A NOBLE SCHEME (The Imposters #2) by Roseanna M. White, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

" . . . this house had never been meant to be his alone."

Pushing aside his wayward thoughts, Imposters, Ltd. operative Graham Wharton responds to a request for their private investigative agency to find and retrieve a kidnapped child, whom the kidnappers had mistakenly thought to be his cousin, the son of an aristocrat. The time line to pay an exorbitant ransom was just days away and Graham's architectural knowledge would most certainly come into play as his cohorts researched how to slip in and out of large manor houses under the guise of attending a fashionable Christmas gathering.

Gemma. Just the thought of her, the sight of her, the sound of her voice (even under disguise) . . . would being around her again be more than he could bear? It had been a year . . . since their hearts had been shattered into a million tiny little pieces. And according to Graham, even God, especially God, could not put them back together again . . . could He?

Underneath an impressive shroud of mystery and intrigue, the author plunges heart first into an emotive display of personal, spiritual, and relational angst; positioning her characters in a fight for their lives on multiple levels, while seamlessly weaving their current assignment into a cloudy image of their private affairs. It's nothing short of brilliant.

"She prayed God's will was for life. Reconciliation. Joy." 

*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

SEE REVIEWS BY WINNIE AND PAULA

BackCover Blurb:
In the opulent and perilous world of high society's most elite--and most dangerous--families, two investigators must set aside their broken hearts to uncover the truth.

Gemma Parks is known to the London elite as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talents to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the firm's members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren't for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.

Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his heart in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma to not only restore the missing boy, but to also win back the only woman he's ever loved. As they trace the clues laid out before them, Graham and Gemma must devise a noble scheme to save the boy's life and heal their hearts.

Bethany House Publishing, March 15, 2024

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy A NOBLE SCHEME at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

 

FATAL DOMAIN by Steven James, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #NewRelease

*Be loved. Betrayed*

Wow what a rollercoaster of a story full of intrigue and danger. DOD agent Travis Brock has a remarkable memory that he uses at the Pentagon. He is a widower who was scarred when a fire burned him and took the life of his wife. Travis is a man trying to do his job and having life throw things at him along the way.
Lots of criminals in this one who are crafty and evil. Get into the mind of people who will do anything to advance their agenda. 

*We are as much drawn to the light as we are lured by the darkness. Both. Always both.* A few unique scenarios keep this spy thriller very interesting. Add in some family drama and an impending threat and this was a great page turner.

This can be raw in some scenes but completely believable and current. The author infuses his story with characters who are searching for spiritual answers and a reformed convict who is asking for forgiveness. *When we play God, there are always unintended consequences that makes it clear we are not up to the task, He creates life in His own image. We create monsters in ours.* 

Some things are not resolved in this story but the promise is there of more to come from Travis Brock in book 3.
* I received a complimentary book from Tyndale via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a strong faith thread 

SEE REBECCA'S REVIEW

BackCover Blurb:
When the past scratches its way into the present, it can leave deep scars.

A series of cryptic clues leads Department of Defense redactor Travis Brock to suspect that a grim chapter from his past is not yet over. With the help of his eidetic memory and his newly formed team, he must unearth the truth and stop a terrorist group from stealing one of the military’s most highly guarded technological breakthroughs. With it, the group plans to commit a daring act of espionage that could upend the work of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms and impact millions of people worldwide.

In a high-stakes story of action and intrigue that reaches from a refugee settlement in Uganda to the shores of the Potomac in Washington, DC, shattering secrets from the past will be revealed, loyalties tested, and intimate betrayals brought to light as Brock is forced to decide how to forgive what he cannot forget.

From a novelist that Publishers Weekly has called a “master storyteller” comes an intricate and taut thriller that will have you guessing until the final page.

Relevant, contemporary spy thriller
Fast-paced suspense
Issues of terrorism and espionage
The central theme is the power of forgiveness

Tyndale House Publishing, April 2024

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy FATAL DOMAIN at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House 

 

 

THE SLEUTH OF BLACKFRIARS LANE (Blackfriars Lane #3) by Michelle Griep, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

"Three years ago Kit Turner had been skiffing marks. Gaming dupes. Looking over her shoulder to stay one step ahead of the law."

