By The Book

When asked what he does for a living . . .

Commander Mark Bishop is deliberately low-key: “I’m in the Navy”. But commanding the ballistic missile submarine USS Nevada, keeping her crew trained and alert during ninety-day submerged patrols, and being prepared to launch weapons on valid presidential orders, carries a burden of command like few other jobs in the military. Mark Bishop is a man who accepts that responsibility, and handles it well. And at a time when tensions are escalating around the Pacific Rim, the Navy is glad to have him.

Mark wants someone to come home to after sea patrols. The woman he has in mind is young, with a lovely smile, and very smart. She’s a civilian, yet she understands the U.S. Navy culture. And he has a strong sense that life with her would never be boring. But she may be too deep in her work to see the potential in a relationship with him.

Gina Gray would love to be married. She has always envisioned her life that way. A breakup she didn’t see coming, though, has her focusing all her attention on what she does best–ocean science research. She’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough, and she needs Mark Bishop’s perspective and help. Because what she told the Navy she’s figured out is only the beginning. If she’s right, submarine warfare is about to enter a new and dangerous chapter.

Dee Henderson is the author of 14 best-selling novels, including the acclaimed O’Malley series and the Uncommon Heroes series. As a leader in the inspirational romantic suspense category, her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RWA’s RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, the Holt Medallion, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Golden Quill. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois and is active online. Visit her at http://www.deehenderson.com.

My Impressions:

Dee Henderson has long been a very popular author in the Christian romantic suspense genre. Some of my friends have devoured her early books. The last few novels she has produced are a bit of a departure from those first books. To me the writing style is better and the characters more complex. While not a fan of the O’Malley series, I really enjoyed Full Disclosure and Unspoken — the complexity of the plots and the multi-layered and unique heroines. I have mixed feelings about Undetected. And while it had some negatives for me, its positives out-weighed them making this book a recommended read.

First let me outline the positives. Undetected is about submarines and sonar. It’s very tech-heavy, yet this reader who is generally clueless when it comes to science (I tend to just skim any parts with science or math), really enjoyed learning about the ins and outs of this fascinating subject. Dee made it very accessible to me. The novel also provides a great look at military life, in particular the Navy. The men and women who serve and the families they leave behind when out on patrol should be commended. This is a tough life for relationship survival, and I loved that Dee brought those struggles to light. There is also a very strong faith message in Undetected. God is definitely in control and works everything out to accomplish His plans. The main character, Gina, is burdened by her giftedness, but she learns that God puts together people and situations to accomplish even greater things than she could do alone.

Now for the negatives. The book is too long, in fact about 100 pages too long. There is a love triangle that should have been streamlined. I would have tossed in the towel if this had not been a review book. I spoke with others that did in fact put the book down. The romance was too polite, and frankly, unbelievable. It also doesn’t really take off until the end of the book. The same goes for the suspense. I kept waiting for something to happen. Again the very end of the book was the point of action. And while I liked the ending, I am afraid that too many readers will be fatigued by the time the real story begins.

So why recommend this book? The plot points of technology and the Navy are very interesting. The characters are unusual to say the least, and the writing is strong. Just make sure you stick with this one (that was everyone’s advice to me).

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

To purchase this book, click HERE.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Tags: Dee Henderson, romantic suspense fiction

Charlotte Graham is at the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago history.

The task force of Fbi and local cops found her two abductors, killed them, rescued her, but it took four very long years. The fact she was found less than three miles from her home, had been there the entire time, haunts them. She’s changed her identity, found a profession she loves, and rebuilt her life.

She’s never said a word–to the cops, to her doctors, to family–about those four years.

A family legacy has brought her back to Chicago where a reporter is writing a book about the kidnapping. The cops who worked the case are cooperating with him. Her options are limited: Hope the reporter doesn’t find the full truth, or break her silence about what happened. And her silence is what has protected her family for years.

Bryce Bishop doesn’t know her past, he only knows she has coins to sell from her grandfather’s estate–and that the Fbi director for the Chicago office made the introduction. The more he gets to know Charlotte, the more interested he becomes, an interest encouraged by those closest to her. But nothing else is working in his favor–she’s decided she is single for life, she struggles with her faith, and she’s willing to forego a huge inheritance to keep her privacy. She’s not giving him much of an opening to work with.

Charlotte wants to trust him. She needs to tell him what happened. Because a crime cops thought was solved, has only opened another chapter. . .

Dee Henderson is a leader in the inspirational romantic suspense category. Her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards including RWA’s RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, the Holt Medallion, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Golden Quill. She is a lifelong resident of Illinois.

