REVIEWS FOR NOBOBY

Authentic characters, an irresistible Las Vegas setting, and social conflicts make Mapes' novel a winner. Tantalizing storytelling and unique plot twists abound, but what makes this a real page-turner is the quiet story of a man's innate sin and God's redemption.

Sometimes in life you find yourself in situations where you absolutely, positively, not-a-doubt-in-the-whole-world know there are certain choices you should not be making. Common sense dictates to us that certain decisions will lead to ruin, or at the very least take us in the exact opposite direction of personal benefit. You don't even have to think about it, really. Other times, however, all you can do is look back at a choice you made and wonder what on Earth you were thinking.

Hudson Ambrose is having one of those days.

A reporter for one of the local Las Vegas newspapers, Hudson has a thing for letting his instincts and emotions completely overrun any sense he has or ought to have. How else can you explain why he would wander over to a homeless man's dead body on the side of a busy Las Vegas street, search his body, find a checkbook with a balance of well over $500,000 in it, and decide to pocket both the checkbook and a key to a safety deposit box somewhere in the city? I mean come on, I'm not a reporter and I know this setup alone is grounds for a nifty little piece, but why would anyone do this?

A funny thing happens though, as you continue to read the opening pages and chapters of Creston Mapes's latest page-turner, Nobody: you soon begin to realize that a dead man who's the hobo version of Uncle Moneybags is not what you should be focusing in on. What follows is a rip-roaring trip through the seedier parts of Vegas, Ambrose's childhood home in Texas and the booming metropolis of Atlanta, all of which introduces us to an unforgiving pastor of a mega-church, corrupt police officials and a homeless community that has been forever changed by one of its own in ways no one else could.

In his search to find out who this man is and why he was killed, Hudson Ambrose encounters a number of people who change his life in one way or another. There is Holly Queens, who works at the local rescue mission and has an unflinching faith in God, which counters Hudson's abject disbelief; Ken Van Dillon, Holly's psychopathic ex-boyfriend who stalks and hunts her without mercy, especially once Hudson meets her; and then there is Chester Holte; the mystery man in question. As Hudson's search continues and he learns more about who Holte was and why he left his top-of-the-world life back in Atlanta for the down-and-out community in Vegas, Hudson encounters one story after another about the wonders this guy did for others.

Which leads into one of the novel's, and more specifically, author Creston Mapes's biggest draws: the tone of voice. One of the aspects that made his debut novel, Rock Star: Confessions of a Rock Idol, so engaging was that his main character was telling us the story, rather than some omniscient narrator. It seemed as though everything was happening right then and there. That book's sequel, Full Tilt, though exciting, seemed to lose some steam with its past tense framework, choosing to use a more passive voice that sometimes ratcheted the tension down when it should have been amplifying it.

Nobody returns to Rock Star's voice, telling the story from Hudson's perspective, but then it does something that is quite ingenious considering the scope of the novel: certain chapters are done in the voices of other characters in the novel. This is a particularly affecting and engaging device when used by people whose lives have been changed because of the kindness of Chester Holte; when you get their back stories, it somehow feels right to hear the stories coming from the characters, rather than some mystery narrator who knows everything. Your average reader might be uncomfortable with these changes of voice at first, but believe me when I say this is the most effective way Mapes could have structured this novel.

Some of the story's elements are formulaic and predictable enough (Will Hudson and Holly take a shining to each other? You bet. Does her faith and his lack of one pose a threat to them? Obviously. Is the local police chief corrupt and somehow involved in the mess surrounding Chester Holte's death? Take a wild guess.), but they aren't so unreasonable as to detract from the story of a homeless man who had it all, lost it all, found it again (in God), lost it again (because of His followers), and then simply chose to give it away.

In Chester Holte we see a magnanimous character who learned what it meant to give himself to the people who really needed his help instead of being cornered by the folks who wanted what he had. Holly is the example of healing in progress, while Hudson is the one who seems to resist the things he obviously needs the most, and while these two act as the story's primary characters in terms of page time, it is really Chester Holte who has the most to say even though he is dead before page one.

