Tag: #christianromanticsuspense

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard

Cold Light of Day

by Elizabeth Goddard

February 20 – March 17, 2023

Virtual Book Tour

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for COLD LIGHT OF DAY (Missing in Alaska Book #1) by Elizabeth Goddard on this Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tour.

Below you will find a book synopsis, 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 Synopsis

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61140802-cold-light-of-day?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=LZwgN1MnY2&rank=1

Cold Light Of Day

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: February 2023
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780800742041 (ISBN10: 0800742044)
Series: Missing in Alaska, 1

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

COLD LIGHT OF DAY (Missing in Alaska Book #1) by Elizabeth Goddard is a fast-paced Christian romantic suspense and the first in a new series set in small town Alaska. Shadow Gap’s police chief and a mysterious newcomer are enveloped in a crime spree that could cost them everything.

Police Chief Autumn Long is trying to prove herself and keep her job after taking over after her father’s disability retirement, but a crime wave is enveloping their small town. When she witnesses a newcomer to town rescuing a woman from drowning, she wonders why he rejects the attention gained by his rescue.

Grier Brennan is trying to stay under the radar and to himself, but his background will not allow him to let a person drown and he gets tangled up in all the activity happening around the attractive police chief. As bullets fly and the body count grows, Grier reluctantly joins forces with Autumn to find the killer.

Autumn and Grier investigate the murders and discover their pasts have entangled them with the same enemies in this crime wave and could be the death of them both.

The action and investigation plot lines that tie Autumn and Grier together were exciting and fast paced throughout. The stakes continue to rise and kept me turning the pages. The Alaskan wilderness itself is integral to the intensity of the story and provides both beauty and danger. Autumn and Grier are strong characters and believable in their situations, but I had a harder time connecting them as a romantic couple, especially since Grier does not reveal his secret until much to late in the plot for me to believe Autumn could trust him romantically. It is a Christian romantic suspense, but I really did not feel romantic elements pulling these two together. The balance of this story is much more slanted to the suspense and police investigation than a romance. There are mentions of faith and prayer which I did not feel interfered with the flow of the story. I enjoyed this start to the Missing in Alaska series and would be interested in reading more.

Overall, a good start to the series with an exciting suspense plot.

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Excerpt

ONE 

Southeast Alaska  

August 

Autumn Long had no plans to give up without a fight,  

even though it might be killing her a little every day. As the bush plane sank lower, her view of the gla cier spilling into the valley behind a forest exploding with reds,  oranges, and browns fell away. Lofty mountains on each side  of the fjord filled her vision. 

“Hold on, Chief. We’re almost there.” Pilot Carrie James  flew her bush plane straight up the Lynn Canal—one of the  longest, deepest fjords in the world. The snowcapped Kaku han Mountains rose lofty on the right, the Chilkat Range near  Haines to the left. And across from Haines to the west—Glacier Bay National Park. 

Autumn ignored the mounting dread she felt and focused  her thoughts. She had better get her act together and earn back  the trust of the city council and the people she swore to protect  in the small town of Shadow Gap, one of many communities  dotting the Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle. 

She’d stayed overnight in Anchorage for a meeting that left  her drained to her bones. She’d taken an Alaska Airlines flight to and from Juneau, and now Carrie was delivering her up to  the northernmost part of the Panhandle. Wearing her brown  bomber jacket and a headset, sitting in the cockpit of her Helio  Courier—the ultimate bush plane—Carrie was a bush pilot  poster child. 

The plane flew lower, following the Chilkoot Inlet until Carrie  banked east, flying over the Lewis Inlet that branched off. “That’s  why I’d better say this before I lose the chance.” Autumn wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it. 

Carrie angled her head toward Autumn and arched a brow.  “I know you didn’t ask for my opinion.” Carrie looked forward  again. “But you didn’t do anything wrong. Out here we take  care of our own. The land is harsh. Brutal in ways the lower  forty-eight can’t imagine. We have to watch out for each other,  and that’s all you’ve ever done for the people of Shadow Gap.” 

