Fragments of Fear

Evelyn McTavish is an accomplished but struggling artist and she seems to have a hard time realizing her self-worth. "Tavish" has apparently had a weight problem in the past so she has a poor self-image of herself, her relationship with her mother is very strained, and she has just buried her fiance when this book begins. Suddenly, she finds herself caretaker to a dog whose owner has been murdered and running from the person who probably killed him. As the story continues, Tavish and FBI Special Agent Sawyer Price work together to find answers as more murders are committed, art work is stolen and art forgeries are discovered. Along the way, Tavish has her car stolen, she becomes a walking target, and she finds her sanity being show more questioned. Who is behind this and why is she the target? Sawyer seems to want to protect her but are his motives honest and pure? Perhaps the only positive outcome from all of her problems is that Evelyn Yvonne McTavish finally begins a relationship with the Heavenly Father that her late beloved grandmother had encouraged her to find.
I must admit that I don't often read stories set in New Mexico so I enjoyed the references to Albuquerque and the use of Native American artifacts in the plot. I also enjoyed the unending suspense and trying to guess just what was coming next. Fragments of Fear is filled with non-stop action and danger and I can see why other readers are so eager to Parks's books. This was my first time to read a book by Carrie Stuart Parks but it won't be my last!
I voluntarily received an Advance Reader's Copy from Thomas Nelson as part of JustRead Publicity Tours but I was not required to write a positive review. show less

I am a big fan of Carrie Stuart Parks. She always delivers great high-octane suspense! Her latest novel, Fragments of Fear, starts out fast and the action never lets up. I really liked main character, Tavish. She is wounded and quirky, with no real sense of who she really is. But throughout her ordeal she gains wisdom, confidence, and control of her life. She also grows spiritually, although she does has a long way to go in finding out Who she really believes in. If you love dogs, you will love the very present character of Marley — I loved her interactions and responses with Tavish. The third person point of view gives the reader insight into Tavish, as well as FBI agent/love interest, Sawyer Price. Yes, there are sparks that show more accompany the suspense. There is also a good bit of humor mixed in, giving Fragments of Fear almost a cozy mystery feel. But only almost — the bad guys are very bad. The New Mexico setting is vivid — I felt I was right there with Tavish.

I found Fragments of Fear to be a very quick read. I just couldn’t wait to find out whodunit! I am betting you won’t be able to put it down either.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

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

The death of her fiance and a startling revelation at his funeral turn Evelyn “Tavish” McTavish’s life upside down. A few weeks later, while attempting to reright her life and successfully pursue her art, she becomes enmeshed in something she doesn’t understand. Somehow, it involves a dog, a murder, her mother’s stolen art, an archaeological dig, and a whole lot of unanswered questions. Her life, her sanity, and her reputation are on the line as she determines how these pieces fit together.

And it is a fast-paced, thrilling ride. I love stories like Fragments of Fear, where the main character sees something, but when someone else goes to investigate, all the evidence is gone. Questions like “What’s really going on?” and show more “How will she prove she’s not crazy?” keep me reading like mad to get to the end. Let me tell you, as the pieces quickly come together, it’s a satisfying one.

Though I do wish the romance had been a tad more developed (for most of the novel, Tavish and Sawyer do not even interact), Fragments of Fear is an overall exciting, delightful suspense read. I definitely recommend it to any reader in need of some thrills and chills.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. show less

Despite having gravitated away from them for a while now due to other reading commitments, thrillers remain among my favorite genres. Finding ones that are clean (and Christian), however, can be a challenging task, so when given the opportunity to read and review “Fragments of Fear”, I jumped at the chance. The cover certainly seemed perfect for summer, with a desert landscape in smoldering shades of orange and yellow and a woman in the foreground running and looking over her shoulder. Fittingly, we were experiencing a heat wave when I began reading it.

With “Fragments of Fear”, Carrie Stuart Parks creates a twisty mystery with some unique characters. Evelyn McTavish, who goes by Tavish, is not your typical heroine. Wealthy? show more Yes. Glamorous? Not so much. Since her beloved grandmother’s death, Tavish seems to have lost herself, and this feeling is only compounded by her fiancé’s suicide. She doesn’t share her grandmother’s faith, instead dabbling in a mixture of New Age customs, and yet Proverbs 3:5 seems to speak to her from her grandmother’s epitaph. When she gets a call from an animal shelter to come and pick up her dog, which is microchipped with her information even though she has never owned a dog, she is thrust headlong into a situation that becomes more convoluted and perilous by the minute.

