CFBA: Strand of Deception by Robin Caroll

Song stuck on the brain: Kentucky Rain by Elvis. After reading this one, it's hard NOT to have an Elvis song stuck on the brain. :)

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing:   Strands of Deception B&H Books (March 1, 2013)   by   Robin Caroll

MY TAKE:

I love a good mystery/suspense. Throw in some romance, a hot man with high morals - well you have a winner. That sounds so formulaic though, and Strands of Deception is anything but formulaic. At least, not where it matters. There is more than one murder victim, a possible serial killer and a case from the past that's come back to haunt them. If that wasn't enough, politics and jealousy gets in the middle to muck things up even more. I was a little surprised how cleverly all of it ties together when on the surface it's not an easy fix. Of course that's what makes the book more fun and shows the marks of a great story teller.

I won't go into too much more on mystery portion other than to say the science angle was fantastic and fun. Very enlightening but not hard to follow. I'm impressed with the amount of research that Robin Caroll did and then was able to share it in such clear layman's terms for the reader without talking down to us either. If you enjoy those CSI type shows, this will definitely give you a kick.

The romance angle was prominent, but not overwhelming and the pace was slow and believable to their circumstances. Nick and Maddie make a very romantic couple and based on the descriptions, I'm with Maddie. I think Nick would make me "go stupid" when I was around him too.

Last but not least, it was set in Memphis, TN, one of my favorite places in the US. It has to be the FRIENDLIEST town I've ever been in and you just can't beat the music and food. Reading about B.B. King's on Beal St and other landmarks just made me long to be there again. The Elvis quotes were a fun touch too, many of them I'd never read.

This was just a really well put together story. Fast paced, exciting, romantic, nail biting and I just couldn't put it down. I was up half the night reading. Loved it.
NOTE: This is the 3rd book in a series. The first 2 books featured Maddie's brother and sister. I didn't feel lost, or like I was missing anything, but I always prefer to read a series in order if I know about it in advance. I'm sure the first 2 are just as compelling.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

When Gina Ford, the daughter of a prominent Tennessee politician, goes missing from the University of Memphis a week after another girl was murdered on the same campus, police call in the FBI. Nick Hagar, married to his job as Special Agent in Charge, is assigned to the case, and when Gina’s body is found, her father demands justice.

Maddie Baxter is the forensic expert running DNA tests from the crime scene. When they come back without a match, Nick asks her to do a familial DNA run that yields a shocking result: the prime suspect is Adam Alexander, the very same guy who broke Maddie’s heart when she was in college.

But do scientific advancements tell the whole story? Strand of Deception offers romance, suspense, and a lively debate about the impact of DNA testing, for better or worse, on the United States justice system.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Strands of Deception, go HERE.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books.

When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty-plus years, her 3 beautiful daughters, 2 precious grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?