ACCUSED

Pacific Coast Justice Series #1
by Janice Cantore

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
416 pages
978-1414358475

After an officer-involved shooting, Detective Carly Edwards is taken off her street beat and given a desk job in juvenile. It's a normally boring position, but she is drawn into a murder investigation of the city's mayor, an investigation that isn't as routine as she's initially led to believe.

As she investigates, she peels back layers of corruption in her city that might just bleed into the police department, and she doesn't know who to trust. Complicating things more is  her ex-husband, also a police officer, who says he's a changed man. He's betrayed her before. Can she trust him now, or is he part of the corruption?

My Take:

Years ago, Dee Henderson's O'Malley series set the standard for romantic suspense within Christian fiction. She always offered very likable characters and intriguing suspense. The mysteries may not have been terribly complex, but the characters made up for that, making her books an enjoyable read. As someone who loves a good suspense novel, I'm continuously looking for authors I'll appreciate as much as Henderson, but I'm most often let down.  I know my tastes have changed, I've become very picky. I can't read formulaic suspense--it's far too predictable--and I don't care for romantic suspense that's too gushy. (If the hero and heroine merely brush arms in the opening chapters and their cheeks flush or goosebumps cover their arms, that's an instant turn-off for me. My personal preference.)

Amy Wallace, DiAnn Mills, and Sibella Giorello are three rare writers who have exceeded my expectations. After reading Accused, I'm adding Janice Cantore, a retired Long Beach, California police officer, to that list.

Accused is a lightening-fast read. I read it within a day--my husband only took two (fast for him). Cantore kept the action moving, adding more elements to the mystery, while taking us deep inside Carly Edward's character. Like Carly, I didn't know who to trust until near the very end--my husband felt the same way.

It's one of the most enjoyable books I've read all year and I look forward to reading Cantore's next book in the Pacific Coast Justice Series, Abducted, which comes out in July.

Janice Cantore is a retired Long Beach police officer who now writes suspense novels to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Her years of experience on the force lend authenticity to her stories. Accused is the first in the three-book Pacific Coast Justice series.

Debut Author Spotlight ... Sandra Orchard

EMBRACING THE JOURNEY

by Sandra Orchard

"I wasn't going to be one of those people who died wondering what if? I would keep putting my dreams to the test - even though it meant living with uncertainty and fear of failure. This is the shadowland of hope, and anyone with a dream must learn to live there."
- Alex Haley

Haley’s quote is posted on the home page of my website, and is an apt description of my journey to publication. Thankfully, my shadowland of hope included the odd contest win or editor request and other timely nudges of encouragement from God to persevere.

The encouragements I most delighted in were the friendships God brought into my life along the way. I have no doubt He orchestrated the delivery of my Romance Writer's of America magazine to another aspiring writer in my small community. A writer who was so excited to discover another crazy person in town that she hand-delivered the magazine to my doorstep and invited me to attend a local writing group that I had no idea existed.

I was also profoundly blessed, long before I ever became published, to have the opportunity to minister through those writing relationships to people I might otherwise have never met.

I could fill pages recounting writing courses and workshops I’ve taken, craft books I’ve read, conferences I’ve attended, and critiques I’ve paid for, not to mention all the manuscripts I’ve written and rewritten. But from the outset I’d been warned that the journey is typically long and fraught with setbacks. As a result, my expectations were realistic, and the positive feedback—including signing with an agent following my first-ever conference—was super-encouraging.

But that elusive first contract was not to be for a few years, a few manuscripts and another agent later.

In hindsight I'm glad for this. I learned so much about crafting stories in those years. I was mentored by fabulous authors. And I proved to myself that I could write to a deadline. So that by the time Love Inspired Suspense offered me my first contract and asked for two books per year, I had the second in the proposed series finished and had plenty of time available to plot the third. It made the whole process much less stressful, especially as art fact sheets and marketing were added to my things-to-do list.

“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36

My advice to all whether published or pre-pubbed is enjoy the journey. See God’s hand in the little things. Embrace the friendships. And don’t give up.

DEEP COVER

by Sandra Orchard

Love Inspired, September 2011

224 pages

Maintaining his cover cost undercover cop Rick Gray the woman he loved. Sweet Ginny Bryson never really knew Rick--he never gave her the chance. Not then, and not now, when he's back with a new alias to gather evidence against Ginny's uncle. The man's crimes led to Rick's partner's death, and Rick wants justice to be served. But his investigation is stirring up trouble, and Ginny is in the middle of it. Someone wants Ginny to pay the price for what her uncle has done. But how can Rick protect her without blowing his cover, jeopardizing his assignment...and risking both their lives?

