six solitude road by bethany macmanus

Six Solitude Road is a beautifully written debut novel by Bethany MacManus. The story so captivated me that I had trouble walking away from the book. Swathed in mystery and set in the swamps of Louisiana, Six Solitude Road deals with every parent’s worst nightmare—child abduction. But there is more, so much more, than just child abduction in this book. The intricate plot weavings will leave you wanting more.

Theme/Theology: If you relied on God, your life would be a lot less stressful

Like Kate, many of us are meticulous planners who have to be in control of everything in our lives. If something goes wrong, we need to be the ones to fix it. But self-reliance is not a virtue (right, Gretchen? 🙂 ). Not only can it alienate you from others, it can also distance you from God. He wants us to go to Him with our wants and needs. He wants to help us with our problems and stresses, but many times He waits for us to ask.

Kate feels responsible for the abduction of her daughter’s best friend Becca. When her husband stands accused of the crime, Kate also feels it is her duty to exonerate him. Of course, the story wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if she did what she was supposed to—see to her family’s needs, pray for direction, trust in God and law enforcement, etc.

Rating: PG-13

Mature audiences only, please. Not a cozy mystery, this book is Christian noir—dealing with child abduction and a few other unsavory scenes that are not suitable for younger audiences. One scene in particular had me cringing (let’s call that the ewwww factor).

Social Issues:

A large part of this book deals with trust. Can you trust someone that betrayed you? Can you trust strangers? Can you trust someone you love despite suspicion of wrongdoing? Can you trust someone that acts untrustworthy? Can you trust God?

Other:

Some of Kate’s actions in the book drove me crazy. I would *not* let my daughter out of my sight if one of her friends had been kidnapped, yet Kate does so routinely to go off exploring on her own and seems unconcerned about it. A necessary plot device, I suspect.

There was so much going on in Six Solitude Road that I sometimes got a little lost. It all worked out in the end, although the reveal seemed a little far-fetched and contrived for my personal taste (think Agatha Christie). But it was worth it for the closure. It would have driven me crazy otherwise.

What is your favorite mystery/suspense book or movie?