That's an impressive feat. That's an impressive character. Nobody is an impressive novel.

Whoa! God is all over this awesome suspense novel! Author Creston Maples is to be commended for the outstanding job he has done on Nobody! This page turner reads like no other suspense novel.

Chester's life is based on the poem "I Stand by the Door" by Samuel Shoemaker, which is awesome in itself, but the reader will come away a changed person as you can't help but see yourself in the mirror of Ambrose Hudson with the desire to be more like Holly Queens or Chester Holte. Excellent for study groups with questions included in the back of the book or to ponder upon yourself. A definite read for suspense lovers whether Christian or not, as the book would definitely make an excellent witnessing tool for the unsaved. What ever you do don't miss Nobody, as it is a definite must read!

NOBODY was a book that packed a message far stronger than even some of the more learned books I read. It opened with a poem by the late Samuel Shoemaker. The last part of it went like this:

I admire people the way they go way in,

But I wish they would not forget how it was before they got in

Then they would be able to help the people who have not year even found the door

Or the people who want to run away from God again

You can go in too deeply and stay in too long and forget the people outside the door

As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place

Near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there

But not far from men as to not hear them and remember that they are there too.

Where? Outside the door.

Thousands of them, millions of them

But more important for me, one of them, two of them, ten of them

Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch

So I shall stand by the door and wait for those who seek it.

I had rather be a doorkeeper, so I stand by the door.

That set the tone for the book, set in Las Vegas. A homeless man - a wealthy man - who was willing to sacrifice himself and give up his life of ease because he saw a need in the homeless community for someone to care. His murder rocked their world as well as others. (You will have to read it for yourself. See Books I Recommend).

But the point made, by both the book and Shoemaker's poem is that it is easy to get into the Christian life so deeply that people who are far from God are forgotten. We used to have a saying that you don't hear much anymore: "You are so heavenly minded you are no earthly good." Some people, it is true, are the opposite but it is also true that some people have their heads so much in the clouds (heaven) that their ability to reach those on earth is shot. We surround ourselves with everything and everyone "Christian" that we lose touch with reality. As Shoemaker puts it: "You can go in too deeply and stay too long and forget the people outside the door."

Question: how will we ever reach them if we get in so deeply that we lose touch with peoples' needs? There are so many lost and hurting people that if we don't reach them with the Gospel of grace who will? Ask yourself, as I must ask myself, what am I doing to reach those outside the door?

Given the fact that "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," Sin City isn't the typical setting for a faith-fueled novel. But it's the gritty, seedy locale that gives Nobody its suspenseful spine. Written with the underlying message that Christians can become so involved in their own agendas that they forget people outside the church, the story has redemption woven throughout without getting too preachy. And from beginning to end, the storyline keeps you guessing, which is also a nice change from the norm.

A homeless man is murdered, and a nosy newspaper reporter arrives at the scene before the police. In an illegal, and ill-conceived, search of the deceased's pockets, Hudson Ambrose finds a bankbook with a balance of $689,000 and a key to a safe deposit box holding many thousands of dollars more, prompting the mystery of where the homeless man acquired such a significant amount.

The reporter soon is caught up in a web of intrigue and crime. Along with the homeless man's son and a nurse from a nearby clinic, Hudson sets out on a wild ride, prompting the discovery of corruption and cover-ups within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

NOBODY is unique in that the first-person narratives change, often within chapters. With multidimensional characters in a captivating mystery, Mapes' latest novel will draw readers in from the first few pages.

Far from the glittery world of superstar Everett Lester explored in his first two books, The Rock Star Chronicles, Creston Mapes takes us into the not-so-glamorous lives of the Las Vegas homeless community in his latest release, Nobody.

Hudson Ambrose, a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, responds to a call on the police scanner about a potential shooting at the Civic Center North bus stop. First on the scene, Hud finds the dead body of a homeless man sitting on the bus stop bench. When the police are slow to arrive, Hud decides to go through the man’s pockets, looking for any information that might help him with a story. When he finds a bankbook with a balance of $689,000 and a safe deposit box key, he is shocked.

