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Violet Dawn, Kanner Lake Series #1 Click title to read excerpt or buy from CBD.com By Brandilyn Collins / Zondervan Corp. Reviewed by Cara PutmanI highly recommend this book to lovers of tight suspense.As a reader who inhales Brandilyn's suspense, I was excited and a little nervous to pick up a copy of Violet Dawn. It is the first book in the Kanner Lake series, with a different ensemble feel than the Hidden Faces series. Hidden Faces in told in the first person from Annie's point of view. Violet Dawn bounces around an ensemble cast of characters while focusing on Paige Williams and Rachel Brandt. Kanner Lake is a idyllic fictional town set in Idaho. A perfect tourist resort along the lines of Coeur d'Alene, Paige Williams believes it is the place to escape her past. When her past catches her, she throws herself on a crazy ride to try to escape its clutches. Some of her angst is of her own creation, but I found all of her actions believable, even as I wanted to scream at her "don't do that." It's a 24 hour roller coaster ride, with flashes to the past with another character Rachel. At first these backward glimpses give you as the reader a chance to catch your breath. But as you near the end, the plots collide increasing the pace of the story. The ensemble cast gathers at the Java Joint for their morning coffee mixed with analysis of the town. There isn't time in this book to flesh each of them out fully, but I didn't expect that. The three or four who interact with Paige become real and distinctive as the pages turn. I look forward to their further development in the coming books of the series, while hoping I get to see more of Paige. I also found the faith elements of the book real and unforced. The majority of the book occurs within a twenty-four hour period, making it impossible to probe the full depths of the character's faith, yet letting us see their questions, fears, and faith. Brandilyn strikes a balance that strikes me as real. Her portrayal of faith resonates because it isn't shoe-horned in to the story, but is a natural outgrowth of the characters' experiences and background. When I read suspense, I race the author to see if I can figure out who's doing it before the antagonist is revealed. Violet Dawn was filled with enough twists and turns to keep me guessing even when my gut started leaning in a direction. I highly recommend this book to lovers of tight suspense. |
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About Cara Putman View this review and more at: carasmusings.blogspot.com |
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Violet Dawn, Kanner Lake Series #1 Click title to read excerpt or buy from CBD.com By Brandilyn Collins Reviewed by Kathy Carlton WillisOriginal Readers who devour this tasty psychological thriller will want to read the author’s previous works.Paige Williams runs from her twenty-five year past by transplanting herself to the resort town of Kanner Lake, Idaho. She works as a sales clerk and lives a quiet life on the outskirts of town. The book opens with Paige soothing her insomnia in a hot tub. She dips under the water, seeking the solace of solitude only to be greeted by the touch of human flesh. Did I mention there was a dead body in the hot tub? Paige determines her past would be revealed if she calls the police, so she decides to hide the body and move forward with her life of secrecy. This sleepy town is all a-twitter with the excitement of new gossip-local celebrity, Edna San, antiquated movie legend, is missing from her estate. The downtown coffee shop (Java Joint) owned by Christian Bailey Truitt is abuzz with the news. Author Brandilyn Collins sets the stage with these opening scenes for a full-fledged suspense thriller. She switches point of view with each short chapter. Action and emotions drive the story as we see Paige come face to face with her past-evil so lethal one could easily suspect the author is writing about the devil himself. Readers who devour this tasty psychological thriller will want to read the author’s previous works: Brink of Death, Stain of Guilt, Dead of Night, Web of Lies, Eyes of Elisha, and others. Be on the lookout for future novels in the Kanner Lake Series. |
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Kathy Carlton Willis, Living Out Loud Communications |
©2006-09
Susan Sleeman
Susan Sleeman
is the author of Nipped in the Bud, available May of 2009 from Heartsong Presents: Mysteries, an imprint of Barbour Publishing.
