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One Smooth Stone #1
One Smooth Stone
The novel tells the story of Alex Donnelly who is running and trying to hide from nearly everyone. He has picked a good place to do it - the Yukon - but is pursued by friends, enemies, and most effectively, by God. Burning with the need to know about his parents, Alex returns to his birth-city, Seattle, where he discovers that his mother tried to abort him. The trauma sends him on the run again only to find out God has orchestrated a divine appointment for him back in the Yukon. The story is filled with miraculous healing, struggles with rage, and an obsession with revenge for a childhood abuser. It shows that God never gives up on those whom He has chosen. His mercy and grace extend to those who consider themselves unworthy, and even more so, to those who are considered unworthy in the eyes of the world. Laycock says, "The book tries to illustrate that no matter how far you run, God will find you. No matter how bad you've been, God will forgive you."
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2007
About the author
Marcia Lee Laycock
36 books20 followersSquirreled away in the attic of my parents' house, I began writing short stories for my dolls. They didn't complain so I kept writing. Then I got to go to school where some wonderful teachers encouraged me.
I published my first piece of writing in grade ten under the watchful eye of a rather unorthodox nun. In my last year of high school another teacher managed to stop me from writing for a while, when she said, "If you have nothing of significance to say, don't you dare write!" I decided I had to go out and find some significant things.
That led me to travel and to experience life's ups and downs across this broad and beautiful country. I've explored almost every province in Canada, including the territories, lived in four of them. Been to Europe and Israel a couple of times, but my heart is split between the wilderness of the Yukon and the jungles of Papua New Guinea.
I am captivated by the lure of large bodies of water and mountain vistas. My heart pounds with the rhythm of a galloping horse, flies with the frenzy of a hummingbird, whirs with the mystery of a dragonfly. I write to reveal the glory of God in this world and in my life.
Tag Line - Writing with the rhythms of a galloping horse, the mystery of a dragonfly, the beauty of a hummingbird
I published my first piece of writing in grade ten under the watchful eye of a rather unorthodox nun. In my last year of high school another teacher managed to stop me from writing for a while, when she said, "If you have nothing of significance to say, don't you dare write!" I decided I had to go out and find some significant things.
That led me to travel and to experience life's ups and downs across this broad and beautiful country. I've explored almost every province in Canada, including the territories, lived in four of them. Been to Europe and Israel a couple of times, but my heart is split between the wilderness of the Yukon and the jungles of Papua New Guinea.
I am captivated by the lure of large bodies of water and mountain vistas. My heart pounds with the rhythm of a galloping horse, flies with the frenzy of a hummingbird, whirs with the mystery of a dragonfly. I write to reveal the glory of God in this world and in my life.
Tag Line - Writing with the rhythms of a galloping horse, the mystery of a dragonfly, the beauty of a hummingbird
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 6, 2020
This is a book of shadows and mysteries. Some people want to be a shadow – disappear forever. Alex Donnelly is living in the Yukon, not wishing to be found. When he’s told his parents left him a million-dollar inheritance, it should be a no brainer whether to accept, but he has a complicated past – a mystery – and he wants to keep it that way. His choices aren’t actually easy.
This book is also a box of puzzle pieces, slowly fitting together with each chapter. Gil is another shadowy figure, hiding from his own mysterious past – and from God, and Kenni’s life is complicated – difficult – but she has answers for Alex and wants to tell him – if she could find him. One piece at a time, we learn each person’s history and move ahead alongside them in their journey.
Gil and Alex are forced into a place where they confront their past and God with help from an old Bible. Poignant Bible verses play a part in leading both these men to a place they hadn’t planned on going. “I wasn’t looking for God when I came here,” Alex tells Gil.
Gil reads a particular verse in the Bible where it seems as if God is speaking directly to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He says Alex, “Take it from somebody who knows. He never stops looking for you.” As the two men search, questions and answers are revealed for the reader’s Christian walk. Challenging and rewarding, this book is a satisfying read.
This book is also a box of puzzle pieces, slowly fitting together with each chapter. Gil is another shadowy figure, hiding from his own mysterious past – and from God, and Kenni’s life is complicated – difficult – but she has answers for Alex and wants to tell him – if she could find him. One piece at a time, we learn each person’s history and move ahead alongside them in their journey.
