She was hiding from her past… indeed have a twin sister she never knew about.
Now she’ll do anything to see it come to light.
Emory joins Blake in a search for her missing sister, but when an attempt is made to abduct Emory as well, they begin to think the abduction is related to Emory’s birth parents. Blake vows to keep her under his watch until they discover what this maniac is looking for and bring him to justice. But Emory balks at him wanting to keep her under constant surveillance as she’s struggling to come to grips with a former brutal attack, and she wants nothing to do with a man who might want to get close to her. When it becomes clear that Blake is the only one who can keep her safe, will she let him get close enough to do so?
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I’ve been following Susan Sleeman’s career since the beginning. Her writing has matured until she’s one of my favorite suspense authors. I don’t want to miss a book of hers. With Dead Ringer, her characters are well-developed and the reader cares what happens to the good ones and wants the bad ones receive what they have coming to them. This unique story pulled me right in at the beginning, and I didn’t want to let go of the characters when it came to the end. And we don’t have to.
Excellent!! Kept me guessing and I love how the Cold Harbor characters were involved in the story!!
I thought this was an interesting book.The author obviously has done a lot of research on DNA and forensic investigations. There was a lot of information, possibly a little too much, at times it would drag on. The storyline was good and intriguing, as I was wanting to solve the mystery. The characters were good. This being the first book of the series, you are introduced to characters that will be in future books. Over all, I thought the book was pretty good. Suspense, mystery, romance, with a few Christian prayers thrown in. I wish there was a little less violent description and factual information.I wavered on 3.5 stars. I would give the next book a try.
Dead Ringer is the first book I have read by this author, and I am impressed by her excellent storytelling skill and expressive writing style. It is obvious that some of the characters and references to events are from previous books; however, that did not hinder the enjoyment or understanding of this read. With realistic, likeable characters; a fast-paced, suspenseful plot; a strong faith element; and a bit of romance, this book held my attention from beginning to end and kept me guessing. I was amazed at how skillfully the author incorporated detailed information regarding DNA testing, forensics, and other crime solving techniques which added authenticity and interest to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it especially for lovers of inspirational romantic suspense.
Awesome series — can’t get enough of the Cold Harbor, Truth Seekers, and now Nighthawk Security. All are well written, gripping from the beginning, characters are real and lovable (heroes) and devious villains.
Now I am hooked! I cannot wait to read the next book in the Truth Seekers series.
Ahh! I have been waiting for this story since I read the first book in the Cold Harbor series. And it was just as good as I thought it would be. I loved seeing a whole new team of people and seeing some old faces.
Dead Ringer is about Emory and Blake who have to work together because Blake’s missing person is Emory’s twin sister who she did not know about. Blake is the sheriff of Cold Harbor, and he’s been in many Cold Harbor books. I was so excited to see that he had his own book! Emory is a friend of Sam, the forensic expert at Blackwell, who works at Veritas. Veritas is a center full of experts in many different professions who work on solving mysteries.
Before I start on the review of the book, I would definitely recommend reading this after the Cold Harbor series. It’s set in the same world, and there are a lot of cameos from different characters. Now, to the review. As I said before, Blake is the sheriff of Cold Harbor, and I really liked how you got to see a different side of him in this book. In the Cold Harbor series, he doesn’t have the freedom of the Blackwell team, so they are often on different sides. I think that he came off as more harsh and rigid because his hands were tied in a sense. However, in this book, you got to see the sweet side of him.
Emory is also a really interesting character. She has just found out that she is adopted and has a twin sister she didn’t know about. I think something that I actually enjoyed about Emory’s character is that she was not perfect. She didn’t react well to the fact that she was adopted which I think is more realistic than some other books with similar storylines. As always Susan Sleeman has an amazing group of minor characters that really complement the story. I liked meeting all the Veritas team, and I can’t wait to read books about them. Plus Blake’s team was really funny to me because even though he’s serious, they were very free to mess with him.
The suspense was also amazing! I think that this storyline was even more interesting than normal for me. I love storylines with families, and while this is a sad storyline with a family, it was still fascinating. It was also super clean with just kissing, and the violence was not extremely intense. This is actually one of my favorite things about Susan Sleeman is that her books are not too scary. I would definitely recommend this book!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
good story
This book was well written. Well developed characters and an interesting plot. I enjoyed learning about the world of DNA and how it can be used to solve crimes. I highly recommend this book!
Riveting read.
I’ve enjoyed this entire series. This book did not disappoint.
Great story!
