After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot - A Book Review

  

Historical fiction with a mystery, a perfect combination. Emily Leland may not have known what to expect when she returned to her childhood home after being unexpectedly widowed after only a year of marriage, but certainly not to be rejected by her sister, or to discover her father dead in the barn. When the town's sheriff and doctor determine her father took his own life, it is up to Emily and the new schoolmaster to prove otherwise.

Amanda Cabot has written a compelling story that will keep readers highly engaged. Even those who may be quick to select a suspect will want to read into the wee hours to confirm their suspicions and determine the killer's motives. Cabot also introduces characters who are vulnerable. Readers will applaud those who champion them, and their ire will rise against those who demean them. Hopefully it will also inspire readers to be more aware of personal opportunities to champion those they encounter being ostracized.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this well-written novel from Revell via Library Thing without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

The Metropolitan Affiar by Jocelyn Green - A Book Review

 

Set in New York City in the mid-1920s, The Metropolitan Affair is a wonderful Gilded Age mystery complete with the rich and famous, lavish parties, forgers of antiquities, a beautiful Egyptologist, and a German-Italian NYPD detective. The story is original, well-plotted, and contains natural sounding dialogue. The author paints vivid mental images including those that impact the olfactory and taste senses, leaving the reader's mouth watering for pastrami on rye or the best cup of coffee with a cannoli on the side. The theme is about discovering the One that, unlike friends and family may do, will never leave nor forsake you, and whose love is never conditional.

I most highly recommend The Metropolitan Affair, the first book in Green's On Central Park series, and her previous series, The Windy City Saga. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Code Name Edelweiss by Stanphane Landsem - A Book Review

 

I am a big fan of World War II era historical Christian fiction, and Code Name Edelweiss is one of the best books that I have read in this category. The plot is very original being based on the work of attorney Leon Lewis and his undercover agents in Los Angeles, focusing on the beginnings of Lewis' work to get authorities to recognize the threat posed by Adolf Hitler. The release date, while possibly unintentional, coincided with this year's celebration of Purim from the book of Esther in the Bible. Liesl Weiss must decide between her personal safety and that of her family and becoming one of Leon Lewis' operatives, working undercover for the Friends of New Germany. Ultimately it comes down to deciding if not her, then who; if not now, then when. In other words, might she have been born for such a time as this? A question Queen Esther had to face, and one we might also need to respond to.

Code Name Edelweiss also examines the reasons people might join a group whose beliefs and methods might in truth be contrary to their own. Otto Wilhelm's work with the boys of the Silver Shirts, including Liesl's brother, shines a spotlight on this theme which may also bear examining in our current culture. As such, I recommend this book to both male and female readers.

I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Code Name Edelweiss from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

Under Fire by Lynn H. Blackburn - A Book Review

  

Previously I have given Lynn H. Blackburn four and five stars. So, the bar was set high for Under Fire. It is a great story, but my least favorite of her Defend and Protect series. The suspense element is intriguing, the romance filled with tension. There were, however, snippets of the story that were confusing, and some that were redundant. I am a big fan of epilogues that give you a look into a couple's happily-ever-after, but this one felt more like a plug for the next book and would have been better as a sneak peak into a first chapter. With all of that said, I would still recommend this book to romantic suspense fans. I especially like how the characters' faith is demonstrated as a natural part of the way they do life together. The humor had me laughing aloud multiple times. This is an author that I will continue to look for in the future. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Under Fire from Revell without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk - A Book Review

  

I am so glad I turned to the back and read the Author's Notes first. The information there added to the pleasure of reading The Escape Game. This book highlights the emotional toll of the bombings Europeans endured during WW II as well as the uncertainty about the well-being of loved ones. The plot was interesting as the story moved between Beryl Clarke in Leeds, England and Kenneth Bordelon in a POW camp in Germany. It held my interest as I read whenever the opportunity presented itself. It was a satisfying read up until the last chapter and epilogue in which everything was brought to a rushed and highly unsatisfying conclusion. I found myself mentally filling in the holes left in the story.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Escape Game from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.