Tag Archives: DiAnn Mills

Top 10 Tuesday — Alter Ego!

14 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is book titles that describe me or my life. Uh, no! LOL! I read a lot of mystery/suspense and those titles can be seriously scary. And besides, I am a huge rule follower — just ask my husband, the man who never saw a rule that couldn’t in some fashion be broken. 😉 So I decided to flip the topic and go with titles that would describe my evil twin aka alter ego. This was a fun post to put together. I hope you enjoy it and find a great book to read.

For more insights into the real bloggers’ lives, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Titles That Describe My Alter Ego

If I was one to take on a life of crime, I would want to be thought of as a member of The Queens of Crime. In pursuit of the lofty title I’d travel to Scotland and perpetrate a Highland Heist. Not sure if that would include a few shaggy cows, but who knows what a thief could discover among the heather. I might Ambush a man in a kilt to help me carry all the loot, making sure I hide my identity and not let on An Appearance of Impropriety. I must maintain an air of integrity and not get caught! But if I’m found out and pursued by the coppers, I’ll make sure my crimes are well Hidden by a Canyon of Deceit so I am not forced into Taking A Second Shot to fend them off. A good criminal must be able To Outwit Them All! If I’m not successful, the authorities will say that Death Follows Her and I may be presumed Guilty Until Innocent .

Here’s a tip: the authors of these books are way better at telling tales than I am. Check out their fabulous books!

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If You Liked . . . Ambush

30 Mar

I liked Ambush, the romantic suspense from Colleen Coble. The setting was just so much fun. A wildlife sanctuary with seriously dangerous animals — lions, tigers, hyenas — just adds to the suspense created by the human predators. If you like that sort of thing, I have some recommendations of books where the physical world adds to the danger. Hope you find one that sparks your interest.

26 Below by Kimberly Woodhouse

In her new role as Emergency Operations Center director for Fairbanks, Alaska, Darcie Phillips prevents disasters. But none of her training can prepare her for the terror that’s coming. 

As a cybersecurity specialist, Jason Myers is determined to ferret out any threats to the town he now calls home–and that includes his reckless brother and his ecoterrorist friends.

When an old woman’s wild prediction–widespread destruction as soon as the Fairbanks temperature falls to 26 below–hits national headlines, neither Darcie nor Jason sees a real risk to anything but tourism.

Then the bodies start dropping.

Darcie is relying on her experience and intelligence to stop a killer; Jason is relying on God to guide the way. They’ll have to work together to find the truth and prevent their Alaskan town from becoming a city of nightmares. The first in a thrilling new suspense series from best-selling author Kimberley Woodhouse, 26 Below will delight fans of Lynnette Eason, Irene Hannon, and Lynn Blackburn.

Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills

When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

Lethal Outbreak by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry

A gripping medical thriller ripped from today’s headlines.

There are diseases hidden in the ice and they are waking up.

Virus hunter Aiden Ballinger believes the source of the lethal outbreak that decimated a remote Tibetan village came from disturbing the permafrost. Desperate to rebury it before it buries the world, Aiden enlists Rachel Allen, a beautiful epidemiologist. But while Aiden and Rachel pursue the cure—and their feelings for each other—someone is hunting them.

And whoever wants them dead will not stop until they are silenced.

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Mini-Book Review — Canyon of Deceit

10 Nov

There was a lot going on in DiAnn Mills‘s newest romantic suspense, Canyon of Deceit, and I loved every minute of it! This fast-paced novel features a wilderness survival trainer/guide and a Texas Ranger as they track a kidnapped girl through the high desert of west Texas. They also dodge assassins bullets and uncover a plot by the Russian mafia. Whew! The twists and turns kept the characters and Mills’ readers on their toes. This was pure escape fiction for me. The romance is slow and careful, as the main characters are on different wavelengths spiritually. I appreciated that and the faith thread the author wove naturally through the narrative. Truth without preachiness. If you like to be kept on the edge of your seat while furiously turning the pages, then Canyon of Deceit is for you.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I received a complimentary ebook from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

A rescue team searches for a missing young girl and suspects all is not as it seems in this high-stakes romantic suspense novel from the author of Lethal Standoff and Facing the Enemy.

When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?

Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.

DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, International Thriller Writers, Outliers Writing University, and The Christian Pen. DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.

A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.

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First Line Friday — Canyon of Deceit

24 Oct

I love a good romantic suspense novel, and DiAnn Mills is one of the best authors to combine fast-paced plotting with sizzling sparks between her characters. Her latest book, Canyon of Deceit, does both equally well. You’ll hold your breath as the two mains face danger and their attraction.

Here’s the first line of chapter one:

The shrill ring of my mobile phone jolted e awake at 2:00 am., a haunting prompt that emergencies seldom emerged in daylight.

A rescue team searches for a missing young girl and suspects all is not as it seems in this high-stakes romantic suspense novel from the author of Lethal Standoff and Facing the Enemy.

When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?

Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.

DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, International Thriller Writers, Outliers Writing University, and The Christian Pen. DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.

A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.

Learn about all of DiAnn’s books and connect with DiAnn @ diannmills dot com.

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Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR

23 Sep

Happy Tuesday! I’m finally back with another TTT post. It has been crazy the last few months, and I haven’t had the mental bandwidth to come up with lists that I think anyone would want to read. 😉 I have a few days to breathe and this week’s topic, Fall TBR, should be a no-brainer, so here is my list. I don’t have a lot of mandatory reading so this list is fairly loose — books that have caught my eye and I hope to read them in the coming weeks. Let me know which ones you have enjoyed.

