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The Psalm 23 Mysteries #2
I Shall Not Want
Charity work can be murder! It’s Thanksgiving and Joseph Tyler, one of the members of Cindy’s church, has organized a new charity that provides homeless people with rescue dogs to love and care for. But one by one, the homeless recipients are being murdered and their dogs stolen. Could an overly competitive millionaire with his prize-winning pooches and a grudge be behind the crimes? Or could it be someone much closer to Joseph who has something sinister to hide? Cindy and Jeremiah must rush to find a killer before he strikes again.
279 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
67 people are currently reading
928 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Viguié
66 books1,040 followersDebbie Viguié is the New York Times Bestselling author of more than three dozen novels including the Wicked series co-authored with Nancy Holder. In addition to her epic dark fantasy work Debbie also writes thrillers including The Psalm 23 Mysteries, the Kiss trilogy, and the Witch Hunt trilogy. Debbie also plays a recurring character on the audio drama, Doctor Geek’s Laboratory. When Debbie isn’t busy writing or acting she enjoys spending time with her husband, Scott, visiting theme parks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
March 18, 2023
An enjoyable sequel; now, if I could just get my hands on the next one!
April 12, 2017
I liked the book, the mystery was interesting and I didn't know who the killer was until the very end. I thought there were a bit too many characters but I enjoyed the interplay between Cindy, the church secretary; Jeremiah, the rabbi and Mark, the detective. I read this book out of order (it is book #2) since my library didn't have the first book in its collection and I may have missed initial character development and interplay between them. I have ordered the first book from Amazon and will hold off reading the next one. That being said, there were some good "red herrings" but also some unanswered parts of the mystery, thus the 3 stars.
August 20, 2017
This story really dragged for me! Cindy didn't really seem to do any sleuthing, but rather had important clues handed to her to pass along. There wasn't much interaction between Cindy and Jeremiah in this story, and I think the plot suffered for it. There were several red herrings in this, but I had to force myself to keep reading it. I'll give the series one last chance, but I don't hold out much hope for it.
April 22, 2020
Another fantastic addition to the collection in the series
November 5, 2018
I Shall Not Want is the second book in The Psalm 23 Mysteries series. The Psalm 23 Mysteries follows Protestant church secretary, Cindy Preston, and Rabbi Jeremiah Silverman as they stumble through murder mystery after murder mystery. The church and the synagogue stand next door to each other, and it seems to be by divine design that the two characters are pushed together for each mystery.
Cindy Preston loves Fridays; anything can happen on Friday. Unfortunately for her, this week the thing that happens is murder. Cindy stumbles over a murder mystery and a dog-napping when she happens upon a dead secretary. Her friend, Joseph Tyler, has organized a charity that pairs the homeless with a dog from the pound. On the day of the presentation of rescue dogs to their new owners, Joseph’s secretary is murdered and his $20,000 puppy is stolen. This is the start of a series of unfortunate events as the recipients of the rescue dogs are murdered one by one and their dogs seem to just vanish. Meanwhile, Jeremiah deals with his own mystery as a dark figure from his past shows up dead on his front porch. Is his past coming to get him? Can he juggle the flu, keeping his mysterious past hidden, and being there to help Cindy when she gets into trouble? Will they prevent the deaths of the rest of the homeless participants and find the missing dogs? Find out by reading this enthralling book by Debbie Viguié.
Cindy Preston loves Fridays; anything can happen on Friday. Unfortunately for her, this week the thing that happens is murder. Cindy stumbles over a murder mystery and a dog-napping when she happens upon a dead secretary. Her friend, Joseph Tyler, has organized a charity that pairs the homeless with a dog from the pound. On the day of the presentation of rescue dogs to their new owners, Joseph’s secretary is murdered and his $20,000 puppy is stolen. This is the start of a series of unfortunate events as the recipients of the rescue dogs are murdered one by one and their dogs seem to just vanish. Meanwhile, Jeremiah deals with his own mystery as a dark figure from his past shows up dead on his front porch. Is his past coming to get him? Can he juggle the flu, keeping his mysterious past hidden, and being there to help Cindy when she gets into trouble? Will they prevent the deaths of the rest of the homeless participants and find the missing dogs? Find out by reading this enthralling book by Debbie Viguié.
January 14, 2012
Cindy Preston is a secretary at her church. She is helping Joseph, a member of the church, put on a charity benefit. Joseph breeds dogs and this benefit is a project that he came up with to put dogs and homeless people together. Each homeless person that adopts a dog also receives a voucher that they can use to feed their new pet.
Cindy has just recently helped the police stop a serial killer. It seems that her luck with dead bodies is still following her around. When asked to go find Josephs assistant Derick she finds more than she bargained for. Derick has been murdered and Josephs prize dog is missing.
When several murders happen and the owners dogs are missing Cindy is once again forced out of her comfort zone much to Homicide Detective Mark's dismay. He and his partner Paul insist that Cindy stay out of the investigation, but that is hard for Cindy to do since bodies keep turning up everywhere she goes!
I really enjoyed the story. I didn't read the first novel in the series The Lord is my Shepherd, I think it would have helped with some background with characters. But it wasn't too hard to jump into this book and understand what was going on. Cindy has a caring heart that seems to give her a knack for getting into trouble. I found it funny that she doesn't like danger and throughout the book talked about taking risks and expanding her experiences yet she has helped catch a serial killer and now in this book keeps getting into pickles. Her foray into speed dating cracked me up! But she may have found a match, maybe we will see in the 3rd installment of the Psalm 23 Mysteries? A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery and a lot of suspense I Shall Not Want was a fun read for me!
I obtained my copy FREE from Amazon several months ago. It is no longer offered for free.
Cindy has just recently helped the police stop a serial killer. It seems that her luck with dead bodies is still following her around. When asked to go find Josephs assistant Derick she finds more than she bargained for. Derick has been murdered and Josephs prize dog is missing.
When several murders happen and the owners dogs are missing Cindy is once again forced out of her comfort zone much to Homicide Detective Mark's dismay. He and his partner Paul insist that Cindy stay out of the investigation, but that is hard for Cindy to do since bodies keep turning up everywhere she goes!
I really enjoyed the story. I didn't read the first novel in the series The Lord is my Shepherd, I think it would have helped with some background with characters. But it wasn't too hard to jump into this book and understand what was going on. Cindy has a caring heart that seems to give her a knack for getting into trouble. I found it funny that she doesn't like danger and throughout the book talked about taking risks and expanding her experiences yet she has helped catch a serial killer and now in this book keeps getting into pickles. Her foray into speed dating cracked me up! But she may have found a match, maybe we will see in the 3rd installment of the Psalm 23 Mysteries? A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery and a lot of suspense I Shall Not Want was a fun read for me!
I obtained my copy FREE from Amazon several months ago. It is no longer offered for free.
November 3, 2016
I Shall Not Want was free when I downloaded it to my Nook. I enjoy finding new-to-me authors in cozy mystery genres.
This book dropped from the 3 stars I start with because it had a high body count for a cozy mystery and there were three places in the book when the author broke my suspended belief: when the point of view switched from Cindy to Jeremiah; when Joseph could not smell a decomposing corpse in his own mansion; and when all stores were closed on a holiday so Cindy could not smell Old Spice. This fictional town with two homicide detectives in its police department does not have a 24-hour Walgreens? The rating did not slip all the way down to 1 star because I returned to the book to read how the author would wrap up things.
I recommend I Shall Not Want to fans of the series.
This book dropped from the 3 stars I start with because it had a high body count for a cozy mystery and there were three places in the book when the author broke my suspended belief: when the point of view switched from Cindy to Jeremiah; when Joseph could not smell a decomposing corpse in his own mansion; and when all stores were closed on a holiday so Cindy could not smell Old Spice. This fictional town with two homicide detectives in its police department does not have a 24-hour Walgreens? The rating did not slip all the way down to 1 star because I returned to the book to read how the author would wrap up things.
I recommend I Shall Not Want to fans of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2016
This is a wonderful cosy mystery series. The last book took place during Easter and is referenced many times. This case takes place during Thanksgiving. The mystery itself wasn't really up my alley as it was strongly dog themed, dogs are being stolen while the owners are killed. But I love all the characters and the interplay between them. Being a cosy there is a lot of romantic comedy present. The pacing at the end was very well done drawing me into the tension and excitement. I was also incorrect about any of my possible solutions to the mystery and I love it when that happens. I own #3 on kindle so will definitely read the next book.
