If you are looking for a fresh suspense/thriller, you should look no further than “The Killing of Faith” by William Holms. This book will take you on a thrilling journey of the rise and fall of a woman. Purchase Here.
It all starts and ends with Faith. The story, narrated in the first person by Faith herself, opens to a very grim but vague present setting. A setting that is periodically revisited throughout the chapters and which is in stark contrast to the past. She takes us back to her childhood and patiently goes through the main events of her life: engagement, marriage, motherhood.
Faith is the kind of beautiful girl that is well aware of her good looks and does not hold back from using this to her advantage. She finds little interest in school, instead, she prefers hanging out with her friends, shopping, and boys. One boy in particular. So, she enters into a tumultuous relationship that eventually leads her to drop out of school and move out from her parents’ place to a different city. Faith leaves everything for a man and a fresh start. But she doesn’t get either. Her dreams crumble and so does she. At least until another man walks into her life and she rebuilds herself through him. This becomes a pattern that repeats with some minor variation. Faith seems to have an innate drive to seek out completion in somebody else and this drives her to the edge of life.
The brilliant thing about the book is its growing suspense. And this suspense is a testament to the skills of William Holms. It all starts with the title, “The Killing of Faith”. So, naturally, the reader expects Faith to be killed at some point. But there are so many questions that arise: why? How? By whom? And as the pages of the book seem to run out and Faith is still very much alive, one starts to wonder if it will still actually happen or was it all just a ruse. This tense anticipation is the main driving force that keeps you flipping page after page.
This is not one of those books that get you hooked by a nurtured love for the main character, quite the contrary… yet the author manages to elicit feelings of sympathy and compassion for Faith as she is met with hardships. Also, her childish naiveté remains an endearing quality. The character carefully balances on the verge of a charicaturistic depiction of women and this is one of the elements that awaken such strong feelings of ambivalence toward her.
“The Killing of Faith” is a captivating read, but it is not a book for all ages, as there are some explicit scenes and vulgar language. What is more, the sequel is already in preparation by William Holmes.
divorced mother of three children finds herself accused of a crime she didn’t commit in this debut thriller.
Faith is still a teenager when she leaves her Georgia home and follows her older boyfriend to Austin, Texas. That romance doesn’t last, leaving Faith in a difficult situation: “I’m almost nineteen years old and I have nothing. I have a low paying job, no car, and an apartment I can’t afford.” Then she meets lawyer Ryan Brunick. The two marry and start a family. But sadly, they aren’t happy for long, with the subject of having more kids causing the most strife. Following a bitter divorce, Faith continues her cheerless existence until she meets a handsome businessman who’s CEO of his own company. They fall for each another, and Faith is the happiest she’s been in a long while. But everything changes when the couple take a “dream vacation” in Thailand. Authorities arrest her for a serious crime, despite her pleas of innocence, and threaten her with a severe punishment. Awaiting trial, Faith finds prison life harsh; she has trouble communicating, as few speak her language, and she can’t reach anyone, including her family, for help. When an unexpected person finally comes to her aid, she’s hopeful. But Faith’s trial brims with frustrating and surprising turns, signaling that freedom may be unattainable. Generally unlikable characters populate Holms’ tale. For example, none of Faith’s relationships end without lingering animosity. Even Faith, who narrates, implies she wants a third child with Ryan as a reason to continue staying home. As such, it’s hard to sympathize with anyone. Still, the smooth narrative meticulously follows Faith from her teens into her 30s. The author’s writing is at its strongest in describing the Thai prison. In one scene, Faith, despite her hunger, must force herself to eat the revolting prison food. While characters throughout are manipulative and deceitful, the gripping story effectively shows how damaging one apparently simple lie can be.
