Southern Storm

Cade, resident police chief of Cape Refuge, is on patrol during a roaring storm when he gets a call about some fallen power lines. Obviously it is his job as a police chief to take care of this (?) and naturally it is necessary to throws his lights and sirens on and speed there as quickly as possible. (?) As he navigates the uncoorporating traffic that just won't get out of his way for this urgent business, he accidentally hits a pedestrian. To make matters worse, the pedestrian has a bullet hole in his torso. Oh dear, looks like we have a mystery on our hands.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, the beginning of the book really wasn't so bad. Granted some of it was a teensy bit silly, but Cade's conflicted feelings about his accident show more are well-told and emotional. A great start, I would say. Then Cade disappears. Obviously the thing to do when someone disappears isn't to take action but to pray (?) and naturally actually trying to search for the person would just be absurd. (?) So his best friend prays, and his best friend's wife, and his best friend's wife's friends. Even Cade prays. Then one lady, a non-believer, says "Hey! What good will praying do? I'm going to go search for him!"

So she does, and she finds him. So what's the moral of the story? That even if you are a Christian maybe sometimes you shouldn't rely on your god to do everything for you and sometimes you should do things yourself? That sounds reasonable! But, no. You see, despite her beliefs, clearly it was God who led her to Cade. Cade's prayers were answered, his best friend's prayers were answered, and so were his best friend's wifes' and her friends' prayers. Everyone's prayers were answered! Even though it was the other lady who found him, despite everyones' insistence that she was being irrational and that she should stay home and pray, somehow the author manages to twist everything around so that it was Oh Holy Sir Lord Master guy that did it all.

Huh. I guess I have a lot to learn in life. Did I really just read a Christian fiction book and expect the plot to be logical? How silly of me.

Well, I think I'll go pray that my next book turns out better than this one. show less

Review: Southern Storm by Terri Blackstock.

This book belongs to a series but it holds up alone too. It’s a Christian book but a great clean murder mystery. Blackstock is a great writer and develops her characters to the fullest. Her writing style is inspiriting, fast pace and her characters emphasize reality as you read. There is no preaching in her stories just human communication, ancient values and honesty throughout the story.

The town of Cape Refuge is set near Tybee Island, Georgia and like any other town a murder mystery, kidnappings, disappearing babies, politics, accidents, storms, and love embed together to create a great story. The scenes are very realistic enabling readers to vision images, emotions and a story where show more virtually anyone can connect with at least one character.

There are characters from the first book but also new characters that move the story through many paths. The reader’s first scenario starts with a dead stranger and moves on to a missing Police Chief, than a new woman comes to town nine months pregnant. Everyone is saying the Chief of Police murdered someone, eloped, is hiding from the law and than kidnaps a baby…or is the foul play in the air…! show less

A storm is raging on Cape Refuge. Cade, the Chief of Police is driving to divert traffic around some down power lines when he hits a man that walks out in front of him. Cade is raked with guilt after the man dies. When Cade vanishes Blair is concerned that something happened to him. Blair feels that the police are doing nothing to find him. She has a gut feeling that the man's wife is responsible for Cade's disappearance.

The story was interesting and one that I found myself wanting to keep reading. I had many questions that need to be answered. Why did Cade disappear? Would they find him? Who is kidnapping the babies from the hospital? There is a lot of talk about Christianity and praying to God. Blair has not been a believer for some show more time now. Will she finally believe that there is a God?

I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next book in this series. show less

I'm giving this one 3 stars, like the first book in this series. For the same reasons. Irritating characters, but redeeming storytelling. I will probably not read the rest of this series.

Terri Blackstock writes a great story! I had no idea there were seqeals to Capre Refuge! It was another great book. I keeps you wondering and going till the end of the book and then so far ends happily and you don't even realize there is another book coming. They link but not to the point where you finish one and then are like I have to find the next one. It is a pleasant reading experience.

Another excellent book by Ms. Blackstock. The police chief hits a man who was shot before the accident. Then he disap-pears. What next. Babies start disappearing . Who is kidnap-ping them. Will the chief be found . Will the babies be return-ed. Maybe Blair and Morgan can find the answers.

Story is good. The xs of christian stuff is too much.