The Deadening (Olivia Callahan Suspense, Book 1)

 

KERRY PERESTA

Stats: Mass market paperback, Worldwide, 2024.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: The stiff bristles of the brush grew coppery as he scrubbed back and forth, back and forth.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: I plucked this book off my shelf at random one day, where it had been sitting for a couple of years, and I was riveted pretty much from the very beginning.

Olivia narrates some of the chapters in first person POV, telling us her story as she recovers from a coma following a savage attack that she cannot remember. In fact, she awakens with amnesia, not recognizing or remembering her daughters, her mother, her estranged husband, her life. The rest of the chapters are in third person POV, giving us glimpses of other characters and what's going on with them, but leaving us in the dark about what exactly happened to Olivia.

Olivia's memory begins to return in little bits and spurts, and she and Hunter, the detective assigned to her case, slowly piece events together, which often just leads to more questions and surprising reveals in this intricately plotted story. And while this is not by any means a romance book, I liked Hunter and I liked that they did grow closer, leaving me with the impression that after I turned the last page their relationship would continue to bloom.

I'm now eager to find the second book in the series, and/or anything else I can hunt down from this author.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Discovered on the lawn of a Maryland hospital, bleeding and unconscious, Olivia Callahan is whisked into surgery. She floats in endless darkness. And when she finally awakes, she has no memory of what happened...or who she is. Then her medical tests are tampered with. The doctor's office is ransacked, and her file is stolen. 

She doesn't know the family who comes to claim her or the husband who wants to divorce her. And as her memories begin to return in flashes, she doesn't recognize the meek, compliant wife and mother she used to be. Set on bringing her attacker to justice, a braver, stronger Olivia fights to put together the scattered pieces of her past before a violent predator returns to finish the job.

Tell Me Another Lie (A Huckleberry Ridge Romance, Book Four)

 

K.T. RAINE

How acquired: BookSirens

First line: The striking contrast of the white rose against the red countertop captured Belle’s attention as soon as she stepped out of the massage room.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: K.T. Raine was one of my new author discoveries almost two years ago, and I have devoured each of her books since then. Each one has been just delightful, and TELL ME ANOTHER LIE is no exception. Would that I could live in Huckleberry Ridge!

Belle is a young widow who recently moved back to Huckleberry Ridge for a fresh start. A massage therapist, her new business is doing well, and the local animal shelter has found the perfect dog for her. She still mourns her husband, but life is looking up. Until she becomes the target of an unknown admirer’s unwanted attention.

Enter Woody. Belle’s cousin, a police officer, asks Woody to keep an eye out for Belle since her business is on his beat. Gentle sparks fly, but neither is looking for a relationship, and they both make some assumptions about the other. Shallow assumptions, but hey, they’re only human. And of course they get over those assumptions as they get to know one another.

The mystery of who the secret admirer is was well plotted, and I didn’t come close to figuring it out. There’s plenty of bantering conversations that made me smile, and I laughed a few times. I adored Woody, he’s a bit swoon worthy! The writing is engaging and characterization of both Belle and Woody is done well, especially considering the book is only 176 pages (the pdf version I read).

My only complaint is one throwaway sentence that came off as a little racist to me, when Woody is on an airplane, in a seat that is apparently on the smaller side. That sentence gave me pause and left a bad taste in my mouth and my brain.

While each book in the series can be read as a standalone, I recommend starting with the first book, and then also reading the author’s actual standalone, HOLDING OUT FOR SPECIAL, which is the first of the author’s books that I read. They are all sweet, kisses only, romances with some suspense thrown in, that will leave you sighing at the end. In a good way!

*Received from BookSirens and voluntarily reviewed*

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Four years after the death of her husband, Belle Cosgrove returns to her childhood home of Huckleberry Ridge, Idaho seeking a fresh start. With the successful launch of her new massage business, things are finally looking up ... until a secret admirer starts leaving eerie gifts and messages. Can she convince her damaged heart to accept the help of Woody Bannock, a reserved, ridiculously handsome police officer? Book 4 in the clean, contemporary Huckleberry Ridge Romance series.

Never Leave Me (Waters of Time, Book Two)

 

JODY HEDLUND

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 1/4/22.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: “I’m dying, and we can’t change that.”

(Goodreads synopsis is below.)