Sandra Orchard lives in rural Ontario with her real-life hero husband, two of their three children, and a young husky with a fetish for rubber boots and remote controls.

Although Sandra taught high school math before starting her family, her childhood dream of becoming a writer never strayed far from her thoughts. She dabbled in writing how-to articles and book reviews, but for many years, needlecrafts, painting, and renovating a century-old farmhouse satisfied her creative appetite.

Then she discovered the world of inspirational fiction, and her writing took on new direction.

In 2009, she won the Daphne DuMaurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and the following year, on her “graduation day” as a home-educator (i.e. her youngest daughter’s first day of college), Sandra learned that Love Inspired wanted to publish her first novel. And so her Undercover Cops series began.

Sandra loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website, www.SandraOrchard.com. Romantic Suspense to Inspire the Soul

http://www.SandraOrchard.blogspot.com

www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard

Debut Author Spotlight ... Dora Hiers

WHO NEEDS FIREWORKS?

by Dora  Hiers

Have you ever thought about the roads you’ve traveled? Bumpy, windy roads. Roads filled with potholes, forks, and turns. Up mountains. Through valleys. Quiet, country roads and bustling, noisy intersections. Have you considered how few roads are actually smooth?

I’m not one of those writers who dreamed of putting words on paper from an early age. Writing wasn’t in my career path. If I had seen it coming, I probably would have made a u-turn and headed in the opposite direction. After all, I’d spent twelve years writing and editing audit reports. Painful, excruciatingly so. You see, I’m one of those perfectionists. You know the kind. I analyze every word I write. Delete. Retype.

But, I have always wanted to read, loved to read. Had to have a book in my hands. Don’t you feel lost if you don’t have four or five books lined up ready to read? Me? I have sixteen ~ shhh, don’t tell my husband.

After I dropped out of the workforce to taxi my two sons around (and to make sure one of them actually attended school, he had a slight problem with that!), God planted the “writing” seed in my heart. “Me? Write? No way,” I scoffed. I was convinced I was wrong. God didn’t want me to do something that I didn’t enjoy, did He? Surely, I was mistaken.

The writing seed dug in, took root around my heart with the idea for Journey’s End, which germinated from a newspaper article about a mobster, finally convicted for his crimes years later. God watered the seed until it grew into a manuscript, even fertilized it with a few rejection letters and average contest results. God helped me to focus on the positive comments. One manuscript grew into two. Then, three.

A dear friend from Carolina Christian Writers directed me to White Rose Publishing and on New Year’s Eve in 2010, five plus years after I started down this crazy writing road, White Rose Publishing offered me a contract for Journey’s End, my first heart-racing, God-gracing book in the Marshals of Journey Creek series. Can you think of a better way to end one year and to begin another? Who needs fireworks?

Wow! Thank you, God, for not giving up on me! For walking hand-in-hand with me on this crazy exciting journey and for filling my heart with joy!

What is your own journey like? Curvy? Full of potholes? Are you facing a mountain? Whatever road you’re on, my prayer is that God blesses your journey.

JOURNEY’S END

Marshals of Journey Creek Series
by Dora Hiers

White Rose Publishing, May 2011
232 pages

Devastated after the brutal murder of her husband, Chelsea Hammond vows never to love another lawman. Intent on rebuilding her shattered life, she turns her focus to helping troubled teens. But when an angry father bent on retaliation threatens her, Chelsea must turn to the one man she never thought to trust: Deputy U.S. Marshal Trey Colten.

Trey wants only to protect Chelsea, but she blames him for her husband’s death. Trey can relate. He blames himself, also. As danger lurks, Trey begs Chelsea to heed his warnings. He let down one Hammond. He won’t let down another—especially one who now holds his heart.

When Chelsea is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear and trust Trey with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Where one journey ends, another begins…

After a successful auditing career, Dora Hiers left the corporate world to be a stay-at-home mom to her two sons. Eventually, needing something more to fill her days, she started writing heart-racing, God-gracing books. Dora belongs to the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Carolina Christian Writers.