August 2, 2016
This is book 2 in the Psalm 23 Mystery series. It is a stand alone cozy (but I would still recommend reading the first one) that once again involves Cindy the church secretary as a sleuth in the mysterious killings of dog owners and the stealing of their dogs. Jeremiah, the rabbi of the neighboring synagogue, again becomes Cindy's partner in detection. I love the humor and care that exists between the two of them. Enough twists, turns, and red herrings to keep me wondering who the killer was. The faith thread was somewhat light but overall a good cozy mystery.
October 12, 2014
I can't help but think of the Barbie doll character from the Toy Story II movie when I think of the main heroine Cindy, but I do really like the storyline. I read book one in the series and book 3 is on my Want to Read list. Though I was able to narrow down who the killer was, I enjoyed the plot twists. I also especially love that the main hero in the story is a Jewish Rabbi. The book is not overly preachy but clean and easy to read.
March 31, 2013
3 1/2 stars. This is a quick, enjoyable read. There's nothing earth-shattering here, but it is pleasant and clean with fun characters and a good cozy mystery. This is the second book in the series, but I got it free for kindle, so I read it first. Now I'll have to go back and read the first book.
November 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd book in the series, and I liked the characters.
I liked that this is a Thanksgiving book. I didn't realize that when I picked it up, but it fits in nicely with the current season. I also liked that they actually got to eat and enjoy the Thanksgiving meal. Other fictional Thanksgiving books I've read involved either the meal being destroyed or a murder happening in the middle of it, in which everyone loses their appetite.
"She listened to the others chattering around her, and she realized that this was what Thanksgiving was all about. It was gathering together. Friends, family, strangers, all sharing the simple joys of talking and laughing and eating together." Although those are important aspects of it, I'd say they are secondary aspects. The primary reason for Thanksgiving is to give thanks, that is, to be thankful.
For more on that theme of gratitude, in relation to gathering together, I'd recommend the article:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ar...
I did like that the book included charity work as a part of the celebration of Thanksgiving, both among the homeless, and with the youth project of delivering meals to those who couldn't afford them.
I thought that whole incident with Cindy driving the youth around hilarious. First off, I don't know why Cindy resisted helping out so much. Secondly, in asking for the shyest, quietest, best-behaved kids, she was kind of asking for the awkward silences in her car. Thirdly, I knew what Brenda's problem was almost immediately. I just wished that Cindy'd had a clue so she could've been more compassionate about it.
I liked that the homeless characters had realistic backstories with positive lives and abilities before they ended up homeless.
Unfortunately, I knew whodunit early on. Partly, it was the sort of vibes the person set off, and partly it was because it was one of very few characters that the author had set up well enough. I usually don't like when I solve a mystery based on that sort of thing; I'd rather solve it based on clues. It doesn't feel so much like a puzzle otherwise.
"Then that's what is important. Focus on that, and don't worry so much about whether or not it is true." I have to disagree with Jeremiah's statement pretty strongly. I like the C. S. Lewis quote better: "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."
I do think it's very important what we believe, both from a standpoint of what we base our lives on now and from the standpoint of an eternity beyond this life. It's something we don't want to get wrong.
Whenever Mark questioned Jeremiah on it, though, Jeremiah got angry with him, which surprised me. I would imagine that all religious leaders of all different types of religion would be expecting that question and have a ready answer as to why they believe what they believe. Why did they choose that religion? And what makes them think it is true among the rest?
I reread that passage a couple of times to try to understand what about Mark's question upset Jeremiah to the point of "white hot anger." I wasn't sure if Jeremiah took it as a racial affront or a personal challenge rather than an honest question. I don't think Mark meant to impose his beliefs on Jeremiah because Mark didn't particularly believe anything. He was not sure what he believed, but mostly seemed to identify as atheistic. In reading his thoughts, however, I think that agnostic might be a closer description of him. So I don't think he meant to put down Jeremiah's beliefs. I think he was just reacting to Jeremiah's statement that whether or not a belief is true is unimportant, which is perhaps unexpected in a religious leader, unless they are a universalist at heart.
In the end, Jeremiah responded with "I know that Adonai exists" but never gave reasons for why he thought Adonai existed, or whether or not he thought that truth mattered.
A couple other reviewers commented that Jeremiah didn't talk like a real rabbi. One reviewer was more specific in including that as a rabbi, he threw around G-d's name too easily and readily, but there may be other aspects in which he didn't sound like a rabbi either. One reviewer wondered whether the author had actually talked to a rabbi or anyone serious about the Jewish faith.
