Mountain Hostage by Hope White

Mountain Hostage by Hope White ISBN-13: 9781335402608 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: February 4th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
They’re tracking a kidnapper. But will they be the next targets? After an ambush during a mountain hike, Zoe Pratt ends up shoved off the mountain and her friend kidnapped. Enigmatic search and rescue volunteer Jack Monroe tracks Zoe with the help of his K-9 partner, Romeo, but as the only witness to the attack, she’s far from safe. With Jack’s help, can she find her friend and take down her would-be killer?


My Review:
Mountain Hostage is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Jack and his search and rescue dog are called in when there's a report of a woman falling off the trail during a mountain hike. Zoe explains to her rescuers that her best friend was kidnapped and Zoe was pushed over a cliff when she tried to help her friend. The authorities claim that her friend is selling drugs to children, but Zoe knows that her devout Christian friend would never do such a thing. She's determined to prove her friend innocent while Jack searches for her friend. But when a mountain storm rolls in, the search is called off, Zoe becomes a target, and Jack vows to protect her.

The main characters were likable and got along well. Jack had trouble socializing appropriately with people, but Zoe worked with intelligent, socially-challenged teens and so was able to become friends with him. Jack didn't spend much "screen time" on search and rescue, and his dog mostly was there to give Zoe someone to pet. The suspense came from the uncertainty about her friend and because people kept attacking Zoe. As Zoe came to trust Jack, they started to care about each other romantically. Zoe prayed on several occasions. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable suspense.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White

On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White ISBN-13: 9780764231827 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
All of England thinks Phillip Camden a monster--a man who deliberately caused the deaths of his squadron. But as nurse Arabelle Denler watches the so-dubbed "Black Heart" every day, she sees something far different: a hurting man desperate for mercy. And when their paths twist together and he declares himself her new protector, she realizes she has her own role to play in his healing.

Phillip Camden would have preferred to die that day with his squadron rather than be recruited to the Admiralty's codebreaking division. The threats he receives daily are no great surprise and, in his opinion, well deserved. What comes as a shock is the reborn desire to truly live that Arabelle inspires in him. But an old acquaintance shows up and seems set on using him in a plot against England, he may not survive now that he's found a reason to live.


My Review:
On Wings of Devotion is a suspenseful Christian romance set in February and March of 1918 in England. This novel is the 2nd in the series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, and this story didn't spoil the previous book.

Phillip feels that he deserves death for a series of bad decisions that he made, but at least he can still help the people he cares about. Arabelle longs for a stable family, but she's willing to give up even that if God asks it of her. When Phillip Camden informs her that her fiance has not been faithful to her, she believes God has asked her not only to do that but to pray for the man who brought the bad news. Phillip is so impressed that he's determined to protect her from men who only want her money.

The main characters acted realistically, were engaging, and I cared about what happened to them. The hero and heroine respected and supported each other. Each had hurts from the past that the other helped to heal through their kind words and actions. The suspense came from danger to the hero's life as well as a plot against England. There was no sex or bad language (though Phillip did use swear words like blighted, blamed, and blasted). Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable spy-and-code novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes by G. K. Chesterton, Jacques Futrelle

The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes by G. K. Chesterton, Jacques Futrelle ISBN-13: 9780486838618 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Dover Publications Released: December 18th 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Enthralled by the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Victorian readers around the world developed a fascination with eccentric detectives and bizarre crimes. Featuring an international array of authors and characters, this compilation of 16 short stories showcases the best of the mysteries inspired by the Baker Street sleuth. Their heroes range from famous figures like G. K. Chesterton's Father Brown and Maurice Leblanc's Arsene Lupin to lesser-known but equally captivating characters.

"The Problem of the Stolen Rubens," by Jacques Futrelle, centers on Professor Van Dusen, also known as The Thinking Machine, whose superior mental powers and dispassionate approach resemble Holmes'. Robert Barr's "The Absent Minded Coterie" presents French detective Eugène Valmont, a cultured and elegant gentleman . . . but a rather poor investigator. "The Murder at Troyte's Hill," by Catherine L. Pirkis, "The Ninescore Mystery," by The Scarlet Pimpernel author Baroness Orczy, and "Cinderella's Slipper," by Hugh C. Weir, feature a Victorian novelty—a detective heroine. Holmesians and other lovers of old-time mysteries will thrill to these tales of dark deeds and their discovery.


My Review:
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 16 short story mysteries that were originally written between 1892 and 1914. Each story contained one clever person – a detective, private investigator, thief or murderer, or even a servant. The stories were supposedly inspired by Sherlock Holmes, and some of the private investigators did have similarities with him. Most of the stories told the mystery in a way that you could guess whodunit from the clues. I didn't find most of the mysteries difficult to solve, though the stories were fun to read anyway. Some of the series detectives were interesting enough that I will look up other stories by that author. The stories came from writers all over the world: England, France, America, Australia, etc. There was no sex. There was only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this collection to people who enjoy old, clue based mysteries.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren ISBN-13: 9780800735845 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Revell Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the man she nearly killed. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost? In order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers.


