A Shred of Truth (Aramis Black Mystery Series #2) [Paperback]

Eric Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2007

In The Best of Evil, Aramis Black uncovered family secrets and historical conspiracies, hoping that his own dark past had come to certain resolution. But now, in the dark of night, he finds his brother unconscious and tied to a statue in Nashville’s Music Row …with the initials AX carved into his back.

A shadow from his former life has reappeared, casting threats of violence and retribution. And soon the attacker is swinging his blade of self-righteous judgment directly at Aramis, calling upon him to “face his sins.” Can Aramis finally break free from the guilt of his old ways… or will he succumb to the vengeance of an arrogant sociopath?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for A Shred of Truth

“Mesmerizing! In A Shred of Truth, Eric Wilson delivers a twisting tale of suspense, sorrow, and repentance that will grab you from the start and keep your mind occupied well past the turning of the last page. Aramis Black never looked so good. Warning: Reading this book may be hazardous to your sleep cycle!”
–Sharon Carter Rogers, critically-acclaimed author of Sinner and Two Graces


“Eric Wilson can flat-out write!”
–Creston Mapes, author of Nobody


“A Shred of Truth serves up another cup of addictive suspense from author Eric Wilson.  The adventures of Aramis Black read like successive shots of adrenaline, offering readers fresh takes in Christian suspense.”
–Sibella Giorello, author of The Stones Cry Out


“Eric Wilson possesses a profound power of prose and dialogue that kept me riveted to the last, remarkable page. A great work from one of our most extraordinary writers of suspense.”
–James Byron Huggins, author of A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan


“Wilson has done it again! A Shred of Truth is a highly textured, superbly crafted story that will resonate with readers long after the last page has been turned.”
–Brandt Dodson, author of Original Sin, Seventy Times Seven and The Root of All Evil


“Eric Wilson continues to amaze me with every novel. A Shred of Truth grabs you at the first page and never lets go. From a hero who is flawed yet admirable to the demented evil out to destroy him, Wilson has given us his best work yet.”
–Brian Reaves, author of Stolen Lives


“Now that I’ve had my second cup of coffee with my favorite bad-boy turned java-shop host, I’m hooked on Aramis Black. A Shred of Truth gives us a heaping spoonful of terrific writing, a double-dollop of historical intrigue, and a custom blend of danger, mystery, and family drama. Is there any question that Eric Wilson is one of the best suspense writers around? Not by me–I’m ordering another cup!”
–Kathryn Mackel, author of Vanished
 

About the Author

Eric Wilson is the author of Dark to Mortal Eyes, Expiration Date, and the first book in the Aramis Black series, The Best of Evil. He lives with his wife, Carolyn Rose, and their two daughters in Nashville, Tennessee.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press (July 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578569125
• ISBN-13: 978-1578569120
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,343,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've written twelve novels:

1. Two Seconds Late (Feb. '12)
2. One Step Away
3. Valley of Bones
4. Haunt of Jackals
5. Field of Blood
6. Fireproof
7. Facing the Giants
8. Flywheel
9. A Shred of Truth
10. The Best of Evil
11. Expiration Date
12. Dark to Mortal Eyes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Most Excellent Read, July 17, 2007

By 

Steve Taylor (Only visiting this planet) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Shred of Truth (Aramis Black Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)

Here's a great sequel to "The Best of Evil." Top notch mystery with creative characters and a good solid plot. Although I really liked "The Best of Evil" I found "A Shred of Truth" to be a great improvement in character development with a storyline that was much more complex and engrossing. There were so many suspect that it had you changing your mind throughout the book on who you thought the bad guy was. Finally towards the end someone said something a tad bit out of character and I knew I pegged the perpetrator.
Usually I find the filler parts of books that give you a break from the main plot (such as romance, buying a new puppy or back-flashes that take you to the first time you broke a bone) just to be a waste of time however the filler in "A Shred of Truth" was very engaging, thought provoking and worked well in adding to the story's biblical perspective.
Do yourself a favor and get this book but you'll have to read "The Best of Evil" first. This is not a stand-alone novel.

