Review – They Shall See God

Athol Dickson in his new book, “They Shall See God” brings us into the lives of Ruth and Katy. Little Katie was a Christian. Her very best friend Ruth was a Jew. The girls’ eyewitness testimony sent a bad man to Louisiana’s infamous Angola prison. 25 years later, Ruth has become an embittered Rabbi, Kate is a lonely widow, the bad man is out, and people are dying in the strangest of ways.

Torn apart in childhood by animosities beyond their understanding, Kate and Ruth can no longer elude the past’s unfinished business. To survive, these very different women must reach out to each other in spite of the mayhem and mistrust that shrouds one vital truth: sometimes the most dangerous of enemies crouches just inside the human heart.

Before Athol Dickson became a master storyteller he was a master architect.  It takes great creativity, imagination and “smarts” to design a building that will fit within the specified acreage and have all the required components and still be spectacularly beautiful.  Now that Mr. Dickson tells stories he utilizes all the skills he developed in building buildings to build stories for us.

When Athol Dickson tells a story he builds it like an architect, start with the foundation and then each floor goes up methodically after the previous floor has been built.  Reading “They Shall See God” is a lot like being thirty-five stories in the air, walking on nothing but a steel girder just wide enough for your foot; no walls, no floors, nothing but air.  Very terrifying but it leaves you with a deep sense of fulfillment when you are done.  Mr. Dickson has provided us with another winner with a twenty-five year old murder that had been witnessed by two young girls.  Now the murderer is free, new murders are happening and the two women must join forces to find out what is really happening before they become the next victims.  “They Shall See God” is loaded with twists and turns and red herrings that will leave you guessing all the while you are flipping pages to find out what happens next.  When you finish this book you will heave a hugely satisfying sigh because you have enjoyed yourself immensely.  But They Shall See God also has beautiful themes such as the past catching up to you, unresolved trauma and friendship.  I liked this book and recommend it highly!