Customer Reviews

Indivisible: A Novel

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(62)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Indivisible is a psychological drama with interesting characters and edgy plot. Each of the main characters has a past from which they are trying to break free. Kristen Heitzmann's superb writing handles several different plot lines without confusing or cluttering the story.

This is not a light Christian read, but if you like thrillers, crime or psychological dramas you will be pleased with Indivisible. Reading the short parts of the book about the animal cruelty is difficult, but the book is balanced with a wonderful side plot about a timid semi-wild animal and its bonding with a human.

I highly recommend Indivisible for readers not afraid of the thriller/crime genre. You won't find the coarse language or steamy scenes that usually go along with that genre, but you will find an exciting plot with flawed people, redemption, and forgiveness. The main characters are either people of faith or those just learning what that means.

This was the first book by Kristen Heitzmann I've ever read. But it will not be my last. I love a good mystery novel and this had a little of everything in it. Not only that but the author is a fellow home school mom!!

I got this book and read it in one day. She does such a good job at making you feel a part of the story. From all the characters to the small town. She also keeps you on your toes...I loved how the stories went back and forth. Keeps you..the reader...thinking! I will not say anymore because with a book this good it is hard for me to not give away all the good parts.

I'm going to be looking for more books from this author. Thank you Waterbrook Multnomah for giving me a copy of this book for review.

Three words: Oh. My. Goodness. Where have I been hiding to not have read Kristin Heitzmann's work before? I have heard nothing but highest praises for Kristin's work and was anxious to read one of her books, so when the opportunity arose to review this book, I jumped on the chance! I was NOT disappointed!



Kristin's words drew my mind in immediately. I felt a strong connection with all of the characters. The skill in which Heitzmann writes with is astonishing. The plot, characters, and events transformed into life before me. Amongst the thrilling suspense and romance that Heitzmann uses there is clean Christian values woven in, making this a breathtaking thriller!



I'm not going to say that this was a "light" read.....it's infact the opposite, with emotional twists and edge-of-your seat thrills...but it is an easy read. One that I read in one night. Is this a book that I would recommend with 5 stars? Absolutely! Is this an author I would read books by again? Most definitely! So please....give Kristin Heitzmann's Indivisible a try! It's an adventure you don't want to miss!

I absolutely loved this book. The depth to which the reader is taken into the souls, minds, and relationships of the characters is astounding!! Having read all of Kristen Heitzmann's books, I found this to be the same high quality read as its predecessors. The thread of evil running through the story is just that, a thread; the focus, as always in Kristen Heitzmann books, is on relationships.

I had read previous reviews of this book before purchasing it: some said it was too gruesome, too religious, not religious enough....I wanted to find out for myself, because I like Heitzmann's other books. So, to clarify, there is some gruesomeness in this book, definitely. And perhaps knowing it would be there ahead of time helped me 'skim' those parts. I wouldn't say this book is overly religious by any standard. And yes, the word 'hell' is in the book twice as a curse word. So I can see where those critics are coming from. However, the story is very well-written, interesting, suspenseful, and, it has a good wrap-up at the end. That's something you can usually count on in a Heitzmann novel..I like how she doesn't leave you hanging at the end (at least in the stand-alone books).
I really liked the characters in this book. They were realistic, identifiable, and well-developed. Piper, Sarge, Sue Donelly, the supporting characters to Tia and Jonah, were very much a part of the overall story, and I felt like I knew a lot about them all. Miles,Liz, and Lucy, the more mysterious characters, you find out more at the very end. One reviewer said that Heitzmann was not good at writing suspense, that she just left out big chunks of info that you wouldn't find out for pages later. I think that actually is a characteristic of suspense. We come in on multiple characters' stories right as they all converge, and we piece together the information we are given as the story unfolds. Anyone who hasn't read the whole book probably shouldn't be reviewing it, because they missed the ending, the wrap up, the POINT if you will. Everything in a suspense novel will seem like loose ends flying around, with tidbits that don't fit, and suspicion for this character or that one--if you leave off half-way through you will be unsatisfied and frustrated. My only thoughts against this book are that if you are extremely sensitive to gruesomeness, then either skim those sections like i did, or perhaps this wouldn't be a good read for you. Otherwise, it is intriguing and ultimately does point to Christ as the only solution, in spite of the fact that there are the 2 curse words and non-Christian characters. I see it as a book full of hope to anyone who has ever felt hopeless.

I almost didn't read this book due to some negative reviews here. I'm so glad I read it anyway! This is a novel about dealing with the personal demons that haunt- and every character in this novel has them. The characters are well-drawn, believable, and fascinating. I enjoyed this book very much, and fortunately I was so busy I read it over several days instead of devouring it at once as I would have liked to. That gave me a chance to think about the characters and their struggles over a period of time, giving me a deeper understanding and appreciation for what the author accomplished in this book. As for reviewers who complained it was gory, I disagree wholly; there were a few mentions of some disturbing events but these were not illustrated in a graphic way but instead were portrayed in an emotional way- the way the heart and mind would naturally react if a person were to experience them. The writing was polished, and some excellent, crisp dialogue was sprinkled throughout. All in all it is up to the standards I have come to know and expect from Kristen Heitzmann (and I have read everything she has had published so I know what she is capable of.) Give it a try- I think you'll be pleased you did.

