Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard – Not Believable, Convoluted, and Stretched the Imagination

 

Shadows at Dusk is Elizabeth’s Goddard newest book.  I have read several of her books and looked forward to reading her latest mystery.

 

Shadows at Dusk tells the story of Detective Trevor West who is searching in Alaska for his sister Jennifer Warren who disappeared over a year ago.  Trevor is a former US Marshal and knows how to track people.  But will he be able to solve the case that is most important to him?  He enlists the help of Alaskan bush pilot Carrie James to help him follow Jennifer’s trail.  Reluctantly, Carrie agrees to help him.  Not long into their journey it appears that someone does not want them to continue their search and will do whatever it takes to stop them.  But who exactly is the target?  Is it Trevor or is it Carrie? 

 

Let me start with the things I liked about this book.  I enjoyed learning about beauty of this vast, remote, and treacherous terrain.  I liked the character Trevor, he seemed like caring, determined, and faithful friend.  I liked Rip who was willing to help them on their mission, even at great risk to himself. 

 

I struggled greatly with this book for several reasons.  I hate it when characters do something stupid and illogical that puts them at risk and in danger.  Both Trevor and Carrie did that repeatedly throughout this story.  At times even acknowledging that they made a bad decision or calculation.  But they never seemed to learn from their mistakes.  Things like not making copies or photographs of key pieces of evidence.  Not giving that evidence to the police.

 

The storyline did not seem plausible.  From the bad guy behind it all and those who were helping him try to stop Trevor and Carrie.  It appears that someone from Carrie’s past might also be targeting Trevor.  Speaking of Carrie, I did not like or connect with her character.  This story stretched the imagination, not in a good way.  The story was not believable.  Because the characters continued to make unwise and illogical decisions, over and over again, I stopped caring about them.  I did not understand why a trained law enforcement officer would make some of the irrational decisions he did. 

 

There was very little about God or faith mentioned in the book.

 

From my perspective, I did not like Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard.  The storyline was not believable.  Characters made illogical decisions that put them at risk throughout the story.  The story drug on and on.  It was too complicated and convoluted. 

 

I have read other stories by Elizabeth Goddard and enjoyed them and would like to read more in the future.  But Shadows at Dusk missed the mark and I would not recommend it. 

 

I would like to thank Revell Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard.  I was under no obligations to give a favorable review. 

 

Our World is in a Moral Freefall

Each day now
I take a deep breath
Before I read, listen to, or watch the news
 
What news of unimaginable evil awaits us today
 
Will it be a news of a veteran
A man who served this Nation
Who once protected and defended our Country
 
Now the object of a manhunt
After taking the lives of innocent people
Leaving a trail of wounded whose lives will never be the same
 
Or will it be news of unimaginable evil
The chosen Nation Israel
Once again under attack by her enemies
 
Only this time, it was not a “lone wolf”
Instead, it was a coordinated, well planned, secret mission
Launched by hundreds, no thousands of terrorists
 
Not an attack on the Israel’s Defense Forces
No!  Against the innocent and vulnerable
Civilians, innocent, unarmed men, women, and children
 
Brutally, cut down
Murdered, raped, tortured, taken captive
By their twisted, morally depraved terrorist neighbors
 
What was their crime
Why was this hellish attack unleashed upon innocents
Religion and ethnicity, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
 
Most evil doers try hide their evil deeds
Not so on October 7, 2023
With the morally depraved hell bound terrorists
 
They proudly recorded it for all
For the world to see
Expecting great rewards now and in eternity
 
Even with their own video evidence
Plain for all to see
The evildoer’s defenders and supporters make excuses
 
World leaders with broken moral compasses
Those who call evil good, and good evil
Encourage restraint and proportionality
 
Proportionality?  What?
Do they sanction murdering the innocent
Raping innocent women and children
 
Do they think it acceptable
To torture and kidnap innocent civilians
Subject them to unimaginable horrors
 
Decent, God-fearing people and nations
Do not intentionally do evil to innocents
Instead, they fight the terrorists and evil doers
 
