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Mitchell Karnes' newest novel, Water Grave, is a gripping and immersive detective thriller that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The story follows Abbey Rhodes, a young Nashville-based detective who is handed a case that deeply challenges her both professionally and personally.
Karnes masterfully propels the story forward, incorporating unexpected twists and turns that maintain suspense throughout. His integration of Biblical themes is both fresh and thought-provoking, adding depth to Abbey’s struggles with faith and belief. While themes of God’s love, grace, and forgiveness are ever-present, they are woven into the narrative in a way that feels natural rather than forceful.
As someone who grew up in a church similar to Living Water Church in East Nashville, I found the descriptions and characters incredibly authentic, making the setting and interactions feel even more lifelike.
One minor drawback of the novel is the recurring theme of Abbey doubting herself or acting younger than her age. While this likely serves to emphasize her inexperience as a detective with a complicated past, her background suggests she might exhibit a more mature demeanor. That said, her internal struggles make her a relatable and compelling protagonist.
Overall, Water Grave excels as both a detective thriller—complete with multiple murder investigations—and as a poignant exploration of a young woman who has become disillusioned with the church and distanced from God over the past decade. Her journey toward rediscovering faith is compelling and heartfelt. If this novel marks the beginning of a series, I eagerly anticipate seeing Abbey’s growth, both in her career as a detective and in her spiritual journey.
Well done, Mitchell Karnes!
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one! So many great characters and I can’t wait to see what happens with them. I always know it’s a good book when I’m thinking about the characters even after I finish the book. I love mysteries and especially the unexpected twists along the way!
A great mystery with a lot of twists and turns. Woven throughout the story is the story of God's love and what that looks like in the real world. I read the book straight through in one day and never guessed the ending. I can't wait for the next book!
Abbey Rhodes is a new Homicide detective in the Nashville police department. This was her dream job after learning to be a great cop in the US Army. She's sharp but she has some painful memories in her past that she keeps to herself. She's the partner of Sam Treadwell, a detective with a lot of years of experience but who seems happy cutting corners and not investigating enough when he makes his arrests. The case that they get assigned to involves a minister who is killed and the need to investigate many members of the church leadership. The fact that it involves a church is a trigger for Abbey and reminds her of the reason that she left her family and her minister father.
Abbey was an interesting and well written main character. She's a very complex character - very strong when dealing with suspects but also very soft when dealing with children and her friends. She doesn't want to share her past with anyone but it really affects her especially in a case like this one that involves a church and its pastor. She had promised herself years before that she'd never return to a church. Sam was also a complex character. Even though he appears to take the easy way out it all makes sense when his past is revealed. The partner relationship between Abbey and Sam starts out very rocky but trust gradually grows between the two of them. Can they become friends as well as partners?
This book was full of twists and turns. Just when I thought that I'd figured out who the killer was, more information would come to light that showed me how wrong I was. I didn't know who was guilty until the very end and it was a very satisfying ending.
Water Grave appears to be the first book of a new series featuring Abbey Rhodes. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future adventures with this character.
Where can I start? The book is that GOOD! Mitchel's descriptions of places and people really allowed me to see exactly what was happening in the story, a "theater of the mind" in you will. The way that he described the church in the book was to the "T", although it doesn't hurt that we both attend the church that he described. And the way that he guided you to the case's conclusion, allowing you to think that it was one person only to find out that it was a second person that was manipulated by a third person, WHOA! Now, I'm gonna give away any more of the story. If you read any of the other reviews for then book and you want to find who done it.... BUY THE BOOK! I can't wait for the next book in the series, The Least Of These, from, I'm glad to say, from my favorite author that I personally know.
The novel Water Grave was wonderful! Once I started the audiobook, I did not want to stop listening. I listened to seven of the eight hours in one sitting! The main character Abbey Rhodes carries some major emotional baggage. After being sexually abused by a youth pastor in her early teens, she feels betrayed by the church since no one believed her or stood by her--not even her missionary father. She tries to rise above her personal demons by pushing them aside and ignoring them. She joins the army and moves far away, and this works for a time. But it seems that God has other plans for her when she finds herself assigned to the murder case of a young pastor. She has to put aside her own misgivings about Christians to find the person responsible for this crime, so that, in this case, unlike hers, justice will be done.
The many plot twists and turns will keep the reader engrossed and entertained.
In addition, the character of Abbey is very relatable. Many of the statements and feelings that she voices really resonate with me personally. For anyone who is navigating a crisis of faith, Abbey will resonate with you, too!
