The Sheriff's Surrender by Susan Page Davis

The Sheriff's Surrender by Susan Page Davis ISBN-13: 978-1602605626 Kindle: 323 pages Publisher: Tea Tin Press Released: December 18th 2016

Source: Free ebook.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Gert Dooley can shoot the tail feathers off a jay at a hundred yards, but she wants rancher Ethan Chapman to see she’s more than a crack shot with a firearm. When the sheriff of Fergus, Idaho is murdered, Ethan is named his replacement. The women in town are scared to think a murderer is loose among them, so Gert forms the Ladies' Shooting Club to teach them how to protect themselves, their homes, and their families.

Ethan didn’t ask to be named sheriff, but he accepts the position and takes on the investigation of the former lawman’s mysterious death. Now he’s between a rock and a hard place—being pressured by the town’s women to restore order and safety to Fergus, and being pressured by the men who insist Ethan disband the upstart Ladies’ Shooting Club. Another murder sends Ethan to Gert and her ladies for help in the investigation. But will the Ladies’ Shooting Club unmask the murderer before he strikes again?


My Review:
The Sheriff's Surrender is a humorous Christian romance (with the mystery) set in 1885 in Idaho. Ethan and his friend tried to solve a murder even though they had no training and only a few clues. The women of the town went to Gert to learn how to shoot to protect themselves, which some of the men don't like. Ethan faced pressure from these men to stop the gun practice but the women pressured him to allow them to help patrol the town until the murderer was caught. These women were capable, interesting characters that started to bond despite their many differences. The light humor came from these differences and amusing situations. Ethan and Gert admired each other's character and worked well together.

My only problem with the story is that some things were left unresolved. Gert figured out whodunit (which is eventually guessable from the clues) and several women were involved in the showdown. We're not told exactly who did what in the critical moments. Even though there were witnesses, two women remained in jail at the end, one of whom claimed to have helped. I don't understand why this was left unclear and unresolved. There was no sex about language. Overall, I 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.

Bound in Shallows by Stephanie Black

Bound in Shallows by Stephanie Black ISBN-13: 9781524415242 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Covenant Communications Released: November 2nd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
It’s the week before her wedding, and Natalie Marsh doesn’t have a moment to spare. But when a potential donor requests a meeting regarding Natalie’s mental health clinic, the soon-to-be-bride makes time for the conversation—especially since that donor is tied to a tragedy in the life of Natalie’s fiancé, Gideon: eight years ago, Gideon’s roommate Travis died of a drug overdose. Now Travis’s mother wants to honor his memory by helping others avoid the same fate. It is a noble request that soon turns into a nightmare.

As wedding celebrations ensue, old friends renew acquaintances. But what begins as a party of wedding guests becomes a cast of suspects when the discovery of a bloodstained knife puts them all under the spotlight. Things are taking a deadly turn, leading Natalie and Gideon to a horrifying realization: all those years ago, Travis didn’t overdose—he was murdered. And his killer is willing to take deadly action to silence anyone who suspects the truth.


My Review:
Bound in Shallows is a suspense/mystery novel. This book is the fourth in a series, but it works as a standalone. Not only does Natalie have to deal with solving a murder while preparing for her wedding, but a potential donor threatens to drastically change her clinic or get Natalie fired if she refuses to cooperate. Talk about stress!

Natalie and Gideon were kind, honest, engaging characters, and I cared about what happened to them. They asked good questions and passed on any clues or information to the police even when that information might make them look guilty. There were enough clues that I was able to guess whodunit, but it was also possible that a second character could have done it so I wasn't sure until nearly the end.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful 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.

A Lady Compromised by Darcie Wilde

A Lady Compromised by Darcie Wilde ISBN-13: 9781496720870 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Kensington Publishing Released: November 24th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Rosalind is pleased when she's invited to Cassel House to help her friend, Louisa, prepare for her upcoming wedding. But that's not the only event on her agenda. The trip will also afford Rosalind the chance to see Devon Winterbourne, the newly minted Duke of Casselmaine. Devon and Rosalind were on the verge of betrothal before the infamous Thorne family scandal derailed their courtship. Now Rosalind wonders if there's a chance their love might reignite.

Devon is as handsome as Rosalind remembers and it's clear the attraction they once shared hasn't waned. But their time together is interrupted by one crisis after another--not the least of which is an awkwardly timed request for help from Louisa's friend, Helen Corbyn.

