Christmas Crime Cover-Up by Dana Mentink is the fifth book in her Love Inspired Suspense Desert Justice series. When Nora Duke is attacked in Death Valley, Seth Castillo steps in to try to protect her. Will Nora live to see Christmas or will the attacker succeed in silencing her for good? I loved how the author showed that no matter what your past, there is always forgiveness. The suspense in this story was intense. But remember the good guys always win!

I received this book from Celebrate-Lit for my honest review. ( )

What I think you should know:
Christmas Crime Cover Up by Dana Mentink is the fifth book in the Desert Justice series. While this book could be read as a standalone I recommend reading the prior books in the series as this book does give spoilers and updates on the characters that were featured. If you don’t have the ability to read all of them I highly recommend that you try to at least read Missing in the Desert prior to starting this one. This book features Seth Castillo and Nora Duke, who we have not previously met.

What you might need to know about:
Seth was shot in the head in Missing in the Desert, this book does discuss some of his feelings and his road to recovery.

What I think about this book:
I have fallen in love with the Duke family and Furnace Falls so imagine my surprise when we meet Nora ,the supposed black sheep of the Duke Family. After 10 years away she makes a return that she hoped would not last more than one night, but in true Mentink fashion things quickly escalate with a series of attacks on Nora and her best friend. Nora made a series of bad decisions as a teen and has allowed the decisions she made keep her from her family and faith. This was a very interesting perspective for a character. I enjoyed seeing how the Duke family handled it and how Nora responded. I loved getting to know more about Seth, he is a wonderful character (and it didn’t hurt that he drove a Bronco). I have loved every book in this series and can’t wait to see what happens next in Furnace Falls.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

Whew. Christmas Crime Cover-Up is fast-paced and action-filled. There’s risk, mystery, and romance. Three things sure to get my heart pumping.

I liked the characters in this book. Even the donkey. Haha Nora is interesting and so is her friend Felicia. And a going-back-home story always grabs my attention.

I wasn’t expecting the danger to pull me in, and a theme of forgiveness is one of my favorites in fiction. Seth is a unique hero. I love his growth, forbearance, and relationship with Nora. The romance was a little fast for me, but I still enjoyed it. This is my first story I’ve read with a Death Valley setting, and now I want to go there.

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine. ( )

The Desert Justice series, authored by Dana Mentink, continues with book five, “Christmas Crime Cover-Up.” Each story builds upon the others with regard to the characters and their relationships but does come to a conclusion, so although I would recommend reading them in order, it isn’t required to enjoy the series. I have thoroughly enjoyed each book, but “Christmas Crime Cover-Up” is now my favorite. There is so much that I love about it, from the donkey connection to the seasonal setting to the intriguing cover itself, which instantly reminded me of Moses and the burning bush. God might not speak as directly as He did during that encounter, but He definitely communicates with the characters in the novel, just as He does with us.

In “Christmas Crime Cover-Up”, Mentink tells the story of Furnace Falls resident Seth Castillo and prodigal daughter Nora Duke, who left home abruptly after graduation and never looked back, taking her best friend Felicia Tennison with her. Now working with animal rescue in Colorado, capturing a feral donkey brings them home, but they soon become targets of an unknown assailant. Nora finds herself stuck in her old hometown with a killer and the helpful, affable Seth, bent on protecting her. However, as she sees it, “Prayers were for people who needed saving. Nora intended to do the saving herself.” Her independence and stubborn streak cause her to hold people at arm’s length, especially after the decisions she made in her past, and she avoids revealing her “weak and vulnerable places, places she did not want to acknowledge.” Can she really go home again, and does she even want to? As Seth, who always wants to do as much as he can for those he loves, acknowledges, “Need made people stay close for a while. Want was the thing futures were built on.” The same holds true for a relationship with God; someone can hold tightly to the Lord while they feel that they need help or intervention and then drift away afterward, but true faith means remaining close to God regardless of circumstances because they want to out of love, not just necessity.

I love the inclusion of the donkey, Bubbles, in this story, and because it takes place at Christmastime, I can't help but make a symbolic connection with the birth of Jesus in a stable. The theme of the prodigal and the burdens of the past speaks to a wide audience, counterbalanced by the man who always does the right thing but starts to think that he will always be overlooked. The best lesson in “Christmas Crime Cover-Up”, I think, is that although you can run away from home, you can never run away from God. He is always there, loving us and waiting for us to surrender to His love, no matter what the season.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. ( )

“…when people become parents, they acquire this inner quality they didn’t have before, a part that’s tougher than diamonds, ferocious almost. ..It’s this part that’s made to love and believe and hope and endure, and forgive, no matter what.”

Yay for Dana Mentink and her explosive (literally) Desert Justice series! Christmas Crime Cover-Up, the fifth book (which can be a stand-alone) introduces us to Nora Duke and her co-worker Felicia. Both young women work for a wild horse and donkey rescue and are back in their hometown tracking a jenny. Seth Castillo, a ranch co-owner, has volunteered to house the renegade donkey until she is released to travel back to CO.
And then the fun, I mean, terror, begins. Suddenly, Nora and Felicia are targeted by a person bent on killing them, but can they discover why they are in the crosshairs before it’s too late? Will the Duke family rally around one of its own, or reject Nora for her past?

As always, Mentink’s romantic suspense is compelling and puzzling. I quickly got invested in the lives of Nora, Felicia, Seth, and others. The novel has just the right amount of tension, romance, and faith interspersed.

Solving this desert novel was like trying to unknot a big bunch of tightly drawn, mixed-up strings. I made a little progress in my mind but finally had to hand it back over to the author to untangle. Very well-written, evenly paced, and believable. I can’t wait for Jude’s story!

One real-life truth I saw: when a father figure is messy, so is an individual’s perception of the Heavenly Father. It’s a huge responsibility for Christian fathers to carefully lead their families in godly ways. Thankfully, the true Father is always present to help!

With thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of the book through Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ( )