Anchored by Death is the first novel I’ve read by Catherine Finger. It is also the third installment of the Jo Oliver Thriller series. I am actually scheduled to also review the first two books, apparently in reverse order. That should be interesting. I cannot honestly state that this book can stand alone although I was able to understand and enjoy it. I do believe that the missing background info from the previous two books would have enhance my enjoyment tenfold.
For the most part the plot moved along at a steady rate with action scenes sharing space with routine FBI and police research. The cast includes several interesting characters, particularly Jo Oliver and agent Nick Vitarello. Their relationship is complicated. The two work well together as an investigative team but their personal relationship includes a very strong emotional attachment. Jo’s past experiences have made it difficult for her to trust men and to also question her own ability to choose. A desperate search for a dangerous serial killer whose crime spree seems to be escalating takes Jo, Nick, and the rest of their team on a dangerous and suspenseful assignment that puts their very lives in danger.
Despite beginning with the third book of the series, I did enjoy it immensely and am happy that I have the opportunity to read the previous two very soon. They may not be in order but this book raised some questions about their past that I will enjoy seeing answered. From what I’ve read thus far, I recommend Anchored by Death but strongly suggest that readers begin with Cleansed by Death and Shattered by Death.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Police Chief Jo Oliver needed a little time to herself. But when her escape to Wisconsin turns deadly, she teams up with FBI agent Nick Vitarello, hoping to catch the Bow Tie Killer. Their romantic past and complicated present leads them into uncharted territory as they match wits with a psychopath bent on destroying everything they hold dear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.
MORE FROM CATHERINE:
Thank you for your interest in the Jo Oliver thriller series. Today we celebrate Anchored by Death—book three in the series. The basic plot for this book came as a result of an FBI workshop I attended on how profilers track killers. A particular method was presented that really stuck with me. As I thought it over, I had the idea to combine a map of Wisconsin with the tracking technique I had learned, and I actually built the crime scenes around the theory. I then created a killer who would do the sorts of things I had mapped out, and in that order. This was a satisfying challenge for Josie and I enjoyed my research jaunts throughout Wisconsin while writing the chase and takedown scenes.
When Josie’s off the clock and spending time with family and friends, you can catch our heroine in the kitchen. Ever since her infamous Flourless Chocolate Cake appeared in Anchored by Death, fans have requested the recipe. For the epicurean readers, here is the recipe she used when preparing this special treat:
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 1 ½ sticks butter ¼ salt 6 eggs, room temp 1 ½ cups sugar (white granulated or brown will do) Confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder for dusting top and cake stand
How To:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare springform or regular round pans with nonstick spray or butter and flour.
Melt chocolate, butter, and salt—microwave will work in a pinch—or add all to heatproof bowl and place over small saucepan of simmering water to melt without burning. Set aside to cool
Beat eggs and sugar until light and thickened, around 6-8 minutes. Fold in melted chocolate mixture until completely combined.
Pour batter into buttered and floured cake pan—springform or regular round—and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 90 minutes, until a toothpick comes out wet but relatively clean.
Allow cake to cool completely before removing from pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and cocoa—Jo used a stencil for a quick and pretty design.
Thanks again for celebrating Anchored by Death—and know that I appreciate you. Readers are a special breed. As a lover of the written word and an author, I invite you to enjoy the read.
Christy Barritt’s latest book The Art of Eavesdropping is the first of her promising new series. Of course who could disagree with the fact that all her books are good? Once again this author offers her readers a cozy mystery with a somewhat quirky yet relatable heroine and more than one interesting male character who might or might not become a romantic interest in a future installment.
In this case the heroine is Elliot Ransom who grew up on the mission field in the Amazon jungle. Political unrest sent her family back to the states where life changed dramatically for them all. When Elliot takes a job as assistant to a private investigator she finds that the job description might include more than the expected desk job. Her first assignment involves trying to find evidence to prove a murder suspect’s innocence and she quickly experiences more than one close call with death. I loved Elliot. She is one sharp cookie whose unique observational skills and spatial intelligence are exactly what it takes to solve the mystery.
Its fast-paced plot, fun dialogue, and sometimes awkward situations make this book one that can easily be read in one sitting. A mystery in Elliot’s own life promises to add extra dimension to her future adventures. The Art of Eavesdropping has definitely hooked me and I must read the entire series because I have to know what happens next.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Missionary kid Elliot Ransom is restless after moving from her beloved Amazon home to a wealthy DC suburb. Though Storm River, Virginia, is beautiful, it’s also a playground for haughty politicians and wealthy playboys. She’s never felt so out of place.
Becoming an assistant to a hotshot private investigator changes everything . . .
