When cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals’ Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses’ personal details to the highest bidders, the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stakes chase to find the hacker. But before he can even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life. Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted … outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness’s help, as she’s the person who has come closest to discovering Phantom’s identity.
Trouble is, she’s a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets. But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other. . . . The seconds are ticking down before someone dies.
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This was an exciting read! The mystery in this book about the WITSEC database being compromised was a clever idea and a scary one, if I am being honest. The characters were interesting and likable for the most part. Sean kind of annoyed me at times especially when Taylor revealed her long held secret but he was a likable character none the less. The reveal had a couple cool surprises and the ending was good. I enjoyed the threads of a second mystery that I hope to see solved in the future books of this set. Looking forward to book two!
I received this book from the publisher and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I loved the testimony about Taylor from one of the people in her custody. “She’s never come out and said she’s a Christian, but I can tell she is.”
God was using her to draw people to Him.
If you’ve watched CSI Cyber, you’d love this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Filled with neckbreaking action, suspense, faith in God, forgiveness, learning to trust again after being hurt and lied to, second chances…
The story was well written and presented. So believable.
The RED team was after a hacker that took them to work again with the outstanding Taylor. She was a force to be reckoned with. Her love and loyalty to her job and people entrusted into her care was so admirable. But also fueled by a tragedy that happened in her childhood.
Sean! The fearless leader! I admired his zest for the victims under his care, his leadership skills. The chemistry between him and Taylor was electrifying and I was happy they were able to walk through their difference and be together.
They were both two opposites but despite their troubulous childhood they had to learn to let go and trust God no matter how much they wanted to control everything.
I loved how the author gave each character their individual and unique personalities.
You’d enjoy this book of you love action, suspense, crime stories, computers and a good love story.
I received a copy of the book and this is my honest opinion.
I have read lots of books by this author and I love her writing and clean suspense stories! I was thrilled to start reading the first book in this new series!
For whatever reason, I had a hard time connecting with the two main characters, Taylor and Sean. I guess I found them both kind of bossy, rude and not very likeable. I did keep reading the story and by the end I did like them both more. I’m looking forward to getting to know other characters and seeing where this series goes.
There were alot of tense scenes, lots of action, twists, and clean romance… I really enjoyed it! Not one of my favorites, but definitely worth recommending and reading! I liked the story line and learning more about witness protection and marshals.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
Seconds to Live is an interesting suspense that focuses on cyber crime. When hackers access the files of the Witness Protection program and auction them off, several law enforcement groups must work together to quickly solve the case and prevent the possible deaths of many vulnerable witnesses.
Although I think of myself as fairly proficient with computers, I was fascinated by the details of the case and the methods the experts used to discover the person behind the attack. I loved how the different agencies were able to work together for a common cause, even allowing non-agency and sometimes questionable people to help. The plot moves along at a steady pace with plenty of surprises in store along the way. A reasonable amount of action takes place although much of the investigating takes place at headquarters. Of course there is a romantic thread that is woven through the story and it has some interesting developments of its own.
I personally enjoyed Seconds to Live very much. If not intimidated by a few details relating to solving computer based crime, please take a chance on this book. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required.All views expressed are my own.
This story had an interesting premise and I enjoyed seeing how the investigation was run, watching as the RED team members used their individual skills to bring in a very dangerous hacker.
However, I struggled with a few things in this book. I don’t know exactly why, but I just didn’t emotionally connect with either of the main characters. I felt as if I was on the outside looking in, hearing from both of them about the many reasons why they could never work as a couple.
Seconds to Live was a slow read for me. I had trouble staying invested in the story until I was about three-fourths of the way through the book. I think that the author has created a good team of people for future stories, though, and I may read another book in the series to see if I connect better with those characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Seconds to Live
Homeland Heroes #1
By Susan Sleeman
A cybercriminal has compromised the U.S. Marshals database of persons who are in their Witness Protection Program (WITSEC) and the data is available for purchase. With time running against them RED Team is assigned the lead in this case. FBI Agent Sean Nichols is the led agent in this multi-agency team and they need to move fast to stop the individual they believe responsible for this breach – Phantom is known for not only incredible hacking skills but a deadly ruthlessness.
First stop is Portland, Oregon, to connect with U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills, with whom RED Team had previous dealings. Taylor’s charge in WITSEC is of particular interest as she has the hacking skills needed to pull this off and she has had previous dealings with Phantom. Dealings that have her life in danger and on Phantom’s radar.
There is just one little problem though they have never met in person Sean and Taylor have a relationship that is about to put a serious dose of awkward into their face-to-face dealings. Working with someone who knows some of your deepest feelings is never easy and Sean and Taylor are about to find out just how hard it is very quickly. Can you say stepping on toes when they each try to do their job with no compromise?