Gil and Alex are forced into a place where they confront their past and God with help from an old Bible. Poignant Bible verses play a part in leading both these men to a place they hadn’t planned on going. “I wasn’t looking for God when I came here,” Alex tells Gil.
Gil reads a particular verse in the Bible where it seems as if God is speaking directly to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He says Alex, “Take it from somebody who knows. He never stops looking for you.” As the two men search, questions and answers are revealed for the reader’s Christian walk. Challenging and rewarding, this book is a satisfying read.
March 16, 2021
A gripping tale that will keep you reading. Marcia is terrific at story building and character building. The reader wants to know more and more and Marcia satisfies our needs.
The question that many of us ask ourselves, "Can I escape my past?". This tale takes us on a journey of a man who needs to rediscover God and to accept the past and move to the future.
Well done. I purchased this book.
The question that many of us ask ourselves, "Can I escape my past?". This tale takes us on a journey of a man who needs to rediscover God and to accept the past and move to the future.
Well done. I purchased this book.
June 23, 2012
Alex Donnelly’s entire life has been a complete disaster. Where some foster homes are good, Alex ended up in the worst of the worst, with limited food to eat and abuse that no one should face, much less an innocent child. This is why he picked the Yukon to hide from life and everyone in it. And when you hear his story, you won’t blame Alex at all. Then the visit came that would change Alex’s life forever, that is if Alex really believed what he was hearing.
Alex was special from the beginning, because of his lonely and sad life you can’t help but love him. The hurt he had endured in life was so deep that it seemed that Alex was just too far gone to ever be helped. What Alex didn’t realize was that he couldn’t hide from God. And it seemed there was always a Christian in Alex’s path. But Alex would still have to make the decisions. Join Alex as he discovers things about his past, and about God that will capture your heart and keep you in the pages of this book until the end.
I just can’t say enough about Marcia Laycock’s “One Smooth Stone.” I really enjoyed the visit to the Yukon and the other neat places we get to visit during this story. You can tell Marcia has lived near the Yukon and surrounding areas by the vivid details of how she describes the setting. And then there is Alex. I felt so bad for Alex, he was so hurt and bitter, living a lonely life because of how people had treated him. I appreciate Marcia dealing with this side of foster can, and what children actually go though, and the effect it has on their lives.
If you only have time to read two books right now, then Marcia Laycock’s “One Smooth Stone” and its sequel, “A Tumbled Stone” need to be the two. The issues Marcia writes about here, and how she writes in her stories that God is in control of our lives, and how we need to Trust Him, are lessons everyone need to learn. Whatever difficulty you have gone through or are going through, this book will be a valuable resource for you to read and keep on hand.
Alex was special from the beginning, because of his lonely and sad life you can’t help but love him. The hurt he had endured in life was so deep that it seemed that Alex was just too far gone to ever be helped. What Alex didn’t realize was that he couldn’t hide from God. And it seemed there was always a Christian in Alex’s path. But Alex would still have to make the decisions. Join Alex as he discovers things about his past, and about God that will capture your heart and keep you in the pages of this book until the end.
I just can’t say enough about Marcia Laycock’s “One Smooth Stone.” I really enjoyed the visit to the Yukon and the other neat places we get to visit during this story. You can tell Marcia has lived near the Yukon and surrounding areas by the vivid details of how she describes the setting. And then there is Alex. I felt so bad for Alex, he was so hurt and bitter, living a lonely life because of how people had treated him. I appreciate Marcia dealing with this side of foster can, and what children actually go though, and the effect it has on their lives.
If you only have time to read two books right now, then Marcia Laycock’s “One Smooth Stone” and its sequel, “A Tumbled Stone” need to be the two. The issues Marcia writes about here, and how she writes in her stories that God is in control of our lives, and how we need to Trust Him, are lessons everyone need to learn. Whatever difficulty you have gone through or are going through, this book will be a valuable resource for you to read and keep on hand.
September 3, 2011
Winner of the 2006 Best New Canadian Christian Author Award (the Word Guild), One Smooth Stone tells the story of Alex Donnelly, a man on the run from his past, a man who believes he can trust no one.
