I was just browsing Netgalley looking for something that would be an interesting read when the title The Atheist caught my eye. So I looked a bit further and the description seemed interesting:

“Jillian Campbell doesn’t believe in God. When local pastor Jim Preston claims to be an agent of God called a Deiform, and declares that Jillian is one too, she dismisses him as a kook. Two days later, Preston is dead, and Jillian stands accused of his murder.”

So I requested it and was approved. Then when I looked again I noticed that the book had been out for over a year. That was a bit surprising since I usually get advanced reading copies or ARCs.

I also noticed a link to the author’s website http://www.sarahettritch.com/. Reading that over I thought I might not like this book since I am not generally a fan of science fiction and fantasy.

The book sat on my Kindle for a while as I was in no rush to read it. Then I figured I might as well give it a chance. And I was totally surprised.

The beginning was mildly interesting, within a chapter or so I knew I would finish, and within a few chapters I was totally enthralled. I read the book in less than a day which is very unusual for me.

On her website, the author also that her books could be considered lesbian fiction because they feature strong female characters who are lesbian. However it seemed to me that these characters were developed well and that the lesbian thing was just one aspect of a complex character.

Jillian is also an atheist. But I wouldn’t call this atheist fiction. It is just good fiction and a good mystery.

The Atheist by Sarah Ettritch is a great read. It is the first in The Deiform Fellowship series. Of course, the question of whether or not God exists is an important one. And it is interesting to listen to various characters express their views on the subject. The story about the accusation of murder, how Jillian got there, and how she fought the charges is a real page-turner and is well done.

I highly recommend this book. I have several books lined-up now in my reading queue but I think I may check out more of Sarah Ettritch’s books, especially since the next one in The Deiform Fellowship series is already out.