Christian Legal Thriller Authors

I am going to do some blog posts about some sub genre's in Christian fiction. This first post is going to be about legal thriller authors and books. I am planning on doing not just the genre's that I read, but also the ones that I do not read. 

1) Randy Singer. Unfortunately this author has not written anything since 2017 when he wrote The Rule of Law. I believe his wife was sick for a while and passed away, and he has never came back to writing. He wrote 15 books. Two of them are set during Jesus' time: The Advocate and The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ, while the others are all set modern day. He also did one Christmas novella. The Judge Who Stole Christmas, which went with a few of his books that are a series. Of the legal thriller authors that I have read, he is most likely my favorite. His most memorable book to me was The Justice Game. It was about a gun manufacturer being sued. The author did something very cool: He had on his website a way for readers to vote for the trial outcome, and went with the majority vote. And yes, I voted. 😊

I enjoyed his books, and still have all of them on my shelf,  and hope he returns to writing at some point. He does still has a website: RandySinger.net.

2) James Scott Bell. According to Amazon, Bell has written 111 books. I am not going to go through the list, but it is possible there are repeats and titles packaged together. He is what prompted this blog post and the idea of featuring sub genre's of Christian fiction. I was in the Amish part of Ohio the last couple of days, and bought a few books by him.

Bell started out his writing career writing for Zondervan Publishing. He wrote a handful of books for them. The last one was Presumed Guilty in 2006. In the early 2000's, he co-wrote a historical series for Bethany House with Tracie Peterson, The Trials of Kit Shannon, a female lawyer in early 20th Century Los Angeles. Those three books were followed by three more in the series authored by just Bell. Those are the three I bought this week.

Bell also has several non-fiction books, some on writing process.

After his last book with Zondervan, Bell started writing secular fiction. I am not sure if he has written any Christian fiction since 2006. I am not going to recommend his secular books, with one exception: I read his Ty Buchanan Thriller Trilogy twice, and definitely recommend it. The three book series is first person point of view - not my favorite - but it is really good and clean/bad language free. I read a stand alone once that had some bad language in. His 9 book Mike Romeo Thriller series is very popular, but I have no idea what they are like. Christianbook.com carries the second one, but that doesn't mean much. They carry books by Tyndale that have bad language in, and I am sure others. So take that for what it is worth.

But I can recommend the titles he wrote for Zondervan and Bethany House, and the Ty Buchanan secular series. His website: JamesScottBell.com.

3) Robert Whitlow. If I counted correctly, Whitlow has written 23 books, with #24 on the way. His first book came out in 2000, The List, which along with two of his other books was made into a movie. I'll be honest....I loved his earlier books, but then he wrote some that weren't so much legal thrillers, but just legal stories that I didn't really enjoy. One of the last books that I read by him was Jimmy, which had an ending that totally sucked. (Though there was an alternate ending you could print out).  I think the last book I read by him was Water's Edge in 2011. I have seen some books come out by him since that looked and sounded good, and others not so....but I don't know what they are like. He has one titled Witness Protection coming in April of next year that sounds good.

To be honest, I think I just got used to his legal thrillers and then found the ones he did that were different hard to get into, though I am sure they were and are good reads. He does have some recent releases that do sound really good. His website: RobertWhitlow.com.

4) Rachel Dylan. Rachel has written around 17 books, including two for Love Inspired Suspense, which have had been re-done......at least the covers.  She recently came out with the first book in her Deadly Justice Series, Death Follows Her, after not having written anything for a few years. I don't think I have read every book of hers, but enjoyed all of the ones I did read. Her books have a lot of suspense and legal drama. I reviewed at least three of her books, and they were really good.

She is a lawyer, so she knows what she is talking about. Her books have a lot of legal drama, court room scenes, and suspense. I don't think I have read all of hers, but I have enjoyed the ones I did read. Her website is RachelDylan.com. 

5) Cara Putman. This author has written over thirty books, some legal  thrillers, and some in other genre's, including non-fiction.  I reviewed a legal thriller series she did - Hidden Justice - and thought it was really good. I have not read all of her books, but was impressed with the one I did read. 

Cara is also a lawyer, which comes through in her books. In addition to legal thrillers on the Christian market, she has also written some historical, romance, romantic suspense, and historical suspense. 