My Impressions:

Dee Henderson has long been a favorite author among the members of my book club, By The Book. We last selected Full Disclosure for discussion. It was somewhat of a departure from her previous works and had mixed reviews across the blogosphere. But my group liked it, so we were not hesitant to choose Unspoken for our February discussion. Except for a few ehs due mostly to the descriptions of coins, Unspoken was well received.

The plot of Unspoken revolves around the relationship between Charlotte Graham, a kidnapping victim turned multi-millionaire and Bryce Bishop, a rare coin dealer. Charlotte approaches Bryce to sell the vast coin collection inherited from her grandfather. Intrigued by Charlotte, Bryce wants to get to know her better and perhaps get behind the barriers she has erected to protect herself from further hurt.

Unspoken does contain a plot thread filled with suspense, but it is the complex relationship between Charlotte and Bryce that kept me reading. Charlotte is deeply wounded, yet determined to live her life on her own terms. She is a believer, but doesn’t really trust God. Bryce lives a life of quiet, yet firm faith. His life models Christ’s love. Charlotte slowly comes to trust Bryce and, in turn, God. I especially liked Henderson’s depiction of Bryce’s prayer life — something more than one of our members commented on. As in Full Disclosure, Henderson gives us a difficult female character and a strong, yet gentle and devoted male character who is consistent and determined to woo her. Bryce is a powerful picture of God’s love for us — never-failing, unrelenting and unconditional.

I really liked Unspoken and believe it is the best book yet written by Dee Henderson. I am eagerly awaiting her next book, Undetected, due out in April, featuring Bryce’s brother, Mark Bishop.

Highly Recommended.

(Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase a copy of this book, click on the image below.

Tags: Dee Henderson, romantic suspense fiction

Ann Silver is a cop’s cop. As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region’s most trusted investigative positions.

Paul Falcon is the FBI’s top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder.

Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn’t expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention.

The better he gets to know her, the more Paul realizes her job barely scratches the surface of who she is. She knows spies and soldiers and U.S. Marshals, and has written books about them. She is friends with the former vice president. People with good reason to be cautious about who they let into their lives deeply trust her. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is….

Excerpt

Dee Henderson is the author of 14 best-selling novels, including the acclaimed O’Malley series and the Uncommon Heroes series. As a leader in the inspirational romantic suspense category, her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RWA’s RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, the Holt Medallion, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Golden Quill. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois and is active online. Visit her at http://www.deehenderson.com.

My Impressions:

Full Disclosure is By The Book’s March selection. Many in our group are BIG Dee Henderson fans. As a group we read the first book in the O’Malley series and that kicked off a reading marathon for many of our members. We also read two of her standalone novels. I liked them, but never jumped on the bandwagon. The books were good reads, but I just wasn’t so impressed that I had to read every thing Henderson wrote. But Full Disclosure . . . . Oh. My. Goodness. This is a great book! Henderson has outdone herself.

Ann Silver is the Midwest Homicide Investigator. In that position she is involved in major investigations throughout the central part of the country putting her in contact with many law enforcement personnel and others in authority. She finds some intriguing evidence in a case that she turns over to Paul Falcon, an FBI agent based in Chicago. That key information opens up a long running investigation with long-reaching impact. Ann makes an impact on Paul as well, and he sets out to become better acquainted with Ann. As the book unfolds the reader learns more about the Lady Shooter case as well as other high profile investigations and cover-ups. The reader also gets to know Ann — a complex woman. She turns out to be friends with a wide assortment of people in sensitive positions in government, military and law enforcement. She is also an author of very popular inspirational suspense novels — the O’Malley series included! This is where the book becomes very intriguing. Just what is fact and what is fiction? I suspect for Henderson devotees, this aspect has them thinking and guessing.

The cases that Ann and Paul are working keep the reader guessing, but it was the developing relationship between Ann and Paul that kept my attention. This is a serious love story that develops quietly, yet determinedly. I loved the time and effort Paul took to find out about Ann. His character is strong and caring. Ann’s character was a bit unsettling. She is a very private person; introverted and guarded. Her unwillingness to commit seemed very real.

So what was disclosed in Full Disclosure? The secrets in this novel or the real life behind Dee Henderson’s books? Not sure. But this aspect should make for some great discussion on Friday night. If you have read Full Disclosure, leave me a comment on your thoughts of the book. There were some very mixed reviews when it first came out, but I have to say it puts me on the Dee Henderson train!

Highly Recommended.

(I purchased Full Disclosure for my Kindle. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Tags: Dee Henderson, romantic suspense fiction