Her writing was fiction, until a killer made the danger very real… A serial killer’s imitating crime scenes from Addison Keller’s bestselling novel, determined to make her the final victim. But with former police officer Jace Montana and his dog at her side, Addison might just be able to unmask the murderer. With time running out as the killer closes in, she must confront her past and unravel … her past and unravel long-buried secrets…and hope they can all escape with their lives.
From Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
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Characters: I loved that Addison (the main lady) was an author! And Jace (the main guy) was an intriguing addition to the story. I did think both Addison’s and Jace’s backstories could’ve been tied to their current stories a little better. I felt like there was some disconnect between Addison the abused wife vs. her current version and Jace the depressed alcoholic vs. his current version. It was almost like they were totally different characters in the past. If that makes any sense …
Language: Clean.
Moral: Maybe forgiveness? I believe Addison was Catholic, and there were a few lines of weird theology.
Plot: I loved how much action this plot contained! I didn’t have a chance to get bored.
Romance: Clean. A few kisses?
Writing: Deena Alexander’s writing style fit this story well. It was fast-paced and worked great for a suspenseful story like this one. I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
Overall: Crime Scene Connection was an entertaining read, and I’d recommend it to those who enjoy Christian fiction and romantic suspense.
I’m always simultaneously excited and nervous to read a debut novel – excited because “what if i find a new fave author?!?” and nervous because “what if I really don’t like it?”. Well, any anxiety I might have felt about Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander flew out the window with the first chapter. The immediately-intense suspense drew me in completely, and I think I barely breathed until the end.
Both Addison and Jace are deliciously layered characters with sobering backstories, yet they remained relatable at the same time. I really liked both characters – and of course enjoyed watching them fall in love. But the star of the show for me was Jace’s loving & fiercely protective dog Phoenix. The author did a great job of giving him such personality while not taking away from the guard dog he is. That’s a fine line to walk sometimes but i thought it was perfectly done here.
The suspense elements in Crime Scene Connection were excellently written as well, and I couldn’t put it down until everyone was finally safe. Not only did we have the immediate danger of someone killing people based on Addison’s book – and trying to kill her too – but we have the larger backstory involving the murder of Jace’s wife and the corrupt behavior of Addison’s ex-husband … and whether either of those are related to what’s going on with Addison right now. These were all so well-plotted out that I kept going back to make sure this was the author’s debut novel because the backstories of Addison, Jace, Conner, and Maris felt like I should have been able to find these events in another book.
Bottom Line: Wow! What a fabulous debut! Intense, fast-paced suspense with layered characters and a multidimensional plot too. I was completely engaged from beginning to end, and you won’t be able to put it down either. The romance is sweet & swoony, too, but Phoenix the dog stole my heart even more. This is definitely a must read for fans of Lynette Eason, Jessica Patch and etc. I can’t wait for Deena Alexander’s next novel!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
Addison is a crime writer and someone is out there imitating the murders in her first book. She feels incredible guilt for her unwitting part in the crimes and as the danger comes closer to her Jace, a former partner of her ex-husband’s becomes her bodyguard. He is also best friends with Connor, her brother-in-law. As Addison and Jace try to figure out the killer’s next move they are forced to run and hide only to be discovered. The pace of the story was good and there was an interesting twist at the end. This is an inspirational romance and both characters, when forced into dangerous situations turned to their faith to carry them through.
I’ve been reading books from the Love Inspired Suspense line for years, and they are always so thrilling. Crime Scene Connection didn’t fail to live up to my expectations. The premise of the book could have come from a real life documentary. The evil that exists in this world is very real, and Deena Alexander skillfully portrays that evil in this book’s antagonist(s).
In Crime Scene Connection, life imitates art as a serial killer follows the murders portrayed in author Addison Keller’s novel. Addison is devastated. She can’t believe that her book inspired someone to murder women in the same way she’s described in her book.
The characters in Crime Scene Connection are very believable. They’ve got a wide variety of personalities. None of them is perfect; yet when it counts, and they learn the truth, they are willing to forgive. I think the pacing of the story was very good. Things moved quickly, and that made me want to keep turning the pages to find out what happened. I read this book in a day, and if you’re like I am when it comes to suspense, you’ll read it quickly too!
If you’re in the mood for a good suspense with romance, inspiration, and great characters, add Crime Scene Connection to your to be read pile!
This is a page-tuner, with non-stop action, and you soon find yourself ducking. Just when you think you are safe, nope, at least not for long.
Life has been hard for Addison, she is now a published author, and getting her life on track, especially after her disastrous marriage. Now, it seems someone is playing out scenes from her book, and bodies are appearing, will she end up being one? Or her estranged sister?
Enter Jace and his dog, and he is happy to help out a childhood friend Conner, but he didn’t realize whom he was helping. These two have a big distrust of each other, can they work through their dislike, and work towards saving her life and others.
This story has a lot of twists and turns, and danger does seem to come from more than one direction, but who or whom are the culprits.
This is one you won’t want to put down until you have answers!
I received this book through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.