With the threat that someone inside the U.S. Marshal office is involved Taylor is effectively cut off from her normal support team with need to know severely limited. Phantom is always seemingly two steps ahead of them and every lead soon becomes a dead-end.
Tick-tock is the refrain that must be running through the minds of this group as the threat to protected witnesses begins to become reality. Trust is what is needed to get them to their goal – Phatom’s capture and the recovery of the stolen database and trust is the one thing that both Sean and Taylor have in short supply.
Seconds to Live is the first book in Susan Sleeman’s new Homeland Heroes series and it has a wide cast of characters whom one is more than willing to get to know in future books. One would assume that the RED Team will continue to work on a seemingly cold case that they haven’t solved – the Montgomery Three has haunted all of them (we are given little about this case other than that the team sees this as a failure). I like that little hints are offered throughout about the other team members but nothing to truly flesh them out so that they become a friend rather they are like the neighbor you only pass on the way to and from work. The book works well as a series staring point but also works well as a standalone book.
This book is classified as Romantic Suspense and falls well into that genre – those who have read Susan Sleeman’s work with Love Inspired Suspense will not be disappointed in this offering from Bethany House. Great way to pass the late-night hours when you should probably be sleeping but what can I say I was hooked and could not stop reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion – all thoughts expressed are my own.
If you love edge of your seat suspense with romantic tensions that keeps you guessing till the end then look no further, as this one definitely doesn’t disappoint in my opinion. I love that the storyline is original in dealing with the dark web and cybercrime and that I found it very informative. It was eye opening in showing what goes on behind the scenes to place someone in the witness protection program and keeping them safe. The characters of Taylor and Sean grabbed me from the get go and their vulnerability as well as their strong willed persona to hide past hurts draws me in. I love the woven tapestry of faith and learning to trust God in the difficult times instead of relying on self endeared the book to me. I will anxiously be waiting for book two in this new series. I’m thankful to end my year with this bang of fireworks contained within these pages.
I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
This is my first book by this author and what an interesting book it is. I am sure I will be reading more books by Sleeman….. The story is about Cyber Crime which the average computer user knows very little about. Sleeman opens our eyes as to how crimes are committed by Cyber Hackers that can Hack into even the most sophisticated and protected files that the FBI and other branches of our government uses. The book deals with the Witness Protection Program and how they are moved from safe house to safe house so they can be protected, but somehow the Hacker can trace their where about and is not above murdering the innocent who gets in his way. This book is well written, action packed, and full of intrigue. It’s full of twists and turns and of course we have romance thrown in. I know you’re going to love it as much as I did. What a book, I loved all the technology and the strong characters that cause you to be right along with them in their situations…….
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
HIGH ANXIETY!!
If you’re looking for a great Romantic Suspense author, Susan Sleeman never disappoints! Her latest release, SECONDS TO LIVE, is is a prime example of that statement. One look at the bold cover design let’s you know this new series is going to be dynamic! My first thought was: BOND, Jane Bond.
Individuals who are brave enough to testify against some of the worst criminals are often put into the US Marshal’s Witness Protection Program. This program has worked well for years until someone hacked into the database and started auctioning off personal details about the witnesses. Can you imagine the chaos that will ensue because of this major hack? Think of how many lives are immediately put in danger! FBI Agent Sean Nichols is put in charge of the case and needs the help of one of the WITSEC’s under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills. Mills is extremely dedicated to taking care of the witnesses under her care so will she give in and even allow such a collaboration to take place knowing that it could draw the “phantom” straight to them? Nichols isn’t the easiest person to work with either. Will it be possible for the two law enforcement officers to find a way to work together to protect not only this one witness but all of the others included in the stolen database? Sleeman provides readers with another action packed book filled from cover to cover with much trepidation. Bottom Line: I highly recommend this book.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
Susan Sleeman did an excellent job setting up this series by introducing the readers to the RED Team, an emergency deployment team that consists of FBI agents and US Marshals. Each characters’ quirks and personalities came shining through! This will be a fun group to follow over the rest of the series.
The crime/mystery/suspense threads were really interesting! Without giving away spoilers, I’m impressed by the amount of research that the author went to for this novel.
While the history behind the romance between Taylor and Sean is good, the numerous descriptions of their physical appearance and attributes is very distracting to the rest of the storyline.
I did enjoy the story overall and if you’re a fan of romantic suspense from a Christian world view, you will enjoy this book!
The next book in this series, Minutes to Die, will release in August 2020. The story will focus on Kiley, my favorite secondary character and a fellow member of the RED Team. I’m looking forward to reading it!
Seconds to Live is available NOW – visit http://www.christianbook.com to purchase your copy!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are completely my own.