My Review:
The Way of the Brave is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The author thoroughly convinced me to never climb to tall, snow-covered, windy peaks. If something could go wrong, it did go wrong on their way down. It was clear that God had a hand in what was happening since one disaster led the rescuers to the women and another led them to find something that needed to be found. But the suspense was high as accidents kept happening and people were injured. There was also tension because of the guilt that Jenny carried about what happened to Orion, someone she cared about and didn't want to hate her.

Jenny was a skilled, capable climber, and it was a freak wind that blew them into danger. I did wonder why Orion, a PJ and mountain rescue worker who explained to a group why they needed a guide prepared for certain emergencies, didn't bring along some critical things for the rescue. Otherwise, he seemed very capable as well. All the main characters worked well together. Jenny and Orion supported and encouraged each other.

Both Jenny and Orion questioned why God would let innocent people suffer and if God was really interested in rescuing them. Their friends later discussed with them why God might have let them get in trouble on the mountain and how God can use difficult situations to heal and shape us. There was some intense kissing, but there was no sex. One couple nearly went too far, but that added tension (guilt) to the relationship. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this intense and suspenseful novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Tasha Alexander

In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Tasha Alexander ISBN-13: 9781250164735 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Some corpses lie undisturbed longer than others. But when Lady Emily discovers a body hidden in plain sight amongst the ruins of Pompeii, it still comes as quite a shock.

Eager to explore ancient sites and modern archaeological digs, Lady Emily jumps at the chance to accompany her dearest childhood friend Ivy Brandon on an excursion to Italy. Soon old friends are joined by new, including the American siblings Benjamin and Calliope Carter (he, a moody painter, and she, a freethinking archaeologist capable of sparring with even the Duke of Bainbridge's most devious flirtations). But when the two women, along with Emily's devoted husband Colin Hargreaves, uncover a corpse and the police dismiss the murder as the work of local gangsters, Lady Emily investigates.

But an artful murderer is nothing compared to the sudden appearance of a beautiful young woman who claims a shocking relationship to the Hargreaves family. As Colin warms to the girl, Emily must endure an endless stream of slights and snubs. Someone else has it out for Emily, too, someone who keeps sending her threats. Undaunted, Lady Emily's desire to unearth the truth takes her from Pompeii to Naples.


My Review:
In the Shadow of Vesuvius is a mystery set in 1902 in Italy. It's the 14th in a series. You can understand this book without reading the previous ones. This book spoiled some events from previous books since Colin's daughter by a previous love shows up to cause trouble in his marriage to Lady Emily.

The author alternated between the mystery and a story about a poetess who lived in Pompeii at the time of the eruption. The story set at the time of the eruption has little to do with the mystery and seems mainly to show what life was like in the city at the time. The author clearly did a lot of research for Pompeii for both time periods and wove these details into the story. Emily and Colin asked questions, followed up clues, and considered possible scenarios until she figured out what was going on and whodunit. She was intelligent, competent, and likable. The other characters were also interesting. I was able to guess whodunit long before Lady Emily, though.

There were no sex scenes. There were only a few uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason

Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason ISBN-13: 9780800729349 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Revell Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her, former military psychiatrist Brooke Adams has set up shop to help others--but her days of helping military personnel are over. She's got her own battles to fight from her time overseas, and she's not equipped to take on more. Former Army Special Ops Sergeant First Class Asher James could handle anything that war sent his way--terrorists, bombs, bullets. The only thing that scares him now is sleep. As the shadows close in, the nightmares begin.

Finally convinced that he needs help, Asher makes an appointment with a counselor and asks for Brooke. When he arrives at her office she isn't there--but a dead body is. Brooke is devastated when she walks in. When it becomes clear that Brooke was the real target of the attack, Asher vows to protect her no matter what.


My Review:
Collateral Damage is a Christian romantic suspense. Both Brooke and Asher were dealing with PTSD as well as unsupportive families. The suspense came from repeated, violent attempts to get something from Brooke. They needed to figure out what was going on, why she was a target, and who was behind the attacks. The main characters were kind people who reacted realistically to events. Brooke and Asher supported each other, built each other up, and made a good team. There were other characters involved in solving the mystery and saving innocents from being killed. I look forward to their stories.

