#bookdescription – Page 25 – Avonna Loves Genres

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Serial Burn by Lynette Eason

SERIAL BURN

by Lynette Eason

February 10 – March 7, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SERIAL BURN (Lake City Heroes Book #3) by Lynette Eason on this Partner’s In Crime Virtual Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links, and a Kingsumo giveaway. Enjoy!

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Book Description

She’s out for justice. But the arsonist she’s tracking is out for retribution.

Now the fire marshal of Lake City, Jesslyn McCormick is determined to find the person who started the fire that robbed her of her family when she was just seven years old. As the twentieth anniversary of the tragedy approaches, a string of fires–including at Jesslyn’s church–brings up all those old feelings and offers new evidence.

Because church fires are considered a hate crime, FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is called in to work with local law enforcement. Nathan has his own past–one he’d prefer not to revisit. And focusing on helping Jesslyn track down the arsonist is a great distraction.

As both the case and the chemistry between Jesslyn and Nathan heat up, memories will come flooding in from the past to bump up against hopes for the future. And when Jesslyn comes face-to-face with her worst nightmare, she’ll have to confront her fears and rely on Nathan and her community of friends in order to survive.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214974623-serial-burn

Serial Burn (Lake City Heroes Book #3)

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780800741211 (ISBN10: 0800741218)

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SERIAL BURN (Lake City Heroes Book #3) by Lynette Eason is a twisted, fast-paced chase to catch a serial arsonist who appears to be seeking retribution against the fire marshal of Lake City. This is the third book in the Lake City Heroes Christian romantic suspense/mystery series and can easily be read as a standalone story, but each book adds more to the entire group of friends’ lives and stories, so I read them in order.

Lake City Fire Marshal Jesslyn “Jess” McCormick has studied, worked, and vowed, since she was seven years old, to become a fire marshal and find the arsonist who killed her family. As the twentieth anniversary of their death’s approaches, Jess does an interview stating her continued intention of finding the person who killed her family and with the help of her aunt, also announces her desire to build a youth center to honor of her father.

Jess gets called to the remains of a fire that has destroyed the church she and her friends attend. Since it was a church that was burned, it is investigated as a hate crime and FBI Special Agent Nathan Carlisle is called in. While investigating this and other arsons, Jess is attacked several times. Nathan goes into protective mode and calls in all their friends to help protect Jess. As the arson continues with each having a rare piece of jewelry dropped at the site, Jess and Nathan discover this is all tied back to her father. Will they be able to interpret the clues and discover the arsonist before Jess joins her family in a fiery inferno?

This story has a slow-paced Christian romance, but it moves quickly with many twists and red herrings in the suspense/mystery plot line. Jess is driven by her past and singularly intent on finding justice for her lost family which impedes her personal life from moving forward. Nathan has his own traumatic incident in his past and one of the subplots is between him and his brother which brings in a discussion of God’s forgiveness. Jess and Nathan have a slow growing chemistry, and nothing is really discussed between them about their budding relationship until after the climax of the arsonist plotline. All the plot threads come together for a suspenseful climax with a twist I was not expecting but was satisfying.

I recommend this addition to the Lake City Heroes series for the suspense/mystery plot, which is intense and intricately plotted, but the chemistry between the H/h left me wanting more.

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Excerpt

PROLOGUE

Someone had to stop her. She was going to ruin everything if left to do what she had planned. He clenched the steering wheel and narrowed his eyes. He’d have to be subtle. He couldn’t let her find out he was involved. He couldn’t let anyone find out. The price was too high.

And he was already paying a very high price—one he couldn’t afford to pay anymore. Refused to pay it. He could run. At the thought, he kept one hand on the wheel and reached out with the other to touch the bag on the passenger seat. He had enough money to leave, but a life of always looking over his shoulder wasn’t for him. And she’d never stop looking for him. No, it was better this way. Get rid of her once and for all.

His gut tightened, nerves thrumming as he followed her. If he
was truthful, he was afraid of her. Of what she would do if she
caught him . . .

