What Follows After: A Novel Paperback – April 1, 2014

I started reading “What follows after” and had to finish it before putting it down. I have read most of Dans books and it is so refreshing that he can come up the most sincere stories without using profanity. It seems other authors need to put shock words in their writing when without the profanity would make the story even better.

Always want to keep reading more!! Hope there’s more sequels for these “stand alone” books as think What Follows After & The Discovery each have more to be told! Have LOVED every Dan Walsh story read this far...

It is exciting to discover good Bible based Christian fiction. Written with accuracy of the time period and the mindset of the early 60's(I know because I was in my 20's)I will be reading many more Dan Walsh books !

I love Dan Walsh's books. His combination of history and a current story are just phenomenal. Almost impossible to put down.

It’s October 1962. The Cuban missile crisis is breaking open, putting the world on razor-thin edge. In Florida, residents have been seeing lines of army trucks heading south toward Miami. An invasion appears imminent.In Deland, Florida, two brothers, 11-year-old Colt and 6-year-old Timmy Harrison, are oblivious of the crisis. They’re dealing with a more personal crisis – the breakup of their parent’s marriage. Scott and Gina Harrison have been separated for 10 months, but they have been pretending otherwise. And instructing their sons to lie as well.Colt and Timmy reach a crisis point, and run away from home. They hop a bus headed to Savannah, Georgia and a beloved aunt and uncle. Along the way, the bus stops for lunch. And Timmy disappears, taken by a man on another bus headed south.“What Follows After” by Christian fiction Dan Walsh is the story of Colt and Timmy, their parents, and other family members during a time when much of the world was convinced that nuclear war was imminent. Published in 2014, it won the 2015 Selah Award for Best Historical Fiction and was a finalist for the 2015 ACFW Carol Award for Historical Fiction.It’s an interesting story with an interesting premise, and uses one of the most dramatic backdrops of the second half of the 20th century. That said, the book does have problems. The point of view shifts between the two brothers, the father, the mother, the African-American maid who works for the grandmother and helped raised the boy’s father, the man who kidnapped Timmy, and the two FBI agents handling the case. The book begins in contemporary times and then shifts back to 1962, and it’s not exactly clear why until the narrative is well underway. And the critical role played by the African-American maid is an unconvincing coincidence.Walsh is the author of numerous Christian novels, including “Unintended Consequences,” “When Night Comes,” and “Remembering Dresden,” all in the Jack Turner suspense series; “Finding Riley;” “Rescuing Finley;” “The Deepest Waters;” “The Reunion;” “The Homecoming;” and many more. His works have won numerous Christian writing and book awards, as did “What Follows After.”The premise is fascinating, and Walsh can tell a good story. The characterization is strong – the reader really cares about these characters. A little judicious editing would have helped immensely.

The subject matter of this book is hard for any parent to get absorbed into. So let me say, even if this is a bit of a spoiler, there is no physical child abuse in this book, and it ends happy. I was born in 1955 and am familiar with this era. While the Cuba thing is only a vague memory for me. The memories of the era match the author's note at the end of the book and sums up my feelings as well.All of Mr. Walsh's writing is excellent, as is this book, and well worth the time to read.

This story tugged at my heart. Any mothers fear that her child goes missing, or even kidnapped. All because the parents are separated & the oldest son can't stand lying anymore to family & friends. Added to all this is the tension of the Cubans having nuclear missiles & Russia threatening to use them on the US. The conclusion was not how I anticipated but it is so good. I like this author's writing style.

Monster models! I had completely forgotten those. That being said, the story is really good. The climax was more four or three star, but it didn’t crumble the whole story.What I most enjoyed I think were the memories. Recalling oldTV favorites and of course monster models. My brother and I had several, Frankenstein, the Mummy, werewolf and more. Also, the memory of comics. I had tons, wished I would have kept some of those. I could go on about joyful memories.I was six back in 62’ I guess the same age as Timmy, but the memory of the Cuban Missile Crisis is something I don’t really remember. But it fit well into the story.Dan Walsh has, I think he titled it ‘Acknowledgment’ at the end that I enjoyed. I didn’t become a Christian until age 39, but my family was more ‘religious attenders’ but I agree with his thoughts. I have more but I don’t want to get long, but my faith is what led me to Dan Walsh. Enjoyed his Joe Boyd series a sequel to the Jack Turner series. I look forward to the next one. So check out those books as well.If you want good suspense without sex and profanity you enjoy. Dan Walsh.

I absolutely devoured this book - it was easy to read and I enjoyed the story so much. It took me back to the sixties when I was very young and I could relate to it. It tells the story of a little boy being kidnapped and was exciting wondering would the little boy be safe and returned home. It also showed faith and how it helped the parents cope with such a horrific happening. Definitely recommend.

It is the year 1962. With their parents Gina and Scott separating, and the two of them forced to keep this a secret towards the rest of the family, 11-year-old Colt and 6-year-old Timmy decide it's a good idea to run away from their home in Florida to their favourite aunt and uncle, Rose and Michael, in Savannah. At a rest stop, Timmy vanishes without a trace while Colt has to use the bathroom. Soon the FBI is involved, as this looks like a kidnapping. However, with the Cuba crisis happening at the same time, a case that would usually have lots of agents involved, now has only two, Vic and Nate.What a story! Full of suspense and reflecting the historical events, and the ethics and morals of that era. Every time a clue to Timmy's whereabouts turns out to be nothing, the reader is as disappointed as the boy's parents, brother, and the FBI agents. And not to mention the housekeepers, Mamie Lee and Eulah Mae, who - being black - are mostly ignored and are still part of the families.Dan Walsh masterfully draws the reader into the story, pushes them through all sorts of feelings while combining the main plot, the kidnapping, and the Cuba crisis, and lots of side plots like Gina's and Scott's reason for separating, Colt's guilt, the kidnapper's reasons...until at the end, you take a deep breath and just think "Wow".The characters are so realistic, the same for the reflection of the early 1960ies, and a narration style that keeps the suspension right up to the last page.I will definitely read more of this author.

Wonderful reading! I even read it twice, which i never do. It made me feel what the times were like. I could even hear their tone of speech, their caring, their respect for others. It was really an old, small town environmental with each home talked about lovingly as they enjoyed their walk through the main streets.

I found this book, the kidnapping of a small child, to be quite emotional. In fact, I found the actual kidnapping to be distressing and almost didn't finish the book. However, I have read quite a few Dan Walsh books and thoroughly enjoyed them all, so I continued reading. I'm so pleased I did as it was a very sensitive and tender story that I really enjoyed. I found the setting of the Cuban Crisis very interesting as I was 12 years old at the time and vividly remember the tension it created globally. I particularly like the way Mr Walsh shows how God works in the lives of people.

Great story full of wisdom, suspense and growing in faith. Love Mr Walsh's books and always come away blessed and learning so much. Thank you for sharing your God given talent. 4.5 stars