“The Least of These” Takes Detective Abbey Rhodes Farther Down the Rabbit Hole of Her Own Past in the Second Volume of Author Mitchell Karnes’
Detective Abbey Rhodes Mystery Series
Death doesn’t keep a schedule.
Veteran novelist Mitchell S. Karnes and WordCrafts Press are thrilled to unveil The Least of These, the second volume in the intriguing new Detective Abbey Rhodes Mystery series. Juxtaposed between the luxury of the rich and famous and the squalor of a homeless camp in the heart of Nashville, Abbey is forced to confront the value of each individual’s life.
“I wanted to pose a question,” author Mitchell Karnes says. “What if there were two deaths: one a homeless person and the other the son of a wealthy, influential person? Would the system treat them the same way? Would one get preferential treatment? So I put Detective Abbey Rhodes right in the middle, pulled by two forces. What would she do? What should she do? Our forefathers claimed we are all created equal in the image of God. As such, shouldn’t every life have value? That’s the question I worked through in The Least of These.”
“I was bothered by the number of homeless camps springing up around Nashville, and I wondered, what causes a person to move to these camps,” Karnes continues. “Speaking with ministers, leaders of Nashville’s Rescue Mission, and Room in the Inn, I discovered there were a plethora of reasons; from addictions to financial tragedies. Some people choose to live in these conditions for the freedom it provides. Others are forced into them due to poor decisions or circumstances beyond their control.
“I want readers to continue following Abbey’s struggles as more of her past resurfaces. Can she deal with it honestly? Can she process the pain and grow from it, or will the past horrors consume her?
“Ultimately, I hope they discover that God’s love is deeper and more powerful than any pain and hurt we have.”
From the Novel
It’s not a good sign when the Mayor’s office leaves a message saying, “The Mayor needs to see you first thing this morning.” I checked with Sam, and he received the same cryptic message. Why would the mayor want to see us?
I hadn’t seen him since the Ripley case, and that was a brief official encounter. I didn’t know what to expect this time, but a tongue-lashing directly from the mayor, especially on the second day of a new case, was the furthest thing from my mind. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what we got.
“Okay. Let’s piece this together. Who all is missing? What do they have in common?”
“Of the four women, two made their homes along the bank of the Cumberland. Christy here and Millie up there,” Susan said, pointing to the pillar to our east. Christy lived on the land Damien claimed as his city. Millie lived beside our soldier. “The other two women made their homes that way.” Susan pointed toward the road. “Alice lived at the top in one of the old campers. Grace lived on the side of that trash pile.” One from each of the four camps. Was that significant? If so, what did that mean?
Susan finished her search of Christy’s tent. “The only thing missing besides the money is her new water pot,” Susan said. “That’s her lifeline. Do you see it outside?”
Susan and I scoured Christy’s tent and the area around it for the pot or any clues to her disappearance—much to the chagrin of Damien and his men. Nothing we found indicated signs of forced abduction or murder. The other residents had trampled the ground around the camp. No hope of finding a trail. “Someone probably took it when she left,” I said. “If it was a new water pot, it would be in high demand here.” Nothing I could think of off-hand gave any insights into the four disappearances. The only thing they had in common was their homelessness, which brought me back to the flyer. Maybe someone was beginning to clean up Nashville starting with this site.
About the Author
Mitchell S. Karnes is a husband, father of seven, and grandfather of nine. Mitchell uses his experience and insights as a minister, counselor, and educator to write and speak on challenging issues and concerns with an ever-growing audience. He has published five novels, three short stories, a one-act play, and numerous Bible study lessons.
Through two separate battles against Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, God has given Mitchell a new perspective on life that challenges him to create stories not only to entertain audiences but call them to action. Mitchell’s mission is to reach and reconcile those who have been disillusioned with God and His church and inspire the church to live out the love of Christ Jesus in a broken and hurting world.
Connect with Mitchell online at:
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