By The Book

I have always loved Lynette Eason‘s romantic suspense, but I have to say that Double Take is now my favorite of her novels. It was a twisty, keep-you-guessing, unputdownable read! Highly recommended!

Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he’s rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it’s not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.

USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason will leave you breathless with this fast-paced first book in a brand-new series.

Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

My Impressions:

Double Take, the newest novel by Lynette Eason, is going to be a big hit with fans of the romantic suspense genre. First of all the premise of the book is unique — how can a dead man possibly come back to life? Main character Lainie is sure there’s a trick because she killed him! But her deceased fiancé is everywhere. I spent a lot of my reading time trying to figure out the BIG mystery, as do Lainie and the other main character, James. Their chemistry is instantaneous, but it never gets in the way of the investigation. I really like that about this novel. Give me naturally developing romance every time. As I said, the mystery is huge — there are lots of twists, turns, and unbelievable clues. And the fast pace of the book kept me turning the pages, while staying up later and later to find out finally whodunit. You’ll be swept up in the surprises awaiting you! Eason also delivers a thoughtful book with deep spiritual truths seamlessly woven through the narrative. There is nothing preachy in Double Take, and I appreciated the family dynamics explored by both characters. Forgiveness and letting go of things we can’t control are important themes.

Start your new year reading off right with Double Take. Highly recommended.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: Lynette Eason, romantic suspense fiction

I was looking for an engaging audiobook — one that would immediately grab my attention and keep me listening. Crossfire by Lynette Eason, book 2 in the romantic suspense series Extreme Measures, did just that. From the opening I was swept up in the stories of Juliana Jameson and Clay Fox. Juliana is a hostage negotiator with the FBI, and her cases turn into something very personal. The action is non-stop and filled with twists and turns. I liked how the characters and this reader were kept off balance by the bad guys. The book was a puzzler! Themes include guilt, blame, and forgiveness. Some characters find healing; others are swept up in bitterness. While the experiences of the characters are extreme to say the least, the themes speak to the reader’s own views on what can be forgiven and what cannot, including in our own lives. Specific to the audiobook: the narrator’s voices and pace were spot on.

I was pleased with myself for being up-to-date on the Extreme Measures series, but just learned book 4 is in the works. Yay! Another great book to look forward to.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

FBI special agent Julianna Jameson is a top-notch negotiator who has never lost a hostage. Surely she can manage to take care of her much younger sister, Dottie, who showed up unannounced to live with Julianna while she finished her senior year of high school.

A former sniper with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Clay Fox left the army after a tragic incident that he can’t get past. Now he’s working as a high school resource officer until he can figure out what to do with the rest of his life. 

Their paths cross when Julianna is called in to negotiate a courtroom hostage situation involving Clay’s sister. Impressed and a bit intimidated by the calm, capable woman with the dark hair and blue eyes, Clay invites her to speak at his school. Dottie’s school.

But as the anniversary of a school shooting from Julianna’s past approaches, it becomes clear that her perfect record is about to be tested and that Dottie is at risk. If Julianna and Clay can’t figure out who’s behind the attacks, more innocent people will die–and Dottie is next in line.

This intense story of revenge and redemption from bestselling author and master of suspense Lynette Eason will have you up all night as you race toward the explosive finish.

Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

Tags: Lynette Eason, romantic suspense fiction

Critical Threat is the latest romantic suspense novel in Lynette Eason‘s Extreme Measures series. Set in the D.C. metro area, this book takes the reader on a wild ride as two FBI agents work to stop a seriously creepy serial killer. If you like your suspense filled with twists, turns, and narrow escapes this one is for you!

FBI Special Agent Grace Billingsley tracks serial killers, using her skills as a psychiatrist and behavioral analyst to get dangerous people off the street and safely behind bars. But prison psychiatrist Sam Monroe knows that just because a killer is incarcerated doesn’t mean they’re not a threat. His own father, Peter, is a serial killer–in prison but certainly not out of Sam’s life, as much as he wishes he was.

When bodies start showing up with Peter’s MO, Sam and Grace are both called in to consult. They’ve met before–and though Grace thought they’d made a real connection, Sam ghosted her. They’ll have to get past the awkwardness and mistrust to solve this case–especially because it’s about to get personal.

USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason doesn’t give you time to catch your breath in this breakneck race to stop a serial killer.

Award-winning, best-selling author, Lynette Eason writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and for Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Her books have hit the Publisher’s Weekly, CBA and ECPA bestseller lists and have won numerous awards such as the prestigious Carol Award, the Selah, the Daphne, the IRCC award and more. Lynette is married, has two children, and lives in Greenville, SC.

My Impressions:

Critical Threat is the latest book in the Extreme Measures series by Lynette Eason. Extreme is a good word for this book in particular — there are lots of intense moments. A romantic suspense, the novel is nicely balanced between the building relationship between the two main characters, Grace and Sam, and the increasing tension of finding a serial killer who takes creepy to a new level. Sam and Grace have a considerable amount of baggage in their pasts. The two are FBI agents/psychiatrists with different roles at the Bureau but with the same amount of insight into the human psyche. That helps them uncover the mindsets of criminals, but also allows them to encourage each other. Their relationships with God also help to ground them. This aspect of the book comes across naturally, not forced by a writer’s agenda. The bad guy takes the creep-factor up a notch and had Grace and Sam scrambling, as well as the reader guessing just what would happen next. There are a lot of close calls for Grace, especially, and I enjoyed her no-nonsense approach as she fought off fear to get her man. I also liked that while the ending was a surprise, some of my suspicions were on the mark — it made my sleuthing heart happy. 😉 While suspense is at the forefront of Critical Threat, the romance was as I like — slow to build and beginning with a friendship.

Critical Threat is the third book in the series, but can easily be read as a standalone. But why would you want to? I recommend it and the other books in the series.

Recommended.

Audience: adult.

(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions are mine alone.)

Tags: Lynette Eason, romantic suspense fiction