Expecting to help with filing and background checks, Elliot is shocked when she’s catapulted into the frontlines of a murder investigation instead. While trying to prove their client innocent, she’s forced from the administrative role she usually plays. The change is surprisingly invigorating.
Learning the art of investigating shouldn’t be so dangerous . . . but this case just might be as dicey as the new town Elliot is living in. Could a little harmless eavesdropping lead to a big disaster?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”
A Publishers Weekly best-seller, Christy writes both mystery and romantic suspense novels that are clean with underlying messages of faith. Her books have sold almost two million copies, and one is currently being developed as a movie.
Christy’s books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Suspense and Mystery, have been twice nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and have finaled for both a Carol Award and Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year.
She’s married to her prince charming, a man who thinks she’s hilarious–but only when she’s not trying to be. Christy’s a self-proclaimed klutz, an avid music lover who’s known for spontaneously bursting into song, and a road trip aficionado.
Christy currently splits her time between the Virginia suburbs and Hatteras Island, North Carolina. She loves spending time with her husband, her two sons, and her four dogs.
High stakes international intrigue that involves two different foreign countries, the FBI, and a city detective kept the pages turning for me well into the night. I was beginning to think that detective Aubrey Grayson must have nine lives like a cat because she had so many brushes with death. FBI agent, Aubrey’s best friend from high school turns up just in time to help rescue her from a kidnapping and the action does not slow down very much from that point on. Needless to say there is plenty of mystery, suspense, danger, and plot twists to keep things interesting and surprise or two just adds extra dimension to the story. Very action oriented, the book also contains an element of faith and the expected romance that does not overpower the suspense.
I loved this book and look forward to the next offering from this author. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Join the hunt for the truth–and a traitor
When FBI agent Jack Shannon arrives in Corpus Christi, Texas, he is focused on one thing: find the man who has been selling encrypted government secrets to the Chinese. But when a senator is shot during a hunting trip and the woman he was with is abducted, Jack agrees to join the search–especially when he discovers that the kidnapping victim is Aubrey Grayson, a woman he was once in love with.
As the search continues, it becomes clear the senator may not have been the intended victim–and Aubrey may be connected to the other case Jack is supposed to be working on. Can Jack untangle the knots before it’s too late? And when he learns the truth, will it be too painful to get past?
Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than 40 books, including The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, as well as Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For,and Deadly Intentions,Harris and her family have spent over 16 years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at www.lisaharriswrites.com.
The Englisch Daughter was not at all what I expected but in my opinion that’s what made it so good. A multi-faceted story of betrayal and lost hopes and dreams, this book is an honest and open look at the life of an Amish couple and their close friends and family. The wife has sacrificed her own dreams to take care of her home and family, putting aside funds for the future business she has long desired. When the time is right she learns that her plans have been for nothing and she has a new added responsibility that came as the result of a hurtful secret her husband has carried on his own.
What a wonderful story of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration! The narrative was written in such a way that I was never certain if everything would turn out well or not. I could easily relate to the feelings of both Jemima and her husband Roy and suspected there was more to the story than it seemed. A difficult situation that was deftly handled by the author, The Englisch Daughter is so good. I recommend it to all readers but especially to those who love Amish fiction.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Waterbrook Multnomah. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
What happens when your spouse has become a stranger?
Old Order Amish wife and mother Jemima Graber has put her marriage and young children ahead of herself for years. For the last decade she’s set herself aside while her husband, Roy, invested in the family’s successful horse farm. While raising four little ones, she’s followed all the rules and patiently waited to finally chase a dream of her own.
But now, at the time when her dreams are about to be realized, Roy has grown distant from Jem, and she doesn’t know what to make of his unusual moods and absences. Is his erratic behavior somehow connected to the tenant in the family’s rental property, an Englisch woman Roy dated during his rumschpringe days? And if so, how far does God’s forgiveness extend in impossible situations?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
CINDY WOODSMALL is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of twenty-five works of fiction and one nonfiction book. Cindy’s writing has been featured on ABC’s Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. She lives outside Atlanta with her husband.
ERIN WOODSMALL is a writer, musician, wife, and mom of four. She has edited, brainstormed, and researched books with Cindy for almost a decade. More recently she and Cindy have coauthored five books.
Flight Risk is a multi-layered tale that had me hooked from the very beginning. I honestly did not want to stop reading and it was responsible for at least one night’s lost sleep. Another novel that exposes human trafficking, Flight Risk is written from a different point of view and includes several plot twists that are totally unexpected.
The two primary characters, one a woman with her own law practice and the other a persistent journalist determined to expose the truth at all costs, each have trust issues that prevent them from forming relationships with many people. When Jett Glover’s expose’ on an international human trafficking organization include, s Savannah’s ex-husband, she finds it hard to believe but Jett has the evidence to back up his article. Unfortunately the article prompts a series of senseless murders and Jett and Savannah team up to find out why.
