Member Reviews

This is the first book I have read from this author and quite enjoyed it.

In the Line of Fire is all about secrets and the need to keep them buried.

Synposis:

Growing up, Laura Mori was constantly overshadowed by her far more successful siblings. She had a tough time appeasing her parents, and now that she’s a police officer, recently promoted to detective, they still seem less than fazed. Everyone knows a cop’s salary—it’s meager, to say the least. But Laura has found her calling—she was born to be a detective and is determined to prove it, if not to her parents, then at least to the boys club that is Sunrise Lake PD. She sticks out like a sore thumb as the only young female minority, but she has resolved to at least seem like an unshakeable thumb.

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My Rating : 3.5🌟
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Kindle/ Netgalley/ April2020
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Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
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This story is the second in series, but can also be read as a stand-alone. It follows our main character Laura mori who tries to solve a bank heist with her partner Z and what happens along the way.
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First, I loved the relationship between Laura and her partner Z. The dynamic of them was really nice to read about. Second, I loved how certain scenes were written with respect to the detective's way of live (I don't understand why they drive a police car, but hey I can't complain ) .
The writing was really good, and the story was quite good to read, but I felt there were a lot of scenes that just overdid what happens in an investigation. Though there were a lot of characters I really liked , you don't fall in love with them. It had quite the predictable ending, but still enjoyable. The relationship between Laura and her parents was quite something.
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Overall, if you are a fan of investigation based books, you can give this book a go. But if you are new to this genre, I wouldn't recommend starting with this book.

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Stitches in Time by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the second novel in The Deacon’s Family series. I recommend reading Mending Fences before embarking on Stitches in Time, so you fully understand what is happening. However, there is a cast of characters to help new readers to the series and some backstory is provided. I found Stitches in Time to be well-written with developed characters going through realistic situations. When Luke Schrock draws the lot for deacon, he knows his life will forever be changed and so does his wife, Izzy. Luke has troubling following through on projects which will not fly as deacon. He started the expansion of their small home by demoing some walls and then he became deacon (project is at a standstill). Izzy is struggling to connect with her mother, Grace, but they are still two distant strangers. Izzy is also upset because she has yet to become pregnant and Luke does not understand her concern. Izzy is grateful for her sheep who provide comfort and a listening ear along with the sanctuary of her yarn shop. Mollie Graber is the new schoolteacher and she is happy to be out from under her mother’s thumb. She wants to live life to the fullest and when Luke asks for volunteers to become foster parents, Mollie is quick to raise her hand. She wants two young girls but gets two eleven year old sisters who have been in the foster system since they were small. They delight in skipping school and shooting off firecrackers to scare horses (and so much more). Mollie and Sam were getting to know each other when she took in the girls. Sam then became distant and Mollie does not understand why. There are dropped stitches in Sam’s heart that need mending and God has a plan. There is love, sadness, hope, faith, dismay, confusion and frustration in Stitches in Time (all of life’s normal emotions). We watch as Izzy and Luke navigate married life with the added complication of his new job as deacon. The importance of having strong faith and praying to God. We forget to pray when faced with troubling situations and that should be the first step. God can work wonders if we just let Him. One of the phrases from Stitches in Time stuck with me and it is “The more I pray the more things happen.” Hank Lapp provided amusement as he always does with his loud voice and directness. I like that we get to see that the Amish suffer from the same afflictions that the English do. Stitches in Time is a thoughtful story that will linger in your mind with you long after you finish it. I found Stitches in Time to be an inspiring story with troubled tweens, scared sheep, deacon duties, a half-done house, and startling surprises.

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This story is well written and enjoyable, but the plot is flawed, as the police procedures are very strange. There may also be too much of the main character's private life, but it's nicely woven into the story.

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This is the 2nd in series and is a enjoyable light police procedural . I do suggest readers read the first in series in order to understand the charcters and the direction of the book.

