Framed in Death Valley by Dana Mentink

Framed in Death Valley
by Dana Mentink

ISBN-13: 9781335405074
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: March 9th 2021


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Framed for a murder he didn't commit, hotel owner Beckett Duke gave up on everything--including his marriage to spirited Laney Holland. That is, until Laney's life is threatened. Knowing the real killer is still at large, Beckett now has one purpose: protecting the woman he loves...and their unborn child. But sometimes an innocent man's second chance comes with a deadly price.


My Review:
Framed in Death Valley is a Christian suspense novel. After accidentally seriously injuring someone in high school, Beckett was labeled a monster by many of the town's folk. When he found a dead body and the evidence pointed towards him, little effort was made to look elsewhere. Wanting to free his wife from being married to a man with a horrible reputation, he sent her divorce papers. He's released on a technicality, but the relatives of the dead woman are determined to get their own revenge, starting with Beckett's wife and unborn child. Laney's heart was broken when she received the divorce papers, but she accepts Beckett's protection and begins to realize how deeply Beckett hates himself. Laney struggles to trust him with her love even as she helps him learn to forgive himself for past mistakes and to see his own worth.

The suspense came from the ongoing danger to both Beckett and Laney, the relationship tensions, and the mystery of who really did kill the murdered women. They must discover and prove the true murderer to clear Beckett's name and stop the attacks. The main characters were more developed than is typical for a short romantic suspense like this, and I enjoyed how the characters grew as people and learned to build each other up. The focus was on Beckett and Laney's relationship and their surviving the attacks while the mystery of whodunit was mostly solved by another character. 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.