“Yeah, well . . . thanks, Carrie.” Tell that to Wally. He’d had  it out for her from the first day she took her position as police  chief. 

Carrie waved a hand in mock incredulity. “Shadow Gap isn’t  even classified as a town, much less an organized borough, so  who needs a city council anyway?” 

Or a police department, some might say. 

Autumn cracked a smile. “Glad to know at least some people  still want me around.” 

Despite the many limitations of a small-town budget, they’d  at least equipped their chief and three officers with loaded Ford  Police Interceptor SUVs. After all, her officers were trained to  carefully collect and preserve evidence as well as to tend a  wounded moose in the road. They had to know how to do it  all in small-town Alaska. Because, yeah, she thought of Shadow  Gap’s community of 1,252 people as a town. Shadow Gap was  just outside of the Haines and Skagway Boroughs. Alaska didn’t  have counties, so there were no sheriffs. 

Best of all—or worst of all, depending on which side of the law you were on—Shadow Gap had lost their Alaska State  Trooper. Not enough crime to support one or budget to afford  one if there was enough crime. 

Autumn had nothing to complain about, except the results  of her trip to Anchorage left a— 

“What’s that?” Carrie drew Autumn’s attention to the water.  “Someone’s out there, floating in Lewis Inlet. I saw hands wav ing, signaling.” 

“Have you got—” 

“Here.” Carrie handed off binoculars. 

“Fly in close, Carrie. I want to get a better look. We have to  help if we can.” Autumn peered through the binoculars and  struggled to find what she was looking for, instead only captur ing the deep, dark waters. Then . . . “I see the hands. But, oh no, whoever is out there is going under.” 

“But look! Someone’s swimming out to them. So maybe  there’s a chance.” 

“They won’t last long. Those waters are cold.” Autumn  adjusted the binoculars, searching, searching . . . there. “I see  what looks like the rescue swimmer.” Was that . . . Grier? “How  close can you land?” 

“Close enough. Once on the water, I can angle in closer.” “If he can get to the woman, we’ll take them both the rest  of the way to get help.” 

Because there was no way the woman wasn’t going to suffer  from hypothermia in these temps, unless she had on the ap propriate attire. Same for Grier. 

Come on, Grier . . . save the girl. 

Shadow Gap needed a hero. A ray of hope shot through her,  and though maybe she shouldn’t have the thought, it popped  into her head all the same. She didn’t mind that a town hero  would take the attention away from the police chief’s long list  of transgressions. 

Though, if she were choosing heroes, she would have chosen a longtime resident over an outsider—or as the locals liked  to call them, cheechakos, and meant in a negative way. She  wouldn’t go so far as to use that term for this particular man.  Grier had shown up in Shadow Gap a few months ago to fish  in the Shadow Gap Salmon Derby. A tourist who decided to  stay. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. 

Autumn dropped the binoculars as Carrie skillfully landed  the plane on the water. The pontoons smoothly connected, and  Carrie guided the plane, heading toward where they’d last seen  the woman in need of a rescue. 

Her struggle could well be over. 

Please don’t drown . . . don’t die. But Autumn didn’t see her anywhere. A fist squeezed her  heart.

***

Author Bio

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.ElizabethGoddard.com.

Social Media Links

ElizabethGoddard.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @ElizabethGoddard
Instagram – @elizabethgoddardauthor
Twitter – @bethgoddard
Facebook – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Baker Book House

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KINGSUMO GIVEAWAY

https://kingsumo.com/g/7dgvg8/cold-light-of-day-by-elizabeth-goddard

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Fallout Series by Lisa Harris

Series Description

“The Fallout Series” by Lisa Harris currently has five books out, The Last Day, Survival, Hunted, Frequency, Deception, and Shattered, which will be out the end of this month.

