Unknown Threat
by Lynn H. Blackburn
Publishing Date March 2, 2021

This book is on our shelf in our small-town library. Many of our readers enjoy Christian fiction. This is a new author to us but we really like her books. Thanks to her publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

4star

Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell lost one of his best friends (and coworkers) in a car explosion. Rumors surround the agent's death as the body of an unknown woman was also killed inside his car in the explosion. Luke and others know without a doubt that Luke was a Godly man and faithful to his wife and children.
Then, more agents die.
FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is put in charge of the investigation. More agents are being targeted, including Luke. Why does someone want to take out the Secret Service?
A mutual attraction forms between Luke and Faith as they work together to solve this case. Unfortunately, Luke has an aversion to the FBI. Can he overcome this?
Can Faith put aside her past hurts and trust a man?
This is an action packed suspense story.
The only thing that I had difficulty with is that the Secret Service agent who was first killed in a car bomb, kept the identity of the woman a secret from his wife and friends. That part of the story seemed far fetched to me. It seems he would have been shouting from the rooftops about her. No need to keep her a secret.
I was given an advanced copy from the publisher, Revell and Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is put in charge of an investigation into the murders of some Secret Service agents in the local office. US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is put in charge of helping her. He, too, was a target of the killer. This is an action packed suspense thriller and is well written. It was a page turner. Lynn Blackburn is a wonderful author and is an expert on this kind of story. And with luck we will have another book in this series in a few months. I can’t wait!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Ms. Blackburn writes books that keep you reading. There is enough suspense to keep you wondering who the guilty party is and why they are doing what they are. The action is exceptional from the gun shots, to bombs exploding, to knives held at an innocents throat. Romance? Well of course there is but is it too quick or using scenes that we don't want to know about? No it is done with class and excitement! In this book Secret Service Agents are under attack but no one knows why and an FBI agent is assigned lead investigator. The characters were great to get to know and they are all so different but yet all the main characters are so lovable you would love to be counted as a friend. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series! I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys lots of what I have described above as well as not having to worry about bad language or intimate scenes. Ms. Blackburn writes stories from a Christian viewpoint but never throws anything in your face or tries to stuff anything down your throat.
I received a free download of this book from Netgalley and Revell Publishing. This review is my own honest opinion of a book I totally enjoyed.

Excellent thriller! Super engaging and could not put it down! It's fairly fast paced and combines faith, romance, and suspense all in one. Great storyline.

In Unknown Threat the agents have to learn to trust each other. They have knowledge of each other and am unsure just how much to trust each other. It would be hard to have to do this when you have previous knowledge but have to learn to work together anyway as Luke and Faith have to do. A very suspenseful read as you begin to wonder exactly what has been going on and what will happen next.

Fabulous all around:
This was a wonderful romantic suspense novel which was well paced and captivating. There was a light Christian message but this book would probably appeal to all readers regardless of their personal beliefs.
Faith and Luke bonded whilst working together to determine who was targeting the Secret Service agents. They soon found themselves fighting not only the attacker but their growing attraction for one another however there were some personal issues for them to overcome along the way. There was a good amount of personal growth and their struggles felt authentic and honest.
I enjoyed the investigative aspects of the book and was kept guessing by the many twists and turns. I also liked the strong friendship bonds and seeing how this group rallied and supported one another. I look forward to reading upcoming books in the series as I'm intrigued to learn more about some of the other characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This was an amazing book. So many twists and turns and unexpected events. This is truly a must read.

No surprise here - Lynn Blackburn keeps you on the edge of your seat in this page-turner novel! Unknown Threat is the first book in her new series Defend & Protect. The storyline is gripping and keeps you on your toes wondering who the killer is and if they will strike again. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is intelligent, confident and determined to succeed. Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is fiercely loyal and fighting to stay alive. Together they will have to join forces to find the killer and fast! The energy and tension between the pair has you rooting for them from the start. The secondary characters are just as engaging as the main characters. Faith's sister, Hope being my favorite! It would be amazing to see more of her in future books. This is a must read book if you are looking for a suspense novel that you can't put down!

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is lucky to be alive. Three of his fellow agents have died in unusual circumstances in the past ten weeks. Luke is devastated by the loss of his friends and colleagues, and his inability to locate the killer feels like a personal failure. He's an expert at shielding others, but now the protectors are in need of protection.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven to succeed and confident in her ability to solve every case she's assigned. She's been put in charge of the investigation into the unprecedented attacks, and with Luke's life in danger, the stakes have never been higher. But it's hard to know how to fight back when you don't know who the enemy is.