Orphaned by his parents and then by his adoptive parents, Alex grows up in the foster care system, moving from one family to another until he is taken in by an abusive couple where he suffers neglect and torment for several years. Faced with the accusation of raping a 13-year-old girl in Vancouver, he runs away at the age of 16, and hides in the Yukon.
But God has a plan for Alex, and one day a man named George shows up on Alex's property. The lawyer says Alex is the heir to one million dollars - he just needs to go to Seattle to be positively identified and to sign the paperwork. Alex is skeptical. Is this for real? Do they have the right Alex Donnelly? Isn't the past safest left in the past?
In Seattle, Alex meets Kenni, the researcher who traced his whereabouts. After spending a few days with her and her family at their secluded cottage, Alex's semi-healed-over emotional wounds begin to reopen. The tension is too great for him to bear. Then, given a package from his mother, Alex discovers something he didn't want to know and takes off for the wilderness without his inheritance.
Will he survive the dangers that face him in his isolated winter job? Will Kenni be able to find him to share the missing letter from his mother? Can God find a way to reach him even in the place of desolation? Can Alex share the truth and find it sets him free?
A powerful first novel from prolific freelance writer, Marcia Laycock. Endorsed by Mark Buchanan: "tells a crackling good tale of crime and punishment, damnation and redemption that is at once grimly real and deeply hopeful" and by Phil Callaway: "makes me smile, nod my head, and furrow my brow. She makes me question, and long, and wonder. Plus she makes me glad I spent fifteen bucks!"
Orphaned by his parents and then by his adoptive parents, Alex grows up in the foster care system, moving from one family to another until he is taken in by an abusive couple where he suffers neglect and torment for several years. Faced with the accusation of raping a 13-year-old girl in Vancouver, he runs away at the age of 16, and hides in the Yukon.
But God has a plan for Alex, and one day a man named George shows up on Alex's property. The lawyer says Alex is the heir to one million dollars - he just needs to go to Seattle to be positively identified and to sign the paperwork. Alex is skeptical. Is this for real? Do they have the right Alex Donnelly? Isn't the past safest left in the past?
In Seattle, Alex meets Kenni, the researcher who traced his whereabouts. After spending a few days with her and her family at their secluded cottage, Alex's semi-healed-over emotional wounds begin to reopen. The tension is too great for him to bear. Then, given a package from his mother, Alex discovers something he didn't want to know and takes off for the wilderness without his inheritance.
Will he survive the dangers that face him in his isolated winter job? Will Kenni be able to find him to share the missing letter from his mother? Can God find a way to reach him even in the place of desolation? Can Alex share the truth and find it sets him free?
A powerful first novel from prolific freelance writer, Marcia Laycock. Endorsed by Mark Buchanan: "tells a crackling good tale of crime and punishment, damnation and redemption that is at once grimly real and deeply hopeful" and by Phil Callaway: "makes me smile, nod my head, and furrow my brow. She makes me question, and long, and wonder. Plus she makes me glad I spent fifteen bucks!"
October 19, 2010
Review – One Smooth Stone
Alex Donnelly is a man on the run – from the law and from the past. What better place to hide than the vast and rugged wilderness of the Yukon? Unexpectedly, he inherits a large sum of money and must leave the relative safety of his backwoods cabin and travel to Seattle to claim his inheritance. While there, some very disturbing revelations surface about his past and he is once again haunted by the demons of his abusive childhood while in foster care. He also meets Kenni Adams, daughter of a wealthy lawyer. The two are instantly attracted to one another, but Alex can’t let go of his mistrust and sense of inferiority. Even more important, he can’t believe in a loving God, as Kenni does, who would allow all the pain and turmoil in his life. He runs back to the Yukon, but instead of finding peace, his life become even more complicated as he meets with an unlikely mentor and his life is placed in danger of the deadliest kind.
Marcia Laycock constructs an intriguing, action packed story that combines an ever twisting plot, spectacular natural descriptions, and well developed characters, with a heart felt message of God’s grace and mercy. She manages to expose the ugliness of sexual and emotional abuse in a way that elicits sympathy for both the victim and the perpetrator, yet still leaves room for hope and healing. Her descriptions of the Yukon are very true to reality, and her characters – even the Christians – are real human beings with frailties. This was a page turner. I honestly couldn’t put it down once I got reading and wanted to follow through right to the end. I highly recommend ONE SMOOTH STONE.
