Fear Has a Name (The Crittendon Files, #1) in Creston Mapes Hosts Q&A

Nov 15, 2012 Jess Peterson rated it it was amazing

Fear Has a Name Creston Mapes
It's no surprise that Creston Mapes delivers once again with Fear Has a Name. Within the first two pages, I was completely hooked by this page-turning, adrenaline-rushing, heart-pounding book. The suspense was riveting. The detailed descriptions of characters and emotions - spot on. I felt as if I was right alongside the characters as this thriller unfolded like a screen play in my mind. I found myself gasping out loud countless times as I hung on every word.
This bo ...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Christopher Long rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Suspense and tension on every page. Compelling characters and an edge-of-your-seat story. A sensational read from one of today's hottest authors. And I'm delighted that this is only the first installment in the "Crittendon Files" trilogy, as Mapes has much gas left in the tank and Jack Crittendon has legs to carry on for volumes to come! ...more

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May 02, 2013 Nana rated it it was amazing

In this multilayered suspense novel two families share common bonds that are interwoven by circumstances that overlap throughout the narrative. The entire essence of the Crittendon family is transformed into an intense atmosphere of anxiety and chaos by a stranger who forces his way into their home and lives, shaking them to the core. Jack Crittendon, a news reporter, was assigned to investigate the sudden disappearance of Evan McDaniel, senior pastor at a local church. A church publication repo ...more

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Jul 18, 2013 Iola rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013, kindle, netgalley, mystery-thriller, christian-fiction

Jack Crittendon’s family has been targeted. An unknown man breaks into their house but steals only some jewellery and a Bible. His wife is almost run off the road by an unknown assailant, and he is accused of possessing child pornography. At the same time, he is investigating the disappearance and possible suicide of a local pastor, Evan McDaniel, whose wife is convinced he is still alive, even though his colleagues appear equally convinced he isn’t. Jack slowly uncovers information that suggest Jack Crittendon’s family has been targeted. An unknown man breaks into their house but steals only some jewellery and a Bible. His wife is almost run off the road by an unknown assailant, and he is accused of possessing child pornography. At the same time, he is investigating the disappearance and possible suicide of a local pastor, Evan McDaniel, whose wife is convinced he is still alive, even though his colleagues appear equally convinced he isn’t. Jack slowly uncovers information that suggests things were not as they first appeared. What follows is a fast-paced action novel as Jack tries to protect his family and solve the mystery of the pastor’s disappearance.

I found Fear Has No Name difficult to get in to. There was a lot happening, and I didn’t find Pam Crittendon to be a compelling character. That might be a little unfair, as she’d just been the victim of a home invasion, so we were seeing her at her worst, but I found her difficult to like or even to empathise with. Jack wasn’t much better, because he seemed to be back and forth between the McDaniel investigation and his own family problems. It seemed that he was the only person investigating the pastor’s disappearance, and while the plotting was solid, it didn’t strike me as realistic that people would give all this information to a reporter rather than the police, and I felt there were times when the McDaniel subplot detracted from the main plot.

However, things improved dramatically around a quarter of the way when we began to get the point of view of the stalker. I’ve read advice to novelists that the antagonist should have a motive, something in his personal history that makes him act the way he does. I read too many novels where the author has taken this advice but it feels to me, as a reader, as though that history has just been tacked on the end and feels more like an excuse than a motivation.

Fear Has A Name was different. By giving us the point of view of the stalker, Mapes has managed to integrate his personal history and give me a real sense of compassion for him, to see him as a real person (albeit one with a difficult background and an inappropriate way of acting on his feelings). This is a real strength in his writing, as is his seamless integration of Christianity. This is Christian fiction, complete with sermons, prayers and a gospel message, but it manages to achieve all this without coming across as preachy.

Fear Has A Name is full of flawed characters who have something in their personal history that causes them to act the way they do, from the stalker to Evan McDaniel to Margaret, Pam’s neurotic mother. Once we see and understand the circumstances that made the people who they are, we are better able to relate and empathise with them, whether they are the ‘goodies’ or not. Recommended. Just not if you’re alone in the house.

Thanks to David C Cook and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. ...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Karen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-fiction

This will probably be my top or in my top 3 for best reads of the year. I have read everyone of this author's books and they are always worth reading more than once. Adding it to my "Best Christian fiction" and my "Hard to put down-suspense" shelf. ...more

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May 03, 2013 Rick rated it it was amazing

It was more than a break-in. More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stalker targets his family, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are--if he is to protect the ones he loves. It will lead Crittendon into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and faith gone awry, as does his investigation of a missing pastor, whose apparent suicide is more than it appears.

