Forgiveness, obsession, faith and redemption are just a few of the themes folded together in this drawn-out inspirational sequel to Winter Passing
and Blue Night. History Network researcher Amanda Rivans is hot on the trail of the lost Empress Brooch, a priceless piece of jewelry that is linked to her past. The brooch, which disappeared during the Nazi era, cost many people their lives. Intertwined with this is her quest for information about her grandparents, whom she believes to be Holocaust survivors, but who—in a plot twist—were in fact members of the Nazi Party. Her discovery may threaten her budding romance with devout Christian Stefan Keller, as well as her friendship with Benjamin "Benny" Dunn, who is Jewish. The key to locating the brooch and healing Amanda's shame over her heritage is the elderly Ms. Delsig, a resident at the Oakdale Home of Senior Living, who bears a concentration camp number on her arm and carries a deadly secret. After a sparkling prologue, the reader becomes bogged down in too much information about settings and background, which flattens the first third of the book. Patient readers will find that the pace picks up and the plot begins to cook. Especially strong sequences include the subplot of Delsig and her senior citizen cohorts, and the book's powerful closing scenes. Many of the elements of a successful novel are in place, and if Martinusen can tighten up her writing, she could well become an author to contend with in the CBA market. (May)
