by Linda McClung
What difference can the tiniest portions of time make in a man’s life? As I was reading Seven Minutes, Linda McClung’s third novel, I pondered on the question myself and came to the conclusion that yes, it can make all the difference – for good or for bad – it all depends on whether we are willing to lend our ears to the right message, or to purposely go deaf.
The book tells us the story of Mick Carter, a young evangelical rock star who is caught in a trap. Accused of a crime of violent harassment that he has no recollection of committing, Mick is tried at a rigged courthouse and eventually sent to prison as he fights back any compliance to the wrongdoing that unknown people toss at him.
Soon enough, his newfound reality kicks in, as the iron door of the cell is finally locked for good – and Mick sees his world and everything he had believed in shatter in an instant, under the teary eyes of his parents, Peter and Lynn. The experience in prison can really make or break any man, and Mick is put through a test of faith and endurance and sees himself among a crowd of souls that humanity deems too tainted to be free, but that might just need to find meaningful significance to their own existence.
It is then that God’s plan for him becomes clear, as he meets fellow inmates such as the charismatic Ju who will teach him that there’s more to an inmate than just an imminent sense of threat.
While the tale of Seven Minutes has a very clear message about the Christian faith, it does not limit itself to that (even though it would have been more than enough). The story actually develops in a very similar entrancing rhythm as that of investigative police dramas and offers us a very satisfying and credible conclusion that left me with the pondering from my intro. A must-read if you are looking for a cohesive story that offers a deeply valuable lesson to people of all ages.
– The Moving Words Review
Official Entry: The Most Moving Book Award, Jan. 3, 2022
About the Author
Linda McClung spent fifty years as a nurse and retired to lakeside living in South Carolina. She enjoys reading, gardening, and making jewelry. Mrs. McClung has three grown children and eight grandchildren who often show up in her books as thinly veiled characters. This is her third book.