Character Spotlight ~ Margaret Daley's Wyatt & Kate with giveaway

Margaret Daley launched her Men of the Texas Rangers series with Saving Hope, now available from Abingdon Press.

Synopsis

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

Enjoy meeting Wyatt and Kate!

Wyatt Sheridan, Texas Ranger in Company B

Brief physical description

Eyes like quicksilver, Wyatt, a Texas Ranger, dressed in brown cowboy boots, tan slacks, white short-sleeve shirt, a black tie, a white Stetson and a gun in a holster at his belt has a silver star pinned on his shirt over his heart. He is over six feet tall with medium length brown hair and speaks in a Texan drawl.

Actor/famous person

Hugh Jackman

Strengths and weaknesses

Wyatt is protective (especially with his family) and believes in justice. He has a hard time trusting with all that he has seen through his work as a Texas Ranger. He has a code he lives by and fights hard to keep it. But sometimes doing that, he is inflexible. His mother is quirky, and he tries to tolerate her as best he can but sometimes it is hard. She flits from one man to the next and doesn't like being alone. It takes all Wyatt's patience to deal with her.

Your inspiration for the character

I needed a strong character to be the Texas Ranger in this story. The inspiration for the character was my vivid imagination and the code of a Texas Ranger.

Background to the story

Wyatt's wife was murdered by an escape convict. Wyatt blames himself for her death and has trouble dealing with that guilt. If he hadn't talked her into going to the lake that week, she would be alive. He was left alone to raise his baby daughter and felt at a loss.

Kate Winslow, director of the Beacon of Hope Program

Brief physical description

Medium height, she had shoulder length hair and brown eyes. She came from a wealthy background but refused to do what her family wanted.

Actress who might resemble her

Keira Knightley

Strengths and weaknesses

Kate cares about the underdog. She wants to make a difference. She won’t play by her parents' rules and is constantly at odds with her mother who wants to disown her. Kate has a strong faith that she hopes she can impart to the teenage girls she works with.

Your inspiration for the story

In this story I needed a strong heroine who would fight for the teenage girls she cared for and match Wyatt's strength. Kate fit that in my mind.

stock.xchang

Background to the story

As a teenager Kate went on a mission trip and befriended a girl who ended up being sold into sex slavery by her parents. Kate felt as if she should have done something and has been replaying it over and over since the incident. Guilt and compassion drive Kate. She couldn't save her friend, but she would try to save the girls in her program.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Saving Hope

Visit Margaret's website and blog
Buy Margaret's books at Amazon or Koorong

A Texan's Honor by Shelley Gray with giveaway

Synopsis:~

Texas, 1874. Years ago, Will McMillan had fought in the open, next to his Captain, Clayton Proffitt. Now he's waging another war undercover, pretending to be a member of the notorious Walton Gang.

But when a hostage situation goes awry and an innocent woman is in the middle of the fray, Will knows he must protect her no matter what happens. Even if his cover is blown. Even if they risk being killed by his gang or by the lawmen on their trail. Even if the woman he's risking everything for will never love him back.

My take:~

Well known for her Amish novels, Shelley Gray continues to impress me with her engaging Western romances novels, the most recent, A Texan's Honor, the second in her Heart of a Hero series. Beautifully told, with another appealing yet imperfect hero and a heroine who grows in strength and determination, A Texan's Honor is a terrific read for those who love their romance with some solid action and a little edge. Shelley's character development is excellent as she balances Will's dangerous and risk taking nature with his protective instincts and respect for Jamie. Their relationship slowly unfolds, as they battle attraction, duty and deeply held fears. Great pacing, solid dialogue and the appearance of the enigmatic and brutal Scout Proffitt, the estranged brother of Clayton Proffitt, add up to a compelling and intriguing read. Readers are in for a treat when they pick up this series and and I'm  really looking forward to Scout's story in Shelley's October release, A Texan's Promise!

With thanks to Abingdon Press for my review copy via NetGalley

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Shelley's website and blog

Buy Shelley's books from Amazon or Koorong

Coming in late 2012 from Abingdon Press

Abingdon Press have some interesting books coming our way towards the end of the year and a special multi~author launch to come.