The Christians believed in the innate worth of human life because God created each person. This motivated their actions in the story. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting story.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer ISBN-13: 9780373836062 Paperback: 416 pages Publisher: Harlequin Released: 1928; April 2004

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Their infamous adventurer father has taught Prudence and her brother Robin to be masters of disguise. Ending up on the wrong side of the Jacobite rebellion, brother and sister flee to London on their father's orders, with Prudence pretending to be a dashing young buck and Robin a lovely young lady.

Then Prudence meets the elegant Sir Anthony Fanshawe, and Robin becomes the mysterious hero of the charming Letitia Grayson. In order to have what they truly want, the two masqueraders must find a way to unmask themselves without losing their lives. Their father arrives with a scheme to make them all respectable, but their disguises (and his plans) could fail at any moment.


My Review:
The Masqueraders is a historical adventure with some romance. I wasn't expecting to like this story due to the deception involved. Yet I ended up feeling like this was one of Heyer's better stories in terms of pacing and how one event set up the next and that led to the next.

The brother and sister think quickly and manage to successfully fool society with their disguises. It wasn't clear--even to them--why they needed to be in London (which was why they required the disguise). The reason finally given was in perfect line with their father's personality, though, and he was the one who ordered them there.

Since each sibling spent most of the book in disguise, there were few traditional "romance scenes" though Anthony and Robin each got to play the hero. I loved Sir Anthony Fanshawe. He had the most awesome "start a fight without anyone realizing it was on purpose" scene. The main characters were full of personality and played off each other well so that this somewhat-serious story was still full of humorous moments.

There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written, humorous adventure novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac ISBN-13: 9781492699590 Paperback: 240 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: January 6th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Garths had farmed their fertile acres for generations, and fine land it was with the towering hills of the Lake Country on the far horizon. Here hot-tempered Robert Garth, still hale and hearty at eighty-two, ruled Garthmere Hall with a rod of iron. Until, that is, old Garth was found dead–'dead as mutton'–in the trampled mud of the ancient shed.

Glowering clouds gather over the dramatic dales and fells as seasoned investigator Chief Inspector Macdonald arrives in the north country. Awaiting him are the reticent Garths and their guarded neighbours of the Lune Valley; and a battle of wits to unearth their murderous secrets.

First published in 1944, Fell Murder is a tightly-paced mystery with authentic depictions of its breathtaking locales and Second World War setting. This edition also includes the rare E.C.R. Lorac short story 'The Live Wire'.


My Review:
Fell Murder is a mystery set in England that was published in 1944. The locals are turned off by the local inspector, so halfway into the story Chief Inspector Macdonald is called in to solve the difficult case. He knew how to gain the local's trust and get the clues needed to solve the mystery. This was a clue-based mystery. Whodunit was guessable, but a lot of misdirection was also worked into the case. The characters were varied and interesting. There was a fair amount of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I would recommend this interesting mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Winter of Despair by Cora Harrison

Winter of Despair by Cora Harrison ISBN-13: 9780727889126 Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Severn House Publishers Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
November, 1853. Inspector Field has summoned his friends Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins to examine a body found in an attic studio, its throat cut. Around the body lie the lacerated fragments of canvas of a painting titled A Winter of Despair.

Wilkie realizes he recognizes the victim, for he had been due to dine with him that very evening. The dead man is Edwin Milton-Hayes, one of Wilkie's brother Charley's artist friends. But what is the significance of the strange series of faceless paintings Milton-Hayes had been worked on when he died? With his own brother under suspicion of murder, Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens set out to uncover the truth.


My Review:
Winter of Despair is a mystery set in 1854 in London. Wilkie Collins and his friend Charles Dickens investigated the murder along with a maid named Sesina. Sesina thinks that she's very clever and so created false clues for Inspector Field because she felt sorry for his chief suspect, Charlie Collins. However, all three were more interested in protecting people than in revealing the truth to the Inspector (unless finding the murderer would point to someone they didn't like). The murderer was never turned into police.

The characters were interesting and well developed. Historical details about what London was like at the time were woven into the story and played a role in the mystery. While the mystery was clue-based, some clues were hidden from the reader until the very end. There was no sex. There were a few uses of bad language. While the historical details were enjoyable, the mystery did not have a satisfying ending, in my opinion.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Give the Devil His Due by Sulari Gentill

Give the Devil His Due by Sulari Gentill ISBN-13: 9781464207013 Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: January 6, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Wealthy Rowland Sinclair, an artist with leftist friends and a free-wheeling lifestyle, reluctantly agrees to a charity race. He'll drive his beloved yellow Mercedes on the Maroubra Speedway, renamed the Killer Track for the lives it has claimed. His teammates are a young Errol Flynn and the well-known driver Joan Richmond. It's all good fun. But then people start to die...

