Saving Grace, Debbie Babitt
Saving Grace, Debbie Babitt
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Saving Grace
A Novel of Suspense

Author: Debbie Babitt

Narrator: Kate Mulligan

Unabridged: 9 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/16/2021


Synopsis

“I’m the only one who knows what happened to those girls…”In this gripping suspense debut, the first female sheriff of a small mountain village investigates a disappearance that echoes the crimes that shattered her town decades before.For twenty-four years, Mary Grace Dobbs has been searching for salvation. Orphaned at eleven, she was forced to go live with her Bible salesman uncle, wheelchair-bound aunt, and a cousin who tortured and killed small animals. At school, a bully made her life a nightmare. Everything changed when a newcomer to town became her only best friend, and changed a second time when that friend and another classmate vanished two months later, never to be seen again.Today, Mary Grace is the first female sheriff of her rural town, a position that doesn’t sit well with some of the locals. Keeping order and her demons at bay becomes an impossible task when the Black drifter suspected in the earlier disappearances returns to Repentance … and another sixth grader vanishes.With old prejudices and new secrets spilling out into the open, the modern world soon illuminates the village’s darkest corners. The case becomes even more fraught as a cult of white supremacists brings its gospel of hate to Repentance and violence explodes, claiming more lives. Racing to find the missing girl while fearing for the safety of her own sixth-grade daughter, Mary Grace must confront an unspeakable truth—and face a decision no parent should ever have to make.Set in a remote mountain town, where the secrets run as deep as the hollows, Saving Grace is at once a spell-binding tale of innocence lost and a twisty, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller. This startling debut novel introduces a captivating protagonist whose concept of good and evil can shape a young girl—then and now.

About Debbie Babitt

Debbie Babitt was Copy Director for two major Manhattan publishing companies. She has worked as an actress, playwright, and drama critic. Debbie is the daughter of a former federal judge and is married to a criminal defense attorney. She and her husband divide their time between New York and Florida. Saving Grace is her debut novel.

About Kate Mulligan

Kate Mulligan has acted with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for more than ten seasons in productions including Hairspray, Alice in Wonderland, and Sense and Sensibility. Her film and television work includes Being John Malkovich and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Debra on March 15, 2021

"Is forgiveness the first step to salvation and eternal grace?" Mary Grace Dobbs, the first female sheriff of her rural hometown, has been waiting for salvation for twenty-four years. After her parent’s deaths when she was eleven-year-old, she went to live with her aunt and uncle and cousin, Noah......more

Goodreads review by Ceecee on November 30, 2020

Deep in the heart of Bible Belt Arkansas lies the town of Repentance. This is a ‘God fearing’ place where in 1995 two girls disappear and history seems to be repeating itself in 2019. Central to the story is Mary Grace Dodds, now Sheriff of Repentance and who was 11 when her sixth grade companions w......more

Goodreads review by Berit☀️✨ on March 22, 2021

What a wild ride! This book was like a rollercoaster. The beginning was like that steep hill : kind of slow, kind of uncomfortable. Knowing exciting things are going to come but beginning to question if you want to be on this rollercoaster after all. The second half of the story was when the roller......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on July 21, 2020

SAVING GRACE introduces us to a town of harrowing secrets — and its sheriff, Mary Grace Dobbs, doesn't even know that the worst of these secrets are hers. An ingenious, multi-generational plot reaches a terrifying crescendo you won't easily forget.......more

Goodreads review by Mary on March 16, 2021

4.5/5 Wow Debbie Babitt, look at this amazing debut novel you wrote!! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Saving Grace. This book is heavy on religion which I didn't have any issues with, and I thought it was very interesting how it tied into every thread of the story. The first half of th......more


Quotes

“Saving Grace tackles very unsavory stuff…this is no cozy mystery…It’s a Southern gothic that will cling like cobwebs.” Criminal Element

“Blends elements of To Kill a Mockingbird with twisty, edge-of-your-seat psychological suspense.” Mysterious Bookshop

“Narrator Kate Mulligan brings a slight Arkansas twang to this fast-paced mystery…Mulligan’s careful speech and light Southern accent draw listeners into the story. This mystery is worthy of an all-day listening binge—thanks to Mulligan.” AudioFile

“A Southern gothic thriller…a creepy tale of hate, evil, and redemption.” Kirkus Reviews

“Saving Grace is the scariest literary ride of the year…and the ending will blow your socks off.” John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author

“An ingenious, multigenerational plot reaches a terrifying crescendo you won’t easily forget.” Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author

“Saving Grace intertwines the past with the present, revealing secrets long buried, but never forgotten, until it all comes crashing down with relentless speed. A taut, thrilling read.” Robin Burcell, New York Times bestselling author

“A riveting thriller that…masterfully uses voice and spare, evocative prose to create a spellbinding story..” William Bernhardt, author of The Last Chance Lawyer

“Original, dark, and staggering.” Samantha Downing, author of He Started It


Awards

  • CrimeReads Pick
  • Mystery Crime Club Pick