Imperfect Justice

Imperfect Justice Author: Cara Putman

Series: Hidden Justice #2

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: December 5, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A legal thriller that meets all the criteria for a complete thrill ride and more!

Emilie Wesley has worked hard to keep the women that come in to the Haven safe from the abusive men in their lives. When her latest client, Kaylene Adams, is said to have killed her daughter, wounded the other and killed herself, Emilie has a hard time believing the story delivered by the media. Kaylene was ready to leave her abusive husband and start a new life, so why would she suddenly kill herself and the children she loved so very much? Reid Billings, Kaylene’s brother, may not have been close to his sister in recent years but still has a hard time believing she could have taken her own life and attempted to take her daughters with her. Reid finds a box he had forgotten his sister left at his place, he opens the box and finds a letter asking him to fight for custody of her daughters if something should ever happen to her. He may have been estranged from his nieces, but now he is determined to fight for the only family he has left. The letter tells him to ask Emilie for help in getting custody. Together the two must work together to prove Reid is better suited to raise his niece than her own father. When everything seems to be against them, they turn to a strength together to save a young girls life and maybe find something more in the process.

As the second book in the Hidden Justice series, Cara Putman gets right to the point with suspense, intrigue, and mystery for a story that is unstoppable. Emilie was a secondary character in the first book and now carries the story herself with ease. We see some of how she is affected from what happened in Beyond Justice and can understand her a little more with the background given her. The story does have several different arcs but they all tie in together by the very end. While it might not be obvious till the end who Emilie’s stalker is and how he ties into the story, give it time to play out and you won’t be disappointed. I felt there were a few moments that the tension was cut short abruptly and could have been played out a little further, but that is just me personally, I often like things to go a little further than others for the sake of suspense. It is obvious Cara Putman knows what she is talking about when it comes to the legal aspects of the novel, a fact that helps carry the story greatly.

I am becoming a fast fan of Cara Putman’s writing and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. I recommend this book to those that love a suspenseful story with a tinkling of faith mixed in and a sprinkling of romance to top it off.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinion expressed within are my own.

Beyond Justice

Beyond Justice Author: Cara Putman

Series: Hidden Justice #1

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Hayden is a young lawyer on track to fulfill all her dreams, that is if her current case doesn’t kill her first.

Hayden McCarthy uses the pain of her past injustices to drive her to be the best attorney she can be. After winning an unwinnable case, she is assigned a new case against the government which turns out to be much more than anyone could have foreseen. The more she investigates and the closer she gets to the truth, the more danger she finds herself in. She looks to those around her for help including her roommate’s cousin, Andrew Wesley. His father is a congressman and with her taking on the government, she sees the difficulty in having any kind of relationship with Andrew. Just when she thinks she is finding answers, the more those around her end up injured or in danger making Hayden question if she can follow through with the case or give it up and keep everyone safe and let go of her pursuit of justice.

This is the first Cara Putman book I have read and I am kicking myself for not reading her works sooner. This was a fast-paced, intense, enjoyable read. There was just the right mix of tension with romance throughout the entire story. Hayden’s backstory was interesting and I would love to see it fleshed out more in further novels. The way she uses her past to fuel her present frustrations is something we can all relate to on some level. Even if we don’t use the past to fuel us, it is something we can do. Different situations for everyone, but it made the emotional connection with the characters that is needed for the reader to stay engaged. I read this after reading several novels I just didn’t enjoy by other authors, which made Beyond Justice even better. The plot is more than just one murder investigated by a lawyer; it goes deeper showing a real motive for the criminals. It is obvious the author is familiar with the topics discussed, everything is real enough to stay believable and carry the story to completion. I recommend this book to anyone that might enjoy a John Grisham type thriller with clean language and a bit of spirituality mixed in. I can’t wait to see what the next installment in the series will bring.

The Missing Factor

Author: Daniel C. Lorti

Series: Jim Factor Novel

Publisher: W & B Publishers Inc.

Release Date: August 16, 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When an arms dealer becomes the target of a manhunt, the quest to prove his innocence and protect his family becomes more important than any deal he has ever entered into.

