Title: Out of the Shadow and Across Strange Lines
Author: Richard B. Christie
Publisher: WordHouse Book Publishing
ISBN: 1984564595
Genre: Fiction / Political Thriller
Pages: 158
Reviewed by: Arthur Thares
Hollywood Book Reviews
Out of the Shadows and Across Strange Lines has a little of everything for the reader looking for variety. There is action, suspense, murder, and mystery all wrapped up in this book which could be considered a political thriller. Many elements of this book feel familiar, though this is a 100% original story. The familiarity makes for a comfortable read that is easy to connect with without your brain working overdrive to try to dissect the story as you go.
The story begins with a dead body, but no one is quite sure how it got to where it was found. It quickly unfolds into a suspenseful murder mystery that may involve a politician at one of the highest levels of government. Although this is a work of fiction, it is pretty obvious the author took inspiration from a real-life politician, which some may consider controversial. While there aren’t wild shootouts and bench-clearing brawls, in this story the characters don’t get a lot of downtime as they travel around the world trying to unravel the mystery and save a kidnapped woman in the process. The third act of the book wraps up the story nicely with a slight twist that most readers will enjoy no matter how they feel about the political undertones of the book.
The book is relatively linear without much bouncing around to different characters, which makes it incredibly simple to digest and also makes it a great book to be able to set down and pick up whenever. Mr. Christie has written a down-to-earth book that is clearly a work of fiction but isn’t so outlandish that it couldn’t be true. His understated writing style offers some buoyancy to the darker content of the book, so it never feels as heavy as it could in some chapters. If there is one limitation to this book, it is that there could be more character development, but this is a series and the author has many more opportunities to fill in the backstory. Out of the Shadows and Across Strange Lines is the perfect length for an action mystery, and most readers will consume it in only a few days.
If you are a ravenous reader who is always looking for a new story to enjoy, this is the book for you. Nothing in this story is groundbreaking, but it is a decent story with all the hallmarks a person looks for in this genre. The author has some clear political leanings, but they are within the bounds of opinion and never cross the line into propaganda, which is a little refreshing in this day and age.
Out of the Shadows and Across Strange Lines is a solid story with no hiccups from a new author. The good news is that Richard B. Christie has gone on to create many more books in this series, so if you enjoy this book, you can continue to enjoy the series.