But no. His plan was solid. She’d never know it was him. And at
this point, he had no choice. He had to risk it. She had to be stopped. He fingered the bag once more and thought of all the years of pain and abuse. Of what the bag’s contents meant.

It was his means to the end. Period.

Without putting himself at risk.

He took a deep breath and went to implement the first step in the plan.

***

Author Bio

Lynette Eason is the USA Today bestselling author of Double Take, Target Acquired, and Serial Burn, as well as the Extreme Measures, Danger Never Sleeps, Blue Justice, Women of Justice, Deadly Reunions, Hidden Identity, and Elite Guardians series. She is the winner of three ACFW Carol Awards, the Selah Award, and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, among others. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and has a master’s degree in education from Converse College. Eason lives in South Carolina with her husband. They have two adult children.

Social Media Links

LynetteEason.com

Facebook – @lynette.eason

Threads – @LynetteEason

Instagram – @LynetteEason

BookBub – @LynetteEason

Purchase Links

Amazon    https://pictbooks.tours/Qx9mY
BN https://pictbooks.tours/rGBFF
Goodreads    https://pictbooks.tours/QxSen
BookShop.org    https://pictbooks.tours/Qswth
Baker Publishing   https://pictbooks.tours/Nw44p
Baker Book House   https://pictbooks.tours/lT3Ro

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KINGOSUMO GIVEAWAY

https://kingsumo.com/g/3qvoj61/serial-burn-by-lynette-eason-lake-city-heroes-gift-card

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: The Hunt for the Peggy C: A WWII Maritime Thriller by John Winn Miller

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C: A WWII Maritime Thriller by John Winn Miller on this Black Coffee Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

John Winn Miller’s THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C captures the breathless suspense of early World War II in the North Atlantic. Captain Jake Rogers, experienced in running his tramp steamer through U-boat-infested waters to transport vital supplies and contraband to the highest bidder, takes on his most dangerous cargo yet after witnessing the oppression of Jews in Amsterdam: a Jewish family fleeing Nazi persecution.

The normally aloof Rogers finds himself drawn in by the family’s warmth and faith, but he can’t afford to let his guard down when Oberleutnant Viktor Brauer, a brutal U-boat captain, sets his sights on the Peggy C., Rogers finds himself pushed to the limits of his ingenuity as he evades Brauer’s relentless stalking, faces a mutiny among his own crew, and grapples with his newfound feelings for Miriam, the young Jewish woman whom, along with her family, he must transport to safety.

When Rogers is seriously wounded, Miriam must prove she is as tough as her rhetoric to save everyone as the U-boat closes in for the kill. THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C is a masterpiece laced with nail-biting tension and unexpectedly heartwarming moments that any reader, not just fans of naval fiction, will enjoy.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/134916574-the-hunt-for-the-peggy-c

Universal link for the book on Amazon

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE HUNT FOR THE PEGGY C: A World War II Maritime Thriller by John Winn Miller is an edge-of-your-seat suspense filled historical fiction/thriller set on an American tramp steamer with an international crew and secret cargo being relentlessly hunted by a German U-boat captain before America enters the war. Set aside some time for this story because if you are like me, you will keep turning the pages and not be able to put it down until The End.

Captain Jake Rogers is experienced in running his tramp steamer, The Peggy C, through U-boat infested waters as the Germans try to cut off supplies to England and its allies. He takes on everything from vital supplies to contraband as long as the reward for him and his crew is high. As The Peggy C docks in Amsterdam, Rogers is paid to take on unusual cargo, Jewish refugees, which if discovered by the Germans could get his whole crew killed.

Oberleutnant Viktor Brauer is a brutal U-boat captain who has clawed his way through the ranks and is willing to do anything to finally be awarded the Iron Cross. After stopping The Peggy C and losing his boarding party, he is determined to destroy The Peggy C and its captain. The hunt is on.

I loved everything about this story. The maritime setting was an enjoyable change from other WWII historical fiction books. I learned so much while never being bored with the new maritime and nautical information which never bogged down the story or decreased the pace of the suspense. I truly did not know what would happen from page to page. The nail-biting tension throughout at Brauer’s scary determination to destroy Rogers and The Peggy C also kept me turning the pages. The interactions and growing feelings between Rogers and the refugees were heartwarming and gave a few small breaks to the continual overall tension of the main plotline.

