I’d been looking forward to this book for a while, because I am always on the hunt for new-to-me suspense books to enjoy. Unfortunately, this one was a miss.

There was a sarcasm overload in chapter one, which was very off-putting.

The mystery, dogs, and earthquake hooked me early, but they weren’t enough to sustain the entire plot.

The dream sequence was the most exciting, most suspenseful thing in the first four chapters. That isn’t normal, and it isn’t what I expect in suspense books. The main plot should be exciting and thrilling and tense… but it wasn’t in the early chapters (other than the earthquake).

Woman in Shadow was a really good suspense story. I found the main character interesting and liked how she had some struggles to work through (although I felt bad for what happened to her).

The romance was fine. Not a favorite, but it wasn't bad. I thought the story had a ton of suspense, which made it a quick read. I loved the dogs - that was probably one of my favorite parts of the story. They were so protective and just amazing.

All in all, Woman in Shadow was worth the read. I think fans of romantic suspense will enjoy it. I didn't find <i>everything</i> 100% believable, but it was still good.

*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/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and 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.*

Woman in Shadow
by Carrie Stuart Parks
Pub Date 13 Jul 2021
Thomas Nelson--FICTION,Thomas Nelson
Christian| Mystery & Thrillers

I'm reviewing Woman in Shadow through Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley:


A woman who lives off the grid.


Darby Graham thinks she's on a much-needed vacation in Idaho. An earthquake strikes before she even gets to the ranch. Then a barn on the edge of town goes up in flames, and strange things start happening at the ranch, and Darby finds herself in the middle of a mystery.


The town is on fire.


Fires erupt around town, and an arsonist sends taunting letters to the press after each one. A forensic linguist, Darby specializes in this. But the scars she's left behind from her work are also why she's trying to run away.


There's a growing darkness.


With the shadows moving in, she can see pieces of the town more clearly. Darby must decide if she can trust the one man who sees her clearly to make it out alive.


I give A Woman in Shadow five out of of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Awesome read, from plot to characters. It's a book that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the end.

Highly recommend!

Another wonderful mystery by Carrie Suart Parks! I enjoyed how this one kept me guessing until I read the final page. Well written and full of suspense!

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead.

I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings.

Anything requested and approved will be read and a decent quality review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Woman in Shadow kept me guessing! This twisting romantic suspense had it all — a mysterious disappearance, earthquakes, dramatic rescues, and dangers around every turn. But the best thing about the novel is the main character, Darby Graham. Most of the story is told through Darby’s first person voice. I loved her perspective on the goings on, complete with wit to lighten all the bad things happening. Darby is a forensic linguist — a fascinating occupation — who has been trying to overcome her past and past mistakes. Sent to the remote Idaho ranch, she is tasked with determining why odd and dangerous things seem to be occurring. She gets much more than she expects when the danger ratchets up putting her in harms way. I like that Parks created a vulnerable, yet resourceful character in Darby. Her faith has faltered along the way, but she learns to rely on God, as well as her own instincts. There is also a great love interest for Darby that will have you cheering them on. As I stated, I did not solve this whodunit — to my delight I was completely surprised! Although there is a reference to an organization first mentioned in Relative Silence, Woman in Shadow is a standalone. Good news for all those who want to dive into this book right away. And I highly recommend you do!

Highly recommended.

Audience: adults.

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

There was so much action and adventure and a tad bit of romance in this novel that Carrie wrote. I really enjoyed trying to figure out whodunit and did not even come close to guessing. Darby has been through some severe trauma in her life and she has been in rehabilitation to help with her PTSD. She lost a leg and has a prosthesis that most people don't notice. She is sent by her rehabilitation group to see if she can help in the mountains with some issues that have come up with the ranch. Roy runs the ranch and has no clue why so many people are getting hurt. He is ready to sell and get away from it all. Can they figure out who is doing all the damage and killing people before they all die? It is a very good read! This is my honest opinion. for my review.