Each move Crittendon makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocr It was more than a break-in. More than a stalking. It was personal. When a stalker targets his family, journalist Jack Crittendon must uncover who the person is and what his motives are--if he is to protect the ones he loves. It will lead Crittendon into a world of behind-closed-door secrets and faith gone awry, as does his investigation of a missing pastor, whose apparent suicide is more than it appears.

Each move Crittendon makes weaves him tighter and tighter into a web of lies, greed, hypocrisy, sin, and danger. He believed he'd never give in to fear. But that was before. And holding on to his faith won't be easy. Nor will keeping his family safe, and ending the terror. Because that might require him to step over lines he never dared to cross.

Following his highly successful, “Nobody”, Creston Mapes brings us the first in a new series. Thanks to his earlier books, Mr. Mapes has been a finalist in both American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year awards and the Inspirational Readers Choice awards.

Ace reporter Jack Crittendon has been handed a self-interest story about a local Senior Pastor, Evan, who has seemingly disappeared. All signs point to a mental breakdown or worse, that he’s run off with one of his congregants that he has been counseling after the death of her husband. As part of the story, Jack interviews the pastor’s wife who is sure that none of those are true, especially the last reason. While Jack is trying to track down the missing pastor, a stranger has been targeting his family. After several break-ins and searches by the police, they discover pornography hidden on Jack’s home computer. After some investigation, though, it turns out that whoever is stalking the family planted that on the computer in an attempt to discredit Jack. Cleared of those charges, Jack is now not only on the hunt for the stalker, but still trying to find the missing pastor. As the police continue their investigation into the stalker, they discover that he is a childhood friend of Pam, Jack’s wife. As the hunt continues, Pam takes her girls away to visit her folks to keep them out of the danger. While there, though, she runs smack into her stalker, Granger Meade. Granger kidnaps Pam and starts on a cross-country journey to “make the life he never had” with Pam by his side. Meanwhile, Jack has discovered evidence of the church elders skimming money from the tithes and offerings, something that Evan had found out too. Evan, we find out, has given up on himself and God and is on his way to end his failures to his wife and to his church. Jack is notified that his wife has been kidnapped, so he heads out to stop Granger from destroying all he loves. Where does Granger take Pam? Does he convince her to leave Jack and the kids behind and be with him? Will Jack find Pam and stop Granger before it’s too late? Where is Evan and what does he do with his life? Great questions and even better answers when you BUY THE BOOK!

This book grabs you from the start and it never lets go. From Granger breaking into the house, the investigation into the missing pastor, the discovery of missing funds at the church, the cross-country chase to the explosive ending. You never have a chance to breathe with all of the excitement and you definitely will never want to put this book down. All along the way, too, we get to see how the characters rely on Him to help them in all of their times of trials and tribulations. We get to see faith in action of Pam and Jack. We get to see the feeling of hopelessness addressed by the “lost” pastor and we get to see the acceptance of God’s love in Granger.

Is this a "guy's book"? This has the earmarks of a great guys book. The pace is quick and refreshing, the twists and turns keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what more could happen. Any guy should pick up this book and be thoroughly entertained by the time the action is all over. ...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Debra Bailey rated it really liked it

The compassion that emerges in this book is what makes it a compelling story - and, by God, I hope you don't have to be a Christian to have some of that! How would YOU turn out and what choices would YOU make if you were any one of the characters in this book? If you don't consider that, you should. It's part of what makes this story great. ...more

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Jun 01, 2013 Sheila McIntyre rated it really liked it

I had previously read Mr. Mapes' two books, Dark Star and Full Tilt. When I started reading Fear Has a Name, I thought it was a bit slow going in the plot developing, but I kept going. I was rewarded with a rich storyline chronicling two troubled men and the situations they find themselves in. I found incredibly powerful the interaction between Evan and Valerie--it is often amazing how the Lord uses whom He will to minister to His children. I was hoping for more in terms of a conclusion--it seem ...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Trevor rated it really liked it

Great story line and character development. Hard to put down once I started it. Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

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May 19, 2013 Betsy Hunter rated it it was amazing

What a great read and my favorite.

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Jun 08, 2013 Kelly rated it it was amazing

As a fan of thrillers and suspense novels, I was really looking forward to reading "Fear Has a Name." I am constantly looking for a thriller that I can enjoy that includes a Christian message. This is not an easy combination to achieve, and the attempts often result in any faith message being lost in the story or the story being lost in the message. "Fear Has a Name" did not disappoint. The story begins with a big enough bang to to capture my interest and engage my curiosity. As I read, the acti ...more

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