Jim Factor has been an arms dealer for years with no problems from the law or his customers. One day he is contacted by a man he has done prior business with and told he has a target on his head and should leave immediately. Jim doesn’t want to put his wife in danger and believes the threat is real, so he takes off leaving everything behind including his family in order to keep everyone safe. He flees to San Francisco to start a new life. Jim’s wife hires a private investigator to find her husband, which leads to ties with the Russian Mafia and an even more deadly case than either of them could have expected.

Jim Factor is either the luckiest man alive or a totally unbelievable character. With every endeavor he undertakes, he is successful and quick to catch on. For some of us, myself included, things don’t come that easily. If I am trying to learn a new skill, it takes me forever to get it down, so that makes people like Jim infuriating to people like me. I liked the persistence of his wife to find him but found her lack of concern for what was really going on a little disturbing. If this were my husband, I would be frantic trying to find him and figure out why he disappeared without an explanation. I liked the characters of Adam and Chris, who both came across as very authentic and good at what they were doing and seemed to carry the story. The story was divided into two parts and could have easily been trimmed down to one part with a hundred fewer pages in my opinion. The story is still a good one that mystery lovers will enjoy. I recommend this to fans of mystery series that won’t mind a little fluff with their story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Dangerous Illusions

Author: Irene Hannon

Series: Men of Valor #1

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: October 3, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

^{Irene Hannon is back with a new series that will have readers questioning each character and their intentions until the very end, making for an exciting and downright good read.}

^{Trish Bailey has had a rough few years. Her job is demanding, she is taking care of her ailing mother, and now she is having trouble remembering things. When her mother dies of a mistake in her medication, Trish finds herself under police scrutiny. She starts to question if she made a mistake or really is having memory issues. Detective Colin Flynn is called to investigate and the more he looks into things the more they don’t add up. The more he searches for answers the more evil he sees around this case that is touching him more than he thought possible. As Colin continues to discover what really happened to Trish and her mother, Trish finds herself in a precarious position as her feelings for Colin grow, along with the danger to her own life.}

^{Dangerous Illusions}^{is the start of a new series for Irene Hannon and I can’t wait to see where she goes with these characters. I loved the way she weaved the mystery of the memory issues with Trish and how it made her question everything. The suspense played out well throughout until the very end where the romance aspect took over. Everything with the characters flowed naturally, even the relationships. Even though Trish is dealing with the memory issues, she never comes across as a weak character. She is willing to do whatever she has to in order to find the truth and set things right. I don’t want to spoil anything but there was a nice little twist with one of the characters that worked really well with the story. I thought I had it figured out at one point but was pleased with the way it played out.}

^{I have enjoyed Hannon’s writing for a while now and am pleased to say that this book continues my enjoyment with her writing. This was a very enjoyable read that makes me eager for the next in the series. All fans of Irene Hannon will want to check out Dangerous Illusions, I highly recommend it.}

^{I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.}

The Enoch Effect

The Enoch Effect Author: Rick Acker

Publisher: Waterfall Press

Release Date: May 23, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fun blend of murder mystery, science, and legal thrillers that will give the reader a wild ride full of creative supporting characters that bring the novel to a riveting conclusion.

Leigh Collins has built up her career on being able to turn up the key pieces of evidence at just the right time in order to sway a jury. When Dr. Elijah Rhodes and his life’s work are lost in a lab fire, and Biosolutions looks to cash in on a $100 million dollar insurance policy. Her advisory is Daniel Rubinelli, assistant general counsel for the biotech giant. As soon as the case begins, Leigh and Daniel Clash causing a grueling case. As they continue the case, they realize that the doctor might have found a “kill switch” for cancer cells and others are willing to kill to get their hands on his research. Leigh and Daniel have to find a way to work together and stay alive in order to solve the case that could affect many.

Rick Acker has delivered another intense and exciting read. I read this after reading Death in the Mind’s Eye and was not disappointed. His style of writing is very different than most I read. The combination of legal thriller along with the murder mystery and psychological aspect of the book makes it so different from others on the market. It is obvious he is very knowledgeable in what he writes about, but the nice thing is he doesn’t get so technical that the reader gets lost in the technical jargon and loses sight of the real story. Leah and Daniel were destined to be against each other from the beginning but came together to help solve the case when it really mattered. There is a slew of minor characters that contribute to the story making it flow and providing a little bit of a lighter aspect to the story at times. I am finding that he is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and can’t wait to see what comes next. I highly recommend this to readers that enjoy a great legal thriller with plenty of mystery and intrigue throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Death in the Mind’s Eye

Death in the minds eye Author: Rick Acker

Publisher: Waterfall Press

Release Date: October 25, 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A combination of a legal and psychological thriller, the perfect read for anyone wanting a book that will keep them on the edge of their seat.