"No one would believe it of her now, not standing next to a retired police sergeant in a smart blue suit and married to the chief inspector of one of the city's busiest stations." And with the sweetest little baby girl in the whole wide world . . . if only Bella would babble "ma ma" instead of "ba ba" . . . her life would be just about perfect. To add the proverbial "icing on the cake", Kit and her father (the above mentioned retired police sergeant, Mr. Graybone) were partnering in a brand new venture, "The Blackfriars Lane Enquiry Agency". What could possibly go wrong?

By now all of us are accustomed to Kit Turner Forge's good intentions, her handsome husband (the above mentioned chief inspector, Jackson Forge) however, was quickly becoming an expert in reading between the lines, discerning how saucy smiles and passionate displays of affection were all a ruse for weasling her way in or out of trouble, which happened often enough that Jackson would be terribly suspicious if she acted in any other manner. But neither Kit nor Jackson, nor Graybone (or their friends Charles Baggett and Martha Jones or a litany of others) could have ever imagined the mounds of trouble that Kit's first client as a private investigator would churn up.

"It is God who numbers our days, not you or I or anyone else. . . What I want is you just exactly as God has made you. That's all I've ever wanted . . . you're all I've ever wanted." (catch me while I swoon over a godly man who loves his wife!)

If it were up to me, this series would last forever. The characters are cast in a most spectacular fashion, their escapades are daunting, daring, and deliver outcomes of epic proportion, (for justice is even ... t . u . a . l. l. y served) leaving the supporting cast to be just as entertaining to spend time with, even if they are as peculiar as Catchpole.

*I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher, I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. 4.5 stars

SEE PAULA'S REVIEW

BackCover Blurb:
Wife. Mother. Homemaker. Detective. Kit Forge wears many hats, and if that’s not enough, she’s partnered with her father to open a new detective agency. It’s hard to be all things to all people, but Kit never shies away from the impossible. Despite her hard work and good intentions, some things fall through the cracks.

Namely, her husband.

But Jackson barely notices. He’s too busy putting out his own fires. As the new chief inspector of a busy London station, he must salvage the disaster left behind by the former police chief—an obstacle made all the harder when the superintendent breathes an ultimatum down his neck.

Against her father’s advice, Kit takes on a case involving a missing child, one in which she and Jackson become a little too emotionally involved. . .and end up endangering their own little girl in the process.

Can Kit and Jackson learn that just because they can say yes doesn’t mean they should?

Barbour Publishing, April 2024

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy THE SLEUTH OF BLACKFRIARS LANE at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

 

 

THE VANISHED by Cara Putman, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

SECRETS TO KEEP SERIES

Highly interesting and absorbing from page one. This is my kind of book.

Janae, a lawyer, and Carter, a museum director, tackle the problem when two paintings exhibited in the Elliot Museum could belong to a Jewish WWII survivor.

This was a fascinating story told from the perspective of a museum being on the defensive in a very complex situation. There was a lot of legalese, but it was efficiently and effectively explained, thanks to the expertise of the author, who is a lawyer. You could tell that a lot of research went into this book. I was looking up the paintings in question to see if they really existed.
There was an underlying faith thread that seemed to underscore the way the main characters behaved and how they made their decisions to do the correct thing. This contrasted with the convoluted thinking by the villain.

Along with the conundrum of the paintings, there is more mystery, some family issues and a budding romance. The premise kept me turning pages and and wanting to read more stories in subsequent books in this series. 

A stunning offering from an accomplished author.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel on behalf of the author via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and an underlying faith thread

BackCover Blurb:
Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back--until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother's historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The quiet streets echo with her grandfather's sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn't live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

Carter Montgomery starts his art preservation career with the only job he can get--director at the Elliott Museum of Art. At least Kedgewick is a nice enough town to provide him and his nephew with a safe place to grieve the loss of Carter's sister. But Carter's calm days disappear when an elderly woman claims two paintings in the museum's collection were stolen from her family during World War II.

Carter enlists Janae's help to unravel the legal labyrinth of art ownership, and the peaceful facade of Kedgewick morphs into a hot bed of secrets. When an attorney turns up dead and Janae uncovers another painting, what began as a simple legal issue spirals into a race against time. As the web of intrigue tightens, the duo must confront a looming question: What dark truths lie beneath the surface, waiting to be exposed? 

Kregel Publications, April, 2024

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audio. 

Buy THE VANISHED at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House