While disgusted with himself for stealing from a homeless man, Hud flees the scene with the items; certain there is a blockbuster story in the making. But Hud has no idea what a hornet’s nest of trouble his split-second decision will stir up, and how his investigation into the life of one homeless man will alter his own life forever.

If I were to give Creston Mapes’ books an underlying theme, it would be Romans 3:22: “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are” (NLT). From rock stars to homeless men, Mapes has a special talent for creating genuine and compelling characters on authentic journeys of faith—powerfully portraying Christ’s love, mercy and redemptive power for all of His children.

Creston Mapes, with consistently skillful writing, has become one of the authors whose new books are automatically included on my to-be-read list. If you enjoy page-turning suspense and well-written characters—a story that will not only entertain but also challenge your thinking—then Nobody is the book for you. Armchair Interviews says: Creston Mapes does it again.

Revere High School alumnus Creston Mapes has taken a break after two novels in his Christian-themed ''Rock Star Chronicles'' series to write Nobody, the stand-alone suspense tale of a detached Las Vegas newspaper reporter and the homeless ''nobody'' whose body he discovers at a bus stop.

Working the overnight shift, Hudson Ambrose hears a call on the newsroom's police scanner and, hoping for a story, violates ethics by searching the victim's body before the cops arrive. When he finds a bank book in Chester Holte's pocket showing a balance of $689,800 Hud panics and runs, also taking a bloody key he finds at the man's feet.

So why did a rich man live on the streets? More puzzling, why is there no record of a body being received by the coroner? Hud's search for answers leads him to a relationship with a woman who works at a clinic for the homeless. He helps her with an abusive boyfriend, and she tries to lead him to God, a journey he may sorely need. Hud learns from many sources about what a selfless, revered man Chester was, this ''nobody'' he meant to exploit.

Nobody also is a story of two churches. Chester's original megachurch, in Atlanta, had been badgering him for money, which it wanted for building a bigger church. His Vegas congregation welcomed the homeless, offering services such as the clinic.

This is a compelling narrative that touches on a pressing issue (homelessness). It is slowed only by Mapes' switching of the story's perspective among characters without attribution, requiring the reader to backtrack to discover who's talking.

He heard the report of a dead homeless person sitting at a Las Vegas Boulevard bus stop on the police scanner so Review Journal reporter Hudson Ambrose drives over to see if there is a story although he assumes another "Nobody" was probably mugged over wine. No cops are in sight as he sits down next to the deceased, a murder victim, and though he knows better checks the pockets for identification. To his astonishment he finds a Wells Fargo bankbook with a balance of $689,800 and a blood stained safety deposit box key; Hudson takes both and leaves the scene.

That morning he goes to the bank and uses the key to open the box. Inside he finds plenty of money, two rings, stock, and articles on Chester Holte and his late wife who died in a tragic accident. Hudson now knows who the victim is. When he follows up on the police action, he finds no homicide reported or for that matter a corpse found; the bus stop has no blood stains. When someone breaks into his house, Hudson realizes that probably the killer knows what he did. As he investigates why Chester worked the streets, he meets Holly Queens of the Downtown Outreach Clinic, who thought Hudson was god sent. Hudson's inquiry angers violent dirty cops and casino employees while the homeless is outraged that their angel was murdered and the police do nothing because he was a NOBODY.

The premise behind this gritty dark yet inspirational look at the other side of Vegas is that there is room for everyone in God's tent so that there needs to be room for everyone in each person's soul. Creston Mapes never preaches as he tells the tale of how Chester became the homeless guardian angel through cynical Hudson's investigation into the man's life. Readers will appreciate this engrossing gloomy yet moving investigative thriller as even a NOBODY is somebody to someone.

Investigating the murder of a homeless man, reporter Hudson Ambrose discovers the dead man was worth half a million dollars. Hudson gets enmeshed in a suspenseful web of deceit involving a crooked police officer and a business mogul. Mapes (Full Tilt ) lives in Georgia.

