This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite
Emma Cyrus’ Life Without Shoes: The First Father Ambrose Mystery is a contemporary mystery novel set in Green Butte, Northern California. Father Ambrose is the abbot at the New Life Ecumenical Retreat, a spiritual community which practices meditation to guide its members in all aspects of life. The community sustains itself through farming, selling its products and processed foods locally, and throughout the US via online orders. In late August as the busy harvest begins, the peace and calm of the retreat are shattered when a young woman’s dismembered corpse is found in an orchard. Father Ambrose finds himself helping Sheriff Charlie Cormley in the murder investigation. The unforeseen and bewildering intrusion of the outside world tests Father Ambrose’s inner strength to guide New Life through an extremely harrowing time and to learn and grow from the experience.
I enjoyed reading Life Without Shoes: The First Father Ambrose Mystery because of the way Cyrus brings together Father Ambrose's experiences at the New Life Retreat, his insight into human nature, and his inner spiritual strength to help solve a murder. I also liked the way Cyrus weaves into her story how Ambrose guides the New Life community to work towards calmness, think meditatively, and focus on the harvest. As the investigation proceeds, Ambrose finds himself learning to think and see the outside world in different ways: at times like a cop; at times like a reporter; and at times like a chaplain and counselor. No matter whom Ambrose deals with, he keeps compassion as his guide.