I have enjoyed each and every one of Putman’s suspense novels but this may just be the best one yet. With a wonderful cast of characters, a tangled plot with plenty of danger, action, and romance, as well as a strong message of faith, this story will have its readers questioning how to discern the real truth in any situation. I loved Flight Risk and highly recommend it to other suspense fans.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Bestselling author Cara Putman returns with a romantic legal thriller that will challenge the assumptions of truth tellers everywhere.
Savannah Daniels has worked hard to build her law practice, to surround herself with good friends, and to be the loyal aunt her troubled niece can always count on. But since her ex-husband’s betrayal, she has trouble trusting anyone.
Jett Glover’s father committed suicide over a false newspaper report that ruined his reputation. Now a fierce champion of truth, Jett is writing the story of his journalism career—an international sex-trafficking exposé that will bring down a celebrity baseball player and the men closest to him, including Savannah’s ex-husband.
When Jett’s story breaks, tragedy ensues. Then a commercial airline crashes, and one of Savannah’s clients is implicated in the crash. Men connected to the scandal, including her ex, begin to die amid mysterious circumstances, and Savannah’s niece becomes an unwitting target.
Against their better instincts, Jett and Savannah join ranks to sort the facts from fiction. But can Savannah trust the reporter who threw her life into chaos? And can Jett face the possibility that he’s made the biggest mistake of his life?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met a fellow Indiana writer Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing award-winning books. She is currently writing book 33 and dreaming up future books, not hard when she sees what-ifs everywhere.
Cara Putman is an active member of ACFW and gives back to the writing community through her service on Executive Board. She has also been the Indiana ACFW chapter president and served as the Area Coordinator for Indiana.
Cara is also an attorney, full-time lecturer at a Big Ten university, active in women’s ministry, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids that is. She graduated with honors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!), George Mason Law School, and Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. You can learn more about Cara at www.caraputman.com.
Learn more about Flight Risk and Cara Putman here!
To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away the grand prize package of a Vera Bradley travel cosmetics set, a journal for capturing vacation memories, a copy of Flight Risk, and a bracelet!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
I will be totally honest and state that I’m not 100% certain if I have ever read a novel by Darlene L. Turner. I have been reading Love Inspired Suspense for years so I have lost track of what I have and have not read. Based on Border Breach I plan to remedy that and plan to read more by this talented author.
Action began quickly during the very first chapter and the suspense escalated throughout the book. The plot was riddled with hints but not only were the characters misled by many of them but I was also thoroughly surprised by the revelation near the end. I love it when I don’t have everything all figured out by the middle of the book.
The characters were real and easy to identify with. Kaylin’s past that caused her to doubt God and Hudson’s experiences had left him with nothing but his faith in God and distrust of women. It was fun to watch the sparks fly between them as they fought to stay alive while attempting to bring down a drug ring operating both in Canada and the U.S.
Border Breach is an excellent book that illustrates Kaylin’s journey to faith and forgiveness. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Just Read Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Border Breach by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Border Breach Author: Darlene L. Turner Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense Release Date: April 1, 2020 Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
When drugs are smuggled across the border
it’s their duty to stop the culprits…at any cost.
Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
(1) winner will receive a cross pendant, bookmarks, pens, and $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight March 31, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on April 7, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN mailing addresses only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Many links on this site are supplied by the Reviewer groups that provide the books I review. Occasionally other links may be my personal associate links.
Catherine Finger loves to dream, write, and tell stories. Retired from a wonderful career in public education, she celebrates the ability to choose how to spend her time in a new way during the second half of life. So far, she chooses to write books, ride horses, serve others, and generally find her way into and out of trouble both on the road and at home. She lives in the Midwest with a warm and wonderful combination of family and friends.
USA Today has called Christy Barritt’s books “scary, funny, passionate, and quirky.”
Lisa Harris is a bestselling author, a Christy Award winner, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel from Romantic Times for her novels Blood Covenant and Vendetta. The author of more than 40 books, including The Nikki Boyd Files and the Southern Crimes series, as well as Vanishing Point, A Secret to Die For, and Deadly Intentions, Harris and her family have spent over 16 years living as missionaries in southern Africa. Learn more at 
CINDY WOODSMALL is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of twenty-five works of fiction and one nonfiction book. Cindy’s writing has been featured on ABC’s Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. She lives outside Atlanta with her husband.
Since the time she could read Nancy Drew, Cara has wanted to write mysteries. In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. The rest, as they say, was history. There she met a fellow Indiana writer Colleen Coble. With prompting from her husband, Cara shared her dream with Colleen. Since those infamous words, Cara’s been writing award-winning books. She is currently writing book 33 and dreaming up future books, not hard when she sees what-ifs everywhere.
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at 
