By Irene Hannon
Men of Valor, #1
Revell, 2015
Summary
They both wanted quieter, safer lives.
But crime never sleeps . . .
and killers keep killing.
After seven years as a Chicago homicide detective, Lisa Grant has hit a wall. Ready for a kinder, gentler life, she takes a job as a small-town police chief. But the discovery of a human skeleton by a construction crew at the edge of town taxes the resources of her department.
A call for assistance brings detective Mac McGregor, an ex-Navy SEAL, to her doorstep. As they work to solve the mystery behind the unmarked grave, danger begins to shadow them. Someone doesn't want this dead person telling any tales--and will stop at nothing to make certain a life-shattering secret stays buried.
My thoughts
Although I'm not naturally a suspense fan, there's a small group of authors in this genre that I really do enjoy, and Irene Hannon is one of those authors. The themes of her stories, at least the ones I've read so far, are police-type dramas that could easily be found in today's headlines. Buried Secrets is book #1 in Irene's new Men of Valor series featuring the three McGregor brothers, and let me just say that romance fans have much to look forward to.
I love cold-case themes and was intrigued by this 24-year-old case, especially seeing guilt's affects on the involved parties over the years. It was the villain - a psychopath who was intelligent, driven, and ruthless - who captured my attention the most, and I appreciated glimpses into her background that showed contributing causes to her behavior.
If I had a minor complaint, it would be that Buried Secrets was a little heavy on romance, especially physical attraction, and that the romance between Mac and Lisa didn't always seem to flow naturally out of the story. Also, the use of descriptive terms like "babe" and "hottie" make me uncomfortable - but that's just me. About a third of the way through, however, the mystery becomes front and center, and this was written really well. The logical, step-by-step gathering of evidence and questioning of suspects was my favorite part.
Mac and Lisa have a godly faith at the center of their lives, which I appreciated. And the physical attraction between them quickly grows into something much more meaningful. Readers of Irene's previous novels will enjoy the appearance of Mitch as he works with Mac. I also enjoyed meeting Mac's brothers, Lance and Finn, and look forward to their future stories.
Irene's novels have yet to disappoint and I enjoyed Buried Secrets very much overall. Recommended.
____________________
 |
| Irene Hannon |
Find Irene online at www.irenehannon.com, Facebook, and Twitter.
Thank you to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks for sharing your review. I have read a lot of Irene's books, and this is high on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteKelly, I really enjoyed it and look forward to stories involving Mac's brothers. Irene's contemporary novels are my favorite, but I don't hesitate to read her suspense novels also. Thanks for visiting, Kelly.
DeleteHey Carole! I liked this one as well and like you found the villain to be the most interesting character. I am wondering if she may show up in another book. We didn't really have a final determination on her. Thanks for your review.
ReplyDeleteBeckie, I also picked up on the villain not really having closure. Since we'll see more of Mac and his brothers, maybe Irene will tie up those loose ends also.
DeleteI'm behind on reading your reviews because I have a different e-mail address set up for all my book-related stuff, and have been too busy meeting review deadlines to check it lately. But I'll get there soon! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Beckie.
Great review, Carole! I agree with you, as those terms made me a bit uncomfortable, too. I've become a bit disappointed in her books, as the main characters seem a bit flat to me, but she does a wonderful job with the villains, bringing them to life and showing us what made them who they are now. I'm looking forward to Lance and Finn's books, too! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what you expressed, Sarah. A lot of readers would say I'm just being ultra conservative, but that's far from the case here. I just thought the attraction was surface level, especially through a lot of the book, and I can't stand flippant words like those I mentioned. But the mystery was excellent and I'm sure Lance and Finn have intriguing stories. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Sarah.
Delete