Into the Fire

Discovering the . . . Vanished Trails

Vanished Trails by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray is Book 4 in A Maddie Castle Thriller Series.

When formerly estranged best friend Harper, Detective in the police force, refers a family with a missing 18 yr. old daughter (Liz) to hire Maddie and her K-9 Tempest to go through the woodsy trails where their 18 yr. old daughter was last seen with a bunch of her friends, the girl's father is none too happy to hear about the possibility that the police bloodhounds did their job when they lost her scent and couldn't find her. Maddie agrees to the job with Harper running interference for her and together they do interviews of the teens who were on the trip. Maddie does a quick study of Liz's social media and is surprised to find the missing girl was not a nice person, to put it mildly, and had plenty of enemies. The interviews sound very similar, but Maddie doesn't get her "killer vibe" from any of them. 

The campsite and trek through the woods is a 7-mile hike. Bentley, Maddie's best friend and undefined "boyfriend," goes with her. When they finally set up camp for the night, Bentley reasons with Maddie about handling the tragedy that occurred in Book 3 of this series. As always, she's reluctant to admit that she needs to open up and deal with it, but somehow she makes an effort. 

There's an unwelcome surprise waiting for them in the morning when Maddie wakes up inside their tent. Tempest is on guard and that's the last thing needed in this situation. Ironically, the result leads to the first clue as to Liz's disappearance. 

There's a lot of emotional backstory that must be revealed through the different encounters, conversations, and revelations going back to the previous story. Plus, the side story that began in the last book about the disappearance of Bentley's young sister-in-law (Daisy) begins to take a more defined possibility in Maddie's search for information about her. Through all of the various discoveries in confronting many issues for Maddie, Harper and Maddie mend the fences of their devastated friendship as Maddie admits she needs some help. 

The ongoing saga of Maddie Castle, her personal history, her present condition, her intuitive abilities, and her determination are captured in each element of her life. The list of things she has to "handle" grows and each one induces emotional pain which she is ill-prepared for. Both Bentley and Harper add unique perceptions and infusions to her story, but she's beginning to realize she might need more. 

Good writing. Good series. Might be too "emotional" for some hardcore mystery/thriller readers. 

Plenty of profanity. 

 

Father, you know hearts and minds. Please bless these authors with more stories to tell and may each one know who gives them their abilities. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. 

Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV) 

Friday Fare

From my novel Seeing . . . 

A part of Chapter 17

“I have to go east early tomorrow morning. Are you coming or staying?”

     Quiet. “Do I have to go?”

     “No, of course not.”

     “Then I’ll stay and take your calls, clean up the house. May I clean your bathroom?” She tried to look nonchalant but only made it to subservient.

     He laughed. “Believe me, you don’t want to tackle that.”

     “Micah Jones, if you’re going to let me stay here, I plan on earning my keep. If you could just show me where you keep the cleaning supplies, I’ll have this place shining when you get home.”

     The fire warmed the room and made her hair gleam. “Do you have any idea how hard this is going to be for me?”

     “I—” He watched her think through her response. “I don’t want it to be.”

     He sat back hard in his chair. “Do you remember some of our conversations the last time you were here?”

     “Okay, yes.” She jerked up and began to pick up her dishes.

     He sat forward and set his tray aside. He stood and intercepted her as she headed for the kitchen, taking her dishes and setting them on his own. “Sit down. Please.” He took a deep breath. “If this is going to work, you can’t be overreacting to everything I say. You’re going to have to tough it out once in awhile when communication doesn’t go the way you might want it to. Alright?”

     Her pale blue eyes darted away from his, but she sat down on the couch.

     “I’ve grown up about as opposite of you as is probably possible. We don’t think alike, we don’t act alike. Since Jean died I’ve had no problem being alone. Frankly, no woman has caught my eye for more than a first glance. And then I stop to have breakfast and I get a visual image of you as a helpless little girl being raped. Prior to that, all I’d had were verbal declarations of what had happened to some people. It shook me up pretty good.” Micah was still standing, but he sat back on the edge of his chair. “Then you got beat up, and I knew I was supposed to bring you here. We had a pretty good week, and, yeah, I didn’t want to take you back, but I can’t trust my feelings, Bonita. I’ve been lonely so long, and you filled that gap. But that’s not enough. I mean, just you making me feel good about comin’ home. There’s so much more goin’ on here.”  

     “I won’t try to seduce you, Micah Jones. I promise.”

