Today’s episode was meant to be the second week of the Religion & Fiction Book Club exploring the spiritual journey of Peter Daniel Young in A Reimagined Faith. I’ve caught a dreadful cold and am a bit under the weather, so I thought I would wait a week to give you the best experience rather than soldiering onward.

Instead, I’m giving you an AI-narrated short story from my Order of Thaddeus action-adventure thriller series. It’s actually quite a good listen, featuring a lovely British female voice courtesy of Google AI :) The story is from Martyrs Bones, a collection of five original short stories, giving readers page-turning, thrilling rides with mysterious turns. Grab it direct for a few bucks for the next week.

This story connects to a rather remarkable relic heist from history that has gone unsolved for years—until Celeste Bourne takes the reins! And finds herself face to face with an unexpected person from her past. I’ve fictionalized parts of it, but the underlying recent history surrounding the theft of Saint Polycarp’s relics is real.

Next week we’ll get back to the week 2 of the Religion & Fiction Book Club exploring chapters 8–12 in A Reimagined Faith. Since we’re delayed a week, now would be the perfect time to join in! Take a listen to the first 2 episodes below:

* Introduction

* Week 1: Chapters 1–7

If you want to join in, grab it in print and electronic formats at most online retailers if you’d like to join, or buy the ebook direct from my bookshop at 25% off with code BOOKCLUB25.

J. A. Bouma believes nobody should have to read bad religious fiction—whether it’s cheesy plots with pat answers or misrepresentations of the Christian faith and the Bible. So he tells compelling, propulsive stories that thrill as much as inspire, while offering a dose of insight along the way. Available at most online retailers and direct: shop.jabouma.com.

Get full access to Religion & Fiction Newsletter at bouma.substack.com/subscribe