Dan Walsh (1) (1957–)

We all grew up with the childhood rule of finders keepers, losers weepers. But have we ever thought of the ramifications of that notion? Perilous Treasure by Dan Walsh, book 4 of his Jack Turner Suspense Series made me go a little deeper in my thoughts on the matter. The characters in this novel all deal with the reality of a found treasure and the ethics of keeping it or taking it away. The treasure in question is Nazi loot stolen from Jewish people sent to the extermination camps. No show more ethics involved there, but as it makes its way from Germany to the United States through many hands, questions arise. The novel is pure suspense with some bad guys out to claim the treasure no matter what. There seems to be little crisis of conscience there, but other characters who are mostly good, but of course human, struggle as well. I found the question of what is right and what is wrong in found items to be thought-provoking. As always, Walsh keeps his readers a bit off-balance and turning the pages as quickly as possible. With both those assets, Perilous Treasure is perfect for book clubs that like suspense fiction. My husband and I have been making our way through this series via audiobooks. Both of us found excuses to listen as often as we could. For men and women, alike, you cannot go wrong with this book or series.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Dan Walsh has been called the Christian Nicholas Sparks. Although I am not a fan of Sparks, I can see why that comparison has been made. But in my opinion, Walsh is head and shoulders above Sparks, mostly because he writes things that are true according to God’s word. In his latest novel, What Follows After, he has created a story that combines history, suspense and family drama and kept me reading and hoping until the last page. The novel is filled with believable characters, real-life show more situations and a quiet faith message that is also powerful. If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks, put his novel down and go get What Follows After.

October 1962 was remarkable for the event in American history known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. But for the Harrisons of Daytona Beach, Florida it represented an important turning point for their family. Determined to stop lying about his family’s situation and bring about the reconciliation of his parents, Colt convinces his little brother, Timmy, to run away to their aunt and uncle’s home. Colt reasons that his parents will have to face up to their problems and make a change to restore their life. But what seemed like a good plan for an eleven year old, turns out to be a parent’s worse nightmare when 5 year old Timmy is kidnapped. The country is distracted by the face off between America and the Soviets and the FBI is short-handed, so what would normally be a huge news story and police action, becomes a story on page 3 or 4.

Walsh does a good job of characterization in What Follows After. The story begins with now grown and retired, Colt, traveling back to the place Timmy was found. His childhood trauma is still very much with him and he has to deal with emotions long buried. Both grown-up Colt and eleven year old Colt are well-drawn and developed, as are the other characters, especially Colt’s father, Scott. Real emotions, attitudes and reactions are presented. And just because the story is set in 1962, don’t think what the Harrison family goes through isn’t relevant today. There is a lot of emotional and spiritual growth going on. The only negative I had with the story was the conversation Scott has with brother-in-law, Mike. Although I agree with everything Mike says, the presentation seems a bit stilted. However the story, the faith message and the great job of capturing America in the early 60s more than make up for that.

Another good book from an author that has become a favorite.

Recommended.

(Thanks to Revell for my review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Dan Walsh has been a favorite of my book club for years, having read his many novels in which relationships are the focus. My friend Carrie has been urging me to read Walsh’s suspense novels, knowing that is one of my preferred genres. While When Night Comes may be a departure from Walsh’s usual fiction, it captured my imagination from the beginning. Combining his deft storytelling with page-turning action, Walsh has created a book I really loved.

When Night Comes is set in a college town show more in North Georgia. Known for its military history program, it is no wonder that alumnus and darling of the lecture circuit, Jack Turner has returned to be a guest lecturer. But from the first pages the reader knows there is something very sinister going on in this town. Jack really isn’t much of an amateur sleuth, but he falls into a mind-bending situation which just calls for more investigation. The reader is let in on what is going on before Jack gets a handle on the situation, but surprises still abound. My husband read this book too, and found Jack to be a bit of a doofus. I prefer to think of him as a bit naive as to people’s evil motives and machinations. I overlooked Jack’s shortcomings, because I thought the suspense was spot on. However, my favorite thing about When Night Comes is the way Walsh took Jack and the reader right into the action of historical events. The experiences Jack had were masterfully detailed and researched. You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate the scenes that were created.

When Night Comes is the first of the Jack Turner novels, and I have already read book 2, Remembering Dresden. I am looking forward to more adventures with Jack.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

I always try to read a few Christmas-themed novels during the holidays. I have quite a few downloaded on my Kindle, so the choice is sometimes difficult. As I was viewing the titles I had on hand, I found Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh. I had forgotten all about buying this title, so I was excited about this treat by one of my favorite authors. Wow! This one is a great read and one that I will continually recommend.

Rick Denton has a strained relationship with his mother and a show more non-existent one with stepfather, Art. He feels resentment for all the years he missed with his real father and believes they are the cause. When Art collapses in the family bookstore on the day after Thanksgiving, Rick must return to his hometown to help out. Over the course of the holiday season, Rick makes one discovery after another about his family and himself. What at first is a grudging chore for Rick, running the Book Nook during that Christmas season in 1980 becomes a turning point in Rick’s life.

Remembering Christmas is one of the best Christmas-themed books I have read. Ever. This novella-length tale is filled with wonderful characters, the sights and sounds of a time gone by and a great message of forgiveness and grace. It is also pretty predictable, but that is what I wanted! I wanted the book to end how I wanted it to end, and Walsh delivered for me. I laughed and cried and reminisced. If you can read only one Christmas-themed book this year, then make sure it is Remembering Christmas.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: teens and adults.

(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less