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Three Last Things: or The Hounding Of Carl Jarrold, Soulless Assassin (A Spiritual Thriller)
An unrepentant killer. An execution from hell. The stakes? Eternal life.
“Love doesn’t exist. And Fr. Jacob is right about one thing. Without it, life is utterly meaningless.”
Carl Jarrold, a convicted assassin, believes that all human relationships turn on what one human being wants from that there is no such thing as love and thus no meaning to life. Prison chaplain Fr. Jacob, the closest thing he has to a friend, has struggled for three long years to convince Carl how wrong he is—to no avail. But the day of execution has finally arrived, and nothing goes quite as Carl expects. Soon it’s shaping up to be the strangest day he has ever had. But will it prove the worst day of his life...or the best?
This tense, “psychologically-compelling,” spiritual thriller is a short standalone novella from the Carnegie Medal Nominated author of the award-winning I AM MARGARET series. Described as “beautiful,” “fantastically good,” and “one of the most moving stories I have ever read,” this is a race against time for the highest possible stakes.
Buy the book today to join Carl’s attempt to beat the clock.
This book has received the SOA from the Catholic Writers Guild.
“Love doesn’t exist. And Fr. Jacob is right about one thing. Without it, life is utterly meaningless.”
Carl Jarrold, a convicted assassin, believes that all human relationships turn on what one human being wants from that there is no such thing as love and thus no meaning to life. Prison chaplain Fr. Jacob, the closest thing he has to a friend, has struggled for three long years to convince Carl how wrong he is—to no avail. But the day of execution has finally arrived, and nothing goes quite as Carl expects. Soon it’s shaping up to be the strangest day he has ever had. But will it prove the worst day of his life...or the best?
This tense, “psychologically-compelling,” spiritual thriller is a short standalone novella from the Carnegie Medal Nominated author of the award-winning I AM MARGARET series. Described as “beautiful,” “fantastically good,” and “one of the most moving stories I have ever read,” this is a race against time for the highest possible stakes.
Buy the book today to join Carl’s attempt to beat the clock.
This book has received the SOA from the Catholic Writers Guild.
81 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2020
4 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2020
I'm such a fan of Corinna Turner, and although this is shorter than most of her books, the impact it had on me was just as powerful. The author has a rare gift of nailing human nature perfectly, and I was soooo on the edge of my seat with this one! Tense, and suspenseful, and touching, it had me alternating between laughing out loud and cringing and cheering and wanting to cry. In a funny kind of way it reminded me of something Stephen King might come up with if he were a Christian. I was totally drawn in from page one and loved it all the way to the end. I've heard a sequel is coming out, and can't wait for that to be released as well!
January 1, 2023
I have greatly enjoyed all the books by Corinna Turner that I have read. But this is completely unlike anything else I have read by her. This story was a surprise on many levels, and in many ways. At first, I was a little confused by the title. I am very familiar with the theological statement: the four last things, death, judgement, heaven, or hell. The story is very compelling and is an absolute page turner.
The story follows Carl Jarrold as he prepares for that last walk, as a dead man walking. He has been sentenced to die by lethal injection for his crimes. He has been meeting with Fr. Jacob, and the priest's words have started to crack the shell of this ‘soulless assassin’. In an intense story we follow Carl to the death chamber, a failed attempt, and a window of opportunity. While the death chamber is reset for another go.
You will feel yourself pulled into this story, and this man’s last hours. To the thoughtful witness of Father Jacob. And to the events as they unwind. It is also a story you will find yourself thinking about for days afterwards.
This is a story with a number of twists. I was expecting some very different things than the way events worked out. The book took me by surprise, and I was very glad to have read it. Many years back I met sister Helen Prejean, and worked through the book and movie Dead man Walking, in more than 1 university course. That book challenged my own stance on the death penalty. And this book does an amazing job of capturing that same feel. It is incredibly well written.
This volume comes in at under 60 pages. And yet it is intense and emotionally and spiritually impactful, if you can read this story and not be moved maybe the term soulless could be applied to you.
I have been in the room where the last execution in Canada took place. And I have read accounts from witnesses of modern executions in the US, and this story is masterfully written to capture these events. No matter your stance on capital punishment, this book will cause you to think, and even though it is fiction, it will stir strong emotions and feelings. It is an excellent piece of writing and I challenge you to give it a read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Corinna Turner. As well as author profile and interview with Corinna.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
The story follows Carl Jarrold as he prepares for that last walk, as a dead man walking. He has been sentenced to die by lethal injection for his crimes. He has been meeting with Fr. Jacob, and the priest's words have started to crack the shell of this ‘soulless assassin’. In an intense story we follow Carl to the death chamber, a failed attempt, and a window of opportunity. While the death chamber is reset for another go.
You will feel yourself pulled into this story, and this man’s last hours. To the thoughtful witness of Father Jacob. And to the events as they unwind. It is also a story you will find yourself thinking about for days afterwards.
This is a story with a number of twists. I was expecting some very different things than the way events worked out. The book took me by surprise, and I was very glad to have read it. Many years back I met sister Helen Prejean, and worked through the book and movie Dead man Walking, in more than 1 university course. That book challenged my own stance on the death penalty. And this book does an amazing job of capturing that same feel. It is incredibly well written.
This volume comes in at under 60 pages. And yet it is intense and emotionally and spiritually impactful, if you can read this story and not be moved maybe the term soulless could be applied to you.
I have been in the room where the last execution in Canada took place. And I have read accounts from witnesses of modern executions in the US, and this story is masterfully written to capture these events. No matter your stance on capital punishment, this book will cause you to think, and even though it is fiction, it will stir strong emotions and feelings. It is an excellent piece of writing and I challenge you to give it a read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Corinna Turner. As well as author profile and interview with Corinna.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
January 15, 2021
A striking account of a prisoner on death row, in the hours leading up to his execution, this book is a soul search and quest for God in a few short yet critical pages. It's also a strong argument against the death penalty, so if you have an opinion on this matter, I would recommend reading this.
I've only given 4 stars because it is too short! There isn't enough time to really get to grips with the characters, and some of the issues could have done with a little more exploration, but as a device indicating a man running out of time, this effectively represents the character's life slipping away, forcing him to face up to his actions, trying to work out what comes next and when he comes to an unexpected conclusion, how to deal with that in the minutes remaining to him.
I've only given 4 stars because it is too short! There isn't enough time to really get to grips with the characters, and some of the issues could have done with a little more exploration, but as a device indicating a man running out of time, this effectively represents the character's life slipping away, forcing him to face up to his actions, trying to work out what comes next and when he comes to an unexpected conclusion, how to deal with that in the minutes remaining to him.
July 18, 2020
It's difficult to explain why this story affected me so much without giving away spoilers, but I'm going to try! This is unlike any story I've read before. It was far out of my comfort zone (taking place inside a prison) and yet I could NOT put it down. The realistic and suspenseful situation the author has created shows the power of love and loudly shouts the truth of the Latin phrase "dum spiro, spero" ("While I breathe, I hope"). So don't let the first person POV of a hardened murderer make you wonder if you should read this story--your life will be better for reading it!!!!!
April 2, 2021
Spellbound
Just a quick read on Good Friday morning, I didn't expect to be in tears or for a better understanding of Good Friday, but that's what I've got. Beautifully and tenderly written.
Just a quick read on Good Friday morning, I didn't expect to be in tears or for a better understanding of Good Friday, but that's what I've got. Beautifully and tenderly written.
January 15, 2021
Chilling read. Not a book I'd recommend for the faint-hearted, but a quality read nonetheless
January 3, 2023
GREAT BOOK. Makes you think and it’s entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews