Patrick Bowers series
by Steven James
While listed as "Christian Fiction", the crime drama series of novels, The Patrick Bowers Series, are nothing like any other Christian fiction I've read. There is mention of "spiritual" things and God, but it's mostly people's search for Him and their dealings with being human in a fallen world. The stories center around FBI Agent Patrick Bowers and his dealings with solving heinous crimes while figuring out how to be the best human he can in his dealings with himself and those around him - particularly his 17-year-old stepdaughter. Although there is no foul language explicitly stated there are times when characters curse and do other things humans do. And some Christian readers may not like some of the slang terminology used by some of the characters. There is physical attraction in Patrick's life, however, no explicit sexuality is focused on in the stories. The hardest part of reading the stories is the graphic violence. Many of the crimes are described in gritty detail. The stories move along well and keep the reader interested with plenty of guesswork in figuring out "who dun'it". Though any of the stories can be read on their own, it's much easier to follow the bigger story line by reading the whole series. This series is a hit for readers who get tired of formulaic Christian fiction.
© Stacey Kouba, 2012