While the charge of “persecution” gets tossed about rather casually, Pastor Stephen Grant and some of his closest friends and associates get a close-up, bloody view of what it truly means to be a modern-day martyr. From the White House to the Vatican, and from Russia to the Middle East, the action is unrelenting and the suspense is palpable. Can Grant and his former CIA colleagues act in time to save innocent lives? "The right person at the right time can make a difference, especially if he is faithful, steadfast, and dependable. Pastor Stephen Grant is that man in-universe. Ray Keating is an author cut from the same cloth, entertaining, engaging, and expert because of substantive research, often traveling to some of the sites about which he writes." - Lutheran Book Review "A crackling, fast-moving thriller that's not afraid of sentiment, Persecution: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel takes its readers into the framework theatre of covert operations with a narrative that fulfills its purpose with vigour and confidence. With themes of courage, patriotism, love and adherence to personal values it's a hard book to put down as Keating overcomes clichéd genre tropes to deliver genuinely stirring drama that explores the themes of religious persecution and martyrdom... Capturing an authentic tone in fiction is never easy but through Pastor Stephen Grant Keating's passion shines through. Conveying Grant's thoughts in unpretentious words and actions without losing their impact and there are few readers who will turn the last page and not want more. A first-class thriller and an uncompromising five-star read!" - BookViral Reviews "Another action-packed tale of Stephen Grant by Ray Keating! This political thriller centers on a daring rescue attempt and its political backlash, but what really stands out is that this book had so many good guys! I don't want to give spoilers-and there were twists and turns and government corruption-but it was a breath of fresh air not only to root for the good guys we know and love from the series but also to imagine some of the good & straight-forward politicians and journalists featured... I really liked the break from reality to dream about Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Americans, Russians and more working together to stop persecution." - Mary J. Moerbe, "Meet, Write & Salutary" blog "As ever, Keating manages to thread the needle between scenes of intense action and passages of righteous philosophy, bolstered by an expanding cast of three-dimensional characters. The dialogue sparkles with the sharp familiarity of old allies and friends, and Keating smoothly navigates his exposition through flashbacks to add even more depth to the story and characters. This torn-from-the-headlines premise turns a sharper lens on the perennial instability of the Middle East, for a dramatic and sensitive take on complex issues. Persecution is a gripping and dramatic thriller that moves along at a blistering pace, making it nearly impossible to put the novel down before the final page." - Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★ "The plot is vigorously paced, crammed with vividly depicted action and drama... the reader is never lost in this accessible tale of international intrigue." - Kirkus Reviews "I have been a huge Stephen Grant fan for many years and whenever a new adventure comes out, I get an eager feeling knowing I am going to have a great time in his world. This book is no exception. The author fills the pages with terrific excitement and tons of action and - I do not know how he does this - plenty to think about without slowing any of the plot. Grant knows how to explain things to people in 25-words-or-less (well, sometimes a bit more but never too many) and that lets them - and us - get back into the troubles to be resolved. This adventure deals with persecution of Christians in specifics but all peoples of different religions and beliefs in general and Mr. Keating gets his/Grant's points across without making the reader feel, well, persecuted. I have been and strongly remain a fan of Ray Keating and Stephen Grant." - Spy Guys and Gals, ★★★★★