The plot has the electric grid sabotaged, with technology suddenly no longer available.  No one in the small, west Texas town of Shadow Ridge knows what took down the power grid, or when it’s going to be back up, but everyone knows exactly where they were the moment it went down. And now, with no electricity, no internet, and no modern technology, the men, and women responsible for keeping the town safe are going to have to learn how to fight crime all over again. Each book has a different hero and heroine where they meet over some criminal activity.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Lisa Harris:  In the past I have written police procedurals.  I started thinking, with all this talk about the electrical grids, what happens if the grid goes down and how would it affect law enforcement. The police must go back to the old-fashioned way of policing where they cannot call for backup, have no DNA testing, and no forensics, basically no technology. Plus, the characters lost people they loved. All the books are centered around the McQuaid family, three brothers and two sisters.

EC:  Without technology it seems this generation would go nuts?

LH:  I depend on it.  I do everything from my phone.  I order items from Walmart and Amazon.  I call my children. For me, it would be horrible as a mother if I could not communicate with my children. We would miss this modern easiness.

EC:  Did the stories have a western feel?

LH:  Yes.  It takes place in West Texas so there were horses instead of cars. More like a contemporary western, like the series “Jericho” and “Longmire” mixed. People had weapons to protect themselves, their family, and their town.

EC:  How would you describe the hero, Jace McQuaid, from the book, Survival?

LH:  He was broken.  He did not want to step up to become law enforcement, but realizes that if the town did not come together, it would not survive. He is intense, protective, former military, and is used to being a leader so he stepped up to the plate.

EC:  How would you describe the female lead of Survival, Morgan?

LH:  This book takes place a year after the grid goes down. She is also broken because she lost her husband in the beginning of the incident. She supports Jace who interacts well with her son, Noah. Jace realizes he wants Noah and Morgan in his life.

EC:  In the next book, Hunted, you describe sex-trafficking?

LH:  Because all the towns were totally off the radar, in some ways, the criminals have the upper hand. Law enforcement must catch up. 

EC: How would you describe Ava, the heroine in Hunted?

LH:  She steps into a role she is not prepared for, becoming a mother to her teenage sister, Josie. The relationship between the sisters have changed. She is spirited, smart, resourceful, and reserved.  Her job is to break codes, which she had to use to help find her sister who was taken by the sex-trafficking ring.

EC:  What was the role of Josie in the story?

LH:  She is argumentative, stubborn, a typical teenager who cannot communicate. She is having a hard time in this new situation and makes some bad choices.

EC:  How would you describe Levi McQuaid, the hero in Hunted?

LH:  Before the grid went down, he was in the police academy. He does not have the experience of his brother Jace. He is pushed into a situation where he had to grow. He was a classmate of Ava so this story became a friend to lover’s story.

EC:  Tess McQuaid, the heroine of Frequency?

LH:  She is the youngest of the siblings. She is an artist and now does some crime scene sketches.  She must grow up very fast. Tess is smart, resourceful, funny, determined, creative, an artsy type, and a free spirit.

EC:  How about the hero, Kellan?

LH:  He works for the Sherriff’s department in another town. He is strong, a fast learner, suspicious, protective, and stands up to a challenge. He sometimes ratches down a situation by using humor.

EC:  How would describe Rebecca, the heroine in Deception?

LH:  She is a Sherriff in yet another town, in New Mexico. She is very strong, guarded, vulnerable, yet anxious because of her depression, and loneliness.  I intentionally wanted to make sure there was a woman in law enforcement in this series and made sure that early on she puts her career over any relationship. She is not sure she can ever trust the hero, Sam.

EC:  How would you describe Sam McQuaid, the hero?

LH:  He was not very settled, loved adventure, and is a part of search and rescue. He also does not think about settling down until he meets Rebecca. He can be daring, stubborn, and brave.

EC:  Do they have a lot in common?

