The Case Of The Stolen Red Mary

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” By now Tessa couldn’t speak. Mrs. Considine put her arm around the girl. “This dear child’s painting is gone,” she said. “Someone wrote her a note threatening its safety and now it looks like they made good on their threat.”

Book: The Case Of The Stolen Red Mary by Marlan Schurch, Review And Herland Publishing Association, 2001

Genre: Mystery

Target Audience: Boys 12-14

Subjects: Life after death, friendship

Summary: Justin, his friend Rico and Rico’s sister Tessa are attending the Outdoor School when Tessa’s valuable painting turns up missing. It has financial value, which explains it getting stolen, but more importantly, it has great sentimental value to Tessa as it was a special gift from her now dead grandmother. In the midst of the search some important questions about life after death are raised and Justin has to find a way to gently witness to his non-Christian friend.

Notes: I don’t agree with some of the spiritual content in this book. First off, it almost implies that being a good person is what gets you to Heaven, not putting your trust in Jesus for your salvation. Secondly it outright states and even lists verses supporting the theory, that you don’t go to Heaven or Hell or anywhere when you die. You just cease to exist until Jesus returns, and you are raised with Him. The verses they use to support their claim are: Ecclesiastes 12:7, Psalm 115:17, Daniel 12:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. I’m looking to verses like Luke 23:43 for my idea that we go to Heaven or Hell as soon as we die. And the Bible is very clear in many places such as Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:31, and Ephesians 2:8-9 that our good works aren’t enough to get us to Heaven, only trust in Christ is. When we go to be with Jesus really isn’t an issue worth arguing over but how we get there is extremely important and due to that, I am not recommending this book at all.

Recommendation Scale: 0/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Ephesians 2:8-9 –For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.