Creston Mapes' Nobody scores a homerun for the originality of plot, unique characters, and Hudson Ambrose's vivid faith journey. In the first exquisite chapter Mapes grips the reader, pulls them into the book, and doesn't release them until the final page. AND once he lets you go, he leaves you with questions about your own life that keeps you thinking long after the book is closed.

In Nobody, Hudson Ambrose beat report for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, in search of a blockbuster story, races to a potential shooting he's heard about on the scanner. When he arrives, Hud finds the homeless Chester Holte slumped on a city bench, his lifeblood draining into the very streets he's inhabited. The police are slow to respond allowing Hud the time he needs to wrestle with proper protocol and throw it to the wind-delving into Chester's pockets and finding a key along with a bank book touting a $689,800 balance.

It's at this pivotal moment when you realize Hud's struggle is your own, one you have fought many times-sometimes winning, sometimes losing-but yours nonetheless and it is the moment that Mapes dares you turn away. Of course you can't, you're hooked, and you have to read on.

Through creative and exciting plot twists we follow Hud on his journey to solve the mystery of why wealthy Chester Holte is homeless. On this journey Mapes explores the underbelly of Las Vegas' homeless population, bringing us a new understanding of the homeless situation and opening our eyes to God's love for everyone, no matter their situation.

If this isn't enough, Mapes also gives us Holly, Hud's love interest, who serves as an example of someone who's been through tough times and come out on the other side with an enduring faith that compels her to share Jesus' love with others. She's truly an example for all of us.

Hudson Ambrose is a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. After hearing about a potential shooting over the police scanner. Hudson arrives at the crime scene before the police. Knowing he shouldn't, he decides to search the victim for a wound or identification. What he finds is a bank book with a lot of money in it, and a key. The more Hudson investigates, the deeper he is drawn into the life of Chester Holte, the dead man at the bus stop. But is this all for a story or is Hudson looking for a quick buck. Prison seems to be in his future. Can he live with what he has done?

Hudson must find the missing link that brings everyone involved together. Chester had touched so many people, on so many different levels. Hudson has so many questions, like how did a homeless man get so much money? Investigating Chester, has led Hudson to meet Holly. He is automatically drawn to her gentle nature, and her absolute faith in God. But can Hudson keep her safe from a jealous, abusive ex-boyfriend.

NOBODY is an entertaining, fast paced thriller. Memorable characters, a tale of greed, deceit, believing in God, and learning to forgive. Creston Mapes keeps you captivated from the first page to the last This novel has something for everyone, and it is a must read.

Gritty Novel Challenges Readers to see Beyond Church Doors

Creston Mapes is one of the most authentic writers in the Christian Fiction arena today, consistently delivering psychological thrillers with powerful messages that booklovers crave from cover to cover.

Creston's latest tale is about a mysterious, rich, murdered homeless man, Nobody (Multnomah Books, Sept. 18, 2007)

Creston's realistic tone is attributed to not only his contemporary writing style, but also to tons of research.

"My publisher sent me to Las Vegas to research this new story. Not only did I tour the casinos and clubs along Las Vegas Boulevard, but I canvassed the whole city researching the area and, especially, touring the enormous homeless community. There are 10,000 homeless people in Las Vegas. I saw the encampments where they live and went into the free clinics where they're treated for everything from spider bites and chronic colds to foot ulcers and hunger," states Mapes.

When asked why is Nobody so important to his readers and the Body of Christ?

Creston states, "Nobody is written with the underlying message that Christians can become so involved in the works of the church, and in pleasing man, that they can forget the people outside the church, who still have not found God. I pray this novel will remind us all that we have been reconciled by God and we, in turn, are called to help lead others to be reconciled with Him as well."

When local newspaper reporter Hudson Ambrose hears an early morning call about an injured person at a bus stop on his police scanner, he rushes to the scene to get the scoop. What he discovers is a murdered homeless man, a 'nobody' who will probably get lost in a system of red tape. With sirens in the distance, Hudson impulsively decides to take a bankbook with an unbelievable balance and a blood-stained key as he leaves the scene. When he follows up on the police action with a phone call, he finds no homicide reported or a corpse found; the bus stop is surprisingly bloodless. Hudson is now compelled to find out who this homeless person, Chester Holte, was and what he doing on the streets.

