July 2010, Tyndale House Publishers

Paperback: 288 pages

Review Copy 

Book Synopsis

Rebecca never felt safe as a child. In 1969, her father, Robert Nichols, moved to Sellerstown, North Carolina, to serve as a pastor. There he found a small community eager to welcome him—with one exception. Glaring at him from pew number seven was a man obsessed with controlling the church. Determined to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, he unleashed a plan of terror that was more devastating and violent than the Nichols family could have ever imagined. Refusing to be driven away by acts of intimidation, Rebecca’s father stood his ground until one night when an armed man walked into the family’s kitchen . . . and Rebecca’s life was shattered. If anyone had a reason to harbor hatred and seek personal revenge, it would be Rebecca. Yet The Devil in Pew Number Seven tells a different story. It is the amazing true saga of relentless persecution, one family’s faith and courage in the face of it, and a daughter whose parents taught her the power of forgiveness.......(Goodreads)

Review

How do you review books about one's life? Well in most cases you can't. With memoirs I consider just sharing my thoughts and how the book made me feel. Reading Rebecca's story was pretty heartbreaking but at the same time very frustrating. As you saw in the trailer Rebecca's father was a pastor of a small church, he was young, full of life and wanted to bring in fresh ideas to the church. Of course there were those who excited at new thoughts and then those who could not accept change. One man so hell bent on control began a mission to terrorize the Nichols family until he ran them out of town or in the Nichols case something much worse.........

The ordeal started out with annoying phone calls, hang ups every once and awhile.....those calls though soon became threatening calls and the phone would ring at all times during the night. I was wondering why the family just didn't unplug the phone, but under the circumstances they could not and endured the phone calls. The calls then escalated to break-ins, bombings...(YES BOMBINGS) of their house and eventually lead to murder.

I guess its always easier for an outsider looking in or reading about it to say -shoulda coulda woulda- but in fact not living through those circumstances, I don't know what the parents were feeling or thinking for that matter. I don't understand why they stayed for so many years taking torment after torment, I understand sticking it out for a principle and hanging in there for the long haul, not wanting to leave town or perhaps not being able to find a new job but.........I think Mr. Nichols should of taken his family and moved, perhaps found a new church, a new job, a new home in a different city, anything to stop the harassment of his family. I realize during the time it happened their was very little legal action Mr. Nichols could take, the police wouldn't even do anything. I saw a lot of illegal harassment going on that today would not happen. The things the Nichols family dealt with would not be overlooked the way it was then. "The Devil" would have gone to jail after the first bombing, everyone in that church new what was going on and everyone did nothing to help. Its devastating that these kids lost their parents over something a community and police should have stopped.

Encouraging throughout this story is Rebecca and her brothers amazing journey of survival and strength. Not only did they grow up to become successful adults but have made peace with their story and the man that did it to them. 

Rating

This story contains large amounts of stalker violence, emotional and mental stress, bullying, religion, religious politics and harassment. Also touches on forgiving and healing, recommended to mature readers.

Rebecca Nichols Alonzo

Becky Alonzo never felt safe as a child. Although she lived next door to the church her father pastored, the devil lived across the street. This tormented man terrorized her family with rifle shots and ten bombings. When these violent acts didn't scare them away, he went even further. During dinner one evening, seven-year-old Becky and her younger brother watched as their parents were gunned down. Today Becky speaks about betrayal and the power of forgiveness. She is a graduate of Missouri State University and has been involved in ministry, including a church plant, youth outreach, and missions, for thirteen years. She and her husband, along with their two children, live in Franklin, Tennessee.

4/5- Memoir

Thanks to Tyndale Publishing for Review Copy