The Killing Tide, Coastal Guardians #1 by Dani Pettrey

Book description: 

A Corpse That Only Leads to Secrets. 
An Old Flame with Danger Written all over Her.
Things Are about to Get Very Complicated.

When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

The already volatile situation is complicated even further by the arrival of Gabby Rowley--Finn's boss's sister and an investigative reporter with unrelenting questions about the crime. Now that she's returned, the tug on Finn's heart is strong, but with the risks she's taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can't ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

My review:

   Seven years ago, Dani Pettrey broke onto the Christian fiction market with her first book the Alaskan Courage Series, Submerged. I was hooked from her first book, and she quickly became one of my top favorite authors, and remains there.

  The Killing Tide is the first in a new series I have been looking forward to, and it does not disappoint. I have read a few books that involved the Coast Guard, but can't remember any that completely revolved around and centered on it. I know Pettrey and authors like her do research and even talk to people in law enforcement when they write these books, so I found the activities these fictional characters were involved in fascinating.

  In this book, the Coast Guard was more involved in law enforcement and investigating, though there were also some search and rescue.

  Characters and character development are a big thing with me, and Pettrey came up with some great and likable characters for her series. There is a Coast Guard team that the series will revolve around. I am guessing each book will feature and center on a different member of the team. This one was about the very likable Finn, and his former love interest, Gabby. The team has other great characters, including Noah, team leader and Gabby's brother, and Logan.....a most interesting and colorful character I am hoping will be featured more in other books.

  The plot was great, intricate, and multi-layered. There was a lot going on, but a lot of it was connected. There was more than one bad guy, and though one was obvious from the first chapter, the others were not so obvious, and I was kept guessing.....and totally surprised at the identity of the mastermind.

 The suspense was awesome and well done, and there were a lot of tense moments. Let's get real....most authors are not going to kill off a main character, but it is still fun and suspenseful to read all that happens til the climax of the book and the damsel is saved.

 Last, but not least was the romance. I like books like these that aren't the typical boy meets girl, and they fall in love while trying to stay alive from a killer. In The Killing Tide, Finn and Abby had already had a dating relationship, and she had left him for a job elsewhere. Slight spoiler: You know they are going to get back together, but it was still fun and entertaining to see how it happened.

 In The Killing Tide, Dani Pettrey proves she still has it, and has only gotten better at her very awesome brand of Christian suspense. My only complaint: the next book is so far off.

 I highly recommend her Alaskan Courage Series and her Chesapeake Valor Series.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

About the author:

Praised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as "a name to look for in romantic suspense," Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance. Her novels stand out for their "wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters" (Publishers Weekly), "gripping storyline[s]," (RT Book Reviews), and "sizzling undercurrent of romance" (USA Today).

Her Alaskan Courage series and Chesapeake Valor series have received praise from readers and critics alike and spent multiple months topping the CBA bestseller lists. Dani has also been honored with multiple awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award, two HOLT Medallions, two National Readers' Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing's Best Award.

From her early years eagerly reading Nancy Drew mysteries, to paging through Agatha Christie novels or watching on-the-edge-of-her-seat adventure movies, Dani has always enjoyed mystery and suspense. She considers herself blessed to be able to write the kind of stories she loves--full of plot twists and peril, love, and longing for hope and redemption. Her greatest joy as an author is sharing the stories God lays on her heart.  She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland, where she lives with her husband. Their two daughters, a son-in-law, and two adorable grandsons also reside in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit danipettrey.com.

 The Killing Tide is available from Bethany House Publishers, part of the Baker Publishing Group. Thanks to Bethany House and the author for the review copy.


                                                    The Alaskan Courage Series

The Chesapeake Valor Series