Dora and her husband make their home in Kannapolis, North Carolina. When she’s not writing, Dora enjoys spending time with her family, guzzling café con leche, kicking back in her recliner with a good book, teaching Sunday School, vacationing in the mountains, watching football, and walking her dog.
http://www.dorahiers.com
Facebook ~ Dora Hiers Author

Debut Author Spotlight ... Raquel Byrnes

A HEART FOR WRITING

by Raquel Byrnes

The Lord designed my heart to love writing. From my mother and father who fostered reading over television, to encouraging teachers, I grew up surrounded by people with a passion for the written word.

I’ve created stories for as far back I can remember. As a young child I’d draw out story scenes and act them out with my siblings and friends. One thing I do know is that they always had adventure and action in them.

A military brat, my family often moved every two years making me the perpetual new kid on the block. I was painfully shy and used stories I’d picked up from my many “hometowns” to break the ice. I shared tales from my years on Whidbey Island hunting for blue crabs on the stone shores and how I used to think Santa flew a helicopter because that is how he arrived for our Christmas party with my father’s Marine unit. Stories have always played a huge part of my life.

Throughout high school and college I continued to fill black and white composition books with whatever came to mind but it wasn’t until my husband encouraged me to take writing courses that I really fell in love with the craft. I dove in and found bliss. This was definitely my passion.

My husband and I felt led to homeschool our children and without understanding what the Lord was doing, I followed Him into the intimidating world of teaching. I loved it! Now, ten years later, my eldest is in high school and we are thriving in the homeschool lifestyle. An unexpected blessing was the time to write.

People often ask how I find the time to write with six children. Let me tell you, when we are all snuggling together on the couch reading, I get some great stuff written. Laptops are portable. Fencing lessons, swimming lessons, those hour-long wait times are golden writing opportunities. Have outline – will travel is my motto.

I began writing romantic suspense and found my calling. I love to create amazing stories of love and adventure with an edge-of-your-seat pace. This past year my Shades of Hope Series was picked up by White Rose Publishing. The first book in the series releases later this year. Purple Knot is a novel about a spunky private detective who teams up with her ex-fiancé to solve her best friend’s murder. It’s filled with Faith, Love and Adventure; the major ingredients in all of my stories.

I strive to create characters that highlight the trials and triumphs that we face in the real world. From helping a friend in a desperate situation to understanding the heartbreak of a child in foster care, I believe that inspirational fiction is a ministry. Sometimes taking a spiritual journey with a character you identify with can open up your eyes to the awesome generosity of the Lord.

PURPLE KNOT

by Raquel Byrnes

White Rose Publishing, June 2011
362 pages

A killer strikes.
A love rekindled.
A life-altering choice.

When her best friend is murdered, Reyna Cruz doesn't believe the police have the whole story. An investigator by trade, she has the talent to track Summer's killer, but when clues lead to a family connection and a vicious gang, she suddenly becomes the hunted. At the end of her rope, Reyna must decide to trust the God she believes abandoned her.

Wanting justice for his sister's murder, lawyer Jimmy Corbeau agrees to help Reyna-even though she's his ex-fiancé, and their break-up devastated him. Romance is reawakened, but so are memories of their tragic undoing. Jimmy must decide if he will fight for a future with Reyna or allow their past to derail the investigation and his second chance at love.

When the investigation goes awry and Summer's infant daughter is kidnapped, Reyna must put her life on the line. Will Jimmy and Reyna survive the desperate measures it takes to recover his niece, catch a killer, and secure a happily-ever-after for them all?

Raquel Byrnes lives in Southern, California with her husband of sixteen years and their six children. She considers inspirational fiction a wonderful way to minister to others. She writes romantic suspense with an edge-your-seat pace.

Visit her at www.raquelbyrnes.com or on her blog, Edge of Your Seat Romance, at http://www.nitewriter6.blogspot.com/.

Ransomed Dreams

(Defenders of Hope Series #1)
by Amy Wallace

Published by Multnomah (2007)
336 pages

Heart Healing Romantic Suspense

Gracie Lang has it all: a strong faith, a devoted husband, and two precious children. Then, on a rare snowy night in Georgia, she watches in horror as a swerving black vehicle swipes the van carrying her family. As the van careens off the road and down an embankment, the black vehicle speeds away, leaving three dead in its wake.

