Listen by Rene Gutteridge (Review)

Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (January 11, 2010)

ISBN-13: 978-1414324333

About the book:

Someone is listening...

The quaint, close-knit community of Marlo was the ideal place to live...until someone started posting private conversations online for everyone to read, word-for-word. Now it's neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, as careless comments and hurtful accusations turn the town upside down. Violence and paranoia escalate, and the police scramble to find the person responsible before more people get hurt, or even killed.

But what responsibility do the residents of Marlo have for the words they say when they think no one is listening?

My Review:

I loved this book. It was amazing. Words are so powerful and most of the time we do not even think about what we are saying or the impact they might have both negative and positive. I was riveted by this book and read it in one morning. The characters and plot were interesting and unique. It had a suspense and mystery aspect to it also as we race to discover who is posting every one's private conservations on the Internet and stop them. The main characters are the Underwood family. Damien the father is a reporter, Kay the mother sells real estate, and the two teenage children are Hunter and Jenna. A typical small town American family. Also an important character is Frank Meritt, a long time cop best friend to the family. I do not want to give away all the plot details but this book was definitely thought provoking and well written. I feel convicted for sure and will be watching my words better. The last part of the book is "Speak Kindly. Love Powerfully. Listen Fully." Highly Recommended. :)

About the author:

Rene is the author of sixteen novels, including her latest release, LISTEN, from Tyndale House Publishers. Her other suspense titles include, THE SPLITTING STORM, STORM GATHERING and STORM SURGE, plus her very first novel, GHOST WRITER (Bethany House Publishers). She is also known as a comedy writer. Her latest comedic novel is NEVER THE BRIDE, co-written with screenwriter Cheryl McKay (of The Ultimate Gift).

Her other comedy titles from WaterBrook/Multnomah Publishers include The BOO SERIES: Boo, Boo Who, Boo Hiss, Boo Humbug and THE OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS SERIES; (Scoop, Snitch, Skid). Another very popular comedy title is MY LIFE AS A DOORMAT, a Women of Faith selection for 2006, from Thomas Nelson. She has written one novelization, THE ULTIMATE GIFT, for Thomas Nelson.

She also has extensive experience writing comedy sketches, and worked for five years as the director of drama for a downtown church. She has a degree specializing in Screenwriting, for which she earned the Excellence in Mass Communication Award, and graduated magna cum laude.

She is married to Sean, a musician and worship leader, and has two children. They reside in Oklahoma, where Rene writes full time and enjoys instructing in college classrooms and writers conferences.


Review copy provided by Tyndale House Publishers.