About the Book

Book: Cleansed by Death

Author: Catherine Finger

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Mystery

Release Date: June 2016

Haunted by an evil presence she can’t quite grasp, Police Chief Josie Oliver finds herself drawn into the crosshairs of a vicious serial killer. Fighting for her marriage, faith, and fate, Chief Josie is confronted by an Adversary that only God can conquer–if she decides to let Him in.

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MY REVIEW

This is the book that starts the exciting series that pushes this author to the top as a suspense writer. I have read the other books in the series but it is still nice to read how it all started. Josie is a take charge kind of woman when it comes to her job as Chief of Police. I wish I could say the same for her marriage. It really bothered me that she refused to report her abusive husband and have him arrested. It seems ironic that as a police officer she investigates domestic violence but she won’t stop it in her own home. But we have to dig deep to understand what makes Josie make decisions that go against her oath to protect and serve.

She is very close with an FBI agent named Nick. It is obvious that there is an attraction between the two. At some point Nick will get tired of seeing bruises on Josie and hopefully get Josie to finally leave her husband. At this point I have to say that we are all flawed. We may be Christians but we stumble like everyone else. I’m not justifying Josie’s attraction to Nick, but I want you to remember this woman is in need of someone to love her, make her feel important and protect her. It is easy to judge others when we aren’t in their situation. Her friend Gino is a wonderful character who reminds Josie that God loves her and He is waiting for her with open arms. There is a scene in the book that may be sensitive to some when suicide is thought about by a character. It shows how desperate someone can be and how much they need to find peace that only God can give. He can heal the broken hearted and the unloved and fill them with joy.

Josie has been called in to help in the investigation of a serial killer. The gruesome murders are hard to read and at times I had to take a break from the story. I feel like the author is finding her style in this book and trust me the other books just get better and more intense. I enjoy her writing and love that she keeps readers glued to the story.

The killing spree gets more gripping as the serial killer is out of control. There are questions of who it is and why certain women are being targeted. The author lays out the investigation in subtle hints that at the end will fit together like a puzzle. The ending is Oscar worthy as the police get closer to finding out who the killer is. The author integrates powerful techniques to reveal the person behind the destruction, torture and an reveals an unstable mind. The faith element grows strong at the end and shows a transformation of several characters. I recommend you find a place where you won’t be disturbed and get ready to immerse yourself in a suspenseful story that never lets up till the last page.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

About the Author

Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Recently retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.

Capsized by Death, the fourth novel in her Jo Oliver Thriller series, was released by Elk Lake Publishing in December, 2019. Anchored by Death, the third of her Jo Oliver novels, was a Bronze Medal winner at the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards; a 2018 Selah Awards finalist; and a finalist for the National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second Jo Oliver Thriller, Shattered by Death, was a finalist in the International Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards. Catherine and her novels have been featured on radio stations, blogs, and in numerous articles—all posted at www.CatherineFinger.com.

Catherine loves to interact with her readers at www.CatherineFinger.comFollow her on Facebook at Catherine Finger, Author, and on Twitter at CatherineFinger@BeJoOliver.

More from Catherine

Welcome to our Jo Oliver Thriller series Celebrate Lit Tour!

Cleansed by Death, the first book in the series of four novels, began with an idea to write a book about strong women struggling with life, love, and loss while embedded in traditional male roles. I wanted to show real women dealing with difficult internal and external struggles and create tension for my readers. Playing with the question of whether such challenges make our characters better—or bitter—added depth and twists to my story.

It took a long time to get this story to the point of releasing it into the world. I stopped writing it twice, shelving it for about a year each time. Every summer as I percolated over the story, I read it cover to cover and realized I still loved both the voice and the bones of the story. Adding the faith piece in a way that felt authentic and edgy was the frosting on the cake and it happened as a half vision, half spiritual warfare experience in Jo Oliver’s head and heart. This experience developed her unique brand of conversation with God as she understands Him and added a spiritual dimension to my stories.

My Midwestern roots showed themselves with reckless abandon in this debut—becoming a cornerstone of future installments. As I write this kick-off note to you, I sit in front of my computer facing a wilderness scene that features prominently in this story. Writing in the midst of the corona virus leads me back to some of my favorite places for comfort—the woods and lakes of Wisconsin.

Enjoy the read!