A gripping debut thriller pits a man of God against terrorists–and his own deadly pastJohn Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God’s calling. He’s not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past.But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf–an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put … follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to do penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again.
Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John’s secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow–even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he’s learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, John’s life may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer. . .
Andrew Huff’s thrilling debut is not only a riveting story of suspense, it’s also a deep exploration of the moral quandaries that face those who choose to follow the Prince of Peace in a violent world.
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If you like nonstop adrenaline pumping action A Cross to Kill is definitely the book for you. John Cross former CIA operative and current pastor takes you on the ride of your life as he rescues Christine, a reporter whose being held captive by terrorists. That’s only the beginning.
John is a complex character who battles between his old life desensitized to the suffering of others, and his new life as a Christian and shepherd to a small congregation. His story is one of the old sinful man’s pull on us, and the new life offered through Christ.
Christine faces the worst possible consequences, and must learn to turn her fear and newfound fame into something of value. As she sees John’s faith at work in him, and the same in the life of one of his congregants, will she make the same choice? Or will she trust in herself?
If you love thrillers and suspense, with threads of faith, forgiveness and redemption, I recommend this book.
I was given a copy of this book by Kregel Publications through Interviews and Reviews. This is my honest review.
I was hooked from the first line, “Millions of people would witness the murder of Christine Lewis, and not one of them could do anything to stop it.”
Scary, I could imagine this scene as it’s been played out in real life. This author does a great job of grabbing readers heartstrings from start to finish, giving them little time to breathe before something else explosive happens. This is a fast-paced action adventure like a 007/mission impossible movie, but with a Christian world view and a wholesome romantic suspense thread. I enjoyed this adventure from beginning to end.
John Cross has become a pastor, with a double life. His congregation doesn’t know exactly what he has done. It soon becomes evident he can’t live in both worlds. He’s got to tell all. The author presents the gospel message as Christine has watched John face his enemy and walk out his faith.
The author kept the reader guessing as to how things would turn out. Readers learn about John Cross, assassin turned preacher. He’s had a divine intervention in the most unlikely place. Although his life has changed, not all his enemies know about this transformation and/or think it’s real. John tries to live out this faith walk as he helps where he can, presenting the gospel to his church congregation, and other characters share the gospel message with John’s friend. There is violence in the story, but it’s not graphic and there is no foul language. There are fantastic chase scenes I could visualize as if I were watching a movie.
This is a page-turning thrill ride you don’t want to miss. This is a great escape and one that would work well for your next book club meeting.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog http://www.bookfun.org
A high-octane, race of a book. Feels like a Jack Ryan/Gabriel Allon kind of thriller with a twist.
In A Cross to Kill, Pastor John Cross leads a small congregation, unaware that his past is about to catch up with him. John is a former CIA operative, an assassin responsible for the deaths of many. Of course, the members of the Rural Grove Baptist Church have no idea their peaceful man of God hides a violent past, one he deeply regrets.
He participates in one last assignment, rescuing Christine Lewis, a journalist held captive by terrorists, moments before her televised execution. However, the past comes back to haunt him in the form of a terrorist out for revenge. Will he be able to keep his vow to never kill again, especially when people he cares about are caught in the crossfire of the terrorist?
Huff pens a gripping novel that will have readers staying up late until they read the final pages. The author paints an intriguing picture of a pastor who is radically different from what people expect, or at least his past is different. A Cross to Kill is an action-packed, suspense-filled novel with scenes taken from today’s headlines. As expected, there is violence, but it is not graphic and is necessary to the story. The faith journey John Cross takes is realistic, as is Christine’s journey. Many find it hard to believe – like John – the God can forgive their past mistakes and feel they must do some type of penance. The relationship between Christine and John is a clean one, and this is more a suspense than a romantic suspense novel.
Carol R. Gehringer
Disclaimer: Book reviews are written for books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, or authors. I voluntarily reviewed this book, and my review represents my honest opinion.
