The Creaking on the Stairs is a book that makes uncomfortable reading. It takes the reader out of their comfort zone. It is about a child who was physically, mentally and sexually abused and a teenager who went on to commit crimes, drink, take drugs and even physically abuse others. This is the story of Mez McConnell,who eventually, through the persistent kindness of others, goes on to become a Christian and who now works to help others who are suffering as he did.

The book describes the process he went through. In his words, “he ran headlong in to the Bible, a book I’d scorned but never read. The more I read it the more it beat me up.” It made McConnell stop and take stock of his life and forced him to look at what he had become. He writes: “I, like everybody around me, lived under the mistaken assumption that God graded everybody on how good they were in this life.” He eventually came to realise that his whole view of the world was wrong. He explores the question of why God doesn’t intervene when life is going wrong and gradually comes to realise that God has stepped in, God has intervened  but just not in the way people would necessarily expect.

At present McConnell, who is married with two daughters, is pastor of Niddrie Community Church in the East of Edinburgh and is the Director of 20schemes, a project whose aim is to invigorate the worst housing schemes in Scotland and plant new churches.  His first book, Is There Anybody out There, tells the story of his life in and out of prison and his travels to the backstreets of Brazil and is written in the same frank and sometimes amusing style that he uses here.

Can victims of abuse find wholeness through the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  His aim is to answer the questions we all ask ourselves; does God exist and if he does exist does he love us? Read it and decide for yourself.