I highly recommend this maritime historical fiction/thriller! A fantastic read!

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About the Author

John Winn Miller is an award-winning investigative reporter, foreign correspondent, editor, publisher, screenwriter, indie movie producer and novelist.

Based in Rome for The Associated Press and Wall Street Journal/Europe, he covered wars in Beirut, Chad and Eritrea as well as special assignments in Libya, Bulgaria, Tunis and India ,and traveled with Pope John Paul II.

He was part of a team of reporters at the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader that wrote a series that helped trigger education reform in Kentucky. The series won the 1990 public service award from the Society of Professional Journalists, top honors from Investigative Reporters and Editors and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

He was executive editor of the Centre Daily Times (PA) and the Tallahassee Democrat and publisher of The Olympian (WA) and the Concord (N.H.) Monitor.

Miller also was the first Journalist-in-Residence for his alma mater, The University of Kentucky, and taught journalism at Transylvania University.

He has helped produce four Indie movies, written several screenplays and is a partner in a social media marketing company called Friends2Follow.

The Lexington, Kentucky-native is also a second degree black belt. His wife Margo is a former college English instructor and now a potter. Their daughter Allison Miller is an actress-screenwriter-director currently starring in the ABC series A Million Little Things.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.johnwinnmiller.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076298677356

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnwinnmiller_author/#

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-hunt-for-the-peggy-c-by-john-winn-miller

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard

Book Description

Haunted by a half-forgotten past, former army photographer Remi Grant is working at an isolated storm-watching lodge on the rocky Washington coast when she receives a mysterious puzzle piece. The piece may be the catalyst to unlock a disturbing incident she struggles to remember–the event that sent her into hiding. But with heavy storms rolling in, she must focus on the present, not get caught up in the past.

When a mysterious man at the lodge saves her life–more than once–Remi becomes suspicious and confronts him. After a catastrophic event in his own life, former military pilot Hawk Beckett is trying to get some perspective at the suggestion of his former commanding officer. Faced with the fiercest storm to hit the coast in a decade, Remi and Hawk are forced into survival mode.

But they’re not alone at the lodge. Someone doesn’t want Remi to remember what happened–and they will stop at nothing to see her dead.

Elise’s Thoughts

Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard has non-stop action and mysterious circumstances with unexpected twists that will keep people totally engaged. There is international espionage, betrayal, and dangerous secrets.

The female lead, Remi Grant, is a former army photographer who has no memory of a tragic day in her past. She has moved to Cedar Trails Lodge, getting a job as the manager. Trying to work through her memory problems, it appears someone is trying to help her remember by sending her packages containing puzzle pieces and notes. Her quiet solitude is disturbed by a series of events that threaten her life. First there was the shredding of a rope ladder she needed to climb to get safely out of the ferocious ocean tides. Had it not been for the strong hand of a total stranger, Hawk Beckett, who pulled her to safety, she would have fallen to her death. He is at the Lodge to try to recover from the hurt and pain from a mission gone bad when an army helicopter pilot, loss of his job in law enforcement, and a fruitless search for his brother who he believes to be an assassin.

It seems that someone is trying to silence Remi permanently and Hawk always seems to be in the right place at the right time to help save her. They decide to team up and watch each other’s backs.

To add to the tension is the environment with the whipping winds, cold rain, and the dangerous Washington coast.

This gripping tale will take readers on a wild and crazy ride from the beginning chapter to the end with twists that will shock them. The story if full of shocking suspense.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: The idea for the story?

Elizabeth Goddard: I wanted to set a story off\\\\ the Washington coast for a very long time. There are people who come to watch the storms during the winter. I had in my mind to write a former military photographer. I put it all together to write a mystery surrounding a storm watching lodge.

EC: Does nature play a role?

EG: Yes, with its beauty and brutality that makes for a great suspenseful story. Hidden Bay is fictional but based on several bays in the Olympic Peninsula that are close to the ocean, rugged, with a rocky coast and a wilderness area. It has a rain forest with winds, cold, and rain.