I am so happy to have found this author. This was a fast action, page turning, roller coaster ride of a story. This felt like those spy-type action movies I can’t get enough of. Definitely thriller vibes with car chases and dangerous situations all around. I highly recommend this for older teenage boys (and girls) on up. If you like action packed stories, spiritual thread that reminds us who we are and what is worth standing up for, chases, witty banter, hilariously spot-on church ladies, and national security betrayal then grab this book and hold on.
I received this from the publisher through Interviews and Reviews and this is my honest personal opinion.
Review of A Cross To Kill by Andrew Huff: I may or may not have stayed up way past bedtime, like 2 in the morning reading this, oops? NOT!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there was romance, secrets, danger, a beating which wasn’t great (who wants to see their pastor beaten up?), there were attacks, and more secrets, not a surprise, right? But there was a uniqueness to the story that completely set this apart from most suspense in a good way. I was somewhat surprised that the book mentioned so many different denominations of churches. The writing style could be slightly boring and too descriptive at points, in all it was all right.I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
A Cross to Kill started out with a bang—Christine, reporter in Jordan about to get executed on-camera, is suddenly rescued by a mysterious man that disappears as soon as he ushers Christine to safety. Definitely a hooker scene.
John Cross is an enigma to most people—ex-CIA-turned-preacher. Quite a combination that made me dying to read the book once I read the synopsis. The writing style was hooking, yet there were instances where it almost seemed to pull me away from the story.
For instance, the writing style is quick and lively, describing few details, and yet I was okay with that because of how the story was. But every once in awhile, it was as if a big, descriptive word was thrown into the middle of a sentence just to let the reader know that the story was worth reading.
USING BIG WORDS WHEN IT DOESN’T FIT THE REST OF THE STORY DOESN’T WORK. It doesn’t make the story sound more intelligent or whimsical; on the contrary, it makes it sound like the author is making too big an effort to pull the reader in, when in actuality, it does the opposite.
So. Mini rant over, I really did enjoy the plot and characters:
-John Cross himself. That dude is nuts (I mean . . . being a preacher is his day job but he takes covert missions to rescue people??) but he’s fabulous all the same. Kind of a cross between Walker, Texas Ranger and MacGyver. Except present day. With stun guns.
-Christine was pretty good . . . this might be considered a spoiler, but I appreciated her respect for John’s privacy and his plea to stay out of the media. She wasn’t the ultra-annoying, anything-for-a-story reporter.
-John’s congregation was amazing and I love Lori.
-Guin. Guinnnnn. She was funny, in her own way. *Smirks*
What I wanna know is, whyyyy must they be attracted to each other at first sight?! Dude rescues girl from mortal danger, so she’s probably going to be naturally attracted to him; he saved her from death. BUT. For some reason he just can’t get her out of his mind! Wow! They’ve known each other for a couple of hours, and already he feels overprotective of her, almost ready to blow his cover just so he can talk to her over the phone!
*Coughs* Sorry this wasn’t intended to be a rant review.
But there’s more.
Let’s talk about love triangles, shall we?
Now, I’ll give a disclaimer and say that THE LOVE TRIANGLE WASN’T MAJOR. In fact, it was barely there. BUT. Girl likes guy. Guy likes girl. Other girl likes guy. Girls glare at each other, particularly the one not in the guy’s sights. So that was . . . interesting. But how it all worked out was swell.
OKAY SO THOSE LAST SCENES. The suspense and drama of the entire book allllll built up to those last scenes. And suddenly . . . it’s over?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if only one scene in particular is mentioned in the book’s synopsis, shouldn’t it be at the very least longer than just a few pages? I mean, I was waiting and waiting for this scene because I was excited to see what happened . . . and then it was suddenly over and done with.
So, yes, the book was good, just not quite my thing. 😉
Just sayin’, I’m in no way bashing the author! The book just happened to use several of my pet peeves and that tends to get me on a rant.
*I received a free e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I really enjoyed reading this thriller covert novel. It was the first book by this author for me and it will not be the last. I loved learning about John Cross and his past and present. I also enjoyed reading about Christine. It is a weird combination of a preacher, covert operative and a reporter. I loved the action that was almost nonstop. I received a copy of this book from the Read with Audra program for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I’ll be honest the cover and the title are what drew me in. This design is way cool. I don’t think I’ve ever seen art quite like this.
To my idea, the cover gives you a hint as to what the story would be about if there weren’t a blurb with it.
I think James Bond has met his match through John Cross. Yes, I’m definitely sure.
Cross ( or the good Shepherd)s life never has a dull moment to be sure! Everytime he turned around he was in danger.
I guess I have to admit I am fascinated by what he does and at how God has protected him through each and every dangerous situation he was in. I know I felt my mouth drop open in some of the scenes. Still yet in other scenes the hairs stood up on the back of my neck.
I found myself shouting ” look behind you!” Or ” Don’t do that you’ll get yourself killed!”
Y’all ever do that in a book?
Christine is another one that’s very lucky and a brave gal to boot. I found myself rooting for her along the way too.
I’ve actually seen her situation on tv too. It’s certainly left me thinking about what if I was in her position? How would I act?
Would I turn to God or would I just hope for the best? I’d like to think that I would turn to God in those troubling times.
I think Huff is a very talented writer. His style of writing is new to me and at first I wasn’t sure about this book but I’m glad I finished it.
I’m happy to say that it’s a good read with lots of action filled pages that will keep you on your toes and leave your head spinning so that you’re not sure which way to turn your head!
Hull has wonderful messages in his book too. It’s about forgiveness.
No matter what you’ve done in your past life or even now God forgives if you ask Him.
Everyone has a past that is filled with secrets. All can be wiped clean.
Another scene in this book ( and it had me giggling) was the phone call.
Cross definitely had to be good for this one! Poor lady. She had absolutely noooooo idea what was going on and what made it so funny was I could actually picture it in my mind and the look on his face as she prattles on!!
This was my favorite scene out of the whole book!
I agree with a few people that we could have left some chase scenes out of the book. There was just too many of them. One or two would have been sufficient.
I think what bothers me most is that the book came in full swing ( usually the author will lead you into the action gently. No beating around the bush so to speak)and out full swing. In other words it leaves you wanting for more. It made my jaw drop. I like at least a little warning on how it’s going to end not just cold turkey. I’m left hanging. It’s not a good feeling. First book I ever came across that did that.
But if you like James Bond you’ll love this book. I highly recommend it.
My thanks to Netgalley. NO compensations were received and all opinions are my own
4.5 Stars
Andrew Huff’s debut novel impressed me. A Cross to Kill is an intense, full speed ahead read that starts from the first pages and doesn’t let up.
Several car chase scenes, hand-to-hand combat, and daring escapes that take place in cars, on top of a train, and on a crane had me clutching the pages.
John Cross is a unique character. An ex-CIA officer turned pastor, Cross wants to leave all of his past acts behind him and live a better life. But when his past catches up to him, he can’t sit on his hands and do nothing.
Huff presents some interesting questions in this debut. If not Cross, who else will protect the country from evil? How can one man reconcile the skills God has given him with living a life of faith? When lives are in balance, is turn the other cheek truly the best choice?
While those answers may not come this side of heaven, Huff’s examination is thorough, entertaining, and enjoyable. I am looking forward to what the next installment in this series brings to readers.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
As this book begin, Christine is in the hot seat, ready and waiting to be executed, but John comes to the rescue, a rescue that doesn’t go as planned, but he is still determined to save her. And so the journey begins.