LH:  Yes. They are both fixers and have been affected by losing someone close.

EC:  What about the book coming out this month, Shattered?

LH: Book 5, Shattered, will go into more detail about the bad guys, The Realm. They were cyber-attack bandits from multi-countries. They are thugs, enjoy chaos, and are into drugs, guns, and sex trafficking. They use the criminals to get control of what they want. In the prequel at the very end Chase, the hero, left to do a prisoner transfer.  He has not come back and is missing.  His fiancé, Hope McQuaid is the doctor of the town and is optimistic they will be reunited.

EC:  How about the next book?

LH: In June there will be a new psychological series. Book 6 will come out in the fall, focused on the family.

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Love and Honor Series by Hallee Bridgeman

The “Love and Honor Series” by Hallee Bridgeman explores how those in Special Forces keep Americans safe. This first novel was released in September. The second will be published on October 4, and the third will be released November 1. All three books show how a hero and heroine must navigate their feelings to never compromise the mission.

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Book Descriptions and Elise’s Thoughts

Honor Bound has a hero and heroine who are at odds with one another. Captain Rick Norton and Dr. Cynthia Myers argue and discuss how her pacifism is misguided and that sometimes violence must be met with violence, including killing the evil enemy.  Readers gain an insightful look at what is necessary for Special Forces to protect their fellow citizens. Rick and Cynthia meet in Africa where she has a clinic deep in the jungle to help those women who are pregnant.  After a warlord comes into the area it becomes necessary for Rick’s unit to take them down to save Cynthia’s life. The “A-Team” has a mission to take down the warlord and to bring Cynthia home since she is the Vice-President’s daughter. But danger seems to meet them everywhere and it is up to Rick and his men to keep her safe. 

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Word of Honor has FBI Special Agent Lynda Culter investigating an ecoterrorist organization in the Alaskan wilderness when her partner is taken captive and murdered before her very eyes. The only person who can identify the key players, Lynda, gets assigned to take part in a joint operation in Istanbul to take the organization down. She must go undercover as a Muslim wife and pretend to be married to US Army weapons specialist Bill Sanders.  The problem is they had a history back in college where he crushed her heart. To find the ecoterrorists and who is behind their bombings of oil pipelines that killed innocent civilians they must go deep undercover. 

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Honor’s Refuge delves into abuse of women. When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her father take her mother’s life. Separated from her sister, Lola, at that time, Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those stuck in abusive relationships. It’s why she became a family therapist and opened a domestic abuse shelter. After she meets Phil “Ozzy” Osbourne they form a bond.  He is intent to use his Special Forces contacts to track down her missing sister.  Unfortunately, it is harder than expected since she is the wife and had a child with a drug lord cartel member. Ozzy and Melissa work together to rescue her sister, save innocents, and bring down the cartel.

Each of these books has a great mixture of suspense, drama, and romance. Readers will understand the job those in the military must do and the challenges they must face. 

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Hallee Bridgeman: The series will be published once a month, one in September, one in October, and one in November. I wanted to write a Special Forces series. The first book does not take place in the desert, but in the jungle. The second book take place in Turkey and Kuwait, and the third book in the US.

EC: Did you have any experience with the military?

HB:  Not me explicitly, but my family does.  My father was a US Army Airborne Ranger. He retired when I was an adult.  My husband deployed to Afghanistan with the 20th Special Forces Airborne Group.  Within our military community we have several friends who are still in Special Forces units.  I was able to ask questions, gain knowledge, and confirm facts with several sources who have served or are serving. I wanted to be realistic and write a true book about real people.

EC:  How is the theme of honor in each book present?

HB:  All three of these men are a force and step in front of the enemy. One of the definitions of honor is “adherence to what is right.” It is engrained in them. My husband re-enlisted in 2001, after September 11th.  He did it because he was a combat veteran with a sense of honor and duty. Each of the women characters wanted to help people.  Cynthia is a doctor, Lynda was an FBI agent, and Melissa had a non-profit women’s abuse shelter.

