Book Review: A Cross to Kill by Andrew Huff

A gripping debut thriller pits a man of God against terrorists–and his own deadly past

John Cross is a small-town pastor, bent on leading his flock to follow God’s calling. He’s not the sort of man one would expect to have a checkered past.

But the truth is that the man behind the pulpit preaching to his sheep was once a wolf–an assassin for the CIA. When John decided to follow Christ, he put that work behind him, determined to do penance for all the lives he took. He vowed never to kill again.

Now someone wants the peaceful pastor to pay for his sins with his own life. And when a terrorist out for revenge walks into the church, John’s secrets are laid bare. Confronted with his past, he must face his demons and discover whether a man can truly change. Can he keep his vow–even when the people he loves are in mortal danger? Will his congregation and the brave woman he’s learning to care for be caught in the cross fire? In the end, John’s life may be the only sacrifice he has left to offer. . .

Andrew Huff’s thrilling debut is not only a riveting story of suspense, it’s also a deep exploration of the moral quandaries that face those who choose to follow the Prince of Peace in a violent world.

“An action-packed nail-biter from beginning to end! . . . I couldn’t put it down.”

–Lynette Eason, best-selling, award-winning author of the Blue Justice series

There are few books that have me so enraptured that I get lost in it and move around my day. A Cross to Kill had me engaged from the first page and I stayed with it until the end. I read the teaser for the second book. I am all in when it comes to this series and author.

There was a lot to love. First, the premise. A former assassin now a pastor. What a huge life change, and with it, a lot of conflict. And secrets. It was something I had not read before, and I loved the set-up.

There were the characters. John is a conflicted man and yet a pastor. He has flaws and being in front of a pulpit doesn’t change that. Christine is a strong heroine. She’s been through literal torture and yet she can keep up with John. The secondary characters—John’s former partner and members of his congregation, add to the enjoyment.

There’s the action. It’s non-stop. I could see this as a movie or series. The goal in writing is to have constant conflict. A Cross to Kill Delivers.

If you love action movies, if you love a redemption story, if you love a hint of romance—A Cross to Kill is a must read.

I received A Cross to Kill from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated and all opinions are my own.