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In Passing Kindle Edition
Trying to bring closure to her haunted youth, Mary Elizabeth Stroll's past and present converge during a haunting, day-long interview.
In Passing is a dark, yet romantic, paranormal tale, which thrusts two adolescent, suicide victims into a haunting afterlife odyssey where they find love and meaning. The journey leads them to intervene in the lives of other distressed young people, all the while amorous feelings grow. The two are then reunited with their lifeless bodies to search for the truth and their lost love.
Nine years gone, Mary, now in her early twenties, agrees to an interview with a seminary student, Alex Renteria. Alex is completing his thesis on divine interventions, and near death experiences. Mary recalls her extraordinary afterlife adventure during the course of a daylong interview, which quickly morphs into an equally-haunting, parallel adventure.
In Passing flows between first person (narrated by Mary as a youth [Lizzy]) and third person, creating an intense immediacy that will take the reader on a breath-stealing adventure, and race against death; all the while tackling a variety of controversial issues including: suicide, runaways, school violence, abortion, child abuse, substance abuse, etc.
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateJanuary 20, 2016
- Reading age16 - 18 years
- Grade level12 and up
- File size754 KB
Popular titles by this author
Editorial Reviews
Review
A licensed psychotherapist himself, J.R. Wirth obviously knows his stuff and in this, his first full length novel, he is not afraid to delve into issues that some might prefer to avoid. Excellent prose is used in the telling of this story, the narrative expressed in flawless, descriptive text that brings the characters to life. Paranormal they may be, but the scenes are easily visualised, the dialogue carrying the story forward like a suspenseful movie script. In the earlier parts of the novel, I was a little confused as to what was going on and who was who, but as I read on the fog began to clear and before long I realised what a treat this work really is. As the blurb for this book says, here we have a story that is both dark, yet romantic, paranormal yet somehow real. In Passing is a unique tale of love that endures even beyond death.
From the Author
From the Inside Flap
As promised, I open my eyes to anew dramatic scene. It is cold and sterile here, surrounded by walls of steel.Musty, quiet, and dark is the room where we stand. It must be night where weare, but where are we? I feel an overwhelming sense of gloom in this metalcontainer. The air is thick, and reeks of death. Are we in the future? Iwonder. Have we been transported to some post-apocalyptic safe room?
"Where have we been transported?"to Bart, I ask. "This place frightens me."
Bart hears the apprehension in myvoice. He pulls me close to blanket my fear. He now puts his finger to my lipsand whispers, "Never fear, my love, I will always protect you."
His physical and verbal touchrefreshes my canvas, whitewashing this face of fear. Yet, from the endings ofmy nerves, the tremors from within do not completely subside. The shivers ofdread, I feel, loom just beyond my spinal cord's reach, waiting to pounce atthe drop of a feather.
Bart releases his grip and turnshis attention to this room of despair. And though I feel in dire straits, andin need of his constant, reassuring touch, I must let the scene develop. Bartmust find the reason for our mission at this location. And, I dare say, we haveyet to find the reason for our being together on this extended adventure.
Before he completely disengages,I squeeze Bart's body one last time. I now allow him to uncouple and examinethe room.
Bart walks about the frigid, uncaring, concretefloor. He has that detective look again. I trust he will uncover the place, andreason, for our arrival.
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B01AWKEBHK
- Publisher : Linkville Press; 1st Edition (January 20, 2016)
- Publication date : January 20, 2016
- Language : English
- File size : 754 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 321 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 1522908757
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
J.R. Wirth is a native of Southern California. Raised in Azusa, he now hails from San Bernardino. J.R. is recognized for his extensive work in the helping field. He is a licensed psychotherapist with a long list of accomplishments, including a 15-year stretch as a domestic violence counselor and trainer, and head of a disaster response team. J.R. had a stint as a university professor, and even spent time as a child abuse investigator -- the impetus for the book "Avenging Angels," which J.R. warns is a dark thriller that may TRIGGER some readers who are sensitive toward such topics. Through all these duties, he continues to provide clinical supervision to young, aspiring therapists. J.R. currently supervises the therapy portion of a forensic psychiatric unit in Southern California. Above all, he is a spiritual man who is dedicated to his children, which often comes out in his writings.
J.R. has several works published via independent publishers, including, but not limited to, two full-length novels and two short story collections. The most recent release, “Twisted Family Holiday Collection” (6/20/21, Books To Go Publishing), is a collection of suspenseful short stories with supernatural and paranormal elements woven into them. Readers’ Favorite described it as, “…a cracking good read. Each story has an excellent plot, one main character, and a great cast of well-developed and believable characters.” Most works can be found in multiple venues and all are featured on Amazon. Currently, J.R. has several projects in the making, including, "The Institute," a thriller with a young adult ensemble cast of unforgettable characters.
Besides traditional publishing, J.R. has several pieces published—including a poem and several short stories in online venues. In all his works, J.R. combines ordinary people with extraordinary circumstances, to create characters that jump off the page and straight into the readers’ heart and psyche. He remains dedicated to the craft of writing, highlighting the conflict, frailty, and hero in all of us.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They describe it as a suspenseful tale that blends teen tragic fiction with a Dickensian Christmas Carol. Readers enjoy the writing quality and heroine's eloquence.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book suspenseful and well-written. They describe it as a compelling tale that blends teen tragic fiction with a Dickensian Christmas Carol. The haunting revelations and twist at the end are a pleasant surprise. The book is described as an absorbing paranormal romantic suspense that blends teen tragedy with a Dickenssian Christmas Carol.