I always enjoy the forensic information I glean from Carrie's books! I didn't live this one as much as some of her others because I didn't care for the switching view points. From first person to third person between two different characters was a little distracting for me.

Darby Graham is forensic linguist planning to spend much needed time relaxing in the remote mountains of Idaho. But a series of events threatening the ranch and its guests pulls her onto the case alongside local law enforcement officer Bram.

A fast paced mystery that pulled me in from the beginning. An action packed read that never really slows down, with touches of a classic whodunit. Darby is understandably hesitant to jump into the thick of things, sent to the ranch to recover and heal. I loved her quick thinking and attention to detail, as well as her heart for animals.

A engrossing read, that only escalates as the plot progresses. I loved that it kept me guessing and unable to put the book down. Darby and Bram make a great team. You won't want to miss this explosive adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Darby Graham is one smart lady but she needs a much-needed vacation. She goes to a ranch in remote Idaho and finds that strange problems on the ranch and in town are a mystery to solve and there is danger mystery and a man from her past to make things even more dangerous. There's a lot of interesting characters, danger and mystery that me turning the pages! I requested a copy through NetGalley, no review was required. My opinion and review are voluntary.

Darby, a forensic linguist by training, is trying to heal from law enforcement PTSD. She is sent to observe and submit a report about a resort ranch experiencing several events with suspicious circumstances. She emerges from the experience with a renewed perspective on past events, her faith, and love.

This is yet another excellent suspense novel from Carrie Stuart Parks, combined with the author's consistent mix of quirky humor and interesting backstory. Main character Darby Graham is endearing and smart. The mystery of "who is behind all the trouble" (and there is a lot), as well as the trauma she previously experienced that is coloring her life today are both revealed slowly and not easily "guessable".

I am glad to recommend this book, and encourage you to pick up the author's other titles as well.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

If you want a good, solid mystery with some nail-biting scenes, then Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks is for you. I appreciate the fact that the main character is disabled yet strong. I also appreciate the interspersion of scripture without being overdone or preachy. (Plus, none of the Christian characters are depicted as crazy people! Yay!) I thoroughly enjoyed Woman in Shadow by Carrie Stuart Parks.

In Woman in Shadow, a stand-alone novel from Carrie Stuart Parks, main character Darby heads to an Idaho ranch for some R & R and finds herself in the middle of a mystery. The linguistic forensics aspect of this story is fascinating. It was very interesting to learn about how word patterns can divulge the sincerity (or lack thereof) in what a person says.

As far as the plot itself, I struggled to maintain engagement. There was enough character development to create a connection, and the insta-love trope is a detractor. I think the thing that was most disappointing is the sheer absurdity of some of the characters' actions. For example, there’s a scene where someone is shooting out windows of the ranch dining room. The characters decide to nail a table over the hole where the window had been shot out. That just struck me as strange, in both the logistics of actually nailing a table over a window frame, as well as the fact that multiple windows were shot out. The believability of the story just isn’t there for me.

I have enjoyed several other books by Carrie Stuart Parks, and while I loved learning about linguistic forensics, this book overall is a miss for me.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

this was such a well done mystery novel, the characters were what I wanted them to be and the story was great. I'd be interested in reading more from the author.

Something is seriously wrong at Mule Shoe Ranch and there is a domino effect. The suspense builds throughout the story and I was kept guessing until the end. I loved the wit shining through in spots.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I can always count on Carrie Stuart Parks to draw me into a book and keep me interested and guessing until the end! The characters and relationships are well developed and I love the dogs! Highly recommend all of Carrie Stuart Parks books!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

This is an interesting and enjoyable book. A forensic linguist is not a character that I have run across very often, but it was fun to read about she does. When strange things start occurring, Darby is unfortunately there to help. I say unfortunately because she is supposed to be on vacation. This was a great mystery and I had a hard time putting it down.