Beverly Hills Book Awards winner for Best Fiction Religion, The Actress doesn't fail to entertain. “A unique, exceptionally well written, and inherently fascinating read from cover to cover.” -- James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review, July 2017. “This book captures Thompson’s mastery of mystery. His ability to bring his characters to life is truly an art–you forget they aren’t real. The manner of twists he weaves through the story gives depth to the plot and has you guessing throughout the story “who did it”. You don’t want the story to end because you don’t want to say goodbye to the characters.” --Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writer’s Magazine. “I read The Actress this afternoon. It kept me in suspense until the very end! The part where Martha is playing an extra in the movie was brilliantly done. Michael's books are easy to read and so true to the South. I can't wait for the next book in this series!” -- The Movie Extra If you want to laugh, be entertained, solve a murder mystery, and learn something about God you’ve probably never considered, read this book. Early 1960s. The most famous actress in America, Talllulah Ivey, is in the Mississippi Delta to film a controversial movie. A prominent local citizen is shot and killed outside her bedroom window. A note is found clenched in the dead man's hand. The note holds the key to Ivey's guilt or innocence. Was it self-defense? Murder? Or something else? Martha investigates the who, what, and why in this twisty, suspenseful murder mystery. This story could be told only by me—Martha McRae. I’m the publisher and sole writer for the Bethel County Gazette. I also run a boarding house in Solo, Mississippi. We're just a dot on a map in the center of the Delta. Land so level and wide you could see the sun rise in the east and set in the west. Cotton and cornfields stretched as far as our eyes could see. We’d always been a speck of a town--too small for any stop signs, much less a stoplight. Somehow, Solo seemed to maintain a constant 310 souls. Births replacing deaths. Deaths. We had more than our fair share three years ago when Satan paid us a visit. You can read about those murders in The Rector. Here we are again, though, in the land of rich stories and good dirt. Only this time, there’s a celebrity in our midst. The Solo series reads like Agatha Christie and C.S. Lewis collaborated on a series of murder mysteries that include theology and an allegory. Think of Aslan in Lewis's The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Aslan represents Jesus. Biblical characters in the Solo series are Jesus, Martha, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, and Satan.

The Actress: A Christian Murder Mystery (The Solo series)

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Thompson, Michael Hicks

Mystery

Shepherd King Publishing, LLC

Combine a suspenseful murder mystery with theology (the study and explanation of religious faith, practice, and experience) and you have The Rector—with an allegory of Christ’s ministry! Martha McRae is a widow living in a small Mississippi Delta town in the 1950s. She’s obsessed with the sudden death of her Episcopal church’s young rector. A murderer could go free if she doesn’t investigate. But Martha is torn. If she pursues the suspect, her Bible study friend’s awful secret could be revealed. It would be devastating, and life-changing. When the new rector arrives, she encounters a new puzzle--one that takes her into Parchman Penitentiary, where she comes face to face with evil. “Michael Thompson offers a tantalizing murder mystery filled with chilling explorations of hypocrisy, true faith, and small-town secrets. It’s about sin and redemption. It’s about the search for truth, in both the physical and spiritual realms. And it’s all wrapped up in a puzzle that keeps even skeptics on their toes. The writing is compelling with a plot that grows ever thicker and offers even ardent mystery fans delightfully unexpected twists and turns. The intrigue is well developed with well-placed clues and cliffhangers. The characters are multidimensional and fascinating. The faith themes are so masterfully woven in that those who aren’t religious should simply find the novel to be top-notch suspense.” Diane Gardner, ForeWord’s Clarion Review. The Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine, writes: “Michael Thompson is an author who takes you by the hand and leads you down unexpected paths. His ability to create believable characters instantly draws you into their world. You will find yourself rooting for goodness to prevail as you follow the twists he so brilliantly weaves in this story.” Richard L. Pratt, Th.D., Harvard, professor of Old Testament theology: “The Rector penetrates the facades of southern cultural Christianity to take us to the true gospel … There is no Savior but Jesus and no salvation from the judgment of God but faith in Christ alone.” “Michael Thompson has brought to life the Mississippi of my youth, complete with small town scandals, murders, prison, and the powerful southern female. Sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy a glass of sweet tea and a romping good tale.” ~~ Carolyn Haines, author of 68 mysteries and the on-going Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series.

