Seconds To Live by Susan Sleeman - Fast Paced and Heart Pounding Suspense`

...from the publisher... 

When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals' Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses' personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness's help, as she's the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom's identity.

Trouble is, she's a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.
 
...my thoughts...
From the moment I opened Seconds To Live I was hooked.  I haven't read anything by Susan Sleeman before and believe me when I say that I was pleased to find this author.

Cybercrime hits the  U.S. Marshal's Witness Protection Database in a big way. It is a race against time to capture a high profile hacker who is out for revenge.  There are no second chances for his victims and he seems to see anyone who has had the slightest encounter with the RED team of experts assigned to bring him in. These are the things I enjoy about suspense novels.  It is edgy and keeps the reader coming back for just a few more pages.  A few more leads to another chapter and pretty soon it is after 1:00 in the morning!

The main characters are pretty closed off at first and as the story unfolds, so too does the character development of Sean and Taylor.  I liked this book for the story and the team who worked so hard together, under difficult circumstances.  It gave me an even greater respect for those members of law enforcement who are honest, hard working and dedicated to their jobs. 

I was given a copy of this book  for an honest review from Bethany House Publishers but the opinions expressed here are mine.  Seconds To Live is Book One in the Homeland Heroes series.  I am already looking forward to Book Two.

Intrigue & Suspense Await In Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon

We all have favorite authors and Irene Hannon is one of mine.  Whether she is writing one of her famous thrillers or a romantic story on the Oregon Coast, she just doesn't disappoint me.  A case in point, I read Dangerous Illusions over the weekend!  In fact, I couldn't put this suspense filled novel down. 

The story is set in St. Louis, Missouri and our heroine is a quiet, uassuming teacher.  Trish Bailey moved back home three years ago to care for her invalid mother following the death of her husband and father.  Both died in an automobile accident that left her mother with life threatening injuries.  Their life was settling into a semblance of routine when her mother's untimely death rocked Trish's world once again.

Eileen Coulter's death didn't seem out of the ordinary. Or was it?  Detective Colin Flynn is ready to report the death as a heart attack until some things just don't add up.  Is it possible Trish accidentally mixed up some of her mother's medications? There is a sizable charitable foundation her parents left for her, an only child, to manage.  Or is she just an innocent woman succumbing to a build up of stress after dealing with three years of unimaginable pain and loss. 

Satisfied the death was an accident, Colin was ready to put the case to rest. In a perfect world, Trish could just go about her life without her beloved mother.  Between the pages of this book, however, more and more things pop up in her world to make life one sinister event after another.  There is also an undeniable attraction between Colin and Trish that keep the pulse of the story going.

The plot is filled with intrigue that can only be written by a master story teller.  As I turned each page, new facts came to life that kept my mind wondering how this story could possibly be tied up neatly in the end.  The illusions painted in this story by a masterful criminal add up to one good mystery. My curiosity kept me up until the wee hours of the night to finish.  It was well worth it.

Dangerous Illusions is book one in Irene Hannon's new Code of Honor series.  I give this book five stars and look forward to the second book in this series. 

Sunday Review: Chasing Secrets by Lynette Eason

Have you ever felt like you were right there in the midst of the story? Award winning author Lynette Eason is one of those writers who can draw the reader into the pages.  Chasing Secrets, fourth book of the Elite Guardian series is one of those books that will take you on a suspenseful ride page after page. 

Haley Callaghan, an Elite Guardian bodyguard finds herself in the middle of  a cold case tracing back to her roots in Ireland.  Bits and pieces of her childhood unfold as she finds herself in the middle of a deadly plot and she is the target. Drawing on all her resources, she intends to find whoever is at the center of this intrigue and why.

Detective Steven Rothwell is not going to sit idly by and let her take this on her own. Even though Haley is a force to be reckoned with on her own, there is a deadly force encroaching on her. There are too many close calls in this case, endangering her life and the lives of people she swore to protect.

In true Eason style, she wraps this puzzle into a neat package of suspense, mystery and romance. If you enjoy suspenseful novels this is a book you'll want to add to your collection. 

A Primary Decision Is full of Intrigue and Suspense

A Primary Decision by Dr. Kevin Leman and Jeff Nesbit is sure to please anybody who likes intrigue found in the political arena.  The story centers on the powerful Worthington family from New York. The intrigue is supplied by forces who want to take this family down with lies and corruption. I discovered that A Primary Decision is book three in the Worthington Destiny series but nonetheless it can stand alone if you don't mind missing a little of the family background.