Alex Donnelly is a man on the run – from the law and from the past. What better place to hide than the vast and rugged wilderness of the Yukon? Unexpectedly, he inherits a large sum of money and must leave the relative safety of his backwoods cabin and travel to Seattle to claim his inheritance. While there, some very disturbing revelations surface about his past and he is once again haunted by the demons of his abusive childhood while in foster care. He also meets Kenni Adams, daughter of a wealthy lawyer. The two are instantly attracted to one another, but Alex can’t let go of his mistrust and sense of inferiority. Even more important, he can’t believe in a loving God, as Kenni does, who would allow all the pain and turmoil in his life. He runs back to the Yukon, but instead of finding peace, his life become even more complicated as he meets with an unlikely mentor and his life is placed in danger of the deadliest kind.
Marcia Laycock constructs an intriguing, action packed story that combines an ever twisting plot, spectacular natural descriptions, and well developed characters, with a heart felt message of God’s grace and mercy. She manages to expose the ugliness of sexual and emotional abuse in a way that elicits sympathy for both the victim and the perpetrator, yet still leaves room for hope and healing. Her descriptions of the Yukon are very true to reality, and her characters – even the Christians – are real human beings with frailties. This was a page turner. I honestly couldn’t put it down once I got reading and wanted to follow through right to the end. I highly recommend ONE SMOOTH STONE.
May 7, 2014
Marcia Laycock does a brilliant job with a difficult subject, abuse in the welfare system, but that is just the back drop as the story reveals inch by inch how God gently brings us to faith. A T-shirt I once read said: Coincidence: God's way of remaining anonymous. One Smooth Stone pulls the curtain away to watch the Spirit's work, not lifting us out of our difficulties, but giving us strength to get through.
The story is rich in accurate details that thoroughly immerse the reader into the unique setting of the wild Yukon territory, where I could feel the ice crystals and the loneliness as Alex tries to hide from his past and find peace, a place that serves as a grand metaphor for each human as they resist the loving call of God. I finished this book within 24 hours, deeply touched and grateful it came to my attention.
The story is rich in accurate details that thoroughly immerse the reader into the unique setting of the wild Yukon territory, where I could feel the ice crystals and the loneliness as Alex tries to hide from his past and find peace, a place that serves as a grand metaphor for each human as they resist the loving call of God. I finished this book within 24 hours, deeply touched and grateful it came to my attention.
July 19, 2010
One Smooth Stone starts slow with too many characters introduced in a short span but becomes a gripping story of Alex running from the trauma of childhood abuse to hide in the Yukon. The woman, also abused, but adopted into a wealthy family of Christian lawyers in Seattle, Alex’s birth city. The lawyers seek him out in Yukon to tell him of a million dollar inheritance. He comes to Seattle, is entertained by the Ct. family, goes to church with them, hears the gospel, then flees back to the Yukon where hires on to sit a mine site through the winter. Grizzlies. Strange solitary man, also flees a trauma who turns out to be a preacher.. ends happily … a bit too much Christianeze in the book, too tidy a tie-up? 7 of 10
February 20, 2019
Winner of the 2006 Best New Canadian Author award, One Smooth Stone grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. I was hooked on the first page by the author’s vivid descriptions of the Yukon wilderness and the lead character’s powerful secrets. Marcia Lee Laycock layers compelling personalities, intense drama, and harrowing revelations purposefully, to show God’s love and care through the worst circumstances.
I could not put this book down until the very end, which added yet another twist. This is not an easy read, though. Its gritty realism hurts the soul, but its message of hope and redemption brings joy. One Smooth Stone will stay with me for a long, long time. It easily earns five stars. Highly recommended.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book directly from the author.
I could not put this book down until the very end, which added yet another twist. This is not an easy read, though. Its gritty realism hurts the soul, but its message of hope and redemption brings joy. One Smooth Stone will stay with me for a long, long time. It easily earns five stars. Highly recommended.
Disclaimer: I purchased this book directly from the author.
January 30, 2013
Cliffhanger. When I finished this book I immediately emailed Marcia: "When's the next one coming out?!?" It took a couple of years, but the sequel has finally arrived.
