Seconds to Live

Filled with the heart-pounding suspense and masterful writing I’ve come to expect from a Susan Sleeman book, Seconds to Live starts off the Homeland Heroes series with a bang. Her impeccable research and plot development, along with realistic, well-developed, and endearing characters never fail to satisfy. With her vast knowledge of criminal investigation, forensic evidence, and investigation procedures, I always come away with a deeper appreciation for the depth of the research Sleeman puts into her novels.

Main characters Sean Nichols and Taylor Mills are engaging and multi-layered, and I enjoyed getting to know them. They both had major trust issues to deal with which made them reluctant to form deep attachments. I liked the way show more their relationship evolved slowly, even though they had communicated for months online before meeting in person. It made for a unique and fascinating connection.

Threads of inspiration are seamlessly woven into the story without being preachy. Trust, forgiveness of self and others, and faith, are major takeaways. “One thing he’d forgotten, and important thing: God didn’t betray. Didn’t turn His back. He was always the same loving God. Always wanting the best for His children.”

If you like riveting, nail-biting stories filled with suspense, intrigue, and romance with a side measure of faith and inspiration, you’re sure to enjoy Seconds to Live. Sleeman has fast become one of my favorite Christian suspense authors, and I’m looking forward to more of her fantastic books in the future. 4.5 stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own. show less

As I turned the first page, I was hooked, and with my heart in my throat I wondered if the victim would survive. Not knowing the story behind the chase, I was quickly pulled in.
There is a bit of sweet romance here, between two hurting individuals, but most of this story is about catching a murderer and computer hacker.
When they say “Big Brother is watching”, it may not be who we think it is, and why? We are dealing with elite government agencies, and they seem to work miracles, but as the facts begin to unfold, wow! Surprises abound, and some I really didn’t see coming, and you wonder how this is all going to end!
Be ready for a page-turner, you won’t be able to put this one down until you have answers!

I received this book show more through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review. show less

ONE MISTAKE. That was all it took to put Dustee's life on the line---death right on her heels.

This is the opening sentence of the first book in Susan Sleeman's new series and the danger and intrigue never let up. As I read about the efforts of a special FBI team to save people enrolled in the Witness Protection Program I found myself amazed with just what these witnesses are forced to surrender and I was also astounded to learn about the "dark web", a part of the Internet that most of us never see. Seconds to Live centers around the feverish efforts of the RED Team to find the person who has hacked into the Witness Protection Program database and stolen all of the witnesses' personal information. Their new identities and new locations show more are now known and they're all in danger unless 'Phantom' can be found.

Susan Sleeman masterfully relates the tension, the fear, and the helplessness that is felt as the cat-and-mouse game continues between this team and 'Phantom'. We also see the inner struggles of the two main characters. FBI agent Sean Nichols, the head of the RED Team, doesn't trust anyone after being lied to by the two most important women in his life and U.S. Marshall Taylor Mills experiences overwhelming guilt every day of her life. Even as they grow to respect each other professionally, it is very doubtful that they can ever put their past hurts behind them. Will Sean ever trust again and can Taylor finally forgive herself? Is it possible for one wounded soul to help another who is just as needy as they are?

Yes, this is a fictional story but Seconds to Live shows the danger of professional hackers in today's society and our need to be ever diligent against cyber crimes. It also has a great faith message and as Sean and Taylor both face their individual struggles, we are reminded that "God didn't betray. Didn't turn His back. He was always the same loving God. Always wanting the best for His children."

This is an enjoyable contemporary suspense novel that has a surprising villian, a little romance, and a whole lot of faith! I'm looking forward to the next book in the Homeland Heroes series.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House. I wasn't required to give a favorable review and all opinions are my own. show less

(2.5 / 5)

When the WITSEC database is hacked and the lives of federal witnesses are put in jeopardy, U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills works with FBI Agent Sean Nichols and his team to find the hacker, recover the witness information, and keep an already-exposed witness safe. Mills & Nichols have a tenuous online friendship, which is put in turmoil when they meet for the first time to work on this case together.

Right off the bat, this book introduced a character in a way that painted her in a terrible light, and it never really recovered from there for me. The police procedural-type story was all right, but the romance was strained and the characters and dialog were wooden.

I never really did like the female MC. After she ignored calls from a show more witness in danger because she was too put-upon, I just couldn't understand why she is touted as an amazing U.S. Marshal the rest of the book. (Honestly, if she's so overworked that she needs an hour in the tub that badly, which she got into after missing 2 calls from a witness, who she knows could be in danger...maybe it's time to find another job.) The male MC wasn't too bad. As far as side characters went, I think that if the other FBI team members had been given more time in the spotlight, it would have helped. Instead, we got the ridiculous Dustee (the federal witness) and her childish attitude.