This was my first read of a Creston Mapes novel and I was extremely enthralled at the depth of his story and cast. He is a compelling storyteller . . . a wordsmith whose words are worth a thousand images. The author takes great care in painting a realistic setting with relationally interconnected characters who fit in well within that environment. This makes it very difficult to put the book down. The story is sentimental but not sappy (although the love story happened too quickly for me). Its message convicting but not overpowering or preachy. Hudson's journey, although dark, is captivating and very down-to-earth. The roller coaster emotions of deceit, shame, fear and grief consume Hudson as he deals with the mystery of Chester and unexpected death of his estranged father.

Discussion questions are included in the back of the book for deeper insight and follow-up to the themes woven throughout Nobody. From this moment forward, I'll be reading anything Creston Mapes pens as soon as possible, (without waiting in line at Barnes and Noble at midnight).

Reporter Hudson Ambrose gets more than he bargaiNS for when he finds a murdered homeless man. After tiring of waiting for the police to show up, Hudson checks out the body himself and discovers a bankbook in the dead man's pocket showing a balance of almost a million dollars! Upon further investigation, Hudson discovers that this supposed bum was actually a fabulously wealthy man named Chester Holte. So what was he doing on the streets? Who killed him? And why?

Unfortunately, since Hudson himself tampered with the evidence, he finds it hard to go to the police. His fears are expanded when several other homeless men warn him that some of the police are not exactly clean. As his investigation continues, Hudson discovers more and more amazing things about the deceased. For starters, everyone who knew him is absolutely devastated at his death. By all accounts, Chester Holte was a prince among men. This is not the death of a nobody, and before his investigation is over, Hudson Ambrose will find himself pondering the true value of a human being.

It's good to see Creston Mapes branching away from his rock star series and doing something new. The not-so-glamorous characters that inhabit the Las Vegas of Nobody are quite different from the superstars and retinue from the Rock Star Chronicles, and yet they're just as interesting and well developed...

The story is written in first person, but it shifts from chapter to chapter. While Hudson is the primary narrator, occasional chapters are also told from the first person point-of-view of any number of other characters in the story, including a villain or two. This works surprisingly well...

Like The Cure by Athol Dickson earlier this year, Nobody explores the real world of homelessness without being too preachy. Mapes strikes a good balance, not condemning or extolling, but just portraying the situation as it exists. At the same time, he provides an excellent murder mystery. Recommended.

"Nobody" is far from nothing! Creston Mapes has created a riveting tale that not only entertains, but opens the eyes of the reader into a world they've probably spent the majority of their life ignoring. I know it made me think twice...

It can't get any more intriguing than this! Trust me, this is one book you'll be talking about for a long time to come. Creston Mapes is not only a talented author with intriguing, mind-driven plots that make you think and give opportunity for life/heart changes, he's also a husband and a father. He resides in the Atlanta area, and enjoys hockey, reading, painting, family time, meeting friends for coffee, and spending time in God's word.

You'll bless this man by picking up a copy of his book - and you'll be blessed 100 times over after reading it. Trust me! Take a chance, buy "Nobody" today, and let God do something amazing in your life...

If you've ever wanted a good, clear picture of what Jesus meant when He said, "When you've done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto Me," read "Nobody" by Creston Mapes.

Reporter Hudson Ambrose hears an early morning broadcast on his police scanner about an incident at a Las Vegas bus stop, and sets off to investigate. What he thinks he finds is a homeless man, murdered. Knowing the police will treat this as merely a John Doe, Hudson decides to at least find some identification.

But his search of the dead man's pockets reveals a bank book with hundreds of thousands of dollars recorded. A deeper search brings to light the homeless man's true identity, leading Hudson on an investigative journey he didn't intend to go on.