Not long ago, the untimely death of Helen's brother, William, was ruled a suicide, but few people truly believe he took his own life. Helen needs to know what really happened--especially since she's engaged to the man some suspect of secretly killing William.

While Rosalind desperately wants to help, she fears her efforts might cast a pall over Louisa's nuptials, not to mention her reunion with Devon. But when another untimely death rocks the ton, Rosalind has no choice but to uncover the truth before more people die...even if her actions threaten her future with Devon.


My Review:
A Lady Compromised is a mystery set in 1817 in England. Though, this book was as much about deciding on her future and the focus of her romantic interest as it was on solving the mystery. This is the fourth 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 (and those helping her) asked good questions and collected information. Rosalind was clever, but it took a bit to get those who knew important information to disclose it. Whodunit was guessable but not obvious. The characters were interesting and reacted realistically to events. The historical details were usually woven into the story. The author clearly researched the manners and etiquette of the time, and she gave an info dump about table manners at one point (which was interesting to me but wasn't really necessary to the story).

There was no sex. There was occasional use 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.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano ISBN-13: 9780764235313 Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: November 17th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After a childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she'd put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. In the middle of breaking into a safe that may hold the proof to prove her friend's innocence, Gabriella is interrupted by Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend—until he abandoned her.

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he'd be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.


My Review:
To Steal a Heart is a romantic comedy set in 1886 in New York City. The characters got into silly situations, mainly involving Gabriella and her friends from the boardinghouse wearing disguises or otherwise doing unusual activities while investigating various cases. Nicholas had taken on too many of the values of the high-class social circle he now moved in, and Gabriella reminded him about how other people lived and that they had value. Nicholas became a better person due to Gabriella's influence. They supported each other and others who faced injustice. They made a good team. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this humorous 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.

The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas

The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas ISBN-13: 9780764234019 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: November 3rd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Thirteen-year-old Loyal Raines is supposed to stay close to home on a hot summer day in 1934. When he slips away for a quick swim in the river, he unexpectedly finds a dead body. The ripples caused by his discovery will impact the town of Beverly, West Virginia, in ways no one could have imagined.

The first person those ripples disturb is Loyal's absentee father. When Creed Raines realized his infant son was deaf, he headed for the hills, only doing his part to help meet his family's basic needs. But when Loyal, now a young teen, stumbles upon a murder it's his father he runs to tell--shaping the words with his hands. As Creed is pulled into the investigation he discovers that what sets his son apart isn't his inability to hear but rather his courage. Longing to reclaim the life he abandoned, Creed will have to do more than help solve a murder if he wants to win his family's hearts again.


My Review:
The Right Kind of Fool is historical fiction set in 1934 in West Virginia. A mystery motivated the events and was the focus of the story, but the point of the story was how the family came to appreciate each other and united once again. Loyal's father was asked to help the sheriff solve the crime. Loyal didn't see the actual murder but saw enough that he knew critical clues. Two other kids were involved, including one who's at ease interacting with him even though he's deaf. The adults didn't initially realize that Loyal had useful information, and later Loyal wanted to solve the mystery by himself to prove that he didn't need to be isolated and protected. The father (and mother) and the kids made some bad decisions for good reasons, and they had to work through the consequences of those actions. They learned and grew from it, becoming better people.

The main characters were complex, realistic people. The mystery was interesting and based on some historical things that were happening at the time. The historical details were woven into the story and brought the time period to life in my imagination. There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I highly recommend this well-written historical fiction.


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.

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March ISBN-13: 9781250269546 Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books Released: November 10th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
In 1892, Bombay is the center of British India. Nearby, Captain Jim Agnihotri lies in Poona military hospital recovering from a skirmish on the wild northern frontier, with little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. The case that catches Captain Jim's attention is being called the crime of the century: Two women fell from the busy university’s clock tower in broad daylight. Moved by Adi, the widower of one of the victims — his certainty that his wife and sister did not commit suicide — Captain Jim approaches the Parsee family and is hired to investigate what happened that terrible afternoon.

But in a land of divided loyalties, asking questions is dangerous. Captain Jim's investigation disturbs the shadows that seem to follow the Framji family and triggers an ominous chain of events. And when lively Lady Diana Framji joins the hunt for her sisters’ attackers, Captain Jim’s heart isn’t safe, either.

