FACING THE ENEMY

by

DiAnn Mills

Christian Fiction / Suspense / Romance

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Date of Publication: September 5, 2023

Number of Pages: 352 pages

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When the long-awaited reunion between Risa and her brother, Trenton, ends in tragedy, Risa is riddled with guilt, unable to cope with the responsibility she feels over his death. On leave from the FBI, Risa returns to her former career as an English teacher at a local college, only to see her past and present collide when one of her students, Carson Mercury, turns in an assignment that reads like an eyewitness account of her brother’s murder, with details never revealed publicly.

Alarmed by Carson’s inside knowledge of Trenton’s death, Risa reaches out to her former partner at the FBI. Special Agent Gage Patterson has been working a string of baby kidnappings, but he agrees to help look into Carson’s background. Risa and Gage soon discover their cases might be connected as a string of high-value thefts have occurred at properties where security systems were installed by Carson’s stepfather and children have gone missing. There’s a far more sinister plot at play than they ever imagined, and innocent lives are in danger.

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I love a good mystery, especially when there is intrigue, romance, and faith all rolled into the story.

This one covers a more sensitive subject, child abduction and other crimes against children. As the story dives deeper into the dark belly of crime, it brings to life how much that I don’t know or am aware of in our own world. This may be a fictional story, but it could be true, which is very sad. Crimes against children should never happen. So grab hold of your children and keep them safe.

I came to admire Risa for many reasons. She is analytical, cares about her family, and believes in what she is doing for her career. So when her brother is killed by mistake, it sends her into a tailspin. She does not handle the grief very well and begins to doubt her faith in God. I appreciated her struggles and coming to terms with the situation. Everyone handles grief differently, and she is no different. I appreciated the chapter with a counselor. It just reinforces that it is okay to ask for help when you need it.

I enjoyed the romance between Risa and Gage. They both repress their feelings for one another until finally giving in and admitting they love one another. This brings out the protector in Gage, perhaps more so due to his feelings for Risa. This is a good and a bad thing! They are both FBI, and you will discover in various situations that Risa has no problems taking care of herself.

Watching the mystery come together confirmed some of my suspicions but blew me away in other respects because there were several aspects that I didn’t consider in trying to solve the crime. I had a feeling that several paths were going to merge, but the “how” was unknown until it happened. The story is complex, and I admire the author for handling all of the pieces in the right way.

This is another winner in my book, and we give this book 5 paws up.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.  DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion for helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

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(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 9/1/23)

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