Obsessive compulsive dirt and germ-a-phobic psychology professor Dr. Dylan Foster is once again engaged in a crisis where the supernatural impact of previously known demon Peter Terry is in evidence, the unsteady spiritual journey of the heroine manifested in superficial prayers, professions of good and bad luck, and Egyptian trinkets of “protection”. While having more insight into the demonic occurrences in her life situations than the unstable “Christian” leanings she has yet to fully understand, the character of Dylan Foster demonstrates true compassion, the full blown need to love and be loved, and the courageous determination to solve the horrible kidnapping of a friend’s five year old little boy, Nicholas.
The kidnapping takes place at the park where Nicholas and his mother Maria celebrate Dylan’s adorable little pretend niece’s (Christine) birthday party with her mom, Liz. The child is snatched so quickly that no one but the children is able to see the person who also attempts to grab Christine but rejects her for Nicholas.
Christine reveals information about the snatcher which is more far-reaching than just his appearance and suffers near death experiences as a result. Dylan is convinced the demon Peter Terry has engineered the event, and Christine’s ongoing revelations convince Dylan there are other avenues to investigate which the police cannot foresee—nor do they want to.
Mixed in with the ongoing danger and weirdness is the struggle to regain a relationship with Dylan’s former boyfriend David who broke up with her because of the chaos in Dylan’s life, the continuous non-relationship with her father whose young wife is about to have Dylan’s half-sister, and the “review” she must pass to maintain her teaching job.
Melanie Wells has got to be Dylan Foster. No one could know this character as well as she does without at least owning up to being related. The writing is unbelievably clever and crisp when necessary. However, the descriptions of Dylan languishing in piteous bouts vivid with unique metaphors, silent acid retorts, and dialogue which rings true for each character indulges us by letting us experience Dylan’s mind and observations firsthand. I’ve read the first novel in this series, When the Day of Evil Comes, but missed the second one, The Soul Hunter. My Soul to Keep is a triumphal third effort.
If you like unique mysteries with an unsure, vulnerable but defiant heroine with a visionary little girl to keep things compelling and to remind us all there is another element to life which cannot be ignored, this is as entertaining as it gets.
Father, you know Melanie, what grabs her heart and makes her hold on, what moves her to be who she is, and what powers her forward to accomplish what you have designed just for her. I pray her heart would stay attuned to yours and that you would lead her in your ways everlasting. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
*Please continue to pray for Kristy Dykes in her struggle.*