Title: Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness
Author: Laurie A. Coombs
Publisher: Kregel Publications
ISBN: 978-0825442292
Pages: 232
Genre: Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Debbie L. Sklar, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
This book is a real eye-opener. Whether we admit to it or not, some of us have been holding grudges for a very long time. Being able to forgive someone isn’t the easiest thing to do but it is probably the healthiest thing to do. If you like reading personal stories that take you on a rollercoaster of a journey, you must pick up Laurie A. Coombs’ Letters From my Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness.The 115-page book is her personal account complete with intimate details about her dear father’s death. But this isn’t just a recapitulation of what happened or a simple timeline. It’s Coombs’ journey that begins quite dark, spirals out of control for a bit, that is until she finds her faith.
The preface caught my interest at the get-go: “As I sat across from my dad at a local restaurant, he said to me, ‘Laurie, when I die, I want people to remember me for who I am. I don’t want anyone turning me into something I’m not.” It was an unusual comment. Enough to make me rest my overstuffed fajita on the plate in front of me and stare at him in bewilderment. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so I didn’t. ‘It’s just that, when someone dies,’ Dad continued to explain after a moment, ‘people only want to talk about the good parts of that person. But that’s not who they really are. There are good parts and bad parts to every one of us.”
She says as strange as the comment was, she thought her dad had a point. Still, she didn’t think either one of them knew the significance of those words when spoken. Neither knew what was to come. Her dad did not know he was going to die unexpectedly a few short days after this meeting.
Coombs shares with readers how she came to grips with his death, how she found Jesus and how ultimately, she began corresponding with her father’s killer. As readers, we go through her ups, her downs, and everything in between right through to the end. We feel for her, we cry, we laugh, we cheer, and finally we feel somewhat of a resolution once all is said and done.
Even if you are not a religious type of person, that’s okay as Letters From My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness, sets on an important mission of showing how we can all forgive– maybe not forget– but learn to cope with the help of perhaps a higher power.
Coombs says its best: “Throughout this book, I share many difficult, intimate details about my dad’s murder, but this story is not ultimately about the circumstances behind my dad’s death.” Instead the book is about redemption and a story of two unlikely people willing to put their trust in God, and come together in ways they never expected.
It’s also a book about grace, mercy, healing, and of course, forgiveness. Give it a shot, at the very least, you might just look differently at someone who has committed a heinous crime and not be so quick to judge them. This book shows the way to real healing and the life God intended for you! I really recommend this book for all Christians and non-Christians may also be interested in reading it, particularly those suffering from depression and not being able to forgive.
Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness will help you gain perspective and move on with your life.
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