Fiction Addict

Genre: Suspense

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: September 2009

Reviewed by Tim George

For seven years, Tanya Novak has lived in obscurity with a local goat farmer in rural Colorado. Tanya, an immigrant from Russia, is a normal teenager living with her guardian and caring for the livestock. Normal except for the fact her father is imprisoned in Siberia, she has come into possession of a mysterious Bible, a humiliated former KGB agent sees her capture as his ticket to restoration, she might know the location of a golden snuff box containing a portion of manna from Israel’s wilderness wanderings, and she has been gifted with the Pravda. It is that gift, the ability to tell when others are truthful or deceitful, that becomes both her blessing and her curse.

The Pravda Messenger is a loose sequel to The Bell Messenger with a Bible being the connector between the two stories. Robert Cornuke’s background as both a police investigator and world class archeologist lend authenticity to the sub-plot of Russian Czars and the shadowy world of antiquity traders and smugglers. In a relatively short novel, the author spins a great story of legends, international intrigue, and personal obsession. But the real star of the story is Tanya. Her innocence, devotion to the truth, and yearning to be reunited with her father carry the day. Cornuke does a good job of weaving Tanya’s story with that of her father’s plight in the bitter north of Russia.

Though it feels a bit rushed, the ending packs the kind of twist every good suspense story needs. And like most such novels, if I said any more you would be screaming at me for giving away the plot. It is sufficient here to say the cast of characters is diverse and believable: attorney Shannon Reed (a true believer), billionaire R.C. Cooper (a man obsessed with the secrets contained in an old family Bible), David Murk (a skeptic who can’t help but believe), and a range of other secondary characters including a cameo appearance by Fidel Castor. Add to that a tight plot, fast passed story, and surprise ending. What more could you ask for in a suspense novel?

Sometimes it is a kiss of death to label a novel as smart in this day of increasingly shallow fiction but The Pravda Messenger is a smart story. Don’t misinterpret that to mean it is not exciting or captivating because it is both. It is smart because the characters, dialogue, and well told story carry the day. Though it is not necessary, you would do well to obtain the Bell Messenger to add yet another layer to an already great read. If you are gifted with the Pravda you will know I am telling you truth about this novel. Otherwise, I guess you will just have to read it for yourself.

Review copy provided by Howard Books.