"Deadly Echoes" by Nancy Mehl was Disappointing

Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl is about two sisters, Hannah and Sarah, whose parents were murdered but the case was closed saying it was a burglary gone awry.  The girls got separated and when the older girl was 18, she tried to get the cops to re-open the case and look at it as a murder.  Then years later, Hannah is murdered and there are similarities to her parents' murder which the younger sister, Sarah, sees and then once again, the case is closed with it classified as a burglary and the burglar hanging himself in jail.  Sarah, who is a single school teacher in a rural community, becomes the guardian of Cicely, Hannah's ten-yr.-old daughter who was at a sleepover when her mother was killed.

I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed in the writing.  It moved along very slowly, the only suspense was at the very end and I had figured out who the murder was.  This is one of those Christian fiction books that just was not well developed and I didn't care for it.  There was a self-esteem theme running through it; however, it fell flat for me.  I finished it but just having read two really good books, this was a big let down.  If you like a slow moving, kind of cozy mystery, then you may like this one.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: 3 For You

Gerard's:

In the same instant, they must've heard us, because all three turned and stared right at us.  Silence hung in the air for a split-second.

From page 18 of Lucy Come Home by Dave and Neta Jackson (click link to see my review)

But Lucky knew the Wild Dogs couldn't rest.  While Blade and the attack-dogs were out there, his Pack would always be in danger.

 From page 9 of Survivors--Storm of Dogs by Erin Hunter. 

Karen's: 

If the person who murdered my parents had come back for Hannah, how could I be sure he was through?  Was Cicely next?  Or me?

 From page 53 of Deadly Echoes by Nancy Mehl. 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along, so I thought  I  would play for fun! Just pick two sentences from the book you are reading.


Happy Reading!

"Lucy Come Home" by Dave and Neta Jackson

Lucy Come Home is about a young boy who is part of a carnival that goes from town to town.  One day he gets to meet a young girl that he falls for.  They get along well until an incident causes them to have to run out of town.  I enjoyed this book very much.  It had a good pace and kept me interested throughout.  Well worth your time to read it.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"The Secret Game" by Scott Ellsworth

I always enjoy reading about true stories and events that I knew nothing about.  The Secret Game by Scott Ellsworth is one of those.  It tells of events that took place in the south in the 1940s.  It is about racial relations to be sure.  It also captures the feeling of certain people that I really enjoyed.  It also has to do with Duke University which I am a big fan of.  I especially enjoyed the parts that covered the game.  Well Done!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!

"Cold Fear" by Rick Mofina - Girl Lost in the Woods Hoping to Survive

Cold Fear by Rick Mofina, a former crime reporter, is about Doug and Emily from San Francisco who take their family on a camping trip to a National Park located in Montana and Canada.  The majority of the book is about them being interrogated by the FBI when their 10-yr. old daughter, Paige and her Beagle dog turn up missing.  They went looking for her mother in the woods when her father was angrily chopping wood, cut his hand and didn’t want to talk to her.  Her dog went off the path after a chipmunk and she followed, but he didn’t come back so she just kept looking for him, going farther and farther off the path and getting lost in bear country.  Search and Rescue teams, forest rangers, and police all go looking for her.  Reporters come on the scene and the FBI shows up to investigate the parents who were the last ones to see her.  What they dig up is a lot of information that makes it look very bad for the parents.

This was an interesting read for me because of how it was written.  Usually, things happen and the reader is kept in the dark, wondering along with law enforcement officials what really happened.  However, in this book, the reader gets to know right from the start what really happened—that the parents are telling the truth.  Consequently, the reader is sympathetic towards the parents and the FBI agents look like bad guys harassing them during their crisis.  The author switched from the search and rescue, the FBI investigation, the reporters trying to get the story, the convict scheduled to be executed for murder of a little girl in the same park 22 years ago, and Paige’s frightening time in the woods. 

I enjoyed reading this book but didn’t think it was very believable.  The author certainly gives a comprehensive picture of the news event of the lost girl, but by including so many people, it was difficult at times to keep track of everyone.   

(Karen's review, 4 stars)

I made a COLD FEAR Booktube video about this one.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? If you reviewed this too, feel free to share your link to your review in the comments. Happy Reading!