Based on a true story, and set against the vibrant backdrop of colonial India, Nev March's Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning lyrical debut, Murder in Old Bombay, brings this tumultuous historical age to life.


My Review:
Murder in Old Bombay is a mystery set in 1892 in India. The story started out with Jim carefully collecting and analyzing the evidence and asking questions of the various suspects. He was trying to follow the methods of his literary hero, Sherlock Holmes. But some of his witnesses were now in areas involved in fighting or were otherwise difficult to get to. The story turned into a suspense as Jim headed into danger using his wits and talent for disguise to save not just himself but others as well. Throughout the story, Jim was interested in the sister of his employer, an intelligent, beautiful, and bold young woman. She becomes his friend as much as his employer and the rest of the family, but their romance is forbidden due to their ethnic and religious differences. The story ended with their trying to figure out if they could marry without dire consequences to themselves and her family.

Due to the danger stirred up by Jim asking questions as well as the politics of the time, there was plenty of suspense as Jim narrowly avoided death again and again. The historical and cultural details were deftly woven into the story without slowing the pacing and brought the story to life in my imagination. The mystery was clue-based. Jim asked good questions and was clever in how he collected his evidence. The characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically to events. I cared about what happened to them. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting, engaging 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.

Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, Erica Vetsch

Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, Erica Vetsch ISBN-13: 9780825477195 ebook: 336 pages Publisher: Kregel Publications Released: October 13, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. Can they ever overcome their fears to find their way back into each other's arms?

"Far as the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the beautify but timid widow there.


My Review:
Joy to the World is a collection of three short story romances set in the Regency period. The main characters were all likable people. In the first story, a couple that wanted to be married now had a second chance at love. The heroine had to overcome her shame about hurting the man she loved when she rejected his marriage offer and find the courage to acknowledge that she still loves him. In the second and third story, the hero and heroine saw the beauty and good character of the other and built each other up. In the second story, two hurting people reached out and helped each other even though society rejected them. The heroine explained how she could still believe in God after everything bad that had happened, and this helped the hero break through the darkness in his life. In the third story, the heroine needed to break free from the stifling control of her mother-in-law. The kind, confident hero showed his interest in her life and opinions, which helped her find the courage to pursue the life she wanted. In each story, characters looked to God for guidance and comfort. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable collection.


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.

Fatal Identity by Jodie Bailey

Fatal Identity by Jodie Bailey ISBN-13: 9781335403179 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: November 10th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
At her partner’s Christmas wedding in the mountains, deputy US marshal Dana Santiago’s almost abducted—and only the quick actions of Alex “Rich” Richardson save her. Now Dana and Rich must work together to figure out why the kidnappers seem willing to go to any lengths to capture her. But to find the truth they must first dig up her family’s long-buried past…


My Review:
Fatal Identity is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Though a part of the series, it can be read as a standalone. The main characters were likable and capable, and they reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from constant attacks on Dana, and she's not sure why she's a target. She's also worried about losing her job because of a connection that she did not know about that she has to two serious criminals.

She's married to her job, and Rich lived in a different city. Rich also blamed himself for not being good enough to save his fiancée when she was targeted because of him, so he struggled with Dana putting herself in danger even though she was capable agent. She was willing to have someone watch her back, but she wasn't going to avoid danger if it meant getting answers and bringing down the bad guys. Though they're attracted and worked well together, the question all along was if they were willing to make changes to be married to each other. So it kind of worked that they got married immediately upon resolving these issues.

They both struggled with trusting that God had planned everything, was in control, and could use bad things to good purposes. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I recommend this enjoyable suspense 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.

The Escape by Lisa Harris

The Escape by Lisa Harris ISBN-13: 9780800737306 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Released: November 3rd 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are thrust into a high-profile case when they are called on to transport two prisoners across the country on a private plane. But when the plane experiences engine trouble en route from the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, the pilots crash-land the aircraft deep in the heart of the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest.

When Madison and Jonas regain consciousness, they find both pilots and one prisoner dead--and one fugitive on the run. They'll have to negotiate the rugged and remote backcountry to the big cities while tracking a murderer who is desperate to disappear--and will do anything to stop them.


