Lisa Harris (1) (1969–)

Lisa Harris has long been a must-read author for me. Her romantic suspense keeps me turning the pages. Deadly Intentions was no exception. This one is a book club selection and I anticipate a lively discussion. There’s plenty to like — fast-paced action, an intriguing and timely plot, and characters that capture the heart. It gets a recommended rating from me.

Main characters Caitlyn Lindsey and Josh Solomon are brought together when the facts around the murder of Josh’s wife a year show more before and two other deaths seem to point to nefarious goings-on at the lab where Caitlyn works. The connection is confirmed as Caitlyn and Josh both have targets on their backs. As they work together to uncover just what is going on, danger escalates. The two don’t know who to trust, and this reader agreed! I suspected everyone had a hand in the attacks and murders. While a chemistry develops between Caitlyn and Josh, I found their reticence to become romantically involved was good for them as characters and for the book’s story trajectory. The two had a lot of baggage to work through as well as bullets to dodge! 😉 I have to note that there is a virus/vaccine angle to the book, making it a timely read. (I didn’t find it triggering though.) Trust and abandonment are two themes that run throughout the book. Both characters are believers and their faith grows with the trials they face.

Deadly Intentions was a fast-paced and intense read. I could not put it down! Another winner from Harris.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

Lisa Harris is one of my go-to authors for suspense fiction. Her latest novel, The Escape, takes it up a notch with non-stop action and twists and turns galore. The main characters are also very relatable, even as I would definitely not want their jobs! 😉 A great beginning to a new series — I can’t wait to read more.

US Marshalls Madison James and Jonas Quinn are tasked with the transport of some dangerous prisoners. All would probably have gone by the numbers if it hadn’t been for a show more storm and a plane crash. Oh, yes, The Escape provides some adrenaline-charged action As they track the bad guy, all of their training is put to the test. Fascinating details about the Marshall service are included naturally within the narrative making this novel feel very real. The two main characters are well-developed with back stories that impact their outlook on life, as well as how they handle their jobs. I loved their very, very real struggles. I became very engaged with them, as well as the engrossing plot. I never knew what was coming next! There is a hint of future romance for the upcoming books, but in The Escape, the job comes first. This just increased the book’s credibility.

For those who like page-turners, then The Escape is a great choice. It was unputdownable!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

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

The exciting and believable debut of Lisa Harris’s Christian dystopian series, FALLOUT.

Survival is the first book in Lisa Harris’s Christian dystopian series, Fallout, and it’s been most appropriately described as “Longmire meets Jericho.” As an enthusiast of the dystopian/post-apocalyptic sub-genre, I can confidently say this book will go down as one of my favorites, and now I can’t wait to dive into the subsequent novels!

Jace McQuaid is an earnest and engaging protagonist, show more though I was initially surprised he took the lead, not his father. (I think the comparison to Longmire set up that expectation.) But it is through Jace’s point of view that the story unfolds, and we also get an additional subplot regarding his father to follow.

The plot felt more realistic than many other books I’ve read in this subgenre. There are a lot of unknowns as people struggle to survive, which I think would be the case. With their lines of communication gone, I don’t think anyone would really know (by this point in the story) what had caused technology’s collapse. As a radio operator, I would like to believe that some communication system would have regenerated pretty quickly, though. There are still quite a few Elmers and MacGyvers out there working with minimal tech. However, not having that up and running created limitations that made for a great story.

I liked that Jace and others always considered the impact “The Quake” had upon their neighbors, whether when trying to lend support or figure out what the bad guy would do next, given the circumstances. As adversity brings out the best and the worst in people, I hope most would tend to the good. I really enjoyed the mentions of how the town’s older residents had been sought out for their knowledge and memories of how things were done before technological conveniences became the norm.

Besides the dystopian storyline, there is romance. Starting as a warm and tentative attraction, Jace and Morgan have internal conflicts over letting their relationship grow into something more. Despite some differences, they are good together, and I was all for them becoming a couple. Little Noah was a sweet handful, and he made me smile.

With an exciting and realistic plot, engaging characters, and a desolate, dystopian west Texas setting, I recommend SURVIVAL to readers who enjoy dystopian stories with a romantic subplot and, so far, no viruses or zombies.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours. show less

The Catch is the exciting and oh-so-satisfying conclusion to author Lisa Harris’s US Marshals series.

When the judge set to preside over the arraignment of the dangerous drug lord Maxim Cervantes receives threats to his life if he doesn’t rule the right way, the US Marshals Service, including partners Madison James and Jonas Quinn, are sent to protect the officers of the court. No sooner are they on-site when masked and armed men attack the courthouse. Madison and Jonas get the judge show more safely out of harm’s way, but Cervantes’ men are able to free their boss and escape.

Reporting back to their Seattle headquarters, the two partners are quickly dispatched to the judge’s home, where he’d arrived to find his wife murdered. Believing this is linked to the morning’s attack, they coordinate with the detective assigned to the case, but they soon discover that the shooter they’re looking for is a young woman - the judge’s mistress and mother of his infant son. To make matters worse, when Madison and Jonas track Becca Lambert down, they learn that baby Easton and his sitter, Becca’s trusted friend, Ava, have gone missing, and all indications are that they have been kidnapped! Madison and Jonas must pull out all the stops trying to find Easton and Ava before it’s too late.

This third book of the US Marshals trilogy kept me glued to its pages as federal marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn search for a missing baby and sitter. The story reveals the truth about the murder of Madison’s husband five years earlier, the series’ major plotline. But will the resolution release the main character from her single-minded mission and allow her to find peace and a new life with Jonas?

I particularly liked Harris’s choice to feature the US Marshal Service in this series. Growing up, a friend of my parents was a marshal, and I always enjoyed his stories and company. And, other than movies like The Fugitive, this law enforcement branch seems infrequently used in the mystery genre, except for minor, minor roles. Of course, that thought sent me down a rabbit hole of research looking for other main role books!

Another aspect I enjoyed was that the action traversed the Pacific Northwest. Readers are treated to the area’s broad variety of settings, including the vibrant city of Seattle, forestland, mountains, wilderness, the coast, its water and beaches. The changing venues energized an already exciting story that, once it started, never let up. There was so much unseen danger constantly looming over the characters, not only the two marshals but the missing woman and baby Easton.

The story also incorporated what looked like a simple mistake of communication between two federal agencies. This lapse led to unexpected collateral consequences that truthfully had me wondering how law enforcement can possibly coordinate all the things they do in reality. In this instance in the book, it seemed like their hands would have been tied no matter what.

But The Catch is not just a mystery. The book beautifully weaves together a puzzling mystery, heart-thumping suspense as well as a second chance romance. The emerging feelings between Madison and Jonas and their circumstances were heart-aching and, at all times, clean and honest. The series targets the Christian fiction market, and this author’s ability to deftly reveal her characters’ faith-filled lives and thoughts felt natural and genuine. The story warrants a broader audience, and readers who think they are not Christian fiction readers should definitely try this one.

I recommend THE CATCH to fans of the first two books in the trilogy and readers who enjoy exciting, suspense-filled mysteries with a clean and poignant underlying romance.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life/Lone Star Book Blog Tours. show less