Tag Archives: Elizabeth Goddard

Top 10 Tuesday — Shadowy Titles

24 Oct

Happy Tuesday! Today bloggers were tasked to list atmospheric novels — settings of books that take on a character all of their own. I chose to go with Shadowy Titles. Spanning a number of genres, each of these books has the word shadow in its title. Shadows always evoke mysterious goings on in my mind. I hope you find one to pique your interest.

For more atmosphere, check out That Artsy Reader Girl. (Get well soon, Artsy Reader Girl!!)

Top Shadowy Titles

Fury in The Shadows by Rebecca Hemlock

In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel

In The Shadow of Croft Tower by Abigail Wilson

Man of Shadow And Mist by Michelle Griep

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard

Shadows in A Mind’s Eye by Janyre Tromp

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma

Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks

Book Review — Shadows at Dusk

18 Oct

I traveled north to Alaska in Elizabeth Goddard‘s latest romantic suspense novel, Shadows at Dusk, book 2 in the Missing in Alaska series. This one is a page-turner, so be prepared to settle in for excellent reading!

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can’t help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition–that he help her track down her friend’s killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they’ll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They’ll have to learn to trust one another–and face the dark secrets of the past–if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at http://www.elizabethgoddard.com.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com

Follow her on Bookbub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-goddard

You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor

or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

My Impressions:

Fans of romantic suspense are going to love Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard. There is definite chemistry between main characters Carrie and Trevor. The two become a team while investigating the disappearance of Trevor’s sister and the murder of Carrie’s business partner. That’s right, two twisty mysteries to keep the characters and readers on their toes. Goddard kept me guessing — I just couldn’t decide who I could trust. And the path to truth is a hard one. Attempted abductions, plane crashes, fires . . . you name it and the author throws it at her characters! The plotting is very complex but it does come together in the end. Past experiences and present dangers for Trevor and Carrie serve to keep them wary of commitment, but this is a romantic suspense, so you know there will be a very satisfying HEA! And the depiction of the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness was a big bonus for this reader. I have traveled there twice in the past few years, and while I never experienced the bush, I did fly on a float plane and visited small communities. Shadows at Dusk brought all those memories back, while making me want to return one more time.

While Shadows at Dusk is part of a series and includes returning characters in minor roles, it can definitely be read as a standalone. But I recommend starting at the beginning — that gives you plenty of binge-worthy reading while awaiting book 3, Hidden in The Night, due out next year.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Happy Release Day — Shadows at Dusk

17 Oct

Happy release day to Elizabeth Goddard. Her newest romantic suspense in the Missing in Alaska series, Shadows at Dusk, is now available! I loved the twisty plot that kept me guessing! And that Alaska setting — it was almost like being there! It’s everything you would expect from a novel by Elizabeth Goddard. Find out the details below.

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can’t help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition–that he help her track down her friend’s killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they’ll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They’ll have to learn to trust one another–and face the dark secrets of the past–if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at http://www.elizabethgoddard.com.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com

Follow her on Bookbub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-goddard

You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor

or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

First Line Friday — Shadows at Dusk

13 Oct

Happy Friday! I love suspense, and Elizabeth Goddard is one of my favorite authors in that genre. She always delivers an action-packed and twisty plot that keeps me guessing. I was fortunate to receive an early copy of her newest novel, Shadows at Dusk, the second book in the Missing in Alaska series. Love that setting! It releases next Tuesday, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts next week. But for now . . .

Here’s the first line:

The old cargo plane vibrated as the pilot descended into the airdrop zone, the turbulence shuddering through Carrie James.

Montana Detective Trevor West is desperate to learn what happened to his sister, who went missing in Alaska over a year ago, leaving nothing but a few photographs as clues to her whereabouts. At the advice of Police Chief Autumn Long, Trevor enlists the help of an experienced bush pilot. If Carrie James can’t help him find the places in the photographs, no one can.

But Carrie has her own agenda. Grieving the death of her closest friend and the only person she could trust, Carrie will help Trevor find his sister on one condition–that he help her track down her friend’s killer.

As the two close in on the answers they crave, they’ll face dangers and connections they could not have imagined. They’ll have to learn to trust one another–and face the dark secrets of the past–if they are ever to discover the truth and bring a killer to justice.