For now, I love the cover of Twang ~ just great to see something different, similarly with debut author Krista Phillip's novel.  Shelley Gray's historical romances are excellent and her hero is a little Heath Ledger like!

Which ones strike your interest?

Twang by Julie Cannon

Twenty-three-year-old Jennifer Clodfelter believes she is destined to be a country music star.  When her passion, determination and homemade demo tape were rejected by every music label in Nashville, she refused to give up.  In just three years, a combination of guts and raw talent have propelled her on a journey of fame beyond her best dream.   

Now Jennifer has all she ever wanted, only to discover that there is a dark side to the glitz and number one hits.  She will have to decide whether to sing her pain to a loving audience or find the courage to face the music in the private studio of her heart.

August, 2012

Shattered Silence by Margaret Daley

A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders.

While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn’t what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana’s faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?

September, 2012 

Sandwich, with a Side of Romance by Krista Phillips

She moved to Sandwich, Illinois, in search of a new life, but ended up in a giant pickle.

Sandwich represents hope for twenty-year-old Maddie Buckner and Kyle, the eleven-year-old brother Maddie wants to spring out of foster care. Then she loses her new job after less than an hour on the clock. It’s all Reuben-the-Jerk’s fault, and she’s determined to make him right the wrong.   

He does so, reluctantly, by giving her a job at his restaurant, The Sandwich Shop. Then crazy things start happening at the restaurant, and Kyle’s foster parents apply to adopt him. To stop it all, Maddie must learn the art of humbling herself and accepting the help God has arranged, risking her heart to Reuben in the process.  

And she’d rather eat a million corned-beef on rye sandwiches than do that. 

September, 2012

The Road to Mercy by Kathleen Harris

Josh Harris, a contemporary Christian singer, and his wife Bethany face a difficult decision that also tests their faith. A rupture in Beth's carotid artery leaves her on the brink of death even as she's pregnant with their first child. While Dr. Ben Abrams urges her to terminate the pregnancy to save her own life, she and Josh step out on faith and decide to carry the baby to full term.

During the next few months, Josh struggles with his faith, Beth hides a secret that may destroy their marriage. She also discovers a decades-old connection to Dr. Abrams that could change his life forever.

September, 2012

Mother of Pearl by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Barrie Graeber has two great kids, a loving husband, and a respected job as the high school counselor in her close-knit community. Without warning, everything unravels when her teenage daughter, Pearl, is betrayed by friends and lashes out.

Nothing prepares this mother for the helplessness that follows when her attempts to steer her daughter back on course fail and Pearl shuts her out . . . or when she discovers the unthinkable about her nemesis, the football coach. Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, MOTHER OF PEARL brings us into the heart of a mother bound by an incredible burden, who ultimately finds she must recognize her own vulnerability and learn to trust in something much bigger. 

September, 2012

The Love of Divena by Kay Marshall Strom

India 1990. In the final book of the Blessings of India series, Shridula, old and stooped at fifty-nine, makes her painful way to pay homage to the elephant god Ganesh, lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. “Why are we Hindus instead of Christians?” her seventeen-year-old granddaughter Divena asked.

“Because we are Indian,” said Shridula.

So begins a spiritual journey for Divena as she struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

September, 2012

A Texan's Choice by Shelley Gray

Texas, 1874. Long ago, Scout Proffitt gave up on ever being a man of honor like his Civil War hero brother Clayton. But when Scout steps foot on the rundown remnants of the Circle C ranch, he wonders if maybe—just maybe—the Lord has something different intended for him.

Rosemarie has lived most of her life doubting her worth and shouldering the blame for her brother’s death. But when a stranger rides onto her ranch, claiming he owns it, she suddenly is given a choice: either keep looking at the dark side of life . . . or dare to dream.

October, 2012

Beside Two Rivers by Rita Gerlach

A tale of love won and love lost, and the faith to find it again.

From the banks of the Potomac to the misty moors of England, Darcy follows a path where the secrets of the past slowly rise to the surface in this dramatic saga that began in Before the Scarlet Dawn. She meets Ethan Brennan, an aspiring English horse breeder, who embraces her independent spirit and marvels at the simplicity of her faith. Ethan and Darcy fall in love, but are kept apart by a promise to another and a sworn oath to a dying woman whose long-hidden secret threatens Darcy’s and Ethan’s lives.