EC:  Why Africa as the setting in Honor Bound?

HB: It has a large jungle.  I needed the characters to be there for several days.  I created a fictional country there with a big river and a giant city. I had so many options with this Continent.

EC:  Do you think the main character Cynthia, was a bit naïve?

HB:  She was trained to be in a specific environment. She is completely naïve about our warriors.  A lot of people have a misconception of what peace can entail and what it takes to achieve peace.  They have the idea of turning the other cheek, but the reality is sometimes force is necessary. People that do not have this experience cannot really grasp it. Peace does not always come because someone wants it. Sometimes people must be protected. Sometimes it takes someone with strength to allow the Pacifists to be who they are.   They say things from their armchair.

EC: What about Cynthia’s reaction?

HB:  Her perspective changed when it was no longer about her, but when it was about her father. She reacted to the fact men were killed to save her life.  A lot of her reaction was knee-jerk to that emotional traumatic moment. They were evil bad men who needed to be stopped.

EC:  You have a quote about weapons being tools said by the hero, Rick?

HB:  You are referring to this one, “the real weapon isn’t the rifle or the pistol or the knife.  It’s me.” My husband as he was deploying to Afghanistan in 2002, at the airline gate, getting on a plane, had his nail clippers taken. He is holding a loaded automatic weapon.  His reaction was “seriously.” It is the person wielding whatever it is. It doesn’t matter what you have, but if you know what to do with it.

EC:  How would you describe Rick?

HB:  Loyal, responsible, intense, and courageous. Duty needs to come first, and he is oozing with integrity.

EC:  Moving on to Word of Honor-how did you get the idea for this story?

HB:  I did not want to write another story where there was a civilian who needed to be saved.  I wanted to come up with a joint-task force.  In real life within an intense operation there is no romance.  Because of that I had the hero and heroine have a back history of an intense relationship. I wanted to have a different enemy; eco-terrorist tied in with the Russian Mafia.

EC:  How would you describe Lynda?

HB:  Intense, driven, and analytical.

EC:  Is Bill a lot different than Rick?

HB:  Yes, he enlisted not for duty but for security. His motivations were different. He is more sarcastic, with a larger sense of humor. He is a tortured hero with a lot of backstory baggage.

EC:  How about the relationship now?

HB:  Lynda Carter, the FBI Agent counters Bill Sanders easy going charm. She is his personality opposite.

EC:  What about your last book, Honor’s Refuge?

HB:  I thought it would originally be a novella. But when I wrote the character Ozzy from the first book, I had enough material to write a book.

EC:  How would you describe Ozzy?

HB:  He joined the army to escape his addiction.

EC:  Your next book?

HB:  The fourth book will be the wedding between Melissa and Ozzy on a cruise ship.  All his teammates will be there with their significant others.  Pirates will try to take over the ship.  It will be out in February. There will be also a romance between the Communications Sgt, Fisher, and the cruise singer.

THANK YOU!!

***

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview #2 with Elise Cooper: Critical Alliance by Elizabeth Goddard

Book Description

Mackenzie Hanson’s special set of skills opened the door to a successful career as a professor of cybersecurity at a Michigan university, allowing her to put her criminal past behind her. But when a long-ago partner in crime delivers a cryptic message about her father’s tech company being under cyberattack, she heads for Montana to secure exposed assets, close security breaches, and hopefully save lives.

Diplomatic Security Services special agent Alex Knight is back home in Montana to decompress from a mission gone wrong. But even as he’s trying to relax, he’s drawn into another mystery, complete with suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common–a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.

When the situation turns deadly, Alex and Mackenzie will have to work together to find the answers they need–before someone silences Mackenzie for good.

USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard weaves a tangled web of nail-biting suspense and heart-stopping romance in this fast-paced conclusion to her Rocky Mountain Courage series.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Critical Alliance by Elizabeth Goddard explores the impact of cyber criminals, a thrilling battle of wits between two hackers. A bonus for every series of Goddard is that readers can know what is happening with characters from previous books.  In this series it is Jack and Terra from Present Danger, as well as Erin and Nathan from Deadly Target.

The plot begins with MacKenzie Hanson on an amusement park ride where she spots a former partner in cybercrime. He gives her a message about her father’s Montana company being targeted.  Realizing she must now face her past she decides to return to Montana and visit her estranged family.

As a teenager MacKenzie and her partners hacked into wealthy companies in Robin Hood fashion, stealing from the rich to give to charities. But when one of the partners used their skills for nefarious reasons, she and one other partner blew the whistle. She was able to put her criminal past behind her to become a successful college professor.

Also back in Montana is Diplomatic Security Services (DDS) special agent Alex Knight to decompress from a mission gone wrong.  He and MacKenzie also had a past when he took her on a tour of the DDS offices.  They end up meeting on a trail path after he notices a drone is following her.  When a shooter attacks them, they barely escape unharmed. She recruits Alex for protection while figuring out who’s trying to hurt her family. With suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and possible espionage, Alex and Mackenzie work together to find the dangerous hacker and their use of technology.

The plot has escalating tension. Family issues, putting one’s past to rest, and renewing relationships also add to this action-filled story.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?

Elizabeth Goddard: This is the last book in the series. I wanted to do a criminal cyber security story because I have a computer science background. I am a technical person although I did speak to a cyber security expert.  I talked with them about every single aspect of the story to make sure I got it correct. I had in the story drones, artificial intelligence, and cyber weapons.

EC:  What about the Montana setting?

EG:  I love to write action adventure within beautiful settings, set in the mountains or a rocky beach. I thought it would be fun to have the story set in the mountains of Montana.  Tech companies really are moving to Montana so their employees can have more fresh air and productivity.

EC:  I thought of the “Jungle Cruise” ride when I read the waterfall scene.  Did you base it on that?

EG:  No, but I do remember now, the line in the “Jungle Cruise” movie.  How they said ‘here is the backside of water’ after going around the waterfall. I had the scene in earlier books, Targeted for Murder and Deception.  I love waterfalls so I put it in this book. I think they are amazing with the caves behind them. When writing about the mountains I need to put in a waterfall somewhere within the story.

EC:  The scene in the amusement park?

EG:  The ride, Octopus was a horrible experience for me.  I think the Carnival experience is kind of creepy. All the noise and smells. 

EC:  How would you describe MacKenzie?

EG:  Athletic, vulnerable, stubborn, determined, and brilliant. She was a troubled person who has found her way. She was a cybercriminal and now as a professor she can share her knowledge to do something good with her life.

EC: What is penetration testing, something MacKenzie teaches?

EG:  A cyber security company is hired to go into a system to see if they can hack into it to find the vulnerabilities. Can they penetrate the system?

EC:  What about the relationship with her sister Nora?

EG:  Very challenged. There is a lot of emotional drama.  But now they want to put the past behind them.  They both feel betrayed and hurt by each other.  Now they must work together to find the murderer.

EC:  How would you describe Alex?

EG:  He is a diplomatic security agent, a true professional. Being from Montana, means he has some cowboy in him. He is kind, thoughtful, caring, strong, and protective.

EC:  Next book?

EG:  It is a new series based in Alaska called “Missing in Alaska.”  The first book is titled, Light of Day to be released in February 2023. A character from Critical Alliance will be the main character in this first book. There will be murders with the body count rising.

THANK YOU!!

***

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Catch by Lisa Harris

Book Description

After a harrowing attempt on a judge’s life at the courthouse, Deputy US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with finding a missing woman and an endangered child in connection to the murder of the judge’s wife. What seems like a fairly straightforward case becomes hopelessly tangled when the marshals discover that the woman they are searching for is in witness protection and the Amber Alert put out for the missing child has put two lives in danger.