Who killed the homeless man? What happened to him, and why was he living as a homeless person? The stories Hudson uncovers lead him to discover many angels in disguise, and that nobody is a nobody in God's economy.

This book is poetic suspense that forces the reader to take a good, hard look at his or her Christianity. To look past the phony to find the genuine, and to see the heart of Jesus, buried beneath the prosperity and materialism we've settled for.

This book has a lot to say about "Think before you act". Hudson's stupid impulsive act plunges him into a waking nightmare that threatens to drain the life from him. Still, God can use anything we surrender to Him, even our blunders and missteps.

You cannot read "Nobody" and remain the same. You cannot pick up "Nobody" and put it down easily. And you will never look at the supposed "Nobodies" of this world again and not see what Jesus sees...a soul worth dying for.

I give "Nobody" six out of five bookmarks, and vote it "Best Contemporary Novel of 2007! Don't miss this life-changing novel!

It happens to a good thing. But when the title simply says, "Nobody," what do you expect? From Creston Mapes, you should know better then to expect, you just read! And if you thought you had any ideas concerning expectations, you're way out of your league. Creston Mapes blows those theories way out of the water!

Hudson Ambrose probably should've known better. He wants the scoop on a homeless bum laid out on the streets. So when he assumes the worst, he goes for broke. It is then when he realizes something about this nobody he so evasively spit in the face of. The nobody he thought was so worthless actually has a name! Wow! And to others in the Las Vegas homeless community, he's more than a worthless bum. He's somebody, and he means more. A lot more to certain people then the likes of Hudson could possibly imagine! There is a lot to learn about Chester Holte. That throws Hudson into a whirlwind of events he only thought happened in the movies. A sea of cash, dirty cops, the red tape!! And through it all, Hudson must decide if his life is worth all that much. What if there really is more to this life?

NOBODY in their right mind should pass up NOBODY! Somebody had an idea for a great idea, and Creston Mapes is that man. So don't just look at "Nobody," thinking it is nothing. That is a mistake NOBODY should make. Get a new perspective on a few things. Check it out!

Nobody is Creston Mapes' (author of The Rock Star Chronicles) latest novel. Written in first person, the story unfolds through the eyes of several different characters, each adding their own layer to the book. Greed and its consequences, selfless love for society's rejects, and the struggle to forgive are strong themes throughout this book. He ratchets up the suspense with each page and left this reader wondering if justice would prevail in the end.

Mapes' new release grabs the reader by the gut and compels them to plunge through the pages to a surprising and yet fitting conclusion.This was a very fun read from an author who loves to dish up the unusual plot and illuminate the seamy sides of life on this stricken planet with the gentle, yet powerful beam of hope.

If like me, you're a big fan of gritty suspense novels, then today's book spotlight is for you. NOBODY, by Creston Mapes exploded out the gate and wouldn't let me go. Wowzers, this boy can write.

I've met Creston before, and he really is a wonderful human being. I'm so thankful that God is using him in fiction and in the world at large. I pray God's richest blessings on him.

And now, for my review:

Truly this author has a gift, one wrapped up in paper, hundreds of pages of paper, that have the potential to wrap up the reader in wonder. A gift that he has shared with the world, one that all of us should receive with thanks. (No, I received no money for the previous sentences. LOL.)

I don't know why Creston Mapes isn't more popular, hasn't sold more books, hasn't been lauded with more accolades. But I do know that his reward is in heaven for listening to the Father's voice and writing the Father's heart. In no book of his has this been more evident than in Nobody.

You can read back cover copy for a teaser and many other places for a summary or synopsis. I usually begin my reviews with one, but I don't think I need it today. Just know you will enjoy the book. Period.

I learned from and was challenged by many different characters--sacrifice from Chester, the dangers of legalism etc. from Scribe, the importance of a good witness from Holly, and lots more.

Of course, the plot is my favorite part of a book and Nobody had it all, including an especially good reveal at the end about why Chester was killed. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it again.

Creston himself has qualified this as a sort of psychological thriller, but I see it as more of a mystery. Regardless, it's a grand read.