When Josie’s abusive, soon-to-be-ex-husband had an affair with another woman, she could have murdered them. When someone does, she is the prime suspect and the only one who can solve the case.The murder of Jo Oliver’s dead-beat husband, and one well-placed sledgehammer, turns thebeloved small town police chief into public enemy number one. Jo teams up with her oldflame Nick Vitarello to hunt the … Vitarello to hunt the serial killer targeting the criminally-minded, and framing her
for their murders. Her fledgling faith in God and man is put to the test when Nick declares his
love for her—days after being seen about town with a striking brunette. He pledges to watch
her back, but is she really the only one he’s watching? As the manhunt heats up, the only
thing she’s sure of is that her time is running out.
more
Full of murder, mayhem, and a search to find faith in God, this story has quite a bit to offer. I must say this book really captured my attention. Josie is trying to adopt Sam while dealing with her impending divorce from her husband. When trouble finds Josie, Nick is the first person to call.
Sam plays only a small part in this book, while Nick provides a lot to the storyline. I also love how the idea of police chief having to deal with being a suspect herself is handled in the storyline.
I love how Josie has people in her life to help when times of trouble come calling. This action, multiple murders, and suspense kept me reading. However, I must say I absolutely was unsatisfied with the way this book ended. Rather than ending, I felt like it was more like stopping by running into a brick wall on purpose. However, I anticipate the ending means more is to come for Josie.
So if you love action-packed Christian suspense novels, check this book out for yourself.
I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Jo Oliver’s divorce is not turning out good. He keeps wanting more and more from Jo and he doesn’t deserve anything! Where her thoughts of wanting he and his mistress dead comes to life, she is the prime suspect. Jo is doing everything she can to clear her name. Calling in FBI agent Nick to help solve this mystery is the only thing she can do.
This book is surely a fast paced thriller, murder mystery, suspense. It has it all. There is a lot going on here in the story as we follow Jo and her journey to clear her name. The interesting and mysterious plot kept me reading because I wanted to find out who the killer really was. I never suspected Jo but all fingers sure pointed to her. Emotions are flying everywhere throughout this story, and ended with a cliffhanger ending that cut me off quick! I wasn’t expecting that ending, though maybe I should have been.
I feel reading this series in order is best. This second book continues Jo’s story and with the second book ending, you will want to read the third book as well! Shattered By Death is a well written book, and I am sure the rest of the series is just as good! I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I had a little trouble connecting with Jo at first, but then as I look at what she is going through, I could understand her better. If you enjoy a good clean murder mystery with characters that show faith in God, this is one you will enjoy!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Shattered By Death by Catherine Finger is a contemporary Christian thriller and the second book in the Jo Oliver series. It can however be read as a stand-alone.
Catherine Finger presents another fabulous thriller with action that keeps the reader guessing to the end.
The novel is written in the first person from the point of view of police chief Jo Oliver. The reader becomes intimately acquainted with her. Jo is a very realistically drawn character. She is incredibly strong as a police officer but also has her insecurities. No one is ever completely strong so the reader finds it easy to identify with her.
Jo Oliver is a fairly new Christian. She finds it hard to trust God completely as she still equates Him with man. “I needed more work in the trusting God over man department.” Jo finds it easier to trust what she sees rather than have faith in the One she cannot see. I am sure most of us can identify with that thinking at times.
Jo has her fears but knows that “God is bigger than your fears.” As life becomes uncertain so Jo will need to place her hope and trust in God, Who still calms the storms.
As in book one Jo is still planning to adopt Samantha. Like all prospective parents she fears she will not be a good enough mother, but “No one’s prepared for parenthood until they step into it.” Jo will have to trust her instincts and take each day as it comes.
The novel shows the importance of having good friends. Friends whom you can rely on to help and support you when life throws you curve balls.
Within the story there is a tension between listening to the lies the enemy tells you and hearing the voice of God. “I need You God. You’ve got to swoop down and clear my head of these lies.” As Jo’s Christian walk becomes stronger, she recognises her clear need for God. There will never be a day when she doesn’t need God by her side. God is a faithful God and He longs to have His children call out to Him.
As a police thriller Shattered By Death does deal with crime scenes and subjects that do not make for easy reading. Two topics covered are domestic abuse and abuse of the vulnerable. Catherine Finger has clearly done her research and sensitively presents the facts and the cases. She shows that abuse can happen to anyone regardless of their age or social standing. It is never the victim’s fault and it is always important to get help.
