Fear No Evil

I love old movies. I grew up watching the classics on the local public channel on Saturday afternoons. When my chores were done, Mom and I would watch them in black and white on the little tv in the kitchen. I had a huge crush on Gene Kelly and Bob Hope. I tried to impart this love on to my children, but the older two were never interested in them, although both are fans of Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace. I recently started Mia on the old Disney movies like The Ugly Dachshund, which she initially didn't want to watch but ended up rolling with laughter throughout. Hopefully now that she knows that old color movies can be wonderful she'll realize that black and white ones are even better.

This month TCM is having a Summer under the Stars, where they feature a single classic performer each day and run his/her movies for twenty-four hours. Today is Bob Hope, so I'm enjoying the first six of his Road movies with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. I never understood why Bing always got the girl. Sure Bing could croon, but my heart always belonged to Bob who made me laugh. Tomorrow is Warren Beaty day (which I'll skip), but Tuesday is Kathryn Grayson day, and I'll be back for that!

Fear No Evil by Robin Caroll is the follow-up to Deliver Me from Evil. Lincoln Vailes is recovering from both a gunshot wound that damaged his knee and a broken heart from his best friend Brannon marrying another man. He's left the forest service to work as a police officer in Louisiana in order to heal his wounds and be with his father who is deteriorating from Alzheimer's in a nursing home. When a series of strange murders happen in the small town, Jade Laurent, a social worker who tends to get too involved with her cases, seems to be connected to them all. Lincoln and Jade have to figure out how her past has caught up with her while exploring their feelings for each other. The two have great chemistry in each scene as they fight and then can't stop thinking about each other. I was a bit disappointed in the plot about Jade's past; the ending was broadcast from the very beginning. But there's a strong message of faith and learning to trust in God, no matter how bad things appear, and Jade is a terrific heroine. Hopefully the next book will be back up to the quality of the first.

Thank you to B&H Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Today's pic is Mia doing her version of Dorothy Lamour.