The Witness Protection Program has been hacked and the new identities of people and families are in jeopardy. The first person on the list is Dustee and her agent Marshal Taylor Mills will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. That includes cooperating with her online confidant and friend Sean Nichols who is more handsome than she imagined.
This book is full of action and a little bit of romance Taylor, Sean and the team helping them discover the identity of the hacker, aka Phanton, work hard to ensure the safety of the people whose identities have been changed for their safety. The clock is ticking and they unravel the clues to save lives.
I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action from the first page until the last. I loved the camaraderie of the characters and their drive to do their jobs well. This book helped deepen my appreciation for the people who work behind the scenes to keep people safe.
This book is Christian fiction with non-graphic violence and kissing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The Countdown! This fast-moving story involves cyber-crime and a vicious killer, The Phantom, who has left a trail of murdered “traitors”, yet has never been identified. Because of messing up, Dustee, a member of the witness protection program, is now running for her life from The Phantom. Dedicated Agent, Taylor Mills, tries to protect Dustee—who seems bent on doing things to keep herself in danger. Will Dustee’s lack of cooperation cause her death? Or will Taylor be able to rescue her from increasingly dangerous situations?
Things are compounded by another government agency becoming involved, especially that of Agent Sean Nichols, causing sparks to fly between him and Taylor. This tale has some very attention-grabbing, suspenseful situations that will capture your attention. Also, there is the shocking revelation of a government turncoat. But the most surprising thing is the ending with the identity of The Phantom. I didn’t see that coming at all—and I can usually guess these things. You will be blind-sided by it!
This is a clean story, not graphic or gory, with characters that deal with trust, forgiveness, and faith. This 5-star tale will be enjoyed by those who like, action, suspense, and some romance.
Bethany House Publishing has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of Seconds to Live, for the purpose of review.
I really enjoyed “Seconds to Live” by Susan Sleeman. In fact, I think this was my favorite novel by Susan Sleeman. I pretty much was hooked from the first couple pages and couldn’t wait to see who the criminal was. There was a slight twist and a little romance thrown in.
This book centered around a cyber-hack in the Witness Protection program. And one of the witnesses in the program is being threatened. I was impressed with how in-depth the author went into the world of “cyber-hacking”. She must have done a lot of research for this novel!
I definitely recommend this book if you like good, clean, romantic suspense.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.
Filled with the heart-pounding suspense and masterful writing I’ve come to expect from a Susan Sleeman book, Seconds to Live starts off the Homeland Heroes series with a bang. Her impeccable research and plot development, along with realistic, well-developed, and endearing characters never fail to satisfy. With her vast knowledge of criminal investigation, forensic evidence, and investigation procedures, I always come away with a deeper appreciation for the depth of the research Sleeman puts into her novels.
Main characters Sean Nichols and Taylor Mills are engaging and multi-layered, and I enjoyed getting to know them. They both had major trust issues to deal with which made them reluctant to form deep attachments. I liked the way their relationship evolved slowly, even though they had communicated for months online before meeting in person. It made for a unique and fascinating connection.
Threads of inspiration are seamlessly woven into the story without being preachy. Trust, forgiveness of self and others, and faith, are major takeaways. “One thing he’d forgotten, and important thing: God didn’t betray. Didn’t turn His back. He was always the same loving God. Always wanting the best for His children.”
If you like riveting, nail-biting stories filled with suspense, intrigue, and romance with a side measure of faith and inspiration, you’re sure to enjoy Seconds to Live. Sleeman has fast become one of my favorite Christian suspense authors, and I’m looking forward to more of her fantastic books in the future. 4.5 stars
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House. All opinions are my own.
Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman
Homeland Heroes Series Book One
FBI Agent Sean Nichols ends up in Portland with his RED team to work on a case. Some cybercriminal has broken into the database of those in witness protection. They suspect the Phantom…and like the name, he’s like a ghost. They have to find leads where there seems to be none.
U.S. Marshal Taylor Mills loves her job. Protecting witnesses who had to give up everything they knew to relocate. Even when they are difficult divas, like Dustee, she’s determined to give them her best. And now, because of a broken rule, she needs to get Dustee out of another situation. Only, things are worse than she thought.
A previous case, that the RED team wasn’t able to close, still haunts Sean. Taylor had helped work on that one, but they’d never met. They did, however, stay in contact and had become good friends. And meeting face to face was not what they’d expected. Great suspense romance. Looking forward to more in this series. I loved the secondary characters and the storyline.
**Received from the publisher for an honest review
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Susan Sleeman’s brand of romantic suspense is one of the best at putting readers right in the middle of investigations while educating them on police procedures, and Seconds to Live does not disappoint.
The first book in the Homeland Heroes series takes a technical and detailed look into cybercrimes and the people who protect citizens from them daily. This series debut gives us an introduction to the FBI team I hope to see more of in future books.