Parks leads readers down a series of trails, some of which turn out to be dead ends, keeping the plot moving forward at a constant pace and making this a difficult book to put down. No one is trustworthy, and the possibilities of what is transpiring and whether events are connected or not feed the uncertainty. The inclusion of the archaeology and especially the art elements enhances and adds dimension to the narrative. An aspect that I found particularly interesting was the fine art concept of negative space and how it can be applied to circumstances in daily life. Although I thought that the faith and spiritual components of this novel could have been more fully developed, Tavish’s religious journey was still nice to witness. This is a book that will appeal to both Christian and secular readers, with its combination of mystery, intrigue, light romance, and finding who you were meant to be.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. show less

Fragments of Fear begins with a funeral and a bombshell of a revelation that sets the pace for the entire book. Carrie Stuart Parks gives readers another read bursting at the seams with action, unexpected twists, and plenty of questions to be answered about what, exactly, is happening.
Multiple suspects, stolen art, dead bodies, and a dog are pieces of the puzzle that just do not seem to fit together—at least not until the end when everything starts to quickly fall into place.
Evelyn McTavish (Tavish to everyone but her mother) is a character I sympathized with at first but came to admire as the story unfolded. Her self-image may be in the ditch but her tenacity and fight to expose the truth are her best characteristics. Plus, her show more journey to faith is authentic and well-paced.
As a reader of several of Parks’s other books, I knew the romance side of things would be downplayed. So, of course, my only critique of this book is that I would have liked a little more of that interaction between Tavish and Sawyer Price. Even without that one preference, the intense and intriguing suspense is worth the time invested in reading this one.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. show less

Tavish is a very wealthy young woman who doesn't have the best relationship with her mother. I guess if you call your mother by her first name, it is obvious there is a fracture in the relationship. I didn't care for Tavish's mother at all. Maybe her mother is upset that her daughter is independent and doesn't always do what her mother wants her to do. Her mother is always requesting Tavish's appearance at functions she doesn't want to be at. Whatever the reason, the author does a great job of exploring their relationship throughout the story.

The suspense in the book is good and has many twists in it. What would you do if you received a call from an animal shelter saying to come pick up your dog before it is euthanized? Tavish is quite show more confused with the call because she doesn't own a dog, but I'm so glad she has a good heart. The dog is a clue to something that brings the story to an adventure filled with secrets and danger. I adored the dog and thought it was a great addition to the story.

Sawyer is charming and wants to help Tavish while trying to keep her safe. I love that he is not afraid to share his faith and encourage Tavish to not give up. It was fascinating to read about archaeology and be able to feel a part of the dig that was going on. I love the element of art in the story and have always enjoyed learning about different pieces that an artist has put their heart into.

Tavish has a difficult time trusting people and when her life is in danger, she will have to learn to let her guard down and trust Sawyer. She is thrown into an unexpected turn of events that bring her to a place where she will encounter life and death. I loved how the author keeps readers guessing with her excellent ability to throw in curves that involve intrigue and surprises.

It's hard to figure out who are the enemies and just what they are after which made me want to read as fast as I could. The book is very good with layers of complicated people who are after something of value. I have to say that I loved how intense the story is at times. Overall the story is well written and delves into the art world with drama, heart pounding action and a bit of faith scattered throughout the story.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. show less

Fragments of Fear is a fast-paced Christian suspense novel. Evelyn “Tavish” McTavish is an artist with a variety of problems (nail biting, anxiety, panic attacks, self-confidence issues). Tavish lives in the guest house on her mother’s estate and is an heiress thanks to her grandmother. Just before her first gallery showing, Tavish finds herself drawn into a dangerous mystery. Sawyer Price is an FBI Agent who finds himself attracted to Tavish and tries to keep her safe which is not an easy task. Fragments of fear is an action packed mystery full of twists and turns. You never know what is going to happen next. Tavish finds herself out of her comfort zone and in unknown territory as she tries to unravel the clues and keep herself show more from being killed. I like that Tavish does not give up and she continues to dig for the truth. She learns more about herself and God whom she has ignored for most of her life. I appreciate that the mystery is wrapped up at the end with complete details. Marley was just a delight. Such a sweet, loving yet plucky dog. The romance is present, but it does not dominate the story. Fragments of Fear has unknown villains, art thefts, explosive situations, missing artifacts, microchips, a spunky Puli, a concerned FBI agent, and an apprehensive heroine. show less