Two Seconds Too Late

Author: Dani Pettrey

Series: Jeopardy Falls #2

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Dani Pettrey is back with a great addition to one of her best series yet.

Set in northern New Mexico at a couples retreat when a woman vanishes, Riley MacLeod is on the lookout for her along with PI Greyson Chadwick. Riley and Greyson pretend to be a couple and go to the resort looking for clues to the missing woman and end up uncovering more than they bargained for. As more clues come to light, they also find themselves in more danger. The more the two work together to find the missing woman the harder it becomes to deny the feelings they have for one another. Secrets from their past make it hard for each to trust the other fully until that might be all they have to survive.

Dani Pettrey is a fan favorite in the Christian fiction world for a good reason; her writing is a beat above most everyone else. She has a way of crafting stories that will not only pull readers in and keep them hooked book after book. Two Seconds Too Late is a great addition to her latest series and leaves the door open for more to come with these great characters. Of all her books Riley isn’t my favorite female protagonist, but Greyson ranks high on the list, there was something loveable about him and how he was portrayed. The missing woman at the resort made for good storytelling with a great setting, especially since it is close to where I live it pulled me into the story. This is one that fans of Pettrey will not want to miss.

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

Deadly Revenge

Author: Patricia Bradley

Series: Pearl River #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: November 5, 2024

A good finish to a romantic suspense series that fans of Bradley’s writing will enjoy.

Jenna Hart came back to her hometown of Pearl Springs and became a deputy just as city officials are in the bullseye of a killer. The town itself has problems of its own. Decades ago, a construction company took over land that belonged to others and now someone is coming after revenge. When the former mayor of Pearl Springs is up for a spot in the US Senate and in danger, Jenna gets help from Agent Maxwell Anderson who she used to work with at the Chattanooga Police. The attraction that they once had for each other comes back quickly as they work on this new case tracking down a killer.

This is the third book in the Pearl River series and a good finish up to a fun romantic suspense series. Patricia Bradley has made a name for herself as a top romantic suspense author in the Christian fiction market. These stories are enjoyable but predictable. The romance was nice but didn’t make me swoon. The tension was probably the nicest part of the story, it was tight and enough to keep my interest. All of those are enough to make this a good story, not a great one. Fans of the series will enjoy it as it wraps up the

storyline.

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

Drop Dead Sisters

Author: Amelia Diane Coombs

Series: The Finch Sisters #1

Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio

Release Date: November 1, 2024

An intriguing story that is a start to a new series full of unforgettable characters, crazy wit and a tight storyline.

Remi Finch and her sisters haven’t gotten along in years, in fact, they haven’t spent much time in the same room to avoid conflict. All of that is going to come to an end when their parents plan a family reunion trip. Remi is hesitant but willing to reconnect, but as they get together trouble erupts with a dead body at the campsite for the family. With the mystery of the dead body, the sisters quickly bond and try to solve what has happened.

Drop Dead Sisters is a very unique and fun story with lots of tension between the sisters causing the story to flow quickly and keep my attention. These sisters have a dynamic that many will be able to relate to as they read through the pages. There were moments throughout where the main character seemed to slow the progress of the story that had me skipping a few pages to get to the good moments. Once past these slow moments, the story did flow quickly and had me very interested in what was going to happen. This is the first in a new series and with more to come I am interested in what other situations the sisters might find themselves in. Readers that enjoy a different kind of mystery will enjoy this one.

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

The Cantaloupe Thief

Cantaloupe Thief Author: Deb Richardson-Moore

Series: Branigan Powers Mystery

Publisher: Lion Fiction

Release Date: June 27, 2016

Rating: 4 1/2 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A great combination of mystery and heart that results in a fun, entertaining story.

Branigan Powers is set to run a story on the tenth anniversary of one of the only unsolved murders in Grambling, Georgia. Too many people have stayed silent about what they know of the murder of wealthy Alberta Grambling Resnick and it is time for the truth to come out. She was stabbed in her home, and as the case is reinvestigated, there turn out to be more suspects than originally thought. Brannigan has to do some major digging to get her story and the truth out. She turns to the homeless community for help knowing they are the one group of people in town that know far more than they are given credit for. However, the more she digs, the more the people around her end up in danger and even dead. Soon things start to hit a little too close to home and she must decide if continuing is worth the risk.

Sometimes it is nice to sit down with a fun story that isn’t too intense but is still able to keep the pages turning quickly. That was the case for me with The Cantaloupe Thief. I enjoyed just about every aspect of the book. The characters were fun, I especially enjoyed Malachi; he was a character that was just right for everything he found himself involved in. Branigan has a twin brother and that relationship played out nicely. The name of the book makes it an interesting draw, but there is so much more to it than that. Early on I thought I had it pegged who the bad guy was, but I ended up changing my mind on that several times. Even so, in the end was very pleased with the reveal. There is a lot of back and forth from past to present to talk about the murder and the way it has gone unsolved. Sometimes that can get a little confusing, but I thought the author did a very nice job of working that to tie things up nicely without anything being too over the top or unbelievable. This was just a fun interesting read. I am looking forward to the next Branigan Powers Mystery!