Monday, June 10, 2013

Deadly Devotion by Sandra Orchards

Kate knows the truth is out there-but if she's right, that means a killer is out there too.
Research scientists Kate Adams and Daisy Leacock were on the brink of a breakthrough for treating depression with herbal medicine when Daisy was suddenly found dead. Kate knows that her mentor's death wasn't suicide or a careless accident-and she's determined to do whatever it takes to unearth the truth about what happened to the woman who changed her life.

Former FBI agent Tom Parker is finding it hard to adjust to life back in his hometown of Port Aster. Though an old buddy gave him a job as a detective on the local police force, not everyone approves. Tom's just trying to keep a low profile, so when Kate Adams demands he reopen the investigation into her friend's death, he knows his job is at stake. But despite his attraction to her, Tom thinks Kate may have something to hide.


As evidence mounts, a web of intrigue is woven around the sleepy town of Port Aster. Can Kate uncover the truth? Or will Tom stand in her way?

My review:
   Sandra is a new author to me. She has written some books for Love Inspired, but I don't read many books in that line, so I hadn't read any of her books before. This is her first trade paperback/full sized novel, to my knowledge.

  Deadly Devotion is the first book in the Port Astor Secrets series, and it is a great start to the series. Sandra has created a great setting for the series, and I like the characters she has created. The suspense is great, and I had a hard time figuring out who the guilty party was. There was romance in the book, but it was very light. It is common in romantic suspense for the couple to meet, fall in love, and either be engaged or well on their way to it by the end of the book. This may be somewhat of a spoiler, but I wouldn't say the couple was even really dating at the end of the book, which was different, but also cool. I have read the first chapter of the next book, which was included in this book, and the couple plays a part in the next book, so that may be revisited.

  I was impressed with this first book I read by Sandra. It kept me turning the pages as fast as I could read, and I read it in one evening. I am looking forward to more from her, especially in this series.

About the author:

   
Sandra Orchard is an active member in American Christian Fiction Writers, The Word Guild, Romance Writers of America, and a local writing group. She recently participated in the Writers' Police Academy for hands-on training and simulations at a police training facility. She is the author of Shades of Truth, Critical Condition, and Deep Cover, which won the Canadian Christian Writing Award for romance in June 2012 and was recognized as one of the top five novels of the year by Family Fiction magazine. Sandra has also received a Daphne DuMaurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense in both the inspirational category and for best score overall. She lives in Niagara, Ontario, Canada. To find out more, please visit www.sandraorchard.com.

Available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

0 comments: