Possession by Rene Gutteridge

Reviewed by Dale Lewis

"...will definitely grip the reader soul as they navigate the spins, twists and turns of this inspirational thriller."

Better known for her quirky characters and off-the-wall storylines set in quaint towns, Rene has penned a solid suspense novel. Don’t expect to find any extras of her trademark lighthearted humor in the pages of Possession.
Detective Vance Graegan feverishly worked the D.C. sniper case until it was solved. Yet, the visual images haunt him alone taking a toll on his life and marriage. His wife Lindy dreams of opening her own deli. They head to California where they can put the stress of police work and the lingering baggage behind them.

Within a day of Lindy finding a rental home near a potential place for the deli, the movers arrive with all of their belongings along with an unrealistic demand for money before they will release Graegan’s possessions. The situation quickly moves from bad to worse. The fight to hold onto each other becomes an uphill and discouraging battle.

Although there isn’t any character in an active relationship with Christ in Possession, Connor, the Graegans' son, prays all the time. He has learned the how-to’s on TV one day while watching a televangelist. His parents thinks it’s cute but don’t give much credence to religion in general until Connor’s childlike faith brings them to their knees.

Secrets held deep within begin to threaten the idyllic new environment and the hopes for a healed marriage. Within the pages of Possession, Gutteridge tackles the very real and fear-driven world of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She has captured the extremely stressful work of a homicide detective and how it affects law enforcement personnel as well as the ones they love dearly.

The messiness of life, looking for hope, and being without faith in desperate times and unexpected redemption are all themes in her second novel exploring threatening issues in our lives. You’ll empathize with many of the varied characters . . . maybe even the antagonist.

I am a fan of Rene’s stories but in this case, I felt the anticipated conclusion was drawn out far too long. A few times I caught myself whispering “Let’s finish it already!”
Possession will definitely grip the reader soul as they navigate the spins, twists and turns of this inspirational thriller. She has masterfully handled the suspense genre!

Dale Lewis now mans the front desk at the EFCA (The Evangelical Free Church of America) National Office in Minneapolis, MN. He was the graphic designer/pre-press production artist for over twelve years before being asked to step into this new role. Prior to that, he was the publications manager at his alma mater, Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN in the public relations office as well as the adviser to the college’s yearbook. He's a director/actor/writer for the Hope Church (Oakdale, MN) adult drama worship team and was the senior editor of the church newsletter. He's also written two collections of poetry, “Whispers of Assurance” and “On Life: Constant Communion Without Ceasing” as well as a devotional entitled “Eternal Education.” He and his family live in Oakdale, Minnesota.