EC: What role does the lodge play?

EG: It houses certain individuals that want to stay hidden from the outside world. It seems invisible to the world. It is based on a real lodge that overlooks the ocean. There is very limited cell service.

EC: How would you describe the female lead, Remi?

EG: She has amnesia. Someone who is wary, vulnerable, impulsive, secretive, built walls yet is determined, mysterious, and tough. She has brain trauma, which I relied heavily on research I had done regarding my own son who has a brain injury from ten years ago.

EC: How would you describe the male lead, Hawk?

EG: Charming, former Army as a Night Stalker, competitive, compassionate, and protective. He is very heroic who was a former Army helicopter pilot that delivered special ops teams anywhere in the world.

EC: What about the relationship?

EG: I have a book quote, “She came to the lodge to remember, he came to the lodge to forget.” She is originally distrustful of him. They are kindred spirits running from demons who are damaged.

EC: What about Cole, Hawk’s brother?

EG: They are two competitive brothers whose father pitted them against each other. They had a sibling rivalry. He is a hired gun, someone who is rogue, ghost-like. He has contempt for what he believes Hawk has become.

EC: Next book?

EG: It is Jo’s story, a forensic artist and a handy person on the run who was introduced in this book. She teams up with someone who was in book one to find out who wants to kill her. The title is Perilous Tides coming out in July of this year.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Feature Post and Book Review: High Density by Freya Barker

Book Description

Since taking over the veterinary clinic in Libby, Montana last year, Janey Richards has been burning the candle at both ends. She’s grateful she is busy, but there has barely been any time to build a life outside of work. To help pay down her debt faster, she agrees to take on responsibility for the livestock at Libby’s annual rodeo, but perhaps she should’ve thought twice about the added stress.

Although, her personal life is definitely looking up.

JD Watike never thought he’d end up following in his father’s footsteps, but he’s found his stride these past six years as a member of the High Mountain Trackers team. He enjoys the simplicity of small-town living, which has only gotten more interesting since Doc Richards appeared on the scene.

Spending most of the past year patiently observing from a distance, the time feels right for him to make his move.

Or at least to clear up some misunderstandings.

The opportunity presents itself sooner than expected, when the pretty veterinarian stumbles onto some serious criminal activity at the Libby Roundup, and a young woman disappears from the grounds, he has plenty of cause to stay glued to her side.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210196437-high-density?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TiRe3XqaLN&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

HIGH DENSITY (High Mountain Trackers 2^nd Gen) by Freya Barker is the third action-packed romantic suspense in the 2^nd Generation quartet of books in the High Mountain Trackers world. This can be read as a standalone story, but there are carryover characters from other books in the series since the Trackers all work together. I have read and loved them all and recommend reading the series in order.

JD Watike has been interested in the new veterinarian for a while now, ever since she arrived in Libby to take over the clinic for the retiring doctor. He finally gets his chance when Doc Janey gets called to High Meadow ranch to help a horse with a partial breech birth. He is determined to take it slow until the Doc gets hired to take care of the livestock for auction and the rodeo livestock for the annual Libby Roundup and she stumbles onto criminal activity. He is determined to stay by her side.

Dr. Janey Richards has been aware of the handsome High Meadow Tracker, JD Watike, but considers him a player until they begin to see each other. When she discovers criminal activity involving the cattle up for auction, she and JD alert local law enforcement and the FBI. The danger they are in escalates as quickly as the chemistry between them.

Besides the danger at the roundup, young women have gone missing and later found assaulted and dead. JD and Janey get pulled into this investigation, too. Danger is all around them. Are the cases connected or is it a strange coincidence?

I love this series and was very happy to see JD finally step up and start a relationship with Janey. Janey is a strong heroine who stands up for herself and while she appreciates JD caring for her, she does not tolerate him making decisions for her or her life. She wants a partner, not a boss. There are a few intimate sex scenes which I felt were appropriate to their growing adult relationship, but I never felt they were gratuitous. The intertwining crime/mystery plotlines were fast-paced, intriguing, and kept me guessing and quickly turning the pages to see what happened next. I am looking forward to the next book in this quartet which will finally give me Jackson’s story.