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than sixty novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series. Her books have sold nearly 1.5 million copies. She is a Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at http://www.elizabethgoddard.com.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com

Follow her on Bookbub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/elizabeth-goddard

You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddardauthor

or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR

19 Sep

Just a couple more days and it’s FALL! Here in the sunny South, the temps are edging down, but the real Fall weather won’t show up for at least a month (sometimes more). But that doesn’t keep me from piling up a bunch of books to read for the season. I have had a ton of “required” reading the past few months, but I am happy that a lot of pleasure reads are in my future. I have more than 10, but I will keep the list to the next 10 books I will be enjoying in the coming weeks. I read across genres, so there should be something for everyone.

For more bloggers’ Fall TBR lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books on My Fall TBR

The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner (historical)

Broker of Lies by Steven James (thriller)

He Should Have Told The Bees by Amanda Cox (dual timeline/general)

Into The Fire by Irene Hannon (romantic suspense)

Jane And The Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron (historical/cozy mystery)

A River Between Us by Jocelyn Green (historical)

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay (historical)

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard (romantic suspense)

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt (historical)

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner (dual timelines)

Read A Romance Month — Romantic Suspense

15 Aug

Happy Tuesday! I, along with quite a few other bloggers, had trouble coming up with books for this week’s TTT topic — characters that should team up. With all that I have had going on in the past couple of weeks, my brain just couldn’t handle the challenge. 😉 So I am continuing my Read A Romance series for TTT today.

August is read a romance month (like we need a reminder), and today I am focusing on my favorite romantic suspense authors. I love a good mystery/suspense, and I love trying to figure out just whodunit with engaging characters. The books listed are the first book of the authors’ most recent series. Hope you find one to love.

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

Read A Romance Month — Top Romantic Suspense

Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn

Counter Attack by Patricia Bradley

End Game by Rachel Dylan

Life Flight by Lynette Eason

Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon

The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey

Lights Out by Natalie Walters

June Book Club Selection — Cold Light Of Day

1 Jun

This month my book club is traveling to Alaska with Elizabeth Goddard‘s romantic suspense novel, Cold Light of Day, book one in the Missing in Alaska series. I read it some months ago, and I anticipate that my book club will love it. If you’ve read it, we would love to know your thoughts.

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.

Top 10 Tuesday — Random Books From My Shelves

2 May

Happy Tuesday! I love when a TTT topic is easy peasy! This week all I needed to do was pull random books from my shelves. I picked the 10th book from 10 different shelves (husband’s TBR, contemporary fiction, Biblical fiction, historical fiction, signed copies, suspense, etc.) It was a great reminder of all the books I lovingly bought and shelved and then neglected. 😉 I’ve only read 3 from the list and have included links to their reviews. Now to read the other 7!

For more shelf confessions, visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

Ten Random Books from My Shelves

Code of Valor by Lynette Eason

Cold Light of Day by Elizabeth Goddard (review HERE)

Freedom’s Stand by J.M. Windle

The Healer by Dee Henderson

Hope Springs (also published as Garden of Faith) by Lynne Hinton

Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill (review HERE)

On Hummingbird Wings by Lauraine Snelling

Petra by Tracy Higley

Sandpiper Drift by Vanessa Del Fabbro

Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt (review HERE)

Top 10 Tuesday — If You Like …

28 Mar

Happy Tuesday! I regularly include an If You Liked . . . post on my blog with suggestions for further reading if you like my book club’s monthly selection. I love connecting readers to new-to-them authors. For today’s TTT prompt I decided to pull from those list to compile a If You Like X Author, Then Try … . While many of these authors will already be on your radar, I hope you find a new favorite!

For more fun, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Authors To Try If You Like . . .

If you like Lynette Eason, especially her Danger Never Sleeps series, then try Hallee Bridgeman.

Captain Rick Norton and his Army Special Forces are on a mission to subdue Chukuwereije, a warlord terrorizing the villages in the jungles of Katangela, Africa, when their mission is interrupted to extract the daughter of America’s vice president.

Dr. Cynthia Myers has used her medical mission in a remote village in Katangela to escape a shallow life of unearned wealth, a philandering fiancé, and a father now square in the public eye. At least here she knows her work and life have meaning. But all that is thrown into chaos when she fails to save the life of Chukuwereije’s mortally wounded son and becomes a target for the warlord’s revenge.

Rick is compelled to use deadly force to save Cynthia’s life. Enraged at the violence she witnessed and riddled with guilt that men died because of her, Cynthia tries to hang on to her anger–but an unexpected attraction is taking hold.