Madison and Jonas are forced into a race to find the woman and the child before the men who want her dead discover her location. And in a final showdown that could cost her everything, Madison will come face-to-face with the person who murdered her husband.

USA Today bestselling author Lisa Harris concludes her thrilling US Marshals series with this breathless tale of secrets kept, lies exposed, and ultimately, justice prevailing.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Catch by Lisa Harris is an intense mystery.  In the final book of the series the plot brings to close all the extending arcs.

This story is multilayered.  These sub-plots had Madison searching for the person who killed her husband Luke, a search for the murderer of a judge’s wife, and a kidnapped child. The suspense ratches up after the child’s babysitter is found to be in the witness protection program and having an amber alert put out on her and the child put both lives in danger.  As these three plots are weaved together readers realize nothing is as it seems.

Book three of the series gave readers a thrilling and captivating ride. All the loose threads tie together in a surprising yet inspiring ending. Readers will get their fill of suspense, action, and twists.

There is also a novella, Point Blank, part of a compilation with three other authors titled, Heroes in the Crossfire. In Point Blank, the last two series Lisa Harris has written, “The Nikki Boyd Files,” and “US Marshals,” are combined. It is interesting how she was able to compare the lead characters, Madison James, and Nikki Boyd.  Both had feelings of “what if” and struggled with out-of-control feelings while attempting to let go of their guilt.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Why include Nikki Boyd in Point Blank, the prequel to the Madison series?

Lisa Harris: I was asked to write something for a compilation so I decided this novella would be perfect for it. In the US Marshal series book 1 there is a little bit about the loss of Madison’s husband, and with Nikki Boyd books, they take place over 48 hours. They both want to make a difference in the world. Both had different careers: Nikki was a teacher and ended up in the missing person task force while Madison was a policeperson and ended up as a US Marshal. They lost someone close with neither of them having closure.  At the end of the series, they do find the answers they are looking for.

EC:  The scene of the silo, wow?

LH:  I did a lot of research.  There are a lot of accidents that happen in the silos where people can drown in the grain. I knew I had to put this in the novella. It is hard to write action scenes and I am always looking to find something different to write about. 

EC:  The idea for the story, The Catch?

LH: The first book had a fugitive chase. I wanted each book to highlight a different skill used by the US Marshals. This third book had a combination of witness protection and a task force looking for a child endangered. I weaved together these two elements in the story along with the Washington state setting that has beaches and a rain forest. The arcs between Jonas and Madison’s romance as well as the arc of who killed Madison’s husband gets resolved in this book.

EC:  Did you know anyone who had a child who disappeared?

LH:  No, I did not, thankfully. The Nikki Boyd series was all about missing children.  I learned through my research.  I thought about those parents who had the drama in real life versus writing fiction.  It would be one of the worst things that ever happened in life, the threat of losing a child. Because there is so much darkness around us, thankfully I could have happy endings in my book, a bit of light.

EC:  Do you have a crystal ball because one of the stories has a judge threatened?

LH:  Sometimes it is scary how some of the things I have written about have come true. I should get my ideas from the newspaper and not the other way around.  This plot includes drug trafficking, extortion, kidnappings, and revenge.

EC:  How would you describe Becca?

LH: She got in way over head.  She was missing something in her life and lost her heart. She smudged the line between right and wrong.  She is vulnerable, troubled, frustrated, and desperate.

EC:  How would you describe the relationship between Jonas and Madison?

LH:  I like that it was resolved over the course of books.  For example, each Nikki Boyd book took place over 48 hours.  A romance cannot be resolved over that short period of time. The relationship went from admiration and respect when they first met to trying to keep at arm’s length while US Marshal partners to Madison bowing to her fears that something would happen to Jonas like her husband to a happy ending.

EC:  Next books?