Another reviewer wondered why this book was shelved as Christian fiction, saying that although it involved a church secretary, a rabbi, and an atheistic cop, it actually had very little religion in it at all. Hmm. I'd have to say that it had more religion in it than many other books earmarked as Christian fiction, and for the time being, I'm content to let the characters be and to develop on their own.
One reviewer complained about the swear words in the book. To be honest, I never even noticed.
I liked that this is a Thanksgiving book. I didn't realize that when I picked it up, but it fits in nicely with the current season. I also liked that they actually got to eat and enjoy the Thanksgiving meal. Other fictional Thanksgiving books I've read involved either the meal being destroyed or a murder happening in the middle of it, in which everyone loses their appetite.
"She listened to the others chattering around her, and she realized that this was what Thanksgiving was all about. It was gathering together. Friends, family, strangers, all sharing the simple joys of talking and laughing and eating together." Although those are important aspects of it, I'd say they are secondary aspects. The primary reason for Thanksgiving is to give thanks, that is, to be thankful.
For more on that theme of gratitude, in relation to gathering together, I'd recommend the article:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ar...
I did like that the book included charity work as a part of the celebration of Thanksgiving, both among the homeless, and with the youth project of delivering meals to those who couldn't afford them.
I thought that whole incident with Cindy driving the youth around hilarious. First off, I don't know why Cindy resisted helping out so much. Secondly, in asking for the shyest, quietest, best-behaved kids, she was kind of asking for the awkward silences in her car. Thirdly, I knew what Brenda's problem was almost immediately. I just wished that Cindy'd had a clue so she could've been more compassionate about it.
I liked that the homeless characters had realistic backstories with positive lives and abilities before they ended up homeless.
Unfortunately, I knew whodunit early on. Partly, it was the sort of vibes the person set off, and partly it was because it was one of very few characters that the author had set up well enough. I usually don't like when I solve a mystery based on that sort of thing; I'd rather solve it based on clues. It doesn't feel so much like a puzzle otherwise.
"Then that's what is important. Focus on that, and don't worry so much about whether or not it is true." I have to disagree with Jeremiah's statement pretty strongly. I like the C. S. Lewis quote better: "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."
I do think it's very important what we believe, both from a standpoint of what we base our lives on now and from the standpoint of an eternity beyond this life. It's something we don't want to get wrong.
Whenever Mark questioned Jeremiah on it, though, Jeremiah got angry with him, which surprised me. I would imagine that all religious leaders of all different types of religion would be expecting that question and have a ready answer as to why they believe what they believe. Why did they choose that religion? And what makes them think it is true among the rest?
I reread that passage a couple of times to try to understand what about Mark's question upset Jeremiah to the point of "white hot anger." I wasn't sure if Jeremiah took it as a racial affront or a personal challenge rather than an honest question. I don't think Mark meant to impose his beliefs on Jeremiah because Mark didn't particularly believe anything. He was not sure what he believed, but mostly seemed to identify as atheistic. In reading his thoughts, however, I think that agnostic might be a closer description of him. So I don't think he meant to put down Jeremiah's beliefs. I think he was just reacting to Jeremiah's statement that whether or not a belief is true is unimportant, which is perhaps unexpected in a religious leader, unless they are a universalist at heart.
In the end, Jeremiah responded with "I know that Adonai exists" but never gave reasons for why he thought Adonai existed, or whether or not he thought that truth mattered.
A couple other reviewers commented that Jeremiah didn't talk like a real rabbi. One reviewer was more specific in including that as a rabbi, he threw around G-d's name too easily and readily, but there may be other aspects in which he didn't sound like a rabbi either. One reviewer wondered whether the author had actually talked to a rabbi or anyone serious about the Jewish faith.
Another reviewer wondered why this book was shelved as Christian fiction, saying that although it involved a church secretary, a rabbi, and an atheistic cop, it actually had very little religion in it at all. Hmm. I'd have to say that it had more religion in it than many other books earmarked as Christian fiction, and for the time being, I'm content to let the characters be and to develop on their own.
One reviewer complained about the swear words in the book. To be honest, I never even noticed.
