep you wondering how it could all possibly end. Just right for a summer vacation when it doesn't matter too much if it keeps you reading into the night. One that will definitely keep you thinking about the subject even after you've turned the last page. Because it's a book that makes you think.

And those are rare these days.

[Rhonda Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable suspense-filled story of a woman's journey back to God and a little boy's journey back to life. I love reading suspenseful books and The Rising has kept me guessing what was coming next with every page. I was a pastor's wife and the fact that the cop in the story is a "PK" or "preacher's kid" was very interesting to me. I could certainly see why she might have felt that God was turning away from her as I learned more of the circumstances of her life. I was fascinated with her maternal side as she grew more and more protective of the precious little "Johnny Doe". I give this a 5-star rating. It was the first book I had read by Lynn Chandler Willis but it will not be my last.
I received a free pdf copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rising by Lynn Chandler-Willis is a romantically funny inspirational mystery, with an explosive action scene! As a resident of the NC foothills, I can say the cultural and physical descriptions are hilariously spot on. I’m pretty sure I pay my car insurance at the same office.
I fully related to Ellie’s relationship with God, like old friends that weren’t talking right then. As I clung to the edge of my seat waiting to find out all there was to know about Johnny Doe, I also couldn’t wait to find out what God was going to do in Ellie’s heart, and mine.
After crying my face off through the last four chapters, I was so moved to feel and finally understand the difference between happiness and joy.
Thank you Lynn!

[ML Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first sentence is a wonder: “The kid’s not dead.” From then on, the story rockets through Detective Ellie Saunder’s investigation into the events surrounding the homicide that isn’t when the victim wakes up in the morgue. The boy’s only memory, of walking with his father down a shiny road, sounds like God-talk to Ellie and she’s not interested. Ellie is struggling with her life and her relationships with her father and unwanted partner, Jesse. She puts herself in danger as she tries to find out what happened to the child who has “risen.” Very well-written, this is a solid and entertaining mystery with a Christian message that’s subtly slipped in among the humor and thrills.

[Joyce Lavene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed author Lynn-Chandler Willis's new book, The Rising. Her people are very down to earth - like people you might know. She has a nice sense of pacing and a few twists and turns up her sleeve as the story goes. I was drawn into the story about the poor little boy left dying in an alley. Detective Ellie Saunders is a good, strong heroine.

[Dar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! Grabs you from the first sentence and never lets up. New author for me will have to check out her other books.

[Michelle R. Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of a small child returning to life supernaturally can make for great storytelling. So too would a book about a couple forced to work together despite their personal relationship unraveling, a young woman repairing a broken parental bond, or detectives hunting the clues in a supernatural mystery. This novel tries to do all of the above, and yet does not manage to produce a single fascinating plot by the end. Its rote storytelling saps the emotional intensity that should have made for compelling character study, and the lack of any real suspense made the detective plot more distracting than compelling.

Detective Ellie Saunders is forced to deal with the mysterious circumstances of a young boy found dead in an alley. The problem, as alluded to before, is that he doesn't remain so. I wish the book had dwelt more on this plot, especially the effect this "rising" apparently had on the little boy in question. Instead, once the book reaches the foregone conclusion that it was a miracle with no medical basis whatsoever, the boy (and the initial interest he garnered) is pushed to the background.

We are then left to focus on Saunders. I truly wish she had been given a fully developed personality to go with her far more interesting backstory. The thrust of the novel should be her personal progression, which is hindered by the broad strokes continually used to draw her. She exhibits no specific personality traits beyond a perpetual exhaustion; even her attempted crustiness is anemic. Her investigative and communicative skills are limited. Many of her reactions to the events at hand simply didn't make sense, tipping the story into the world of melodrama.

Even the soap opera angle isn't fully explored. The central love story isn't given nearly enough foundation to earn the weight it gains toward the end. While the love interest was the best character in the entire book, his uneven pursuit failed to add much spice to what should have been real sexual tension.

The heroine's eventual redemption may bring some readers joy, and it is one of the better handled moments in the book. But there's far too much to wade through before that point me for me to recommend it.

[Janalyn Voigt · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a little boy who has been beaten and left to die in an alley comes inexplicably back to life in the morgue, Detective Ellie Saunders’s homicide investigation gets complicated. The child, who might be about 5 or 6, remembers walking with his father along a shiny road. Ellie’s annoying and attractive partner, Jesse, wants to believe the child rose from the dead. Ellie would rather focus on fact than trust a miracle, but the facts lead her straight into danger.

I review a lot of books but few have held me as spellbound as The Rising by Lynn Chandler Willis. This book has it all: a fascinating premise, a mystery that keeps you guessing, a conflicted-but-lovable heroine with a past to reconcile, a gorgeous hero, a child in need of protecting, and a villain without a conscience. The author delivers it all up in an evocative writing style that makes you forget you’re reading. I especially enjoyed the contrast between the heroine’s gritty strength and her vulnerability.

Well conceived, masterfully plotted, and populated with realistic characters, The Rising keeps you on the edge of your seat. I read it in two sittings, staying up late into the night turning pages.

I highly recommend The Rising by Lynn Willis for adult and older teen readers who enjoy a wholesome romantic suspense adventure.

Reviewed by Janalyn Voigt, author of DawnSinger

*My thanks to the author for a complimentary review copy of this book.

[Zoe McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rising is a suspense with a romance element. The intriguing premise had me looking up a rare medical diagnosis. Ms. Willis may have pushed the limits of the diagnosis on the little boy who is raised from the dead, but call it writer’s license. The story is more fascinating and suspenseful for the exaggeration.

Ms. Willis’s characterizations shine for a varied cast. I liked how the metaphor of the rare diagnosis linked well to Detective Ellie Saunder’s emotional and spiritual journey. Ms. Willis balanced Ellie’s hard character with the caring chief of pediatrics and the fun-loving morgue employee.

The detective work kept my interest and the criminals were believable. The romance took a while to settle in, which was not surprising in that Ellie deals with many past hurts.

I recommend The Rising for men and women who enjoy detective stories with a romance.

[C. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid story line with a protagonist tugged in different directions. The boy rising from the dead, so to speak, was an intriguing central theme, and you knew from the outset that this child would be the answer to many of the characters' dilemmas. A few places were very predictable, and I kept expecting the scientific aspects of the child's revival to culminate in a unique find or a miracle. We never are sure how the child wound up where he was, but the author takes you on a nice ride with the protagonist into her skills as a detective and into her confrontation with her beliefs. Enjoyable read. When I look forward to going to bed to read a few more chapters, you know it's an entertaining tale.

[Jennifer Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

I started and finished this book in one evening...well, I finished it at 2:00 am the next day. 😁 I enjoyed the storyline starting with an exciting police procedure type feel. But I was even more excited when Christianity became the focus to finish the book! I hope the author writes more fictional work...she's A fantastic author.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storyline

I liked the book very much. The author kept you interested from page to page. I thought the first of the story drug on a bit because I would have liked more given to the relationship of Ellie and Jesse.

[Skye Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hope and promise of daffodils

A heartwarming story of a miracle boy that brought forgiveness and new hope and beginnings to people he'd never met before. A satisfying mystery and a very determined detective and just a touch of romance. What's not to love about this look?

[Ann Sanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Who would believe in a miracle?

Really liked the strong female lead. Great ending. Forgiveness and redemption are revealed in many different relationships. Jesus can forgive any confessed sin.

[Valerie Melton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page! Hopefully I will be able to afford another one of her boos soon