And Wow, what a debut novel for author Andrew Huff. I was on the edge of my seat after the first page, and stayed there until this book ended. Scene after scene there is so much going on here in this book. And the details are amazing. The characters were so well developed from the beginning. With John’s character, being an undercover agent for the CIA, being on the run wasn’t new to him, he knew exactly what to do. For me it was so much fun reading this story. I love suspense, and if this is a genre you enjoy, I highly recommend A Cross to Kill. And the title is very clever as well!
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Fast paced action:
If you like plenty of action scenes with guns blazing then this book is for you. It starts with a hostage rescue attempt and progresses directly to bad guys chasing good guys right till the very end. In fact there are 3 high speed car chases (plus a boat chase & a train top fight) all with fists and bullets flying and improbable stunts. It reminded me of a Jason Bourne movie that is rather ridiculous but enjoyable all the same! However overall there was too much fighting for my taste.
John is on a spiritual journey towards accepting forgiveness and redemption and whilst he still has a way to go, I am hopeful this will be realized over the coming books. Christine is just starting her walk with Christ and I liked how it was an elderly lady and mature Christian who was the one to lead her there.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
This book sounded really good, but no offense intended….the publisher isn’t known for great suspense authors or books. Those come from Nelson, Zondervan, Revell, etc. But it sounded really good….so I requested it to review.
This has to be the best book Kregel ever published. Seriously. Talk about non stop action and an adrenaline rush from reading a book. It starts out with a televised execution being filmed live, and doesn’t slow down until the last page, which is when I finally took a breath.
A likable character is important, and the author came up with a great and very likable character in John Cross. Former assassin for the CIA, and now a pastor of a small country church where he tries to atone for his past. Huff did an excellent job on portraying the struggle of not going back into that life as his past caught up with him and temptations to give into the old killing urges came up in him.
The book is unapologetically Christian, while also being one of the most intense suspense novels I have read for a while. It was full of twists and turns intertwined with Biblical truths.
I have found the Christian fiction market to be extremely geared towards women. Books that are for men, or at least geared more towards men, seem to be a rarity. This book is one of those rarities. Sure, women are going to enjoy it, but this is definitely a book you can buy for the male readers in your life. They will not be disappointed, and may even let you read it after they finish it.
Huff pulled off some great accomplishments with this book:
1) He published a debut novel that should shoot him to the top of a lot of reader’s favorite authors (including me!)
2) He wrote a totally awesome suspense novel that is intense, action filled, and totally Christian, and that will thrill and interest both men and women.
3) And he pulled it off with a publisher not necessarily known for putting out this kind of award winning fiction. (Well, it is guaranteed to win awards.)
Seriously, people….I don’t exaggerate. This is one of the most awesome suspense novels I have read for a long time…. and I have read some great ones. I definitely recommend it, and am looking forward to reading the other two books in this series from this new and very talented author.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
A Cross to Kill
This book was a exciting book. I am looking to reading the next book in the series. It is a great first novel for the author.
The book started out with Christine about to get killed but John Cross has other plans for her. But actually someone else has other plans for John Cross. Will they both survive?
I loved both the characters. But I especially loved Christine, she was so brave.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. This book review is my own opinion.
He’s called back…for one more mission…
OK, so totally new author to me, I see that this is Andrew Huff’s debut novel, but I’ve come to like some of the publisher’s other books so I figured I’d give it a whirl. I’ve found Kregel’s suspense/mystery books to be a bit edgier which can be a good thing. When I read the blurb for A Cross To Kill I was intrigued, I mean, a CIA assassin turned preacher?
So, this book is non-stop action from the prologue to the last page. If this were a movie I’d call it a PG-13 action thriller. Seriously, it has car chases, explosions, fist fights, gun and knife battles, daring stunts involving everything from cars to helicopters to boats to trains, terrorists, kidnapping… Call me sexist, but, I felt that this book really benefited from having been written by a man. It just seemed more believable for its genre.
