According to Their Deeds [Paperback]

Paul Robertson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

Charles Beale lives happily in the shadows of Washington, D.C., as a respectable rare-books dealer. Or mostly respectable. He has a streak of the gambler in him and when a devoted client dies--a man deeply connected to the Justice Department--Beale eagerly regains the man's book collection...and soon finds himself with more than he bid on. In one volume, Beale discovers documents incriminating a host of major political figures--blackmail material that might have led to murder. Weighing questions of justice and mercy--and with a bull's-eye on his back--Beale must untangle a complicated knot of deadly lies and dangerous secrets.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... a suspense-filled, Christian-themed tale in which justice and mercy become something more than abstractions...." --Tim Davis, Bookloons.com

"The dialogue... is without a doubt the most clever I have ever read.... I would highly recommend this book...." --Susan Miura, FaithfulReader.com

From the Back Cover

A Deadly Game of Justice Versus Mercy Charles Beale lives outside the shadow of Washington, D.C. Politics and power matter only when a client crosses the Potomac to visit his Alexandria Rare Books shop. But that all changes when a former client--a man deeply connected in the Justice Department--is found murdered after a break-in gone bad. When Charles reclaims at auction the books he'd once sold, he quickly discovers he's bought more trouble than he could have ever imagined. Inside one volume are secrets. A collection of sins that, if revealed, could destroy reputations, careers--even lives. Charles soon learns he isn't the only who knows. Going to the police means ruining a multitude of lives. But staying silent puts a target on his shop, his wife--and himself. Charles must decide: Should one mistake really cost you everything?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House; Original edition (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764205684
• ISBN-13: 978-0764205682
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,693,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Outstanding Mystery, March 3, 2009

By 

RCmom2 - See all my reviews

This review is from: According to Their Deeds (Paperback)

It is not too gushy to report that this novel is brilliantly written. Paul Robertson evokes marvelous atmosphere and displays great wit in his descriptions of a colorful diversity of people and circumstances. At the same time, he shows much sympathetic understanding of human nature in addition to healthy and unhealthy psyches during the narration of his mystery story. This author also has a way of using delicious metaphors in this book that satisfies one's mental appetite!

This mystery is well-thought out and presented with a surprise twist to the puzzle at the end. The main characters are sculpted dimensionally and painted in logical perspective. Throughout the entire book, there is intriguing and enjoyable analysis of history and philosophy built into conversations between characters, especially two of the main characters during their games of chess, which is a pleasant distraction for the reader as well as being an integral part of the tale. The author manifests a strong comprehension of various arts AND sciences in the writing, which is quite a successful feat in and of itself.

"According to Their Deeds" is highly recommended reading -- your heart and mind will be greatly enriched from the experience. His previous two books are excellent, also!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Non-existent Character Development, June 27, 2009

By 

DoorC - See all my reviews

This review is from: According to Their Deeds (Paperback)

The mystery in the book is OK, and the pacing is not bad, but the language used in the book and the supporting characters is horrid. Besides the main character and a few others integral to the story, most of the characters seemed to have no personality, they all have similar styles of dialogue. I felt like I was reading about a cast of robotic automatons. At one point, I screamed at the book "NO ONE talks like that!" If you care about how people "sound" and like all the characters in a book to have personality and be interesting, I would suggest picking up something else.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Story of Justice vs. Mercy, June 10, 2009

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: According to Their Deeds (Paperback)

Antique book dealer Charles Beale is deeply saddened by the vicious murder of one of his clients, an intriguing and eccentric man connected with the U.S. Justice Department. When Charles purchases at auction a set of books he had previously sold to the deceased, he is shocked to find a box concealed inside one of the tomes. Upon opening the box, he discovers that his client enjoyed acquiring far more than antiques. The hidden box holds a variety of secrets that could ruin the lives and reputations of some high-powered people if he were to expose them. Charles's irrepressible curiosity draws him to pursue his own investigation of the mysterious documents. But as the dirty little secrets become names and faces, he gets enmeshed in a sticky web of lies, deceit, fear and murder.

Charles attends the auction of the late Derek Bastien's antique collection and is mystified by the bidding war for Derek's desk. Rather than the $24,000 the desk is worth, rival bidders bring the sale to $105,000. It is the very desk on which Derek's bloody body was discovered --- the result of a burglary gone bad. After winning his own bid for the books he originally sold to Derek, Charles uncovers the secrets concealed within. On a whim, he begins contacting the powerful politicians whose names appear on various receipts and documents from the hidden box.

When Charles tries to meet with some of Washington's elite, he quickly discovers that Derek's name opens many doors. Each suspects Charles knows something, but isn't sure how much. Charles knows each has engaged in career-ending mistakes in their pasts, but struggles with his role in the entire scenario, which is somehow tied to Derek's murder. Should he be the one to judge others based on the skeletons in their closets?

One clue leads to another, and Charles suspects that the antique desk holds secrets of its own. His suspicions prove correct when a hidden drawer reveals even more damaging documents, including one with his name on it. But by this time, the antique-book-dealer-turned-investigator has uncovered enough to place a target on his own back.

The dialogue in ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS is without a doubt the most clever I have ever read. Dry wit, puns and ingenious references to classic tales pepper a fascinating story of justice vs. mercy. An interesting variety of characters weaves in and out of Charles's investigation, each made distinct by his or her dialogue and quirks. The secondary characters, Charles's three employees, have well-defined personalities and engage in brief but colorful tête-à-têtes with their boss. I especially liked Angelo, who six months earlier robbed Charles at knifepoint and was now on probation under Charles's supervision.

And then there is the sweet-but-not-sugary, sincere and enviable relationship between Charles and his wife, Dorothy. Even without lengthy descriptions, the heart of this relationship is made strong by the author's brilliantly creative use of the English language. From the moment Dorothy is introduced, the reader can see she lovingly holds the key to Charles's heart.

Adding another layer of depth and interest to the book are the flashback conversations between Charles and Derek over games of chess. Discussions of human nature, politics and philosophy provide insight into each man's soul.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a thought-provoking, fascinating whodunit with rich characterization, colorful imagery and creative twists and turns.

--- Reviewed by Susan Miura