Her website is CaraPutman.com.

6) Jerome Teel. This author wrote two legal thrillers back in 2006 and 2007. It has been that long since I read the books, so I don't remember much about them, other that I did enjoy them and wished he had written more. The Election (2006) and The Divine Appointment (2007).

He has not written anything since, and has no website that I can find. 

7) Michael Swiger. This is a new author to me. He has written 5 books since 2020, and all of them legal thrillers. I got his first book in e-book form, A Trial of Innocents, free in September 2023, and borrowed the rest on KU at some point. I liked them. A lot of suspense in them along with legal drama.

He has an interesting bio on Amazon, so I am going to share it: 

"Michael Swiger is the award-winning author of the Innocents Series - inspirational, suspense-filled legal thrillers that have perennially topped the Amazon bestseller list. He is the founder and Executive Director of True Freedom, Ohio’s largest prison ministry. Swiger served 17 years as an accomplice to a crime committed by his older brother. While incarcerated Swiger graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, before earning a degree in Applied Theology at the Reformed Theological Seminary. He became the first Ohio prisoner to be commercially published since O. Henry in 1902. Swiger lives near Cleveland with his wife and two children."

I cannot find a website for him. 

8) Rick Acker. Acker is still a fairly new author to me. Collen Coble - one of my favorite authors - asked him to collaborate on a few books. What We Hide, Tupelo Grove Series #1 came out last year, followed by I Think I Was Murdered (stand alone), and earlier this year the second Tupelo Grove book came out, with the third slated for March. One of the two main characters in the series is a lawyer, so there is some legal stuff, but I wouldn't call the books legal thrillers. The two authors are amazing together.

Acker has 10 books of his own published. Seven are legal thrillers, and 3 are kid's books. I read one of his solo books so far, Guilty Blood, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have a couple others I bought on eBay that are sitting on my shelves waiting to be read.

Acker is a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice. His unit prosecutes corporate fraud lawsuits. He has a website at RickAcker.com.

10) Todd M Johnson. Johnson has 4 books published, 3 are modern day and one historical, The Barrister and the Letter of Marque.  I read all but the historical one. It has been a while since I read anything by him, but I remember them being pretty good reads.

Johnson has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years. 

He does not seem to have a website.

11) Don Brown. Brown has written several books revolving around the Navy.  Though some of his books don't fall into the legal thriller genre', he did a 4 book series The Navy Justice Series that centers around a JAG officer, and a few others.  The Navy Justice Series were books I really enjoyed and recommend.

Has has also written some non-fiction titles. 

Brown served on active duty for five years in the Navy as a JAG officer, during which time he served as military prosecutor, a Special Assistant United States Attorney, and also won the New York City Bar Association Trial Advocacy Award for winning the trial advocacy championship at the United States Naval Justice School. DON BROWN remained on inactive reserve status with the Navy through 1999, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He currently lives in his native North Carolina.

And more recently, he announced his run for US Senator of North Carolina. 
His website is DonBrownBooks.com.

12) Jayna Breigh. This author has one book out so far, The Hunted Heir. It is a legal thriller/drama, and has a of great reviews.

Amazon bio: 
"Jayna is an award-winning writer of Romantic Legal Dramas - Suspenseful, Twist-Filled Mystery/Thrillers with Romance. She practiced “Big City Law” in Los Angeles for over a decade. Jayna loves funny, inspirational and painfully cute social media. The only real life drama allowed—British period pieces and games of Wordfeud."

She has a website: JaynaBreigh.com.

13) Craig Parshall. Parshall has 26 books in print, including a 3 book historical series co-written with his wife Janet, and a 4 book end times series co-written with Tim Lahaye. I have read all of his books except the series he did with his wife. And all of them, other than the end times series, are legal thrillers/legal stories of some sort, including the series I did not read. My favorites of his, which I have read at least twice, is his Chambers of Justice Series. There are 5 books - though there is another of his books that is supposed to be part of the series also that came along later. I consider him to be a great author, and enjoyed any book of his that I read.

He has no website that I can find. 

Trail of Suspicion by Jennifer Pierce

Book description: 

 Uncovering buried secrets could be fatal for a K-9 and his handler.

