The Sad Kitchen by John Paul King

Years after the murder of her son, Helen Sampson has opened an underground, nighttime soup kitchen where people seek refuge when they are kept awake by a guilty conscience. But when one of her customers, Vern, writes a children's book that goes viral, The Sad Kitchen begins to attract public suspicion which calls into question Helen's motives.

This is a simple, yet engaging story. I really enjoyed it and, yet, struggle with how to give more of a description than is on the cover itself.

On one level, it is a meditation on forgiveness and mercy. There are crimes which are considered unforgivable by society, yet the Christian must still practice forgiveness and mercy on the truly penitent.

On another level, it is a meditation on the relationship of art to the artist. Can we judge the art separately from the person who created it? I myself say "yes" and yet there is one person whose movies I refuse to view based on his personal life. I suspect we all have that blind spot somewhere.

On yet a third level, it is a meditation on the power of the good person to change lives - simply by living as a good person.

So The Sad Kitchen is simple but there is plenty to think about.