"Emergency Response"
​by Susan Sleeman

Darcie Stephens is attacked by a maniac who is determined to kill while she is on her way to visit a little girl that she recently saved. Darcie is terrified and struggles against her attacker trying to break free. When she finally manages to escape the hold he has on her, she begins to run to her friend’s house for protection. Her attacker has other plans though and continues to chase her down the street. She dives behind a large utility box and prays that her attacker will give up. He continues to head towards her, so out of desperation Darcie calls Noah Lockhart for help.

Noah Lockhart is a police detective and an acquaintance of Darcie’s from work. He is also on his way to visit the same family as Darcie, when he receives a phone call from Darcie telling him that someone is trying to kill her. Noah tells her that he is on his way, but is still a ways out, so he call for a back-up unit to help Darcie. Noah is angered by the fact that someone is trying to harm Darcie, and he is even more frustrated that he isn’t there to help her. When he finally arrives at the scene, he sees his fellow officers chasing the assailant down the street. Trusting that they have everything under control, he goes in search of Darcie to make sure that she is alright. When he finds her and sees that she is still alive, they believe that the other officers will catch the attacker and everything will be fine. Little do they know that this is just the beginning.

The attacker manages to escape from the officers that are chasing him, but in doing so he drops a piece of paper that has Darcie’s name on it. Upon further investigation they learn that it is a hit list and Darcie’s name is the only one that is not crossed off. Noah vows to do everything in his power to protect Darcie, but in doing so he may not be able to protect his own heart from the growing hidden feelings that he has for her. As Noah, Darcie, and the First Responders team try to figure out who is behind on all of this, they realize that no matter how hard they try to find Darcie’s attacker they are always one step behind. Will they be able to stop the attacks before it is too late? Find out by reading “Emergency Response”.
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“Emergency Response” is the fourth installment in the First Responders Series by Susan Sleeman. This book focuses on Darcie Stephens the paramedic for the First Responders unit. I have enjoyed every book in this wonderful series, and this one did not disappoint. From the very first page, this book is filled with non-stop action. I could not put the book down (literally). I read the entire book on the day that I received it. I enjoyed reconnecting with the members of the FR unit and loved the extra additions of Skylar’s husband, and Cash and Brady’s fiancées. I wish that there could have been more interaction with this wonderful “family”, but I realize that you can’t always put all of the details of their individual lives and focus on the current story in one book. I cannot wait to see wait Susan Sleeman has in store for this fantastic group of people in her next book. If you are looking for a good clean suspense book to read, then this is definitely the book for you.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
 

"A Fool & His Monet"
by Sandra Orchard

Serena Jones is on a mission to find her grandfather’s murderer and recover the painting that was stolen from his house. So what does she do, she goes and joins the FBI Art Crime Team. She passed all of her training and is ready for her first assignment. While she is undercover, the bust goes wrong and she begins to question whether or not she is really cut out for the job. After she arrives back home following the undercover case, she is approached immediately by her friend who works at the local art museum. Zoe, Serena’s best friend, reveals that two paintings have been stolen from the museum. Serena jumps right into the case and soon finds herself in a whole heap of trouble. While she is investigating the case, she is met with one obstacle after another not to mention the fact that someone is trying to kill her as well. Will Serena be able to recover the missing paintings and find the thief before it is too late, find out by reading “A Fool and His Monet”.
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​“A Fool and His Monet” is book one in the Serena Jones Mystery series by Sandra Orchard. The story is filled with excitement, adventure, and hilarious moments. One of the things that I liked about this story is that while it is a mystery and a story involving the FBI, the case and the plot about missing art was a refreshing change. I have always loved reading mystery and suspense books, but the fact that they all seem to be dealing with murder, kidnapping, stalkers, violent crimes, etc. which, though still interesting, gets a bit monotonous. That is why the change of pace in this story was very enjoyable and appreciated. I fell in love with the many different and at time quirky characters in this story. (Especially Aunt Martha) While Serena is the main character in this story, the trouble that Aunt Martha found herself in just made me laugh and shake my head. The characters in the story fit very well together and there are several men who want to date Serena throughout the book. Sandra Orchard has included a poll on her website for her readers to vote on which guy we would like to see Serena end up with. Throughout the book I found myself changing my opinion on this matter, so it was very difficult for me choose. I can’t wait to read book two in this exciting new series.
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

"Playing the Part"
​by Jen Turano

Lucetta Plum is an actress in New York City, but she must abandon her starring role when an overzealous fan begins to threaten her life. Her dear friend, Abigail Hart, will do anything to keep Lucetta safe, so she whisks Abigail away to her grandson’s castle. Of course Abigail loves any chance she can get to play matchmaker, so of course she relishes the opportunity to play matchmaker for Abigail and her grandson.

