When the gang has reason to believe Mercy has possession of some highly sensitive and incriminating information, her boss assigns Mark St. Laurent--a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Mercy's ex-boyfriend--to get her out of town until they can guarantee her safety.
Initially unaware of the danger she's in and uncomfortable working with Mark, Mercy's frustration escalates when she discovers the extent her boss and Mark have been keeping her in the dark. It isn't until a freak ice storm hits, stranding them at a remote location and out of contact with the district office, that the full severity of their situation becomes clear. As the storm worsens, the forces of nature combine with a deadly enemy closing in to put their lives at imminent risk. Can they survive long enough for help to arrive--if help is even coming at all?
My Thoughts:
This book completely captivated me from the opening chapter and held my attention with each word. What a great suspenseful read!
Mercy Brennan is one tough girl. She is a highly trained U.S. Marshal with nerves of steel and no emotions. She means business and nothing else. She is always aware of things around her and nothing surprises her. Until her father asks to meet with her – and then everything goes wrong.
Telly and Mark are good at what they do, but they also have a deep commitment to Mercy and her safety. As this book takes us through the inside world of the drug cartel and the hold they have on law enforcement, we see the dedication these three characters have to each other and to their jobs. As they find themselves alone and their lives in danger, we get to see just how deep their friendship is.
The insights this book gives us into the world of drugs, crime, and gangs scared me. I know it is parallel to real life and the inner workings of these groups. But this book also gives me hope. We get to see God put his hand of protection around these characters, even when they forget to ask Him for help. He watches over them, shows them ways out of their circumstances, and talks them through some of the toughest decisions they have to make. We see the faith of some of these characters grow stronger, and we get to see another character develop a belief in God.
This is a great book. It has all the suspense, a bit of romance, and a deep story of God’s protection. I cannot wait for the rest of this series and getting to follow these characters through the next few years of their lives.
Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. First published in 2001, she has now authored nine books, including an omnibus mystery collection, Cozy in Kansas, which contains three of her previously published Ivy Towers mysteries. Book three in the series, For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls, won the American Christian Fiction Writers Mystery Book of the Year award. Nancy's main writing interests lie in mystery although her new Harmony Series leans more toward the romantic suspense genre. Nancy runs a HUD program for the city of Wichita and is president of a volunteer organization, Wichita Homebound Outreach. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Kansas Authors Club. You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com