Laura Mori is finally making detective grade with the Sunrise Lake PD, a small town in the Pacific North West. She has wanted to be a detective as she has always had good investigative skills. Her family never believed in her and she has a lot to prove to them as they are a source of constant insults to her abilities . She is up against the old boy network in the department and has a personal mission to prove herself as a good detective amid the mysogany and her disrespectful family.

When she is given lead investigator on a bank heist of the robberies that led to an officer fatality Laura is joined by FBI agent Nick Derringer . They have a spark which is a diversion for her. She is soon being told by her department not to investigate the heist as connected to another string of robberies but she believes they are connected. Soon she is threatened to leave the earlier robberies investigation alone and she feels corruption may be at hand. She decides to go with her instincts and soon may be in danger.

This was a interesting read and a light police procedural. Thank you for the ARC to the publisher. My opinions are my own.

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Only the second in the series, this narrative can function as a standalone with a few references to the previous case that resulted in Laura Mori making detective grade with the Sunrise Lake PD, a small town in the Pacific NW.

She is a natural with her investigative calling but has something to prove to the men of the department. She has been partnered with Zion "Z" Frazier. When what looks like a copy cat bank heist of the robberies that led to an officer fatality occurs, Laura is given lead and is soon joined by FBI agent Nick Derringer (enter the romance). She is quickly told not to tie the three-year-old series of bank heists with this one but the more she learns about the Twilight robberies the more she sees a connection.

The well-paced and plotted mystery is multi-layered with her partner Z concentrating on petty theft at a local assisted living facility while she gleans information on both the cold case file as well as the new bank robbery. And then she receives threats to leave the Twilight investigation alone.

This one may have been a bit ambitious with layers connecting offense or corruption and infused with well-worn tropes. While Laura is smart and effective at gleaning information from her interrogations, she's nonetheless vying for approval from her Japanese parents. (And as a detective, I'm still trying to figure out why she is wearing a uniform or she and Z drive a police cruiser.)

The author is, however, building an interesting group of characters and I'm curious to see how they grow and Laura mature. The conclusion ramps up the tension and neatly closes the book but you'll have to stifle some disbelief with this one.

I received this ebook download from the publisher and NetGalley and appreciated the opportunity to read and review. These are my own opinions. Recommended for mystery fans of light police procedurals. 3.5/5

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An entertaining and engaging police detective tale. A Japanese female detective is providing a new look at crime. Her African-American partner (also boyfriend of roommate) provides another perspective. Quite the team. Some good cops, some bad cops. A few surprises and one obvious scene with surprising results.

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Newly promoted detective Laura Mori is determined to prove herself to her colleagues and bosses at the Sunrise Lake PD. She gets the lead to investigate a bank heist and quickly wonders if this robbery is linked with the series of unsolved bank heists that were dubbed Twilight. Oddly, Twilight is not discussed and the investigative files on the cases are pretty shoddy. Soon after, Laura gets threats to back off her interest in the Twilight robberies. With her partner Zion "Z" Frazier and FBI agent Nick Derringer, Laura is determined to solve this case and also find out who killed Franny Landon, a young female cop who was killed during the last Twilight robbery.

I received an eARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.

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In the Line of Fire is an interesting police procedural. Interesting characters and engaging storyline.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

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In the Line of Fire is the second book with the delightful Laura Mori. Laura is young and inexperienced, but she is the first female detective on her force. She has to deal with the "old boys network" while working the case of a bank heist. The book moves along at a good pace. There is, of course, a hunky FBI agent, Nick, that piques her interest. All in all, it was an enjoyable read. I look forward to more of Laura, to see her develop as a detective.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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What happens when you realize everything you THOUGHT you knew, was really a lie, and those closest to you are the ones in on the lie? Who can you trust, and who has secrets they will kill to protect? I had not read the previous book in this series, but I will be going back to read it! Laura is a character to like- she has fought against prejudice both at home and work, and come out with the minimal amount of emotional scars. But taking on Twilight and it's many secrets may be her undoing in more ways than one. This is a page turner that will have you guessing and re-guessing until the very end! Be sure it's on your late Summer reading list!

