Review: Wiser than Serpents

Susan May Warren's latest thriller Wiser than Serpents, is another page-turning, nail-biting, can't-life-stop-until-I'm-done kind of book.

The third in the Mission:Russia series, this book from Steeple Hill stands completely on its own. Somehow I have book two but managed not to read it, yet didn't feel like I missed anything that was important to this book.

Yanna Andrevka infiltrates a human slavery ring in an attempt to locate her sister who has vanished. David Curtiss has spent months attempting to infiltrate an organized crime cartel. All seems to be going well until he finds Yanna at the meeting he's supposed to have with the kingpin. From the moment he sees her the story rushes into overdrive in classic Susan May Warren style.

If you love books with international intrigue and a thread of romance, this book is for you. You get to hop around the globe with the characters, all while learning more about the human slavery issue. Susan is donating a portion of her profits from each book sold to International Justice Mission, a non-profit dedicated to fighting human slavery.

While this book may seek to highlight an issue, that focus doesn't preach or slow down the plot. Instead, it enhances it as you get an international and stateside exposure to the problem.

note from Susan:

Did you know that there are 27 million people around the globe held as slaves today – more thank 80% of them women and children, and up to 50% minors. In fact, there are MORE slaves today than were in the time of William Wilberforce. That leaves me horrified, and it was those stats that compelled me to write a story with a human trafficking plotline.

Wiser than Serpents is a continuation of the Mission:Russia series, a thriller about Yanna, whose sister is snatched through a Russian dating service, and disappears. Yanna enlists the help of Delta Force Captain, David Curtiss to find and rescue her. Readers who’ve read, In Sheep’s Clothing and Sands of Time will recognize Yanna as the tech expert, and David as the solid Christian of the group. (Read the 5-Rose Review here!)

The book is written from the point of views of the rescuers, not the victims, and offers hope and empowerment, instead of feelings of helplessness. It raises awareness without lowering the standards of Christian fiction.

However, the world is real, and the need to get involved is great. I so greatly admire people who take their beliefs and put action to them –hence why a portion of the proceeds of Wiser than Serpents is going to help the International Justice Mission, (www.ijm.org), an organization dedicated to rescuing victims and fighting the scourge of slavery.

Contest Info! Susan will be giving away 3 SIGNED sets of the Mission: Russia (In Sheep’s Clothing, Sands of Time, and Wiser Than Serpents) series. To enter the contest…click on over to Susan’s blog tour post here (http://susanmaywarren.typepad.com/scribbles/2008/06/wiser-than-serp.html) and tell us which ministries/charities you support and why! Susan will randomly select three winners!