When crime scene technician Aurora “Rory” James and her K-9, Moose, stumble upon a dead body in the woods, she finds herself fighting off a killer who wants to hide his crimes. Although she’s the criminal’s next target, Rory doesn’t want protection from Sergeant Asher Mitchell—the man who implicated her father in her mother’s disappearance years ago. But as the attacks escalate and they discover that a second body belongs to Rory’s missing mother, Asher realizes that the murderer will do anything to stop the police investigation. Can Rory and Asher catch the culprit before they become the next victims?

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

My review:
I have read several of this author's books, and enjoyed them. This is the first Love Inspired novel of hers that I have read, and I have been looking forward to it. And I am impressed. I loved the two main characters, and the fact that they had a history. She pretty much hated his guts and blamed him for her dad being a suspect in her mother's disappearance years ago. But I loved their interplay and the tension between them.

And I even liked the dog. 

The plot was well done, and enough suspense to make me not want to put the book down. This was a book where I figured out very early in the book who the killer was, and I was correct. 

The book had a great ending, and I very much enjoyed reading it. Definitely 5 stars. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Trail of Suspicion releases September 30, on sale September 1. 

About the author:

Jennifer is a top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author. She lives in Arkansas where she’s busy raising two children and a husband. She’s a paralegal by trade and an author by free time. She’s fluent in sarcasm and Princess Bride quotes. Her love of books began with trips to the library with her grandmother. Please don't ask her to name her favorite book, it's like trying to pick her favorite child. And Unicorns. She loved unicorns before they were cool.

Check out her website for more about Jennifer and her books: Jenniferiercewrites.com

Storm and Tempest, Brand of Justice #13 by Lisa Phillips

Book description:

Their enemy might have Kenna, but Jax isn’t backing down. Ever.

For two months, FBI Special Agent Oliver Jaxton has been searching for his wife. Even with the help of her friends and the Phoenix FBI office, he’s no closer now than the day she disappeared. Forced to face his weaknesses, Jax is ready to admit he needs help. But with no break in the case in sight, he’s about to lose hope. When evidence surfaces that Kenna now works for their enemy, he refuses to believe it, even if it puts his job in jeopardy. He won’t quit.

Even if he loses everything.

The more Jax and Kenna’s team dig into the evidence, trying to find her, the more it seems like they never will. Teaming up with Kenna’s extended family makes things more complicated when a drive-by shooting puts their lives in danger. With danger on their heels and no way to know who they can trust, Jax is forced into a choice that could either destroy his career or get Kenna back.

His Brand of Justice will save this family.

My review:

 I have been really looking forward to this book for a couple of reasons: #1 Because of the major cliffhanger ending of the previous book. #2 This book features Kenna's husband, FBI Agent Oliver Jaxton, and even has him on the cover. He has been appearing more and more as the series progresses, so it was really cool to have him take center stage for this book, and learn more about him and his life. It comes out right away that he has been addicted to pain killers. No spoiler there. The first sentence of the book is "My name is Oliver Jaxton, and I am an addict." He struggles  a lot with God and faith throughout the book as he meets so many obstacles on the search for his wife. I really ended up liking his character a lot more the further I got into the book. I won't give any spoilers away, but when I say the book centers on him, I mean the book really centers on him.

It seemed there was a lot more action and drama in this one. A lot happens, and it is difficult to know who are the bad guys and good guys at times, especially when sometimes the good guys turn out to be bad. The plot is intricate, yet easy to keep up with, and the author really puts her characters through a lot in this book. And the suspense in this one is way up there.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and it had a great ending, as opposed to the cliffhanger ending of the previous book, but it still left me looking forward to the next book, whenever that is coming.

Special thanks to the author for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

Storm and Tempest releases August 27. 

About the author:

Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 80 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.

Check out her website for more about Lisa and her books at AuthorLisaPhillips.com

Series spotlight: The Warrior Spy Series by Dony Jay

 

It has been a while since I did a series spotlight or a post about a new or notable author. So it is time I do one, and I am going to spotlight a series I just read....and part of which I re-read: The Warrior Spy Series by Dony Jay. 

Book #1, Warrior Spy, came out in 2015. 
Book #2, Artifacts of Conspiracy came out in 2017
Book #3, Agency At War, came out last month. See why I re-read the first two? 

