Detecting Deadly Threats by Carol J. Post

Detecting Deadly Threats
by Carol J. Post
Narrated by Emma Lysy

ISBN-13: 9781488236730
Audiobook, Unabridged
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Released: December 30, 2025

Source: audiobook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Amateur photographer Lauren Hollander narrowly escapes a kidnapping attempt—moments before a disastrous earthquake rocks her small town, destroying her store. She’s saved from the rubble by Zachery Kimball and his search and rescue K-9, Ranger. Someone is determined to get to Lauren—but who, and why? Is it tied to her brother’s criminal past? Or are the culprits after the pictures on her camera? Under Zach and Ranger’s protection, Lauren races to discover the truth behind all the attacks.


My Review:
Detecting Deadly Threats is a Christian romantic suspense. Lauren's had cancer, can't have kids, and has decided no man would stick around through the uncertainty of her future (especially if he wanted kids). Zach always assumed he'd get married and have kids once he got where he wanted to in his job, but now he has to raise his nephew. To keep the nephew out of trouble, he's moved to a small town and rented the apartment over Lauren's jewelry shop. Then an earthquake collapses the building on top of Lauren just as someone is trying to kidnap her. Zach and his rescue K9 were nearby and find Lauren in the rubble.

Lauren was attracted to the selflessness showed by Zach in raising his nephew and in protecting her during her troubles. She encouraged Zach when he felt like nothing he did with his nephew worked out right, and she started to bond with the kid. Zach admired how Lauren calmly dealt with her troubles and even encouraged others instead of falling into self-pity.

The main characters were engaging and reacted realistically to events. However, the bad guys seemed pretty stupid to keep coming after Lauren for the reason they gave at the end, especially as they risked getting caught each time they tried to kidnap her and risked very little by leaving her alone. Anyway, Zach brought his nephew to Lauren's church, where he made some friends. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this fun novel.

The narrator of the audiobook did a good job of saying the text in a way consistent with the text (with surprise if surprised, etc.) and spoke in a way that kept my interest. It was easy to follow who was talking and what was going on.


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.

Shielded by the Cowboy by Connie Queen

Shielded by the Cowboy
by Connie Queen

ISBN-13: 9781335957498
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: December 30, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Pregnant widow Holly Myers just wants a fresh start for her and her unborn child, but when she witnesses a double murder, she becomes a target. On the run, she finds refuge with former deputy Clive Cantrell, who is determined to keep her safe. But with killers on their trail who’ll stop at nothing to silence Holly, staying alive might just be impossible. Especially when clues link the murders to a drug trafficking operation hidden on Clive’s family’s ranch. And stopping the criminals could prove lethal for them both.


My Review:
Shielded by the Cowboy is a romantic suspense. Holly's husband died in a car accident and her mother-in-law wants her baby when it's born. She's got money and influence and Holly doesn't even have family support, so Holly moved to a small town to get some distance from her influence and make her own life. Clive's wife was shot while standing next to him, and she lost their baby and divorced him. He feels like a failure as a protector. Protecting Holly and her unborn baby will prove to everyone (including himself) that he can do it.

I loved Holly. She's learning to stand up for herself, quick thinking, determined, and willing to accept protection because she needs help. Clive was very sweet to her and protective, which she liked, and he came with a supportive family (unlike her own). I think she was hooked early on.

Clive got along well with Holly. He didn't trust his judgment because he was so far wrong with his ex-wife (with an affair uncovered during the story), yet he proposed marriage within 3 days of meeting Holly. Um, I can see your judgment problem comes from rushing things, Clive... They married after 11 weeks, 2 weeks before the baby's due. While they seemed a good match and I enjoyed the story, it felt to me like he was trying to slip back into the life he lost (with a pregnant wife) now that he successfully saved her from harm.

The suspense came from non-stop danger to Holly because the bad guys wanted to prevent her from becoming a witness against them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel with enjoyable characters.


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.

Whispers at Painswick Court by Julie Klassen

Whispers at Painswick Court
by Julie Klassen

ISBN-13: 9780764244865
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: December 2, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Anne Loveday, a surgeon's daughter, is determined to live a single, useful life. To escape her matchmaking stepmother, she accepts an invitation from an old friend to return to Painswick, the place she and her sister spent many happy summers until that last, fateful year.

