Dying Declaration

Thomas and Theresa Hammonds believe in tough love and old-fashioned discipline. They do not believe in doctors. When their controversial beliefs lead to personal tragedy, the Hammonds face heartbreaking loss, a crisis of faith—and a charge of negligent homicide by a relentless prosecutor. Defending Thomas and Theresa is freewheeling lawyer Charles Arnold. He believes in grace and mercy, but nothing in his colorful past has prepared him for the challenges of this shocking case, or for the dangerous conspiracy at its heart. Tyndale House Publishers

One young boy’s tragic death sets in motion a deadly conspiracy.

Thomas and Theresa Hammond believe in tough love and unquestionable faith . . . not doctors. But when they try to heal their son’s illness through fervent prayer, tragedy ensues, and the Hammonds face heartbreaking loss—as well as a charge of negligent homicide.

Defending the couple is freewheeling lawyer Charles Arnold. Charles believes in grace and mercy. But nothing in his colorful past has prepared him for the challenges of this shocking case or for the dangerous conspiracy at its heart.

Charles teams with Nikki Moreno, the court-appointed guardian for the Hammonds’ children, to find answers to questions that could crack open the case. Ultimately, though, everything hangs on the traitorous testimony of a key witness . . . and on a dying declaration that will radically change the lives of all involved.

Publishers Weekly

Singer, who won the 2003 Christy Award in the suspense category for Directed Verdict, hits pay dirt again with this taut, intelligent thriller for the Christian market. When fundamentalist Christians Thomas and Theresa Hammond decide not to take their desperately ill toddler to the emergency room and rely solely on healing through prayer, tragedy ensues. They are indicted on murder charges and team up with maverick defense attorney Charles Arnold, who is assisted by Nikki Moreno from Directed Verdict, a sexy, manipulative, Erin Brockovitch of a legal assistant who talks tough but has a heart of gold. As the plot unfolds, readers learn about complications in the case that may lead to the Hammonds' acquittal: the ambitious prosecutor has unscrupulously engineered evidence and carried on a clandestine affair with a key witness, while another witness may have manufactured testimony to ensure a particular outcome to the case. The novel isn't perfect; the first half is a bit slow, and the Hammonds' five-year-old son, Tiger, is implausibly wise and precocious. The "Barracuda" (prosecuting attorney Rebecca Crawford) is disappointingly one-dimensional, a stereotyped villainess who cares for nothing but furthering her career. Still, this is a groundbreaking book for the Christian market, with otherwise complex and well-drawn characters, a strong but subtle approach to matters of faith, and ingenious plotting, particularly in the last 50 pages. Singer is clearly an up-and-coming novelist to watch. (May 18) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Randy Singer previous books include Irreparable Harm and Directed Verdict, a previous winner of the Christy Award for best suspense novel. A veteran trial lawyer, he now serves as Vice-President of the North American Mission Board and as a Legal Advisor for the American Center for Law and Justice; formerly, he was a law school professor and head of the trial section in a large Virginia firm.