I waited years to hear more from Melanie Wells and was thrilled to finally spot her latest on Amazon. In My Soul to Keep, the third of The Dylan Foster series, psychology professor Dylan Foster’s young friend, Christine Zocci, celebrates her sixth birthday at a park where a little boy, Nicholas, is snatched by a stranger. As the police commence their search, every clue fizzles to failure, while Christine’s eerie connection to the boy leads Dylan on an investigation of her own. Dodging the mysterious Peter Terry’s attempts to thwart her, Dylan remains dogged to the end in her quest for the truth.

Who would not want to spend time with this charmingly flawed, outspoken heroine (entirely too prim a term for the intrepid Dr. Dylan Foster)? A thoroughly beguiling Christian, neck-deep in boyfriend woes, who freely admits that, “if Christianity were a merit-based society, I would have gotten kicked out years ago. … I never go to Bible study, don’t keep a prayer journal or do the morning ‘quiet time’ thing. I only remember to pray in emergency situations. The truth is, I really don’t have time or energy for all that checklisty stuff.”

Makes me wish I could join her in one of those “let’s get real” conversations, preferably over one of her famous glasses of pinot grigio.

This novel has it all: taut pacing, spicy voice, a dash of romance–a superbly crafted suspense. If pressed to provide a criticism, I would offer up only this: the cover, in its sepia tones, conveys a grimness not reflected in the story. Don’t let the macabre artwork scare you away. If ever a book should not be judged by its cover, it’s this one.

May the next wait not be so long for a Melanie Wells novel, whether it’s another installment in this series, or something entirely new. In either case, if it’s anything like My Soul to Keep, it’ll be well worth the wait.