My thoughts: This second book in the Waters of Time series picks up about a year after the events of the first book. Ellen, the sister of the heroine of the first book, has a genetic disease which causes cancer, and is slowly dying. She’s resigned herself to her fate, and spends as much time as she’s able with the children staying at Serenity House, a non-profit she started where families with terminally ill children can stay and receive assistance with caring for their child day to day. She herself is staying at the home of Harrison, who she’s known practically all her life, as he was her father’s research partner. Unbeknownst to Ellen, Harrison, who has been secretly in love with her for some time, is still searching for more holy water in hopes of using it to heal Ellen. If you’ve read the first book, then you know about the holy water. If you haven’t read the first book, I urge you to do so before reading this one.

I really like Ms. Hedlund’s writing. I’ve not read any of her other books and was completely unfamiliar with her before reading the first book in this series, but I’ve already ordered the first book in her Colorado Cowboys series (unfortunately she doesn’t have any other time travel stories!). Her characterization is wonderful, with each of the main characters being fully explored and brought to life. And her narrative descriptions are vivid, setting each scene in detail, but not overly detailed, so that I felt I could see what she was describing. As with the first book, Ellen seems to adapt very quickly to the time and there were only vague mentions of missing electricity or other modern conveniences, without really exploring the culture shock aspect of suddenly being in 1832, but the book raced along and I was so invested in the story that I didn’t really mind.

There was a bit more suspense in this story, with Ellen being kidnapped and forced to go back into the past to find more holy water, and then being in immediate danger in the past, though thankfully she was reunited with her sister fairly quickly. But the action never lagged even then, as Ellen was desperate to find a way back to her own time before her kidnappers harmed Harrison or the kids at Serenity House as they threatened to do. I was happy to see Ellen’s sister, Marian, and her husband again and learn how Marian was doing after living in the past for a year. And as the book neared the last page, I was genuinely worried about there not being a happily ever after for Ellen and Harrison, but everything was resolved quite nicely.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and have voluntarily reviewed it*

Synopsis from Goodreads: In the last stages of a genetic disease, Ellen Creighton has decided to live out her remaining days at the estate of her longtime friend Harrison Burlington. Harrison cares deeply for Ellen, but as a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, he's never allowed himself to get serious in a relationship. However, he's desperately trying to save her by finding the holy water that is believed to heal any disease.

When he locates two flasks, Ellen refuses to drink one of them because she believes the holy water killed her sister and father. In an effort to convince her to take it, Harrison ingests the contents first, and when Ellen witnesses the effects, she can no longer deny the power of the substance in the bottles. Dangerous criminals are also seeking the holy water, and Ellen soon learns they will go to any lengths to get the powerful drug--including sending her back into the past to find it for them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Jody Hedlund plunges you into the swiftly flowing river of history in a race against the clock in this breathtaking, emotional second Waters of Time story.

Life Flight (Extreme Measures, Book One)

 

LYNETTE EASON

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 1/4/22.

How acquired: Revell Reads Bogger Program for review.

First line: Today was not going to be the day they dies – not is she had anything to say about it.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: The action starts from page one and the adrenaline rush doesn’t let up! This is the first book in a new series, and the series is off to a great start. Penny (who, of course, in my head, looks like Penny from The Big Bang Theory!) is an EMS helicopter pilot. When the book opens, she and two paramedics have rescued a teenager who had hiking accident in the mountains and is in critical condition, and thanks to a storm Penny has to make an emergency crash landing, and then hike down the mountain for help. Unbeknownst to her, an escaped serial killer is on the loose in the mountains, with FBI Special Agent Holt in hot pursuit. Penny and her crew saved Holt’s life some time before, and they casually dated after that, but living so far apart kept a real relationship from developing.

I loved Penny and I really loved Holt. When Penny becomes the serial killer’s next target, Holt goes all out to protect her, and amidst all the danger and excitement I loved watching how their relationship deepened. They both have secrets, and when Penny’s comes out Holt is hurt and disappointed that she’d never trusted him enough to tell him about it before. And yet he has his own secret that he keeps trying to bring himself to tell her. The serial killer is as creepy as all get out, especially when we learn the reasoning behind his actions.