October 6, 2017
I wanted to give this series another chance. Unlike the first book, the mystery isn't as grizzly or disturbing, but the characters remain as flat as ever. I wanted to like the uncommon duo of the church secretary and the rabbi, but so little is revealed of them beyond their day-to-day jobs.
I still fail to see how this series is marketed as Christian mystery. Just because a couple of characters work in a church or synagogue, doesn't mean it's Christian. Even so, I know how to appreciate a good mystery. I thought the premise of the book was appealing. It twists on the Psalm 23 phrase, I shall not want. In the book, a wealthy man who owns prize showdogs, donates a few to homeless folks through a program that helps them care for themselves by learning to care for a pet. Something starts happening to the pets and people who own them. What's the connection? Who will be next?
The mystery itself was ok, but I expect more development, especially character wise. When I couldn't care, I was done.
I still fail to see how this series is marketed as Christian mystery. Just because a couple of characters work in a church or synagogue, doesn't mean it's Christian. Even so, I know how to appreciate a good mystery. I thought the premise of the book was appealing. It twists on the Psalm 23 phrase, I shall not want. In the book, a wealthy man who owns prize showdogs, donates a few to homeless folks through a program that helps them care for themselves by learning to care for a pet. Something starts happening to the pets and people who own them. What's the connection? Who will be next?
The mystery itself was ok, but I expect more development, especially character wise. When I couldn't care, I was done.
December 14, 2017
This book started out good, and I was really getting into it. I was trying to figure out the mystery and then boom on the bottom of page 186, then again on the top of page 187 towards the end of chapter 14, there were two times where a character, to be blunt, cussed. In a Christian book?! Yes, they were words that are in the Bible, but they were definitely not used in the same manner. I was most definitely disappointed. If it weren't for that, this easily could've been a 3 or even 4 star book. I've come to expect it in non Christian books (I'm not excusing it in any way, I'm just saying it's sadly expected), but to be in a Christian book, that's ridiculous and highly upsetting. I have much higher standards for Christian books for obvious reasons. Can I not even trust Christian books any more? It's a sad world we live in. I heard so much praise for this author, and I liked the first book, and frankly I was enjoying this one until that. This was very sad to see...
NOTE: the words used in case you need to know were one instance of a** and one of h***
NOTE: the words used in case you need to know were one instance of a** and one of h***
September 15, 2018
Deliciously satisfying mystery/suspense series (this was the 2nd in the series) of which I am totally enthralled! What a treat to find something VERY similar to my previous other two favorite book series, that of Sue Grafton's ABC - Z mystery collections with lead character, Kinsey Millhone AND Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels "One for the Money" through Twenty-Four (I think)! A cleanly written exciting suspenseful page-turning marathon of wonderful, well thought out situations and characters with twists & turns you don't see coming! Quite refreshing, really! I'm hooked!
January 28, 2025
I liked this book a lot more than the first installment. I'm enjoying the developing friendship between Jerimah and Cindy and anything with dogs always gets my vote. And as a sidenote, did anyone else notice how many Biblical names were in here? Paul, Mark, Jerimah, and Joesph. May be coincidental but I found it mildly amusing.
Even though it has a lot of murder for a Cozy (A Christian one at that!!) it was an enjoyable story and more believable than the first one. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.
Even though it has a lot of murder for a Cozy (A Christian one at that!!) it was an enjoyable story and more believable than the first one. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.
August 11, 2017
On the one hand, it's a cozy mystery with some vague semblance of plot starring a plucky church secretary and a rabbi. On the other hand, I'm not sure Viguie has ever spoken to a rabbi. Or any Jewish person even remotely faithful. Or Googled "how Jews talk about G-d". Because I'll tell you, how Jeremiah does it ain't standard!
March 19, 2025
Joseph, one of the guys at Cindy's church, organized a charity in which he helped provide dogs to homeless people. It wasn't long until the dogs were stolen and the new owners were murdered. Joseph is the chief suspect, but Cindy is convinced he is innocent. She, Jeremiah, the local rabbi, and Mark, a police detective, need to get to the bottom of it before more people are killed.
July 21, 2017
Not enough Jeremiah.
August 3, 2017
Pretty good, will probably try the third one. Have to figure out Jeremiah piece.
March 21, 2018
I have fallen in love with this series and can't wait until the library gets the remaining ones in!
July 30, 2018
I'm getting really curious about what is chasing Jeremiah.
March 30, 2019
Bit of a ‘fluff read’....