Once again I was completely caught up in the world of Jo Oliver. She is an extremely likeable character and I cannot wait for her next case.
Catherine Finger is a sensitive and talented writer and I can highly recommend her books.
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. No monetary compensation was received and all views expressed are my own.
“I was playing centerfield in a murder investigation, and I didn’t like standing up alone in the heat.”
As I’ve mentioned in my reviews of books three and four, the blog tours for the Jo Oliver Thrillers series are in reverse publication order. Normally I would never read a series out of order, but due to time constraints I did not have a choice in this case. As a result, I went into “Shattered by Death” with a basic overview of the plot and the identity of the murderer. Strangely enough, I actually found this to be an advantage, because I would not have guessed who it was. I was thus able to look beyond the person I would have incorrectly pegged as the perpetrator and follow the evidence in a different direction. I would still highly recommend beginning with book one and reading them in their proper order, though. There are also discussion questions at the end of the novel to facilitate personal or group analysis and reflection.
In this second book of Catherine Finger’s Jo Oliver series, “Shattered by Death,” the story starts off with a shock when Jo finds her ex-husband and his mistress murdered and herself the prime suspect because of the divorce proceedings. What follows is a tangled web of deception and confusion as she wonders whom she can trust at her own police department and in her personal life. As it becomes obvious that she is being framed, the first-person narration lends itself admirably to the tension and suspense that Finger evokes. This is the most frightening book of the series so far, in my opinion, because of how easily Jo slips from respected Chief of Police to murder suspect. It demonstrates how tenuous our earthly lives are, and it makes the hope of eternal life with the Lord even more precious.
One defining storyline of the novel is Jo’s fledgling faith. In my opinion, Finger has done well in demonstrating the struggles of being a new Christian, and the fact that turning one’s life over to Christ is not a free pass over hardships and trials. By interleaving Jo’s internal dialogue with the narrative, readers get a glimpse into the depths of her turmoil and how she still struggles at times with seeking the Lord’s will. This is something that we all, I’m sure, contend with at one time or another, and probably multiple times throughout our lives. As Jo realizes, though, the Lord is always with us, even when things seem to be imploding. This is such a timely message with the chaos going on in our nation right now, and because of the Lord, we do not have to fear being “Shattered by Death.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
One disadvantage to reading a series backwards is knowing the culprit when you begin reading the second book shortly after reading the third one. Fortunately The author did not provide an excessive amount of details and therefore my enjoyment of Shattered by Death was not particularly hindered. This is the primary reason I always recommend reading a series in order if at all possible.
In this installment, Josie not only discovers the bodies of her murdered husband and the other woman, she is the primary suspect in their deaths. As she does everything she can to find the true murderer, evidence seems to stack up against her as more bodies are discovered.
Shattered by Death is a suspense filled, sometimes gritty and disturbing thriller with a somewhat deranged killer who will stop at nothing to destroy Josie and those she cares about. As a fairly new Christian, Josie is attempting to learn to depend on the Lord to guide her through impossibly difficult days and to trust in His protection.
I did enjoy this book and am looking forward to reading the first one in the series as well as the soon-to-be-published fourth one. If you enjoy Christian suspense, you might want to give this series a try.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
Shattered by Death is the second book in a series of books called A Jo Oliver Thriller. I have previously read and reviewed books 3 and 4. I would not recommend reading them out of order as they are definitely written to go in order. Start with book one and go from there.
These are good books with lots of mystery and suspense. You’re going to be reading at top speed to see if who you suspect is actually the bad guy or not. Plus they’re just fun to read! The characters are compelling and make you feel like you’re part of the story. Only, without the danger of course.
I recommend this series and hope you get to know Josie. Can she get out of being the prime suspect in her almost ex-husbands murder? Or did she actually commit the murder? If she didn’t then who did?
Go grab book one and read it. You’ll probably get done with it today and start this one because they’re that great of a read and read quickly. You’ll love them!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Jo Oliver has a lot on her plate. She is going through a messy divorce while waiting for her adoption of a teenager to be finalized. She is also the Chief of Police who has become a suspect when her estranged husband and his girl friend are found murdered, and later, as more murders occur, all of the clues point to her. Who wants everyone to believe that Chief Jo is a serial killer? Who has added her name to their list of victims? Will this prevent Samantha from becoming her legal daughter? Is it possible for Jo to continue to trust God as her life unravels?
