Some Wandered
in the Desert
By Jodi Cowles · A Story of the Redeemed
"Hello Matt, my name is Amal. I have kidnapped your sister and your friend."
Becca never expected to be in North Africa. But when her brother Matt lands in a career-threatening scandal, she shows up to help — even if it means working alongside Kate, the sleek PR exec Matt sends to clean up the mess.
What starts as a tense detour quickly becomes a nightmare when both women are abducted by Amal, a disillusioned man with his own troubled mission.
Back in Portland, Matt races to negotiate their release while juggling the fallout from his professional crisis and the ghosts of his past. As hours stretch into days, secrets surface, loyalties shift, and all three are forced to confront the cost of truth and the meaning of rescue.
Some Wandered in the Desert is a suspenseful, emotionally charged novel of survival, faith, and unexpected redemption. Gritty yet redemptive, it explores what happens when ordinary people are thrown into extraordinary circumstances — and how far they'll go for the people they love.
Perfect for fans of international fiction, psychological drama, and redemptive stories of faith and courage.
Kate
An excerpt from Some Wandered in the Desert
I have no idea how long I've been staring at the unchanging scenery, mile after mile of rolling desert passing by outside my window, when I realize that the truck is suddenly going much faster and the ride is getting increasingly bumpy. I turn to look at Becca—she's driving too fast, steering with her knees and fiddling with her phone. I don't know exactly what's changed, but every line of her body telegraphs that something has.
My severely jet-lagged brain struggles to figure it out as I reach for the water bottle at my feet. Just as I lean down, we hit a pothole so big that I lurch forward and bash my forehead into the dashboard.
"Oww!" slips past my lips as I sit back and turn toward Becca with a what gives expression on my face.
She doesn't even seem to notice as she takes the SIM card out of her phone and cracks it in half, then rolls down the window and tosses both pieces. Rubbing my forehead, I watch as her phone follows the trajectory of the SIM card. Then she reaches into the bag between us, pulls out an iPad, and, with a mighty heave, smashes it onto the dashboard.
This brutal act of technological homicide sends a jolt of adrenaline through me, finally clearing the grogginess. Now my brain begins to categorize her odd behavior and zeroes in on a possible reason—the way she keeps looking in the rearview mirror seems to be the trigger.
I turn to investigate, my view briefly captured by Papis and his wide, wild eyes staring at me. I'd forgotten he was there. Looking further, through the rear window, I see a truck bearing down on us, crammed with men hanging over the cab. They all seem to be yelling, and for a full second or two I try to make out what they're saying, before something clicks and I realize it's sort of irrelevant—the guns they wave illustrate enough of the story.
What readers are saying
Reader Reviews
“I used to read a lot but my more recent M.O. has been to read a book about 2/3 of the way through then put it down and never finish it. I read Jodi Cowles' fiction about 2 young American women kidnapped in the Middle East in 2 sittings because I didn't want to put it down! Her writing style allowed me to connect with each character in such a way that I really cared what happened to them. The book dealt with SERIOUS life issues and didn't skirt around difficult subject matter. It was handled with great wisdom, insight and grace.”
“I couldn't put the book down… a gripping story of the dangers of living for something that might cost you your life.”
“A must read. Very gripping, about two women who are taken hostage and how God gives them the strength to face their fear, pain, hunger, and thirst.”
“I've never read a story so personal, so real… It's as if this author lived through this tale of faith and survival herself.”
“I laughed, I cried, I was mad at you — especially because of that last scene — and it was amazing.”
“This story should be a movie.”
Discussion Questions
Some Wandered in the Desert raises urgent questions about faith, survival, and what it means to be truly rescued — ideal for groups who want to go deeper.
- 1.
The novel is told from multiple perspectives — Matt, Becca, Kate, and Amal. How does shifting viewpoints change your understanding of each character's motivations?
- 2.
Amal is the antagonist, yet the novel gives him a sympathetic backstory. How does Cowles complicate the idea of "villain" in this story?
- 3.
Faith plays a central role in how the characters cope with crisis. How does each character's relationship with God differ, and how does captivity change them?
- 4.
The title comes from Psalm 107: "Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle." How does this biblical image resonate through the story?
- 5.
What does "redemption" look like in this novel? Is it spiritual, relational, or both?
- 6.
The book is set in North Africa. How does the international setting shape the story's themes of faith, survival, and cultural misunderstanding?
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