Two years later, feeling abandoned by God, Gracie is tired of merely trudging through the days, numb, and is determined to find her family’s killer, to see him behind bars, to at last have justice for her family. She’ll finally have the healing she seeks.

But then, the handsome Crimes Against Children Unit, FBI special agent Steven Kessler appears in her first grade classroom to pick up his son, and for the first time in years, Gracie dares to think she might love again.

Steven Kessler is a man once in love with God, until his life caromed out of control: his wife left him for another man just weeks after giving birth to their son, abandoning both of them. Building onto the marriage failure are the haunting memories of all the children he fails to save.

Whisk into the story a man seeking murderous revenge, and another willing to do whatever it takes to hide his guilt and insure his freedom, and you’ve got one spicy plot.

Adding depth to the plot, author Amy Wallace, folds in an issue so many people grapple with today: believing they’re not good enough, they’re unlovable, they’re a failure. Through this story, Amy points out that’s not true. She asks, who are you listening to: the father of lies? Or the Voice of Truth?

She also stirs in the power of forgiveness. How not forgiving can hold us back, and keep us caged and bitter. But to forgive is freeing.

Amy Wallace excels at blending romance and suspense. (Think Dee Henderson ratcheted up a notch or three.) She writes captivating stories, layers them with multi-faceted characters, and creates a foundation of faith to carry them along. She takes you deep inside the messy, true-to-life characters’ heads and hearts so their struggles are tangible and believable. Her books are more than romance, more than suspense, but rather a journey showing heart growth and healing. An exploration of faith.

A Chat with Amy

Before I introduce you to Amy, I need to share a special God-incident. Two years ago the American Christian Fiction Writers held their conference in Bloomington, Minnesota. Being from the Minneapolis area, I was thrilled. I was also eager to get autographs from two specific authors whose books stood over and above others I'd recently read. Amy Wallace was one of those authors.

Since I lived near the conference hotel, I volunteered to chauffeur editors/agents/authors from the airport to the conference. To connect with my riders at the airport, I held out the ACFW sign and had several people stop and talk about the conference. One of the first people to approach me was Amy. What a thrill it was to meet her and best of all, gain a new friend. She is truly a beautiful person.

And she has graciously answered a couple questions to share with you:

What inspired you to write Ransomed Dreams & the other Defenders of Hope novels? Why did you chose the ultra-difficult topic of Crimes Against Children.

The inspiration for the Defenders of Hope novels came from my own wrestling match with God over a mom's greatest fears. I didn't set out to write about crimes against children, but the more I worked with my editor on Ransomed Dreams, the clearer it became that the FBI's Crimes Against Children Unit in DC was where my story belonged. And while each book tackles very difficult topics like abuse, racism, death, cancer, kidnapping, and cases with children, my focus is always on the healing from those situations and how God can redeem even the worst circumstances.

Can you give us a synopsis of your writing journey? I'd personally be very interested in knowing if "being published" lived up to your dreams.

I began my writing journey oddly enough. In searching for good stories to share with my daughters Christmas of 2001, I came across some grown-up novels. Devouring my first taste of fiction since college, I read seven books by the same author and then handed the books to my husband. When he'd finish reading, I'd tell him what changes I'd make. After the seventh, my husband handed the book back and told me to write my own. My response? “No way!”

But then I couldn’t forget a dream I had about an FBI agent with a wounded heart and a mom on a dangerous quest for answers. So I wrote the story after meeting with an awesome federal agent who was a huge help with story ideas and factual details. And even though I had a blast writing it, I had no clue what I was doing. So after typing THE END, I got involved in an awesome writer's group called the American Christian Fiction Writers. I spent a little over three years learning all I’d done wrong and fixing it. As I learned the heart and craft of writing, I kept working on a number of novels, short stories, and proposals. Then I received a recommendation for an agent who loved my first book and we signed a contract. Eighteen months later the publishing house I dreamed of working with offered me a three-book contract, and my first novel, Ransomed Dreams, hit the shelves a little over a year later in 2007.

Has being published lived up to my dreams? That's a loaded question. In the most important ways, yes. I've found a calling and career I love. I've met the most amazing people and part of my work time is spent reading fantastic fiction. My children have watched me pursue a dream and live it and been inspired to pursue their dreams. And I've been stretched and grown and stretched some more by God through each novel and every step of this journey.

