No Greater Love
by Kinzie Monroe.- Paperback: 216 pages
- Publisher: CreateSpace (July 8, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1453696954
- ISBN-13: 978-1453696958
Genre: Inspirational
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0
Product Description
What would you do for $300 million dollars? Would you commit murder, even as an act of mercy? That’s what Leah Dalton is asking of five of her closest friends. The co-founder and CEO of Dalton Software Inc., has spent the last six months searching desperately for a cure to the cancer that is eating away at her brain. Finally, realizing she is fighting a losing battle, she devises a plan that will give her back some control of her life. Deciding if she’s going to die, she is going to be the one who chooses how and when.
Inviting five of her closest friends and a local attorney to her estate to spend a week, she shares the news of her impending death and asks for their help. Afraid of the painful death she knows is just around the corner, she offers them the chance of a lifetime. She wants one of them to kill her. She doesn’t care how as long as it’s painless and appears to be accidental or natural. In return for their good deed, the person will receive $300 million dollars.
Will one of her friends take her up on the offer? What would you do?
Review: This is a truly lovely inspirational story. I was surprised how many issues the author covers. I thought the plot was pretty unique and woven into the relationships of the characters the story addresses several fundamental Christian principles in a pretty outright fashion. Although the messages are direct, they are presented through the lives of the characters rather than in a preachy fashion.
Leah tries to hire attorney Kirby Shelton to help her decide which proposed “killing plan” to accept. Leah did her homework and chose Kirby because Leah knows that Kirby spent many years taking care of her father as she watched him suffer a long, losing battle with cancer. Leah thinks that she can convince Kirby to help her but she isn't sure of the extent of Kirby’s convictions. Kirby is a believing Christian who feels great compassion for Leah and her friends. But can she be tempted to accept $75,000.00 to help Leah in this immoral and illegal scheme?
Kirby shows up at Leah’s mansion to meet the friends who are involved. Each one is a person whose life was changed by Leah’s generosity and support. Jason, Leah’s ex-boyfriend and recovering alcoholic, is an extremely successful architect who started his own company with Leah’s help. Annie is Leah’s best friend from college who started the software business with Leah although she sold out her interest and recently suffered a large business failure. Cliff is a handsome, gay, actor who has been helped by Leah and would love to have his own studio. Jessica is a single mom who escaped an abusive husband with Leah’s help and ultimately became an RN. Cassie, was Leah’s previous assistant. There is also the current assistant, the indomitable Tess.
The five friends are shocked to learn about Leah’s illness and they have various reactions to her request that they each propose a plan to kill her. It isn’t clear initially which of the five might be willing to participate in the scheme. Some could use the money but others are Christians who are committed to helping Leah through her illness but not likely to help kill her. Although Jason and Leah still care for each other they are no longer a couple. Kirby and Jason slowly are drawn to each other which adds a romance element as well as some extra emotional conflict.
There is a side story of a criminal defense that Kirby is handling that I found interesting. Also there are descriptions of flying, as Jason is a pilot, and of Kirby's favorite hobby - parachuting.
The primary message in the book is salvation and how believing friends want their non-believing friends to accept Christ as their savior. Leah’s friends, Kirby, Jessica and Cassie, are especially concerned about Leah's faith before she faces death. There is also a message of the peace that comes with acceptance. Additionally there are messages of forgiveness, trust and reliance and examples of God’s miraculous works in the daily lives and interactions of people.
The characters are nicely developed, the story plot flows easily and the writing is clean and direct. The story touched my heart with sorrow and joy. I think any reader, believer or not, would enjoy the challenging questions in the plot scenario, the warmth of the friendships and the messages of faith.
