This second novel by Martinusen (Winter Passing) fuses two seemingly unrelated stories—one of a young American woman whose husband has disappeared, the other of members of the WWII Austrian resistance. Ambitious in its scope and narrative complexity, the novel explores several well-developed themes, like fragmentation, treasure hunts and the color blue itself. While such structural care is usually the province of literary fiction, Martinusen crafts a historical novel with popular appeal and a memorable female protagonist. Novels by, for and about Christian women abound, but they all too rarely give us protagonists like Kate Porter, a woman who, despite tragedy, is managing beautifully as a single mom, business owner and amateur sleuth. Also satisfying is Martinusen's treatment of Nazis and the Holocaust; in particular, she resists telling a simplistic story of evil Nazis and saintly resisters and instead focuses on a Kurt Waldheim–like character and others whose histories include both Nazi involvement and commitment to more noble causes. The novel's only weakness is that it does not quite succeed as a thriller. At nearly 400 pages, it can be a bit sluggish, with too many skimmable passages. This doesn't completely destroy suspense, but many plot developments are predictable and would be less so in a tighter, better-paced narrative. Regardless, Martinusen's gift for storytelling and passion for history add much to the world of Christian fiction. (Aug.)
