Christy Barritt writes Book 1 of the Lantern Beach Blackout Series and gives readers an exciting mystery filled with former SEAL members who want to learn the truth about the death of one of their own.
Colton Locke's best friend Daniel Oliver was his SEAL teammate and married to Elise, a psychologist. Colton, now out of the military after the horrible and tragic malfunction of a black-ops mission, blames himself for his best friend's death. He's begun a private security/protection company he's named Blackout with some of his former team located in Lantern Beach, North Carolina. Dark Water opens with an intense scene of a break-in to Elise's home, and she knows exactly who she needs to see to get help.
But when she finally drives from her home in West Virginia straight through to Lantern Beach, she nearly collapses from the stress and fear of the previous night and the fact of what has been attached to her husband's death. Upon seeing Elise, Colton's guilt does a number on him and amplifies the blame he carries, but what's almost worse is his emotional reaction to the woman he's always considered near perfect.
While there is the thread of a heartfelt romance in this suspense-filled mystery, Christy does a good job of keeping it in a tight balance between being important to the story but secondary to the troubling conflict of the reasons for the threats against Elise.
Between bombs, coded information, multiple suspects with no real clues, many suspicions, distrust, and guilt, this good mystery takes off with oomph and meditates on the threats before zooming to a satisfying conclusion after that dark water nearly does its fatal job. Quick and entertaining read. But then, who doesn't like to read about a band of former SEALs?
(The faith element is present but subdued.)
Father, please continue to bless Christy's writing. You've obviously given her a great talent at writing stories. Please provide all she needs to keep them coming. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.