I wasn’t familiar with Lynette Eason prior to this book, though a quick look through my reading log shows I did read one of her category romances back in 2012, although I have no memory of it now. But I’m very impressed with her writing and her storytelling. There are quite a few characters involved in the story line, but they are all well drawn and easy to keep track of. The descriptions of the mountain and the storm and the terrain are vivid. This fast paced adventure kept me up past my bedtime, and I can’t wait for the next installment in the series.

Synopsis from Goodreads: EMS helicopter pilot Penny Carlton is used to high stress situations, but being forced to land on a mountain in a raging storm with a critical patient--and a serial killer on the loose--tests her skills and her nerve to the limit. She survives with FBI Special Agent Holt Satterfield's help. But she's not out of the woods yet.

In the ensuing days, Penny finds herself under attack. And when news reaches Holt that he may not have gotten his man after all, it will take all he and Penny have to catch a killer--before he catches one of them.

Bestselling and award-winning author Lynette Eason is back with another high-octane tale of close calls, narrow escapes, and the fight to bring a nefarious criminal to justice.

Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage, Book 1)

 

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, April 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: Chance Carter should have known this last delivery wouldn’t go down without a hitch.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: Elizabeth Goddard has quickly become a favorite author for me, after having read her Uncommon Justice series, and I’ve since acquired several books from her back list. So I was thrilled to get this first book in her new Rocky Mountain Courage series, set in the same area of Wyoming as the Uncommon Justice series. In fact, in one scene a couple of characters from that series make a brief and welcome appearance.

The plot hits the ground running as the story opens with a small plane losing power and the pilot desperately trying to safely land, only to crash, leaving him injured and fearful of what will happen if he’s unable to complete delivery of a package. From there we’re off and running. We’re then introduced first to Grayback County Sheriff’s Detective Jack Tanner, and then US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors (along with other characters sporting long awkward titles!).

I’ve never been to Wyoming, but Ms. Goddard’s descriptions of the landscape make me wish I could travel there some day. Terra has vast knowledge of the mountains, which makes her an asset in Jack’s investigation of the murder of a local insurance salesman whose body is found at the bottom of a cliff.

As much as I loved the book, I will admit that the plot seemed a little more convoluted than the author’s other books, as I sometimes had to reflect back on previous happenings to understand what was going on, or felt a little confused. But that may have been an issue with my own concentration, especially since work has kept me so busy lately that I often could only read two or three chapters at a time (with sixty-five chapters most of them are fairly short). But that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Along with the evocative descriptions, Ms. Goddard does a wonderful job with characterization. I love a good character study, and prefer character driven stories over plot driven, but Ms. Goddard’s books fall into both camps.

PRESENT DANGER is a well written and suspense filled story with a second chance romance. I can’t wait for the next book!

Goodreads synopsis: Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission. He's committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

When Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts, the investigation takes a deadly turn--one that hits too close to home. As Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before. And if he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

Join bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Goddard as she plunges you into a web of deceit made of hidden crimes, open threats, and long-buried family secrets in this gripping first book of an explosive new series.

Network of Deceit (Amara Alvarez, Book 2)

 

TOM THREADGILL

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads.

First line: How long could a human being scream?

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: NETWORK OF DECEIT picks up not long after COLLISION OF LIES left off. A teenage boy is found dead on a float at a water park. While the general consensus seems to be heatstroke or drugs, the medical examiner points out to Amara that the boys toes are not wrinkled up from being in the water. And with that, Amara is handed her first homicide investigation.

Amara dives into the investigation, which leads her to three other teens who, along with the deceased, were heavily into online gaming. She believes the other kids are keeping secrets, and know more than they're letting on about the first boy’s death. I was actually a little surprised at how she treated the kids, at times she was downright mean. But she got results, even if it made her feel a little uncomfortable at times. At one point she and Starsky even had a conversation about crossing the line and having to learn where your own line is.

Speaking of Starsky, I love their banter and their interactions. When the story starts, they’ve been out to eat a few times, always dutch, and Amara often wonders about their relationship. Are they dating, or just hanging out? Does she want to date him? She’s not sure where it’s going, and he doesn’t give any hints, and I enjoyed watching how their relationship grew and developed.