Mike Webster has built his legal practice winning medical-malpractice cases. His reputation is outstanding but his faith is put to the test when he defends Dr. Johanna Anderson. Dr. Anderson is a psychologist that has been accused of killing a senator’s son, whom she was treating with her revolutionary technology called the Mind’s Eye. She has been able to look into a patient’s mind and see what they are thinking and feeling to determine if they are telling the truth. If her technology is as good as she says it is, it should have been able to prevent the suicide of Seth Bell. The case becomes more and more complicated as the financial firm Horizon Finance wants to take control of her technology and is willing to do anything in order to get what they want. As things intensify, Mike and Jo feel a mutual attraction towards each other that can’t be denied. Mike’s paralegal digs deeper and finds evidence that could change the case and Mike’s personal feelings as well.

Death in the Mind’s Eye is the best kind of book, explosive drama with twists that will keep the reader engaged and guessing until the final page. Rick Acker uses his legal expertise to put on the page everything needed to make an exceptional read. The combination of the legal drama and the psychological aspect brought the book to a whole new level. Mike and Jo had a relationship that progressed nicely and had a natural arc to it. I enjoyed the pace of the book, the chapters were short and concise going back and forth with several different viewpoints that provided a depth to the story it would have been lacking had it stayed in one point of view. With the way the world is going and technology advancing, the use of a machine such as this is very believable. There could have been more depth in the technology part but it would have taken the book in a different direction, I liked the way Acker stayed with the legal drama. It can be hard to make a legal thriller very thrilling, I know a few authors who have been able to do it and I am now adding Acker to that list. I highly recommend this book to readers that are looking for an edge of their seat thriller with a deep connection to the characters you want to cheer for.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Mountain Between Us

the mountain between us Author: Charles Martin

Publisher: Broadway Books

Release Date: August 15, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A suspenseful tale of survival with a twist of fate like no one but Charles Martin can achieve.

Ben Payne is a gifted orthopedic surgeon from Jacksonville who is attending a medical conference in Colorado Springs and must take a return flight through Salt Lake City to get back home. While in the airport, he meets Ashley Knox, a budding young magazine writer who is trying to get home for her rehearsal dinner in Atlanta. The airlines are trying to beat a blizzard out of the airport, but as the they wait for deicing, the airline cancels the flight and brings them back to the terminal. Needing to get back home to perform a surgery, Ben decides to charter a flight to Denver and invites Ashley along so that she can make her wedding. But things go wrong mid-air in flight. Their pilot has a heart attack and crash lands the plane high in a mountain pass. The pilot is dead and Ashley has suffered a broken femur. Now caught in the blizzard above 11,000 feet in elevation, it becomes a matter of survival for one or both of them to get back home.

I have rapidly become a fan of Charles Martin and when I saw that this book was available for review, I quickly grabbed a copy. The story picks up tempo quickly and before you know what has happened, you’re stranded on the snowcapped peaks with Ben and Ashley. The story is told from Ben’s perspective in both present time and reliving memories with his wife on a voice recorder as well as telling her about their current perilous situation. As he reflects on fifteen years of marriage, Ashely wonders what her marriage will be like. She loves her fiancée, but not with the kind of love that Ben has for his wife. Can she make her relationship work if she even gets married in the first place? There is a twist in the end that some readers will have figured out. It is sad, but happy at the same time. Highly recommended read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Deadly Proof

deadly proof Author: Rachel Dylan

Series: Atlanta Justice #1

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When a pharmaceutical company is at the middle of a major lawsuit, Kate Sullivan knows she has her work cut out for her in order to prove they are covering up the dangers of their new drug. Kate will have to do all she can to get justice for her client and keep herself from harm as the company comes after her.

