David has a secret. 25 years ago, a woman he dated disappeared. Police later discovered her body in a shallow grave.
David Padgett, pastor, author, or serial killer? David pastors Grace Tabernacle, one of the largest churches in the world. His daily TV and radio ministries reaches millions. His books top the New York Times bestseller list. He has earned the respect of the Christian and non-Christian community. The future for David and Grace Tabernacle seems bright and inviting.
Yet David has a secret. 25 years ago, a woman he dated disappeared. Police later discovered her body in a shallow grave. They never caught her killer. Now a prominent member of Grace Tabernacle has been killed. Arrested and charged with her murder, David’s family and church abandoned him. Alone and discouraged, David’s soul plunges into the black abyss he feared for so long. Is there hope for David? Can God rescue him or is it too late?
Excerpt
Without a word, Anne picked up the remote lying on the desk. Pointing it at the TV in the bookcase, she punched the power button. The camera in the parking lot panned from Grace Tabernacle’s imposing facade to the female reporter’s jabbering face. Anne turned up the volume.
"…Padgett. A grand jury will convene this afternoon. Unnamed sources tell CNN that evidence gathered at the scene includes a ring and the murder weapon, a bloody butcher knife. Padgett’s fingerprints were on the knife. If found guilty, Padgett could face life in prison or the death penalty. Back to you."
Anne switched it off and turned to her husband. "Where is Ellen's ring?"
Head in hands, David said despondently, "I don't know. I suppose it's still hidden under my socks in my dresser." He felt all his strength draining out of him.
"How could your fingerprints be on that knife?" Anne pressed. David edged toward anger, then realized her tone was one of concern, not accusation.
"I don't know, Anne. I haven't been in Linda Darby's house in months. No, years."
Anne pressed two fingers to her lips and began to pace. "We need a battle plan." She pressed the intercom button on David's phone. "Shirley?" No reply. "Shirley? She must be in the lounge. I'll go get her. You call Robert and try to get ahold of the board. I'll be back."
David called Tibb Russell first.
"Mr. Russell's office," his secretary cooed.
"Hi, Beverly, this is David Padgett. Is he in?"
"Hold please," she said, without a trace of friendliness. David's face went numb. Beverly Watson’s perplexing hostility toward David had vanished the day he appointed Tibb to the church board. From then on, she would always put David’s calls through without hesitation. Once as he sat chatting with her while waiting to see Tibb, she casually let slip a couple of her boss’s most closely guarded trade secrets.
Half a minute later, she clicked back on the line. "I'm sorry, Mr. Russell is not taking calls this morning," she stated. The phone buzzed to silence.
David held the receiver away from his ear and stared at it, not believing she hung up on him. Nervous and bewildered, he forced himself through the list of numbers. With each call, reality pricked him more sharply. Some were out of the office, others were “unavailable”. On the last call, the secretary neglected to push the hold button. David heard the hasty instruction to “Tell him I'm not here.” David hung up on her mid-sentence as she repeated it.
Anne came back into David's office looking disturbed. "She quit."
"Who?" David asked blankly.
"Shirley, David, your secretary! She told the front desk receptionist she couldn't lie for you."
Professional Reviews
Out of Darkness by Darrell Case
Out of Darkness by Darrell Case is a compelling story that kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. David Padgett is the pastor of one of the largest churches in the world, an author with numerous best sellers, and a motivational speaker who receives forty thousand dollars for each appearance. In addition to this, his ministry on TV and radio reaches millions each day and his internet site receives thousands of hits each day. David's wife, Anne, is also a motivational speaker and their son, Robert, is being groomed to take over when David retires. Everyone thinks that David has reached the top of the success ladder but the police have a very different opinion, they think he is a serial killer. Twenty-five years ago David was suspected of the murder of a college classmate but the murder was never solved. One of the production assistants at the church commits suicide and a very wealthy member of the congregation is murdered and all the clues point directly to David. He is arrested and charged with all three murders for the police think that the suicide was actually murder. David feels that everyone including God has forsaken him and he falls into the deep pit of despair that has plagued him for two decades. As David sits in jail he thinks back to how happy he and Anne were when they were just starting out in a very small church and had very little money.
Darrell Case has a talent for writing a suspense novel that gets me hooked on page one and does not let go until I have finished and then I sit there thinking about all that happened in the book. The plot line has many twists and turns but was so well developed that the plot was easy to follow. All the characters in the book were portrayed very realistically and all came to life on the pages of the book. Some of them I loved but several characters were quite unlovable. I became so engrossed in the lives of the characters that I was crying with some and laughing with others. The author did an excellent job in the description of the action and I felt as if I were right there in the middle of whatever was taking place at the moment. The church and grounds were so well described that I could picture it all in my mind. I was very happy with the ending of the book but it could have ended differently. I really like the way that Darrell had the forgiveness of God as a dominant theme in the book.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes a great story with suspense that keeps you guessing almost to the last page and who also likes for the love and forgiveness of God to be throughout the entire book.
Thanks to the author, Darrell Case, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Could not put the book down
The begining of the book is a little hard to follow, but after the second chapter you are hooked. Although the story is fiction the author does a great job at telling the story of how some mega church pastors can get so caught up in fame and material things that they forget what God originally called them to do. He also does a great job at showing how it is never too late for someone to turn their life around no matter how much damage they have done to themselves and others. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good fiction with some truth and hope. I can not wait to read his next book.
Review of: Out of Darkness by Darrell Case
Out of Darkness by Darrell Case held me captivated as the conspiracy and intrigue of his characters came to life, from one plot to another.
David Padgett, married to Anne, is a young Pastor with a vision. He loves the Lord and hungers to preach Jesus Christ to the world.
He lands in Grafton, Illinois. A wealthy city that is well groomed, lined with Oak streets and clean parks to enjoy. Citizens are friendly and proud of their community. They cherish their families and the family owned businesses lining the streets in the downtown area.
Every day David would wake and spend hours visiting every home and business inviting them to worship once the completion of the Church he was laboring on was complete. Then, in the afternoon he would go to his part-time job at the local grocery store and end his days exhausted.
With the Church finally erect, he proudly calls it Grace Tabernacle. But this wasn't enough for David! He longed for a broader audience.
The moment David walked through billionaire Tibb Russell's office door, David's yearning was so evident it wasn't hard for Tibb to set in motion a devious plan. Still young in the Lord, David didn't understand that accepting Mr. Russell's council, and acting on it, literally meant he was submitting to a deal with the devil!
In the years to follow, David reaches astounding success. Grace Tabernacle had been rebuilt, David and Anne's son, Robert, has been groomed to assume the position of lead Pastor, once his father retires. But their success will soon fade.
Three murders have taken place and the Padgett's idyllic life quickly goes from bad to catastrophic.
A MUST READ if you love suspense and witnessing the resplendent work of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Thank you Darrell for sending me your wonderfully written, intriguing book, so I could review it! I hope that my review will help others discover you. If they are not already aware of your writings, I pray they find you and become a fan. I CERTAINLY AM!!!
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