The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy is contemporary Christian suspense. And yes, it is suspenseful. Even when I figured out what was going on, it didn't detract from the suspense of wondering how it was all going to conclude.

This was an intense story. Great, mature characters and empathetic, immature characters.  And some serious spiritual depth.  I loved the theme of suffering and understanding God's grace. I think every North American church-goer would benefit from reading this book and realizing that we can respond to horrible life injustices — without running, without hitting out in anger — but actually in Christ's strength with love, trusting God's word that the righteous will prevail.

I loved the great images of fog and bread (le pain) that played out in so many ways throughout the novel.

I don't want to go into too much of the plot, but the gist is that Audrey's husband is falsely accused and unjustly forced from his pastorial position. They open a bakery. One morning Audrey's car strikes something — or someone — at a fog-shrouded intersection in front of the bakery. Add in a newly released ex-con (who grew up in the apartment above the bakery), the scooter Audrey has hit and the blood surrounding it belong to the wife of Audrey's husband's biggest dissenter, and that Audrey has the supernatural ability to feel other people's pain, and Moseley has plenty of ingredients for a suspenseful tale. She doesn't disappoint.

Oh, it has pretty writing, too.