Review: The Baker’s Wife by Erin Healy

Title: The Baker’s Wife
Author: Erin Healy
Released: October 4, 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages/Format: 352 (Trade Paperback)
Genre: Christian Fiction, Suspense
Source: Litfuse Publicity Group

Before Audrey was the baker’s wife, she was the pastor’s wife. Then a scandalous lie cost her husband a pastoral career. Now the two work side-by-side running a bakery, serving coffee and baking fresh bread. But the hurt still pulls at Audrey.

Driving early one morning to the bakery, Audrey’s car strikes something–or someone–at a fog-shrouded intersection. She finds a motor scooter belonging to a local teacher. Blood is everywhere, but there is no trace of a body.

Both the scooter and the blood belong to detective Jack Mansfield’s wife, and he’s certain that Audrey is behind Julie’s disappearance.

But the case dead-ends and the detective spirals into madness. When he takes her family and some patrons hostage at the bakery, Audrey is left with a soul-damaged ex-con and a cynical teen to solve the mystery. And she’ll never manage that unless she taps into something she would rather leave behind–her excruciating ability to feel other’s pain.

One Sentence Review: The Baker’s Wife is an entertaining suspense/mystery read and explores some interesting theological themes.

In-Depth Review

I’m a sucker for a good mystery, so when I read the back cover blurb for The Baker’s Wife I was hooked. The pace of the action was just right and I really liked the imagery that Healy uses in the book, especially when describing Audrey and Geoff baking bread. As a foodie, those passages are one of my favorite things about the book.

The most interesting element of the story is Audrey’s unsettling ability to literally feel another person’s pain. I’m not a big fan of supernatural suspense, but I think this element added a lot to the story without dominating the plot.

I was impressed with the character development throughout the story. Diane, fresh out of prison after serving a twenty-year sentence, is my favorite character and I love how her story is slowly revealed. Miralee is another great character and she represents a lot of cynical young people who think that all Christians are hypocrites and that Christianity is just a crock.

“That’s what I’m wondering. What are you holding against her, if it’s not faith?”

“Oh. Easy. My mother is a hypocrite of a different flavor. Christians are the worst, you know. They have a canned answer for every hard question and don’t seem to care when their philosophies don’t hold up in real life. But a person doesn’t have to be a Christian to be a hypocrite.”

-The Baker’s Wife, Page 212

While the mystery of Julie’s disappearance is at the center of the plot, it also serves as a backdrop for some serious theological exploration. Jack Mansfield is the archetypal pharisee whose arrogance and legalistic mindset has driven away his family and eventually morphs into full blown insanity. In contrast, Audrey and Geoff demonstrate grace and forgiveness to Jack and Miralee, who have both caused a lot of grief for the Bofinger family.

Another great theological point the author makes is that depression–and sickness in general–is not necessarily the consequence of some underlying spiritual issue. Christians suffer from chemical imbalances and other diseases just like everyone else.

“No,” Coach said to Geoff. “She wasn’t afraid, she was clinically depressed. Diagnosed by a doctor.”

“If my wife was sad it’s only because she hasn’t been saved yet.”

Estrella snorted. “Thees man can’t be serious.”

“As my bleeding foot,” Coach said.

All eyes turned to Jack. These people disgusted him. Their hearts and minds were dense. “Depression is a spiritual sickness.”

“It’s physical,” Coach said, “and Christians aren’t any more immune to it than the common cold. I’ve struggled with it–and more.”

-The Baker’s Wife, Page 190

The ending was satisfying without resolving every problem in the characters’ lives. Overall, I really enjoyed The Baker’s Wife and look forward to reading some of Healy’s other novels.

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About Erin Healy:

Erin Healy is an award-winning fiction editor who has worked with numerous bestselling Christian fiction writers. She co-authored two books with Ted Dekker and solo-authored three suspense novels. Erin is the owner of WordWright Editorial Services and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her family in Colorado.

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