Zachary Bartels
Author of Playing Saint
Works by Zachary Bartels
Tagged
Common Knowledge
There is no Common Knowledge data for this author yet. You can help.
Members
Reviews
The Last Con by Zachary Bartels
Zachary Bartels has quickly become one of my favorite Christian fiction writers. The Last Con is not what I expected. Exciting,
This was a different take on the Ahab - Elijah story. Enjoyable.
The Last Con is the first book I have read by Zachary Bartels. From what I experienced, I will definitely be reading his others. This novel is filled with mystery and suspense and enough bad guys to keep the reader guessing. With historic details that made me hit Google, a fast-paced and twisting plot and characters that I immediately connected with, this novel is a recommended read from me.
Fletcher, an ex-con and grifter, has been out of jail for just a short time. His family is still adjusting from the shock of his arrest and incarceration as well as their change in finances and home. Trust is a big issue, but Fletcher, his wife Meg and daughter Ivy are really trying to make their new normal work. But . . . with the addition of a concerned neighbor/landlord and temptations from his former life, Fletcher must decide just what is important and true.
I really liked Fletcher, the grifter who can’t decide if he grifted himself when it comes to his faith in Christ. Even before he gets involved with another con, Fletcher struggles with walking in faith without the rules of prison. A life in Christ is about freedom — from sin, from guilt, but also the freedom to make choices. Although most readers don’t struggle with returning to a life of crime😉, they will identify with the struggle of discerning God’s will and following it. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:19 — For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. That’s Fletcher’s struggle as it is my own. Godly sorrow vs. worldly sorrow is also examined. The Last Con is also a great suspense novel — lots of shady and sinister actors, tense scenes involving breaking and entering, and a really good game of cat and mouse. You’ll never see the ending coming either. There is also a historical feature, including ancient Knights, kings, queens, and lost treasure, that intersects with the modern day story. There is enough truth in the story that it will make you wonder what if.
The Last Con is a safe bet for those who love suspense. You can’t lose with this one!
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (more)
Fletcher, an ex-con and grifter, has been out of jail for just a short time. His family is still adjusting from the shock of his arrest and incarceration as well as their change in finances and home. Trust is a big issue, but Fletcher, his wife Meg and daughter Ivy are really trying to make their new normal work. But . . . with the addition of a concerned neighbor/landlord and temptations from his former life, Fletcher must decide just what is important and true.
I really liked Fletcher, the grifter who can’t decide if he grifted himself when it comes to his faith in Christ. Even before he gets involved with another con, Fletcher struggles with walking in faith without the rules of prison. A life in Christ is about freedom — from sin, from guilt, but also the freedom to make choices. Although most readers don’t struggle with returning to a life of crime😉, they will identify with the struggle of discerning God’s will and following it. Paul puts it this way in Romans 7:19 — For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do–this I keep on doing. That’s Fletcher’s struggle as it is my own. Godly sorrow vs. worldly sorrow is also examined. The Last Con is also a great suspense novel — lots of shady and sinister actors, tense scenes involving breaking and entering, and a really good game of cat and mouse. You’ll never see the ending coming either. There is also a historical feature, including ancient Knights, kings, queens, and lost treasure, that intersects with the modern day story. There is enough truth in the story that it will make you wonder what if.
The Last Con is a safe bet for those who love suspense. You can’t lose with this one!
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (more)
Statistics
- Works
- 4
- Members
- 69
- Popularity
- #250,752
- Rating
- 4.3
- Reviews
- 6
- ISBNs
- 14