"One of the Top 25 Genre Novels of 2006"
--Library Journal, on Waking Lazarus (Read the full article.)
"Hines excels at writing gripping supernatural thrillers with plenty of twists and turns; he'll pull you in from page one."
--Library Journal, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"A miner-turned-garbage collector is the refreshingly different protagonist of this sophomore horror outing by Hines (Waking Lazarus)...Hines writes with wry humor and imagination."
--Publishers Weekly, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"Contemporary wisdom is that a good author grabs readers in the first chapter, better yet the first page or first paragraph. In The Dead Whisper On, Billings author T.L. Hines needs just the first sentence: "A dead man spoke to her from the shadows." In just nine words, he lets readers know that an unusual, tense story awaits. And he delivers."
--Billings Gazette, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"Hines’s new tale takes elements of ancient mythology – the tale of the Golem, a monster of earth and clay, seeking to wreck vengeance – and mixes it with some good old creeps and crawls. He plays some clever bait and switch games with the good and the bad guys, and creates an excellent genre-mix that’s reminiscent of Dean Koontz, Peter Straub, and Stephen King."
--Infuze Magazine, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"Hines has given us another complex thriller with The Dead Whisper On, with flawed but admirable, three-dimensional characters. Canada MacHugh is so well-written, that I felt that I knew her...and wanted to help her."
--Rambles.net, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"The Dead Whisper On is really very good. I know that, because when I picked it up the other morning (of course I read it in broad daylight as my mama didn’t raise no fool), I didn’t, couldn’t put it down again until I’d finished the last page. I’d intended just to check it out, but the author hooked me with the first sentence: 'A dead man spoke to her from the shadows.'"
--Armchair Interviews, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"The plot twists like the mine tunnels under Butte and made it difficult to stop reading. Nothing is as it first appears. (Hines) raises troubling questions that tie in with our current fears and apprehension. Who, or what, is really our enemy?"
--TitleTrakk, on The Dead Whisper On (Read the full review)
"Hines handles the numerous flashbacks and switches in point of view well, and has a deft touch in knowing just how much information to give and how much to withhold...not for the faint of heart. Readers who consider most faith thrillers too tame should find this satisfactorily chilling."
--Publisher's Weekly, on Waking Lazarus (Read the full review at Amazon, with a mild SPOILER ALERT. If you'd rather read the Publisher's Weekly review without a key plot twist revealed, I have an edited version of it on my blog.)
(STARRED REVIEW) "This taut inspirational thriller will keep readers guessing as to the identity of the perpetrator. Some disturbing scenes of children in peril may upset sensitive readers, but those who stick with this first-rate work populated with intriguing characters will be well rewarded with an exciting read. Highly recommended for CF and suspense collections."
--Tamara Butler, Library Journal (Read the full review - subscription required)
"The story of Jude's existential crisis and his gradual redemption...is compelling... [A] well-paced suspense narrative populated by dynamic characters. Particularly well-drawn is the villain..."
--Kirkus Discoveries (Read the full review)
"Hines makes the most of his unusual tale, characterizing his hero realistically but with humor and holding on to his secrets to the end."
--John Mort, Booklist (Read the full review - subscription required)
"(4 1/2 stars) T.L. Hines makes a grand entrance onto the novelist stage with his first book, Waking Lazarus...Not many books have me hooked with the first sentence, but this one did...spiritually challenging, complex, creative, intelligent."
--Mary Fairchild, about.com (Read the full review)
"Waking Lazarus will be in my top ten 2006 picks...T.L. Hines debut novel is stunning. His writing is crisp and fast paced. The characters are fully developed and the plot is spiritually complex and fascinating. It is original suspense at its finest."
--Andrea Sisco, Armchair Interviews (Read the full review)
"This is the novel Christian Fiction has been waiting for. Along with Dekker and Peretti, Hines gives the genre increased credibility as he crafts a tale that is imaginative, truly creative, as well as thought-provoking and edifying. Jude Allman, like Odd Thomas (Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas, Forever Odd), and Johnny Smith (Stephen King’s The Dead Zone), is a realistic, unlikely hero..."
--Kevin Lucia, The Baptist Voice (Read the full review)
"Waking Lazarus is an impressive debut novel with a fabulous premise. It is firmly placed in the Christian fiction realm, which may scare off readers who don't normally seek out the spiritual. And that's a shame, because although there are well-placed references here and there to Scripture (Hines knows where his bread is buttered, after all), Waking Lazarus reads more like a mainstream thriller than the usual Christian fare. Ultimately this is a story of love and redemption, with a protagonist who is both unusual and familiar at the same time. Jude Allman doesn't want what life has thrust upon him, but he must ultimately choose to accept it for the betterment of himself and mankind."--Nate Kenyon, Horrorworld.org (Read the full review)
"It is hard to believe this is T.L. Hines’s debut novel because it is so well written and the characters populating the storyline are believable. Visionary fiction is hard to write well, but Mr. Hines does a great job of doing just that."
--Harriet Klausner, alternativeworlds.com (Read the full review)
"WAKING LAZARUS is tight, fast paced, gritty, and inspiring. A definite recommend."
--Gina Holmes, Novel Reviews (Read the full review)<
"Hines has created a glued-to-your-seat read with themes to ponder long after the book is closed... The plot dips, curves, and loops until the final twist at the end. Recommended for suspense fans and anyone who wants the ride of his life."
--Katie Hart, Christian Book Previews (Read the full review)
"Hines's confidence with language and storytelling skill were highlights of the book for me. He sets mundane scenes...back-to-back with scenes of outright psychological creepiness. He serves up these story segments in scrambled order and in telling the story this way had me questioning my own perception of what was real and looking with suspicion, at least in passing, at most of the male, and some of the female characters. I was intrigued from start to finish."
--Violet Nesdoly, Blogcritics.org (Read the full review)
"...Hines has crafted a unique story about a unique man troubled by his own unique abilities. The plot kept me turning pages, and the end was a fantastic conclusion."
--Lauren Bombardier, Wren Reviews (Read the full review)
