Everett Lester and his band, DeathStroke, ride the crest of a wave to superstardom. But the deeper they become immersed in fame, wealth, and power, the more likely they are to be swallowed alive by the drugs, alcohol, and discontentment that have become their only friends. Everett is headed down a perilous road of no apparent return when he's charged with the murder of his personal psychic. The only hope he can cling to comes from Topeka, Kansas, and the letters written by a prayerful young lady who lives there. Consistent and persistent, the notes cut straight to Everett 's empty heart, offering a fulfillment he's never grasped before. But what if he's found guilty of murder? Will he recognize the spiritual battle that's raging for his soul?
Endora Crystal was my rock...
As I staggered through the chaos of rock 'n' roll fame-the drugs and alcohol, the selfishness and turmoil-Endora was the gentle voice in my ear telling me I was special. Telling me I was adored. She was my personal psychic, and she said I had a unique purpose, a calling to give my fans happiness. To be their god.
My band, DeathStroke, dominated the world of rock. Yet strife ruled our inner circle. My family didn't know me. I loved no one but myself.
And yet Karen Bayliss was praying for me, that I would come to know the love of God and the lordship of Jesus Christ. She was not a fan. Didn't care for my music. Karen just wanted me to know peace.
Now Endora is dead, and I've been charged with first-degree murder.
Everett Lester is headed down a perilous road of no apparent return. Will he recognize the spiritual battle that's raging for his soul?
My take: Rarely do I read a book that captivates me as much as Dark Star did. I felt like I was really reading a rock star's autobiography—it was like an E! True Hollywood Story in book form. I literally could not stop reading—I had to know what would happen next!
While I would not recommend this book for younger teens, I think that anyone who pretends that music is "just music" should read this book. While I know the story is fictional, there has to be some truth—and probably more than we'd like—to what Mapes writes. The Satan worship, the hypnosis, the drugs, the psychic readings ... it's all real, and Mapes clearly juxtaposes evil with good. And the presentation of the gospel is so clear but not heavy handed. This is a fantastic book, and I'm so glad I got to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.
Dark Star is one of three Mapes books being given the Litfuse tour treatment. You can see my reviews of Full Tilt and Nobody here and here. You can buy a print copy of Dark Star here. You can get the Kindle edition here
—Amazon Prime members can read it for free!
After working as a reporter and photographer for newspapers in Florida and Ohio, Creston became a corporate copywriter, then a creative director, before starting his own freelance writing business 20 years ago. Since then, he has written marketing and magazine copy for fine organizations such as Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola, The Weather Channel, ABC-TV, Oracle Corporation, TNT Sports, BellSouth, Focus on the Family, Hockey News, and Random House.
Creston has edited and ghost-written a growing list of non-fiction books, and has penned three contemporary suspense novels for Waterbrook-Multnomah, a divison of Random House. All three of Creston's novels are available in e-Book format and have been printed in Dutch. He has finished a fourth novel and is working on a fifth. Find out more at crestonmapes.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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