Sarah Worthington, the youngest child and only daughter of Bill and Ava Worthington has been tapped by the President of the United States to be the next Attorney General.  One who is forthright and able to give better than she gets, Sarah sails through the hearings and is sworn into office.   Once in office she sets her cap on the conspiracies rampant in Washington and begins proceedings to prosecute the same man who chose her to be the nation's number one attorney.  Truth, justice and nothing less than is the people's due propels her forward on her quest.

In the meantime, her brothers Will and Sean have their own agendas that keep the story lively.  Topping off the family story are the secret messages relayed between two unnamed sources who seem to be puppeteers holding strings above it all.

If you like mystery and politics, you will enjoy A Primary Decision. I received my copy from Revell for an honest review of the story. You decide if this book is ultimately your kind of thriller but this one, while full of corruption leaves out the x-rated fare Christian fiction lovers like to avoid.

Nikki Boyd Is Back In Missing by Lisa Harris

Looking for a good suspense novel?  Missing, Book 2 in the Nikki Boyd series, is full of intrigue that will keep you wondering who, what and where. Award winning Author Lisa Harris' latest gives us a well written plot full of twists and turns leaving us in a wake of bodies and an unthinkable white collar crime.  Mac Hudson, a lead scientist for Byrne Laboratories discovered a deadly secret about the drugs his company produced.  The secrets cost him his life and now Nikki Boyd of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Task Force and her team are frantically searching for Mac's missing wife Lucy.

Counterfeit drugs are finding their way into mainstream America, short circuiting strict FDA regulations and lining the pockets of a few men who play a new kind of hard ball. While searching frantically for Lucy, Nikki, Jack and Gwen pull out all stops. This special missing person's task force of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation refuses to lose ground as the deadly killers forge ahead as though unstoppable.

Vivid descriptions and well developed characters set this suspense novel apart from your average whodunit. The plot is fresh and unpredictable. As the story progresses, more information emerges that will surprise you enough to keep turning the pages.  From the beginning I was enveloped into the case and finally let go when the author tied everything together like a sailor slips a knot.  Add this to your reading list if you like suspense. I am already looking forward to her next book in the series, Pursued, coming in spring 2017. Many thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book.

Suspense abounds in Traces of Guilt

Dee Henderson is a gifted writer who has brought us yet another good suspense novel, Traces of Guilt, an Evie Blackwell Cold Case. What an example showcasing this author's talent in creating one of the best in Christian suspense novels. 

Evie Blackwell is a detective with the Illinois State Police. She tackles each case like a puzzle and her methods are successful. That is why she is likely to be tapped by the Governor-Elect to be on a special two-year task force to solve cold cases in her state. She loves her job and the opportunity this task force would take her career to a new level.  We meet her on her way to  a working vacation in rural Carin County to look at two cold cases. Both cases have been investigated with a fine-toothed comb yet remain unsolved for many years.

Gabe Thane, Carin County Sheriff assists her by providing boxes of evidence and honest support that many a small town sheriff with an ego might withhold. The first case involves the disappearance of Deputy Scott Florist, his wife Susan and son Joe.  Secondly, she is examining the case of Ashley Dayton, aged six who disappeared as her parents were checking into a motel in Carin. These cases are near to the heart of the sheriff and his father, who had been sheriff at the time when both occurred.

Traces of Guilt is very complex and the characters mesh with each other in an incredible way.  Evie unpacks all the boxes of evidence, separating each piece into two separate time lines on the wall. She and Gabe have discussed what has gone on before and what she hopes to find that was missing in previous investigations. While doing so I am struck by something she says to Gabe as she begins reexamining all the evidence: "Cases solve when you can get a thumbnail under a corner of the answer and peel it back." That is exactly what unfolds.  It is tempting to share how she approached this but I am not one to spoil a good mystery.  

The research for this story was incredible. The power of the hunt for answers kept me turning pages long past time I should have called it a night. The process of the investigations, the discussions between the characters and the care toward all the victims was very well written. I give this book 5-stars with my heartfelt recommendation. I am already hoping another Evie Blackwell Cold Case book will be released.

Reviewing Murder Comes By Mail

Being a hero was the last thing on Deputy Michael Keane's mind. He was busy driving a busload of silver haired ladies from Hidden Springs to Eagleton, as a favor to his Aunt Lindy. As he drew near the Eagle River Bridge, he saw a man ready to jump. He climbed off the bus and in front of that bus full of people, pulled the man back over the railing.  The ladies quickly got off the bus to see what happened and more than one savvy granny snapped pictures with her smart phones. One Hank Leland, owner of the Hidden Springs Gazette, just happened to be there too and was busily snapping pics too. But Hank's pictures were for his next issue of the Gazette.  News like this didn't happen in Hidden Springs so he took pictures of the rescue and pictures of the man loaded into an ambulance with a few good shots of Michael with the jumper. Amid the post-rescue chaos the jumper had a few last words for Michael: "You'll wish you'd pushed me."