I highly recommend this exciting addition to the High Mountain Trackers 2^nd Gen series!

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About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills, and chills in their lives.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

For the latest news and updates on books and upcoming releases, you can subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.freyabarker.com/about/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreyaBarkerWriter

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freyabarker.bsky.social

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/freya-barker

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: A Santorini Secret by Rose Alexander

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for A SANTORINI SECRET by Rose Alexander on this Bookouture Books On Tour blog post.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Santorini, Greece, 1944. A village nestled in the mountains where children play together beneath the endless blue sky. A cottage once full of the laughter of family and the joy of a new baby. But when the Nazis arrive on the island, a devastating tragedy and an impossible choice will break this family apart…

Present day. Single mother Carrie arrives on the sun-drenched island of Santorini, her adored uncle Sol’s tattered sketchbook clutched to her chest. Heartbroken at his death, Carrie is certain Sol – who refused to speak about how he spent the war in occupied Greece – was hiding secrets all his life: and that the drawings he made of a striking young woman with wavy hair will hold the answers. Tucked away with the sketchbook was a beautiful diamond ring engraved in Greek, and Carrie cannot bear the thought that her uncle never had the chance to give it to his love.

Even as she explores the winding cobbled alleys Sol drew in his book, Carrie is filled with childhood memories. And asking around the close-knit locals, the elderly women Carrie meets speak of a brave young woman named Vassia, and a secret allied mission to rid their beautiful island of German troops. But when pressed, they refuse to say more…

Then she finds a letter written by Vassia herself. She’s shocked to read how Sol was left stranded, fighting for his life, and how Vassia risked everything to save him before a terrible betrayal tore them apart. When Carrie finally unravels the truth, the secrets will shatter the small community, and change the course of her life forever…

A Santorini Secret is an epic tale of love, loss and secrets in World War Two that will sweep you away to the hidden coves and sun-kissed beaches of Santorini.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222752044-a-santorini-secret?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AoD7F6OWWA&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

A SANTORINI SECRET by Rose Alexander is an emotional dual timeline mash-up of historical fiction and women’s fiction with elements of mystery and romance. Both the past and present timelines kept me in a state of suspense and turning the pages.

A small village on Santorini is occupied by the Nazis in 1944. The daughter of the mayor, Vassia, assists as a guide in a SBS (Special Boat Service) raid to help hinder the Nazis and aid the British. One of the British soldiers is left behind and Vassia risks all to help him.

In the present, Carrie is having a tough time with her finances and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She gets the opportunity to return to Santorini and besides just enjoying the vacation and reuniting with an old friend, she is searching for information about her Uncle Sol’s mysterious time with the SBS on Santorini and the beautiful young woman in his sketchbook. Will Carrie find the answers she is searching for?

I was surprised by so many of the twists and turns this story took, not only in the past but also the present timelines. I enjoyed the descriptions of Santorini in both timelines and was happy for a change of pace location during a WWII setting. This new-to-me author did a great job of pulling me into the emotional decisions and consequences of both the female protagonists in each timeline. They were both heartwarming and heartbreaking. My only disappointment was with the secret that changed Carrie’s and her daughter’s lives. For sixteen years of emotional turmoil, it was a reason that was trivial and should have been discussed much sooner as mature adults and made me think less of her. Overall though, this book was emotionally more than what I was expecting, and I need to check out other books by this author.

I recommend setting aside some time to enjoy this poignant historical fiction/women’s fiction mash-up.

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Author Bio

Rose Alexander has had more careers than she cares to mention and is currently a secondary school English teacher. She writes in the holidays, weekends and evenings, whenever she has a chance, although with three children, a husband, a lodger and a cat, this isn’t always as often as she’d like. She’s a keen sewist and is on a mission to make all her own clothes.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.rosealexander.co.uk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosealexanderauthor

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rose-alexander

Purchase Link

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0DQVJSKHXsocial

Bookouture Links

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Rose Alexander here: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/rose-alexander/

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Feature Post and Book Review: In the Name Of: A Hidden Valor Military Veteran/K-9 Suspense by Candace Irving

Book Description

He’ll do anything for his country…even murder.

