A Disturbing Nature - A Review

                                                   A Disturbing Nature

by

Brian Lebeau

A Review

Though I was looking forward to reviewing this book, I found myself discouraged as I read. The discouragement began with the lengthy “Acknowledgments” (3 pages). This was followed by a one page “Author’s Note”. The author’s note seems mostly unnecessary in that it focuses on the setting and timing of the novel - elements clearly covered within the body of the book.

The book itself was more a set of character studies than mystery - this reader found himself quickly losing interest. The well-written story may be of interest to some, but I can only give the book two-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Life Flight - A Review

 

Life Flight

by

Lynette Eason

A Review

Lynette Eason has created another suspense-filled, faith-based thriller. Beginning with an helicopter crash in the mountains outside Asheville NC and ending with the successful apprehension of two (or is it three) serial killers, the reader is kept on the edge of their seat throughout the story.

Penny Carlson is the Life Flight helicopter pilot that day as they are bringing the young hiker who had fallen down the side of the mountain to the hospital. But the storm had gotten worse and she had lost control of the copter. Though the tail was damaged, she was otherwise able to set the plane down safely. Penny had no way of knowing that there was an escaped serial killer on that same mountain - she not only was responsible for the life of the on-board patient along with the two medical members of her team, she also had to protect them from the murderer who had discovered their presence.

Penny and FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield would have their hands full as they both tried to evade and apprehend the men who roamed the mountain that day. My only disappointment with the book was the level of violence seen throughout the book. I felt I was watching a Hallmark Mystery churned together with a violence filled episode of Criminal Minds (CBS) - it did not quite work. I can only give the book 4-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Dead Fall - A Review

 

Dead Fall

by

Nancy Mehl

A Review

I reached out to the only Person 

who could show me who I was truly meant to be. 

I found God. Without Him, 

I have no idea where I’d be right now. 

You see, positions, success, praise from people

— none of that lasts. 

If you judge yourself by human standards, 

you’ll fail. The only way to truly know yourself 

is to know the One who created you. 

Without Him, we’ll never find our way. 

No matter what happens, 

nothing will ever rob me of my identity again.

                                                                       -- Nancy Mehl

They were retired FBI Special Agents - and somebody killed them. Now the same UNSUB was trying to kill active FBI Agents. Somebody will have to stop the murders or the BAU will be gone.

It would not be easy and the active members of the BAU would find their lives in danger. Following the themes and practices known to fans of Criminal Minds, the story kept this reader awake as the members of the BAU follow the evidence to identify and apprehend the UNSUB.

The characters are real, with strengths and weaknesses they each have to use and overcome. The ending was a surprise (almost), but worth waiting for. I give the book five-stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Hostile Intent - A Review

 

Hostile Intent

by

Lynette Eason

A Review

Families begin to disappear across the US - lined up on their sofa, shot one-by-one. FBI Special Agent Caden Denning and his group of talented friends (FBI Agents, Private Investigators, retired Navy personnel, and the CIA) will be tasked with finding those responsible for the deaths.  

It is a story that has its roots in events that occurred 17+ years earlier in Russia prior to implosion and the dismantling of the KGB. Today it was affecting the lives of men and women that Special Agent Denning knew and loved. It was not only a matter of National Security; it was also personal.  

Though written as a faith-based story, Faith plays a less significant role than the characters and plot in making this a worthwhile story. The story is intense and could not be put down even for TV and dinner. This reader wanted to know what would come next. And for that reason, the book receives four-stars.

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

 

Breach Of Honor - A Review

 

Breach of Honor

by

Janice Cantore

A Review

I can’t change anything that has already happened.
Blame is irrelevant. It will change nothing.
I have to move forward and make better choices.
I need to remember what it felt like to walk with God,
not away from Him.
(Chapter 22)

The Table Rock, OR, police department has a problem - only no one knows it. It occasionally raised its ugly head throughout the years, but it became more obvious when Leah Radcliff, a member of the Table Rock PD, shot and killed her husband, another Table Rock Police Officer. The jury found her guilty and the judge sentenced her to 25 years to life. That was the published version of the story.