For more Fall Reading Lists, please visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 10 Books on My Fall TBR List

Between The Sound And Sea by Amanda Cox

Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills

Echoes of A Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Final Approach by Lynette Eason

From The Valley We Rise by Elizabeth Musser

The Heart of Bennett Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

Over The Edge by Irene Hannon

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard

The Stories We Carry by Robin Pearson

The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese

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Spotlight on Romantic Suspense/Mystery — Canyon of Deceit

10 Sep

Canyon of Deceit JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Canyon of Deceit

Title: Canyon of Deceit
Author: DiAnn Mills
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Genre: Romantic Mystery & Suspense

A rescue team searches for a missing young girl and suspects all is not as it seems in this high-stakes romantic suspense novel from the author of Lethal Standoff and Facing the Enemy.

When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.

Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.

Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives.

Excerpt

Alina suffering under the control of the monster who might have killed her mother caused me to forget all manner of good sense. How had the kidnappers navigated her to Dog Canyon? How had they raised and lowered her over steep inclines and slippery shale rock? With ropes? Carried her?

 If I accepted the job, I needed a member of law enforcement whom I trusted . . . Someone wilderness-worthy with negotiation skills and able to expertly use a firearm without hesitation.

 A man’s name held my attention. Seven months ago in Houston, I’d trained Texas Rangers on wilderness-survival skills through a four-day-long series of hands-on classes. One of the Rangers worked in the Crisis Negotiation Unit—CNT. A man I respected. He had a master’s degree in psychology and a reputation as a risk-taker. I needed a trained professional who put others first . . . providing he let me lead and give the orders.

 Captain Blane Gardner.

 I hesitated to call him. We’d gone out three times, and I enjoyed his company and commitment to the Texas Rangers. Then I invited him to church. He claimed he and God weren’t on speaking terms, so I ended the relationship. Although I’d made the right decision, several sleepless nights passed before I could push his pecan-colored eyes, thick red hair, and fit physique out of my heart. My pulse sped at the idea of spending hours alone with him in the wilderness, and the thought of putting myself through the emotional roller coaster again sent my pulse racing, but saving a child’s life took priority.

 With thirty minutes before I had to leave to meet Professor Ivanov, I pulled up Blane’s contact info on my phone. Any other time, I’d have been considerate of the early hour, but not this morning. I pressed in the numbers, and a groggy man answered.



PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Tyndale Fiction | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

About The Author

DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels with threads of romance. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Selah Award, and the Golden Scroll; and been finalists for the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award and the Carol Award.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on social media or her website, diannmills.com

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a print copy of Canyon of Deceit and $25 gift card to winner’s choice bookstore!

Canyon of Deceit JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight September 9, 2025 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on September 16, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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Top 10 Tuesday — Upcoming Romantic Suspense

24 Jun

Happy Tuesday! Today bloggers are tasked to list their most anticipated books of the rest of 2025. There are a lot of books on my list, so I decided to limit this post to upcoming romantic suspense novels. There are some great books incoming!

What book are you most anticipating?

For more new books of July — December 2025, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Anticipated Romantic Suspense Novels

Canyon of Deceit by DiAnn Mills

Final Approach by Lynette Eason

On The Edge of Trust by Patricia Bradley

Out of Time by Irene Hannon

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard

Prowl by Colleen Coble

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Top 10 Tuesday — Books That Kept Me Guessing!

22 Apr

Happy Tuesday! It is no secret that I read A LOT of mystery/suspense. That being said, there’s not much that surprises me. I almost always guess whodunit. However, there are some authors that have kept me guessing up to the end — the best possible scenario I can think of. So today, I am sharing the books that are full of twists and turns you won’t see coming. I hope you find a book to love.

For more surprising books, visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books That Kept Me Guessing

Backlash by Rachel Dylan

Double Take by Lynette Eason

Facing The Enemy by DiAnn Mills

Flight Risk by Cara Putman

Flood Watch by Christy Barritt

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

Obsession by Patricia Bradley

The Other Sister by Jessica R. Patch

Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

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Top 10 Tuesday — First Person POV

11 Mar

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT bloggers are listing books featuring their favorite plot device or theme. I decided to go with first person POV (a narrative technique where the story is told from the perspective of a character in the story). First person POV can be hit or miss. The books I have listed are done really well. In some cases the book is all first person, in others only in a small part of the storyline is it used, but all are done with great effect. I have included books from a number of genres so you can find your favorite.

Head over to That Artsy Reader Girl for more bloggers’ favorites.

Top Books Using First Person POV

All’s Fair in Love And Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Darkness Calls The Tiger by Janyre Tromp

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawson

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen

Up From The Dust by Heather Kaufman

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt

What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

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Top 10 Tuesday — Supplemental Reading

15 Oct

Happy Tuesday! As you can expect from me, I changed up this week’s TTT topic. I just wasn’t feeling a rehash of books I read in my long ago classes, so I’ve created a list of books I would include as supplemental reading for dusty college classes 😉 . At least that’s how I view them now from a lens that is *ahem* 40+ years old. Please note that I am all for reading the facts, but a little entertainment is always a good addition. I hope you find a book that sparks your imagination.

For more on topic bloggers, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Supplemental Reading

Computer Technology 301: Topics in Cyber Security

Alaskan Cyber Hunters Series by Kimberly Woodhouse

Ecology 101: Conservation

Where Trees Touch The Sky by Karen Barnett

World History 201: Wartime in The Far East

Darkness Calls The Tiger by Janyre Tromp

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Political Science 201: The McCarthy Era

The All American by Susie Finkbeiner

American History 301: Forgotten Events in The Civl War and Reconstruction

The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

Library Information Sciences 101: Building A Library

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

Criminal Justice 301: Hostage Negotiation

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

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