This is the first book that I have read by Susan Sleeman and the first in a series. It had my attention from the very first chapter and it continued to unfold with an urgency to find a missing young woman, Cait. Lots of layers in the plot as her twin, Emory, enters the search with mysteries revealed and solved and a budding romance developing between Emory and Blake. I thoroughly enjoyed the well developed plot and the interesting characters. I got the sense that there were back stories to other characters so I’m going to be looking to see what previous books this author has written. I think that I found a new favorite.
This is a fast paced, exciting read!
Susan Sleeman is already one of my favorite authors. I greatly enjoy Dead Ringer and I highly recommend it to all mystery/suspense readers.
I love that it mentions/has characters from a previous series. Blackwell Tactical are favorites of mine.
I can always count on Susan Sleeman for riveting, nail-biting romantic suspense. Her impeccable research and plot development, along with realistic, well-developed, and endearing characters never fail to satisfy. I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Dead Ringer with twin sisters who were unaware of each other’s presence. The story is well-crafted and unfolded layer by layer while leaving me guessing the entire time. The main characters, Emory Steele and Blake Jenkins, each had some emotional baggage to work through, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and develop as they worked toward finding Emory’s twin sister Caitlyn.
This is the first book in a new series, The Truth Seekers, which promises to be another hit series by Sleeman. I’m looking forward to the stories behind some of the other characters in this book. If you enjoy heart-pounding suspense with some romance and inspiration thrown in for good measure, give this book and series a try! 4.5 stars!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book in a new series about the Veritas Group. It starts out with an intriguing premise—a sheriff is trying to find a kidnapped woman, and the professional DNA expert he meets with to process the evidence looks exactly like her. Is this a scam? Emory Steele has to convince Blake Jenkins that she knows nothing about the crime, and Blake has to convince Emory that she has an identical twin sister. Emory refuses to believe it because that would mean she was adopted, but her parents would have told her. Things go on a wild roller coaster ride from there and don’t let up the whole way through! This is a great start to a new series!
4.5 Stars
A new series from Susan Sleeman introduces romantic suspense fans to a brand new team while bringing in some familiar Cold Harbor friends.
The partners at the Veritas Center are intelligent, at the top of their specialties, have the best equipment, and aren’t shy about admitting any of the above. They also drop everything to help in a crisis, especially when it involves one of their own.
In Dead Ringer, Sleeman once again skillfully takes readers from the discovers of a crime through the investigative process until a satisfying conclusion is reached. All without giving away any hints as to who is behind the abduction until the big reveal. I’ve said it before, but Sleeman unfolds her stories in the way I imagine most investigation actually operate—scrambling to find a hint of a lead, dead ends, danger, and one answer that opens up the entire investigation into a sprint at the end.
I’m already looking forward to spending more time with this team in future books. Because when it comes to romantic suspense you don’t want to put down, Sleeman is a go-to author.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
3.5 stars
” . . . . . . crying wouldn’t bring Caitlyn home. Working would.”
On the same evening that Dr. Emory Steele learns that she has an identical twin sister, she also learns that Caitlyn Abbot has been viciously abducted. In her role as a DNA expert for Portland, Oregon’s prestigious Veritas Center, she often donates her skills to law enforcement on high profile cases, and according to the handsome Cold Harbor sheriff, Caitlyn’s disappearance demands top priority.
Sheriff Blake Jenkins is shocked when he sees how much Dr. Steele resembles their victim. Naturally, his first response was to think that there had been no crime committed after all; she’s quite a “dead ringer”. Factor in the confusing details of their separate adoptions, and the leads nearly vanish into thin air. But Emory doesn’t vanish, leaving Blake rather sure that he could get used to seeing her face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, they both have a lot of weighty baggage in their pasts, not to mention, they live and work in two different cities.
Susan Sleeman has waved her magic wand of intrigue once again; there was absolutely no way to figure out this ending from the very beginning! This new series has gotten off to quite an impressive start.
Wow! This story was amazing! I couldn’t wait to read this first book in the new “Truth Seekers” series and it was everything and more! I can’t wait to read more books in this new series! I love that previous characters from her other series “Cold Harbor” are mentioned throughout the book.
This story primarily focuses on Blake and Emory as they race against the clock to find a missing woman… who looks strangely identical to Emory. This story was packed with action, suspense and had some clean romance. I liked the Christian element of faith and prayer throughout the story as well. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop…I loved the characters and fast, thrilling story line. Highly recommend! Absolutely LOVED it!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.