Crisis Shot by Janice Cantore ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Everything seems to be going according to plan for Tess O'Rourke, who has dreams of advancing in the police force, until it comes crumbling down with the murder of a cop that shakes Long Beach and causes a media blitz calling for the loss of her job. Tess responded to a call for assistance, and found and officer down, with the local high school sports hero standing over him with an object in in his hand, she shot and saved the officer's life, but the media turned on her.

Tess resigns her post, due to pressure from the public, and takes up a job in rural Oregon, in the small community of Rogue's Hallow. Tess struggles to find her place in the small town, but is befriended by the pastor's wife, a kind woman who is one of the few who makes her feel welcome.

When the pastor's wife goes missing, Tess is on the case. But when a dead body is found in the woods, she wonders if this little rural town is really as quiet as it was supposed to be. She finds a friend and ally in Deputy Steve Logan, who is supportive of her investigation.

Will they be able to solve Rogue Hallow's first murder before it's too late?

Tess has always been devoted to her job, and believes that it is a privilege to protect people. She has always wanted to be a police officer, like her father. But when her father died in the line of duty, she left her faith behind. Tess is passionate about her work, and wants to do everything that she can to help her newfound friends. She is in awe of their faith in the light of such bleak circumstances.

Steve is a good friend, he is supportive of her, understanding how important this case is to her, and lets her take the lead helping where he can.

Oliver and Anna pastor a small church Rogue Hallow, they don't understand why Anna's cancer has come back, but they are determined to stand firm in their faith, even when they don't understand the whys. Oliver is hesitant to reports his wife's disappearance at first, because he is unsure if she is really missing, or if she just went off alone to pray. He is heartbroken, yet hopeful, leaning on his faith to see him through.

This is a pulsing crime drama, with quick beats, and a plot that pulls the reader in. I didn't want to put it down, I couldn't help but contemplate the timeliness of this story, it is probably one of the most relevant books I've read in a while. It talks about the media blitz around cop-civilian shootings and how the media can skew the whole story, as well as how rampant drug use is ruining small communities.

Fast paced, both I and my husband sped through this book, it was hard to put down with an intricate plot line and lots of detail. I loved Tess's dog, who ended up being one of my favorite characters. This is a great beginning to what I'm sure will be a fantastic new series, Tess is a strong heroine, and I loved how the town pulls together in the wake of tragedy. A suspenseful read ripped from the front page and the latest crime drama. Highly recommend.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."