When a tragic accident claims the lives of his two best friends, awarding-winning journalist Jake Woods must use all his skills to uncover the truth behind the tragedy. Determined to find the reasons for the "accident," he becomes entrenched in a murder investigation that threatens his own life. He also discovers the truth about his own search for meaning in life and finds he must confront his failings and questions.
Randy Alcorn writes of the quintessential spiritual seeker in Deadline. Filled with contemporary, well-developed and honest-to-life characters&emdashboth Christian and non-Christian&emdashDeadline traces the spiritual journey from doubt and honest questioning to faith in Jesus Christ. Jake Woods' struggles and dilemmas parallel the struggles and dilemmas of flesh-and-blood seekers&emdashincluding racial and ethical struggles and marriage and health problems&emdashand his story could be an effective way to get friends and acquaintances thinking about the claims of Christ.
Even so, Deadline doesn't come off as heavy-handed or didactic, and the story is fast-paced and gripping enough to keep even readers without a Christian background turning pages to find out what happens next. If you have friends or family members who enjoy the suspenseful fiction of John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Patricia Cornwell or Ed McBain, try passing them a copy of Deadline. After they read it, be sure to keep in touch and be ready to answer any questions that bubble up to the surface. But give them a chance to catch up on their sleep first&emdashDeadline will definitely contribute to a few late nights of reading instead of sleeping.
(One word of warning, however. At timesDeadlineis very intense, and therefore not recommended for younger readers.)