The Sleuths of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep ~ a book review

 

 

This is the third book in the Blackfriars collection.  While it is a stand alone story, it would be helpful to read the two prior books.  However, the author does a great job of bringing in the back stories.

This story is based in Victorian times and set in the less affluent neighborhoods.  You get a very real impression of what life was like in that situation.  The main characters, Kit and Jackson Forge are new parents. Jackson is made the new chief inspector of a police station in London and requires a big time commitment.  Kit is a former street “swindler”, who is in partnership with her father in a detective agency.  She is not afraid of taking risks and her street smarts comes in very handy. 

This is a very entertaining story with witty dialog and suspenseful mysteries.  Who is the culprit they are after and will they catch their suspect in time?

We are shown the rough and tumble and sometimes brutal form of police interrogation that was normal for that time, although shocking and cringeworthy now. 

There are exciting high speed carriage chases, disasters and unpleasant confrontations that keep the reader engaged.

I loved the commitment between Kit and Jackson.  Their love for each other is very evident. There is a bit more intimacy than you might find in other Christian romances but it's not offensive.

My only complaint is that the characters profess a deep faith in God but many of their actions don’t support that.  There are many instances of deception, lying and cruelty.  It reminds us that no one is perfect and …”all have sinned…” 

This is from the publisher’s website:

“Wife. Mother. Homemaker. Detective. Kit Forge wears many hats, and if that’s not enough, she’s partnered with her father to open a new detective agency. It’s hard to be all things to all people, but Kit never shies away from the impossible. Despite her hard work and good intentions, some things fall through the cracks.
 
Namely, her husband.
 
But Jackson barely notices. He’s too busy putting out his own fires. As the new chief inspector of a busy London station, he must salvage the disaster left behind by the former police chief—an obstacle made all the harder when the superintendent breathes an ultimatum down his neck.
 
Against her father’s advice, Kit takes on a case involving a missing child, one in which she and Jackson become a little too emotionally involved. . .and end up endangering their own little girl in the process.
 
Can Kit and Jackson learn that just because they can say yes doesn’t mean they should?”

I have enjoyed other books by Michelle Griep and this one doesn’t disappoint! I hope there is a book four in the plans!

Go HERE to read an excerpt and to order

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir ~ a book review

 

When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir

 

The event that this story is based on was an actual event.  The author states in her notes, “This book is fiction, and I have used literary license to imagine the thoughts, words and actions…” of the characters.  She also says that her research involved many stories of the victim’s and survivors. Many of the story lines are inspired by the accounts written of that day. The circus fire of 1944 really happened.

This is a gripping and heart wrenching story about two people who are trying to overcome and accept their past.  Evelyn is a young widow whose husband died in WW1 and has had to give up her home and move in with her brother, Bill, and his family.  They live on a very small home with their two children. Evelyn works as a waitress in a small diner for very little pay. 

Hank is one of the many circus workers.  His main job as a circus clown lets him conceal his identity.  He is hiding from his past and the repercussions of his former actions.  He is present when the circus fire takes place and assists in leading many of the attendees to safety.

While Evelyn is not at the fire, her family is. The author describes the Big Top fire vividly without being overly gruesome.

 The events of that day and the weeks following help to bring Hank and Evelyn closer together and grow and renew their faith.  This is an historically accurate, Christian fiction romance.  The element of faith is very evident, and it is not an overly, “sugar-sweet” romance. Evelyn and Hank learn that they may not always know why God allows certain things to happen, but His ways are always good. The balance of faith, romance, suspense and danger makes this a riveting, thought provoking story. 

This is from the publisher's website:

" Will Faith Perish in the Big Top’s Flames?
 
Introducing a new series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.
 
Evelyn Benson’s husband perished in the Bataan Death March but not her faith. The World War II Gold Star widow is taken in by her brother and soothed by the love of his wife and children. Evelyn refuses to cower to grief. She may not understand God’s mysterious ways, but she has never questioned Him—until the circus fire.
 
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus train chugs into Hartford, Connecticut, on a sweltering day one month after the Allies invaded Normandy. Among the roustabouts is a reluctant clown, Hank Webb. He may hide from his murky past behind grease paint as Fraidy Freddie, but God wants to offer Hank a chance to be found. Though first, what little Hank believes about God will endure a fiery trial.
 
On Thursday, July 6, 1944, a devasting blaze of unknown origins consumes the circus tent along with Evelyn’s hopes and Hank’s anonymity."

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

 

Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley ~ a book review

This book is perfect for the reader who likes contemporary Christian suspense and mystery stories.  This one has it all!  Mystery, intrigue, suspense, murder, missing persons, robbery and more.  It is not heavy on the romance but there is an element of it.  It also isn’t heavy on the “religion” aspect although it is mentioned throughout.  It is definitely a page turner and will keep you guessing.  

It is the second novel of the author’s A Pearl River series.  There is an excerpt of her next story in the series, at the end of this book, which promises to be just as interesting.

 This is from the publisher’s website:

 

“She doesn't remember the death of her parents--and someone will do whatever it takes to keep it that way

As a child, artist and potter Dani Bennett witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. With little memory of the incident or her true identity, she was forced to take on a new name and a new life, hidden away in Montana for the past twenty-five years.

Mae Richmond has spent the same stretch of time searching for her granddaughter, who went missing the night her daughter and son-in-law were murdered. Convinced the woman she saw in a pottery magazine feature is the woman she's been searching for, she enlists the help of K-9 officer Mark Lassiter of Pearl Springs, Tennessee, who tracks Dani down.

Skeptical but curious, Dani sets out on a journey to uncover the secrets of her past and reclaim her true identity. But someone close to her is determined to keep the truth of what happened all those years ago hidden.”

 This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Who is the murderer?  Will Dani ever remember? Who doesn’t want Dani to remember and why? Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys?

  If you are a fan of clean suspense and mystery stories, you won’t be disappointed with this book.

Go HERE to read an excerpt

Go HERE to learn more about the author, Patricia Bradley , and her books
 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.
 

The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz ~ a book review

 

Once again, Laura Frantz gives us a story that transports us to another time and place. The time is the middle of the 1700’s and the place is the Canadian shores of Acadie.  Sylvie Galant’s family have lived in Acadie for decades.  It is a peace loving community that strives to remain neutral in the struggle between the French and the British who both want control of the area.  Sylvie is content to use her sewing skills for her community and tend her beloved apple orchard.

William Blackburn, is a notorious soldier, feared by many, who is tasked with the job of securing Acadie for the British.  When he realizes that his government has mislead him about their plans for the area and it’s residents, he resigns his position and ends up in Virginia.

While some of Sylvie’s family and friends form a resistance, she and most of her family end up being forced from their home and imprisoned. She is separated from her parents and suffers a horrendous voyage on a rickety prison ship.  Facing the realization that most of her family is dead, she ends up as an indentured woman in the same settlement in Virginia. 

This is from the publisher’s website:

“In a land torn apart by conflict, can love mend the tattered pieces?

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.”

While the first half of the book seems sad, the second half of the book speaks to overcoming hardships while still maintaining hope through faith.  Sylvie and William begin to recognize their growing feelings for each other and the author does a wonderful job of taking us along on their courtship journey.

A really fun thing is that characters from another of the author’s books pop up in this book.

It is very evident that the author researches the history, customs, events and locations that help draw the reader into the story.

Her books never fail to deliver a wonderful experience.

 Go HERE to read an excerpt 

Go HERE to learn more about Laura Frantz 

 

 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.