Like Flames in the Night (Cities of Refuge)
1367 BCE. Widowed and childless, Tirzah has a fire inside her to help the Hebrew people. She secretly trains with her brother and is tasked with infiltrating an Aramean commander’s kitchen and gathering information. Meanwhile, Liyam is returning home from a victory against the Arameans only to learn his daughter was killed in an accident. Seeking vengeance, Liyam travels across the country in search of the man responsible. When the spies Tirzah’s been passing secrets to are discovered, can Liyam put aside his vengeance when he’s called to retrieve a woman with information that could help the Hebrews reclaim the Promised Land?
Starting with her Out of Egypt series, Cossette’s characters have passed the torch from one book to the next, following a different person each time. Each story builds upon the previous, though this is not to say readers can’t pick up Like Flames in the Night without knowing the entire series, only that Cossette builds layer upon rich layer to create a deeply rooted, inspirational journey. I enjoyed this final dive into the landscape and familiar characters of the Cities of Refuge series. Cossette teases out little-known facts of the Bible and brings them to life with finesse.
Tirzah places herself in danger and must learn to overcome her personal fears while trusting God in the midst of dire circumstances. Liyam’s struggles in coping with his daughter’s death are relatable and heart-wrenching. Character development and relationships build slowly as tensions escalate between the Hebrews and the Arameans. The plot is swift moving as Tirzah’s safety changes from one chapter to the next. Like Flames in the Night is another engrossing adventure enriched by a splendid historical narrative and deep spirituality. For fans of Biblical fiction, Cossette’s novels are not to be missed!