As more agents are targeted, Luke and Faith will have to work together to bring a killer to justice and prevent any more names from joining their fallen brothers and sisters on the Secret Service Wall of Honor.

Another great book by Ms. Blackburn. I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense of this book. Faith has a record of solving every case she has been assigned. She has to prove to herself that she is not worthless by solving all the cases. Luke is about killed and learns that three others in office have already been killed. It is a race against time to find the killer and put a stop to it.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

If you are searching for a well-written book full of adventure and high-adrenalin suspense, then prepare to have your expectations blown away when you pick up Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn. This work by Ms. Blackburn kept me on the edge of my seat, with constantly changing suspects, surprising difficulties for the main characters to overcome, along with many completely unexpected physical and emotional disasters. I thoroughly enjoyed Unknown Threat and would highly recommend it!
The main characters in Unknown Threat are Luke Powell and Faith Malone. Both Luke and Faith are government agents, each a member of highly respected and hard-working agencies. Luke Powell serves in the US Secret Service as a special agent and Faith Malone is a special agent in the FBI. It was informative and interesting to learn more about the US Secret Service from Ms. Blackburn's writings, as not all of the members of the US Secret Service are protecting persons of high political importance. Luke and his teammates have recently lost a friend and colleague under suspicious circumstances and don't believe the inconclusive reports of the FBI. Luke and his family hold a personal and long-lasting grudge against the FBI for a mistaken investigation in the past. When danger strikes and death comes to members of Luke's team, the US Secret Service is devastated and Luke and his remaining teammates are now the ones being protected. Luke's team is used to being in charge, but due to this investigation and the great danger faced by their team, the FBI comes to lead the investigation, bringing in Faith and her teammates.
Faith Malone has a strong passion for work and as a female FBI special agent, she feels the need to prove her abilities even more than her fellow teammates. Faith has a stubborn determination to win and to solve every case that she gets assigned to. So, when Faith is placed as lead on the investigation into the attacks on Luke's team, she is determined to track down the killer. The stakes are the highest they have ever been in any of Faith's experience, but without much information or clues to go on, Faith is frustrated and perplexed. Throughout many difficult and unbelievable situations, Faith and Luke and their respective teammates have to learn to work together in order to prevent more deadly consequences. Can they track down the killer before anyone else is harmed? Will Faith be able to hold up under the extreme pressure? Who can they truly trust? Are there moles in the agencies? Find out by reading Unknown Threat by Lynn H. Blackburn.
One thing I have come to love about Ms. Blackburn's writing style, is the intricateness of her plots which are webs of complicated situations and surprises. I appreciate how Ms. Blackburn delves into complex storylines in her works without losing the reader in an overabundance of small details. Another area of Ms. Blackburn's writing excellence that I have come to enjoy is how easily her characters are developed and truly seem real to the readers. I always appreciate how some authors give their characters a well-developed past as well as flaws and issues to work through. I personally related to both the main characters in this book because of the excellent writing of Ms. Blackburn. I enjoyed the adventure and adrenalin throughout this book. There were many surprise twist and turns throughout the pages, but I personally enjoyed the intense beginning and very nail-biting ending. I absolutely enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. I hope that you have the chance to read Unknown Threat. I know that you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: Revell graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

This book held my interest enough to finish it, but not enough to care deeply or want to read more in the series. I liked the characters ok.

3-1/2 stars.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my favorite book by this author because it is non stop action. Right away we are swept into a devious plot to take out Secret Service agents. The bodies start to pile up as someone is targeting men and women in high profile jobs.

When Faith from the FBI takes on the investigation you can feel a sense of purpose in her . She is a no nonsense very determined woman. She takes her job seriously and is determined to unravel the mystery that is taking lives. I liked her way of shifting through evidence and working angle’s that others may have overlooked.

Secret Service Special Agent Luke is lucky to be alive after being shot at, car bombs going off and houses exploding around him. Who is after him and why? I liked the working relationship between Faith and Luke. There are a few moments that made me laugh because they both tried so hard not to show interest in each other.

The story is a race to find out who is taking out agents and the twists are plenty. At first I had suspected someone but I was so wrong. The author does an excellent job of keeping readers guessing in this explosive story. The faith element is woven throughout the book and shows how the characters learned to trust again. I have to say I never put the book down until I was finished. It is action packed and full of surprises.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads Blogger Program. The review is my own opinion.

All opinions are MY OWN. In no way am I biased.

**TW**
This book contains details of violence, death, bombings, fires, etc.
If a sensitive reader, this book may not be for you.

