Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills is this week’s Reader Friday. Here’s the first line: My role as a hostage negotiator often plunged me into the evil designs of the human mind.
But first the photo and verse. I took the photo as I walked one Sunday evening in Ocala, Florida with a good friend. We rounded toward the west and this was before us. Literally took my breath. I snapped several shots (which may show up here in the near future), and now I’m sharing it with you.
God often speaks to me through Psalm 46:10 is, usually when I’m in a fizz trying to get something done. Like today. This week has been a blur and I totally lost track of the days. Last night after I climbed into bed, I realized I hadn’t written my Reader Friday post…Hence the reason it’s coming to you late.
Now for Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills. Here’s the cover and back copy:
Justice can be elusive. Family secrets can be deadly. The stakes are high, and the clock is ticking in a volatile criminal case filled with unanswered questions. And Carrington Reed is running short on time to piece together clues that will solve the puzzle.
Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed is called to the scene when reports come in that fifteen hostages are being held by the Kendrix brothers in an abandoned house in south Texas. When she arrives on site, Carrington quickly learns that the brothers are armed and refuse to release their victims, a group of undocumented immigrants, until the local police identify their father’s murderer.
Working closely with Levi Ehrlich, a handsome investigative reporter who has covered some of Carrington’s negotiations in the past, she finds herself being undeniably drawn to him. Carrington digs deeper into the death of the Kendrixes’ father and begins to notice that some details surrounding his death aren’t adding up.
As Carrington investigates the brothers’ claims and tries to piece together their motive for taking innocent people captive, it soon becomes clear that they are trying to hide something and that revenge for their father’s death may not be what they’re really bargaining for after all. To protect the hostages and ensure the brothers don’t carry out the rest of their sinister plot, Carrington must get to the bottom of one family’s secret and the truth they’re trying so hard to hide before time runs out.
My take:
Wow! Lethal Standoff grabbed me from the first page and kept me up until 2 a.m. I had to know what happened next! When I came to the last page, I didn’t want it to end. Mills created two great characters in Carrington Reed and Levi Erlich, and I didn’t want to leave them.
I loved that Levi was a Messianic Jew, which added an extra layer to his character. This gave him a very believable conflict in his personal life when his family shunned him, even had a funeral. Mills did a great job with this.
Carrington struggled to let people get close to her because she felt it was her fault that her parents died when she was eight. Her grandmother who raised her died when she was a senior in high school, and she decided she didn’t want to go through the pain of losing a loved one again. This created a huge obstacle to love.
Just about the time I thought I had the bad guy figured out, there would be another twist in the story–that’s what kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning! This is a story romantic suspense readers will love and hate to see end. Right now you can purchase the Kindle version of Lethal Standoff for $1.99–a great bargain!
What are you reading this week? Leave the first line in the comments of just comment and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library.
Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills is this week's Reader Friday. Leave the first line in the comments on my blog or just comment and I'll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library. Share on X
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Comments 20
Whoa! That photo literally made me hold my breath. Powerful! Exciting! Brilliant! The heavens continue to declare the glory of God!
I love that verse. When we obey and be still, God speaks loudly!
Lethal Standoff is a fantastic book. I read it a while ago. Great review, Pat! I always enjoy DiAnn’s books!
Author
I always enjoy DiAnn’s books, too, Barbara. I wish you could’ve seen the sky in person. As pretty as the photo is, in real time it was even prettier.
Lethal Standoff sounds so enthralling. Beautiful sky photo, and awesome verse! Today I will start a new book, Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker.
Author
You will really enjoy it, Priscilla. I read it a couple of months ago to endorse and it was good!
Fantastic photo and verse.
I read DiAnn’s book and it is a favorite.
I am reading The Hunted Heir by Jayna Breigh. Her debut.
“Another New Year’s Eve,and Nona Taylor’s prayer remained unanswered.”
Author
Thanks, Paula, The Hunted Heir sounds intriguing!
Nice photo, Pat. Sometimes when life throws so much at us, it seems we are just running in circles. Then that passage… “Be still and know that I am God.” Exactly what we needed to remember. Glad you’re back on-line, Pat. I was getting ready to call out one of those SAR teams from recent novels. -:)
Speaking of which, one of those SAR novels by Susan May Warren, “Troubled Waters” begins with “Oh, this was a bad idea.” This is one of those romantic suspense novels that’s really heavy on the romance. As always, Ms Warren’s writing doesn’t disappoint. The suspense comes closer to the end where you really want one of those SAR teams to be looking for you.
Author
Susan May Warren never disappoints! She is one reason I’m published. As for my life going in crazy circles, Tim, I’m hoping now it will settle down. I almost got up at 11 when I remembered that it was Thursday night and I hadn’t written the Reader Friday post, and Psalm 46:10 popped in my mind. Pretty sure I was supposed to let it go for last night. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this photo Pat! Wow! Only God! Ps. 46:10 is such a good verse, reminding me to focus on the One who wants to speak to me.
Looking forward to reading DiAnn’s new book, Lethal Standoff. Sounds like another good one. I always enjoy her books.
I just finished reading Deadly Revenge – great book Pat! 5 plus stars.
Author
Thank you, Mary G!!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed Deadly Revenge! I think you’ll really enjoy DiAnn’s book, too.
“What time did the alleged robber come into your store, Mr. Patel?” Justice Delayed by Sarah Hamaker.
Author
I love Sarah’s new book…Need to review it!
Wow, that photo! God is awesome!!
I love suspense that is written where you can never figure out the culprit until the end…go Diann!
Author
The sky was absolutely beautiful, Gail. I so wanted a photo of the gorgeous moon this week, but my battery was down in my camera and then it turned cloudy the next night…and I think you’d love DiAnn’s book!
That sounds like a really good book.
Author
Patricia, I think you would enjoy it and that’s a good price!
sounds intriguing
Author
It is, BN!
I just bought Diann’s book this week when it went on sale. I am glad that you enjoyed it, Pat.
“Do you want to build a snowman?’ Eli belted in a not-half-bad alto and fluttered long dark lashes any woman would envy.
Soft Serve Sleighing by Lena Gregory
It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.