     He barely made out the words. He stood and ran his hand through his hair. “You don’t have to try, Bonita. It’s the elephant in the room. Maybe you don’t remember what you said to me, but I sure do. It’s ringing in my ears right now.” He hadn’t meant for his voice to elevate, and he only realized it when her expression changed. He grabbed the back of his neck with both hands and looked up to the beams. “God!” He clanged the dishes together as he grabbed them and went to the kitchen, shoving them in the sink. He stood there, looking out the window into the dark, his arms stretched tight away from the counter with his hands in a taut grip around it.

     Peace, be still.

     For a moment, he wanted to argue with the Lord, but he succumbed to the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit. He looked at the floor and let go of the counter. He turned to see her at the kitchen entrance. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice under control.

     “If you’ll just let me stay here until I can get some money coming in, then I could move out.”

     He couldn’t help the baffled laugh that escaped. “Bonita, the cost of living over here is twice what it is over there. We’ll work something out, okay? I’m beat. I should be gone before you get up.” He walked past her and started up the stairs but stopped and turned back to her. “You going to be here when I get back?”

     She nodded. “Micah Jones, can you tell me where you keep the cleaning supplies?”

     He stared down at her. “You live here now. You’ll find ‘em.” The fire’s glow reflected in her eyes. He gave her a smile and headed up to bed.

     “Micah Jones,” she called.

     He kept walking. “I know. You’re welcome.”

 

Father, apart from you, I can do nothing. That's a fact. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Throwback Thursday

Driving the '65 Le Mans Convertible during a Longacres meet. Loved that car. 

 

Father, thank you for watching over me during those years. I'm so glad you rescued me from myself. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Hardcore Heroines

heroine /hĕr′ō-ĭn/

noun

1. A woman noted for courage and daring action.
2. A woman noted for special achievement in a particular field.
3. The principal female character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition 

 

Here are four "hardcore" heroines from novel series I've read:

 

L.T. Ryan's (with Brian Shea) Rachel Hatch (aka "Hatch")

L.T. Ryan's (with C.T. Gray) Maddie Castle (aka "Mad Dog," "Mads")

Dustin Stevens' Ham

Candace Irving's Kate Holland  

 

Many of you know my all-time favorite heroine is Raleigh Harmon created by Sibella Giorello. She's different from the "hardcore" heroines I've listed here. She's just as tough but in a different way. 

 

One thing all of these heroines have in common is deep pain afflicted in a variety of ways. Hatch's beloved father was murdered when she was a child, and she was severely scarred on her arm in the military. Maddie's dad left, and her mom abused her. Ham experienced a disruptive upbringing which led her to the place she considered home, and Kate Holland, as a soldier, was captured and horrifically raped in captivity. Raleigh's dad was also murdered and her mom suffered from dementia. 

 

That old cliché "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger," definitely applied to these characters. There were points in their lives where they experienced genuine suffering and that kind of pain is not only never forgotten, it has a tendency to affect your outlook and actions. The four hardcore heroines varied in their emotional makeup, but another thing they shared is unwavering dedication to uncovering truth and rectifying evil. Of those four women, Ham was the "hardest" emotionally. She knew every version of killing and was not afraid to get it done.  

 

To successfully create these heroines takes serious dedication to making them believable, admirable, just sensitive enough to allow the reader to want them to succeed, and to be able to present just enough vulnerability at some point in the story to encourage empathy. When female characters are given a toughness and/or "hardness," frankly, it can be a turn-off if not done right. 

 

If you enjoy thrillers that feature heroines, I can seriously recommend all of the above. Only one of these series does not contain profanity and that's the stunning writing and creation of Sibella Girorello's Raleigh Harmon novels. 

 

Father, thank you for the immense skills given to these authors. I ask that you would bless each one with more stories to tell. Encourage them as only you can do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Tuesday Tunes

 

More oldies from the Moody Blues. Great beat. 

 

Father, thank you for all of your gifts to people. We're all desperate for you whether we know it or not. May we honor you for who you are. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Settling into his . . . Hunting Grounds

Hunting Grounds is Book 3 in A Maddie Castle Thriller Series by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray. 

Maddie Castle (aka "Mads" and "Mad Dog") lost her beloved K-9 "Bear" and suffered a career-ending knee injury from "The Country Killer's" gun. A gun was not his weapon of choice, but against Maddie who got a shot off to wound his left arm, he used one. Maddie's shot halted his brutal serial killing spree. For a while.

Now he's back. And how Maddie becomes aware of it is terrifying and haunting.

She's now a private investigator, but because of her history with this psychopath plus her former partner on the case (and ex-fiancé "Ox"), she joins with the FBI in the hunt for the killer (aka "The Red Ribbon Killer" and "Red"). She has connections that go back to high school which law enforcement does not which she realizes can be dangerous but she's willing to see him to try to get any information that will help. And she does. 

