By The Book

A husband’s lies can have deadly consequences.

When Juliet Cole’s husband of fifteen years is murdered before her eyes, she thinks it was a random shooting. Devastated and traumatized, she answers hours of questioning, then returns home to break the tragic news to her boys. But a threatening voicemail takes this from a random shooting to a planned, deliberate attack.

Juliet realizes that she and her children are in danger too, unless she meets the killers’ demands. But as she and her sisters untangle the clues, her husband’s dark secrets come to light. The more she learns, the more of her life is dismantled. Was her husband an innocent victim or a hardened criminal?

Terri Blackstock has sold over six million books worldwide and is a New York Times bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, Restoration, and Moonlighters.

My Impressions:

I was very excited to get the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Terri Blackstock’s latest suspense novel, Distortion. The second book in the Moonlighters series, it is on my book club’s discussion schedule this year. We read book 1, Truth Stained Lies, last year and have been eagerly waiting on book 2. Blackstock has been a favorite of our group since we began meeting over 11 years ago. She consistently delivers the unpredictable, page-turning, plot-twisting books that we love.

Distortion features another of the Cramer siblings, Juliet, and her family. Murder and betrayal are again at the forefront of the action. Juliet’s husband’s murder rocks the foundation of her family, but it is the secret life and illegal drug business that he was involved in that has Juliet reeling. Bob was a prominent and well-respected doctor in Panama City, Florida. Can he really have been involved with drug transport and the very men that murdered his sister-in-law’s fiance?

Blackstock portrays the illegal drug trade in all of its ugliness. It is surrounded by vicious crimes that impact everyone. Juliet begins her journey towards truth in a numb fog, but soon becomes a determined mama-bear, set on protecting her children and bringing her husband’s killers to justice. The characters from book 1 are also heavily involved, especially Michael, the ex-cop turned PI, who employs Juliet and her sisters. The action is non-stop and takes some turns you will never expect.

Distortion is a great novel for all those who like fast-paced suspense. I am looking forward to more in this great series.

Recommended.

(Thanks to LitFuse and Zondervan for a review copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

For more reviews, click HERE.

The Kindle version is just $4.99 and available for pre-order until March 10. To order, click on the image below.

Tags: suspense fiction, Terri Blackstock

Sometimes the truth is crazier than a lie.

Cathy Cramer is a former lawyer and investigative blogger who writes commentary on local homicides.

When she finds a threatening note warning her that she’s about to experience the same kind of judgment and speculation that she dishes out in her blog, Cathy writes it off as mischief … until her brother is caught in the middle of a murder investigation—the victim is his ex-wife. As her brother is tried and convicted in the media, and bloggers and commentators like her have a field day, Cathy wonders if she should have taken the threat more seriously.

Cathy and her two sisters, Holly and Juliet, moonlight as part-time private investigators, working to solve their brother’s ex-wife’s murder. Juliet, a stay-at-home mom of two boys, and Holly, a scattered ne’er-do-well who drives a taxi, put aside their fear and lack of confidence to learn the art of investigation. But will it be too late to save their brother from a murder conviction, or his five-year-old son who’s the killer’s next target?

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

Her latest series is the acclaimed, award-winning Intervention Series (Intervention, Vicious Cycle, Downfall).Other reader favorites include her books Predator and Double Minds, as well as the Restoration Series, theNewpointe 911 Series, the Cape Refuge Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re not alone, and that their trials have a purpose.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

My Impressions:

Truth Stained Lies is my book club’s discussion selection for this month. Terri Blackstock has long been a favorite of ours and has been a staple on our discussion lists year in and year out. And for good reason. Blackstock always presents a taut, suspense-filled read that keeps the pages turning. Truth Stained Lies is no exception.

The first book in a new series, Truth Stained Lies introduces us to three sisters — Cathy, Hollie, and Juliet — and their quest to find the real killer of their sister-in-law and to prove their brother Jay innocent. They have help from Michael, the brother of Cathy’s murdered fiance who lost his job as a police officer following the acquittal of his brother’s murderer. Now a PI, Michael joins forces with the sisters to make sure truth is brought to life.

The three sisters have faced the betrayal by their father in differing ways — increased faith, self-loathing and denial. The experiences of abandonment by their father and the church have shaped the way they deal with life and the accusations leveled at their brother.  I look forward to future development in these characters as well as more of the same quick-paced suspense Blackstock is known for.

A great start for a new series. If you like suspense, you will love Truth Stained Lies.

Recommended.

(I purchased this book for my Kindle. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase a copy of Truth Stained Lies, click on the image below.

Tags: suspense fiction, Terri Blackstock

Although Emily Covington has kicked the drug addiction through rehab, she knows she has a lot to prove. Her behavior through years on drugs makes it hard for her family to completely trust her. Then the police discover a home made bomb under Emily’s car and she also discovers the wife of one of her friends was murdered that same morning, she knows things are deadly serious. But who wants Emily dead? And why?

Excerpt

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Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

Her latest series is the acclaimed, award-winning Intervention Series (Intervention, Vicious Cycle, Downfall).Other reader favorites include her books Predator and Double Minds, as well as the Restoration Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, the Cape Refuge Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re not alone, and that their trials have a purpose.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

My Impressions:

Downfall is the exciting finale to the Intervention series by Terri Blackstock.  Inspired by the struggle to help her own daughter, Blackstock has created a realistic and suspenseful book trilogy exposing the tragedy of drug abuse and addiction.  In Downfall, the Covington family has relocated to Atlanta to break the drug ties for Emily, as well as to be closer to Kent.  Kent, a police detective, wants the family to become his own as well.  But before Kent can pop the question to Barbara, Emily is again dragged into a murder investigation.  And although she has nothing to do with the multiple murders, Emily is being framed.

I highly recommend the Intervention series.  And you must start with book one, Intervention, to get the full story.  Blackstock writes great suspense (you just might find yourself holding your breath!).  That’s why she has become a favorite author with my book club.  She consistently tells a believable story with well-developed characters.  And as an added bonus, this book was set in my home state.  I could really envision the Atlanta she brings to life.  All in all, Downfall (and the two books before it) is a  great read.

We will be discussing this book on April 13, so if you have read Downfall, please leave a comment for our group.

(I bought Downfall for my Kindle — no review copy involved!)

Tags: suspense fiction, Terri Blackstock