Book Tour: Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

LETHAL STANDOFF
By DiAnn Mills

Contemporary Fiction / Christian Mystery & Suspense / Christian Romance
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Pages: 368
Publication Date: September 3, 2024

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*** ABOUT THE STORY ****

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills cover. Old frame house against a black background lit by red and blue emergency lights.

Hostage negotiator Carrington Reed faces her most dangerous challenge yet in Lethal Standoff. Called to a tense situation in South Texas, Carrington must save fifteen hostages held by the armed Kendrix brothers, who demand justice for their father’s unsolved murder.

Teaming up with investigative reporter Levi Ehrlich, Carrington delves into a web of secrets and lies. As they uncover startling truths, the stakes soar, and so does their undeniable attraction.

Can Carrington solve the mystery and prevent a deadly outcome? A riveting blend of romance and suspense, this is a must-read for fans of high-stakes thrillers.

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*** REVIEW ***

Carrington Reed steps into this story as a confident, most of the time, hostage negotiator when she’s faced with an unusual standoff near Victoria, Texas. Two brothers have taken fifteen people hostage in an old cabin belonging to their family, and the demands for release are based on finding who killed their father.

What ensues in this well-written thriller is complicated and dangerous, but Carrington is more than up to the task.

At the scene is Levi Ehrlich, an investigative reporter who’s been assigned to cover the story, and is known to Carrington from past cases. He becomes an ally in resolving the situation, as well as the romantic interest in the story.

The romance thread in the story was presented in a way that can be called sweet, and I do appreciate that there was no graphic sex scenes. Those really don’t further a love story as much as the other intimate moments of truthful sharing, as well as mutual respect. Those are two very important elements that build a solid relationship between these two characters, and I always believe they build a solid relationship in real life.

For me, the balance between “testimony” and thriller was a little off. I’ve enjoyed a number of DiAnn’s books in the past and found the balance just right, but this one leaned too heavily on the religious side of the story for me. However, I did enjoy the interesting fact that Levi was a Messianic Jew, and the information in the book about people who’ve moved from Judaism to accepting Jesus as a savior is quite fascinating.

The family dynamics of people involved with the situation: the brothers, the wives and fiancés of the brothers, as well as extended family brought a lot of drama and intrigue to the story. Secrets abounded and were slowly revealed as the story unfolded. Things weren’t always as they seemed on the surface, and Carrington, with Levi’s help, digs to find the truth before the deadline and hostages start dying.

Some of the interactions between family members surprised me, primarily because of the setting. For instance, at one point when a mother and daughter are in the hospital waiting room waiting to hear if her fiancé will survive having been shot, the mother starts a loud and demeaning conversation. That conversation was so out of place in a hospital waiting room, and couldn’t there have been another way to show that mother had a possible motive for killing the rancher?

I also wondered why Carrington didn’t step in to diffuse that tense situation between mother and daughter since they were all by the ICU, waiting for, hopefully, some good news. It would seem like that would be true to her character as a person who strives to diffuse any moment that could turn more volatile. Plus, she seemed to find the outburst as inappropriate as I did.

This is not necessarily a book for readers coming to discover a new hard-boiled romantic suspense to add to their TBR pile, although they may definitely want to give it a try, but readers who are avid fans of Christian Romantic Suspense will find this a most enjoyable thriller. The two main characters are well-drawn and pull the reader deeply into their story of romance and their search for greater truth in their faith.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, so I could read the book before the September 3, 2024 release date.

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Lethal Standoff graphic. Wordage quote from the book, "My role as a hostage negotiator often plunged me into the evil designs of the human mind."

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*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR ***

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is known for her gripping romantic suspense novels where readers can Expect An Adventure. With multiple Christy Awards and numerous bestsellers, her stories captivate readers with their depth and intensity. A passionate storyteller and dedicated mentor, DiAnn is also a coffee connoisseur and proud grandmother living in Houston, Texas.

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