With her connection's source reluctantly supplied, she is able to establish the beginning of an identity. 

Having to jump through more hoops than a Hula Hoop contest, finally things start coming together. 

And then the tear-jerking part of the story begins.

Hunting Grounds hits all the nerves.

Certain readers might find the emotional self-exams of the characters drag a bit, but others will appreciate the background and insights provided into each one. There are some long goodbye scenes which definitely start the tears for some of us. 

This is a good series with strong characters, particularly the mixed-up, convoluted tough gal, Maddie Castle, and her special K-9 Tempest. 

(Plenty of profanity.)

 

Father, you know all the hearts of your authors and writers. You know them from the inside out as you do with all of us. May they have the pure blessing of knowing you personally. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,

   but He blesses the home of the righteous.

He mocks proud mockers

   but gives grace to the humble.

The wise inherit honor,

   but fools He holds up to shame.

Proverbs 3:33-35 (NIV)

Summertime . . .

 

No better way to welcome the first day of summer. What a voice. Awesome. 

 

Father, thank you for the seasons, the beauty you left for us, this incredible world in spite of all the sin. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Throwback Thursday

Any similarities there? Both a very long time ago. Sixteen years apart. 

 

Father, I know you waited for me to find your Son. I can't thank you enough for your patience. I didn't deserve it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Wednesday Whimsy

   

These are the black leather boots I bought many years ago at I. Magnin's in downtown Seattle long before they moved out of Seattle. I first saw them in "Vogue" and "Harper's Bazaar" where they were advertised to be at I. Magnin's. Black with the gold buckle. I wish I still had them. They were amazing. At the top (and they went all the way up), they had loops. I wore a belt under my dress to keep the boots up and from sagging. "Those were the days . . ." 

 

Father, thank you for watching over me during those days. Jesus, you waited and allowed me to find out how much I needed you. Holy Spirit, you used such individual and, to some, the most unusual ways to get my attention. I can never thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Tuesday Tunes

 

Great band, great sound. Totally dysfunctional people. Enjoy their music in spite of it all. 

 

Father, we can't play around with eternity. Jesus' first words of ministry were to repent and be saved. He gave it all so that we could join Him in eternity. There's one way to heaven, and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) Apart from Him, we can do nothing. He's gracious to all, but there's a cutoff point. Choose wisely before you take your last breath. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Those overbearing . . . Hard Lights

Hard Lights by J.B. Turner is Book 14 in A Jon Reznick Thriller Series. 

When Jon learns of his good friend and Delta buddy Angel Ramos' brutal death, he immediately feels serious remorse that in the last few years he hadn't kept up their relationship. He remembered Angel as one of the bravest men he ever knew, but as with all of them who saw firsthand the vicious ways and atrocities of war, Angel faced and struggled with the memories. Jon decides to leave his home in Maine to travel to the Venice Beach area of California to understand what had happened to his friend. What he learns about Angel's life at the end fuels deeper regrets and a desire to somehow make things right for Angel's memory. 

As he visits the police department to ask a few questions, the response is condescending, and it's suggested he return home to Maine and wait for a report on the investigation into Angel's murder. What Jon knows about the murder surprises Captain Frank Garcia who gives him a friendly warning not to interfere and to allow the police to investigate the death of his friend.

Jon isn't about to do nothing, especially when he learns that Angel had a 16-year-old daughter who was caught up in "the scene" which included drugs and being an "escort." A homeless veteran and an older homeless woman fill in some of the blanks about Angel, about the possible identity of the murderer of Angel and what Angel was doing at the end of his life.

This is an ugly (aka realistic) story about life in the underbelly of the elite Hollywood types, cartel enforcers, high-end defense attorneys, and those who regularly pursue power, money, and sex - neutralizing anyone who gets in their way of obtaining what they desire. Jon continues to gain information as he feeds names to his absolute specialist/hacker in all things IT and friend Trevelle Williams. With the horrific information Trevelle reveals, Jon takes matters into his own hands after having Trevelle shoot all of what he's gathered to the police, FBI, and CIA. 

The lengths of brutality used against those who try to intervene and stop the nefarious conduct of these groups is unlimited. However, once it's learned of Jon Reznick's interference, they assume they'll be able to get rid of him as easily as they did his friend. First mistake. 

Although I highly recommend these Jon Reznick thrillers, I do so with a cautionary warning. There is abundant profanity and Jon pops Dexedrine like Skittles when he's on the hunt. Jon is a quality character conditioned by his training and work in the military, CIA, and as an FBI consultant. He's a rule-breaker when he has to be and has no regard for those who intentionally do evil with no remorse. 