"...The haunting revelations and twist at the end were a pleasant surprise to this reader, and the excellent writing was the perfect vehicle for this..." Read more
"JR Wirth’s In Passing is an oddly absorbing paranormal romantic suspense that blends teen tragic fiction with a Dickensian Christmas Carol and It’s..." Read more
"...It is almost like reading two separate stories, yet each emotional roller coaster is dependent on the other. Well done, JR, well done!" Read more
"In Passing is a tale woven with sensitivity and lots of M & M’s...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They appreciate the insights it provides.
"...I enjoyed this book a lot, especially with the realizations that come with reading Mary's (or Lizzy) account of her childhood tragedies and terrors...." Read more
"Strange but fun reading. Confusing at first as it went from different characters and finding they are the same." Read more
"Great book! Well written and suspenseful!" Read more
Customers praise the writing quality. They say the author handles it well and with compassion. The heroine's narration is described as superb.
"...at the end were a pleasant surprise to this reader, and the excellent writing was the perfect vehicle for this tale." Read more
"...The night of terror, yet enchantment, is told, with superb eloquence, by our heroine (who went by Lizzy in her youth), in first person...." Read more
"Great book! Well written and suspenseful!" Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2016Jan 30, 2018
I would have to say I have never read anything like this novel, so this was a refreshing change for me. In that, once I started the story, it totally absorbed me, such that I didn't notice the passage of time. My only regret is that it took so long for me to read this story, consumed as I was with personal stuff during the better part of last year.
I enjoyed this book a lot, especially with the realizations that come with reading Mary's (or Lizzy) account of her childhood tragedies and terrors. Suicide is not a good subject for me, and so it created a bit of a spot while reading, but I have to say the author handled it well and with compassion. Other serious themes tackled in the book includes child and substance abuse and abortion, but like the other topic, these are all handled well and treated with respect. The haunting revelations and twist at the end were a pleasant surprise to this reader, and the excellent writing was the perfect vehicle for this tale.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2016JR Wirth’s In Passing is an oddly absorbing paranormal romantic suspense that blends teen tragic fiction with a Dickensian Christmas Carol and It’s A Wonderful Life. The mix of narrators, times and places is unsettling at the start, but once the story gets going, once Mary begins to narrate her near death experience to the listening priest-in-training, this book is hard to put down.
Terrors and tragedies of childhood come to the fore in this novel—the physical, emotional and sexual abuses that result in suicide or worse, and the search for redemption. Lizzy (or Mary) and her helper may or may not be angels, and may or may not be seen as they slip through the scenes. But their words can change lives, and their lessons are wise.
Meanwhile, the lesson that we help ourselves through helping others is pleasingly taught. Lizzy might not die. And Mary might not be forever scarred. Plus, love might be real. The “might be” scenarios carry the reader forward, guessing, hoping, dreaming and wondering until “divine intervention” proves its human point. I enjoyed this book.
Disclosure: I won a copy and I offer my honest review.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2016Mary Elizabeth Stroll arrives at an interview she’s volunteered for regarding “near death” experiences. As she primps for the interview, in a church parking lot, Mary drifts toward the memories of the night where she met death. The night of terror, yet enchantment, is told, with superb eloquence, by our heroine (who went by Lizzy in her youth), in first person. Simultaneously, we are shown the lives of other youth who, as the story goes, are intertwined and it all makes sense.
However, during the interview itself, Mary matches wits with the interviewer, Brother Alex Renteria, who is doing his thesis on near death experiences. JR Wirth lets us in on the thinking and motives of Mary and Alex as they dance their way through a day long fight with death and darkness that has seemingly followed Mary back from the dead. It is almost like reading two separate stories, yet each emotional roller coaster is dependent on the other. Well done, JR, well done!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2016In Passing is a tale woven with sensitivity and lots of M & M’s. It’s about the interview of Mary Elizabeth Stroll by priest-in-training, Brother Alex. Sexually molested as a child, then nicknamed Lizzy, she recounts the night she overdosed on her mother’s pills to escape the horror that was her mother's boyfriend; setting off on an afterlife adventure similar in nature to that of Ebeneezer Scrooge’s “Christmas Carol” nightmare. However, while Scrooge was a crotchety old man who needed to learn to love again, Lizzy is an innocent needing encouragement and strength to go on living.
In her afterlife adventure, Lizzy meets a boy who, unknown to her, is there because he needs the same encouragement. Together, they meet several challenges, growing romantically closer with every undertaking and helping each other gain the strength needed to continue with their lives.
J.R. Wirth tells a beautiful story of recovery and redemption.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2016Strange but fun reading. Confusing at first as it went from different characters and finding they are the same.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2016This book is one of many I have read as of late, but one that will remain with me for a long time to come. I will recommend to everyone I know!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017In Passing is a paranormal love story with hints of darkness. It explores the possibility of an after life and the existence of ‘angels’, or people who are able to stop others before they make dire mistakes. The book is not afraid to take on gritty social issues, such as child abuse, substance abuse and abortion, and does so in a positive manner. Well worth a read for those who enjoy paranormal romance and books with a religious theme.
...read the complete review at UndergroundBookReviews(dot)org
- Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2016Great book! Well written and suspenseful!
Top reviews from other countries
- christeena lalondeReviewed in Canada on July 4, 2016
1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing
There is a good story underneath the excess wording. Its almost like using more words will make it seem more intelligent but really it just drowns the story to the point you give up reading.