Janice Cantore: Lethal Target

By Kelly Bridgewater

Police Chief Tess O’Rourke thought she’d taken care of her small town’s drug problem last year. But now Rogue’s Hollow residents are up in arms over a contentious vote on legalizing the sale of marijuana within city limits. And when an eighteen-year-old is found dead of a possible overdose, Tess wonders if the local pot farms might be involved and begins to fear that a new, deadlier drug supply chain has cropped up. As tempers flare and emotions boil over, Tess faces the possibility of losing the town’s support.

With her relationship to Sergeant Steve Logan on shaky ground, Tess could really use a friend, and she feels drawn to Pastor Oliver Macpherson’s quiet presence. But the anger she holds over her father’s death prevents her from embracing his faith and finding peace.

Battling storms within and without, Tess is shocked when a familiar face from her past shows up in town to stir up more trouble. And his threats against Tess may prove lethal.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I adore Janice Cantore's raw ability to tell a story that captures the honesty and hard working police officers. Being a retired police officer, Cantore brings the emotional side to the job, but also shows the hard work and the grim reality of the police force. With the newest addition to her Line of Duty series, Lethal Target, Cantore held my attention and forced me to deal with the drug overdose and corruption of the pot farmers.

One of my favorite aspect of a Cantore book is her ability to bring in the realistic world of the police force without boring me with too much textbook information. She brings the world to life for me as an innocent bystander who doesn't know much about the inside workings of the police world, but she allows me to experience it through Tess as she works through the case. Cantore's writing is clean and crisp, allowing me to experience the emotions of Tessa as she travels through the ups and downs in her story.

The plot kept me engrossed in the plot. There were some moments where the plot dragged, and I couldn't wait to move passed those spots, but for the most part, the story moves a fast clip, begging me to stay focused, so I don't miss who killed the boy in the opening chapter. Right from the beginning, Cantore begs me to enter the chase for the killer of a young boy. I really enjoyed the chase.

The spiritual element was not preachy at all. Cantore does a fabulous job at allowing Oliver to explain and draw Tess back to God in her own terms. Cantore doesn't force the gospel down the reader's throat. She slowly dribbles it, allowing the reader to empathize with Tess as she tries to find her own way back to the God who her father loved dearly. I really loved the scene with Tess and her father's Bible near the end. Very touching.

Overall, Lethal Target by Janice Cantore shows the inner workings of a police chief and her struggle to work in the ever changing world we live in. The plot moved quickly and held a tiny aspect of a romance. Just the way I liked my romantic suspense. I believe if you are a fan of Lynette Eason and DiAnn Mills, then this novel might be right up your alley. I really enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary copy of Lethal Target by Janice Cantore from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Click here to purchase a copy.

About the Author:

From Amazon

A former Long Beach, California, police officer of twenty-two years, Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, including patrol, administration, juvenile investigations, and training. She's always enjoyed writing and published two short articles on faith at work for Cop and Christ and Today's Christian Woman before tackling novels. She now lives in a small town in southern Oregon, where she enjoys exploring the forests, rivers, and lakes with her Labrador retrievers, Abbie and Tilly.

Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Crisis Shot is the first title in her latest series. Janice also authored the Cold Case Justice series--Drawing Fire, Burning Proof, and Catching Heat--the Pacific Coast Justice series--Accused, Abducted, and Avenged--and the Brinna Caruso novels, Critical Pursuit and Visible Threat.

Visit Janice's website at www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JaniceCantore. (Taken from Amazon.)