"the witness" by josh mcdowell

Josh McDowell is a renowned Christian apologist. I read his More Than a Carpenter as a teenager, and I heard him speak at a Christian conference. I knew he could make a convincing argument for the claims of Christ. But I wasn't sure if he could write convincing fiction.

The answer is yes, he can. The Witness starts out with a bang, literally, as security expert Marwan Accad's client is killed in front of him. Marwan soon realizes that not only is he a target, but he's also the prime suspect in his client's murder. As he travels Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East trying to uncover the truth, he endangers everyone he cares about.

The Witness's plot is engaging, and the story is well-written. I did figure out who the bad guy was fairly quickly, and that's the only complaint I have about the book. What I appreciated most was how seamlessly McDowell weaved apologetics into the plot. In some Christian fiction I've read, it feels like the author felt obligated to present the gospel but didn't really know where or how to put it. This results in a clunky and awkward story, and I (and I'm sure many other readers) tend to skim those parts. Perhaps because McDowell is so used to defending the faith he was able to easily integrate the Truth into this story without compromising the entertainment value.

Who should read it? Anyone who enjoys suspense.

I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.