Someone to Blame: A Novel [Paperback]

C. S. Lakin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

In the wake of heartrending family tragedies, Matt and Irene Moore move with their fourteen-year-old daughter, Casey, to a small town. Their goal is to get far away from the daily reminders that leave each of them raw and guilt-ridden. Their hope is to find redemption, repair, and renewal. Instead, the threads that hold them together unravel even more. Breakers, a small community perched on the rocky coast of the Pacific Northwest, is draped with cold isolation that seems to mirror the hearts. As they settle into their new life, old grief settles with them. Matt is always on edge and easily angered, Irene is sad and pensive, and Casey is confused and defiant. They've once more set the stage for calamity. Into this mix comes Billy Thurber, a young drifter with his own conflicts, whose life unexpectedly entangles with the Moores'. His arrival in Breakers parallels a rash of hateful and senseless crimes, and soon the whole town -- eager for someone to blame -- goes after Thurber with murderous intent. Out of this dangerous chaos, however, the Moores find unexpected grace and healing in a most unlikely way. Author C. S. Lakin explores our need to assign reason and fix blame for the pain and grief in our lives. Though the circumstances are fictional, the emotions are real and universal, making Someone to Blame a great and inspiring read.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'As convicting as it is moving ... readers will enjoy this rising new talent.' ---Terri Blackstock, author of Intervention and Predator -- Terri Blackstock <br><br>

About the Author

C. S. Lakin currently works as a freelance copyeditor and writing mentor, specializing in helping authors prepare their books for publication. The first book in her Gates of Heaven fantasy series with AMG, The Wolf of Tebron, released August 2010, with numerous books to follow. She is currently completing her tenth novel and developing a dog memoir of epic proportion. Lakin welcomes your comments at www.SomeoneToBlame.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310327393
• ISBN-13: 978-0310327394
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,345,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

C. S. Lakin is an award-winning novelist, writing instructor, and professional copyeditor who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first five books in her seven-book fantasy series, The Gates of Heaven, are out in print and ebook, allegorical fairy tales drawing from classic tales we all read in our childhood.

Lakin's relational drama/mystery, Someone to Blame, won the 2009 Zondervan First Novel award, released October 2010. She just completed writing a modern-day take on the biblical story of Jacob called Intended for Harm and the sixth book in her fantasy series: The Sands of Ethryn. Also available (ebook and print)are two mystery/psychological dramas: Innocent Little Crimes (top 100 in the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest)and Conundrum. For lovers of Christian fiction, don't miss A Thin Film of Lies, a Fran Anders crime novel. And sci-fi enthusiasts will love Time Sniffers: a wild young adult romance that will entangle you in time!

Lakin has two websites for writers: www.livewritethrive.com with deep writing instruction and posts on industry trends. Her site www.CritiqueMyMaunscript.com features her critique services. She teaches workshops and critiques at writing conferences and workshops around the country.
Follow her on Twitter: @cslakin and @livewritethrive and like her Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/C.S.Lakin.Author

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars C.S. Lakin is now one of my favorite authors!!! January 6, 2011

By Suspense Lover

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just don't understand the 2 star review I just read about this book. I absolutely love C.S. Lakin's writing style. I went to the trouble of tracking her down to send her an email to tell her that as a matter of fact. This says a lot considering the fact that I'm a very busy person. The lady can write! I'll be watching for her next release.

C.S. tackled some tough topics in this book, topics that unfortunately are part of human nature, such as how some individuals are always looking for someone to blame when things don't go their way. C.S. takes the reader to the edge in a suspenseful twist, showing us what can happen when things go too far.

Characters were very believable and three dimensional. I enjoyed the teenage girl, Casey, in the book because she seemed so real, not easy to pull off by an adult writer. My heart went out to Casey and struggled with her as she faced loss and attempted to find her place in the world. I honestly liked and identified with every character in the book because they were believable and well-rounded.

If you like suspenseful books that tackle mild psychological concepts, this one's for you...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy purchase April 30, 2011

By Katherine Jones

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Always on the lookout for outstanding Christian novels, I was intrigued when I found Someone to Blame, a work of contemporary fiction by fantasy novelist C.S. Lakin. Its title and back cover synopsis were enough to draw me in...

Following the crushing losses of both their teenage sons, Matt and Irene Moore move with their daughter, 14-year-old Casey, to a small coastal Northwest town. In doing so, they hope to leave behind plaguing, guilt-ridden memories. Instead, trouble seems to follow them - trouble, most specifically, in the form of a young man named Billy Thurber, a drifter with a questionable past. His behavior provokes suspicion and anger from all those he meets - with one notable exception. Casey, hurting and impressionable, falls instantly under his spell. But her infatuation is no protection against the town's rising resentment, tilting toward murderous intent.

From first page to last, Someone to Blame shines. It contains neither sugar-coating nor preaching - only real-life drama lived out by ordinary characters made extraordinary by circumstance. Lakin introduces high conflict in the opening chapters and sustains page-turning tension without ever becoming melodramatic. Her complex interweaving of plotlines builds toward a satisfying conclusion, and though she has more POV characters than I've seen in a long time, each is credible, not cardboard. Best of all, the spiritual takeaway doesn't knock you over the head; instead, it blooms naturally from the story.

I liked this story so much, in fact, that after reading a borrowed copy from the library, I ordered my own from Amazon - which is where I learned that for this stand-alone, Lakin won the Zondervan First Novel contest at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. It's a well-deserved distinction. I found Someone to Blame one of the most compelling works of Christian fiction in recent memory - worthy of belonging in anyone's personal library.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Well Constructed and Smart Story January 26, 2011

By Kevin Currie-Knight TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

First, a confession: I am not religious and have never read religious fiction before. I was offered to review this book and the presentation did not give indication that the book was religious fiction. So, I was skeptical: would I be able to get into the story? Would the book read as well as "secular" fiction?

Yes and yes. C.S. Lakin's Someone to Blame proved to be a very heartwarming and engrossing story. Primarily, it is a character study about a family - Irene and Matt Moore and their daughter Casey - who move to the small town of Breaker, CA in order to rebuild their lives after tragically losing two sons. What they find in this new town, though, is that the town has secrets and is full of as much anger and sadness as the Moore's are. Will this new town help them come to terms with the Moore's loss? Or will events in town prove too much for the Moore family to take?

First of all, the characters and the town itself are very easy to relate to. Lakin does a great job creating characters who have depth and a scenery that is vivid. The plot is a little slow in the beginning and first half (where we are primarily getting to know more and more about the characters in the town) , but picks up in the second half quite a bit.

If there is one negative about this book, it is that the plot is quite predictable from about the 3/4 point on. While the story is nonetheless intriguing enough that I didn't lose interest, I tended to know what would happen well before it actually happened. The book's pull is not due to any unpredictability in plot, but to the strength of the characters and Lakin's ability to let us in their heads.

All in all, this is a very heartwarming story about a family's ability to get through tragedy by relying on each other and their inner strength, and how people can lose their way but make it back. I strongly recommend it...even to those who aren't readers of religious fiction.