The World is Full of Depraved People

There’s such a fine line between mental illness and the natural result of the depravity of man. The True Colors Crime Series sure does show the true colors in the hearts of men–black as coal and burning even hotter.

I don’t necessarily like being reminded of the ugliness out there, but I do appreciate being reminded that only the grace of God keeps me from becoming “that person.” Series like this one helps.

Authors like Liz Tolsma, author of The Gold Digger, should be commended for their ability to study history and give us enough detail to know what happened without desensitizing us to it. So, yes. I requested a free review copy the second it was available. The other books in this series have been so good, I felt obligated to.

After reading this book, I realized another way I need to pray for authors–for their spirits as they research things that rip out your heart!

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The World is Full of Depraved People

A truly horrific tale of greed and deception, Liz Tolsma has given us a look at a horrendous crime from the turn of the twentieth century that many of us have never heard of. The Gold Digger offers a look into not only cultural issues that we might not be aware of (did you know that there were Norwegian papers people subscribed to at that time?) but also shows how blinded we can make ourselves to things we don’t want to be true.

Certain elements, such as the sister’s inability to see the obvious, may feel far-fetched until you really look at what is happening and try to imagine someone you only know as loving and caring actually doing something so horrific. Add to that a world where there weren’t TV shows bombarding you with this kind of sensationalism, a life of poverty that prevented you from reading dime novels (there are some advantages to poverty, I suppose), and it starts to make some sense. Many characters ignored the obvious because the obvious was just so implausible.

So what about this story? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

While it has a few things that bother me (tiny things that either are or feel anachronistic) Liz Tolsma manages to tell a truly gruesome story without the kind of gory details that replay themselves in your mind indefinitely. Most of the ugliness is off-page in that we don’t watch the murders take place, and Tolsma works hard to show the horror without spraying you with the residue of it.

Recommended for readers who love true crime, suspense, and mystery as well as those who like a nice dollop of romance at the end. Very sweet and well-infused romance. Very sweet. 😉 Thrilled I had a chance to read it, and grateful for the free review copy.

The Gold Digger is on tour with Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: The Gold Digger

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian/Historical/Suspense

Release Date: December 2020

Men Are Disappearing in LaPorte, Indiana

Book 9 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History

In 1907, shy but loyal Ingrid Storset travels from Norway to support her grieving sister, Belle Gunness, who owns a farm in LaPorte, Indiana. Well-to-do widow Belle, who has lost two husbands and several children, provides Ingrid with enough money to start a small business. But Ingrid is confused by the string of men Belle claims to be interviewing for her next husband. When Nils Lindherud comes to town looking for his missing brother, who said he was going to marry Belle, Ingrid has a sinking feeling her sister is up to no good.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of the Write Direction Editing. An almost-native Wisconsinite, she resides in a quiet corner of the state with her husband and is the mother of three. Her son proudly serves as a U.S. Marine. They adopted all of their children internationally, and one has special needs. When she gets a few spare minutes, she enjoys reading, relaxing on the front porch, walking, working in her large perennial garden, and camping with her family.

More from Liz

This story was so much fun to write, and the research was so interesting. It has to rank up there with one of my favorite books to write. That’s what makes my job the best around.

There are a great number of characters in The Gold Digger who are historical. Many of the places I mention are also historical. I had the pleasure of spending a day in LaPorte, Indiana, to research the book and take some pictures they had in the museum there. Research is one of my favorite aspects to writing. I could have spent much, much longer losing myself in the museum and in the archives. Good thing my cousin, who I was staying with, called me to let me know that it was getting dark and she had dinner ready, otherwise who knows how long I would have been there. Probably until they kicked me out!

One thing that the people of LaPorte would want you to know is that they really are nice people and that their town is a nice town.

Lots of good people have been born there or have lived there over the years, including Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, William Mayo, who founded Mayo Clinic, and William Scholl, who found Dr. Scholl’s. They kept emphasizing to me while I was there what a great place LaPorte is. Judging by their friendliness and helpfulness, I would have to agree.

To help you better visualize the characters and setting, here are some photographs of the real people and places that appear in The Gold Digger.

Enjoy the book!

Liz