Contact: Christine Schicker, 404-610-8871

HUNTINGTON, Indiana, July 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- The countdown is in full swing. In four days, the final book in the wildly popular Harry Potter series will be unleashed worldwide. Speculation has been mounting for weeks, if not years in fan circles, as to how the final book will conclude the best loved story of the modern day. Will Harry die? Is Snape really a good guy or bad guy? Will the dead Dumbledore play a part in the last book? Will Harry conquer the evil Lord Voldemort?

One expert believes that the ending will be surprising to many Potter fans, but not for the reasons they think. In her book, The Mystery of Harry Potter: A Catholic Family Guide, Nancy Carpentier Brown says the Harry Potter books are feeding a need; a need to see the bad guy defeated, a need to see that good is rewarded and a need that wants a moral universe that can be lived in and understood. These things are at the heart of the Christian message and Brown believes that the best-selling fiction series of the 21st century is a Christian classic.

"In the midst of all this political correctness, this tolerant, non-judgmental, relativistic world, enters a story about a school where right and wrong are defined, rules are enforced misbehavior comes with detention, evil is evil and must be fought and goodness is rewarded," says Brown. Rowling has packaged a Christian story with a wrapping of witchcraft and magic, and through this disguise had drawn millions of children – millions of adults to read a redemptive moral story that perhaps can teach more than a religion class ever could."

Her statement is surprising because four years ago, the Harry Potter books were not allowed in the Brown home. Brown has studied children's literature and published articles on the subject for nearly a decade, but she is also a stay-at-home mom who has home-schooled for 12 years. Reading about the subtle evils of Potter and conscious of the many criticisms of the books from trusted Catholic sources, Brown did not want the exposure of the occult and witchcraft to entice her children. Then a trusted friend told Brown she had read the books and liked them.

Brown set out to find out just what was in those Potter books. The result of that search is found in her new book The Mystery of Harry Potter published by Our Sunday Visitor and released just in time for the final page to turn in the series that has captivated so many.

"Rowling is a genius to tell a Christian story in the unexpected disguise of a witchcraft tale – people who would never pick up an overtly Christian story are reading Potter by the millions, attracted to it by its modern themed packaging," concludes Brown. "Christianity has always produced great writers. Tolkien, Lewis, Percy, Chesterton to name just a few. I believe J.K. Rowling is a Christian writer."

Brown's analysis of the Potter series is told expertly in her new book, and it is sure to surprise many people, both Christians and non- who believe that the Potter series is popular culture at best and an evil influence at worst. Brown guides readers through the entire Potter series with helpful anecdotes and amazing insights which will help parents, teachers and anyone of interest in the Potter series find their way through the magic and witchcraft to the destination Brown believes Rowling always intended – Christ himself.