Assuming Christianity's long-postponed and much-disputed Second Coming might still occur, what if the Messiah were to return in the form of a woman? Written by the author of
Lesser Miracles
and
FaithSpeak
, Mark Haskett's latest novel,
Second Emma
, imagines a Second Coming in which the Messiah may have indeed returned in female form, her reappearance not "on the clouds of heaven" but in the life of a conflicted Associate Rabbi from Oakland, California named Emma Davidson. The book's present-day narrative, which begins after a heartbroken Emma lands in post-pandemic Israel, is interwoven with parallel chapters that revisit the years leading up to, and including, the ministry of Jesus (Y'shua) of Nazareth. This historically-informed backstory revolves around the person who will eventually turn out to be Y'shua's most loyal supporter and spiritual confidant, Maria of Magdala. As Maria's and Emma's lives unfold in both past and present, many of the Gospels' major events are retold in new, but entirely plausible, ways. The novel's exploration of who the Messiah was, and ultimately
is
, can't help but inspire readers - religious or not - to re-examine Christianity's written records (and Jewish roots) in a surprising new light, and to discover their deeper meaning for today. An extensive Glossary and Study Guide suitable for either book clubs or personal reflection is included in the "Extras" section.