Thursday, February 4, 2016

Chesapeake Valor #1

Cover Art 
Published February 2nd 2016 by
 Bethany House Publishers  
5 Stars

Four Best Friends.
And Then One Went Missing . . .

In college, Griffin McCray and his three best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore Police Department, Declan Grey would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would study to become a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now years later, Griffin has left the police and his friendships behind. Still trying to forget a case that went bad when he was a SWAT team sniper, he's living a quiet life as a park ranger at Gettysburg. Quiet until skeletal remains are uncovered near Little Round Top--and they aren't Civil War-era.

Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott discovers evidence pointing to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Grey steps in to take over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of crime, danger, and murder.


Dani Pettrey brings us a new series, Chesapeake Valor.  

Here is a video clip of her talking about the new series:

 
My Thoughts:

Cold Shot is the first installment in the series and is filled with spine tingling suspense and a budding romance.  After reading Cold Shot I'm convinced she has penned another success.  
With this being the first book we are introduced the characters that will make up this series and learn a little of their background that brings them to where they are in their lives now.  We are introduced to friends who grew up together and formed a bond that they thought would last a life time.  Dani Pettrey shows how deeply entwined childhood friendships can form the person you will become as an adult.  
As this story opens we meet Griffin McCray, Chief Ranger at the Gettysburg National Military Park, finding a routine patrol and perimeter check of the park more complicated than he ever imagined.  He discovered two relic hunters who have just dug up skeletal remains near the archaeological Civil War battlefield site dig.  Unfortunately while trying to secure the site until Dr. Scott could arrive he notices soft tissue on some of the remains which means this is not Civil War grave, but a modern one.  
Dr. Finely Scott arrives on the scene and with great certainty that this is a recent vs. Civil War grave site she give the go ahead to alert the Bureau since it was on federal land.  Griffin put in a call to Declan Grey.  Griffin avoids reminders of his past, but somethings you couldn't severe like childhood friends.  Finely calls in her CSI guy, Parker Mitchell, and begins mapping a primary grid.  With the arrival of everyone and tension so thick you could cut it with a knife Finley got to work examining the remains and determined they were dealing with a modern body dump.  And the adventure begins. 
This story is a suspenseful romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  The author's ability to weave words together that bring not only the setting, but also the characters to life is amazing. I was pulled in from the very first page.  The plot is full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end of the story. The characters are well developed and have real issues. Griffin has a troubled past from loosing his sister to a horrific crime, a betrayal from his best friend and an innocent woman's death from his failure to act quickly.  He has a lot of built of anger and likes to push everyone away to avoid getting hurt again.  Finely is a beautiful, young woman, who by all appearances, has everything you could ask for (nice home, job security, etc.), but looks can be deceiving.  Finley has survived this past year by the grace of God, but she keeps reliving the nightmares of all she has endured.  Both have secrets, well, not really secrets.  They both have pasts that they don't like talking about.  Is it out of fear or because they haven't forgiven themselves. 
I could go on and on about how good the story line is, but I also want to talk about the message I received from this story.  It is one of forgiveness. As we are reminded in Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.
  I was so impressed at how the author brings this out in the telling of a story.  This message is one we can take with us and apply to our own lives.  
This is a book that I would recommend to anyone.  
*I received this book free from the publisher as part of their book review bloggers program.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  

Check out the giveaway from BHP:
 
Follow this link to enter:
Giveaway 
  

Available for Purchase:

Meet the Author:

Dani Pettrey Press Photo 2016 

Dani Pettrey is a wife, mom, grandma, and the author of Cold Shot, the first book in the Chesapeake Valor series, and the Alaskan Courage romantic suspense series, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and Sabotaged. Her books have been honored with the Daphne du Maurier award, two HOLT Medallions, a Christy Award nomination, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award, among others.
She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves—the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, a son-in-law, and a super adorable grandson.

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2 comments:

  1. Katrina, I love your blog's new look! And I enjoyed your thoughts. I'll be starting this book soon - and while I'm not a huge suspense fan, Dani is one author that I really enjoy.

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    1. Thank you very much. I was actually looking for a change. I will change it again before long. I like just a little more color. I love Dani Pettrey's writing. She always researches her locations so thoroughly and incorporates it into the story. I love that. Her writing is amazing and just pulls me in.

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