The Rector: A Christian Murder Mystery (Solo Ladies Bible Study Group)

Thompson’s engaging, high-energy Christian murder mystery is narrated by Martha McRae, a woman living in a small Mississippi town who seeks to solve the mystery of the sudden death of pastor David Baddour. Throughout the novel, readers are introduced to the cast of characters who inhabit the small Delta town in the 1950s. The book gleefully mixes all the elements of a small-town murder mystery—gossip, foul play, backstabbing—and, as more is revealed about Pastor Baddour and the other townspeople, more mysteries, hypocrisies, and dangers add to the intrigue. Thompson’s tale looks intimately at what it means to function in a community—how a population can reveal and obscure the truth. The Rector works as a suspenseful murder mystery, Thompson also incorporates a spiritual and religious undertone to the story. This Christian Murder Mystery successfully intertwines faith in its plot twists with surprising results. This small-town tale, set in the 1950s, delves into religion, spirituality, and murder; and is exceedingly clever and cunning.The small community of Solo, Mississippi, is rocked after the murder of a prominent religious figure. Law officials consider the case closed, much to the dismay of widow Martha McRae. She questions how the young rector could die so unexpectedly. After sharing her suspicion with her bible study leader, Betty Crain, a chain of events is set off in the small southern community. Gossip soon abounds with murmurings of foul play, murder, and loss of faith. In the case of whodunit, Martha soon finds that asking questions has put her own life in peril, as she comes face to face with evil. “Michael Thompson offers a tantalizing murder mystery filled with chilling explorations of hypocrisy, true faith, and small-town secrets. It’s about sin and redemption. It’s about the search for truth, in both the physical and spiritual realms. And it’s all wrapped up in a puzzle that keeps even skeptics on their toes. The writing is compelling with a plot that grows ever thicker and offers even ardent mystery fans delightfully unexpected twists and turns. The intrigue is well developed with well-placed clues and cliffhangers. The characters are multidimensional and fascinating. The faith themes are so masterfully woven in that those who aren’t religious should simply find the novel to be top-notch suspense.” Diane Gardner, ForeWord’s Clarion Review.And this unusual review, from someone unknown to the author:Skeptic to Super Fan November 19, 2016 ~~ Joseph Manning“I was skeptical at first (a Christian murder mystery??) but in short, this blew me away. I'm not sure the author would want me saying this, but I got so swept away by the story that I wasn't thinking about the religious aspect of it. It took me thinking through the allegories to know/get the deeper meaning. It's as if I was experiencing two stories at once. I read a lot of murder mysteries, and that's extremely rare, if not unheard of. Anyway, Christian or not, murder mystery fan or just a fiction lover, I highly recommend this one!" The Editor-in-Chief of Southern Writers Magazine even weighed in. "Michael Thompson is an author who takes you by the hand and leads you down unexpected paths. His ability to create believable characters instantly draws you into their world. You will find yourself rooting for goodness to prevail as you follow the twists he so brilliantly weaves in this story.” ~~ Susan ReichertAt Shepherd King Publishing, we love this reviewer quote: “Quick paced, well written with a wonderful cast of characters, a good plot, a really scary bad guy, and all the trappings of a good murder mystery (even some humor). The Rector will keep you entertained from start to finish and the biblical references aren't in the least "preachy" and only help to enrich the story. Well done Mr. Thompson! Five Stars.” ~~ Terry Lynn, book reviewer and author of Married to the Military.

The Rector: A Christian Murder Mystery (The Solo Ladies Bible Study)

"Anyone who can solve the problems of water will be worthy of two Novel Prizes, one for science and one for peace." John F. Kennedy, 1962. (There's only one problem. By 2036 it may be too late.) Come hell and no water will Grayson Fields and Opa find the formula to save our planet?

Clouds Above: Plausible Science Fiction

Teen & Young Adult

Literature & Fiction

"As the world faces a water shortage like no other in history, will Grayson Fields' science skills and determination make it possible for her to bring rain to a parched world? 
Readers quickly become involved in a realistic scenario that traverses the planet from D.C. to India and the Himalayas with greedy billionaires, security secrets, and dangers that affect the world's water supply. 
Thompson brings to life this plausible world in such a way that readers will not only be engrossed in the outcome of an elaborate setting and plot but will find the science of climate manipulation thoroughly intriguing--even vital to our survival." -- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review.\nAll ages should enjoy this plausible sci-fi. "While this may be science fiction, it could actually happen. That's just one of the things that makes it intriguing. Thompson weaves believable characters, both good and greedy, along with dangers throughout the story. Plenty of intrigue and new-found knowledge about our water future kept in the story the entire way. This is a new genre for Thompson and once again he knocks it out of the park." ~ ~ Susan Reichert, former Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writer's Magazine, current editor of Suite T, and author of Storms in Life and other books.\n"Our editorial staff found Thompson's latest novel to be yet another example of his master storytelling craft. If you like being in the middle of the action and not taken down rabbit holes or force fed overly descriptive scenes and places, you'll love this book. Thompson has taken facts of an extremely serious environmental problem and woven them into a plausible, almost certain world ahead. In fact, it doesn't read like science fiction. It reads more like reality. Be prepared." [for your future!] Cindy Coopwood, Editor-in-Chief, DELTA Magazine.

CLOUDS ABOVE: Plausible Science Fiction