Ghost Heart {a review}

I like when a fiction book opens my eyes to a part of the world I haven’t seen before and leaves me thinking. That’s what “Ghost Heart” by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry did.

“Ghost Heart” takes readers into Tanzania, where some believe albino Africans are cursed and others want their organs. There’s love that develops between a helicopter pilot who thinks he’s helping the world but isn’t sure what he’s gotten involved in and a doctor who starts piecing together the reality. There’s suspense involving some doctors and researchers who are brought together by their own desires. And there’s a God who loves people regardless of color, connects people, and redeems people’s clouded decisions.

The characters – at least the good guys – are likable and the plot keeps the pages turning. Plus, fun fact, one of the characters is named Catherine Taylor, which is my oldest daughter’s name!

About the book

A brutal murder convinces surgeon Mia Kendall there’s more than she imagined to the mysterious spike in heart transplant rejections. Determined to find answers before she loses another patient, Mia gets sucked into a dangerous international medical web. With time running out for her youngest transplant recipient, Mia is forced to partner with a disillusioned ex-military pilot who flies brokered organs across East Africa. But searching for the truth will prove costly for the unlikely duo racing to stop a madman before he annihilates a rare and cursed bloodline.

As a writer myself, I’m particularly interested in some of the self-publishing behind-the-scenes process Lisa shared with me in an email. After Lynne saw an article almost a decade ago about albinos being hunted for the magic in their skin, the authors investigated whether that claim was true. Sadly, it was. The authors used the devastating story as a starting point for a fiction story that has truth – both hard and hopeful – woven throughout.

Both Lisa and Lynne have traditionally published books and throughout the years have gotten good response to “Ghost Heart” from their agents and publishing houses. With the book set overseas and some of the sensitive subject matter, the authors decided to self-publish the book after writing it about a decade ago. I’m not exaggerating when I say this is one of my favorite fiction reads of the year and I’m so glad they decided to share it.

“Evil has a stronghold in our world. But we believe evil can be defeated. We believe simple acts of kindness can reduce animosity and create bridges. Knowledge and understanding pave those roads. It has been said that people who read fiction are far more empathetic than those who don’t,” the authors shared on the book’s website. “This story might not change the world, or even make albinos safer, but if it can influence one person to stop and consider what it would feel like to live in skin of a different color, we believe that is one step closer to how God intended the world to be.”

This 386-page book officially releases today. Learn more about this book at its website.

About the authors

Lisa Harris is a Christy Award finalist for “Blood Ransom” and “Vendetta,” Christy Award winner for “Dangerous Passage,” and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 (“Blood Covenant”) and 2015 (“Vendetta”) from Romantic Times. She has more than thirty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family have spent more than thirteen years working as missionaries in Africa. When she’s not working, she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari.

Lynne Gentry is an actor/director turned fiction author who loves using her crazy imagination to entertain audiences with her books. Her varied works range from the highly-praised time travel series (Carthage Chronicles) to a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy series (Mt. Hope Southern Adventures). When Lynne is not creating enchanting new worlds, she’s laughing with her family or working with her medical therapy dog.

*****

As a member of the book’s influencer team, I received a free electronic copy of “Ghost Heart” in exchange for an honest review.