I am going to urge you in the strongest possible terms to buy and read INDIVISIBLE by Kristen Heitzmann. Heitzmann's name might be unfamiliar to you, although she has written two historical series and eight contemporary romantic suspense novels, including the award-winning SECRETS. This current book is a true reflection of the breadth and depth of her talent. Heitzmann's work in general is informed by a Christian spirituality, and INDIVISIBLE is no exception. What she accordingly accomplishes here could be classified as rare and remarkable. Without resorting to graphic language, explicit sex, or violent mayhem, she creates scenes that are softly sensual and tension-filled, wrapped within a character-driven and ultimately uplifting mystery.

The driving theme of INDIVISIBLE is forgiveness, not only of others but of oneself. Jonah Westfall is the second-generation police chief of Redford, Colorado, a small mountain town that is inwardly tranquil but that pulsates with hidden secrets both old and recent. Westfall is a recovering alcoholic who continues to harbor guilt over a past act that keeps him from Tia Manning, the only woman he has ever truly loved, a woman who has erected barriers of her own against Westfall. As is quickly made clear, Westfall is considered by women to be extremely attractive, and they make no secret of it to him. Yet he only has eyes for Manning, who harbors a shame of her own for an act that has ostracized her from her family. Both are slowly drawn back into the world.

For Westfall, his guide is Jay, who aided him in his first painful steps into recovery and beyond. Manning is drawn by the seemingly naïve Piper, a young woman who rents a room from Manning and who befriends her. Piper plays a secondary but nonetheless important role in the lives of several people, including the crusty owner of the bakery where she works and a reclusive germaphobe who frequents the bakery, attracted at first by the pastries and later by the help at the counter. Prayer plays an important part in these characters' lives as well --- more so perhaps for Manning than for Westfall, at least at first --- as they tentatively but gradually reach back for each other. It takes two of Westfall's police investigations, however, to provide a tipping point for Westfall and for Manning.

Someone is leaving animals, mutilated in a grotesque manner, around Rockford. Additionally, a rising drug threat has invaded the city, with repercussions that reach into Redford's police department and Westfall's command. While both crises ultimately place Manning and Westfall in danger, in different ways, they also provide them with the means to reach out to each other, if they have the courage to do so and the faith to place themselves in the hands of a Higher Power.

INDIVISIBLE is a strongly written work with a quirky and believable cast of characters and a plot that, though tightly woven, gives its protagonists room to breathe and grow. In fact, the people you will meet here are so memorable that you will want more of them, a prayer that hopefully will be answered in the near future.

I loved this book. Of course, there have been very few Heitzmann books that I haven't enjoyed! In Indivisible the romantic tension is thick, the mystery is page-turning, and the secondary characters add just the right touch of glaze to the top of what is already a very tasty pastry. A very enjoyable read!

INDIVISIBLE by Kristen Heitzmann is by far her most provocative novel. INDIVISIBLE deals with many facets of the human psyche. Rejection, self-inflicted hatred, phobias, betrayal, love, etc. Tia, the heroine, has sentenced herself to a life of solitude because of consequences in her past. Jonah, the hero, is working on his own demons inflicted on him by his iconic father. Both are trying to overcome their past, but do so on a solo journey refusing to let others in.

The main plot of INDIVISIBLE has Police Chief, Jonah Westfall contemplating the fact that there may be a madman or cultic group in the sleepy town of Redford, Colorado. Finding the mutilated bodies of several animals has his time and energy spent on finding the culprit. But, his feelings for Tia are always there right below the service.

Tia Manning, who has punished herself for years because of her past indiscretion, holds up in a small candle shop doing penance for the deed she cannot erase from her mind. Desiring to be more than a simple shop-keeper, she pursues a degree in psychology, hoping to help others someday, even if she can't help herself.

I had mixed emotions about INDIVISIBLE as a read. I started out with a skeptic attitude because one of my friends and fellow fans of Kristen Heitzmann told me of her disappointment. I agreed at first. The introduction of so many characters, flaws, and job descriptions had me confused. But, the more I got into the book. The more intrigued I became. I guessed early on who the culprit was responsible for the animal mutilations, but that didn't deter me from reading. Unlike other readers who took offense to some of the language in the book, I cheered Kristen on. I have struggled in my own writing with the narrow-mindedness of some Christian readers. When an author writes a well-rounded book, she will include non-Christian characters, or even characters that have fallen away from their Christian roots. In such cases, we as readers should not hold these characters to a Christian discipline of language or actions. When readers write of their disapproval over a few blue words, I have to assume these same readers do not watch suspense shows on TV such as Bones, Criminal Minds, CSI, etc., because if they do, they hear far worse language than Kristen used to make her story and characters realistic. Yes, I know, we expect more from our Christian contemporaries, but again, a realistic story should be allowed these few allowances. In the end, I enjoyed the story. While some people might have thought the end tied up too quickly, without enough explanation of why someone would mutilate animals, I was fine with the ending. I felt Heitzmann did not belittle my intelligence. She did not feel as if she needed everything written out in order for me to understand the evil that lies in the minds of someone transfigured by their own tragedies.

I'm shocked to see several very negative reviews on this book. I'm a very picky reader and got through it in barely over a day--didn't want to put it down. The storyline was terrific and the writing superb. This is a writer to watch. Just because a book is a Christian novel doesn't mean there has to be scripture on every page. There was a good faith thread in the book. I'll be looking for other books by this author!