Starting a new series, you never know what you can expect. Will it be good? Will it be bad? What impression will it set for you, as the reader?
These are the questions you ask yourself. But you take the risk and begin this new series only to fall in love with it.

I absolutely adored this book and its characters. Faith Malone and Luke Powell, well, all I'm saying is you could feel their chemistry when you first get a scene with two of them in it.
The friendship between everyone at the Raleigh Secret Service office was just so heartwarming. The friendship was tight-knitted, welcoming and sarcastic. (And if you know me, you know I love my sarcastic friendships).

The plot of the story was quite intruiging and a real who-dunnit kind of mystery. We follow Faith and Luke as they quickly try to uncover who is targeting the Raleigh Secret Service people and why? But also... Who's going to be next.
This book was tense, at times emotional, and it was also quite a thrilling read.
Unknown Threat is a fast paced book with loveable characters that just draws readers in completely.

I cannot wait to read more books in this series! I'm definitely going to have to look into this author!

Someone is killing and injuring US Secret Service Agents who are based in a North Carolina office. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is assigned to investigate the case and one of the injured agents, Secret Service Agent Luke Powell, will be assisting her. From the very beginning, it is obvious that this is a difficult case. There are no known suspects and no known motives. There are too many questions and no solid leads.
This is a well plotted and fascinating story. The author skillfully describes the workings of the Secret Service and how it is the FBI who takes the lead on investigating attacks against the Secret Service. There is a varied cast of sharply drawn interesting characters. Faith and Luke are the ultimate law enforcement professionals whose relationship becomes complicated. Can they find and stop a diabolical killer before there are more victims?

This is a fast moving and exciting story. It is packed with action, danger and surprises. Unknown Threat is a real page turner. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This thriller grabbed me from the get-go, and the other two books I had started reading got set aside to focus on this captivating suspense. I didn’t realize that the Secret Service and the FBI didn’t get along well, but this case forces close cooperation between the local agents. Secret Service agents in Raleigh are being killed with no explanation. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone heads the team investigating the crimes and puts her all into solving this mystery. The fast-paced novel oozes tension and intrigue as it keeps you guessing the entire way through. The plot and characters seem so real and make you care. This made me want to read more of the author’s books. I look forward to the rest of this new series. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. #UnknownThreat #NetGalley

FBI and Secret Service don’t always like each other—until they do! FBI Special Agent Faith Malone and US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell have serious chemistry in this thriller by Lynn Blackburn. There is suspense and great dialog on every page. Recommended.

This first book gives readers an explosive start to the series with its high-paced action throughout the book. This book is romantic suspense at its best! I loved this book and wanted to keep reading until I discovered who was behind everything. The book starts out with two Secret Service agents being shot at while they finished up running. The weird coincidence is that the agents were not the only targets that morning and several months previous to this a fellow agent was killed. Faith is an FBI officer and is in charge of discovering what is going on. Both agencies must race against the clock to discover who is threatening them before more people get hurt. This book was so good that I enjoyed reading about even the secondary characters and want to know more about each of them. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I highly recommend this book and know you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

Lynn H. Blackburn crafts another hit with her latest release, Unknown Threat.

Blackburn grabbed my attention from the beginning and wouldn’t let go. Not only because the story began with a bang (quite literally) but also because she crafted such compelling characters. Luke and Faith are fantastic leads with their dogged determination and fierce loyalty. The supporting cast of characters reminded me of what I loved about Blackburn’s Dive Team Investigations series. The team isn’t just a concept but rather an almost tangible thing that drives the story forward. Rather than filling out the investigation with cardboard characters, Blackburn fleshes these minor characters out until they almost feel as real as Luke and Faith.

The romantic chemistry is almost palpable, and from the beginning, I found myself rooting for Luke and Faith to end up together. They have these wonderfully deep conversations about life and faith, which adds a great spiritual element to the novel. Pair this with the page-turning suspense that kept me up late into the night, and Blackburn has another winner on her hands. The fact that characters from her last series make a cameo is just icing on the cake.

Overall, Unknown Threat is a must read for romantic suspense fans. Just be prepared to stay up late!


(Note: Review will go live on the blog on April 2 at 12 pm.

I just read the first chapter of this newly released (March, 2021) suspense/thriller fiction book and I get the feeling I’m going to love it! Unknown Threat opens with just enough details, mystery, intrigue, and action to spark my interest in learning more about the characters and what on earth could be happening. Also, the writing has great readability, pacing, and clarity. I am really looking forward to finishing this book and will update this post when I do.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Revell, for which I am extremely grateful, and these are my honest thoughts.