5 out of 5 Stars
Physician’s Assistant Lainie Jackson knows there is no possible way her ex-fiancé is alive. She shot him. There’s no way he could’ve survived. Then who just ran her off the road and tried to kill her . . . again? Knowing there has to be an explanation about who she saw, Lainie tries to move on. However, when other people start seeing her dead ex, she searches for the proof she needs to know he’s truly dead.
Detective James Cross - a childhood friend - crosses Lainie’s path when he is hospitalized with a gunshot wound. He’s quick to learn what’s bothering Lainie and offers to help her find the truth. It doesn’t take long to find out Lainie is in real danger, even if they can’t explain how her dead ex could be perpetrating the threats on her life.
Though Lainie doesn’t want to relive the past, she recognizes she needs help to find answers. Having James – her teenage crush – wanting to protect her is messing with her senses. She tries to keep the lines between them professional, but when James presses her to identify their relationship, the family baggage they both bring to a relationship seems too daunting to overcome. However, like it or not, James has no intention of backing off where Lainie’s life is concerned. It’s obvious someone is out to kill her. He and Lainie just have to figure out how a dead guy could be there prime suspect.
DOUBLE TAKE’s plot dealt with more than just murder, mayhem, and a phantom ex. Domestic abuse and family dysfunction were integral threads throughout the story. Both Lainie and James have deep-seeded family issues to deal with while trying to keep Lainie alive. The chemistry between James and Lainie was immediate. Of course, they already had a history together to build off of, but now they had to define their relationship and be sure it wasn’t just the intensity of the situation they were thrown into that was making their feelings for each other so powerful.
One observation I have notice of late in Christian suspense novels is the thinning of the faith aspect in the stories. I am a big proponent of not breaking character in order for the author to throw in an evangelistic thread that seems out of place. However, the faith aspect in the lives of the characters seem to be lacking. Now, I realize this novel was not labeled Christian/Romance/Suspense, and maybe Christian authors are purposely not labeling their novels as such so they can reach a broader audience, which I thoroughly applaud. Maybe it’s me that has to change my way of thinking when I pick up a book from one of my favorite “Christian” authors, realizing I am going to get a clean story, not necessarily a faith driven story. Just food for thought.
I would like to thank Revell Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of DOUBLE TAKE. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment