The Trial

This novel was loaned to me by my sister, who probably picked it up in a flea market or used book store.  Written by Robert Whitlow and published in 2001 by Word Books, the genre is Christian Mystery.

A young man, Pete Thompson, is accused of murder but has no recollection of anything that happened the night of the crime.  The parents of the murdered girl are wealthy enough to hire a special prosecutor to insure a conviction, though most of the evidence is circumstantial.  “Mac” McLain, a local lawyer, is appointed by the court to defend the young man. His work is cut out for him since Pete can not assist in his defense.  His time in jail becomes a journey of faith for Pete.

A prayer group from the Presbyterian Church commits to pray for everyone involved in the trial and that the truth about what happened would be revealed.  The defense attorney, Mac, has no faith that such activity will help. His belief seems to be that once God finished creating the earth He got rather bored with it and now takes no hand in what happens here.  Mac has plenty of baggage of his own that needs healing but he puts that aside as he tries to do the best for his client in this court room drama.

Whitlow does a good job of keeping us guessing about the real murderer, using red herrings to lead us off in other directions. I was completely surprised, figuring it out only a couple of sentences before the denouement.

In 2010, The Trial was made into a movie starring Matthew Modine and Robert Forster.  I plan to watch it later.  I’m interested in how Hollywood handled the Christian theme that ran through the story. I notice on Amazon that there is a “movie version” of the book and wonder if it’s a re-write of the original.

Robert Whitlow’s latest book, The Water’s Edge, will come out in August. Check out his website www.robertwhitlow.com to see all his titles.

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Technology – A Gift and a Curse

I learned to type on a manual typewriter – with covered keys which forced us to learn the ‘touch’ method.  My first work computer (1990) was an IBM with a boot disk. Every morning slip in the 5 1/2 inch floppy and start it up. It had a ‘dictionary’ disk for spell check.  Okay, this was a non profit agency so we may have been a little behind. But still.

I have moved along the last 20 years learning new operating systems every few years. There are many many things I do with a computer that I don’t understand.  I tell it to perform a task and if it doesn’t respond I don’t know what to do except call for help.

At work, since the beginning of 2011, we have installed a new web page design and changed email providers. Everything about both of these new systems looks and acts differently from what I have worked with for the past several years. In my opinion, these two events provided sufficient change for me to deal with. But let me tell you about my week.

• Day one:  I got a message on my computer (at work) that basically meant life as I knew it was over. Windows was ‘compromised.’ Our young technician spent the day running tests and scans while I cleaned the office supply closet – time not entirely wasted for me.   Later, at home, when I inserted my black-stick SanDisk into my Netbook to edit a chapter of my latest novel-in-progress, it gave me a message that it was locked – I did not have permission to edit. Now, I bought that computer-ette and black stick with my hard earned money. If I don’t have permission, who does?

• Day Two: Tech set me up with a laptop so I could work on the online data base I’m responsible for. I was glad to be able to catch up some work but it was a flat laptop with no key pad for inputting numbers.  I put two rulers under it to give it a slight tilt.  Tech would clean and reinstall the operating system on my computer. He promised no files would be lost – one of those things I don’t understand and can only say “Thankyoulord for favors.”

• Day Three: Computer back at my work desk – newly installed with Windows 7! Another major change in my life. I spent five minutes looking for the printer icon, even tried the old pre-mouse command ctrl-P, before finding ‘print’ where Windows 7 so cleverly hid it. That night, at home, I was hacked – or something – on facebook.  All my friends got a message that I ‘liked’ a dirty picture.

• Finally, the weekend: My previously ordered copy of The King’s Speech came from Netflix.  I had waited eagerly for this to come out on video so I could order it.  I settled back to watch my favorite actor in his award winning performance.  Nothing. Removing the DVD I saw a big smudge and a small scratch.  I cleaned the smudge but the scratch was obviously the culprit. No movie for me this Friday night.

So, after being under attack for a time by the Tech-Devil, I am adjusting. I am learning Windows 7, hearing a chime or mini glissando every time I make an entry in my data base.  I have changed my fb password. And the very nice people at Netflix said they will send me another copy of the movie post haste.  I still haven’t solved the problem of the SanDisk, since it stubbornly refuses to let me copy or save or do anything but print. But I believe in hard copies so I may just type it all over again.  Just glad I don’t have to do that on a manual typewriter with covered keys.

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To Find A Home

“Eleven years and two months old and I find out I’m adopted.”

So starts the story of Becca Lucas and her quest to find her birth parents, specifically to ask them WHY. Why did they give her up for adoption?

This story is set in the 60s and 70s when it was not unusual for adoption to be a secret. Adoptees who wanted to find their birth parents were met with resistance.

As Becca matures into a young adult her primary focus remains the same. How this obsession influences her life choices is the basis of the story in To Find a Home.

I will be signing copies of this novel today at Hastings Books in Searcy, 2:00 pm -4:00 pm.  Books are also available at Amazon.com and of course from the back seat of my car. Email me at dot@dothatfield.com.

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Perfect Match

Jodi Picoult does her usual good job with the sensitive and timely issue of child sexual abuse by clergy. And (as usual) I can find very little to critique.

When five year old Nathaniel stops talking, his parents cannot imagine why until, in the psychiatrists office, he acts out a scenario of sexual abuse.  His mother, Nina, is a prosecuting attorney who specializes in family, child custody and abuse cases. She knows how hard it will be to identify the offender and bring him to justice.  Nina is a protagonist that is not entirely likable and the author acknowledges this in the interview in the back of the book.  Nina is fiercely protective of her child, often without being clear on what he really needs (someone to LISTEN).

This story was published in 2002, probably at the height of the allegations against several Catholic priests.  Picoult does a good job of showing Nina’s confusion about her faith, in light of  what the church has always taught and what has happened to her child.  The author works with two first person narrators – Nina and Nathaniel. Other points of view from minor characters are brought out in third person. Though she moves from one POV to another with the aid of spacing and asterisks and a different font for Nathaniel’s voice, sometimes it is a bit confusing as to whose head we are in.  But overall this is a good way to let the reader know where everyone is coming from.

When Nathaniel gives the name of his offender, Nina shoots the priest at his arraignment. (This is not a spoiler. It is told in the prologue.) There follows good information of how the court system works, on DNA and the exploration of feelings toward a friend/wife/mother who would do this.  The surprise twist at the end is very “Picoult” and good fodder for a book discussion group.

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Mother’s Day

Anna Long Alderson 1912 – 1985

Strength and honour
Are her clothing;
And she shall rejoice
In time to come.
She openeth her mouth
With wisdom;
And in her tongue is
The law of kindness.
She looketh well to the
Ways of her household,
And eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up,
And call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously,
But thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful,
And beauty is vain;
But a woman that feareth the Lord,
She shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:25-30

I love you, Mother.

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