LH:  A prequel to this series will be out June 1st, an e-book novella, Point Blank. It covers when they first met while training. Jonas was training a group of officers that were not US Marshals yet, which included Madison. Nikki Boyd is also in the novella.

I am also self-publishing. It is a series where the town is off the grid without technology.  It is Longmire meets Jericho. It is a modern western, solving crimes without technology, titled “The Fallout Series.” The third book just came out which is titled Frequency. There is also a novella to this series.

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.

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard

Book Description

Criminal psychologist Erin Larson’s dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her own life in a boating accident on Puget Sound and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job as a criminal psychologist to care for her mother in Montana. At least she is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell’s father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin’s help to solve the case. She’s good at what she does. The only problem? She’s his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted–and that the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

The race is on for the truth in this gripping and complex tale of suspense, intrigue, and murder from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard has a suspenseful mystery with a sweet romance. This is the second book in the Rocky Mountain Courage Series. Each book highlights the life of three childhood friends with this one featuring criminal psychologist Erin Larson. 

After barely surviving a kayaking incident Erin Larson receives a call from her former boyfriend that her mother attempted suicide.  Dropping everything, she travels to Montana to take care of her mother, bringing her current career to a halt.  She comes face to face with Nathan Campbell, a search and rescue climber and diver, who feels betrayed by her after she walks out the relationship.  He is also feeling betrayed by his estranged father who has also come back into his life.

Unfortunately, their reunion is short lived.  Trying to bond on a fishing expedition, Nathan’s father tells him about a cold case investigation he is working on his own. As he is talking someone shoots him in the head, rendering him unconscious.  Because Nathan wants answers, he begins his own investigation into the shooting and cold case.  Knowing that Erin has a podcast dealing with cold cases of missing children Nathan turns to her for help.  She and Nathan begin to work together to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together, and soon they find themselves caught in the target sights of someone who is trying to kill them.  They also must come to grips with secrets of their past, feelings that the old flame is burning again.

This plot is fast paced with many twists and turns. There are a wide range of suspicious characters who could be the culprit.  The story highlights hope, faith, and trust.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Elise Cooper:  Why the different settings of Washington, Montana, and Boston?

Elizabeth Goddard:  I grew up In Texas and have traveled extensively with my husband.  We currently reside in Washington State.  My husband is a Montanan, so I have knowledge of that area. I have ben to other locations including Boston and I do live near Puget Sound Washington.

EC:  How would you describe Nathan?

EG:  He is a good guy but has many disappointments in his life.  He tries to take a bad situation and look for a silver lining.  Because he was estranged from his father, he has daddy issues he is trying to work through.  Overall, he is supportive, caring, and protection.

EC:  How would you describe Erin?

EG:  She is a dark character with a dark cloud hanging over her.  She went into criminal psychology to understand the criminal mind.  She has suffered from loss and pain and wants answers.  Erin is broken with inner demons but is also a survivor, determined, and analytical.  Another layer to her personality is being supportive of the police which is why she said, “Cops.  They protect the rest of us from the ugliest crimes, the evil we don’t want to know exists.”

EC:  What about the relationship?

EG:  They have trust issues but also feel something strong between them.

EC:  What would you say is the theme?

EG:  The importance of family.  An important part of my life is family, which is everything. 

EC: What role does the Cold Case podcast play in the story?

EG:  It adds a whole new layer.  I listened to crime podcasts to get a feel.  One brought me to tears and it took me days to get over it.  I wanted to have an accurate portrayal of crime and the evils in this world.  I hope readers feel what the family is going through.  In her own life, Erin wants answers and to provide closure for herself and others.  She is trying to understand why people commit crimes.

EC:  What about your next book?

EG:  It is titled Critical Alliance and comes out next July.  It will feature Alex’s story. There will be suspicious deaths, lethal threats, and whispers of espionage that all have one thing in common, a beautiful cybersecurity expert with a dark past.

THANK YOU!!

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.