As Sean and Taylor work together to find the person who has put the names of those in witness protection up for sale, they must also navigate their friendship in a face-to-face environment. There are new challenges to work through, especially when one of them is the lead on the case.
Sleeman keeps the story moving with twists I didn’t see coming.
Disclosure statement:
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions below are my own.
Seconds to Live is my first book by author Susan Sleeman. Being a lover of romantic suspense, I was excited to get into this new release. It offered, and has all the elements of, a great story – intelligent characters, intrigue, mystery and danger!
I enjoyed learning more about the Witness Protection Program and the U.S. Marshalls who work so hard to guard those in protection. Seconds to Live offered a fantastic look behind what that is like from both the Marshal’s perspective and that of the protectee. In addition, readers get a look at the highly skilled FBI RED team with a unique storyline based on cyber-security with a high level threat endangering hundreds, if not thousands, of lives that creates an edge of your seat suspense and keeps readers guessing.
here’s an exciting twist that I can’t reveal without ruining the surprise that was a highlight to this novel. Sleeman uses less narrative than other authors I’ve read and used more character conversations to interject explanations and execute her plot. Readers who enjoy books that get right to the point and have a lot of conversation between characters will like this element.
There were a few things I struggled with in this book that are personal preference and based on individual perspective. In the beginning, I was surprised by the author’s matter of fact writing style. At times, it felt harsh and cold. As a result, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. Their differences and the way they handled them made it hard for me to reconcile their growing affection for each other. While I enjoyed their strong personalities, the characters didn’t feel well rounded and came across as shallow. There were also a couple of times I questioned the professional choices they made like pursuing a suspect without backup or wearing heels but that didn’t detract from the story, it merely reminded me the story was fictional. The first 2/3 of the book felt repetitive when it came to Sean and Taylor’s feelings/romance and had me focusing more on the suspense to keep the pages turning.
Over all, I believe readers will enjoy this story. It is a good read, simply for the suspense aspect and the romance is redeeming in the end! The plot moves along and there’s plenty to be discovered with lots of action. I give it a solid three stars and encourage my friends to read for themselves. In the meantime, I’ll be looking forward to giving the second book in this series a try!
The cover of Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman really made me want to read this book and then bonus! the premise also sounded very interesting. I can only imagine the problems that could happen if the WITSEC database was hacked. I’ve never read Susan Sleeman so I was really hoping for a new must read romantic suspense author.
Sadly, this book just did not work for me. I felt like there was so much info dumping that it actually took away from the story. Another issue I had is that I just could not connect with either of the main characters. They basically argued and stated why they could not have a romantic relationship throughout the entire story, which made it very hard to root for them. Finally, I was really looking for a bit more action and suspense. Even when there was some action, it felt anticlimactic.
Suspense is my ultimate genre of choice. I love when a story keeps me guessing from page one. Susan Sleeman’s first novel with Bethany House Publishers’ Seconds to Live captured my attention from the first page. Sleeman thrusts readers into the suspense with a shove and a chase through the town. The procedure to find the Phantom is detailed and makes readers trust the hero and heroine as they work together to follow the clues. The plot was wonderfully woven together. The only issue I had with the plot is that the Phantom is introduced in the first chapter to start the action, but I wanted and needed more background on what he has done. Maybe a actual scene of when he butchered his previous partner I kept waiting for a scene where the Phantom showed his feelings. Something to give me a moment to empathize with the villain. The romance sprinkled a little as the story progressed into the predictable ending. Overall, Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman is a fast pace glance into the world into the dangers of computer hacking while showing the inner workings of a hunt for a killer.
I received a complimentary copy of Seconds to Live by Susan Sleeman from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
‘They were the unsung heroes, men and women who put their lives on the line every day, like soldiers going into battle.’
I enjoyed everything about this first offering in Sleeman’s new romantic suspense series Homeland Heroes. Seconds to Live is a fast-paced, danger-infused story. I loved that Taylor and Sean were email pals for six months before meeting in person. They didn’t quite know what to do when they first laid eyes on each other and their feelings seemed realistic. They were nervous, unsure, and yet very aware of all the things they had shared through email. Sleeman did a good job of transmitting the trepidation and tension between them.
The whole dark web, cyber hacking plot line might seem too technical for some but it thoroughly captivated me. I felt like I was right in the midst of the excitement and fear in trying to figure out who hacked the WITSEC database before any witnesses were murdered. One of the best aspects of this story to me was I couldn’t possibly guess the identity of the hacker. I simply enjoyed the roller coaster emotions and thrill ride of Seconds to Live.
I can honestly say I never think much about those who have gone into witness protection and the ramifications of that choice. I feel like I should pray for these people. I’m looking forward to more stories in this series. If you enjoy contemporary mystery/suspense with moderate romance and Christian themes, then I recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.