Soon after arriving, Anne is asked to serve as sick-room nurse to Lady Celia, who forbade her nephew to marry Anne's sister years before. Pushing aside resentments, Anne moves into Painswick Court, a shadowy old house rumored to be haunted. Also in residence are Lady Celia's spinster daughter, her handsome adult nephews, and a secretive new lady's maid. Two local doctors visit regularly as well, one of whom admires Anne while concealing secrets of his own. As an escalating series of mishaps befalls her patient, Anne realizes someone is trying to kill the woman. But who? When Anne finds herself a suspect and her determination to avoid romance challenged, can she discover the real killer--and protect her heart--before it's too late?


My Review:
Whispers at Painswick Court is a romance and mystery set in 1821 in England. Someone's trying to kill Lady Celia while making it look like an accident or natural causes. Anne's skilled in medical care (both herbal and what she's learned from her surgeon father) and quickly treated Lady Celia to save her life. Nonetheless, several people threw doubt on Anne's abilities and good intentions, so she took steps to protect her reputation. Anne often happened to overhear or see snippets of important conversations, and she's observant and questioned things. She gathered information and tried to sort out who had motive and was actually involved. There was plenty of clever misdirection, and it seemed like more than one person might be involved. I really enjoyed the mystery.

The characters were interesting and acted in realistic ways. The younger doctor was clearly interested in Anne and showed his confidence in her abilities when others didn't. He was happy to hear her thoughts about various treatments and helped her overcome her feeling that she should have been able to save her mother's life. Anne had sworn she'd stay single, but someone so supportive and willing to involve her in his work was very tempting. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable 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.

At Morning's Light by Lauraine Snelling; Kiersti Giron

At Morning's Light
by Lauraine Snelling;
Kiersti Giron

ISBN-13: 9780764243530
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: December 2, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Newlywed Maya Bredesen and her husband plan their trek as immigrants from Norway to a new life at her cousin's boardinghouse in America, but on one last fateful fishing trip, a fierce winter storm steals away her husband. With her dreams for the future crushed, Maya is left grieving on the voyage to Iowa, accompanied instead by her brother.

Arriving at a boardinghouse spilling over with orphans and a newly-married couple, Maya struggles with grief and a lingering illness. Eventually, a new friendship develops between her and Eben Miller, the reserved, kind neighboring farmer. Just as Maya begins to recover from her wounded heart, more tragedy engulfs her.


My Review:
At Morning's Light is a Christian historical set mostly in Iowa in 1890. It's the second book in the series and mainly continued the story of Amalia and Absalom from the first story. A lot of time was spent on the cooking and other chores involved with running a boarding house. The one problem Amalia had with Absalom was finally solved by Amalia simply telling him that she felt like she saw him less now that they're married than before they married. Ironically, when he took a day off to spend with her, she spent all but a couple hours of it on cleaning and cooking. Go figure.

Maya didn't arrive in Iowa for several chapters, and, after she did, she and Eben didn't really meet or spend time together until halfway through the book. Maya helped out at his house for a while, they got along well, he thought her beautiful, and they agreed to marry. More time was spent on Eden's conflict with his father than on the romance, which is fine, just don't expect a romance-focused book.

The characters were likable, and historical details were woven into the story that brought the setting alive. Maya struggled with why God let her husband and another loved one die. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to those who enjoyed the first book in the series.


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 Snow Lies Deep by Paula Munier

The Snow Lies Deep
by Paula Munier

ISBN-13: 9781250389985
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: December 2, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Mercy and Troy are looking forward to baby Felicity’s first holiday season, and they’re determined to make it a Christmas to remember. At Northshire’s annual Solstice Soirée, Mercy's waiting in line for Felicity to sit on Santa Claus’s lap when Santa gets a phone call and disappears into the woods. By the time Elvis and Mercy find him, Santa Claus is lying on his back, dead, with a yule log burning on his chest. This strange murder is the first of a series of similar Solstice-themed killings. Mercy and Troy and the dogs must team up with Thrasher and Harrington to capture The Yuletide Killer before he strikes again.


My Review:
The Snow Lies Deep is a mystery/suspense novel. It's the 7th book in a series. You don't need to read the previous novels to understand this one, though it always helps one understand all the established relationships.

The characters were engaging, complex, and acted in realistic ways. Mercy just wanted to focus on her baby daughter's first Christmas, but the victim was someone close to her family and the assassin kept killing off people (which also disrupted the festivities). Mercy (helped by her talented service dog) tracked down clues, asked good questions, and pieced together what was going on. All while also going to Christmas events and trying to merge the Christmas traditions of her and her husband's families while making new traditions of their own.

There were only a few uses of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this novel to people who enjoy canine 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.