Flight Risk - A Review

Flight Risk

by

Cara C. Putman

A legal thriller on two fronts - the first was brought by a client of Savannah Daniels that was being sued by a competitor for stealing programming code for a new technology for gathering data from planes in flight. The other came about when a reporter, Jett Glover, wrote an exposé pointing out that Savannah Daniels ex-husband was actively involved in child trafficking out of Thailand.

But Savannah Daniels and Jett Glover find they have more in common than just the one case. By the final chapter, they would both be putting their lives on the line. The result is an exciting faith-based thriller that will hold the reader’s attention without fail.
______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Traitor’s Pawn - A Review

The Traitor’s Pawn

by

Lisa Harris

Houston Police Detective Aubrey Grayson had come to Corpus Christie for a vacation. On the first day of her trip she found herself and former senator Grant “Papps” McKenna being shot at - and Papps was within a moment or two of dying. Before the day was over she would find the boat she was in being targeted with rocket grenades and hearing that the FBI was accusing her father of selling national secrets. Her father said he was being set up. As Aubrey muses, “This had turned into some kind of game of cloak-and-dagger. Stolen government secrets, rogue agents, and dead bodies. And she’d ended up smack-dab in the middle of it all.” It did not make sense.

Lisa Harris has created another 5-star faith-based, romantic, suspense novel that will hold the reader’s attention from page 1 to the very last page. I have been privileged to read several of Lisa Harris’ books and I don’t remember being disappointed - and she does not disappoint here.

Those who enjoy the genre will find the book satisfying. The book also will fit well into the church or public library.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Silent Shadows - A Review

Silent Shadows

By

Natalie Walters

Silent Shadows is a well-written faith-based romantic suspense that should be enjoyed by all who follow this genre of fiction.

A series of twists make it unclear who is the villain and who is the victim. Pecca Gallegos, her family, and friends from Walton GA, along with her new client, Colton Crawford, will spend weeks working toward understanding the danger facing the community. It may be just a bunch of misdirected kids, but that seems too simple a solution. And the most likely answer does not fit the evidence that has been found. Making the solution more complex is that a good number of the players are disabled veterans who have served their country and now needed healing themselves.

The book is the conclusion of a series of three books begun a little less than a year ago - but I had no idea of this until I read the “Acknowledgments” found at the end of the book. This, of course, means that Silent Shadows can be read as a standalone story without having read the two previous books in the series. There were times that the romance slowed down the suspense, but not by much and this reader stilled greatly enjoyed the book.

This book will easily find a home in the church or public library. _____________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Coconut Layer Cake Murder - A Review

Coconut Layer Cake Murder

by

Joanne Fluke

A Hannah Swensen Mystery

1 Simple Cozy Mystery

25 Assorted Tasty Recipes

5-6 Good Friends 

Mix together for about 5-1/2 hours until 350 pages in length. Be sure to skip at least two nights of good sleep till done. When completed, you will have one fun book, ready to recommend eagerly to other readers.

That is how it seemed this Joanne Fluke book was put together. The cozy mystery centers on a young man who takes a friend home after dinner; but when the morning arrives, she is dead and he is charged with murder. The police have found their suspect; Hannah Swensen and her friends are not so sure. They will spend the next week searching for clues and putting together a puzzle that will lead to the guilty party.

The mystery is not as involved as most cozy mysteries that cross my desk, but it is fun. And when it is wrapped with two dozen appetizing recipes (appetizers, soups, entrees, and a lot of deserts) the reader has a great book. My favorite recipes included Meaty Minestrone Soup, Lemon Glazed Chicken Breasts, and Peach Cake (though my favorite dessert was hard to choose - though my doctor would not me touch any of them).

A gentle read - full of fun food. Enjoy your evening.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Execution in E - A Review

Execution in E

by

Alexia Gordon

Alexia Gordon brings back the paranormal world of Gethsemane Brown on the coast of Ireland. Gethsemane and Eamon McCarthy’s friendly and annoying ghost as they discover the person responsible for murdering Sunny Markham’s wedding party one by one. The motive focuses on a crime committed half-a-world away and a decade earlier - but then “revenge is a dish best served cold”, very cold.

The story brings back many of the key inhabitants of Dunmullach Ireland - Father Tim, Niall O’Reilly (the cold case detective), and Inspector Sutton (the local Garda Chief). What did make this story stand out was a stronger appeal to the occult than in other books in the series. I came close to putting down the book and not finishing it, The author also wove in more Irish slang and nomenclature - a page of definitions at the front of the book would have helped this reader.

The book will appeal to the classical music enthusiast (especially with the use of classical works as “sound”: effects) and for those who enjoy a hint of the occult in their reading (I did not enjoy it as much this time). The frequent mention of classical music works occasionally drove me to YouTube to hear snippets of the mentioned pieces. I even thought of building a Pandora station built off of those pieces - I did not, but it might be fun. I would give the author 3-½ stars for the latest book.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Chasing the White Lion - A Review

Chasing the White Lion

by 

James R. Hannibal

Adam Taylor and his crew of ex-crooks, along with a CIA agent or two, have taken over for TNT’s Leverage. They are using a series of cons to take down an international gang of criminals as well as those at the very top of the chain. To do so, they would need to travel from Russia to Washinton DC to the Czech Republic to Thailand to Greece.

In the process of taking down the gang, they would save several groups of children targeted for trafficking around the world. And Talia would learn the meaning of trust - both in her colleagues and in God. It would be a hard lesson to learn.

The author has done a good job of weaving the role faith can play into the lives of ordinary (or are they extraordinary) individuals. Though faith plays a role in the plot, this reader had no feeling that it overran the main storyline, but fit nicely into kt. The book represents the best of faith-based suspense thrillers

Suitable for personal, public, and church libraries. It is not difficult to give this book a five-star rating.

______________

This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

The Successful Speaker - A Review

The Successful Speaker 

by

Grant Baldwin

As I read The Successful Speaker, I could not determine if I was back in a high school or freshman speech class or whether I was in over my head. At one level, much of the material found in this book echos the content of my high school or college freshman class. However, the introduction makes it clear the book is written for the individual seeking to become a professional speaker written by one who claims to have made $1 to $2 million per year making the rounds of conventions, workshops, etc. In which case, I would certainly be over my head.

Until I read this book, I considered myself a professional speaker having spent 25+ years in the college classroom and about 20 years in the church pulpit. But using the definitions and examples given by this author - I do not qualify. Much of the information in the book is practical and useful, it just is not aimed at the average public speaker.

The reader is encouraged to read with care, picking and choosing the useful from the hyperbole. Most of us who pick up this book are not planning to make huge amounts of money using the tools given here. We will be trying to hone the skills that are needed as part of our daily jobs - whether it be as a teacher, team leader, or conference presenter. If you are a typical speaker who speaks as a part of their job, as I am, read with care - not to get rich.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.