May 23, 2019
This is a really good book for people who love God to read. I think that it is one of the best Christian fiction books, but I will warn you that there is a lot of death in this book.
May 6, 2020
Very good book and a very good series. I like the relationship between Cindy and Jeremiah. I didn’t see where this one was headed. Love this series.
October 19, 2023
So fun. She keeps me guessing. Enjoying the series. Now into book #3
August 14, 2025
A library find.
August 2025.
Enjoyable.
Fast read.
Written well.
Easy flow plot.
Don't miss.
August 2025.
Enjoyable.
Fast read.
Written well.
Easy flow plot.
Don't miss.
May 22, 2011
From my blog, A Book A Day: http://books-camilleelise4.blogspot.com
I Shall Not Want by Debbie Viguié
This book is the second book in Debbie Viguié's series, The Psalm 23 Mysteries.
I read the first book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, and you can read my review of that book by clicking here. I immediately fell in love with the series, and had to get my hands on book number two!
I Shall Not Want again features Cindy and Jeremiah. This time they are both attending an event held by a member of Cindy's church, Joseph, who is starting a new charity giving homeless people dogs, which are going to have all their food and veterinarian care paid for, in order to hopefully serve as motivation for those who are homeless to care for themselves better.
As Cindy goes off to find Joseph's assistant, she again stumbles over a dead body, and Jeremiah once again hears her scream and comes to her rescue. As more and more homeless people are attacked or killed, and their dogs stolen, it becomes clear to Cindy that someone is after the dogs, but why?
Will Cindy again be able to solve the mystery of who is behind such brutal attacks? Will Jeremiah once again come to her rescue and help her out, or has their bond faded since the last series of murders? And is it possible there is something dark hiding in Jeremiah's past which relates to the attacks?
Read I Shall Not Want to find out!
This is such a wonderful mystery series! Not only do I love mysteries, but this has a Christian fiction element, which is really unique.
You have to feel like Cindy is the most unlucky person to stumble across dead bodies fairly regularly, but she is quick on her feet, and able to fend for herself, regardless of the horrors she sees.
I read this book in about a day (I went on a trip and since I had a few hours in a car, I was able to spend time reading the book there and on the way back) and it was really hard to put down once I started! Debbie Viguié is good at spinning an air of mystery and pulling the reader in.
At first, it was so confusing as to why someone was selecting the targets they were, and then when the likely reason is revealed as the only connection between the attacked people is their newly adopted dogs, the motivation comes as a bit of a surprise!
While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first book, it was still a fast and very enjoyable read. Part of what I loved about book one was the intertwining of Jewish and Christian religions and holidays, and this book had less of that, so it wasn't quite as interesting. I also preferred the mystery and the outcome of the first book, it just was so captivating.
But, I Shall Not Want was still such a wonderful read, and I am so excited because I got the third book in the series, Lie Down In Green Pastures, for free on Amazon recently, so I cannot wait to read it! I look forward to seeing more of Cindy and Jeremiah as they team up to solve more mysteries!
4.5 stars!
I Shall Not Want by Debbie Viguié
This book is the second book in Debbie Viguié's series, The Psalm 23 Mysteries.
I read the first book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, and you can read my review of that book by clicking here. I immediately fell in love with the series, and had to get my hands on book number two!
I Shall Not Want again features Cindy and Jeremiah. This time they are both attending an event held by a member of Cindy's church, Joseph, who is starting a new charity giving homeless people dogs, which are going to have all their food and veterinarian care paid for, in order to hopefully serve as motivation for those who are homeless to care for themselves better.
As Cindy goes off to find Joseph's assistant, she again stumbles over a dead body, and Jeremiah once again hears her scream and comes to her rescue. As more and more homeless people are attacked or killed, and their dogs stolen, it becomes clear to Cindy that someone is after the dogs, but why?
Will Cindy again be able to solve the mystery of who is behind such brutal attacks? Will Jeremiah once again come to her rescue and help her out, or has their bond faded since the last series of murders? And is it possible there is something dark hiding in Jeremiah's past which relates to the attacks?
Read I Shall Not Want to find out!
This is such a wonderful mystery series! Not only do I love mysteries, but this has a Christian fiction element, which is really unique.
You have to feel like Cindy is the most unlucky person to stumble across dead bodies fairly regularly, but she is quick on her feet, and able to fend for herself, regardless of the horrors she sees.