1 Star = I've been robbed!
2 Stars = Why'd I finish it?
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than A Shred, July 26, 2007

By 

Todd Michael Greene "aspiring novelist" (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Shred of Truth (Aramis Black Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)

We first met Aramis Black in The Best of Evil (An Aramis Black Mystery). We learned of his dark past, his tattooed forearms a constant reminder. Live By The Sword, Die By The Sword. After experiencing divine intervention at gunpoint, Aramis turned his life over to God. He moves far away from his former life and now reads the Bible, prays, runs a coffee shop--a tribute to his late mother.

And his past came back to haunt him.

As book two, A Shred of Truth, unfolds, Aramis learns there's more past to outrun. He finds his brother strapped to a statue and bloodied by the markings AX sliced into the man's back. Thus begins the continuing saga of Aramis Black. And the constant struggle to separate truth from lies, darkness from light, sin from righteousness.

Having read each of Eric's novels I can honestly say this is his best to date. With each novel I've witnessed the growth of one of today's cutting edge novelists. One who's not afraid to confront the hard issues in life and who won't give in to the easy answers. His prose has never been tighter, more laced with emotion that the reader feels within themselves as they read. His weaving in of history never takes you out of the present immediate danger Aramis is in. And with all that goes wrong, a sliver of hope shines through along the way.

I've come to really like this cast of characters. If by chance you haven't read The Best of Evil (An Aramis Black Mystery) (shame on you), have no worries. Though part of a series, this novel stands on its own as Eric guides us through the events mingling in tidbits of the past as needed and never slowing us down.

I hope to see more of Aramis Black in future novels. For now, we have the upcoming Facing the Giants: novelization by Eric Wilson and a new series beginning next year unlike anything you've seen before. I, for one, can't wait. I'll save you a space in line at the bookstore.

REVIEWER'S NOTE: This review corrects several typos from a previous review I wrote for ASOT titled "Strong Coffee".

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Shred of Truth deserves far more than a five star rating, July 18, 2007

By 

Susan Sleeman "Host of The Christian Suspense... - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Shred of Truth (Aramis Black Mystery Series #2) (Paperback)

In A Shred of Truth, we once again find Aramis Black at home in his Nashville coffee shop with his brother Johnny Ray fast climbing the ladder to country music fame. The mystery takes off from the first chapter when Johnny Ray is abducted and the initials AX are slashed into his back.

Aramis wants to protect his brother. Wants to discover the identity of the sicko cutter. Wants to settle into the comfort of his motto, Live by the sword, die by the sword, that brought him through his tumultuous past before he gave his life to God. But now, the motto only serves to complicate matters. Does he revert to the security of his motto and seek vengeance or does he follow the faith that tells him to lay back and let Detective Meade handle the investigation?

Aramis struggles admirably with the decision, but when the threats become personal the motto wins out and he is thrust into a hunt that has all the elements of a keep-you-reading-when-you-should-be-sleeping mystery. If Wilson's fast pacing and superb prose don't firmly affix the book in your hands until the last page, his revelation of a mid-book surprise guarantees you'll read until the satisfying ending.

When I finished Eric Wilson's last novel, The Best of Evil, I thought it would be difficult for Wilson to top that book. As I said in my review of The Best of Evil, Wilson's prose was outstanding, his characters deep, his pace fast moving but full of life's meaning that connects us with the characters, and his dialogue genuine. The same is true of A Shred of Truth, but Wilson has provided an even more compelling mystery in this one.

And, as in his last book, Aramis Black's struggle with his faith, with doing the right thing staring him in the face and failing to do it, rings true to the reader. Through his balance of credible dialogue and internal exposition, Wilson reveals Aramis' strife and helps the reader recognize and better understand the battle with the same force in their own life.

Be sure to buy A Shred of Truth, but before you do, I'd like to encourage you to read The Best of Evil. Though A Shred of Truth is written as a stand alone and you don't need to read book one to enjoy and understand book 2, once you read A Shred of Truth you will be compelled to go out and buy The Best of Evil. So why not maximize your experience and read the books in the order they were written? Either way, Eric Wilson has crafted a pair of books that belong on every discerning reader's must read list.