But that version of the story did not include the clandestine meetings her husband had late at night, it did not tell the years of violence that had defined much of Leah’s marriage, and it did not include the vicious attack that occurred the night she shot him. It would take five years, a new lawyer, a new trial, and the cooperation of the Table Rock PD, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Oregon State Police, and the FBI, to follow all the leads and bring the truth into the spotlight.

The result is one of the best faith-based thrillers that this reviewer has read. Though much of the story focuses on the corruption present in the Table Rock PD, it also exposes the pain and grief associated with domestic violence. I appreciate the fact that the author has chosen to include the phone number and website for the National Domestic Violence Hotline at the beginning of the book. Much Christian fiction deals with difficult topics, but then offers no sources of help for those in need. A major plus for this book. I give the book five stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Night Fall - A Review

 

Night Fall

by

Nancy Mehl

A Review

Nancy Mehl’s latest thriller is both solidly Christian and somewhat creepy.

Adam Walker and Alex Donovan were raised in very similar situations: broken homes who were committed to following the Book, the basis for a cult known as The Circle. Yet they turned out very differently because of the choices they made during their lives.

God was working in both their lives. Both would hear his voice, but only one would listen. As the plot makes clear: God loves everyone, but each must individually respond to that love.

These themes are explored in a story that takes the reader from Washington DC to Kansas City KS to Ethiopia. The danger is real and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit will need to work hard to discover the source of the threat and stop it before millions are killed.

Though it picks up many of the ideas that are familiar to those who watch Criminal Minds on TV, the characters are decidedly different. At the same time, the book echoes some of the creepier stories from that show. Unlike the TV show, the book clearly demonstrates God working in the lives of all who put their trust in Him. I give the book 4 stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Collateral Damage - A Review

Collateral Damage

by

Lynette Eason

The first two chapters gave the appearance that I was reading a military thriller - a genre I tend to avoid. I was wrong.

Chapter three opens in a South Carolina field with the discovery of a mass grave. That grave would lead to the involvement of the FBI, the CIA, the Army CID, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and numerous local authorities, into an international manhunt for men so evil even those accustomed to various crimes would be offended. As a reader, I wanted these people caught before they could bring more pain into their world - only the cooperation of the various agencies would bring the guilty to justice.

Though the focus was on the crime, it also presented the reader with a better understanding of PTSD as experienced by those in the military. As I have said before, a book that deals with serious topics (even books of fiction) should also provide pointers for those dealing with these issues either directly or indirectly to additional help. Sadly it did not. Hints that help exists, yes; but no links to websites or phone numbers to reach out for support.

Though coming from a faith-based publisher, I had a hard time calling the book a faith-based thriller. It certainly was not anti-faith but did not weave an underlying theme of faith into the book. Even with that said, the book may find a place in some church libraries. It will also belong in most public libraries serving the general population and on the shelves interested in the unintended casualties of war. It serves as a stark reminder that we need to pray for those living in war-torn areas, whether they are directly fighting or merely trying to live in areas affected by war.
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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.

Seconds To Live - A Review

Seconds To Live 

by

Susan Sleeman

Deputy U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills, assigned to the WITSEC detail in Portland, OR, must work with FBI Agent Sean Nichols, assigned to the RED (“Rapid Emergency Deployment”) team from Seattle, WA, to identify and apprehend a hacker using the alias of Phantom. Phantom’s crime - hacking the WITSEC database containing the names of thousands of individuals being offered protection by the U.S. Marshals Service. Phantom’s first target appeared to be Dustee and Dianne, twin sisters. Dustee had a nasty habit of not following the WITSEC rules designed to protect their charges, and now the twin’s lives were in danger.

Solving the clues would take the technical IT and forensic skills of both the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI’s RED team. The plot has enough twists and turns to keep most readers of faith-based romantic thrillers happy and engaged. The romantic component was a bit more than what this reader usually likes, but the book still is easily a 5-star read.

