Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels

Wallace applies the skills he gained as a cold-case homicide detective to examine the validity of the Gospels in this book, that charts his progression from atheist to believer. Wallace alternates between musings about Christianity and anecdotes from his career as a detective, drawing parallels between his beliefs and experiences. He begins by describing the techniques he’ll use to validate the Gospels. Wallace explains, for instance, how to verify the reliability of witnesses and get comfortable with one’s conclusions. The book’s second section finds him applying these methods and investigating Christianity as a cold case. Reader Bill DeWees gives a friendly, accessible performance. His reading evokes listeners’ interest without ever becoming being overly forceful—and this is a good balance to strike when trying to make a persuasive case. However, when DeWees describes some of Wallace’s homicide investigations—e.g., a victim lying partially naked on her bed, strangled—his breezy tone feels inappropriate. A David C. Cook paperback. (Feb.)