Positive Grace by Deb Haggerty

Deb’s Dozen: Romantic Suspense from three of the best: Henderson, Pettrey, and Eason rock!

Three of my favorite romantic suspense authors are Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, and Lynette Eason. I have read most, if not all, of their books. In Sins of the Past, they have teamed up to provide a collection of three stories that perfectly illustrate the mastery of the genre.

“Missing” by Dee Henderson takes a Wyoming police chief, John Graham, and teams him up with Lt. Sharon Noble, of the Riverside PD—a big city cop. Riverside is a suburb of Chicago. John’s mother is missing and Lt. Noble has the missing person’s case. John is greatly impressed by what Lt. Graham and her team have already discovered, but, of course, wants to retrace her steps himself. As the case progresses, John becomes drawn to Sharon and finds himself thinking of her as other than a police officer.

Will the two of them contain their emotions to stay focused? What will happen if Mrs. Graham isn’t found? What does an estranged old friend have to do with her going missing? You’ll love the byplay between John and Sharon and find the case intriguing with a fascinating twist. Four stars!

Dee Henderson is the author of numerous romantic suspense novels, including my favorites, the O’Malley Family series. Dee has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards and is a lifetime resident of Illinois. More about Dee Henderson

“Shadowed” by Dani Pettrey is a prequel to her acclaimed Alaskan Courage series. I was fascinated to read how the parents of the McKennas met and fell in love. Ben McKenna is a young fisherman who also does whale-watching tours. Libby Jennings is a long-distance swimmer in Alaska for a race. The day she picks for her tour is wet and rainy, and she is the only person to show up. Ben asks her if she’s noticed the weather and her quick retort is, “I doubt the whales mind the rain.” She’s intrigued from the start as Ben has named his boat I > Waves—I Greater Than Waves—who on earth says that?!

Out on the water, they run into a disgruntled fisherman, see a majestic humpback whale leap into the air, and find a pod of orcas feeding—wait, they’re not feeding. They’re pushing something to the surface—a body! Ben recovers the body and Libby blanches—she knows the person who died. The corpse is a rival Russian swimmer, and Libby is instantly sure she did not drown but was murdered.

So starts a pursuit involving the beautiful Alaskan wilderness, spies, other swimmers, and lots of adventure. Will Ben and Libby solve the sinister plot? More than that, will they survive? And will they surmount the difficulties their careers present to their relationship? Another great yarn, Danni—four stars!

Dani Pettrey has won a host of awards, the Daphne du Maurier, two Holt Medallions, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award among others. She loves writing inspirational romantic suspense. She and her husband live in Maryland and enjoy spending time with their two daughters, a son-in-law, and “a super adorable grandson.” More about Dani Pettrey

“Blackout” by Lynette Eason involves a young woman, Macey Adams, once implicated in a robbery gone bad—and she’s now at risk because the real felon is being released from prison on parole. Can she find someone who believes her? She doesn’t remember that night—her memory has always been hazy from that time, but now is slowly returning.

Chad Latham, a neighbor and a detective, who has always cared for Macey, but has been careful to remain just a friend, hears a terrifying cry coming from Macey’s house. Bolting from his, he runs to her aid. He finds her shivering and shaken; someone has tried to break into her house. About the time they are concluding she may have made a mistake, a note wrapped around a rock comes bulleting through her window. Someone wants what she knows and what they think she has—the loot taken in the robbery. But Macey can’t remember, although her memories are slowly coming back.

Protective urges in full swing, Chad convinces Macey to stay with him and has his partner come to chaperone. Dangerous things keep happening, and they are positive someone wants Macey dead. Who is after her? Why can’t she remember? Will Chad and his partner, Lilly, be able to keep her safe and solve the puzzle? Lots of twists and turns, characters and creeps. You’ll love the book—four stars, Lynette!

Lynette Eason has written several wonderful romantic suspense (I’ve read them all) series including Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, and Hidden Identity. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and received a Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. Lynette has a master’s in education from Converse College and lives in South Carolina. more about Lynette Eason

Bethany House, a division of Baker Books, gave me a copy of Sins of the Past in exchange for my unbiased review.

Deb’s Dozen: A peaceful ride; a deadly discovery—unleashed terrorists or just plain murder?

DiAnn Mills has yet again written a lollapalooza of a suspense thriller. From the first victim to the last, we are kept guessing as to motive and perpetrators. Deadly Encounter is just that—and could be deadly for the person discovering the body!

Veterinarian Stacy Broussard volunteers as an airport ranger volunteer. She and her compadres ride the border of Houston’s airport to ensure no one has breached the fences and endangered flight operations. On a Saturday morning, she starts her usual rounds albeit absent her usual partner and discovers a dead body, an injured dog, the dead man’s motorcycle, and a drone armed with a laser that could easily take down a 747.

Stacy immediately calls in the discovery; the FBI involves itself in the case. Special Agent Alex LeBlanc sees a clear-cut case of terrorism, but he’s leery of everyone—including witnesses. Burned badly by a former female witness, he’s extra-suspicious of Stacy.

Strange incidents begin occurring around Stacy and her serene life becomes chaotic. People in her community become ill; a seedy salesman tries to buy up properties in the area; her clinic is broken into. Alex begins to think she may have been targeted for some reason.

In addition to her vet and ranger duties, Stacy cares for a young boy ill-treated by his parents. Whitt is brilliant and old beyond his years. His intelligence and charm keep Stacy both on her toes and amused. By far the most developed of the characters in Deadly Encounter, I wanted to bring Whitt home with me. Stacy and Alex are also believable, although they are predictable. Whitt is the keeper.

Just when you think you’ve figured out the plot, DiAnn throws in another twist. I couldn’t put Deadly Encounter down once I started reading the story. Five stars—well-done, DiAnn!

DiAnn Mills has many bestselling novels—she’s won two Christy Awards and has finaled for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, and Carol Award contests. She’s a frequent teacher at writers’ conferences and teaches/researches at the FBI Citizens Academy. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Find out more about DiAnn at DiAnn Mills.

Tyndale House Publishers gave me a copy of Deadly Encounter in exchange for my unbiased review.