October, 2012

The Christmas Star by Ace Collins

Robert Reed gave his life for his country in the early days of World War II. His sacrificed was honored when his widow and son were presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Each Christmas the final decoration Madge Reed hangs on the family’s tree is that medal. Rather than being a symbol of honor for young Jimmy Reed that shining star represents loss, pain, and suffering.

Yet a letter delivered by one of Robert’s fellow soldiers and a mystery posed in that letter put a father’s sacrifice and faith into perspective and bring new meaning to not just the star hanging on the Christmas tree but the events of the very first Christmas. Then, when least expected, a Christmas miracle turns a final bit of holiday sadness into a joy that the boy has never known.

October, 2012

Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

Synopsis:~

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

My take:~

Saving Hope was my first read from the experienced Margaret Daley. Delving deeply into the horror that is child prostitution, Margaret writes with genuine urgency about the topic, not flinching from the realities but not dwelling on the details. The story clips along at a good pace as the three main characters' - Wyatt, Kate and troubled teen, Rose - stories unfold. Kate's compassion and care is admirable but just a little too perfect, but Wyatt's struggle to solo parent his daughter Maddie is painfully authentic. Rose really grabbed my attention as she battled her fears and guilt with courage and tentative faith, struggling with past abuse and the growing hope of a brighter future. A layer of romance along with snappy dialogue, alleviates the heaviness of the subject matter just when it's needed. Saving Hope has given me a new to me author to enjoy!

With thanks to Abingdon Press for my review copy via NetGalley

Relz Reviewz Extras
Visit Margaret's website and blog
Buy Margaret's books at Amazon or Koorong

More 2012 releases from Abingdon Press

Here's some more 2012 releases from Abingdon Press, all set to release in April.

Any take your fancy?

 

The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee

Within the course of a week, Natalie is dumped by her husband, receives an urgent call home from her father, and discovers her estranged sister is pregnant.

A road trip on Route 66 may not help, but it sure couldn't hurt. Or so Natalie thinks, until Lindsay's boyfriend starts stalking them.

Will their trip down the Mother Road bring the two sisters closer together or turn out to be the biggest wrong turn yet?








 
 Cooking the Books by Bonnie S Calhoun

After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink.

She also "inherits" a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”








Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D Bricker

It’s taken Audrey Regan years to establish herself as a wedding dress designer, and to date she’s been roped into creating dresses for nine of her girlfriends. Request #10 follows her vow to “Just say no!” and comes from her very best friend. She can hardly turn Carly down!         

Audrey arrives in Atlanta early to perform all of her maid-of-honor duties along with final fittings for a one-of-a-kind dress. But Carly’s wedding is nothing short of an event, complete with Prince Charming, and the festivities make Audrey question whether there’s a prince of her own anywhere in her future.  

Enter the groom’s brother and best man. Shaggy-haired, tattooed bad boy J.R. Hunt couldn’t be any more different from Prince Charming if he rode in on a Harley Davidson.  Oh, wait. He actually did ride in on a Harley!




Her Restless Heart by Barbara Cameron

Mary Katherine is caught between the traditions of her faith and the pull of a different life. When Daniel, an Amish man living in Florida, arrives and shares her restlessness, Mary Katherine feels drawn to him and curious about the life he leads away from Lancaster County.  

But her longtime friend Jacob has been in love with her for years. He’s discouraged that she’s never viewed him as anything but a friend and despairs that he is about to lose Mary Katherine to this outsider.  

Will the conflicted Mary Katherine be lost to the Englisch world, or to Daniel, who might take her away to Florida? Or will she embrace her Amish faith and recognize Jacob as the man she should marry and build a life with?

Coming in early 2012 from Abingdon Press

Abingdon Press have a great range of titles releasing in February and March, 2012 so enjoy checking them out.  I'm particularly looking forward to Shelley Gray's second non-Amish historical novel (my review of A Texan's Promise coming soon) and Margaret Daley's romantic suspense.

How about you?  Any take your fancy?!

Before the Scarlet Dawn by Rita Gerlach

In 1775, Hayward Morgan, a young gentleman destined to inherit his father’s estate in Derbyshire, England, captures the heart of the local vicar’s daughter, Eliza Bloome. Her dark beauty and spirited ways are not enough to win him, due to her station in life.

Circumstances throw Eliza in Hayward’s path, and they flee to America to escape the family conflicts. But as war looms, it's a temporary reprieve. Hayward joins the revolutionary forces and what follows is a struggle for survival, a test of faith, and the quest to find lasting love in an unforgiving wilderness.

February, 2012




Honor Redeemed by Loree Lough

Highly skilled Search and Rescue (SAR) team leader, Honor Mackenzie, works almost as hard at guarding the dark secrets of her past as she does when training SAR dogs. As for widowed Sun reporter Matt Phillips, not even his former SAR work is as important as protecting his ten-year-old twin boys.

When a jumbo jet crashes outside Baltimore one cold night, their respective jobs put them face-to-face at the grisly scene--and force Matt and Honor to reconsider the difficult decisions that resulted in their long-standing "single forever" status.

As Matt tries to come to terms with his feelings for Honor, he gets word that she hasn’t reported in since starting the search for a missing child. Reverting to his SAR training, Matt leads the search team as a vicious winter storm bears down on the area. Will he find her in time? And if he does, will they find their way back to each other or go back to living life alone?

February, 2012


River's Call by Melody Carlson

Anna Larson's daughter, Lauren, is confused, brokenhearted, and misguided. It's the turbulent 1960s and feeling alienated from her mother, Lauren chooses to stay with her paternal grandmother. However, repelled by the woman's manipulative and spiteful ways, Lauren returns to her mother, the river, and the Inn at Shining Waters.

There, Lauren begins to appreciate the person her mother is becoming - and she loves the river. However, her mother's romantic interest throws a wrench into the works and Lauren, jealous and angry, returns to her grandmother yet again.

But as time passes, and Lauren, now a mother to her own defiant teenager, faces a new crisis, one that puts the entire family at risk.

February, 2012



Downtown Green by Judy Christie

When the short bypass around Green opens with much fanfare, downtown dries up faster than cement on the roadway. Businesses close and the hospital becomes a clinic. Mayor Eva must decide whether to sell her historic store or close it. The Holey Moley Antique Mall seems less like a dream and more like a nightmare. While the road is progress to some, it seems to be leading Green toward a national trend--a town that is merely a shadow of itself.

With the town going backwards, Lois is both intrigued and jealous when a fellow business owner come up with a strategy to save Green. But can his plan rescue the town from the path it’s on?

March, 2012



Saving Hope by Margaret Daley

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped.

Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

March, 2012


 

A Texan's Honor by Shelley Gray

Texas, 1874. Years ago, Will McMillan had fought in the open, next to his Captain, Clayton Proffitt. Now he’s waging another war undercover, pretending to be a member of the notorious Walton Gang.

But when a hostage situation goes awry and an innocent woman is in the middle of the fray, Will knows he must protect her no matter what happens. Even if his cover is blown. Even if they risk being killed by his gang or by the lawmen on their trail. Even if the woman he’s risking everything for will never love him back.

March, 2012





Hearts That Survive by Yvonne Lehman

On April 15, 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope in love and faith. Her new friendship with Caroline Chadwick is bonded even more as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic goes down. Can each survive the scars the disaster left on their lives?

Decades later, Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an acclaimed, successful, heroic novelist who went down with the Titanic. Will he find his identity with the past, or will he listen to Joanna Bettencourt, Caroline’s granddaughter, who says inner peace and success come only with a personal relationship with the Lord?

Will those who survived and their descendants be able to find a love more powerful than their pain?

March, 2012



The Dog That Talked To God by Jim Kraus

A wonderfully quirky, heart-breaking, heart-warming and thought-provoking story of a woman's dog who not only talks to her, he talks to God.

Recently widowed Mary Fassler has no choice except to believe Rufus, the miniature schnauzer, who claims to speak to the Divine.

The question is: Will Mary follow the dog's advice, and leave everything she knows and loves? Is this at the urging of God? Or is it something else? Will Mary risk it all or ignore the urgings of her own heart?

March, 2012

Q&A with Richard Mabry, M.D.

If you enjoy great suspense and are fascinated with the medical profession, don't miss Richard Mabry's books and have fun getting to know him here.

Richard Mabry

What appeals to you most about writing fiction?

Since my teens, fiction has been my escape. At first, reading was my way of expanding my life past the small Texas town in which I was reared. Later, it helped me get away from the stress of life as I progressed in my education and entered medical practice.

As I began my road to writing with my non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, several authors, among them James Scott Bell, suggested I try my hand at fiction. The light bulb went on above my head, and the rest—as they say—is history.

Why Christian fiction?

It never occurred to me to write in any other fiction genre. That’s not to say that all my books have conversion scenes and an exposition of the Roman Road. Rather, they reflect how a relationship with God, or the lack thereof, can affect the way a character meets the reverses of life. I’ve been down those paths, and it just seemed natural to write from that perspective.

Name five things you can’t live without

Wow! Tough one. In no particular order, they are:

1. Coffee in the morning as I watch our local news

2. Tex-Mex food, especially the salsa, at Christina’s

3. The music and preaching at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco

4. Playing with my grandchildren

5. The support of my wife, family, and friends when I decide my writing stinks.

Favourite book ~ Favourite movie ~ Favourite TV show

-Books: Too many to name, but including anything by John Grisham or Robert B. Parker.

-Movie: Bull Durham. Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, and baseball. What else do you need?

-TV: The Big Bang Theory. Hilarious premise and talented cast.

Where is the most interesting place you have been?

Two places, same trip. In Thailand, where Kay and I honeymooned while I taught a medical course, she and I rode an elephant, and I almost pushed her off. (Honest, it was an accident). In Singapore we stayed in the tallest hotel I’ve ever been in and watched a thunderstorm blow through below us.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Started off wanting to be a pilot. Later, thought about law. Then, in mid-teens, God told me I really should be a doctor. Interestingly enough, He was right. Go figure.

What are two things people might be surprised to know about you?

I played beach volleyball in Hawaii with the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Franco Harris thanked me and called me “sir” when we finished.)

I played baseball with Mickey Mantle and hit a double off Whitey Ford. (Okay, it was a baseball fantasy camp, but it still counts).

Diagnosis Death

The lead character in each of your novels has been a woman, which is an unusual choice for a male writer. Do share why.

After three unsuccessful novels with male protagonists, it dawned on me that since 85% of the readers of Christian fiction are women, I might want to consider a change. And in case you wonder how I manage to write from a female viewpoint, I give all the credit to my wife, Kay. She reads my work, and often says, “A woman wouldn’t say this” or “She wouldn’t do that.” I’ve learned to listen to her, and obviously it works.

How do you come up with the medical dilemmas in your stories?

A few…very few…come from my own experience. Others from situations I’ve read about in journals, heard about from colleagues, or even seen in the news. But most of them come from my basic medical knowledge, augmented by the question Alton Gansky taught me to ask: “What if…?”

What is unique about Dr Elena Gardner?

Since I live in Texas, I thought it would be interesting to explore the relationship of a Hispanic doctor who married an Anglo from a family with a deep prejudice against other races. I didn’t want the plot to hinge on it, but definitely wanted the subtext to be there. In addition, Dr. Gardner has been through the same gut-wrenching trauma I experienced when it came time to discontinue life support for my first wife. It’s an emotion I’ll never forget, and I wanted to convey a little about how that affects the person faced with that decision.

What was your favourite scene to write in Diagnosis Death or share your favourite paragraph?

I wrote this first scene for the book before I’d even completed the synopsis. I still like it.

She stood by his bedside and waited for him to die.

Outside the room, the machines and monitors of the ICU hummed and beeped, doctors and nurses went about their business, and the hospital smell—equal parts antiseptic and despair—hung heavy in the air.

With one decisive move she flipped the switch of the respirator and stilled the machine’s rhythmic chuffing. In the silence that followed, she imagined she could hear his heartbeat fade away.

She kissed him and exhaled what passed for a prayer, her lips barely moving as she asked for peace and forgiveness—for him and for her.

She stood for a moment with her head bowed, contemplating the enormity of her action. Then she pocketed the empty syringe from the bedside table and tiptoed out of the room.

What’s next in your writing pipeline?

My fourth (and apparently final) book in the Prescription For Trouble series, Lethal Remedy, is completed and will be released by Abingdon on September 1. Now I’m working on synopses and sample chapters for three different books. I guess we’ll just have to see if a publisher is interested.

Thanks, Doc :) Appreciate you sharing something of yourself.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Dr Elena Gardner

Reviews of Code Blue and Medical Error

Character spotlight on Cathy & Will

Interview with Richard

Visit Richard's website and blog

Buy Richard's books at Amazon or CBD

Character Spotlight ~ Richard Mabry's Elena Gardner

Dr. Elena Gardner

Richard Mabry, M.D. has turned a medical career into a storytelling one! Mixing medicine and suspense has become his forte. Be sure to pick up his his latest book, Diagnosis Death, and enjoy.

Over to you, Doc:~

Brief physical description

Dr. Elena Gardner has long dark hair, brown eyes, and a model figure. Her looks hint at her Hispanic heritage—her father was a wealthy Mexican businessman, her mother the daughter of a US diplomat—and she definitely turns heads.

Actor/famous person

She’s been compared with Eva Longoria.

Strengths and weaknesses

Elena has the strengths exhibited by any woman who completes medical training: the ability to work hard, to focus her thoughts and efforts even when personal problems come along, and a sharp mind.

Unfortunately, she isn’t always as self-confident as she might be, especially when circumstances keep cropping up that make her doubt herself.

Quirk (if any)

Elena is ambivalent about her heritage—both embarrassed and proud. Since she was reared by her mother’s sister after her parents were killed in an auto accident, she grew up as an Anglo, barely speaking any Spanish.

Your inspiration for the character

Actually, the inspiration for the story stemmed from the accusations levelled against a friend and colleague that he engaged in euthanasia of critically ill patients during the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Because I’m a native Texan and familiar with the Hispanic culture, I changed Elena to a female doctor with the mixed heritage I’ve described.

Background to the story

In addition to the story about my colleague I’ve mentioned, I was tasked with discontinuing life support after my first wife suffered a fatal stroke, so I knew the emotional turmoil involved in such a decision. That led me to think in terms that evolved into the story of Diagnosis Death: what if a doctor is accused of mercy killings, including her own husband, and despite threatening midnight phone calls and a damaged professional reputation, she won’t—or can’t—defend herself?

Thanks Doc ~ always a pleasure to have you make a house call ;-)

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of Code Blue and Medical Error

Character spotlight on Cathy & Will

Interview with Richard

Visit Richard's website and blog

Buy Richard's books at Amazon or CBD

When the Devil Whistles by Rick Acker

Synopsis:~

Allie Whitman and Connor Norman loved making the devils of the corporate world pay. Now, it’s their turn. And the price could be their lives.

“I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t.” That’s what Allie Whitman tells herself every night as she lies awake. Sometimes she even believes it. But mostly she knows deep down that her inability to make a hard choice has put millions of lives at risk, including her own. Now the only one who can help her is her lawyer, Connor Norman. Unfortunately, Allie’s actions have destroyed Connor’s trust in her—and may destroy much, much more.

Synopsis:~

Alongside Randy Singer, Rick Acker is my favourite writer of legal thrillers and he does not disappoint with his latest novel, When the Devil Whistles. This is an intriguing and well paced novel that exposes the difficult and dangerous role professional whistleblowers play in unearthing corruption in companies. Connor Norman is a typical Acker character, decisive and honest yet with a weakness that makes him vulnerable and Allie is a good foil for him, a woman searching for meaning and purpose and so not your typical heroine in a Christian novel. With fascinating insight into the legal implications, excellent suspense and imminent danger, When the Devil Whistles is an engaging and entertaining read. More please, Rick!

With thanks to the author for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Connor & Allie

Review of Blood Brothers

Interview with Rick

Visit Rick's website

Buy Rick's books from Amazon or Koorong

Character Spotlight ~ Rick Acker's Allie Whitman & Connor Norman

Connor & Allie

I'm a big fan of Rick's books and his latest, When the Devil Whistles is terrific and as soon as I can get my review together you will see how much I enjoyed it. For now, meet the dynamic duo behind Devil to Pay, Inc. Over to you, Rick:~

Brief physical description

What Allie looks like depends on where she is. If she’s in the office of a company she’s investigating, she’ll have mousy brown hair pulled back, minimalist makeup, and a conservative suit that hides her tattoos. When she’s between jobs, she’ll probably be blond, have a ski tan, and wear something appropriate for a night of club hopping.

Actor/famous person

When she’s not on a job, she looks a lot like Kate Hudson. When she’s working, she looks like nothing in particular—which is the point.

Strengths and weaknesses

Allie is funny, caring, and whip-smart. She also genuinely wants to do the right thing, but she has difficulty making hard choices. She tends to ignore them and hope they’ll go away—which has devastating consequences.

Quirk (if any)

For an accountant, she’s not very responsible with money. Not only does she take lots of expensive vacations with her “pet rock star” (as Connor calls him), she makes extravagant gifts to her mother and sister. As the reader discovers, though, there are reasons why she acts the way she does.

Your inspiration for the character

Allie is inspired by the real whistleblowers I deal with every day. They’re a colorful bunch—inspiring, flawed, courageous, untrustworthy, smart, and off-beat.

Background to the story

Allie Whitman is a professional whistleblower with a knack for sniffing out fraud in government contracts. Connor Norman is a gifted litigator with courtroom polish to spare. Together they formed Devil to Pay, Inc., a shell corporation that files lawsuits based on Allie’s investigations—and collects a generous share of the proceeds when the defendants settle. Allie and Connor have made good money making the devil pay, as they like to think of it. But then one of Allie’s targets turns the tables and blows the whistle on her, threatening to expose secrets that would ruin her career and put her in jail—unless she does them one little favor . . .

Allie and Connor soon find themselves fighting desperate—and potentially fatal—battles in and out of the courtroom. Their foe is a company that will go to any lengths to protect secrets much darker than padded bills.

Connor

Brief physical description

Connor is a wiry 5’10”. He has unruly brown hair and intelligent, gold-flecked brown eyes.

Actor/famous person

Jude Law or (for classic movie buffs) the great British actor and patriot Leslie Howard.

Strengths and weaknesses

On the positive side, Connor is a modern day aristocrat in the best sense of the word. His father is a retired senator and his mother is an heiress. As a result, Connor has gotten the very best education, both in and out of the classroom. His background hasn’t made him arrogant. Instead, it made him an idealist with a strong sense of right and wrong—which sometimes gets him in trouble at his law firm.

The big negative in Connor’s personality is that he’s not tolerant of people who make bad choices. When the story begins, he has never faced a hard decision. As a result, he’s not particularly sympathetic to people who do.

Quirk (if any)

This isn’t really a quirk, but Connor occasionally moonlights as a stunt pilot, flying his vintage P-51 in World War II movies. (Yes, there’s a little author wish fulfilment in those scenes.)

Your inspiration for the character

Connor is something of a composite of some of the better attorneys I knew during my days as a big firm lawyer in San Francisco. Specifically, I’m thinking of the members of the BT. You know who you are.

Background to the story

Allie Whitman is a professional whistleblower with a knack for sniffing out fraud in government contracts. Connor Norman is a gifted litigator with courtroom polish to spare. Together they formed Devil to Pay, Inc., a shell corporation that files lawsuits based on Allie’s investigations—and collects a generous share of the proceeds when the defendants settle. Allie and Connor have made good money making the devil pay, as they like to think of it. But then one of Allie’s targets turns the tables and blows the whistle on her, threatening to expose secrets that would ruin her career and put her in jail—unless she does them one little favor . . .

Allie and Connor soon find themselves fighting desperate—and potentially fatal—battles in and out of the courtroom. Their foe is a company that will go to any lengths to protect secrets much darker than padded bills.

Thanks for having Connor and Allie on Relz Reviewz!

Always a pleasure, Rick :) Keep writing great books!


On Monday the spotlight shines on Candace Calvert's Nick & Leigh Stathos from Code Triage

Relz Reviewz Extras

Review of Blood Brothers

Spotlight on Blood Brother's Ben & Noelle Corbin

Spotlight on Sergei Spassky

Interview with Rick

Visit Rick's website

Buy Rick's books from Amazon or Koorong

BONUS: When the Devil Whistles is currently free to download to Kindle, Kindle for PC & more. Click here to download