I read this book in about a day (I went on a trip and since I had a few hours in a car, I was able to spend time reading the book there and on the way back) and it was really hard to put down once I started! Debbie Viguié is good at spinning an air of mystery and pulling the reader in.
At first, it was so confusing as to why someone was selecting the targets they were, and then when the likely reason is revealed as the only connection between the attacked people is their newly adopted dogs, the motivation comes as a bit of a surprise!
While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first book, it was still a fast and very enjoyable read. Part of what I loved about book one was the intertwining of Jewish and Christian religions and holidays, and this book had less of that, so it wasn't quite as interesting. I also preferred the mystery and the outcome of the first book, it just was so captivating.
But, I Shall Not Want was still such a wonderful read, and I am so excited because I got the third book in the series, Lie Down In Green Pastures, for free on Amazon recently, so I cannot wait to read it! I look forward to seeing more of Cindy and Jeremiah as they team up to solve more mysteries!
4.5 stars!
January 18, 2012
I totally looked forward to reading this second book in the series. The reader is again introduced to another mystery that Cindy has somehow stumbled upon. She is just that kind of unlucky. As the description states, church member, Joseph has started a charity where homeless people are given rescue dogs in an attempt to give them an opportunity to care about something and hopefully reconnect them to getting re-engaged in society. It is a wonderful cause until these recipients are being murdered and the dogs are being taken.
I could say that it is a little far fetched that Cindy has somehow gotten herself entangled in this mess, but truly that is what cozy series are about. Just like a soap opera, calamity follows the same people along like a shadow. I suspend belief when I read and know that this is not likely to happen to every church secretary, but then again, I do know some people whom trouble does follow.
It was nice seeing Cindy and Jeremiah interacting again although I do hope that the author doesn't try to push them together romantically. I also enjoy Mark the detective even though he can be a bit abrasive at times. Who wouldn't be a bit snarky when they are continually dealing with amateur detectives like Cindy and Jeremiah (although he is less abrasive about their involvement this time around).
If I had one complaint it wouldn't be about the different rules and regs I have see with the rabbi being out on a Friday and the like. I am highly under qualified to make any comment on that as I do not know the laws that people of the Jewish faith follow. I think that if the way the rabbi acts is wildly incorrect enough to toss a person out of the story, that is a shame, because I certainly hate when inaccuracies shove me out of a story. For me on this part, ignorance is bliss. I think I was more put off by Cindy's co-worker dressing way out there when she works at a church. I'm not a prude, but I work in a Christian ministry and typically dress codes do apply. You wont catch our staff members in fishnets and a mini. It may work with the character's personality but it wouldn't work at any church I have dropped by. However, I have never popped into a Presbyterian office...so what do I know really?
All in all, I enjoyed the pace of the story and could see where other characters could be involved in future stories. I liked again not knowing who the killer was from the get go. That is a rarity. It was also nice seeing several theories bounced around which all sounded legitimate. Nothing was obvious and everything was explored. The book stands well on its own, but does mention the first mystery so I would read that one first if you are planning on hitting the whole series.
I could say that it is a little far fetched that Cindy has somehow gotten herself entangled in this mess, but truly that is what cozy series are about. Just like a soap opera, calamity follows the same people along like a shadow. I suspend belief when I read and know that this is not likely to happen to every church secretary, but then again, I do know some people whom trouble does follow.
It was nice seeing Cindy and Jeremiah interacting again although I do hope that the author doesn't try to push them together romantically. I also enjoy Mark the detective even though he can be a bit abrasive at times. Who wouldn't be a bit snarky when they are continually dealing with amateur detectives like Cindy and Jeremiah (although he is less abrasive about their involvement this time around).
If I had one complaint it wouldn't be about the different rules and regs I have see with the rabbi being out on a Friday and the like. I am highly under qualified to make any comment on that as I do not know the laws that people of the Jewish faith follow. I think that if the way the rabbi acts is wildly incorrect enough to toss a person out of the story, that is a shame, because I certainly hate when inaccuracies shove me out of a story. For me on this part, ignorance is bliss. I think I was more put off by Cindy's co-worker dressing way out there when she works at a church. I'm not a prude, but I work in a Christian ministry and typically dress codes do apply. You wont catch our staff members in fishnets and a mini. It may work with the character's personality but it wouldn't work at any church I have dropped by. However, I have never popped into a Presbyterian office...so what do I know really?