The federal agents searching for the hacker before thousands of witnesses were compromised could have been a decent story. Unfortunately, their emotions got in the way. Every. Step. Of. The. Way. Every other thought the two MCs had was about each other and how they felt about the other, how they just wanted to stare at the other, how they didn't know how to proceed when neither of them really wanted a relationship. And how they both had such hardships in their past that they couldn't really trust anyone. It permeates so much that it drags down the action & suspense side of the book.

Besides what I already mentioned about the romance, it was far too much about the physical for my taste, especially in a Christian novel. Don't get me wrong--there is no sex, and not exactly a lot of touching. But there is a lot of gazing, staring, even (in my opinion) leering. Too much narration about watching hips and legs...and it all became so repetitive. And there was so much discussion at inappropriate times, in the middle of important parts of the investigation.

There was an interesting twist near the end, which I suspected only shortly before it was revealed. I liked the explanation for that twist and the real-life science behind it. I also did find myself wanting to know who the hacker was along the way, and what it would take to catch him. When the MCs weren't coming across as incompetent because they spent more time thinking and talking about their non-relationship than they did working on the case, I liked the way the case was presented and solved. I expected a little more in the way of twists, but it's not billed as a thriller, so that's probably my own issue.

I don't think the book was bad, exactly, I just had some irredeemable issues with it. If you're a fan of drama-filled procedural stories, you very well may enjoy this. It's clean overall--no language and light on the violence--and though the Christianity in it is a little light, it's probably worth checking out if you aren't bothered by the things I mentioned above. There are plenty of reviews in favor of it, so be sure to read some of those too.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book to review. show less

Let's not waste any time - Seconds to Live is a page turner that is so worth the read! The FBI RED team is on the hunt for a cybercriminal who has hacked the US Marshal's Witness Protection database. Phantom is the hacker who has evaded law enforcement in the past and isn't afraid to commit murder to keep others from talking. Dustee, a witness in WITSEC, is the FBI's chance at finally tracking Phantom down. But the US Marshall (Taylor) protecting her will do anything including risking her own life to keep Dustee safe from potential harm. When the FBI Agent (Sean) is put in charge of the investigation, he is willing to go to great lengths to put Phantom away for good. But will Sean and Taylor be able to trust each other enough to work show more through their differences and focus on tracking Phantom down before another death occurs? Can't add any more details without potential spoilers!

The Homeland Heroes series is going to be one not to miss! What I found most intriguing was the storyline was believable down to the most intricate details. On top of that, the villain is not revealed until the very end and it will keep you guessing. Several plot twists, believable characters, Oregon setting, all made this read one that was unforgettable. The details regarding the hacking were excellent and informative, not glossed over or unrealistic. In order to make a cyber crime work, the reader needs to understand what the crime entails - Susan Sleeman did this so well!

I'm already waiting for book 2 in the series (Minutes to Die) which comes out onAugust 4th, 2020. This is a book I will keep in my library and gladly recommend or loan out. show less

Seconds to Live is the first book in a new romantic suspense series by Susan Sleeman. In this Homeland Heroes novel, cyber threats against people in the nation’s witness protection program bring together an elite team of highly trained technical experts from a variety of federal agencies. The book involves an ensemble cast, but it is team leader Sean Nichols and US Marshall Taylor Mills who are the focus of the romantic thread. If you like a big dose of romance along with your suspense, then this book is for you.

The techie-aspect of Seconds to Live, involving hacking and forensic investigations, is very interesting, and there are a number of twists and turns that the characters and this reader never saw coming. I really liked that show more about this book. There is definite chemistry between Sean and Taylor. The two were online friends for months before coming face to face for this case. But these characters have major trust issues that motivate and limit their interactions with others. Their romance is definitely not a smooth one! I would have preferred more action and less thinking — Sean and Taylor spend a lot of time analyzing themselves and others — but that certainly made these characters believable. God is an important part of their lives, but they (like a lot of us) often rely on self rather than turning to God.

All in all, I enjoyed Seconds to Live. While it started a bit slow, the action and suspense ramped up towards the end culminating in an exciting ending. All of the characters were very likable, and I am really looking forward to joining the RED team on their next case!

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

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

Wow! A friend told me I HAD to read this one now, instead of waiting to read them all at once and man, she was right!?!

First off, "Homeland Heroes" is off to as nice of a start as Sleeman's other series, "White Knights" which sadly will not have more to the series.

While at times I found some things to be over-explained, the suspense was done in a way that wasn't too rushed or too slow. I enjoyed the fact that the romance was not from the first sight with the couple not knowing each other, rather, they had "talked" online quite a bit and the romance was natural and interesting.

The faith elements were a highlight and I look forward to seeing where the rest of the series goes.