A woman’s dreadful, unpredictable love life proves riveting despite a largely unpleasant cast
Faith seemed to be extremely unlucky in love. Her first serious boyfriend, Jake, moved to Texas when she was sixteen, causing her to drop out of school and follow him even though he didn’t invite her. He ended up leaving with another woman after they were discovered in bed together. Shortly afterward, Faith started dating Ryan, a lawyer, who seemed to be perfect. However, things went south for them after they had married, and she deliberately became pregnant for the third time, knowing he didn’t want another child. Even though he obviously was very much in love with her, they argued constantly. Her best friend, Sharon, didn’t improve matters. Sharon was in the process of getting divorced and was constantly disparaging Ryan and encouraging Faith to leave him. Faith started having an affair with Paul, who was also married. She believed they were in love and demanded a divorce from Ryan. Ryan didn’t want to lose custody of his children, and even though he loved her, their breakup was long and messy.
Shortly after the divorce, Paul broke up with her and improved his relationship with his wife. Devastated, Faith swore off all men until she met Christian. How could she know their love affair would end up being a humongous nightmare with her fighting for her life?
The Killing of Faith by William Holms is a 263-page book listed in the C/T/M/H genre, written from Faith’s first-person point of view. The tale starts in the present day and then goes back in time to inform us of how events led to this point. Although there is a sequel in the works, this book can be read as a standalone novel. The author’s descriptive prose is easy to understand and keeps the reader intrigued with unexpected twists, especially a stunning one at the end. Mr. Holms demonstrates a tremendous ability to immerse readers into the story. It is remarkably easy to picture exactly what is being described. An example is from page two of the story:
“My once radiant skin is now sunburnt. My beautiful blonde hair is full of tangles and knots. My lips that were always soft and inviting are dry and chapped. My hands are calloused, my nails are broken, and my body is full of open sores. If you look close you’ll find the only part of me the world hasn’t stolen. My bright blue eyes still sparkle as bright as ever when they’re not filled with tears.”
My favorite aspect of the book was the character development. I didn’t particularly like Faith at the beginning of the story. She was very headstrong; she was also beautiful and recognized it, using her looks to her advantage at every opportunity. Her desire to constantly get her way caused her to make bad decisions (for example, getting pregnant even though she knew her husband did not want another child). Others were blamed when things didn’t go as planned, and she never looked at herself to discover if perhaps it was her own fault. However, as the story progressed, you could perceive her gradually evolving and realizing that she was not as blameless as once thought; she began to recognize and appreciate the more meaningful things in life.
The Killing of Faith by William Holms is truly different from any thrillers I’ve previously read, not just in the basic plot concept, but especially in the characterization of the female protagonist, Faith. When we first meet Faith, she comes across as a very pretty, but rather vacuous teen airhead who feels her looks can get her what an education can’t. As she matures, it appears Faith is right: she wins the heart of Ryan, a lawyer, and through several years of marriage, Ryan gives her a life of which most women would be envious. But, over time, the material trappings and even her 3 children aren’t enough for her. They divorce, much to Ryan’s heartbreak, and by the time Faith is in her mid-thirties, two more men have come into her life.
At this point, readers find themselves disliking Faith: she is self-centered and manipulative and blames everyone but herself when things go wrong. But karma is a bitch as Faith finds out in a most shocking twist that both readers and Faith don’t expect. Readers feel her pain, relate to her unfortunate plight, forgive her former treatment of Ryan, and begin liking the nicer human being she becomes as a result of her brutal misfortune. And just when we all think all is well, the author throws in another shocking twist that leaves everyone asking, “What just happened?”
The Killing of Faith is a riveting read, not just because of the clever twists in the plot, but because of the intimate look William Holms gives us into Faith’s psyche. Readers who enjoy knowing why and how people think, as much as what people do to themselves and each other, will appreciate this novel. Holms doesn’t waste time or words in telling his story; he uses dialogue well and often, and the pace is always moving forward quickly. As we watch Faith’s misfortunes mount, the book becomes very informative, but if I were to tell you in what way, I’d spoil the story for you. In short, read it for yourself. You’ll love it. A terrific book and great writing. Highly recommended.
