Whispers in Purple: From Death to Life in Forgiveness

From Death to Life

by Lynne Tagawa

Not long ago, my daughter-in-law told me her mother was reading my new book, A Twisted Strand, and enjoying it. Her eyes widened a bit. “I read the back and it sounds scary.” She wasn’t sure she’d like it herself.

It’s true, there are suspenseful parts. Blood on the grass, that sort of thing. But I did give her some further explanation, a few small spoilers, so she’d know exactly how scary it was.

I’m not even sure “suspense” is a favorite genre of mine, come to think about it. I’m very much a drama or romance person, preferring multi-layered characters who respond and grow in response to various situations.

But I couldn’t resist a good virus. I am, after all, both a biology teacher and a Michael Crichton fan (Timeline, Airframe). I love a good serving of (accurate) science or medical knowledge supporting a plot. So yeah, there’s a virus in the story, man-made and all that.

But the real story isn’t in the blood spilled on the bluebonnets. It’s in the blood painted on the doorframe, the blood of the Passover lamb, prefiguring the blood drenching another piece of wood: the wood of the Cross.

For it’s the death of Christ that gives us life. And this is the core of the story. Two lonely people, estranged from God and each other, with bitterness creeping into their hearts.

How can a woman forgive the worst of all betrayals? Can her ex-husband humble himself enough to ask for that forgiveness?

And even if they can forgive, can they be truly reconciled?

No, I’ve never faced adultery myself. But I’ve had to forgive rather large offenses, and I’ve seen what can happen when others don’t forgive. It’s like swallowing poison.

I’ve also read what the Bible says about both subjects, forgiveness and reconciliation: when we are justified, we have peace with God, and this includes both forgiveness of sin and a reconciliation of the creature-Creator relationship.

But between people, sometimes forgiveness happens without reconciliation. “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Rom 12:18 [KJV]

What about my characters, Rachel and Will? I’ll let you find out!

About the book:

After dragging her heart through a divorce, Rachel Davis is ready to settle down on their South Texas country home, raise her kids, and find some peace. Can she find the secret to making her heart whole again?

William Davis, MD, would do anything to take back his horrible mistake, but infidelity is more than his wife can forgive. He goes home to an empty house in Austin every night, trying his best to be a good dad to his kids from afar.

When Rachel discovers their Jersey heifer dead from a hemorrhagic fever, she quickly realizes that the danger may spread to humans. Working for an epidemiologist, she joins the investigation. Is it natural? Or terrorism?

The family vet sickens, and Will enters the fray. Could this become an epidemic?

Estranged from God and from each other, both Rachel and Will encounter the truth of the gospel and struggle to make sense of it all. Is there hope? And is there hope for their relationship?

Endorsements:

"The Twisted Strand is a realistic, vivid, and frightening scenario that will keep you thinking long after the end of the book. A timely story exploring the threat of bioterrorism and the faith it takes to [get]Rachel and her family through, I believe this story will inspire everyone who picks it up." -Amber Schamel, author of Dawn of Liberty (2017 CSPA Book of the Year Award Winner)

“Lynne Tagawa takes us deep into the world of biological warfare with a mystery that is plausible and scary.” -Laura V. Hilton, author of The Christmas Admirer (Whitaker House)