February 15, 2024
Security consultant Christian O'Brady is a heist expert, thanks to years of pulling them off in his youth. Now his life is guided by faith, and he works to solve heist cases. He never imagined he would again be a suspect. After a string of New Mexico galleries are robbed, and the security systems Christian installed are flawlessly subverted, insurance investigator Andi Forester tries to reconcile the man she is unexpectedly falling for with his criminal past. When Andi starts receiving anonymous riddles, she and Christian are thrust into a sinister mind game, and one wrong move could be deadly. Pettrey launches her new Jeopardy Falls romantic suspense series with this gripping tale. The Southwest setting is a rich canvas for a drama about an eclectic small town on edge, and themes of Christian spirituality and childhood trauma lay the groundwork for building likable characters whose dark pasts are reformed by faith. Fans of series that follow investigative teams, such as Lynn H. Blackburn's Defend and Protect, will be hooked by Pettrey's latest.
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Starred review from November 17, 2023
After the robbery of Tad Gaiman's art gallery, insurance investigator Miranda "Andi" Forester is called in. Also on the case is Christian O'Brady, part private investigator, part security-system installer. Together they embark on an investigation that gets personal quickly, and one of them seems to be the target. When two more of Tad's galleries are robbed and someone is murdered, the FBI gets involved. Andi was an FBI agent until a botched investigation, and she dreads coming face to face with her former team. But it was Christian's brother Deckard who ruined her career with his accusations. Now, though, Christian convinces Deckard to take another look at Andi's case, and she dares to finally hope that there may be a way to clear her name. With a killer closing in, however, she's also hoping that she and Christian live to explore their growing feelings for each other. VERDICT Action and budding romances make this a fast-paced, thrilling ride. Readers of Lynette Eason and Colleen Coble will enjoy this first novel in the "Jeopardy Falls" series from Pettrey (The Shifting Current).--Jane Blue
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