November 28, 2017
This is one of the best Christian contemporary novels I’ve read this year. There are spiritual themes throughout; amongst the strongest is healing from and forgiving what seems unforgiveable. The characters are so real, their joys, rages, and griefs so powerful that I felt the struggles depicted against the beauty of Puget Sound and raw wilderness of the Yukon.
Alex Donnelly is a loner. On the run since age 15, he trusts nobody, now eking out a living in the bitter cold of the Yukon. His parents died when he was a baby, and his adoptive parents died when he was five. He was in the foster care system until he ran away for good. There is now a price on his head, so he lives “off the grid” where only the strong and hard-working survive.
Kenni Adams is good at what she does. She is a researcher, seeking people via the internet for the purposes of the law firm her father is a partner in. George Bronski is the attorney for this case, to finish the trust available now to Alex as he turns 21. Inspector Sam Sorensen is also looking for Alex. Sam believes, based on what a foster parent said six years earlier, that Alex sexually abused a young girl at the same foster home. Sam is ready to retire, and wants Alex caught before his retirement party. Unfortunately, Kenni’s search provides the impetus to bring Alex back onto the radar of the RCMP.
Alex’ birth parents had left a large sum of money in trust for him, and it is up to the attorney to find proof that he is the right Alex. It is the hardest search that Kenni has worked on and she looks forward to meeting him. Alex doesn’t feel comfortable in civilization again, especially when invited to spend a weekend with George, Kenni, her father Drew, and mom Maria, since it will be a few days before they can prove from baby footprints who he is.
These lines resonate in the heart of this reader, and shows the depth of understanding of her characters this author has. Chapter 5, location 749: “Alex felt like he was walking onto a movie set. And he was the only prop that didn’t fit.” Location: 785 “…Alex again found himself feeling like a cracked mug in a cabinet full of expensive china.”
Alex doesn’t much want anything to do with the Lord. Drew is the first to penetrate his defenses, but their time together is short and Alex needs intensive care. A man of prayer, Drew uses this most powerful tool. Especially when Alex learns that his parents had tried to abort him and the doctor failed to do so.
This might be a tough read for those sensitive to child abuse; the author doesn’t share details, only writing what is essential to the story. The abuse opens the door for others who are childhood recipients of abuse to identify with the characters and see what is possible for them to achieve.
The plot is well-planned and executed, with various twists and turns. The characters fit well together and were fully defined. I was pulled into Alex’s world from the first sentence and stayed there throughout his challenges in Seattle and the Yukon. This reader was very satisfied with the novel overall. I highly recommend One Smooth Stone; it is a compelling Christian novel with sufficient suspense and drama to keep the momentum.
From a grateful heart: I was given this eBook by Book Fun (The Book Club Network) and here is my honest review.
Alex Donnelly is a loner. On the run since age 15, he trusts nobody, now eking out a living in the bitter cold of the Yukon. His parents died when he was a baby, and his adoptive parents died when he was five. He was in the foster care system until he ran away for good. There is now a price on his head, so he lives “off the grid” where only the strong and hard-working survive.
Kenni Adams is good at what she does. She is a researcher, seeking people via the internet for the purposes of the law firm her father is a partner in. George Bronski is the attorney for this case, to finish the trust available now to Alex as he turns 21. Inspector Sam Sorensen is also looking for Alex. Sam believes, based on what a foster parent said six years earlier, that Alex sexually abused a young girl at the same foster home. Sam is ready to retire, and wants Alex caught before his retirement party. Unfortunately, Kenni’s search provides the impetus to bring Alex back onto the radar of the RCMP.
Alex’ birth parents had left a large sum of money in trust for him, and it is up to the attorney to find proof that he is the right Alex. It is the hardest search that Kenni has worked on and she looks forward to meeting him. Alex doesn’t feel comfortable in civilization again, especially when invited to spend a weekend with George, Kenni, her father Drew, and mom Maria, since it will be a few days before they can prove from baby footprints who he is.
These lines resonate in the heart of this reader, and shows the depth of understanding of her characters this author has. Chapter 5, location 749: “Alex felt like he was walking onto a movie set. And he was the only prop that didn’t fit.” Location: 785 “…Alex again found himself feeling like a cracked mug in a cabinet full of expensive china.”
