Monday, May 16, 2016

Sins of the Past by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey and Lynette Eason

In Dee Henderson's “Missing”, a Wyoming sheriff is called to Chicago when his elderly mother goes missing. Paired with a savvy Chicago cop, the two realize her disappearance is no accident, and a race against the clock begins.

Dani Pettrey returns to Alaska with “Shadowed” introducing readers to the parents of her beloved McKenna clan. Adventure, romance, and danger collide when a young fisherman nets the body of an open-water swimming competitor who may actually be a possible Russian defector.

Lynette Eason's “Blackout”,  delivers the story of a woman once implicated in a robbery gone wrong. The loot has never been found--but her memory of that night has always been unreliable. Can she remember enough to find her way to safety when the true culprit comes after her?
       


What’s better then a new book by your favorite author?  How about a new book with 3 great stories from 3 of the top Christian Fiction writers!!  Now if that don’t get you excited and running to your local bookstore, I don’t know what will.



In the first story, “Missing”, by Dee Henderson, there’s nothing worse than getting that call that a loved one is missing.  For Police Chief John Graham, not being in charge while the search was on for his mother takes a lot of restraint.  Luckily, the detective assigned to the case is just as determined to find his mother as she is.  Tip after tip is investigated leading to the twist that no one saw coming.

We are then presented with the next story, this one from Dani Pettrey.  Fans of Dani’s, “Alaska Courage” series will be delighted with this mystery as we are introduced to the parents of the McKenna clan.  A Russian swimming competitor is found murdered and the Russian authorities are on their way to claim the body.  Before that happens, though, the rumors of her being a Russian defector have got to be investigated or any information she was relaying to the Americans could fall into the wrong hands.  Can this mystery be solved in time?

Finally, Lynette Eason brings us “Blackout” about a young girl trying hard to remember that night that changed so many lives.  The robbery, her running away, the wreck, the deaths.  All of it rambles around in her mind.  She does what she can to remember it all, or should she.  Someone is doing what they can to make sure she doesn’t remember that night.  Some things are better left alone.

3 great authors, 3 great stories, all in one book.  I will say this was probably one of my favorite books over the last year and for a purely selfish reason.  I tend to be a speed reader and peruse through some of the background “fluff” that can be found in books.  Yes, I know that everything is important in a book, but sometimes I need to weed out the noise in a book and get to the bottom of the who, what, where and why.  With these stories and their shortened time frame, they fit perfectly into my style of reading.  Just the right amount of background, pace and mystery to keep me hooked and looking forward to turning the page.

Is this a "guy's book"?  These are light romance books, but plenty of suspense and intrigue.  Any guy would enjoy all 3 of these stories as they are like little fireworks; packed with just the right amount of explosive material to make you want to light another one.


About the Authors:

Dee Henderson is the bestselling, award-winning author of 15 previous novels, including the acclaimed "O'Malley Series" and "Uncommon Heroes Series".  She is a lifelong resident of Illinois.

Dani Pettrey is the bestselling author of the Alaskan Courage series and winner of the 2014 Daphne du Maurier award for Inspirational Novel, the 2014 Christian Retailing's Best Award for Suspense, and the 2013 Holt Medallion for First Novel. She and her husband reside in the DC Metro area. She can be found online at www.danipettrey.com.

Lynette Eason is the bestselling author of the the 'Women of Justice' and 'Deadly Reunions' series. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, Lynette's books have appeared on the ECPA and CBA bestseller lists and have won several high-profile industry awards.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Traces of Guilt by Dee Henderson

Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective . . . mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job. 

Gabriel Thane is a lifetime resident of Carin County and now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have.

        


It takes something truly special to bring me out of “retirement” and begin blogging book reviews again.  A new novel by Dee Henderson is just the type of motivation that I needed to dust off the laptop, bring up the blogger webpage and spend days trying to remember my password.  Either way, it’s good to be back and even better being able to start with a novel by Dee Henderson.



Nobody likes a cold case, nobody except Evie Blackwell that it is, and nobody can work a cold case better than her.  Taking some time off for vacation, Evie heads to Carin County to pilot a new task force dealing with cold cases.  This time, the cases involve a missing 6-year old girl and a missing family of 3, including a local deputy.  Evie arrives in town and sets up in the old Post Office to begin her investigation of these cold cases.  Assisted by the Sheriff, Gabriel Thane, she begins to uncover several avenues that were overlooked in the initial investigation.  Between the cold cases and other mysteries involving Sheriff Thane’s family, this is one book that will keep you heated up.  So get going and BUY THIS BOOK!!


I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been much of a fan of Dee Henderson’s latest novels.  Not that there are anything wrong with them, but from my perspective they haven’t been up to the normal level of suspense that her first group of books were.  Thankfully, though, this book (and hopefully the whole series) is a throwback to her great suspense novels of the past.  We are introduced not only to Evie Blackwell, who appears to be the lead in this new series, but to Sheriff Gabriel Thane and his family.  Dee also brings back several characters out of her other books to throw in a bit of familiarity to her long time readers.  With all of the moving pieces of this story, you have a book that will keep you turning the page well into the night

Is this a "guy's book"?  Between all of the happenings with Evie searching for answers to these cold cases and the obvious additional storylines for additional novels that are set up in this book, this is a sure bet for any guy to pick up and enjoy.


About the Author:

Dee Henderson is the bestselling, award-winning author of 15 previous novels, including the acclaimed "O'Malley Series" and "Uncommon Heroes Series".  She is a lifelong resident of Illinois.