As Amara gets deeper into her investigation, she finds herself the victim of a hacker, who reveals to her a knowledge of personal information about herself and her mother. She then has to turn over her laptop and cell phone to a CSI tech, and is given an old flip phone to use while the tech has hers. Not having a smart phone not only impeded her in her investigation but in her life. It became a running theme that was terribly amusing, with a frustrated Amara unable to order an Uber or look up literally anything without a smart phone, but it was also a sad commentary on how much we rely on our phones in our daily lives.

The author details a lot of the minutiae of being a detective, particularly since cybersecurity and ransomware are involved. Talking to suspects, the victim’s family members, the water park’s head of security. Online research, and many phone calls, looking for information or trying to connect a potential clue to the case. I’d heard of ransomware, but I had no idea that you could actually purchase ransomware insurance! As I learned more about it along with Amara I found the subject very fascinating.

While there isn’t a lot of physical action, there is plenty of suspense and the story still felt pretty action packed. The characters are well developed, and there were some surprising turns in the plot, which kept me in the dark and trying to guess who the murderer was. Definitely not who I expected! I certainly hope we’ll get more Amara in the future.

Goodreads synopsis: Amara Alvarez's first case as a homicide detective drags her into the murky world of computer hackers. When she finds herself under attack by cybercriminals, she has no choice but to use unconventional methods to expose the truth and find a killer.

The Escape (US Marshalls, Book One)

LISA HARRIS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2020.

How acquired: From the publisher for review, through the Revell Reads Blogger Program.

First line: There is a razor-thin edge between justice and revenge, where the two easily blur if left unchecked.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: This is officially my favorite of Ms. Harris’ books. It’s only the third book of hers I’ve read, but still. I love plane crash/survival stories, so I had high hopes, and the author delivered. When we meet Madison, a US. Marshall, she is still grieving the senseless murder of her husband five years before. She’s dated occasionally over the years, but her heart was never in it. Every year on the anniversary of his death, she would visit his grave, and every year she would find a black rose left there. This year she did not go to the grave site, but coming home after her morning run she found a black rose on her bed. She doesn’t have time to deal with that though, as her boss calls her in to help transport two prisoners from Seattle to Colorado. She is partnered with Jonas for the flight. When Madison was training to be a Marshall, Jonas was her instructor, but their acquaintance never went beyond that. Like Madison, Jonas is focused on work and has no interest in dating or relationships, especially with a co-worker. He’s been down that road before, and it did not end well.

The plane carrying them to Denver crashes in the Idaho wilderness, and this is where the book really took off. Both pilots and one of the prisoners are killed in the crash. The other prisoner, Barrick, facing a life sentence for murder, manages to escape, and Madison and Jonas are determined to hunt him down.

I sailed through this intense book in two days, despite my full time job. The descriptions of the land, the forests, the river, are vivid, as Madison and Jonas hunt the prisoner, who sometimes hunts them. There are lots of near misses, with Barrick somehow managing to stay two steps ahead. The action is non-stop, and I never knew what to expect from one chapter to the next. The wilderness aspect only lasts for about half the book, and then they are back in civilization, with other law enforcement officers involved in the man hunt, but I was just as riveted, and stayed that way until the very end.

This book is part of Revell’s romantic suspense line, but there’s much more suspense than romance. As Madison and Jonas work together, they learn more about each other, and come to admire each other, but neither is looking for romance, and they don’t have time for those kind of thoughts regardless. However, I did expect the two Marshalls to come to term with and admit their feelings at the end, and I was not prepared for the book to end on a bit of cliff hanger! The story line with Barrick is thankfully wrapped up, but the mystery of those black roses still needs to be solved, and there is no happily ever after, or even a happy for now, leaving me very eager for the next book in the series.

Goodreads synopsis: US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are thrust into a high-profile case when they are called on to transport two prisoners across the country on a private plane. But when the plane experiences engine trouble en route from the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, the pilots crash-land the aircraft deep in the heart of the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest.

When Madison and Jonas regain consciousness, they find both pilots and one prisoner dead--and one fugitive on the run. They'll have to negotiate the rugged and remote backcountry through Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado while tracking a murderer who is desperate to disappear--and will do anything to stop them.

This high-octane game of cat-and-mouse from bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Harris will have your heart pumping as you try to catch a fugitive with nothing to lose.

Derailed

 JAMES SIEGEL

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Warner Books, 2002.

How acquired: Bought

First line: I spend five days a week teaching English at East Bennington High and two nights a week teaching English at Attica State Prison. 