Alex doesn’t much want anything to do with the Lord. Drew is the first to penetrate his defenses, but their time together is short and Alex needs intensive care. A man of prayer, Drew uses this most powerful tool. Especially when Alex learns that his parents had tried to abort him and the doctor failed to do so.
This might be a tough read for those sensitive to child abuse; the author doesn’t share details, only writing what is essential to the story. The abuse opens the door for others who are childhood recipients of abuse to identify with the characters and see what is possible for them to achieve.
The plot is well-planned and executed, with various twists and turns. The characters fit well together and were fully defined. I was pulled into Alex’s world from the first sentence and stayed there throughout his challenges in Seattle and the Yukon. This reader was very satisfied with the novel overall. I highly recommend One Smooth Stone; it is a compelling Christian novel with sufficient suspense and drama to keep the momentum.
From a grateful heart: I was given this eBook by Book Fun (The Book Club Network) and here is my honest review.
June 29, 2020
I read this story when it first came out in print form, and it left a strong impression on me.
My review at the time was titled Forgiveness and Hope: A story encompassing several deep issues including self-worth, dealing with a dark past, forgiveness, and hope. Inspiring, tightly written, and with well-detailed settings. For someone who's never been to the north, I felt and saw the vastness and beauty of it.
When One Smooth Stone released in audio format this summer, I listened again to the painful but redemptive story of Alex Donnelly, a lost soul pursued by the God who made and loved him.
Alex has chosen to hide from his past—a blur of hurt and disaster—until a letter finds him in the Yukon. He’s hesitant to leave, even to claim an unexpected inheritance, but is drawn out by a team of persuasive and compassionate workers from an adoption agency in Seattle, WA.
What he discovers about himself and his new acquaintances sends him running back to anonymity, but even in the wilds of a northern winter, God seeks his heart.
It seems there’s nowhere he can run from God’s grace. But the final decision is his. Will he allow God to break him and let healing begin? Or is the process just too difficult?
This is a strongly written story, crafted by a woman who knows the north firsthand, and read by a skilled narrator. I highly recommend it to seekers as well as to those who have already been found.
My review at the time was titled Forgiveness and Hope: A story encompassing several deep issues including self-worth, dealing with a dark past, forgiveness, and hope. Inspiring, tightly written, and with well-detailed settings. For someone who's never been to the north, I felt and saw the vastness and beauty of it.
When One Smooth Stone released in audio format this summer, I listened again to the painful but redemptive story of Alex Donnelly, a lost soul pursued by the God who made and loved him.
Alex has chosen to hide from his past—a blur of hurt and disaster—until a letter finds him in the Yukon. He’s hesitant to leave, even to claim an unexpected inheritance, but is drawn out by a team of persuasive and compassionate workers from an adoption agency in Seattle, WA.
What he discovers about himself and his new acquaintances sends him running back to anonymity, but even in the wilds of a northern winter, God seeks his heart.
It seems there’s nowhere he can run from God’s grace. But the final decision is his. Will he allow God to break him and let healing begin? Or is the process just too difficult?
This is a strongly written story, crafted by a woman who knows the north firsthand, and read by a skilled narrator. I highly recommend it to seekers as well as to those who have already been found.
December 13, 2017
A touching story of God's mercy and grace. The main protagonist, Alex, became an orphan as a toddler and went through the foster care system where he was abused verbally, physically and sexually. Alex is hiding in the Alaska because he has been accused of rape. Now Alex is found by attorneys and told he has a million dollar inheritance. Alex believes he will go to prison if the authorities find him. God places people in Alex's path who tell him about God and puts him as caretaker of a mining camp during the long Yukon winter where one of the few books available is a Bible. I enjoyed One Smooth Stone but parts of the abusive memories may be hard for some people to read. I received my e-book from the author through Book Fun. This is my honest opinion.
March 18, 2023
I enjoyed this book. Alex Donnelly is trying to outrun his past.He thinjs that he's finally escaped it when he reaches the Yokon. However, it seems that God has other plans for Alex.
I found Alex's childhood abuse to be heartbreaking. He seems to be holding tons of hatred in for what his past abusers did to him. I'm glad that, by the end of the book, Alex was able to find some closure. Also, I'm a little sad that Alex's mother had thought about aborting him.