But in other ways, no, being published didn't match my dreams. It's HARD work. And there are many, many opportunities for disappointment and discouragement. Just like there are on the other side of a contract. But writing is now part of who I am and who my family is. So I'll continue down this path until the Lord turns me elsewhere. And I'm learning to be thankful for every bright spot: a glowing fan letter, each writing day where the story carries me into another world and I see God at work, my critique partners who share a love of story and make me better with every critique, and the privilege of teaching others about writing fiction and inspiring them to dream big.

Thanks, Amy, for visiting Spire Reviews today. I can't wait to read more from you in the future.

To Find Out More:
Website: Dark Chocolate Suspense  http://amywallace.com/
Blog: Heart Chocolate  http://www.peek-a-booicu.blogspot.com/

Enduring Justice

(Defenders of Hope Series #3)

by Amy Wallace

Published by Multnomah Books (2009)
336 pages

Riveting Suspense - True-to-Life Characters

Hanna Kessler thought she’d buried her past years ago, but when it claws its way to the surface, she tries to run from its ugliness and the support of family and friends. That includes handsome FBI Crimes Against Children Agent, Michael Parker, who’s struggling to cope with his own wounded past.

With Enduring Justice, and the first two books in the Defenders of Hope series, author Amy Wallace has raised the bar for Christian fiction writers. Not only has she drawn a riveting and thoroughly-researched suspense story, but she melds it with complex, true-to-life characters you truly care about, and wraps it all in redemptive hope. Most writers shine in one facet of storytelling, but few excel at both plot and characterization. I look forward to reading Amy Wallace fiction for many years to come.

Winter Haven

by Athol Dickson

Published by Bethany House (2008)
336 pages

It’s been thirteen years since Vera Gamble’s autistic brother ran away. Thirteen years of cloaking herself in guilt, when the dreaded call finally comes.

Vera’s older brother, Siggy, has been found. Dead. Washed up on a remote island off the coast of Maine, thousands of miles from her home in Dallas.

What she finds when she travels to the island, named Winter Haven, belies all reality. Her brother didn’t age a day after he ran away.

Does this mist-shrouded island, haunted with a deadly past, hold the secret to Siggy’s eternal youth? Will Vera uncover its secret, or will she become the island’s next victim?

Author Athol Dickson has crafted a complex novel of doubt, faith, and truth by appealing to our fears and superstitions. Then he illuminates the truth behind the terror. Winter Haven’s gothic, supernatural storyline is reminiscent of the writings of Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker, but Dickson’s intricate plotting and artistic prose is comparable to the literary works of Charles Martin and Dale Cramer.

It’s a novel I will definitely read again, this time opening my eyes to the truth revealed along the way.

Widows & Orphans

(Rachael Flynn Mystery Series #1)

by Susan Meissner

Published by Harvest House Publishers (2006)
280 pages

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

That is the verse Rachael Flynn’s ministry focused brother, Joshua Harper, chose to live his life by: to aid widows and orphans. Unfortunately, in doing so Joshua frequently found himself on the wrong side of the law, most of which were petty misdemeanors committed to aid someone, thus he believed, for the greater good. So when Rachael, a Manhattan attorney, receives the call that her brother has once again landed himself in jail she is not surprised…until she learns the reason behind his incarceration: a confession to murder.

Naturally, Rachael cannot believe her brother capable to be of murder so she returns home to Minneapolis and sets out to discover why he would confess to such a crime—who is he covering for? Her eyes are set on the sisters, ages 15 and 12, who had been forced into a childhood prostitution ring by the murder victim. She believes Joshua would sacrifice himself to help the sisters and tries to convince her brother that he is not helping them by letting them live a lie.

Both Rachael and the St. Paul police officer in charge of the investigation know that Joshua is not being completely forthright. There are too many unanswered questions. Still too much evidence points to Joshua’s guilt.

Rachael employs some unorthodox methods to unearth the truth, but when the truth is revealed, will she be able to accept it?

Susan Meissner has put together a compelling murder mystery. Her scene descriptions are complex but not overly stated. The characters are well developed, believable and likeable, including the eccentric friend, Figaro, who is quirky without being a caricature.

Reluctant Burglar

(To Catch a Thief Series #1)
by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Published by Multnomah Publishers (2006)
352 pages

Desiree (Desi) Jacobs breaks into museums and steals art for a living. An honest living. Could there be a better way for a security firm to test the security of museums?