While A Cross To Kill may be Andrew Huff’s debut I have to say that it didn’t feel like a debut novel at all. The characters were as fleshed out as they can be in this type of story and I found myself sympathizing with John Cross’s struggles to separate himself from the violence of his past. Though, his attempts to atone for his perceived sins, sorry I have a hard time feeling bad for the deaths of terrorists etc., are a bit misplaced. But I think many people can understand the blocks we place in our own minds that keep us from fully accepting God’s grace and forgiveness.
Anyway, A Cross To Kill was a good read, one that I was definitely in the mood for when I started it, and I’m greatly looking forward to finding out what Andrew Huff has in store for John Cross, Christine, and readers in the next book in the series.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
A Cross to Kill
A Shepherd Suspense Novel #1
By Andrew Huff
John Cross has a secret past and he wants to keep it that way, but occasionally the CIA needs his help. But he is determined to not take a life if he can help it. His past as an assassin for the CIA is at odds with his current call – that of a small-town pastor.
When he is again called to rescue Christine Lewis, a news journalist captured by AIM (Alliance of Islamic Military) he has to act fast and keep his shots sure so as to not take a life. But his rescue of Christine soon has her on the scent of a story – the story of her own rescue and the mystery man who saved her just in time.
But when Cross’s past comes looking for him everyone he cares about is in danger. Can he keep his vow of peace when lives are at stake?
A Cross to Kill is the first book in the Shepherd Suspense series and it promises to be a most intriguing series if this book is any indication. And if you are wondering about the “Shepherd” well there are two reasons – the first with Christine’s rescue the code name Cross uses and the second that Cross is a pastor.
This book is Christian Suspense and it definitely falls well within this heading but don’t expect a clean no violence read – it just isn’t excessive like some suspense reads. This book explores the moral compass of a life that has determined to change. But can the sins of the past ever truly be left behind? This is the situation that John Cross finds himself in and it proves to be a most excellent story thread throughout without being in your face and preachy.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.
The book grabs your attention right away. . We have a front row seat to an execution of a news reporter that plays out on TV. Christine sits in a chair surrounded by people who want to send a message to the United Stated. I could feel the terror as she waited to die. At the minutes tick away , her heart starts to pump faster. Can she be saved in time?
John Cross is an experienced undercover agent for the U.S. He is no stranger to danger and he is determined to save Christine’s life. What happens next is a combination of 007 and an edgy undercover operation combined in an explosive rescue that has you on the edge of your seat. John seems to be outnumbered but with his determination and training he may just pull off the save and get them both to freedom.
It was interesting to learn that John is now a pastor and wants nothing to do with his past. He loved his church and the members take to him right away. I liked how the women in the church took him under their wing and made sure he had food since he was a single man. By asking the right questions, Christine is able to find John so she can thank him. That really surprised me that someone would give up his whereabouts to a stranger. What really troubled me was how John shared information with Christine about his previous undercover jobs. To me this seemed a bit unrealistic and I wondered why he was so quick to trust Christine with information that could get him killed.
Danger seems to follow him and his life is put in more danger when he finds out people are looking for Christine. He will risk everything to rescue her. There is a scene that really sent shivers down my spine. John is at church kneeling on the stage. I had this image of God surrounding him as John falls into His arms. All the things that John has done in the CIA comes to the surface and now his life is minutes away from ending. The twist are endless and it is hard to decide who to trust at times.
This is a good start to a promising series. The lesson on forgiveness is endless in this story and reminds us that God does forgive us and is there waiting for us to come home.
I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications. The review is my own opinion.
A Cross to Kill is a great start to Andrew Huff’s series, Shepherd Suspense. I have not read anything by this author before and it will not be the last. I found the writing to be refreshingly unique. The story is full of non stop action and adventure. The twists and turns to the suspense kept me reading on. There are, also, some scenes that made me giggle.
I am giving A Cross to Kill four and a half stars. I look forward to the next installment from Shepherd Suspense series.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.