 The series features a young CIA agent names Reagan Rainey - Ray - and his exploits that take him all over the world. The series is filled with suspense, action, spies, political intrigue, and a lot of drama. It is an amazing series that is definitely geared for guys, though a lot of women would enjoy it also. And the author has an amazing life in the job he does and has done - read his bio at the end of this post. 

Book #1: Warrior Spy

The CIA has a problem. Its best clandestine operatives keep turning up dead. And now, as if things couldn't get any worse, a Defense Department scientist, specializing in high-energy lasers, has gone missing. America needs answers. And fast.

Delta Force operator Reagan Rainey, on temporary duty assignment with a secret CIA entity known as Directorate Twelve, is tasked to do just that--get answers. But to do so, he not only has to outwit and outmaneuver a dangerous cabal of foreign actors believed to be at the center of it all, he must contend with a deadly assassin who is bent on destroying him.

Relying on his bedrock faith in Almighty God, Rainey is forced to race against the clock to uncover what is really going on and why, before his beloved America is pushed to the brink of war.

The Warrior Spy is the first book in the Warrior Spy thriller series. It is jam-packed with heart-pounding action, all-out spy warfare and a new American hero that is sure to please.

Book #2: Artifacts of Conspiracy

Reagan Rainey was eleven years old when CIA men came to his house and broke the news that his father was dead. And so for the past twenty years, he and his family believed just that. But when a Russian spy named Moses suddenly comes forward and teases a tightly held secret from the past, Rainey’s world is turned upside down.

As part of the ensuing internal CIA investigation, Rainey—Delta Force special operator turned CIA operations officer—is dispatched to Great Britain to find out what really happened to his father and why. After narrowly escaping gunmen in England and an ambush in Spain, Rainey mounts his own operation that will lead readers through the spy-rich streets of Vienna and Prague and to the doorstep of Moscow. And leave Rainey staring face to face with a killer.

In his most daunting mission to date, Rainey will do whatever it takes to discover the truth. For his country, his family and himself. A truth that will challenge the very fiber of his faith and just might shake America to its core.

Book #3: Agency At War

Reagan Rainey, America’s best warrior spy, was hoping that a Christmastime trip to New York City with his old college flame would help rekindle their frayed relationship. But instead of enjoying the holiday pomp and fortifying a romance, he finds himself smack dab in the middle of a deadly terrorist attack as it is unfolding.

After narrowly escaping with his life, Rainey is quickly tasked with finding out who planned and executed the attack. He soon formulates an audacious plan that puts himself in the crosshairs as he and his newly formed CIA hunter-killer team endeavor to penetrate the dangerous terrorist organization behind the attack and give them the war they deserve. But for his plan to work, Rainey must enlist the support of a wealthy adversary, a man he would much rather see dead.

In a shadowy world of illicit arms, shifting allegiances, and hostile intelligence services that threaten to submarine the operation and put him in the ground for good, Rainey takes on the role of a lifetime fighting on the blurred front lines for an agency at war.

Jay also has another book that released recently, the first book in his Nathan Press Thriller Series. It isn't quite as Christian in content, and I definitely like the Warrior Spy Series better. 

About the author:

DONY JAY was born and raised in beautiful south-central Pennsylvania. Whether it was playing baseball with neighborhood kids during the summer months or hockey on a slab of ice in his childhood backyard in winter, he’s always had a passion for sports. Dony excelled at soccer and basketball and played both sports collegiately. He holds a BS degree in criminal justice from York College of Pennsylvania. A self-described book addict, Dony possesses an insatiable zeal for the written word—something he largely credits to his faithful prep-school English teachers.

Dony is now a police detective with over 22 years of law-enforcement experience. He has served on a US Marshals Fugitive Task Force and is currently a member of a county-wide Child Abduction Response Team (CART) and his department's forensic unit. Outside the crime-scene tape, he is the author of smart, exciting thrillers with richly drawn characters and plots that pack a punch.

When he's not reading or writing, Dony loves spending time with his family, staying fit, and cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles. He also enjoys the outdoors, great music, and keeping pace with Jovie, his lovable and very active Jack Russell Terrier. Above all, he's a follower of Jesus Christ. He resides in south-central Pennsylvania.

Check out his website for more about Dony and his books: DonyJayBooks.com

With Mercy's Eyes by D. T. Powell

 

Book description:

He turned his back on God a long time ago. But God never forgot him.