Former Army detective Kate Holland finally remembers what happened during her eleven hours as a POW in Afghanistan. She wishes she didn’t.

Her PTSD raging, Kate’s ready to turn in her badge with the Braxton PD, but she can’t. The wife of a Muslim US Army soldier has been found stabbed and left to burn in a field, and Kate’s boss has turned to her. Again.

Kate suspects an honor killing…until the wife of another soldier is found in the next town over, also stabbed and burned. When a third military wife is murdered, Kate uncovers a connection to a local doctor. But the doc is not all she appears to be. Worse, Kate’s nightmares and her case have begun to clash. The fallout is deadly as Kate’s lured back to where it all began.

This time, she might not make it home.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194928469-in-the-name-of?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=gj4J4t0kEH&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

IN THE NAME OF: A Hidden Valor Military Veteran/K-9 Suspense (Hidden Valor Book #2) by Candace Irving is another edge-of-your-seat action suspense/mystery/police procedural mash-up featuring a small-town deputy who’s past as a former Army detective seems to continue to follow her. Both books, one and two have been great reads and with Kate’s continuing battle with PTSD and the overlap of important characters, I feel they are best read in order of release.

Deputy Kate Holland’s PTSD is taking over her life and even though she has started seeing a VA psychiatrist, she feels it is best to turn in her badge. Then she gets called to a horrific scene of a female with stab wounds and her burned body in a field. It brings back flashbacks from her attacked burning Humvee during her deployment. When a second body is found the same way in a neighboring town, Kate is reunited in her investigation with Deputy Aresh, who is still in the Army Reserve and helped in The Garbage Man case. Both believe these are “honor killings”. Both women are Muslim, and their husbands are Muslim Americans in the active services.

The women all seem tied to a doctor who claims no knowledge of either, but Kate knows she is lying. When a CIA operative warns them off the case, Kate and Aresh only dig deeper after a third murder, and Kate discovers that she must return to a place she swore never to return to.

I cannot say enough about this series. Kate is a complex, realistic, fully developed protagonist that makes me feel every emotion as I discover more and more of her story. She is a complex mix of fragile and yet strong. I enjoyed the scenes with Kate’s German Shepard, Ruger once again, even though he does not play a pivotal role in this plotline. It is also nice to see Kate take another chance on a “maybe” romance after so many men have let her down or betrayed her in the past. There are graphic descriptions of stabbed and burned women, but I never felt it was gratuitous. Kate’s PTSD is realistically portrayed, and the author does provide information on PTSD and the treatment regimen Kate is receiving in a postscript. The suspense plot in this story is intricately plotted and fast paced to lead Kate and Aresh in many different directions due to their own personal past experiences and it kept me guessing all the way to the climax. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I highly recommend this powerful and thrilling action suspense/mystery!

***

About the Author

A former US Navy Lt., Candace Irving is the daughter of a librarian and a retired boatswain’s mate chief. Candace grew up in the Philippines, Germany, and all over the United States. Her senior year of high school, she enlisted in the US Army. Following basic training, she transferred to the Navy’s ROTC program at the University of Texas-Austin. While at UT, she spent a summer in Washington, DC, as a Congressional Intern. She also worked security for the UT Police. BA in Political Science in hand, Candace was commissioned as an ensign in the US Navy and sent to Surface Warfare Officer’s School to learn to drive warships. From there, she followed her father to sea.

Candace Irving writes gritty military thrillers. She is the author of the Deception Point Military Detective Thriller Series and the Hidden Valor Military Veterans/K9 Psychological Suspense Series. She also writes military romance and romantic suspense as Candace Irvin (without the “g”).

Social Media Links

Website: https://candaceirving.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandaceIrvingBooks

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/in-the-name-of-a-hidden-valor-military-veteran-k-9-suspense-2-by-candace-irving

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Name-Psychological-Suspense-Military-Veterans-ebook/dp/B08PCB9S3S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E3RTO1RWBJAZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.9GhOylO