Book Review: The Murder of Faith by William Holms

If you’re looking for a fresh thriller/suspense, look no further than William Holms’ “The Killing of Faith.” This book will take you on an exciting journey of the rise and fall of a woman.

Everything begins and ends with faith. The story, narrated in the first person by Faith herself, opens to a very gloomy but vague present scenario. A scenario that is reviewed periodically throughout the chapters and that contrasts with the past. She transports us to her childhood and patiently goes through the main events of her life: engagement, marriage, motherhood.

Faith is the type of beautiful girl who is well aware of her good looks and doesn’t hold back from using this to her advantage. She finds little interest in school, instead she prefers hanging out with her friends, shopping and boys. One boy in particular. So, she gets into a tumultuous relationship that eventually leads her to drop out of school and move out of her parents’ house to another city. Faith leaves everything for one man and a new beginning. But she doesn’t get it either. Her dreams crumble and so does she. At least until another man walks into her life and she rebuilds through him. This becomes a repeating pattern with some minor variation. Faith seems to have an innate drive to seek fulfillment in another person and this brings her to the brink of life.

The brilliant thing about the book is its mounting suspense. And this suspense is a testament to the skills of William Holms. It all starts with the title, “The Murder of Faith.” So naturally the reader expects Faith to die at some point. But there are so many questions that arise: why? As? by whom? And as the pages of the book seem to run out and Faith is still very much alive, one begins to wonder if it will still happen or if it was all just a ruse. This tense anticipation is the main driving force that keeps you turning page after page.

This is not one of those books that captures you with a nurtured love for the main character, quite the opposite… however, the author manages to provoke feelings of sympathy and compassion for Faith when she encounters difficulties. Plus, her childlike naivety remains an endearing quality. The character balances carefully on the edge of a cartoonish representation of the woman and this is one of the elements that arouses such strong feelings of ambivalence towards her.

“The Killing of Faith” is an engaging read, but it is not a book for all ages, as there are some explicit scenes and vulgar language. What’s more, the sequel is already in preparation by William Holms.