Six months after struggling actor Lane Harris lost his husband in a tragic accident, he lands a movie role guaranteed to put him on the Hollywood map. But one producer holds the power to shut down his shot at stardom—and she’s a Christian. If she finds out he's gay, it's over. Lane is careful not to say too much around her.

When an alcohol-fueled tryst with his co-star ends in humiliation, and his landlord hands him an eviction notice, Lane looks for someone to talk to. He finds a confidant in the Christian producer. After a night of too little sleep and not enough coffee, he lets slip his sexual orientation. Instead of a verbal flogging, the woman recounts recently losing her own husband.

The only Christians Lane knows condemn him upon learning he's gay. But this one is different. She doesn't embrace his sexuality, but instead of treating him with disdain, she offers compassion. Christians are supposed to hate people like him. So, why doesn't she?

My review:
  There aren't enough books like this on the Christian market, and I was happy to run across this one, thanks to a friend sending me a link to it. It is a long book - 532 pages, not counting the discussion questions and other extras. So it was a bit daunting, but I did read it in one afternoon.

 The book is fairly slow-paced for most of the story. This isn't a fast conversion story - not really a spoiler that there is a conversion...you figure there will be....but the author takes her time getting there. 

And that makes sense. Lane is a gay guy married to another man, who dies at the beginning of the first book. His Christian parents kicked him out when he was 18, and 20 years later he doesn't have a any good feelings about God and Christians. He isn't going to turn to God within the first couple of chapters. 

Speaking of Lane....The author did an excellent job on him. His past, what he was going through, his experiences with Christians and the church. And man, did he have it rough. Kind of like a gay Job. :) But he is impossible not to like, and you can't help but root for him. 

And he isn't the only likable character. There is Vic (Victoria). She ends up playing a huge part in his story, and man I was about sobbing towards the end of the book the way her part in the story played out. 

I have read a handful of books that deal with this issue, and I believe this is by far the best one I have read. The way the author handled it, the truths from the Bible she brought out...even the truths from a fictional novel Lane read that Vic wrote...this was a heartbreakingly beautiful story that brought out some truths I needed. The title, With Mercy's Eyes...I cannot explain it well, but the author brought out the idea of spiritual gifts, and that what so many gay people do is a sinful manifestation of what might be a spiritual gift. (Not saying being gay is a gift, but loving people and having the gift of mercy...the author explains it at the end of the book).

Anyway, this is a book that is worth reading. It is more than a fictional account of a messed up guy who comes to the point we all need to come to. It is a beautiful story of God's love and how He works in our lives, no matter how far we have gone.  

Special thanks to the author for an advance copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
D. T. Powell grew up in a Christian home, loving books and reading. Her daily habits include: reading dozens of pages, picking which book to read next, and archiving and listening to sacred music. 

When she was nine, God sent a fictional character into her life who changed the way she looked at the world—and herself.

From then on, she wanted to show everyone what God had done for her, so she pursued an art degree… and was summarily kicked out of the program due to general lack of artistic talent.

Only after she graduated with a degree in business did she pick up the one utensil she had never thought to use, a pen. And she hasn’t put it down since.

To fill her writing day, she works on original stories, extensive fanfiction endeavors, and learning more about the craft of writing.

Her hobbies include hanging out with her husband and their three kitties, reading, playing pickleball, listening to music, and imagining scenes to use in future books. 

She loves Psalm 126:5, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

You can find her at dtpowellwrites.com, on IG - dtill359, or FB - D. T. Powell, Author

Rescued, Security League #1 by Jerusha Agen

Book Description:

 Being a nanny shouldn’t be dangerous. Tell that to the people who want her dead.

As the nanny of twin two-year-olds who lost their mother, Valena Greer wants to create a happy and safe home for the children. The kids must know they’re loved and protected—the opposite of her own unstable childhood. But when danger comes to her door, the illusion of safety is shattered.

A security agent shouldn’t have to convince the lady he’s saving her life.

But that’s exactly what Cooper White must do when he tries to rescue Valena and the twins from would-be killers. If he could get Valena to trust him, then he could focus entirely on evading the opposing organizations that want to take the children and eliminate their protectors.

As the deadly pursuers close in, can Valena and Cooper trust each other and God for the rescue they need?