Then her father, the man who began the security company, is murdered leaving behind a cache of stolen art. Could it be that the man she looked up to all of her life, a man of faith, honesty and integrity, is actually a thief?

Then Desi becomes the prime suspect of FBI Special Agent Tony Lucano who has never trusted her alibi that she is hired to “steal.” To complicate matters, Desi and Tony find themselves fighting a romantic attraction. Will they learn to trust each other and work together to find her father’s murderer and the actual thieves and prove her father’s innocence? Or will they discover that Desi’s father was guilty after all?

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, a Minnesota native, has deftly woven together a novel full of suspense and intrigue, of romance and conflict, sprinkling in a touch of humor. She catches the reader’s attention from the very first sentence and doesn’t let go until the end.

Reluctant Burglar is the first in a series of three To Catch a Thief novels. Reluctant Runaway and Reluctant Smuggler continue to follow Desi and Tony as they struggle in their dangerous careers, solving crimes and mysteries, wondering if their relationship can endure the constant danger and conflicts.

Interview with Jill Nelson

Jill Nelson very graciously gave me a few minutes of her time to ask a few questions at a recent book signing. I’ve included part of that interview below:

Question: Your stories have a unique premise: an art and antiquity security firm owner who “steals” art. Where did you come up with the idea?

Answer: The catalyst for the whole series was a literal sleeping dream. I woke up in the wee hours one night all tense from a dream where a woman in black sneaked into an estate. She took a painting off the wall and replaced it with an identical-looking painting. Straight up theft, right? Wrongo! I was aware as I watched this scene unfold that the woman was stealing the forgery and returning the original. What a bizarre thing for a thief to do! I was also aware that if she didn’t get away with her act of reverse larceny that disaster would follow for many innocents, not just her.

After I woke up, my waking mind played with this odd scenario. I had to decide what sort of career the woman could have that would give her cat burglar skills without making her a thief. Museum security expert fit the bill. I also asked myself what dire set of circumstances would force her to take such outrageous action. The answer to that question became the plot for the first book, Reluctant Burglar.

The sequels, Reluctant Runaway and Reluctant Smuggler, were birthed in my quirky imagination as natural progressions when you throw a strong-willed, impetuous museum security expert into drastic situations with a skilled and intense FBI agent.

Question: What type of research is involved in crafting your novels?

Answer: As far as researching the technical details for the series, I’ve had the opportunity to visit with lots of interesting people, including an FBI agent, a homicide detective, and a former Naval intelligence operative. I also have bookshelves groaning with research material on art, the FBI, museum security, and locations that my books are set. The Internet is also a treasure trove of information, but I always double check my information to verify by two or more sources. The only art form I seem to be gifted at is word craft, but I thoroughly enjoy discovering more information about art and art theft. Each book in the series features an aspect of the art world and the kinds of crimes that go with it. In fact, I have a whole presentation that I do for church and civic groups called Art Snatcher and Thief Catchers that’s chock full of research details I couldn’t fit into my books.

Before I Wake

by Dee Henderson
Published by Tyndale House Publishers (2006)
416 pages


“I still don’t understand why God lets evil … exist. It hurts. How can God let us get so hurt if He loves us?”

That is the question Rae Gabriella is asking herself when she moves to the small town of Justice, Illinois. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually wounded, the former undercover agent arrives in town just in time to get caught up in another mystery. Young women, with no obvious connection, are suddenly dying of seemingly natural causes. Rae, with the aid of town sheriff, Nathan Justice, and private detective, Bruce Chapel (former fiancé), tries to discover the underlying truth about these deaths. Will she become the next victim?

Throw in a union strike that could potentially decimate the small town, several deaths from a designer drug at a rave party, plus a potential love triangle and you’ve got the foundation for the typical page turning Dee Henderson novel. What is not typical is how the book ends. It is not the neat cookie cutter ending often expected in so many novels and it leaves you hoping for another book – soon.

As usual, Henderson strengthens her novels by using exhaustive research. She seems to be very familiar with the methods of law enforcement, making her stories believable. Yet, she does not bore the reader by being overly detailed. Her characters are generally likable, if not a bit too perfect at times. Fans of Dee Henderson’s The Witness novel and the O’Malley series will also notice familiar names woven into this book and makes you wonder if they will play a part in future novels.