Centurion's Wife, The

A sweeping saga of the dramatic events
surrounding the birth of Christianity—
and the very personal story of Leah,
compelled into a betrothal she never wanted,
drawn by a faith she never expected...

When her family's wealth and power are lost forever, Leah is sent to Pontius Pilate in hopes that he might arrange a strategic marriage. But despite her betrothed's striking countenance and position, Leah deems life as a centurion's wife a fate worse than death.

Head of the garrison near Galilee, Alban has ambitions that could one day see him at the seat of power—in Rome itself. Eager to prove himself, he takes on the assignment of a lifetime, one that will put his career, his beliefs, and his very life at risk.

But when the death—and missing body—of an obscure rabbi find Leah and Alban searching for the same answers, what they discover changes everything.

"Grandmother of the evangelical Christian fiction boom, Oke teams with Bunn, another established author brand, in this biblical fiction embroidered around a minor character in the gospels, one Roman soldier whose young servant was miraculously healed by Jesus. The centurion Alban seeks advancement in the Roman government of occupied Judaea. His plan to advance will win him an unwilling bride, Leah, a young woman whose family's economic disgrace has forced her into servitude in the household of Roman governor Pilate, who has recently condemned to death a controversial Jewish spiritual leader by the name of Jesus. This nicely plotted series kickoff provides interesting back stories for the central characters that cry out for further development. A few supporting characters hold interest, including Alban's fellow soldier Linux and Pilate's wife Procula, another intriguing bit player in the gospel of Christ's passion. Unfortunately, the characters who follow Jesus have but a single dimension: piety. Fans of these popular authors will love their joint effort imagining and animating the context of Christianity's birth." —Publishers Weekly

"When Pilate hears reports that Jesus' body is missing from the tomb, he fears a Jewish uprising may be in the works. He orders an ambitious centurion, one who hopes to marry Pilate's servant, to discover what has happened to Jesus. Meanwhile Pilate's wife, plagued by nightmares, orders the servant to find out the truth about Jesus. The novel takes place over the two months following the resurrection. Bunn and Oke weave a romantic, action-filled story that highlights the human reactions—fear, confusion, anticipation, doubt, skepticism—to Jesus' death and the events following. It's a moving novel that shows Christ's power to change hearts." —Susan Olasky, World Magazine