When writing a legal thriller, it is the author’s job to find a fine balance between telling the legal aspects of the case without losing the reader in terminology many will have a hard time understanding while keeping the tension tight. Rachel Dylan has done a great job finding the balance between the tension of the case without going too deep into the legal aspect. I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters, especially that between Kate and Bonnie. The tension between the two of them helped the story immensely. There was a romance aspect to the story, but I was happy to see it wasn’t pushed as a main plot point. Of course Kate and Landon are going to find an attraction to each other with what they are going through, it’s inevitable. Dylan did a nice job of keeping that thought in the background until just the right moment for the romance to develop further and be a natural flow of events. I felt that toward the ending the tension could have been played out a little longer and harder when Kate was in such a tough spot, but that is also personal preference.

It is nice to see a broader selection in the Christian market for readers. Most people may not realize you can get a great legal thriller with good Christian writing that isn’t preachy and still get a really great story. It is hard to know who to read and who might just be a waste of time. Of the almost 100 books I have read this year, I must say that Deadly Proof is not a waste of time and readers will find it an enjoyable work of fiction. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read and I recommend it to readers that are looking for a tight, tension filled story that will keep them guessing until the very end who to trust.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Blind Spot

Blind Spot Author: Dani Pettrey

Series: Chesapeake Valor #3

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: October 3, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

When reading a Dani Pettrey book ,you know what you are going to get: a thrilling suspense story with a romance that is destined to take place. Blind Spot is spot in keeping with the formula that Pettrey’s fans have come to love.

When FBI Agent Declan Gray is caught up in a case that has him hunting terrorists, he isn’t sure what his next step should be. He knows something horrible is about to come. His investigation leads him to Tanner Shaw and the immigrant community she has been working with. Tanner is now with the FBI as a crisis counselor and knows she is bound to butt heads with Declan. Even though they fight and have trouble getting along, there is a spark between the two of them that can’t be denied. They have to set their personal feelings aside and focus on the looming terrorist attack and try and save the thousands of lives that could be affected by what is to come.

While this is the third book I the Chesapeake Valor series, it can easily be read on its own. It might be helpful if you have read the first two before starting this one for some background on a few of the characters but isn’t fully necessary. The relationship between Declan and Tanner develops quickly from them butting heads to seeing an obvious attraction. I like the way they came together but felt at times a few things were forced, Declan tended to call her “Honey” far too often and far too soon in the relationship. I have seen that in a lot of books recently. If a relationship is going to develop it needs to happen naturally and without terms of endearment when they aren’t warranted. That is one of my only issues I had while reading. The writing is tight with the tension at the right places and the story leaving the ending open just enough to leave the readers thirsting for more with the next book to come. I recommend this book for readers that enjoy a good Christian romance with just the right amount of suspense sprinkled in throughout to keep the story flowing at nice pace.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Justice Buried

Justice Buried.jpg Author: Patricia Bradley

Series: Memphis Cold Case #2

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fast-paced romantic suspense with a tough female lead and a mystery brought back from the grave makes for a combination that can’t be missed!

Kelsey Allen has decided to start her own security business. In an effort to prove herself, she has been scaling buildings and entering through windows to show local businesses the vulnerabilities they have and how she can improve their security. When the Pink Palace Museum calls asking her to test their security after they have several important artifacts disappear, she poses as a conservator and sets to work. Her investigation quickly turns from looking into the disappearances of artifacts to finding a murderer. Kelsey suddenly finds herself in more danger and knows she needs help. Brad Hollister is a detective she has known for years and when he is put in her path Kelsey finds that she herself is vulnerable of falling for Brad, hard and fast.

With the second book in the Memphis cold case series, Patricia Bradley has crafted a tight fast paced story that will leave readers guessing as to who the killer is and what their possible motive could be. The relationships that developed were very natural and played out well. Kelsey is shown to be fearless and on top of everything she faces, even when she finds herself in a bad spot without any foreseeable way out. The only issue I had was at the very ending, I don’t want to give away anything but the last few pages and the way the relationship between two characters progressed was not at all reasonable for me. I enjoy books with a strong female lead and Kelsey was a great one to add to my list of favorite female characters. The relationship between her and Brad was enjoyable to watch play out. I liked how there was another woman in his life and he had to decide what to do, which wasn’t made out to be an easy decision either. Other than the one problem at the very end the book, it was very enjoyable and I will recommend it to readers that enjoy a good clean suspense read with a mystery that is deep and not will keep them guessing until the very end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.