"LEAVING YESTERDAY," by Kathryn Cushman, Bethany House, 352 pages, $13.99 (f)

The Prodigal Son is one of the best-known parables from the Bible.

In it, a son leaves his home, spends his inheritance and chooses wild living. When he has reached rock bottom, he returns home and is welcomed with open arms.

"Leaving Yesterday," by Kathryn Cushman, is a modern retelling of the parable that expands on the topic and looks at the consequences one must face after coming home.

It's a visit parents dread. A police officer pulling up in front of the house, bringing news of one of their children.

The sudden appearance of a police officer at Alisa Stewart's house almost sends her into a tailspin. Her son Nick is already dead, having been beaten to death on a school trip to New Orleans.

Now, with the officer's arrival, she can't help but think her other son, Kurt, has succumbed to his drug addiction.

But Kurt's not dead. Instead, he's wanted for questioning in the beating death of a known drug dealer.

In her heart, Alisa knows her son is innocent, and when Kurt calls to say he has checked himself into rehab, it seems as though years of worry are about to end.

As with most things in life, though, things don't go as smoothly as hoped. The officer returns, and Alisa discovers something she was never meant to find.

Kurt is turning his life around, and he deserves a second chance, but should that chance come at the expense of someone else?

With the number of drug-related crimes growing daily, Cushman's tale of addiction, lies and the path to redemption rings particularly true.

Questions of truth and accountability are at the heart of Cushman's work. What do you do when your conscience tells you polar opposites are both correct? And how is that skewed by personal beliefs and the faith you've fostered your whole life?

"Leaving Yesterday" is a heartfelt drama that pricks at the farthest reaches of the mind and spirit.

e-mail: jharrison@desnews.com