This book could easily find a home in many reader’s personal libraries, a local public library, or the church library.

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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.

Vow of Justice

by

Lynette Eason

Justice and Revenge are not the same things - a lesson that would be difficult to learn and to live out for FBI Special Agent Allison Radcliffe. She would come face to face with people who had killed her family 15 years ago, she would also see the brother she thought she had lost in the same events and whom she thought dead. The tears would flow. But in the middle of all the pain and confusion, her faith would grow in unexpected ways.

Lynette Eason has written a faith-based thriller that would compete well with the likes of NCIS:LA or Criminal Minds if found on TV. The plot is solid with just enough turns to keep the reader wanting more. And if the hint embedded at the end of the book is any clue, more is to come.

Unlike her earlier book, Code of Valor, the book does not focus on a cultural issue, but on more personal issues that many face, Maybe not as intense as Allie’s, but just as real. The book would be a welcome addition to the church library - either as part of the set of four books in the series or as an independent purchase. It would also serve as a welcome addition to the public library willing to include faith-based books in its collection. Any reader enjoying well-written thrillers would find the book a good weekend’s worth of reading.
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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.

Fire Storm - A Review

Fire Storm 

by

Nancy Mehl

Fire Storm is the second book in a series featuring Kaely Quinn, trained as a profiler, but because of her irregular methods is currently serving as a special agent out of the St. Louis, MO, office of the FBI. Though there are many who question her methods, her supervisor, SAC Solomon Slattery, has grown to appreciate the skill and talent she brings to her work with the FBI.

Though the relationship she has with her mother is not great, Kaely Quinn still wants to make the effort to travel to Darkwater, Nebraska, before her mother’s health deteriorates. She has been granted time off and as the story begins, we find her on the road to her mother’s home.

Stopping at a small diner to eat before going home, Kaely picks up a local paper and is intrigued by the front-page story that describes a series of fires that have hit homes in Darkwater. The local fire chief attributes the fires to misused space heaters. Kaely’s intuition tells her something more sinister is going on.

During the course of the plot, we watch the faith of three characters being challenged as they and the local police and fire departments seek to identify the arsonist that is attacking families in the Darkwater community. Jason, Kaely’s brother and most solidified in his faith is not immune to the pain around him. Kaely’s faith is growing but finds it challenged as she faces her mother and the arsonist. Noah, Kaely’s FBI colleague and partner (and boyfriend?), is the youngest believer in the group and is watching the others as they respond to their faith.

The book will easily find a home in the church or public library. Its intensity matches that of criminal minds and fits naturally after Nancy Mehl’s earlier Mind Games.
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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.

Mind Games - A Review

Mind Games

by

Nancy Mehl

Which of your most trusted family, friends, or associates, is trying to kill you? That is the question that Kaely Quinn and her colleagues must answer before more people die. They have clues - a poem, the timing of the messages, the choice of victims - but it would take the combined work of the FBI, the BAU, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and a variety of concerned citizens to arrive outside the warehouse where they would find Kaely’s phone, but not Kaely. Could they find her in time?

The author has created a thrilling story that could easily compete with Criminal Minds for my TV viewing time or for my weekly movie watching dollars. Whether the reader is looking for a well-written FBI thriller or a faith-based novel woven into the fabric of the 21st-century world, Mind Games may easily fill the bill. This reader could not put it down. The characters will be forced to examine their own faith (or lack thereof). The questions are not easy and the answers will only partially be answered in this book. Hopefully, the sequel’s Fall 2019 release will provide more answers.
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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.

Hidden Peril - A Review

Hidden Peril

by

Irene Hannon

A Review

Beginning with three murders, one in Syria and two in St. Louis, MO, Irene Hannon’s most recent thriller takes Kristin Dane, the owner of WorldCraft, a sustainable craft store, and FBI Special Agent Luke Carter, into the midst of an ISIS terror cell operating on their very doorsteps. The crimes are personal and the closer they come to the discovering the center of the cell, the more danger the key players will find around them.