With two members of his team badly injured and rebels in hot pursuit, Rick will have to draw upon all his strength and cunning to get her out alive . . . because he’s beginning to think they just might overcome their differences and be able to make a life together.

If you like Elizabeth Goddard, then try Melissa Koslin.

Former CIA sniper Kadance Tolle possesses a special set of skills and a rare pedigree. She comes from a family of assassins, and by saving Lyndon Vaile’s life she risks being found by them. Despite the danger, Kadance feels compelled to help Lyndon discover who is after him–and his research that seems to prove that the Ebola virus was manmade and is about to be weaponized.

With shadowy figures pursuing them and a Mastermind watching their every move, Kadance and Lyndon must scramble to stop an impending bioattack at the State of the Union address. But their warnings fall on deaf ears, and it becomes increasingly clear that there’s no one they can trust — except perhaps each other.

Strap in for a breakneck story that will have you up all night, hurtling toward the last page as the clock ticks and time runs out.

If You like Patricia Bradley, especially her Natchez Trace Park Rangers series, then try Janice Cantore.

As a police officer in Table Rock, Oregon, Leah Radcliff puts her life on the line to help others every day. But at home, Leah’s battling her own personal nightmare: Brad, her abusive husband, a fellow officer, celebrated hero, and beloved son of a powerful prominent family. Brad’s violent outbursts and suspicious activities have left Leah physically and emotionally scarred, until one desperate action to put a stop to his abuse results in deadly consequences.

Though public opinion seems ready to convict Leah, Officer Clint Tanner is one of the few to believe she acted in self-defense. As he works with Leah’s attorney to produce the evidence they need, new truths about Brad’s dark side come to light—and reveal a deep-rooted problem in Table Rock. There are some who have breached their sworn duty to serve and protect . . . and they’ll do anything to keep their secret safe.

If you like Sarah Sundin‘s WWII fiction, then try Mario Escobar.

Saint-Malo, France: August 1938. Jocelyn and Antoine are childhood sweethearts, but just after they marry and are hoping for a child, Antoine is called up to fight against Germany. As the war rages, Jocelyn focuses on comforting and encouraging the local population by recommending books from her beloved library in Saint-Malo. She herself finds hope in her letters to a famous author.

After the French capitulation, the s occupy the town and turn it into a fortress to control the north of French Brittany. Residents try passive resistance, but the German commander ruthlessly purges part of the city’s libraries to destroy any potentially subversive writings. At great risk to herself, Jocelyn manages to hide some of the books while waiting to receive news from Antoine, who has been taken to a German prison camp.

What unfolds in her letters is Jocelyn’s description of her mission: to protect the people of Saint-Malo and the books they hold so dear. With prose both sweeping and romantic, Mario Escobar brings to life the occupied city and re-creates the history of those who sacrificed all to care for the people they loved.

If you like Nancy Mehl, especially her creepier novels 😉 , then try Tom Threadgill.

Catherine Mae Blackston is missing. She is not the first.

While investigating Blackston’s recent activities, FBI Agent Jeremy Winter stumbles upon a string of missing persons within state parks. Unable to convince his boss that Blackston’s disappearance is anything other than a lost hiker, Winter joins forces with a local police officer to continue the search. 

As the clues mount, a dark figure from Jeremy’s past emerges with an ultimatum — one that could force him out of the Bureau. Afraid that his girlfriend, fellow agent Maggie Keeley, will be dragged into a high-stakes political game, he delays his decision. But as the tally of missing persons increases, Winter closes in on the unlikeliest of suspects. 

The bodies are out there. 

He just has to find them before his past catches up with him.

If You like Amanda Cox, then try Susie Finkbeiner.

In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When Mindy, one of those children, announces her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives.

Though her father supports Mindy’s desire to meet her family of origin, he struggles privately with an unsettling fear that he’ll lose the daughter he’s poured his heart into. Mindy’s mother undergoes the emotional rollercoaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy’s sister helps her sort through relics that whisper of the effect the trauma of war has had on their family–but also speak of the beauty of overcoming.

Told through three strong voices in three compelling timelines, The Nature of Small Birds is a hopeful story that explores the meaning of family far beyond genetic code.

If you like Courtney Walsh, then try Janet W. Ferguson.

Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s tragic death, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start?

Charter fishing pays the bills for widower Pete Thompson and his little girl, but like his father, a pastor, Pete can’t help but fish for men. Only, after growing up under constant scrutiny as a preacher’s kid, Pete’s ways are a bit more unconventional. And the bulk of his life revolves around raising his precious daughter.