Real heroes. Real faith. Women in trouble, fighting to survive, encounter the heroes of the Security League and the God they didn't know they needed.

My review:
    I actually read this last year when it was included in a Kindle anthology, but I couldn't remember a lot about it, and agreed to review it.

  This is one of those non-stop suspense and drama books. It starts out with Cooper rescuing Valena and the twins she is a nanny for, and they are constantly on the run. I love the back and forth between Valena and Cooper. For the first part of the book, she fights him and is sure he is kidnapping them and refuses to willingly cooperate and refuses to believe anything he says.

  I really enjoyed this one. I love it when kids are a part of a story, and Sammy and Savannah were likable kids, and it was awesome how Cooper and Valena were both determined to protect them...even when butting heads. 

 As with her other books, the author was not shy about weaving a Christian thread throughout the story, and it meshed well with everything else. There were a lot of tense situations, and it was a book I did not want to put down. Looking forward to more in this series. 

Special thanks to the author for an advance e-book copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. 

With a B.A. in English and a background in screenwriting, Jerusha is a speaker, writing instructor, and Fear Warrior who sounds the call to battle against fear in our everyday lives.

Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats. You’ll often find her sharing irresistibly adorable photos of them in her newsletter and on social media.\

Get a free suspense story from Jerusha at FearWarriorSuspense.com and find more of her thrilling, fear-fighting stories at www.JerushaAgen.com.

   

One More Chance, Brand of Justice Series #12

Book description: 

Living in Phoenix in the heat of summer isn’t for the faint of heart.

Add a cat, and things could get messy. Especially when Kenna doesn’t know why she feels strangely lethargic and keeps missing time. Is she ill, or is something far more sinister at work? She didn’t plan to have to navigate the “in sickness and in health” part of married life so soon, but here she is. With her team backing off to give her and Jax space to be newlyweds, she will have to figure this out without them.

Kenna is up to the challenge. Until it all goes wrong, of course.

A cold case mixes with a present threat, and their enemy seems to be around every corner. With a list of missing people and a hint this might be connected to a shadowy organization, Kenna needs her health to hold out until the case is closed. Uncovering a dangerous plot wasn’t part of her summer plan, but maybe she’s the only one who can bring the truth to light.

This brand of justice will cost her team everything.

Warning: this book contains a diabolical cliffhanger.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

My review:
  This first part of my review I will have to edit out for other places, especially Amazon. They would never approve it, but this is so cool that I have to share it: I am in this book. For real. The author has a chat with some readers and other authors in, and a while back she had the idea to use any of us in a future book who were interested, and got our physical descriptions and I think ages. I got cast as an evil doctor, and she made sure I was OK with that. Every time Doctor Buzard was mentioned, I would chuckle. I love it. Now on to the actual review:

 For a series I was not sure I was going to get into, I am loving this series. At the end of the previous book, Kenna and Special FBI Agent In Charge Jax (Oliver Jackson) finally tied the knot, and are married and living together in this book. And man, what a book. Phillips really pulled out all the stops on drama and suspense in this one, and it is truly a book I read in one sitting. I couldn't wait to read this one.

It had all the regular characters - Mazie, Ramon, and Bruce - and a cast of new ones, including some really bad ones. Phillips does great at creating evil characters you love to dislike. 

The plot was awesome, partly a continuation of the whole series with new wrinkles and problems. The bad guys really ramped it up in this one, fueled by the author's evil genius. 

And the ending, Oh, the ending....there is a cliffhanger warning. Ugh. I ignored that warning. Because it is a major cliffhanger. I won't give spoilers, but I will say it doesn't leave Jax or Kenna in a good place. 

I am definitely looking forward to the next book. Not just because of that huge cliffhanger, but book #13 will be from the viewpoint of FBI Special Agent In Charge Oliver Jackson (Jax), new husband of Kenna, the heroine of the series. I think he will even be on the cover.

Special thanks to the author for an advance e-book copy of this novel. I was under no obligation to provide a review and the thoughts contained herein are my own.

About the author:
Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 80 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels. She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.

Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect. It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.

One More Chance releases June 18.

Check out her website for more about her and her books: AuthorLisaPhillips.com

The rest of the series:

                                                    1-4

5-8

9-11