The excitement does not end until the reader hits the “Epilogue”. The Epilogue does tie up the loose ends for the story, but it does so sluggishly and the reader quickly wishes it were over. Thankfully, it is no longer than most of the book’s chapters and does not detract from the body of the work. It might have made a more satisfying conclusion if the Epilogue had been wrapped into the “Teaser” included for the author’s next book in the series which begins with “Chaos …” Though coming from a Christian publisher, the book is light on faith; but for those for whom faith is an issue, there is little that will offend. Made into a movie, the story as presented by the author would be easily rated PG-13. This reader found the story well-done and a rewarding read.

This book will make great holiday reading for fans of the author, fans of light romantic thrillers, and fans of FBI or police procedurals.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Burdom of Proof - A Review

Burden of Proof

by

DiAnn Mills

A Review

DiAnn Mills has written a compelling and (mostly) believable story The books begins with FBI Special Agent April Ramos trying to talk Benson off the ledge from which he is threatening to jump. Before she can recover from that experience, a young woman thrust a baby into her hands before disappearing into a parking lot. Minutes later a man accousted April, claiming that he is the child’s father. Not knowing who to believe — she keeps the child and arrests Jason for kidnapping. Big Mistake. But would take most of the book to figure that one out.

What follows is a well-written story that twists around a variety of families — some to be trusted, some not. But of course, that is what makes for an interesting story.

The book will be appreciated by those who are fans of romantic thrillers — I did. The author did a good job showing how the faiths of both April and Jason grow as they work together to separate those who can be trusted and those who cannot be trusted. But one issue routinely presents itself in the typical romantic thriller. This pastor remains concerned about why a book from a Christian author and publisher would model a healthy romance developing in a week or two. Though the relationship grows too quickly given real people, the issues that face two people falling in love are not ignored. Given the confines of a single novel, it is the compromise that must be acknowledged.

Despite that concern, the story is fun and worth the time spent reading. The book will be well received by the church library. The elements of faith are not overwhelming; the book will also appeal to the general public. Thus, it would be worth purchasing for one's personal use or as a gift for other readers.

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

High Treason - A Review

High Treason

by

DiAnn Mills

A Review

Most of Houston TX was concerned about the rain and the resulting flooding that was inundating the city. The CIA and the FBI were more concerned about the threat to Saudi Prince Omar bin Talal and his family.

The Prince and his sisters had arrived with their mother to receive treatment for the cancer that was ravishing her body at MD Anderson Cancer Center. There were also hopes of building bridges with the oil industries that made their home in Houston.  But none of that could take place if the assassins could find a way to kill members of the family.

The FBI (represented by Special Agent Kord Davidson) and the CIA (represented by Operative Monica Alden) had the responsibility for protecting the Prince and his family. They both had teams of agents working in the background, both in the US and overseas, but they, along with the Prince’s own security detail, would have the job of riding shotgun with the Royal Family.

Attacks would continue to come - bombs, poison, guns, kidnapping, and fraud - nothing was beyond the realm of possibility. And a resolution would only come with the Prince’s life literally dangling in mid-air. 

The book is a thriller - with twists and turns. Unsure who to trust, the characters and the reader will be on their toes until the very end. Both of the two protagonists would have their faith challenged and changed during the time they are forced to work together - coming to the case with unresolved issues in their past.

At times, the stories pace was a bit slower than I would have liked, but well worth the time spent reading it. Whether the reader is looking for an international thriller, a faith-based novel, or an early Spring read, High Treason may fill the need.

Vanishing Point - A Review

Vanishing Point

by

Lisa Harris

A Review

Murders in and around Nashville, TN, haunt both the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Teams from both agencies are brought together over a period of a decade to find the person who is kidnapping young women, taking Polaroid pictures, and burying them in shallow graves.

But as the case is worked on over the years, relationships are growing. There are the human relationships that are often a part of these thrillers and the relationships the protagonists have with God. I found this second set of relationships particularly interesting as they struggled with the problem of evil in a God created and God controlled world. A prolonged discussion in chapter 32 of the book helped this reader resolve some of the issues related to this topic.

