A Review of One Step Away by Eric Wilson

Bret and Sara Vreeland are struggling. With two kids and bills to pay, the Vreelands work relentlessly each day for a payday that never seems to arrive. Being surrounded by friends whom God has seemed to bless financially is starting to take its toll when the Vreelands work so hard and serve so faithfully. Everything changes the day Sara becomes the beneficiary of a large inheritance from a very enigmatic man. Suddenly the Vreelands are living the good life. A mansion. High end sports cars. Promotions at work. Even the pastor of their church can't seem to deny that God has finally rewarded all their good work.

But what if their blessing isn't from God? What if someone sinister is trying to undo the good in them by exploiting their desire to be financially secure?

The stage is set for a battle over the Vreelands' hearts. A plan has been forming in the darkest recesses of their family's past that threatens to tear their marriage apart and destroy the faith they've fought so hard to hold onto.

Eric Wilson is a captivating storyteller, and his latest novel ONE STEP AWAY is one of those stories that keeps you reading because you have to know what's going to happen to this imperfect yet loving family. It's a suspenseful story, which I didn't quite expect because it was about a suburban church-going family. But Wilson proves that his new brand of suburban suspense has what it takes to carry readers on a thrilling journey from beginning to end.

The main characters are easy to identify with for anyone who has ever struggled to make ends meet. The villain of the story, Magnus Maggart, is a character who is clearly evil, yet Wilson presents him in such a way that you sympathize with what has made him who he is. The book's backstory unfolds throughout the course of the novel, and though a bit predictable, the progressive revelations consistently kept me wanting to know more. The novel also features an interesting exploration of America's prosperity gospel. Ultimately, Wilson's story points to the desperate need we have for Jesus over anything else.

This was the first Eric Wilson novel I've read, and I can't wait to dive into everything else he's written. This is a great novel from a great writer.

I received this book for free for review from Bay Forest Books.