Reality TV Is Setting for New Suspense Story from Christy-Winning Novelist
by Randall Murphree
April 19, 2006
(AgapePress) - - The surreal world of "reality" TV gets pretty crazy in Atlanta lawyer Randy Singer's latest suspense novel, The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney (WaterBrook). The award-winning novelist has spun another intriguing tale, this time in a context made popular by prime-time TV. Singer's Directed Verdict won a 2003 Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction.Read Randall Murphree's review of Directed Verdict
In the new title, Singer grabs our sympathy right away by introducing a character called simply The Patient, a 35-year-old billionaire who has just been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. Doctors warn him to anticipate a series of symptoms, each worse than the one before -- "behavioral changes, impaired judgment, memory loss, reduced cognitive function, vision loss, partial paralysis."
Then comes the clever story line. Grappling with his own mortality, The Patient begins to second-guess his agnostic attitude toward religion. Subsequently, in a bizarre quest for meaning in life, he decides to produce the greatest television reality show ever -- a debate among adherents of the world's major religions plus a proponent for science-not-religion.
For his TV extravaganza, The Patient hand-picks one representative from each religion. Each contestant must not only be a worthy advocate for his faith, but also be terminally ill. Judge Oliver Finney, a persnickety but wise, cigar-smoking 59-year-old whose body is losing to lung cancer, is chosen to argue for the Christian faith.
Next, a few diverse and antagonistic characters converge. Pitted against the spirited Finney are Kareem Hasaan, a Moslem; Dr. Hokoji Ando, a Buddhist; Swami Skyler Hadji, a Hindu; and Victoria Kline, an atheistic scientist. (A Jewish rabbi withdrew from the contest.) During their stay on a remote island, participants are forbidden any communication or contact off the island.
Author Randy Singer | |
Finally, the element of suspense emerges. Along the way, the contestants discover what they believe to be a conspiracy/plot among the show's creator and producers to hurry death for at least one of them.Finney devises a subversive means of Internet communication via a code through which he is able to enlist the assistance of Nikki Moreno, his protege and law clerk. Both Finney and Nikki have appeared in some of Singer's earlier novels, but his books are not sequential, each having its own set of unique characters and story lines.
A stark contrast to Finney's crusty public persona as quirky jurist is his reputation as scholarly theologian. He has, in fact, published the popular The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ. Well, not in fact, for Finney is, in fact, fiction.
Now don't grow confused. Here's the lowdown:
Fiction: Judge Finney is the fictional author of The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ in the novel The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney.
Fact: Randy Singer is author of The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ, a non-fiction companion book to his novel The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney.
Singer's creativity shines bright in this clever marriage of fiction and nonfiction. While reading his novel, readers can enjoy Nikki's decoding the judge's messages using clues from the judge's book. At the same time, readers are challenged to solve the novel's suspense by decoding Singer's messages in The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ. The bonus benefit of reading the latter volume is that we're likely to become better advocates for our Christian faith.
There's one drawback to Singer's master plan. The novel is so well written, the story so captivating, that it's hard to slow down long enough to try our decoding skills. It's another vintage Singer suspense story. And maybe it will lead us to the second book as well.
Randall Murphree, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is editor of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.