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: I bought this book way back in 2008 because I had watched the movie. I always want to read a book after I watch the movie adaptation because the book is (almost) always better. By the time I finally pulled this book off the shelf to read, I realized I had almost zero memory of the movie, other than the fact that Clive Owen's character has an affair with Jennifer Aniston's character. 

Normally I wouldn't have much sympathy for a man who cheated on his wife, but the author made me actually care about Charles and feel sorry for him when his life started imploding. On a Monday morning Charles boards the train, and then realizes when the conductor comes around that he's forgotten to buy a ticket. The lovely Lucinda steps forward and pays his fare for him. And so begins an acquaintance which turns into a few meals together, which turns into a hot tryst at a hotel, which turns into their worst nightmare. 

I loved the writing, the author's voice. I was sucked in fast and mesmerized, as Charles' life goes off the rails. I was rooting for him. I don't want to say much more. If you read this book, you need to experience it the way I did, not knowing what would happen next, thinking Charles might have a handle on it, things might be ok now, and then there's a twist and the unexpected happens. 

It's dark, I'll tell you that. The scene in the hotel room, when Charles and Lucinda are about to leave after their tryst and the first unexpected happening happens, is horrifying and a bit graphic. If I didn't have a job to go to, I think I could've read this book straight through in one or two days. 

I have got to find more of Mr. Siegel's books. 

Goodreads synopsis: Successful ad exec and loyal family man Charles Schine has never missed the 8:43...until today. He's late for his usual ride, but he's right on time for his worst nightmare. Sitting across from him on the 9:05 is the type of woman he's only dared to dream about. He takes a risk, breaks a vow, and soon his life is spiraling violently out of control. He betrays his family. A man is murdered. And a small fortune is lost. Now Charles must begin the most perilous journey of all--the fight to get his life back on track. 

Don't Keep Silent (Uncommon Justice, Book 3)

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, pub. 2020

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts:  And now we have the third McKade brother's story. I loved the first two books in this series, and this third story lives up to them. Liam McKade is a former DEA agent who has come home to Wyoming after having his cover blown and getting shot during his last assignment. He's mulling over his future, and whether to stay at the ranch and help his brother run things, or accept a job as head of security at a local ski resort. Rae is an investigative reporter. Her sister-in-law has disappeared, and her brother asks her to use her investigative skills to help find Zoey. Rae finds herself going to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to find and question Zoey's mother. The last place she wants to be. Because that's where Liam is. But Liam saved her life once, and if anyone can help her find Zoey, it would be Liam.

Liam wants nothing to do with Rae, but is reluctantly drawn into her investigation. As the story progresses we're given little glimpses and tidbits of their shared history. Both Liam and Rae are wonderfully written characters, as all of Ms. Goddard's characters are. The plot moves along briskly, with plenty of twists into unexpected directions. I feel like my reviews of her books are just repeating the same things, but they are all truly engrossing. Her descriptions of the surroundings, in this case snow covered mountains with a chase on skis, are so evocative you feel you are there with the characters.

I'm sad there are no more McKade brothers, but I'm looking forward to her new series, “Rocky Mountain Courage”, and I really need to hunt down some of her earlier books.

Goodreads synopsis: Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. A former DEA agent, Liam thought he could find peace at his Wyoming ranch, but he doesn't feel at home anywhere anymore. When the reporter who blew his cover on an important investigation inserts herself back into his life, he's less than thrilled. But Rae's keen investigative skills have led her down the right path--and directly into the dragon's mouth--leaving Liam no choice but to protect her.
As the danger increases, the past they both tried to flee catches up to them, along with the feelings they once had for each other . . .

Standoff (Natchez Trace Park Rangers, Book One)

PATRICIA BRADLEY

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2019.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program

First line: What had he gotten himself into?

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts:  I like finding books where the characters are in a profession I don't know much about, and this book definitely scratched that itch. As the story begins, Brooke is an interpretive park ranger, on the verge of being commissioned a law enforcement park ranger. I had no idea there was more than one kind of park ranger! I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series and reading more about park rangers.