This book offers readers peek into the inner workings of a police force. Yes, there is violence and the police chief doesn’t always filter her comments or reactions but the officers support and protect each other. When FBI agent Nick Vitarello offers his assistance, romance is added to the plot but it is plagued with Jo’s doubts about love and commitment. Author Catherine Fingers has given Shattered by a strong faith message and even when Jo finds her trust in God wavering, prayer is often mentioned and thought-provoking comments help to carry her through.
“God is not a God of confusion. but of peace.”
“We will not do God’s work for Him. Rather, we will let Him do His work through us.”
Shattered by Death is a thrilling Christian suspense novel that ends with a cliff-hanger and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit but there was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own opinions.
This is a quick book to read. I like the characters but you should read the books in this series in order or you might be a little confused as to who everyone is. This has some good suspense. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
This author is at the top of my list for suspense writers . She easily puts faith elements throughout the story in very specific places that heighten the character’s flaws. I had to stop in the middle of reading the book to jot down notes. I didn’t want to forget anything that I felt were important for readers to know.
You can read the back cover and find out what the book is about. I want to highlight Josie so that readers will understand how powerful this story is. Josie is the chief of police and you could tell some people were not excited about her position. There is a definite power struggle between two women that really showed how catty females can be. Can’t we just celebrate when a woman is in authority instead of that ugly green eyed monster showing up? I have worked at several places were there was nothing but drama between the women. I wanted no part of it and refused to play into their hands.
Josie has a moment when she feels helpless and the enemy whispers in her ears to end it all. That one scene gave me chills as she cries out to God to save her, to take away those thoughts running through her mind and rescue her from evil. The author wrote it so well I could see it playing out right before my eyes.
She is in a fight for survival when fingers point to her as guilty. Who would kill her soon to be ex-husband and his mistress? The crime scene is a bit graphic but I understood why the author wrote it that way. The question arises of why someone wanted to brutally murder two people? I began to think that someone was very angry and it showed in the way the people died. There is definitely a battle between light vs darkness in this story. Will there be more murders? Can Josie find the killer while trying to keep her private life from being poisoned by evil?
I was glued to my seat and only stopped to take notes. This is a story that takes readers inside the mind of evil and wraps itself around people to destroy them. Josie will need to continually cover herself in prayer as she battles against something only God can save her from. Will Josie learn to surrender all to God and trust Him even in her darkest hour?
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Although this is Book two in A Jo Oliver Thriller it read perfectly fine as a stand-alone. This reads like riding on a curvy country road with lots of twists, turns, and switchbacks. This is a new author to me and I found it enjoyable. I could definitely identify with the feelings of betrayal that Jo experienced. I love being kept guessing in a who done it, but I solved this early on. I still kept turning pages to make sure I was right and to find out the motivation that drove the killer. I loved Gino and his voice of reason and faith to encourage Jo in her walk. I liked that the character of Jo grew and showed that we can overcome abuse and learn to trust again. I was somewhat disappointed in the ending as I felt it was rushed but all in all a solid good read.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Shattered by Death is the second installment from Catherine Finger’s series, Jo Oliver Thriller series. I have read all but the first book, Cleansed by Death, in the series. I believe all four books can be read as a stand alone.
Shattered by Death catches readers up Jo Oliver. She finds that her life is in danger. She must find out who is behind wanting her dead before it is too late. The story is full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I never knew what was going to happen with her next. It was full of mystery and suspense. I did not want to put the book down until I finished the very last chapter.
I am giving Shattered by Death four and a half stars. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy a suspense filled and well written good mystery.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Page-turning suspense
Oh my gosh – you will NOT put this one down until you reach the end and what a conclusion it is!! This fast paced well-written novel brings enough twists and turns and heart stopping action to keep it in your thoughts long after you finish. You don’t want to miss this incredible series!
Chief Jo Oliver is negotiating her way through an ugly divorce as well as trying to deal with unexpected deaths in her jurisdiction. Suddenly it seems the whole world is crashing around her. Will the foursome – Nick, Gino, Mitch and Jo manage to get to the bottom of this with the help of local law enforcement and the FBI? Will Jo ever learn to trust God who never breaks His promises?
This digital copy was received through Elk Lake Publishing Inc. and CelebrateLit. My comments and impressions were in no way solicited.