Fans of romantic suspense will enjoy this continuation of Dani Pettrey's Chesapeake Valor series.
Someone Is Out There. Watching Her. Waiting.
Blacklisted in the photography business over a controversial shot, Avery Tate answered an ad for a crime-scene photographer. She expected to be laughed at, but crime-scene analyst Parker Mitchell hired her outright--and changed her life. But six months ago, when her feelings for Parker became too strong, she left his employ to sort out her heart.
Now, for the first time, Avery is facing the world that rejected her to attend the gallery opening of a photography exhibit for which her friend modeled. But the only image of her friend is a chilling photo of her posing as if dead--and the photographer insists he didn't take the shot. Worse, her friend can't be found, and so Avery immediately calls Parker for help.
As Avery, Parker, and their friends in law enforcement dig into the mystery, they find themselves face-to-face with a relentless and deadly threat.
Still Life, the second book in Dani Pettrey's Chesapeake Valor series, is enjoyable romantic suspense. Though the book is mainly about Avery and Parker (who were introduced in the first book, Cold Shot), considerable time is spent with Declan and Tanner (I assume the next book will be about them), as well as others who are connected to Charm City Investigations, the agency run by their friend Kate.
I loved Avery and Parker's story! Their potential romance was one of my favorite aspects of Cold Shot, so it was fun to see that potential turn into something real in Still Life. I loved how their friends played a role in finally getting them together—especially since Avery and Parker were trying to do the same thing for Declan and Tanner!
The investigation into the disappearance of Avery's friend Skylar was interesting, and the case definitely took some twists I didn't anticipate. An interesting subplot involving a terrorist and the ongoing mystery about the disappearance of the group's friend Luke also kept my attention. The story ended with a couple threads left unresolved, and I look forward to seeing them play out in future novels.
I would recommend that you read Cold Shot right before reading Still Life—I read it a year ago, and, while I recall the basics, I had quite a bit of difficulty keeping all the characters straight in Still Life (interestingly, I did not have that trouble while reading Cold Shot). Part of this is because the team often worked in pairs—Avery and Parker, Declan and Tanner, Declan and his FBI partner Lexi—and I couldn't recall which pair had followed which lead. There were also so many minor characters connected to Skylar's disappearance that I couldn't keep track of them all—when they would come up in conversation, I'd have to stop and think about who they were. That made for a frustrating reading experience at times, but I did enjoy the story overall. 4 stars.
Read an excerpt.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Cold Shot (5 stars) and the Alaskan Courage series: Submerged (4-1/2 stars), Shattered (5 stars), Stranded (4-1/2 stars), Silenced (5 stars), Sabotaged (4-1/2 stars).
Dani Pettrey is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the acclaimed author of the brand new romantic suspense Chesapeake Valor series, as well as the well-loved Alaskan Courage series which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and Sabotaged. 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 daughters, son-in-law, and super-adorable grandson. Keep up with Dani: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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