All in all, I enjoyed the pace of the story and could see where other characters could be involved in future stories. I liked again not knowing who the killer was from the get go. That is a rarity. It was also nice seeing several theories bounced around which all sounded legitimate. Nothing was obvious and everything was explored. The book stands well on its own, but does mention the first mystery so I would read that one first if you are planning on hitting the whole series.
May 5, 2016
I found this book on goodreads some two years ago, and finally found the time to read it. It is the second mystery in the Psalm 23 mystery series. Since I did not read the first book in the series, I can only assume, from references made throughout this book, that it was about a serial killer that Cindy, a receptionist/secretary at a local church had become romantically involved with during the Easter season. Now that we have that minor tidbit out of the way, let’s move on to ‘I Shall Not Want.’
It is now the Thanksgiving season, and Joseph Tyler, a wealthy businessman and member of the church Cindy works for has organized a new charity. Although there has not been a great deal of research in the area, Joseph is hoping that providing homeless people with dogs from a local rescue shelter as well as providing lifetime dog food and veterinary care, that the love provided by the animal would help lift the homeless out of their present life style. It seems like a good plan, even though it is to take place the Friday before Thanksgiving; as if there was not already too many things to do. Joseph has even donated one of his precious litter puppies, worth a fortune to the lucky recipient if they so chose to sell the animal rather than keep it.
Protestors against the program are streaming in front of Joseph’s mansion, one even jumps in front of Cindy’s car as she arrived, shaking her to the core. Calming herself as much as possible, Cindy reports to Joseph to learn what she can do to help. Having been unable to reach his personal assistant after numerous tries, Joseph sends Cindy in to find Derek and retrieve the puppy he will be donating. Instead of the easy task Cindy assumed she had been sent on, she finds Derek’s body and the puppy is missing. Is this an Easter replay?
Cindy attends a scheduled speed dating session, hoping to put the crises from her mind, instead, the worse begins to happen; those who adopted the dogs, including members of the press and on lookers to the new charity are beginning to disappear, their bodies turning up in awkward places and their dogs missing. Although warned against her involvement, Cindy cannot help thinking she knows something her conscious mind cannot grasp and she realizes just how true it is when she sees one of the dogs given away at the charity event frantically clawing at a recycler. Investigating, Cindy finds a bloody hand, this time attached to a live body. Can what the homeless man tells the police in Cindy’s presence help her grasp the piece of information bouncing through her brain before anyone else gets hurt, or will she find herself once again in the grip of a serial killer?
It is now the Thanksgiving season, and Joseph Tyler, a wealthy businessman and member of the church Cindy works for has organized a new charity. Although there has not been a great deal of research in the area, Joseph is hoping that providing homeless people with dogs from a local rescue shelter as well as providing lifetime dog food and veterinary care, that the love provided by the animal would help lift the homeless out of their present life style. It seems like a good plan, even though it is to take place the Friday before Thanksgiving; as if there was not already too many things to do. Joseph has even donated one of his precious litter puppies, worth a fortune to the lucky recipient if they so chose to sell the animal rather than keep it.
Protestors against the program are streaming in front of Joseph’s mansion, one even jumps in front of Cindy’s car as she arrived, shaking her to the core. Calming herself as much as possible, Cindy reports to Joseph to learn what she can do to help. Having been unable to reach his personal assistant after numerous tries, Joseph sends Cindy in to find Derek and retrieve the puppy he will be donating. Instead of the easy task Cindy assumed she had been sent on, she finds Derek’s body and the puppy is missing. Is this an Easter replay?
Cindy attends a scheduled speed dating session, hoping to put the crises from her mind, instead, the worse begins to happen; those who adopted the dogs, including members of the press and on lookers to the new charity are beginning to disappear, their bodies turning up in awkward places and their dogs missing. Although warned against her involvement, Cindy cannot help thinking she knows something her conscious mind cannot grasp and she realizes just how true it is when she sees one of the dogs given away at the charity event frantically clawing at a recycler. Investigating, Cindy finds a bloody hand, this time attached to a live body. Can what the homeless man tells the police in Cindy’s presence help her grasp the piece of information bouncing through her brain before anyone else gets hurt, or will she find herself once again in the grip of a serial killer?
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