The body of a journalist covering the race is found murdered in a House of Horrors. An English blueblood with Blackshirt affiliations dies in a Maroubra crash. Reporters stalk Rowly for dirt while bookmakers are after an edge. When someone takes a shot at him-it could be anyone. Then the police arrest one of Rowly's housemates for murder.

Meanwhile, the world is giving Hitler the benefit of the doubt, the Australian right rallies against Communists, and Rowly, fond of his German car and the German people, resolves to wake his world to the mounting horror of the Nazis he has experienced firsthand. Rowland Sinclair is again hurtling toward disaster with an artist, a poet, and a brazen sculptress along for the ride...


My Review:
Give the Devil His Due is a mystery set in 1934 in Australia. This is the seventh novel in a series. You don't have to read the previous books in order to follow this one.

Besides the mystery, the story involved the dangers of a romance gone wrong and of car racing. Rowley ended up in quite bad shape between all three storylines. The mystery was a clue-based. Rowley and his friends asked questions and followed up on clues because the detective on the case felt that one of Rowley's friends was the murderer. Interesting historical details were woven into the the story. The main characters were interesting, engaging people.

There was a fair amount of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting novel.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Kit and Elizabeth by Karen Tuft

Kit and Elizabeth by Karen Tuft ISBN-13: 9781524412012 Paperback: 269 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: December 1st 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lady Elizabeth Spaulding’s world has fallen apart. Despite living her entire life to please her demanding parents, the Duke and Duchess of Marwood, she has little to show for it. After Elizabeth’s second failed betrothal, her father’s debts and appalling acts of retaliation force him to flee the country, consigning Elizabeth and her bitter mother to a life of poverty and exile. But Elizabeth’s fortunes change one day when an elderly acquaintance makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

Lady Walmsley, widowed and childless, is in need of a lady’s companion—and who better than the lovely Lady Elizabeth? Determined to rescue Elizabeth from her dreary life in the country, Lady Walmsley secures the help of Kit, the dashing Earl of Cantwell. But the young woman they find is a ghost of the charming girl they once knew. Taken in by Lady Walmsley, and with Kit’s enthusiastic encouragement, Elizabeth finds herself pushed to discover the joy of truly living. Now, for the first time in her life, she must decide for herself who she is and make her own choices.


My Review:
Kit and Elizabeth is a historical romance set in 1812 and 1813 in England. The main characters were likable, engaging people. Elizabeth was so used to doing what she was told to do (in hopes of gaining her parents approval and love) that she had to learn how to make her own decisions and figure out what she liked and disliked. She also had to realize that not everything was her fault since her parents blamed her for everything, including their own poor decisions.

Kit is a man of action, but he got better at listening to people's concerns by the end. However, I wasn't comfortable with how he pushed Elizabeth to do things she wasn't ready to do yet. Since her parents bullied her, it didn't seem nice that the well-meaning people in her life also bullied her at first. On the other hand, Kit never asked her to do something dangerous or refused to listen to her concerns (unless the concern was what people would think of her). By the end, they were good at listening to each other and building each other up.

The time period was more of a backdrop than a well-researched part of the story. Elizabeth and Kit went off by themselves (with no chaperone) on multiple occasions. Elizabeth showed herself in mixed company when soaking wet in thin gowns but was more concerned about not looking her best rather than how indecent it was. The author also didn't seem to know much about saddles based on how she described Elizabeth riding in front of Kit. But there was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this clean Regency romance.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

And Dangerous to Know by Darcie Wilde

And Dangerous to Know by Darcie Wilde ISBN-13: 9781496720863 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Kensington Released: December 31st 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Lady Melbourne has hired Rosalind Thorne to recover a packet of highly sensitive private letters stolen from her desk. The contents of these letters hold great interest for the famous poet Lord Byron, who had carried on a notorious public affair with Lady Melbourne's daughter-in-law, the inconveniently unstable Lady Caroline Lamb. Rosalind is to take up residence in Melbourne House, posing as Lady Melbourne's confidential secretary. There, she must discover the thief and regain possession of the letters before any further scandal erupts.

Rosalind learns from the Bow Street runner, Adam Harkness, that an unidentified woman was found dead in the courtyard of Melbourne House. The coroner has determined she was poisoned. Adam urges Rosalind to use her new position in the household to help solve the murder. As she begins to untangle a web of secrets and blackmail, Rosalind finds she must risk her own life to bring the desperate business to an end.


My Review:
And Dangerous to Know is a mystery set in 1817 in London, England. This is the third book in the series. You don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the previous mysteries.

This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. Rosalind, Harkness (and those helping them) asked questions and collected information in their different ways. Rosalind was clever, but the mystery was complex and twisty. Whodunit was guessable but not obvious. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. The historical details were woven into the story, and the author clearly put research time into getting those details correct.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting mystery.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.