Bram Haverstein, Abigail’s grandson, appears to be a gentleman of means, but he does have his many secrets. Bram’s family and neighbors think that he is eccentric and up to something criminal. Bram knows what people think about him, but he has no intention of giving up his secrets or lifestyle.

When Abigail and Lucetta arrive at Bram’s estate, they are greeted rather rudely and are forced to leave without even meeting Bram. Not to be deterred, Abigail and Lucetta finally find a way into the estate, but they are met with blasting cannons, wild dogs, and a menacing goat. After realizing her Abigail and Lucetta are, Bram welcomes him into his house with open arms. Lucetta is grateful for a safe place to stay, but when strange things begin to happen at Bram’s estate, she begins to wonder if she is truly safe anywhere. Will Lucetta remain safe or will her crazed fan find her and make her life miserable?
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​“Playing the Part” by Jen Turano is a delightful read. The book is filled with lots of humor, crazy adventures, a hint of mystery, and a dash of romance. The story is very well written and I could not help but laugh throughout the book at the many funny things that happened to Lucetta. There are also very important lessons that we should all learn in the midst of the story: 1. We should not judge people by the outward appearance that we see; 2.  We should not try to be someone that we are not. God made us the way that He wants us and we shouldn’t try to change that; and 3. We should not make assumptions based on things that we think to be true. Many times we jump to conclusions about things when we do not even know the truth of the matter. I highly recommend this story to anyone who likes a good clean story.
 
I received a complimentary story from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
 

"Burning Proof"
​by Janice Cantore

Detective Abby Hart has been investigating the death of her parents for years. She has finally come to the realization that everyone else is right and that she has been obsessed by finding her parents killers. She has come to grips with the fact that justice will be served in God’s timing and not her own. As she moves on with her life, she puts all of her focus into solving current cases. When she finally gets the break in the case she has been working, she goes to make an arrest but things go terribly wrong. Abby begins to question her judgment and her future as a police officer. She goes to spend some time with her aunt to get away from the stress of her job. While she is visiting her aunt, she realizes that helping those that have been hurt and may no longer have a voice is her true calling after all. She returns home with a peace that she desperately needed. As she begins to put the past behind her, mysterious circumstances begin to happen that prove that someone is determined to keep the past and the truth of her parent’s deaths buried forever.

Private Investigator Luke Murphy has been seeking the truth of the Triple Seven murders just as long as Abby Hart. When Abby’s former partner, Asa Foster, dies, he tells Luke that there is proof to what truly happened on that fateful night 25 years ago. Luke comes across Asa’s old case files and finds a clue to the murders. He cannot wait to track down this new lead, but he is reluctant to share this new information with Abby. In the meantime, he joins the Cold Case Task Force. While he and his new partner Woody are awaiting a permanent spot on the Force, they are given a ten-year-old abduction case to solve. They ask Abby to help them with this case since she may be able to relate to the victim. As the three work together to solve the abduction case, there is someone that is trying to keep them from solving any case ever again. Will they be able to solve the abduction case and will they ever find out the truth of the Triple Seven murders, or will they be stopped before they ever find out the truth to either case?
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“Burning Proof” is book two in the Cold Case Justice series by Janice Cantore. The story picks up immediately where book one left off. While this book continues the story of the Triple Seven murders, there are also a couple of new cases for them to solve. While the first one is pretty much resolved in the beginning of the book, the second one lasts throughout the entire book. I was disappointed in the topic of the second case (rape) that they had to solve. I did like the fact that faith and trust in God resonate throughout the entire book. We all need to remember that we need to keep trusting in God no matter what is going on in our life.  I was looking forward to reading this book, but I was sadly a bit disappointed. While there was some mystery and suspense in this story, it seemed to be lacking the same quality that was in book one. I am still looking forward to reading book three in this series, and I can’t wait to see how they finally put together the pieces of the Triple Seven case.
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my honest review.