My Review:
The Escape is a romantic suspense novel. Due to the physical danger to the main characters and bystanders as well as the race to catch the fugitive in time, there was a great deal of suspense. Madison and Jonas worked well together as a team and appreciated the other persons' strengths and talents. They were just beginning to be romantically attracted in this book, despite Madison's lingering grief for her dead husband and Jonas' conviction that he shouldn't date a coworker. The story ended with a cliffhanger of sorts relating to the murder of Madison's husband.

My main problem was that the characters didn't feel realistic, or at least relatable. They went through a scary plane crash, but they weren't nervous about flying on a plane...and they do so several times in their pursuit of the fugitive. No one even thought about the possibility of fear about getting on another plane. They were injured in the plane crash, but those injuries disappeared very quickly. No one suggested that maybe they should go to the hospital to be checked out or allow someone else to take over the fugitive hunt. They did something that they knew was probably unwise at the beginning of the story and it made the situation much worse, but neither one questioned if they were making good decisions because of this; they promptly forgave themselves and moved on.

Though by Christian publisher, the only Christian content was a couple references to "she prayed" (that it would work, for example). There was no sex or bad language.


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.

Delayed Justice by Shirlee McCoy

Delayed Justice by Shirlee McCoy ISBN-13: 9781335574701 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Released: November 10th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Detective Bradley McGregor and his K-9 partner, King, come to the rescue when journalist Sasha Eastman’s targeted by a shooter who looks just like her mother’s murderer. But that killer supposedly died years ago in a shootout with the police. Now it’s up to Bradley and King to protect Sasha…but how can they stop a killer who’s already dead?


My Review:
Delayed Justice is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the eighth book in a series, but each novel can be read as a stand alone. Sasha's shot at by a man who looks just like the man who murdered her mother. Only, he's dead. The shooter's also bold: he shot at her right in front of Detective Bradley, a man that she wanted to interview for her TV show. Bradley's concerned that she'll use this opportunity to get the personal details about his difficult past, but she clearly needs his and his K-9's protection.

The main characters worked hard to overcome difficult pasts. They were likable and reacted realistically to events. The suspense came from the repeated attempts to kill Sasha and their need to figure out who the attacker was and why he wanted to kill her. After wrapping up that case, Sasha used her investigative skills to help wrap up the ongoing murder investigation involving a recent murder that mirrored the murder of Bradley's parents.

There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this exciting 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.

The Promised Land by Elizabeth Musser

The Promised Land by Elizabeth Musser ISBN-13: 9780764234453 Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Bethany House Released: November 3, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
With her oldest son taking a gap year in Europe, her aging father losing his sight and his memory, and her husband of twenty years announcing that he's leaving her, Abbie Bartholomew Jowett is surrounded by overwhelming loss.

Desperate to mend her marriage and herself, she follows her son, Bobby, to walk the famed Camino pilgrimage. During their journey they encounter Rasa, an Iranian woman working in secret helping other refugees, and Caroline, a journalist who is studying pilgrims on the Camino while searching for answers from her broken past.

Each individual has their own reasons for the pilgrimage, but together they learn that the Camino strips you bare and calls you into deep soul-searching that can threaten all your best laid plans.


My Review:
The Promised Land is Christian general fiction. The story was told from several viewpoints, and we switched between these viewpoints. Each character was well-developed, complex, and came across as a real person struggling with real problems. They reacted very realistically to events, and I cared about what happened to them. Abbie was afraid of losing the people she loved to an accident or disease, and she expressed her fear by using her talent for organization to control every aspect of her family's lives. Suddenly, she had to deal with her son going on a pilgrimage in Europe, her husband saying that he needed some space from her for a few months, and worries about her father's health. She ended up inviting herself along on her son's pilgrimage to chaperone his sudden romance. The pilgrimage helped her work through why she was so controlling and to regain healthy relationships.

Bobby had a history of reaching out to hurting people, and he tragically lost a previous girlfriend. His family expressed concerned when he decided to date someone that he just met: an Iranian refugee with a tragic past of her own. He had to deal with this past loss while also helping his girlfriend deal with her past as they walked the pilgrimage road. Finally, Caroline blamed herself for what happened to a close friend, though there was nothing she could actually have done to save her friend. She's spent years trying to discover what happened to her missing friend, only to discover that a fellow pilgrim has the answers.

All of the main characters had to reach out to God to find healing as they could not change themselves or their circumstances on their own. There was no sex or bad language beyond several uses of the word cr*p. Overall, I'd highly recommend this touching, interesting 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.