Nick Caden, cyber sleuth for The Cool Ghoul Gazette, online magazine covering the paranormal, investigates the sighting of a girls’ decomposing body in tidal mud flats near Savannah. A fisherman identifies Heidi May Laveau, a girl who had apparently died years before only by her well known dress. While Nick and his 12-year-old sister, Wendy, stakeout the scene, a zombie looking apparition rears up out of the tidewater and snatches Wendy. The plot twists and turns, and can Nick really trust the officer investigating the kidnapping, or Katrina, the helpful teen who always seems to know too much, or Poke Sally Annie, the local voodoo expert? Nick has to figure it out, and find the kidnapper and his sister before it’s too late.
Interestingly the narrative opens with a disclaimer that the book includes graphic descriptions of dead bodies, voodoo, black magic, disembodied spirits, and zombies. All of which are true. Except that strong Christian characters, and ultimately the protagonist himself provide a Christian context and rational input for these supposedly paranormal occurrences. Eddie Jones does a masterful job of bringing Christian truth to bear on the situation, and concludes the tale with an excellent explanation of the Good News using zombies as a metaphor for the lost.
Age Range: 10 to 14
Genre: Action Adventure/Mystery
Series: The Caden Chronicles, Book Three
Zondervan 2013
Available: Amazon, Christianbooks.com Also ask for this title at your local library