A.H. Gabhart's Murder Comes by Mail is the second in her Hidden Springs Mystery series.  If you have read Murder On The Courthouse Steps, You've already been to Hidden Springs and met the people of this quiet little town full of of characters you couldn't find anyplace else.  Nothing ever happens there and they like it that way. Every Wednesday, the Hidden Springs Gazette comes out but on this particular week the paper is full of its home town hero Michael Keane and his heroic rescue of a man  who didn't want to be rescued. Uneasy with being the center attention, he is more interested in finding out who the man was and why he said those last haunting words to him.  Words that refused to leave him in the days to come.

One day after the "Hometown Hero"story broke, Betty Jean sat opening up the mail as usual at the Sheriff's Office. She was just teasing Michael about the article when she pulled some photos out from a manila envelope when she gasped, becoming clearly upset. Michael jumped from his desk to see what was going on and found grizzly photos taken of a young victim.  He dumped the entire contents and found a note from the jumper reminding him that Michael should have let  jump.

From then on the story takes an unexpected turn as sleepy Hidden Springs is roused to full alert. One crime leads to another in an  uncanny twist leading to Michael.  Can he stay one step ahead of the game and protect all those connected to him? I can assure you that this is one good mystery. The plot is well developed in Gabhart's fashion and you will be gripping your seats as you try to turn the pages fast enough.  No spoilers here, you will want to read this one yourself!  Many thanks to Revell for the advance copy to review and to A.H. Gabhart for many hours of entertainment.

Keep Guessing with A Fool & His Monet

Sandra Orchard introduces Serena Jones, a young, vibrant FBI Art Crime Agent in A Fool & His Monet. When two paintings are discovered missing from the Forest Park Museum, Serena is quietly called to the scene by her friend Zoe David, head of security. Following renovations at the museum, Zoe isn't quite sure when the Monet and Rijckaert went missing so no publicity is the best publicity on this case.

As the story unfolds Serena is joined by  her Aunt Martha, an expert television crime show fan along with her mentor Tanner and apartment complex manager Nate. Red herrings surface along the way to the solution, but not before we meet Serena's mother, who is eager to marry her off before she gets killed in the line of duty and her father, a quiet college professor.  Dinner time is a hoot as they discuss cases, Serena's love life and Aunt Martha's tips to catch the thief!

No spoilers around here and there are a few, believe me.  I was intrigued how the author organized the crime and the extremes the criminal went to in order avoid being caught. What began as a seemingly easy heist lead to murder and mayhem that all seemed unrelated until Serena came on the scene.  All in all if you like mysteries, give this one a try. Good plot, fun characters and an author who does her research!  Sandra Orchard has another Serena Jones mystery in the works so be ready for another art crime caper.

Dressed for Death A Regency Party Experience Few Shall Forget!

I recently read Dressed for Death by Julianna Deering for review.  I hadn't read any of her books before so this was  a treat. Reading a new author for me is like taking a trip on a newly traveled road. I didn't know what to expect but I did enjoy the journey.

Dressed for Death is set in the 1930's on an English estate. Our hero, recently wed Drew Farthering, is traveling with his wife Madeline to Winteroak House for a Regency-era house party.  The party is hosted by Drew's old family friends the Cummins' family and he is very excited to see his old friend Tal once more.   He will also have the opportunity to introduce Madeline to everyone and meet Tal's fiancee Alice Henley.

All guests, upon arrival are taken to the house in an opulent barouche carriage typical from the era and at the insistence of the host leave their cars behind. The party is authentic with period clothing, food, dancing and the chance to hear Jane Austen quoted throughout.  The estate, which is one of the stars of the book is the perfect setting for the party and sets the tone for the expensive taste of Mr. Cummins.  As the week draws to a close, Alice dies mysteriously and Tal's father is taken to Scotland Yard.  As a known amateur sleuth, Tal asks Drew to look into the matter and discover the truth to these unsettling mysteries.

With the elements of a good old fashioned whodunit, the author captures the spirit of many books written during that period.   That era, with its big estates and the parties held inside are often the subject of many books and movies. Often we find society parties a bit trying at these affairs and look for their flaws. When you meet Drew and Madeline, you will be pleasantly surprised by their kind and generous spirits.  The party ended unhappily with Alice's death but it is what follows that keeps the reader engaged. More mystery and mayhem with cleverly designed red herrings to keep you guessing until the end. I laud the author for her character development. I didn't like all of the characters, nor should I but there are a couple who will surprise you by who they are and what they do.   I will not reveal any spoilers in hopes you will pick up your own copy to read on a rainy Sunday afternoon.  I am looking forward to discovering more books by Julianna Deering.

