In this well-researched book, Joanna Jung draws upon the writings of well and lesser-known puritans to learn how they valued and used the spiritual discipline of conference, or intentional, spiritually-focused conversation as a means to spiritual growth. We learn not only why the Puritans considered such care crucial to discipleship and the Christian walk but also how to implement this in our modern-day lives. Specific examples and prompts are given for several different audiences with which the reader may choose to converse in order to follow the biblical exhortation to care for one another’s souls.

Maybe the biggest struggle of writing a sequel is how to give readers what they liked in the previous story while still breaking new ground. Fortunately, Olson and Ingermanson find that balance. The Fifth Man gives that same mix of technical details balanced by humor and intricate plotting balanced with interesting characters that made Oxygen so enjoyable.

Fans of the Baxter family will welcome this latest book in their saga.