Do you enjoy a good suspenseful murder mystery? Marla Melior’s The Broken China Necklace is right up your alley! This book tells a unique story of a girl who, through circumstances out of her control, ends up in the middle of nowhere, Texas. The relationships she forms lead her to a necklace made from a piece of broken china. What she didn’t know at the time was just how important this piece of jewelry was going to become! The craziest things begin to happen and the summer before her senior year of high school ends up taking twists and turns no one could have predicted.

While not overtly Christian, there are many Christian themes throughout the novel. One of my favorites is the redemptive arc! The author does an amazing job at writing characters you love to hate but with a little caveat - she shows how human they are too. Underneath all of that bravado is someone whom Christ loves and who yearns to be loved. Not only do you experience the emotional rollercoaster that comes with being human and prone to error and sin, but you also get to see God’s beautiful gift of redemption played out through the hands and feet of those whom He loves - us! Or those exactly like us.

There were many twists and enough excitement to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This book is packed full of beautiful details that keep you sucked in and never wanting to set it down. There are tough topics addressed such as racism and unforgiveness. It was beautifully written and I found the novel concluded in such a satisfying manner!

Don’t miss the author's notes at the end - you will appreciate the insight she gives into her writing process and where the storyline came from!

Thanks to the author's generosity, I was given an advanced copy to read. All opinions expressed in this review are truly my own.