This was a wonderful that teaches us that God will always find us, no matter how hard we try to run from him.
I'd recommend this book to all Christian. A Fantastic read!!
I found Alex's childhood abuse to be heartbreaking. He seems to be holding tons of hatred in for what his past abusers did to him. I'm glad that, by the end of the book, Alex was able to find some closure. Also, I'm a little sad that Alex's mother had thought about aborting him.
This was a wonderful that teaches us that God will always find us, no matter how hard we try to run from him.
I'd recommend this book to all Christian. A Fantastic read!!
November 14, 2017
The book One Smooth Stone was a very interesting book. I just finished reading it through Bookfun.org. I asked to be able to read and review this book. The plot was different but good. The story flowed well. The characters were very well developed. The editing was done very well also. I enjoyed the book and found it delivered a good Christian message without being pushy. If you like a Christian love story/mystery type book, you'll enjoy this one.
January 31, 2022
I received new HOPE in facing troubled times
This book is so much more than a work of fiction. It is an expose of the human heart. I found myself fully engaged in the action, the terror, the suspense, and Alex, far from being alone in the world, has a twist descending upon his life that neither he sees, nor the reader anticipates. Life, I think, is more than we can ever comprehend at any given moment. I wonder if Laycock exposes our heart to simply give us hope!
This book is so much more than a work of fiction. It is an expose of the human heart. I found myself fully engaged in the action, the terror, the suspense, and Alex, far from being alone in the world, has a twist descending upon his life that neither he sees, nor the reader anticipates. Life, I think, is more than we can ever comprehend at any given moment. I wonder if Laycock exposes our heart to simply give us hope!
October 18, 2025
I read this book and its sequel in the wrong order, but that didn't spoil the stories. This first story has something for everyone; adventure in the far Canadian north, romance, flawed heroes, mystery, answered prayers, and a fellow hiding from a traumatic past, whose life takes an unexpected turn for the better after he finds a woman ready to believe in him. Perfect for readers who enjoy themes of forgiveness and redemption.
March 1, 2018
I chose to read One Smooth Stone by Marcia Lee Laycock due to the author’s residency in the Yukon, and my participation in a challenge to read books from every province and territory in Canada.
I certainly got a sense of the extreme cold weather conditions and isolation in the Yukon. It was the perfect setting for this mystery story of running away and hiding.
It is a story of Alex, the primary male character. As a child, he experienced abandonment by parents and severe foster care mistreatment consisting of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Unable to fight back and stop the pain, Alex instead stuffed his anger inside and acted out by stealing and being aggressive. The physical abuse included starvation, beatings and being locked up in small spaces. Not surprisingly, Alex was not trusting of anyone, filled with rage and blamed God.
In 2006, Marcia Lee Laycock won the Best New Canadian Author Award from Write! - Canada’s Canadian Christian Writing Awards based on her manuscript for One Smooth Stone. It was her first novel and was subsequently published by Castle Quay Books
The book is categorized in the Christian Fiction genre, and should also be considered part of Mystery genre. During much of the book’s plot, we are kept wondering. What really happened to Alex is not initially revealed but rather implied via nightmares of brutality, strange goings on and Alex’s ongoing angst, fear and choice for withdrawal from people. Alex blames God for what happened to him and is seething with anger round the clock. I was constantly kept wondering why Alex was hiding, what his bad dreams were about and what he might have done that he was so afraid others might find out.
Laycock’s pacing was good and kept my interest. The mystery was not full of twists and turns, but rather innuendos and slow reveals. There were a number of surprises and a bit of romance. The locale was a strong feature of the story and I got a real sense of the isolation, the extremely cold and bitter winters and incredible amount of snow that falls in the Yukon. There was a scene in the wilderness where someone is caught outside, unprepared in a blinding snowstorm. It was very well described and felt scary and real. It definitely made me realize that many stories from the far north perhaps romanticize things. It sounds like the Yukon is a beautiful place to visit during the summer but during the colder parts of the year; Mother Nature can be an extremely harsh, unfriendly and dominating force.
