Nancy Mehl

I have read several of Nancy Mehl’s romantic suspense novels, and I always enjoy them. In Mind Games, Mehl’s latest thriller, a vigilante is out to avenge himself on a serial killer’s daughter, Jessica Oliphant, now Kaely Quinn, a top FBI profiler. Noah Hunter, Kaely’s new partner, needs to get close enough to this strange agent to protect her, without repeating the mistakes of his predecessor.

We often expect FBI agents to be consummate professionals, but Mehl shows hers as human and show more flawed, thankfully. This is why her books are so enjoyable. I feel like the protagonists are actually within reach of the average person. While some situations in the novel may create extreme worry and tension for the reader, the circumstances seem so very possible. Kudos to Mehl. Also, I absolutely loved Mehl’s ending. I didn’t see it coming and I have been debating in my mind about how plausible it really is. That is one sign of a great book- it makes you think, ruminate, and wonder.

A quote to think about, when we as Christians wonder how others can deal with all the degradation of certain fields:
“Those who know God should be the ones to confront the darkness, to chase the evil. We have the weapons. Those who don’t know Him have only themselves.”

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and a paperback from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own and no review was required. show less

Nancy Mehl is a favorite of mine. She always delivers heart-pounding suspense paired with sweet romance. In Dark Deception, the second book in her Defenders of Justice series, Mehl has upped the ante. This novel is one of the more twisting, turning books I have read in a long time. If you like non-stop action, this one is for you. Recommended!

As the only survivor of a serial killer, Kate O’Brien is in witness protection. Still reeling from her ordeal, new DNA evidence has cleared her show more sister’s murderer. Deputy US Marshall Tony DeLuca was Kate’s protector during the trial and now, six years later, he vows to protect her again. But danger awaits the pair as they struggle to survive.

The action starts at page one and continues for one long breath-holding read. Chilling and creepy are apt words to describe the crimes and the killer. But Dark Deception never lapses into graphic detail. Mehl does a great job of engaging the imagination of the reader without lurid details. I for one was glad of that. There was enough to keep the pages turning without causing nightmares when I finally put it down. 😉 Main characters Kate and Tony have good chemistry, but the romance never seemed rushed or unbelievable. Secondary characters kept this reader guessing — just what are their motives? There are a number of seemingly random threads that the author ties together to provide some good aha moments. I especially liked the secondary plot involving a policeman named Leon. I won’t spoil anything, but that storyline really added depth to the novel. While the bad guys truly are bad, the good guys are on varying faith journeys — very realistic.

Dark Deception is book 2 in a series, but is easily read as a standalone. I have not read book 1, Fatal Frost, but need to get on that ASAP. Especially since book 3, Blind Betrayal, will be released in April 2018!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a providing a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Tony and River are on a fresh case but their heckles are still raised knowing that River is still in a madman’s crosshairs. The memories of what she’s been through continue to accost her mind and she tries to focus and move on, each painful memory torturous, but your girl is a fighter and pushes through to the bitter end.

Though I haven’t had a chance to read the first two novels in this series, yet the author does a wonderful job of interweaving parts of the first two installments into show more this narrative. It gives the reader a taste of what has happened in the past while flowing right along with the current investigation, so you never feel left out of the loop.

I really liked the organic banter between Tony and River. It’s clear that they have a chemistry that feels natural and have a great deal of respect and admiration for one another without being over the top. I appreciated how both of them used their faith to hold one another up, even quoting Scripture for strength. These moments were quite powerful to me.

The multilayers of this story are what really made this novel stand out. Having the cold cases interwoven into the missing person case was great and the serial killer stalker was the horrifying cherry on top and took it to a whole other level. Once I hit the halfway mark, I could not put it down and read it straight through to the end. The only thing I regret is not reading the first two novels in this series first! This was a fantastic read with a satisfying ending and is a clean Christian suspense that I highly recommend.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own. show less

What a wild ride! I listened to the audiobook version and it was fantastic. After the prologue, I wasn’t sure if this book would be too suspenseful for me. I’m glad I persevered. It is intense! There are some things that might be a little too much for some readers. Be sure to read the content warning at the end if you have concerns.

The story revolves around a doomsday cult known as “The Circle.” Alex is a Behavioral Analyst with the FBI and grew up in the cult. She’s currently show more working on case of a string of murders all committed in the same way by a man who calls himself the Train Man. Alex immediately recognizes that the killer is either a member of or familiar with the cult. It’s a race against time as she and her partner Logan must try to find the killer and prevent him from enacting one of the Circle’s doomsday prophesies causing a third of the population to die.

This book was so suspenseful! There was never a dull moment. Alex had a very traumatic childhood, which is teased out throughout the book, involving her mother’s death and her bizarre aunt whom she was sent to live with. Her aunt was a member of “The Circle” and some of their beliefs were way out there. There’re mentions of angels and demons and a book that they all follow.

Alex is understandably leery of any kind of religion after surviving her traumatic past. Logan is a Christian and tries to help her with her aversion to religion and the Bible. There’s a hint of a potential romance between the two and I look forward to seeing how their relationship progresses.

There are several chapters where we get the killer’s perspective and it’s chilling. The poem alone that he gets his moniker from is so creepy. He definitely has a warped sense of reality and the author does a fantastic job creating a multidimensional villain. This was written right after the pandemic and the virus that he threatens to unleash on the population is far worse.

It’s definitely a book to read with the lights on! Fans of Christian thrillers and romantic suspense will enjoy this book. I look forward to reading the second book in the series.

CW: mentions of suicide, murder, childhood trauma, cockroaches (seriously freaked out by those bugs), discussion of cultish rituals & practices. show less