Book Description:
Justice can be elusive. Family secrets can be deadly. The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking in a volatile criminal case filled with unanswered questions. And Carrington Reed is running short on time to piece together clues that will solve the puzzle.
Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to the scene when reports come in that fifteen hostages are being held by the Kendrix brothers in an abandoned house in south Texas. When she arrives on site, Carrington quickly learns that the brothers are armed and refuse to release their victims, a group of undocumented immigrants, until the local police identify their father’s murderer.
Working closely with Levi Ehrlich, a handsome investigative reporter who has covered some of Carrington’s negotiations in the past, she finds herself being undeniably drawn to him. Carrington digs deeper into the death of the Kendrixes’ father and begins to notice that some details surrounding his death aren’t adding up.
As Carrington investigates the brothers’ claims and tries to piece together their motive for taking innocent people captive, it soon becomes clear that they are trying to hide something and that revenge for their father’s death may not be what they’re really bargaining for after all. To protect the hostages and ensure the brothers don’t carry out the rest of their sinister plot, Carrington must get to the bottom of one family’s secret and the truth they’re trying so hard to hide before time runs out.
Award winning author DiAnn Mills delivers pulse-pounding romantic suspense about secrets, betrayal, and finding a path to forgiveness.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading Lethal Standoff, a fast paced romantic suspense novel set in Texas. Carrington is a private negotiator who works with law enforcement in hostage negotiations. She has experienced grief and loss in her own life, seen evil in action in her job, and questions if God exists.
Levi is a journalist who left behind his wild lifestyle when he converted to Messianic Judaism. His job is on the line, his family have shunned him, and he longs to reconnect with his parents and sister.
Carrington and Levi have worked together in many stressful and tense hostage negotiations. Levi wants to get to know Carrington outside of work but Carrington continues to friend zone him.
I loved journeying with Carrington and Levi as their sweet romance is tested by unknown danger, high stress circumstances, and ongoing family drama. The suspense plot kept me guessing and turning the page because I was worried about the characters. A murder mystery connected to a hostage negotiation situation, undocumented migrants, and long held secrets threatens to tear apart a grieving family.
Carrington is slow to trust and she’s on a faith journey. Justice and forgiveness themes are explored. Mental health issues aren’t sugarcoated and traumatic situations are sensitively handled.
I recommend Lethal Standoff to romantic suspense readers who like friends-to-more romances in a Texas border setting with danger, secrets, family drama and strong faith elements in the story.
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