I was looking for a feel good book and occasionally read Christian Fiction for this reason. I know they are usually filled with positive messages, have minimal darkness and lack of vulgarity. Generally, I find them light and uplifting. Not all Christian Fiction books do a lot of bible quoting but for your information, this one does, if you are averse to it. It is not something I usually like but in this particular case, I did not feel it was overdone. I thought Laycock did a good job of integrating everything into the story.
The basic premise concerns a young man who blames God for everything bad in his life, who meets some people who their faith and belief in God front and centre in their lives. Alex likes these people, connects with them and senses that they have something that he has been missing and has been looking for without realizing it. Marcia Lee Laycock does not do a hard sell. She tells a good story and supports her theme without being preachy or syrupy.
One Smooth Stone did not disappoint and had a bit of everything in it. I enjoyed both the characters and suspense-filled plot. I was routing for Alex throughout. The plot ramped up quite a bit in the final chapters. I’d say it was a 3 star book for most of the time but 3 1/2 stars towards the end as Laycock built even more suspense - enough for me to want to read its sequel, One Tumbled Stone down the road. I felt the story, characters and writing were a solid, enjoyable 3 stars.
I certainly got a sense of the extreme cold weather conditions and isolation in the Yukon. It was the perfect setting for this mystery story of running away and hiding.
It is a story of Alex, the primary male character. As a child, he experienced abandonment by parents and severe foster care mistreatment consisting of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Unable to fight back and stop the pain, Alex instead stuffed his anger inside and acted out by stealing and being aggressive. The physical abuse included starvation, beatings and being locked up in small spaces. Not surprisingly, Alex was not trusting of anyone, filled with rage and blamed God.
In 2006, Marcia Lee Laycock won the Best New Canadian Author Award from Write! - Canada’s Canadian Christian Writing Awards based on her manuscript for One Smooth Stone. It was her first novel and was subsequently published by Castle Quay Books
The book is categorized in the Christian Fiction genre, and should also be considered part of Mystery genre. During much of the book’s plot, we are kept wondering. What really happened to Alex is not initially revealed but rather implied via nightmares of brutality, strange goings on and Alex’s ongoing angst, fear and choice for withdrawal from people. Alex blames God for what happened to him and is seething with anger round the clock. I was constantly kept wondering why Alex was hiding, what his bad dreams were about and what he might have done that he was so afraid others might find out.
Laycock’s pacing was good and kept my interest. The mystery was not full of twists and turns, but rather innuendos and slow reveals. There were a number of surprises and a bit of romance. The locale was a strong feature of the story and I got a real sense of the isolation, the extremely cold and bitter winters and incredible amount of snow that falls in the Yukon. There was a scene in the wilderness where someone is caught outside, unprepared in a blinding snowstorm. It was very well described and felt scary and real. It definitely made me realize that many stories from the far north perhaps romanticize things. It sounds like the Yukon is a beautiful place to visit during the summer but during the colder parts of the year; Mother Nature can be an extremely harsh, unfriendly and dominating force.
I was looking for a feel good book and occasionally read Christian Fiction for this reason. I know they are usually filled with positive messages, have minimal darkness and lack of vulgarity. Generally, I find them light and uplifting. Not all Christian Fiction books do a lot of bible quoting but for your information, this one does, if you are averse to it. It is not something I usually like but in this particular case, I did not feel it was overdone. I thought Laycock did a good job of integrating everything into the story.
The basic premise concerns a young man who blames God for everything bad in his life, who meets some people who their faith and belief in God front and centre in their lives. Alex likes these people, connects with them and senses that they have something that he has been missing and has been looking for without realizing it. Marcia Lee Laycock does not do a hard sell. She tells a good story and supports her theme without being preachy or syrupy.
One Smooth Stone did not disappoint and had a bit of everything in it. I enjoyed both the characters and suspense-filled plot. I was routing for Alex throughout. The plot ramped up quite a bit in the final chapters. I’d say it was a 3 star book for most of the time but 3 1/2 stars towards the end as Laycock built even more suspense - enough for me to want to read its sequel, One Tumbled Stone down the road. I felt the story, characters and writing were a solid, enjoyable 3 stars.
August 2, 2011
This is my novel, so I'm a bit biased :) but I've received great reviews and some wonderful responses from readers. Hope you'll check it out. :)Marcia
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