Brooke's father is a law enforcement ranger, or was – in the first chapter he dies under mysterious circumstances. Ruled a suicide by the medical examiner, Brooke is convinced he was murdered and is determined to find his killer. She's surprised to learn that her childhood sweetheart, Luke, is in town, and had apparently been close to her father. When Luke left town after high school he broke Brooke's heart, and she's had no contact with him since then.

As the book started out, I got a little confused with all the characters being introduced, especially since one has not been identified and we, the reader, don't know who he is. But I quickly became swept up in Brooke's life as she deals with her father's death, her fledgling relationship with Jeremy, a local politician, and her feelings for Luke. Not to mention secrets coming to light that throw her for a loop. She and Luke's characters are well written, and my heart hurt for Brooke as her life kept getting turned upside down again and again. The action feels pretty non-stop, yet there is still characterization in between the action.

This is my first time reading Patricia Bradley, and her writing flows. Despite all the action and characterization there is still a lot of dialogue, natural and realistic, with no info dumping. Revell is a Christian publisher, but most of their romantic suspense titles will still appeal to non-religious readers – there's no beating you over the head with scripture or religious references here, while still being a clean read. (Unless you have issues with drug references – an undercover drug investigation plays pretty heavily in the narrative.)

Solid suspense, light romance, and a mystery that I did not figure out on my own. Revell has another winner.

Goodreads synopsis: The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it's also perfect for moving drugs. 

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her. 

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling – hard – for the daughter of the man he failed to save?

Countdown America

M.C. FOX

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, 2019.

How acquired: Cozy Mystery Review Crew

First line: Isabella put her finger up to her earpiece.

(For the Goodreads synopsis, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

My thoughts: This one started out a bit slow for me, it took about 50 pages for me to really get invested. Which was right about where Isabella, the newly appointed Chief Supervisor at CIA headquarters, first realizes that her children and her mother might be in danger. She's interrogating a man who attacked her, and when he tells her she'll never save her family, she hightails it home, to find signs of a struggle and her mother and her young twins missing.

At one point I became suspicious of one of her coworkers, and I thought to myself “I'm gonna figure this out before Isabella, darn it.” But on the next page Isabella voiced her own suspicions of that same character, which made me hopeful the book would keep me guessing after all. And it delivered! Along with some twists and turns, there's a LOT of action. While Isabella is a kick ass character, a little suspension of belief is still needed. The narrative jumps around, with some chapters focusing on her mother, Valerie, desperately trying to escape the kidnappers and keep the kids' morale up, and other chapters focusing on Andre, a Russian computer code whiz, whose own family have also been kidnapped. He's being forced to work on a computer virus, and if he doesn't cooperate his family will be killed. I felt sorry for him, of course, and despite what he's working on I had sympathy for him.

The virus was what I had a little trouble with. I mean, I know there are some serious ones out there that can cause all kinds of problems if your computer is infected. But this was like a supervirus that would literally destroy our country. I guess that's plausible? I just couldn't quite see how one computer virus could take out a whole country. But, suspension of belief in place.

As much as I liked Isabella, I liked Valerie even more. She's a former agent herself, but never worked out in the field where all the physical action is. While reassuring the twins that their mother would find and rescue them, she stepped up and did everything she could to get herself and the twins away from the kidnappers. I probably related to her a bit more, being a grandmother and not as physically fit as Isabella. I hope that if I were in Valerie's situation I would be as brave as she was.

I will admit that if I came across this book in a store, I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance based on the title and the cover. So hopefully others will look past those. Just one more example of never judge a book by it's cover. I don't know if the author plans to write any further books about Isabella, but I would like to read more!

Goodreads synopsis: After the loss of her husband, CIA agent Isabella Bendel accepts a promotion to Chief Supervisor—a much less dangerous position than what she's accustomed to—so she can raise her two children without fear of leaving her children without any parents. But any illusions of safety are shattered when, while on her Sunday morning jog in a Washington, DC park, Isabella survives a brutal assassination attempt. She hauls her assailant into CIA headquarters, confident she can get to the bottom of why he was after her. Her blood runs cold when she learns the truth... as he was trying to take her out, armed terrorists abducted her children and mother right out of her home. Pushed to the brink of what any mother can endure, Isabella calls on all of her training and deadly skills to get her family back. During this mission, she fights her way through assassins, cyber-terrorists, and duplicitous fellow agents, leading her to uncover a Russian threat that is hell-bent on destroying the United States.