Always Watching Suspense At the Edge Of Your Seat!

Lynette Eason has done it again!  The moment I started reading Always Watching I was hooked.  A plan executed for over ten years finally peaks when Wade Savage's stalker closes in for the prize.  Olivia Edwards' company, Elite Bodyguards is hired for protective detail when Wade's father sees an all too familiar pattern of personal gifts appear for Wade. This stalker is sinister and relentless in pursuit.  Our first glimpse of this is when Wade is attacked and a member of Elite Bodyguards is nearly killed and left for dead. The bodyguard was a beautiful young woman who was mistaken by the stalker as competition for Wade.  With a team member down, Olivia puts herself in place to complete Wade's protection detail.

Wade is a noted psychiatrist and philanthropist and popular radio show host.  He is also a handsome widower, giving him an extra appeal to his audience. Could the stalker be a regular caller to his radio show?  As the stalker begins to unravel, Olivia and her team face danger at every turn.  Keeping Wade and his young daughter safe when he wants to retain his independence proves challenging, especially as the stalker seems to keep pace with all of the team's strategies.

Fast paced and full of surprises, Always Watching delivers five starts on the suspense chart.  A well-developed plot with strong characters I believe this book will appeal to mystery lovers who like a little romance along with their suspense. Many thanks to Revell for the advance copy of this book for review.  For more information on this and other books by Lynette Eason, check out her website where you will be Welcomed to the edge of your seat!

A Noble Masquerade - Regency Meets Suspense!

 Kristi Ann Hunter is launching her first book, A Noble Masquerade this week,  and I had the privilege of reading an advance copy.  I found all the elements of a good story between 361 pages including romance, intrigue and a bit of old fashioned faith.

Lady Miranda dreads the approaching London Season. This will be her sister Georgina's first season and her fourth. As such, she is feeling the impending doom of spinsterhood. With this in mind, we begin our story with her chance meeting of Marlow, the new valet of her brother, Griffith, the Duke of Riverton.  Undone by this handsome valet, she encounters him quite by accident again and again.  He seems to be everywhere she turns. She is intrigued by him  yet keeps up appearances as mistress of the household for her brother.  

When Miranda was young, she began to write letters to the mysterious Duke of Marshington, a school chum of Griffith. It started innocently as journal entries where she had the freedom to confide her thoughts and dreams. The letters were never mailed. Ever efficient Marlow, finding one of these letters. mailed it quite by accident to the long lost duke. This is where the story gets hot. Nobody knows where the elusive duke is or how to reach him, yet Marlow seems to find the address and a week later a reply arrives. When she decides to respond to the reply she relies on Marlow to post it. Her feelings are swayed by him yet she is secretly delighted with the attention of the duke. Marlow is charismatic and well turned out but he is a valet. As suspicious valet nonetheless but he could hardly compete with a duke.

All is not as it should be when the season opens. Balls, parties and card games lead to day time visits to the ladies at home. Miranda's thoughts are on the letters and hopes of meeting Marshington face to face. When she does meet him it isn't at all as she dreamed of. Sparks fly when he is finally revealed to her. Her world is turned upside down as the game is up an underlying tale emerges that takes this story to another level. It is, after all set in the days of the Napoleonic wars and not all are loyal to the crown.  You will have to read the book to get any more information on this front!

There is a lot of chemistry among Miranda, Marlow and Marshington. To see it on film is one thing but to find it in a book is a good recommendation for the author.  

Reviewing No Place To Hide

I enjoy a good, suspenseful mystery so when the opportunity to review No Place To Hide by Lynette Eason came along I couldn't pass it up. The story begins with Jackie Sellers breaking into a home. Once inside Ian Lockwood's darkened home....the story unfolds and the reader begins to guess what and who is behind a sinister plot to instill terror.  I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I have read Lynettte's novels before and this one lived up to my expectations. I was surprised by the ending and pleased with how well the puzzle went together. Lynette weaves a tale so well that I can't find any cracks in the plot. As the story grows, so does a love story that seems impossible for all the unresolved emotions and surrounding deception. If you are looking for a good mystery, pick up a copy of No Place to Hide today! 

Reviewing: Buried Secrets

If you like suspense, Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon is for you!  Take a 24-year old cold case, a skull unearthed at a construction site and you have the beginnings of one good mystery.

