Stillwatch by Mary Higgins Clark

This is the second book I got from the Mystery Brown Bag at Clementi Public Library. The last time, I got Invasion by Robin Cook. This time (since it's the same month), I'm supposed to get a book by the same theme, and it's called "Stillwatch".

The book is actually really interesting: the premise starts with Patricia Traymore (apparently this is part of a series), as she moves to Washington D.C to do a documentary on a potential female Vice-President: Congresswomen Abigail Jennings. However, while it takes place (the novel spans one week), she receives threats that escalate in nature.

This book is genuinely exciting. It reminds me of how a book can succeed in suspense without needing to focus on the mystery (i.e. the threats she received). In a sense, this is how Sudden Death should have been like, but failed. The use of omniscient narrator actually allowed a sense of menace to be created, especially as the deranged criminal's mindset was revealed.

The ending was rather shocking and I could say, deliberately coincidental. But I've noticed that to be a feature of many books (well, it's probably out of necessity). In real life though, I wonder if that would be the case. While God is watching over all of us (I'm not saying life is random after all), I do wonder, sometimes, at the improbable situations that occur. A few of which would be me getting into certain programmes, or meeting people that I realise we have friends in common.

While most of this can be explained, such as using the six degrees of separation theory, I wonder if it's all God who's arranging my life. I suppose the topic of free will and divine fore ordination coexisting together has been around for quite some time, but I think we don't appreciate it's complexities often enough. I haven't figured it out yet, and I probably won't be able to, but it's humbling to know that there are things that our human minds cannot comprehend, because it helps instill a sense of reverence and fear for God.