A Matter of Faith


Fiction - Suspense
412 Pages
Reviewed on 05/10/2017
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Duke Woodrick was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1945. He grew up in Venice and now lives in Henderson, Nevada, with his wife, Marjorie. A Matter of Faith is his second published novel. The book was imagined while receiving chemotherapy for a 4th stage non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His first novel, In the Beginning: Project Genesis was a finalist in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. Besides writing novels, he enjoys songwriting and building acoustic guitars.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite

A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick is a captivating crime novel with well-thought out characters and an intriguing plot, a story that combines elements of different genres into an exquisite read. Ella Mae Martin has just experienced a near death experience. Yes, she’s just had a peek into the other side of reality after suffering a heart failure, but in that brief moment, before returning to her mortal body, she experiences something horrible — she becomes a witness to murder. Everyone thought she was already dead, but then the boy with the dog has asked her to go back. What she saw before rejoining her body makes her the only witness who can identify a ruthless serial killer. But who will believe her?

This is a thrilling read, an absorbing story that opens with action — the execution of Jason Thomas Bradford, the man who confessed to numerous premeditated murders. The opening is just a promise to the perfectly constructed plot and the awesome themes. The author introduces the protagonist immediately and readers get curious about the way she is presented. I was so intrigued about a witness who witnesses a murder during the brief moment she’s thought dead, the time she lay dead in the morgue, but then Ella’s description of the scene and the murderer are so accurate and compelling they make the story a great read. I enjoyed this idea of a plot. The writing is great, and insightful, laced with wonderful descriptions and awesome dialogues. A Matter of Faith is a beautiful novel, well-crafted to delight readers who love strong plot lines and compelling characters. Duke Woodrick just gained another fan.

Jane Finch

A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick tells the story of Ella Mae Martin who suffers a cardiac arrest. She then has an out of body experience, briefly tastes heaven, and is sent back to fulfil a mission she didn’t know she had. She is able to see and hear things, but no one knows she is there because she is in spirit form. She witnesses the murder of Sandra Brown and gets a good look at the killer, who - it seems - may well be a serial killer with an obsession for women with the initial SB. The question is: why the obsession and what is the significance of SB? She then returns to her body, which is lying in the morgue, and astounds her doctor by telling her story. She sets out to bring the killer to justice, but who is going to believe her?

This was a surprise. The way the author described the experiences of the protagonist, the contrast between heaven and the earthly world, the feelings and emotions really made this story work. It was interesting to see just how the story would evolve in order to convince the police that she knew the killer's identity. Although perhaps unintentional, author Duke Woodrick manages to convey an almost supernatural experience, but quite a reassuring one for the reader. Ella Mae is a convincing character, well developed, and the story flows well. An interesting concept and written with good visual perceptions which would convert well to film. This may be one to watch.

Sefina Hawke

A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick is a faith filled suspense novel. This is a book that would appeal most to an audience of adults and young adults who believe in God, enjoy stories about those brought back from death, and those who like reading about out of body experiences with a purpose. Ella Mae Martin experienced a cardiac failure that propelled her to the other side where she catches a glimpse of heaven. While on the other side, she meets a little boy and his dog that can only be described as angelic; she is told that her mission is not yet complete and she must return to life and Earth. However on her way back to her body, she views a serial killer’s latest murder. Will she catch the killer before another victim is claimed and will anyone believe her?

A Matter of Faith by Duke Woodrick is unique, unlike all other books about people returning from the dead. This book was not about romance, love, or a zombie apocalypse. Instead this book took me on a journey alongside Ella Mae Martin to use her knowledge from the time after her death to stop a killer. There were many times during the book where I wondered if she was supposed to have seen the serial killer’s action so that she could have the killer caught, and if that was the mission she had to complete on Earth. When I read the scene about Ella Mae Martin meeting the little boy and his dog after her death, I immediately looked at the cover, and I loved the fact that Duke Woodrick captured the beauty and angelic nature of the moment, both in words and in the cover image.

Tim Barry

I recently had the privilege of reading Duke Woodrick's most recent novel, " A Matter Of Faith."
Regretfully, I am not an avid reader but after reading this very intriguing story, I have become re-energized to become a more active reader.
Once I began reading this novel, I found it hard to pause since the inherent and ongoing suspense was exceptionally composed. The choice of varied characters added greatly to a "what's coming next?" concept.
Lastly, as a Christian, Duke's vivid description of an afterlife and the transitional process from life to death reinforces my belief in the "hereafter." The ending of this novel is very moving.
I highly recommend this novel to all who may be interested in this type of subject manner and who thrive on intrigue. I look forward to future novels released by this very talented author.