Too Close to Home

I am so far unimpressed and I'm very close to the end. That makes me sad to say about Christian writers but often I feel like the writing is mediocre at best but since it says good stuff about God it's left alone.<br /><br />Within 50 pages I was rolling my eyes. The story seems very redone, conversations are stilted and unnatural and the love at first sight thing is ridiculous. <br /><br />I did not buy the reactions to the similarities between the wife that died and Sam. Even if they looked a lot alike, a sixteen-year-old would not whisper "mama" at the sight of her.<br /><br />There are so many cliches! And if a simile/metephor can be used it is even if it's forced.<br /><br />Close to the end there is a section that really stands out in need of editing. <br /><br />"She'd been right. [The door] was open. Conner banged on it with his fist and it swung open with a crash. A SWAT member kicked the door in,..." Really? It's open. Why kick it?<br /><br />The characters are flat to me and I'm generally disinterested. A part that should have illicited an emotional response just left me shrugging.<br /><br />I want to like Christian writers better but I need both them and their editors to do better.

Excellent romantic suspense. The romance is mostly a side subject, with the suspense building as the killer sets his sights on the team hunting him down. The first half was a bit slow for me, and took me a while to care about the characters, especially when one I liked falls in the line of duty. <br /><br />In the end, the main characters had a nice ending, though it was rushed but two things seemed to not be concluded: was A. "The Boss" or not? And did they ever find Sydney's body? Was it unanswered or simply carried to the next book?<br /><br />I'm looking forward to Jamie's story.

This book was incredible. An absolute I can't put it down or turn the pages fast enough to find out what will happen next and how it will end. Full of twists, turns, and unexpected surprises, this book would be a great movie. I liked the characters and thought they were all very credible. Another winner by Lynette Eason.

Pretty decent and had lots of action! I'm mad about who the villain turned out to be though, lol!

<br />Ok, when the publisher says "read this one with the lights on" um.... you better read it with the lights on - or at least don't do what I did and read it while house/dog sitting.<br /><br />Let's just say, I didn't sleep much that night, because just as I got to an "intense" part, the dog I was watching proceeded to "bark" at something in the yard. (Yes, the rational part of my mind knew it was a skunk, rabbit or some other creature, but well, the subconscious mind was a bit freaked out).<br /><br />I liked the characters introduced by Eason. I've read some of her other, shorter novels, and I appreciated how in this one, she was able to delve into the back story of the main characters. I think this added depth to the story.<br /><br />I also liked the twists and turns found in the novel. Without giving it away, Eason managed to stump me - which was a pleasant surprise!<br /><br />The only "down side" is that I figured out the "main" story theme - but not the ultimate villain - because well, I watch way too much CSI and Criminal Minds (I'm pretty sure this was in a Criminal Minds episode this season....which means it was a case of great minds thinking alike since both were probably written simultaneously,)<br /><br />I'm really looking forward to the next novel, to see where Eason takes this series. Keep reading - spoiler alert - information about book two in the series can be found below.<br /><br />On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, this book is definitely a 4. You'll probably want to keep this book around to read more than once - because if you are like me, you'll read it fast, the first time, to find out just what happens to Cash and the other characters. On the second time through, you can appreciate the different references and items Eason sprinkles throughout her manuscript.<br />

Dislikes -<br />The format of the book was a little bit difficult to read as it wasn't very clear when the POV switched. Once I got halfway through the book, it seemed to be a little better as I got used to it.<br /><br />I did notice a mistake where the author wrote that a door was open, but then S.W.A.T had to break it down, that was just a little bit confusing.<br /><br />Likes-<br />Sam and Conner's relationship - It was very sweet and gentle romance. And the fact that the romance was a sideline thing was nice, as I prefer more action than mush.<br /><br />Jenna - At times I was yelling at Jenna (in my head) for doing things that I knew was going to end badly, but she redeemed herself in the end when she used amazing courage to overcome the mess she was in. <br /><br /> I liked the aspects of faith and salvation woven into this story. It really was nice and didn't come off as a preachy type of salvation story.<br /><br />I really love Mrs. Eason's works and I look forward to reading the rest of the series and any other books of hers in the future!

TOO CLOSE TO HOME by Lynette Eason was a riveting, fast-paced novel that kept my interest throughout.<br /><br />Special Agent Samantha Cash is called in to assist the SLED - South Carolina Law enforcement division- in the unexplained disappearance and deaths of local teen girls. With her expertise in computer forensics, she hopes she is able to dig deep enough to find what the other task forces have missed in solving this case.<br /><br />Homicide detective Connor Wolfe is being pulled in two directions. He knows he needs to spend time mending his strained relationship with Jenna, his defiant teenage daughter, but with a killer on the loose, he devotes his time and energy to the case at hand, causing Jenna to rebel even further.<br /><br />There is immediate chemistry between Samantha and Connor, but for the sake of the case and their race against time, they put personal feelings aside and concentrate on the killer that continues to slip from their grasp. When the killer decides to make his game personal, both Samantha and Connor realize how much they stand to lose as time continues to tick away.<br /><br />I'm hooked! A long time Dee Henderson fan, I've now found another author that compels me to turn page after page. Sure, maybe all of the protocols and procedures weren't exactly on point as other reviewers stated, but Eason's writing technique and ability to captivate an audience far out-shined those minor flaws. I am all for realism, but for me, escapism is the name of the game and while reading this novel, I definitely felt as if I was running alongside Samantha and Connor in their race against time.<br /><br />My only negative regarding TOO CLOSE TO HOME is the fact that I didn't really get to see Connor and Samantha explore their feelings for each other until the end of the book. I am not a fan of keeping the hero and heroine at arm's length until the last few pages. But overall, a great suspenseful read.

Warning: this is one great page turning suspense and be sure to start it only if you sufficient reading time to finish it, especially the last 20% of the book.<br /><br />I have read <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/9374857.A_Killer_Among_Us__Women_of_Justice__3_" title="A Killer Among Us (Women of Justice #3) by Lynette Eason" rel="noopener">A Killer Among Us</a> about 2 years ago and then bought the first 2 books in the Women of Justice series, and cannot believe I waited till now to read it. Lynette Eason is one gifted suspense writer and after this book she moved up the ranks of favourite suspense writers.<br /><br />The characters. I loved the characters. They were real dealing with real issues. I loved how Lynette showed the reader the inner conflicts the characters are dealing with. This made them feel like someone you know, not a fictitious character.<br /><br />The romance. The romance was not over the top at all. The suspense and the murder stories got more of the limelight of the book, the romance was secondary and not in your face. I loved this.<br /><br />The suspense: Wow, the plot felt like it could be one episode of criminal minds. The suspect was twisted. The writer wrote some scenes from the culprit's view point and you can't believe how twisted this subject was. The suspense was fast and building and there was so many twists that kept me guessing. About 80% in the book I thought I knew who it was, but the way the rest was written , bouncing from the cops to the culprit's view point, confused me up to almost 90% when it was revealed. That for me is great suspense - keeping me guessing right up till the end.<br /><br />Oh and the epilogue - I was planning to read another book first, but the epilogue made me open the second book in the series right away!<br /><br />Highly recommended to all suspense fans!

I rarely rip apart a book. But this? I can't even figure out where to start?<br /><br />OK, OK. COMPLETELY UNBELIEVABLE. There. That's a place to start. It was horribly written. I felt like the setting was never completely developed. I had this sense at one point that its big city, then it feels small town. I was totally lost. <br /><br />Then, the sequence of horrifying events - they just weren't realistic. I don't know why I read stories like this. I feel like Eason didn't do her research. Things like when the detective makes an announcement at the school. It would NEVER EVER HAPPEN LIKE THAT. I work in a school. I know. Especially now in today's society (in which this book was set). I just had to laugh.<br /><br />The romantic story didn't make sense. It happened to fast, and in a sort of unbelievable way. There's always a twist too - but it just made the story worse to read.<br /><br />The worst part? I read the whole book. I wasted precious sleeping time over this story. I wouldn't read the next in the series. I wouldn't recommend this book. Just don't waste your time.

This one started rather well, but it quickly fizzled out. There was too much of the annoying teenager hating and loving her father (hating without a just reason, but that’s the teenage way, I suppose—apparently she blamed him for her mother’s death, because they fought before her mother crashed her car; honey, unless he cut her break lines, I don’t think he was *directly* responsible), there was definitely too much God-talk (for someone not religious so much faith and God ‘banter’ grows tedious, or maybe that’s just me), and the middle crimes of the villain seemed quite disproportionate to the initial one (Okay, so they were getting too close, does that mean you have to shoot them with both a gun and a crossbow and even attempt to blow them up?! Aren’t you exaggerating just a tad, my boy?).<br /><br />A lot of initial fanfare for such a measly parade. And the more that I read the less interested I became as to who the villain actually was and what was really going on. I just wanted it to end.<br /><br />What intrigued me was the prologue, but judging from this book, I ain’t going there. Sorry.