Rising Darkness Rose Slowly for Me!

Rising Darkness
Nancy Mehl

Book Summary: Sophie Wittenbauer left her strict Mennonite hometown under a cloud of shame and regret. Certain she's left her past far behind her, she's now focused on her job at a newspaper and is shocked when she stumbles upon the name of someone she knew in her old life. But when she learns the man--a prisoner--claims a suspect from a decades-old unsolved crime is hiding out in the small town of Sanctuary, Missouri, she can't resist following the lead in hopes of furthering her career. Almost immediately upon her arrival, Sophie's confronted with a face from her past and fears her intention of using a false identity to investigate is doomed. But with the help of Sanctuary's charismatic young pastor, Sophie knows she's getting close. Will she be able to conceal the truth of her own past long enough to find the suspect before someone puts a stop--fatal or otherwise--to her investigation?

Review: I usually love Nancy Mehl’s books. I found myself reading this very slow. I struggled to get into the story and the details as I worked my way through it. It did get better after the first half. I usually sail right through these books. I loved the first 2 in the series. It had the added bonus of being a foot in the Sanctuary Series and the Kingdom Series. This should have endeared me to it, I did not mind that Sophie was not a Christian at the start and her life in Kingdom was awful, I just found her telling blatant lies a little hard to take. I do understand the reporter in her wanted to investigate under cover, but to smear the name of a dead woman seemed a little over the top. That was part of my problem. At the story unfolded Sophie grew on me. I think by than it was a little late for me to really love this book, however I did grow to like it.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Deadlock is Now Broken!

Deadlock
DiAnn Mills

Book Summary: Two murders have rocked the city of Houston. Are they the work of a serial killer, or is a copycat trying to get away with murder? That is the question facing Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, who is eager for her new assignment in violent crimes but anxious about meeting her new partner. Special Agent Thatcher Graves once arrested her brother, and he has a reputation for being a maverick. Plus, their investigative styles couldn’t be more opposite: he operates on instinct, while she goes by the book. When hot leads soon fizzle out, their differences threaten to leave them deadlocked. But an attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it.

Review: This was a great book. I was at the edge of my seat!! I liked the characters. There whole mystery ended up being so complex and yet so simple. The ending was a little too simple. Not like the blow outs endings that Ms. Mills has written in the previous books in this series. It was worth it. So many things resolved in such a short chapter it was head spinning. The serial killer was a bit of surprise and yet I was able to follow the twists and turns as they occurred. I had my suspicion about who the serial killer was and despite that there were some twists. It was great to have some of the background characters were welcomed since they survived their own mystery. I can’t wait for the next series or a continuation of this series.

I would like to thank Edelweiss (Above the Treeline) and Tyndale House Publishing, Inc. for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.