Carson Police Chief Lisa Grant and former Navy SEAL turned Detective Mac McGregor are on the scene and ready to dig deeper into the identity of a victim left buried and forgotten in an unmarked grave.  With few clues to go on except old missing person reports, they get one small break that sets in motion several discoveries that rattle a sinister mind that will stop at nothing to block discovery of the truth.

The plot thickens a plenty when accidents begin to pick off key players from the past. Dangerous plots make strange bedfellows when it comes to trust. The story is a good mystery that hooked me from the prologue. I am not going to allow any spoilers but highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Irene's latest book. Buried Secrets is book one of her new series, Men of Valor.

Irene Hannon is a bestselling author of suspenseful romantic Christian fiction that will keep you at the edge of your seat without excessive violence or graphic love scenes. The secret to me is writing a good story to begin with. I was happy to receive another book of Irene's to review from Revell Publishing as I have enjoyed all of her books that I have had the pleasure to read.  I am already looking forward to the release two in this series.

Shadows of the Past a Suspenseful Adventure in Paperback

I was up for a suspenseful mystery so the prospect of reading Shadows of the Past by Patricia Bradley was a reward after a long week.

Taylor Martin is a Criminal Psychology professor with a specialty in criminal profiling.  The story begins at a crime scene where Taylor has been called in to consult with Newton County  Sheriff's Department.  As the crime scene wraps up she feels inside her pocket and finds an alarming note imprinted with Meade Funeral Home imprinted on the top. She smells the hint of Old Spice wafting through the air. How did the note get inside her pockets? Is it written by someone who has been stalking her? The last offering was a bouquet of black roses. Could it be from a troubled young man who had taken a course from her the term before?

At the scene she meets Nick Sinclair, a handsome writer from the south, not far away from Logan's Point, Mississippi where Taylor is from. Nick hides the detail that his brother Scott is the former student and suspected stalker. Things don't make sense to Nick; his brother was troubled but not a criminal. Just a troubled young man who had gotten in with the wrong crowd drinking and doing drugs. His attorney and administer of Scott's trust fund recommended Conway University so Scott could have a fresh start. It was far from his Memphis Tennessee home and former friends.

Taylor heads back to Logan's Point and finds herself on the same flight as Nick Sinclair who is going home to Memphis.  Taylor's father disappeared when she was quite young and she hopes for answers at last on why he disappeared. He went on a business trip, never to return again. Back in the South, the pieces begin to intersect both the lives of Taylor and Nick. They are strongly attracted to one another; there are puzzling bits of information though that threaten to doom any hopes of a relationship; beginning with Scott, the elusive brother, a large land deal for the Martin land and of course, how the stalker knew that she was in Logan's Point and not in Newton County, Washington State!

Taylor presses on with questions on her father's disappearance and goes so far as to request police files on anything related to his disappearance.  Her uncle Jonathon is trying to get everyone to agree to the sale of the property that has been in the family for generations. With ties to the underground railroad and historic preservation, he needs a majority vote in order to clear the way for a million dollar housing development. He has no time for Taylor's questions and want her to stop any further questions about his brother.

A string of coincidences bring danger to Taylor, to Scott and to others who have information about what happened to James Martin. There are too many things that don't add up and Taylor questions who she can trust.  As Taylor gets closer to the truth more than one life is in danger.

Scott resurfaces and attracts danger too. Will he sober up or will he die? He is looking for his friend Digger who helped him at Conway and now in Tennessee. Nick fears for Scott's life, trying to protect him but also trying to find out the identity of Digger. There are so many questions and turns in the story before we find the truth.

Intrigue and suspense play a big role in this is a story of greed and how it can destroy all a family holds dear: each other.
I recommend this book, a perfect antidote to a cold wintry day along with a rich cup of coffee.

Suspense and Intrigue....

I love to read. My mother instilled this in me at a very young age although for years I was lax in pursuing this passion. Fast forward and I can't get enough of a good mystery. I just finished reading No One to Trust by Lynette Eason. The book hooked me from page one. Imagine waking up to find your husband gone and a stranger looming over your bed. Take it another step and discover all that you held dear is nothing but lies and betrayal. For Summer Abernathy the world as she knew it ricocheted like a bullet into a nightmare of organized crime and a husband she hardly recognized. The book is one suspense filled page after another.

Lynette's fist book in her new series, Hidden Identity, won me over as a new fan after a late night reading a book I couldn't put down.  The story is full of hidden identities that emerge as part of one big puzzle that seems disconnected until the end of the story.

This is romantic christian mystery is action packed but contains no sex or coarse language; none of that is necessary. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, but have to wait until fall! I hope you will join me in my quest for better reading.  This book is published by  Revell, a division of Baker House Fiction, a company that has been in business for 75 years. Check out their website for more good books.