Posted November 12, 2021 by Lynn in Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews / 2 Comments
CROSSHAIRS:
Natchez Trace
Park Rangers, #3
by
Patricia Bradley
Genre: Christian / Suspense / Romance
Date of Publication: November 2, 2021
Number of Pages: 384 pages
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When evil just won’t quit, good must prevail
Investigative Services Branch ranger Ainsley Beaumont wishes the visit to her hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, was under better circumstances. When she arrived to investigate the murder of a pregnant teenager, she never imagined that she would become the killer’s next target–or that she’d have to work alongside an old flame.
After he almost killed a child, former FBI sniper Lincoln Steele couldn’t bring himself to fire a gun, which had deadly consequences for his best friend. Crushed beneath a load of guilt, Linc is working at Melrose Estate as an interpretive ranger. But as danger closes in on Ainsley during her murder investigation, Linc will have to find the courage to protect her.
The only question is, will it be too little, too late?
I went through a Romantic Suspense phase ages ago, but after a while, all the stories felt the same: a woman is in trouble needs a man to rescue her (Yawn). But is seems like the romantic suspense genre has evolved after all these years. And a great example of this progression is CROSSHAIRS by Patricia Bradley. In this novel, Ms. Bradley completely flips the romantic suspense genre on its head by giving us Ainsley Beaumont, a woman who can rescue herself!
CROSSHAIRS is fast-paced and action-packed. It grabbed me from the first scene, where a criminal uses a raging storm as cover. The plot twists and turns and leaves the reader wondering who the criminals might be. Figuring out who the baddies are isn’t even when the suspects also start dropping left and right! Ms. Bradley peels back the novel in layers, slowly revealing the clues.
The characters are well-developed and complex. While the story unfolds over a short number of days, I genuinely appreciated how Ms. Bradley shows characters growth through Ainsley’s perspective and memories. We see how Ainsley’s relationships with Linc and her father progress over the course of the novel for the better. Two of my favorite characters are Rose and Cora, Ainsley’s grandmother and great-aunt. Both ladies may be more advanced in years, but they are both full of life and vitality. I can only hope to be that lively when I’m older!
While I was more interested in the suspense\mystery aspect of CROSSHAIRS (I am SO NOT in romance frame of mind), the romance between Ainsley and Linc is well constructed. Instead of the usual insta-love, the relationship between Ainsley and Linc is one of rekindled love. Or more, I think there is the possibility of rekindled love between the two. Ms. Bradley does a great job portraying the sizzle between Ainsley and Linc. From small touches to protecting each other from danger, I really felt their connection.
I did find the ending of the novel unsatisfying, however. The major crimes are wrapped up quickly and a bit too neatly for my tastes when Ainsley tracks down the criminals. There are plenty of red herrings peppered throughout the novel, but the quick jump to the conclusion startled me. Ainlsey picked up on a lot more clues than I did! I’m wondering if a conversation between Ainsley and Linc laying out more of the hints would have helped the ending feel more resolved.
While CROSSHAIRS is the third novel in a series, it can be read as a standalone. The previous two stories in the series involve different sets of characters. While it is a new series to me, I can see reading the others in the series.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading CROSSHAIRS. It has action, mystery, and a side of romance. I highly recommend it for suspense\mystery readers as well as romance readers!
Thanks to author Patricia Bradley and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review CROSSHAIRS. I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.
Patricia Bradley is the author of Standoff and Obsession,
as well as the Memphis Cold Case novels and Logan Point series. Bradley won an Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award in Romantic Suspense, a Daphne du Maurier Award, and a Touched by Love Award; she was a Carol Award finalist; and three of her books were included in anthologies that debuted on the USA Today bestseller list. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi.
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Posted November 12, 2021 by Lynn in Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews / 2 Comments
This sounds like a great book, and HOORAY for avoiding the tropes. It’s on audio, so I may snag it to read with my ears! Thanks for the post!
Thanks, Kristine! And good to know about the audio. I’ll look for the other books there!