Terrorists who hide behind women and children
Who hide their weapons, rockets, and launchers
In school, hospitals, and places of worship
 
Let us not forget
The terrorist’s greatest allies
The main stream media
 
They choose to believe the lies of a terrorists
Who just days before brutally took the lives of innocents
Who recorded the rape, torture, and kidnapping of civilians
 
Lest we think this insanity and brutality is confined to Israel
Let us look around us
See the protesters and supporters of terrorists
 
Marching in the street
Chanting “From the River to the Sea”
“Palestine Will Be Free”
 
In colleges and universities
Places of “higher learning”
Jewish students are in fear for their lives
 
Jewish people around the world are waking up
Recognizing the hatred of their enemies
Enemies supported by those whose consciences have been seared
 
Let us learn from history
Take terrorists and evil doers at their word
They desire the destruction of Israel and her people
 
Will we let that happen again
Or will we stand with Israel
“I will bless those who bless you.”
 
Will we stand idly by and do nothing
Or worse, align ourselves with those who hate Israel
“I will curse those who curse you.”
 
Lord, we are a people lost in our sin
Unmoored from a biblical foundation
Driven by feelings over rational, logical thoughts
 
Deceived and deceivers
Believing fiction over truth
Defending lawlessness and evil
 
You warned us in the Bible, these days would come
Our world is in a moral freefall
Getting worse day by day
 
We are sinners through and through
Apart from Christ Jesus the Lord we can do nothing
All our deeds are as filthy rags
 
Apart from His sacrificial death on the cross
To pay the penalty and sin debt for all who repent and believe
We are lost and without hope
 
Lord, use what is happening in the world today
To bring us to an end of ourselves
Bring us to repentance and faith in Christ
 
LORD, we take comfort in Your sovereignty
In the knowledge that all will give an account to You
The LORD God Almighty who sees and knows all things 
 
The One who is Holy, Holy, Holy
The One who is perfectly Just and Righteous
The One who gave His Only Begotten Son so that we might be saved
 
 
By Susan Bunts Wachtel
October 26, 2023
 
 

Into the Fire by Irene Hannon – An Interesting and Satisfying Read

Irene Hannon has become one of my favorite writers.  I enjoy her romance stories and suspense novels.  That is why I was excited to read her newest book Into the Fire, the first book in the Undaunted Courage series.

 

Bri Tucker was scheduled to meet with retired arson investigator, Les Kavanaugh, to review several cases he thought merited further investigation.  Instead, she finds herself at Les’ home investigating a fire that has taken his life.  The next day Bri reluctantly accepts help from ATF Agent Marc Davis.  After Bri and Marc examined the scene, both agree that there wasn’t much of anything to suggest arson.  Just that nagging feeling that something is not right.  Though Bri and Marc find each other attractive, each has their own emotional baggage that may make developing a personal relationship difficult. 

 

I really liked this book.  I found the investigation of a fire very interesting.  What makes a fire suspicious vs accidental, and what information is relevant in an arson case.  I liked the characters.  At first, I wasn’t too keen on Bri.  But as her background was unveiled, I grew to appreciate her.  Marc was a wonderful character, kind, caring, wise, and protective.  Also enjoyed the Bri’s sister and brother and their close, and supportive relationships.  Loved Marc’s grandmother, such a sweet, wise, and caring woman. 

 

I did not suspect who the bad guy was.  Interesting that the story begins with the perspective of the arsonist.  About two thirds of the way through the story the bad guy is revealed, which causes the reader to look forward to seeing how the characters will solve the case.

 

Faith was part of the story, especially with Marc’s character.  I would like to have seen it even more with other characters. 

 

With the mix of an interesting plot, likeable characters, mystery, suspense, and romance, Into the Fire by Irene Hanson was an interesting and satisfying read.  I recommend it.  The book will be released on October 17, 2023.  

 

I would like to thank Revell Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Into the Fire by Irene Hannon.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.