Whether the reader is looking for the next romantic thriller, a Christian thriller, or a readable murder mystery designed for fans of Criminal Minds, Vanishing Point might provide a satisfying read.

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

Need To Know - A Review

Need To Know

by

Karen Cleveland

A Review

A great plot has to also be told by a great writer. I think the writing of the book distracts from the plot’s telling. I found too much repetition, too many simple sentences, and too little character development. I expect that there may be a second outing from this author in which I hope she addresses some of these flaws.

As others have said, it very well could make a better movie than book. In the meantime, perhaps the reader willing to experiment with the work of a new author will be sufficiently drawn into the story to find it of interest and be able to hold their interest - I was some of the time, but just not enough of the time.

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

Blind Spot - A Review

Blind Spot

by

Dani Pettrey

A Review

Blind Spot is a romantic thriller - with a touch too much romance for this reader.

This book picks up where Cold Shot and Still Life began. The team of FBI and private investigators are onto the trail of human traffickers and a terrorist - it would take time to see the connection between the two cases and only one could be solved.

The newest book again weaves in both the professional and personal lives of the characters. Though I enjoyed the book, it felt like there was a bit more romance - though nothing provocative or uncomfortable - in the telling of this story than needed. The author also, as in the earlier books, again focuses on faith issues - notably for this reader, “trust.” Trust of God, of others, and trust of ourselves.  

The author also prepares the reader for the next book in the series as she concludes this story with:

“You did a great job.” Everyone’s attention swung to Luke standing in the doorway, a grim expression on his hardened face. “But we’ve got a far more lethal threat on our doorstep.”

But for that, we will need to wait till next year.

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This review is based on a free copy provided by the author for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

Deep Extraction - A Review

Deep Extraction

by

DiAnn Mills

A Review

A romantic thriller starring a FBI agent, a dying FBI agent that will not admit his failings, and a U S Marshall that is nearly ready to give up, all contribute to a non-stop thrill ride that has all the makings for a great Hallmark-Mystery movie.

The central characters are broken people needing God’s grace in their lives. Some will find it, others will not - but it is offered to all. None of them are entirely who they seem at first glance and it will take the touch of God’s hand for each to move forward from the place in which they are stuck. The bombing of an oil drilling site and the death of its owner appear to be connected - yet the connection is not as obvious the as law enforcement officials working the case would like. And they would need to risk their lives to put together the puzzle that would answer all their questions.

This is Book Two of a series - but the books have little connection between them other than the formation of an FBI task force composed of broken people. It is this lack of connection that I least appreciate about Diann Mills’ books. She begins to develop the characters, but we do not see them in the series' sequels. I do like the stories; I do like the characters; but I want to learn more about them and see them continue to develop through two or three additional novels. I can always hope.

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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.

Deadly Encounter - A Review

Deadly Encounter

by

DiAnn Mills

A Review

There are a number of things that draw me into a fiction book.  A number of them are obvious: the quality of writing, the realism of the characters, the well designed setting of the story. One of the less obvious characteristics of a fictional story that I appreciate is its use of historical or real life settings that I call for me to search even deeper into the history or setting using Google or other internet resources.

Deadly Encounter was such a book.  My attention was drawn to a Google search before I finished page 1 of the book: “Who or what are the Houston Airport Rangers?” The book did answer the question a few pages in, but I found myself in Google within minutes of starting the book.  Sadly, Google provided little more details than the book - but enough to get me further into the book while I waited for the author to offer more own description.

The book dealt with themes that have attracted me in the past - Addiction/dysfunctional families, terrorism, and romance (but not too much). Mixing these themes with an underlying Christian faith, and we have a story that is both exciting and satisfying. We see individual’s faith being challenged and growing. We see faith being lived out. We also see the various conflicts that must be faced by modern law enforcement as they face the 21st century culture found in the USA.

Looking for a book with a positive Christian focus, with the right blend of suspense, danger, and romance? Deadly Encounter may be that book.   

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