Residents of a Southern town are confronted with their religious bigotry in this deeply felt story of justice, regret, and forgiveness.
When Lee Street, a prominent businessman, is found dead on his property the Muslim community was trying to purchase to build a mosque, a Muslim, Ismael Hagarson, is arrested for the murder. Hagarson had been outraged when Street reneged on the real estate deal with no explanation and now seems the most likely suspect.
Local minister Ike Benheart reluctantly comes forward with another explanation for Street's death. Street was deeply troubled by questions about homosexuality, and met with the minister just before his death. Benheart suspects Street's death was not a murder but a tragic suicide. Though Benheart goes to the defense attorney with his suspicions, nothing will dissuade the authorities from prosecuting Hagarson. It is up to Benheart to get to the bottom of Street's death and exonerate Hagarson. His search for the truth extends globally to Bangladesh, locally into the townspeople's deep seated prejudices, and inwardly, as he must come to grips with a dark family secret held for a generation.
A probing, fearless expose` of prideful Southern intolerance reminiscent of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
Named Best Book in the category of historical fiction for 2018 by Pinnacle Book Awards.
You can read a review of the book at Spirituality Today by clicking here or one at Kirkus Reviews here or one at Readers Favorite here.