 

Father, thank you for J.B. I pray your blessing over him. You know his heart. Please continue to give him what he needs to write the stories you have just for him to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

Evil will slay the wicked,

   the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems his servants;

   no one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned. 

Psalm 34:21-22 (NIV) 

The crooked path of . . . Tracking Justice

Tracking Justice by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray is Book 2 in A Maddie Castle Thriller Series. 

Maddie Castle was a cop/K-9 Handler who lost her beloved "Bear" (specially trained K-9) and the normal use of her knee, forcing a replacement, by finding a serial killer known as The Country Killer. She's now a Private Investigator living in a trailer park trying to make ends meet. Her new dog "Tempest" belonged to another detective who was shot and killed. Tempest required significant retraining, but Maddie was determined to make the necessary behavioral reforms in the dog as the alternative was to put this smart but improperly trained canine to death. That would've been a waste of a very intelligent and willing partner who became unexpectedly affectionate with a fun personality under Maddie's adept regimen. 

Maddie's former close friend, a very good friend which makes what they've become more painful, recommends Maddie to a wealthy woman who owns a car dealership and has just lost her daughter with little help in finding out how this happened from local law enforcement. Since the brilliant young college woman who was very close to her mom was found on her bed OD'd from a party drug, the cops labeled it a suicide and closed the case. At first, that's what Maddie thought too until she interviewed her on and off boyfriend, former best friend, and searched her room. What she discovers tells a completely different tale. 

As Maddie wrestles with the possibilities, the victim's mom wants to be informed about everything, but there are some things about her daughter that Maddie must confirm before revealing anything because what she's learning will be painful for her mom to hear. In the process of the investigation, there is an obvious attempt on Maddie's life, but no one at the police department wants to take it seriously. 

Mixed in with the difficulty of discovering leads and feeling threatened by an invisible pursuer, Maddie wrestles with her feelings for her best friend, Bentley. Is there more for them? 

This is a good mystery with plenty of twists and some thrilling action - usually at Maddie's expense. The mom is a good client and generous to Maddie because as far as the mom is concerned, Maddie is the only one who has taken her daughter's death seriously enough to prove it wasn't a suicide.

This is a good series with a worthwhile tough heroine and an amazing partner in her K-9 Tempest. 

(Profanity present.) 

 

Father, you know it all, hearts and minds, all of it. I pray you would minister to L.T. and C.R. and give them the material they need to keep writing good stories. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Throwback Thursday

I know many of you are familiar with this picture. I post it frequently on Throwback Thursday because it's one of my favorites of those days so long ago. My friend Rick in the picture with me died young of cancer. He was a good young man, and, as you can see in this picture, a lot of fun. "Those were the days, my friend. We thought they'd never end." 

 

Father, thank you for allowing me to see Rick before he left this earth and for his willingness to let me pray for him. Only you know his eternal destination. Thank you for him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Second in the Series

Another enticing cover with a superb title and subtitle. So tempting for those ready to read Book 2 in The Immortals War Trilogy by S.C. Kellogg. 

"Being the second book of the series, I found it to be the best so far. The plot moved at a good pace and the author kept me intrigued from the beginning to the end. Overall it is a great read."  A.K. 

 

Father, thank you for great imaginations and creativity. Please bless every effort and goal set forward by S.C. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

 

Tuesday Tunes

 

The most unusual version of "Stand By Me" you might ever hear - or see.  

 

Father, bless your musicians and may they discover their talent comes from you and yet you allow them to use their talents as they please. May they learn to honor you with all of it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Monday Musings

I so rarely feature these special novels, so for all you sci-fi, fantasy, and just plain good story lovers, here is Book 1 of the Immortals' War Trilogy by S.C. Kellogg. 

"Long a sci-fi fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of this innovative new series. Looking forward to finding out what happens in this fascinating new universe!" S. T. 

I love the title and the cover. 

Go for it! 

 

Father, you know the busy-ness of S. C. - her life is full! Please guide and protect her and keep her safe from all harm. Help her to complete this trilogy as she balances all of the challenges she faces daily. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

 

Sunday's Offerings

 

May those who seek my life

  be disgraced and put to shame;

may those who plot my ruin

  be turned back in dismay.

May they be like chaff before the wind,

  may their path be dark and slippery,

  with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net for me without cause

  and without cause dug a pit for me,

may ruin overtake them by surprise --

  may the net they hid entangle them,

  may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord

  and delight in His salvation.

My whole being will exclaim,

  "Who is like you, O Lord?

You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,

  the poor and needy from those who rob them." 

Psalm 35:4-10 (NIV)