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A very entertaining and complex mystery with a female detective who doesn’t give up. Laura Mori has always known that she was meant to be a detective with the Sunrise Lake P.D. When a bank robbery occurs in their small town, it reminds Laura of similar robberies from several years, called Twilight, that were never solved. Her partner Z worked the last Twilight robbery when the Lieutenant’s sister, an officer, was killed. When Laura attempts to explore the similarities between the current and past crimes, she is told to leave it alone. When she continues to question the evidence, the threats begin. FBI Agent Nick Derringer arrives to aide in the search for the robbers and he and Laura question why someone is trying to shut down the investigation. Is it possible that there is corruption within the force? As danger stalks Laura, Nick realizes that the personal feelings he has for Laura are returned and they must tread carefully. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

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A fast paced read , with a great female character that has to fight for her place in a man’s world being the only female detective in the small town where the action takes place. I enjoyed all the twists and turns that the story took me in a rollercoaster ride of mysteries, fighting for power and discovering old secrets.
I’m looking forward for more books by the author.

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Detective Laura Mori is a newly promoted, very young, very inexperienced member of the Sunrise Lake police department. She's Japanese American. She has to contend with the entrenched old boys' network and deal with her own anxiety issues and fear that she isn't living up to her parents' expectations. However, she is also a very good detective with a gift for getting information from people.

When the Sunrise Lake Bank is robbed, it brings back memories of a series of bank robberies three years earlier that resulted in the death of a police officer. Her partner Z was Franny Landon's partner and still suffers from PTSD and amnesia. When Laura sees common features in the old robberies and the current robberies, no one wants her to open up the old case. Z and the old boys all discourage her. However, she investigates anyway with the blessing of her lieutenant only to find that the files are in disarray and both reports and evidence seem to be missing.

Meanwhile, Z is bogged down with a case at the local assisted living home. Someone is stealing little things from many of the residents and busy working with psychologist Dr. MacKenzie to try to recover his lost memories and deal with his PTSD. Laura can't go to him about the events of the earlier robberies because those are some of the memories he can recall.

With the assistance of handsome FBI Agent Nick Derringer, Laura investigates all sorts of irregularities at the Sunset Lake PD. She also develops a crush on Nick which is a first for her. Laura seems very young for her age and rather inexperienced despite her success at a previous police investigation (WHERE THE LOST GIRLS GO) and very much lacking in self-confidence.

I found this police procedural to be rather unrealistic and the mystery pretty easy to solve. Most of the villains were one-sided. I did like and feel sorry for retired officer Donny Gallagher who suffers from dementia and was a pawn of other corrupt police officers.

Fans of police procedurals who aren't looking for gritty realism and with young female detectives will enjoy this one.

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Wasn't quite what I was expecting but was a good read! It has a very likeable heroine and will be great for those that enjoy police mysteries. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy to read!

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Good mystery, with a little bit of cozy thrown in there with the blue Danish cookie tins. This book has lots of layers, and keeps you guessing as to what is going on, who is really involved, and who just looks guilty. I enjoyed the police procedure aspects of this book, and how hard it is for someone to work against the old boys club. Especially, when they know they are treating you bad and do it on purpose. Laura's partner Z is great, and a romance is starting to bloom between Laura and FBI guy Nick , which adds some extra fun. Definitely worth the read.

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I love police mysteries and this new book fit right in this genre. A young, spunky female police detective, a couple of reliable sidekicks, a small town, west coast setting, and hints of corruption in the department. It's always fun when the hero/heroine in the story is smart and busts stereotypes. Go read this.

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It’s a big deal when Laura is promoted from patrol to detective. She’s an anomaly, a female minority detective on the force and her first major case is a bank robbery. Laura sees similarities between this new robbery and those of the past. A series of bank robberies that ended with people dead. The unsolved cases were called Twilight, but when Laura tries to bring her superiors onboard with her line of thinking, they shut her down, fast. She also learns her predecessor, the only woman on the force at the time, was killed in the line of duty. Timely, heart racing and gritty, this is one hell of a ride

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