The Witness

If I had to choose a favorite book outside of the O'Malley Series from Henderson, this would be it! While it does not have the fullness and deeper story that comes from having seven books about a family, Henderson really pulls you into the family story of Amanda, Marie, and Tracey. Every time I read this book, I am still moved to tears in sections, and laughing heartily in others. My only drawback to this book is that my husband refuses to even give it a chance, because he knows the tragedy halfway through the story will make him hate the book. I have enjoyed all of Dee Henderson's spellbinding books, often staying up all night reading the newest release while my friends were up all night with Harry Potter. I absolutely cannot wait for show more her new release this year! show less

Was this a crime story ? .... if so, then it failed because the plot was unnecessarily complicated. It started well, with Amy as a witness to a murder and then brought into the spotlight again when her sisters inherit a lot of money from a man who turns out to be their long lost father. Unfortunately, it loses its way after that and although there were lots of threats the crime story element became lost in the rest of the book with the denouement being a bit of an anti-climax and happening mostly off-stage and away from the action.

Was this a romance ? .... if so, then I am not sure that is succeeds here either, although it is very convenient that three sisters end up with three police officers the relationships were not well fleshed out show more and mostly seemed to consist of the men telling the women what to do. There is also one major event which would not have been included in a light romance.

Was it a Christian tale ? .... if so, then it was very patchy. Although most of the characters talk about God, and a few express some disbelief, this was not a major plot element and thus it jarred a bit when it did appear. It almost felt like the author went through the finished novel and added some religious bits here and there to the text without any attempt at blending.

I found this book to have elements of all of the above but to combine them unevenly in a book lacking any pace and character development. I did think that the beginning was really promising and I liked the character of Amy but I thought that any independence and individuality that the women had was wiped out as soon as they came under the protection of the men who rather smothered them. I thought that some sub-plots were imperfectly finished - especially those involving Daniel and Caroline - and I did wonder if there has been a previous book involving some of the main characters as there was a lot of back-story, especially about Caroline and the other police officers, which was alluded to but not made specific.

In conclusion - this book was a bit of a mess all round. show less

I really enjoyed Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series. So when I saw that she had a new book out (her first in over 18 months), I had to jump at it.

The Witness features three sisters and three cops (convienient). Because of what she knows, one sister had to “die” eight years earlier. While hiding, she is witness to a robbery and homicide at a jewelery store. When the local chief of police discovers that she’s on the run, he offers his help. Flash forward three years. The witness has gone back into hiding, and the two “surviving” sisters inherit a tidy sum from a father they didn’t know about. It’s up to the chief of police, and his two good friends to protect the three sisters.

Like the rest of her books, Henderson has show more written a compelling tale. It grabs you from the first page and threatens not to let go. And then you realize that you’re half-way through the book and the titular character (the witness) has barely made an appearance. In fact the book should have been called “The Sister of the Witness.” There are three sisters, the witness, the one we follow throughout the book, and the college student. This college student has absolutely no character development, but that makes sense as she’s killed three-quarters through the book. When she dies, the readers feels no remorse at all, because she wasn’t treated as an important character. We didn’t know her

Overall, it is a good story. I would recommend it to any of Dee’s fans. I would not use it to encourage new readers, however, as the characters are weak, and the murderer obvious. I knew who they should have been after about 75 pages before they did. show less

Anna Walsh, Amy, Mandy, she’s had a lot of different names over the years. Never in the same place for very long and doesn’t leave a trail.
Luke is deputy chief of police and he’s seen several different cases. But some things you never quite get used to, such as a quadruple homicide. Even that will pale in comparison to the story that really starts three years later.
Tracey and Marie are two sisters who enjoy life simply. Tracey is a college student working on a degree in clinical psychology and Marie is an artist managing her own studio. Then one day they meet a man named Daniel who tells them that he’s their cousin and they’ve each inherited around thirty million dollars.
Money has a funny way of turning your world upside down. show more You’d think that a large inheritance would make life better. So what do you do if it makes life much, much worse?
The book was very enjoyable. I think I found it a little slow in the middle but it sped up towards the end of the book. With twists and turns you would never expect, Dee Henderson proves once again to be a VERY good author. show less

I found the beginning chapter a bit too suspenseful and anxiety producing, but I did later begin to root for the main characters and was very upset by one of the plot twists that left one of the characters dead.

The Witness by Dee Henderson, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (2006), was the first book I have read by this author. Typically, this isn't the type of book I would select to read but it has a lot to offer readers of a variety of genres- mystery, thriller, romance, spiritual. The first half of the book sets the stage for the action-packed second half. While all of the main characters are likeable, I didn't feel that any of them were fully developed based on this novel alone. The Witness has an interesting plot and what initially appears to be two separate storylines becomes united as the novel progresses. Read more at http://thekeytothegate.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-witness-by-dee-henderson.html

Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts
Policeman Luke Granger first meets "Kelly" at the scene of a horrific crime. Startled by her elusiveness, he soon learns her real name is Amanda and that she is on the run after witnessing another killing. When she reappears in his life, much to his delight, it is to see how her sisters are doing after one of them unexpectedly inherits a large sum of money from a father she never knew she had. Danger follows Amanda though, and now her sisters are also targets. Will Luke be able to protect them, and will Amanda ever be able to stop hiding and have a normal life?






Style Characterisics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.
Romantic elements show more abound as not only does Luke pair up with Amanda, but his cop buddies also get to pair up with her sisters. There is also a lot of people dying in this book, two witnessed murders and one of the major characters is killed near the end. Some of the plot elements didn't jive--a woman on the run hiding a house key under a knick-knack on her porch when she is super-careful about everything else? I don't think so! The suspense is right on though, there is plenty of danger and interpersonal conflict to keep the reader turning the pages. The characters also display Christian faith, and show some spiritual struggles, though this wasn't very memorable. show less