When he witnesses the car wreck of a new marine biologist on the island, it doesn’t take a genius to see that more than just her physical pain needs tending. Pete feels called to help Skye find true healing, but he’s navigating dangerous waters. And he’s not at all sure he’ll walk away unscathed.

If you like Lisa Harris, then try Susan Sleeman.

When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals’ Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses’ personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness’s help, as she’s the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom’s identity. 

Trouble is, she’s a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other . . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.

If you like Lynn H. Blackburn, then try Lisa Carter.

Secrets and danger hide deep in the canyons and arroyos of the Navajo Nation When federal agent Aaron Yazzie is assigned to protect the only witness to a drug cartel execution, he hides Kailyn Eudailey in the safest place he knows . . . the vast, untamed wilderness of the Navajo Reservation. Transporting Kailyn to New Mexico may not be as easy as Aaron would like. Kailyn is a high-maintenance Southern belle who is determined to assert her independence at every step. Though Aaron works to protect her from the dangers that could get them both killed, Kailyn is getting to him. Although, she doesn’t know the real him. As an undercover agent, Aaron has grown adept at playing many roles. But will he be able to embrace his true identity and God’s plan for his life in order to keep Kailyn alive?

If you like Erin Bartels, then try Catherine West.

Sometimes we’re allowed to glimpse the beauty within the brokenness . . .

Savannah Barrington has always found solace at her parents’ lake house in the Berkshires, and it’s the place that she runs to when her husband of over twenty years leaves her. Though her world is shaken, and the future uncertain, she finds hope through an old woman’s wisdom, a little girl’s laughter, and a man who’s willing to risk his own heart to prove to Savannah that she is worthy of love.

But soon Savannah is given a challenge she can’t run away from: Forgiving the unforgivable. Amidst the ancient gardens and musty bookstores of the small town she’s sought refuge in, she must reconcile with the grief that haunts her, the God pursuing her, and the wounds of the past that might be healed after all.

Where Hope Begins is the story of grace in the midst of brokenness, pointing us to the miracles that await when we look beyond our own expectations.

Book Review: Cold Light of Day

11 Feb

Adventure, suspense, and romance — what more could you want in a novel? How about a stunning Alaska setting and the promise of more great books on the way? You get all of that in Elizabeth Goddard‘s first book in the Missing in Alaska series, Cold Light of Day. With its grab-you-from-the-beginning to its nonstop-action, if you are a romantic suspense fan, you will love this book! Recommended.

Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.

Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are–to disappear–when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he’s not sure even Autumn could save him.

As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.

With over one million books sold, Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling, award-winning author of over fifty romance novels and counting, including the romantic mystery, THE CAMERA NEVER LIES–a 2011 Carol Award winner. Four of her six Mountain Cove books have been contest finalists. BuriedBackfire, and Deceptionare finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, and Submerged is a Carol Award finalist. A 7th generation Texan, Elizabeth graduated from North Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and worked in high-level software sales for several years before retiring to home school her children and fulfill her dreams of writing full-time.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website:http://elizabethgoddard.com

My Impressions:

I love a romantic suspense from Elizabeth Goddard. The books I have read are always set amidst stunning natural beauty. In Cold Light of Day, the reader is transported to the panhandle of Alaska, home to deep fjords, a rain forest, and the wildness that is only found there. I visited Alaska almost 4 years ago, and this novel brought back all the images and memories of my trip. Of course, I didn’t encounter anything like main characters Grier and Autumn did. LOL. Autumn is the chief of police of small town Shadow Gap, a normally quiet place. Although many come there to escape or disappear, danger doesn’t usually follow them. Not the case in this book. The action starts from the very beginning and doesn’t let up. Bullets fly and bodies start to pile up. Added to the challenges facing Autumn is small-town politics that seeks to undermine her position. Luckily she has the very heroic and mysterious Grier to help her. I liked that they worked as unofficial partners — Autumn can certainly hold her own! At first I had no idea what was going on, and neither did the characters. Goddard does a good job of leaving clues along with the many twists. In addition to the action-packed suspense there’s a well-balanced romance. As with all of Goddard’s books, faith has a strong presence, but don’t worry about this book being preachy. The characters’ journeys are natural and unforced. Reconciling one’s past with hope for a future is a strong theme.

Cold Light of Day delivers what fans of romantic suspense want — characters to love and root for, a twisting plot to keep you guessing, and a promise of happily-ever-after (with some bumps along the way 😉 ).

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

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