Tom Threadgill: Network of Deceit

By Kelly Bridgewater

Amara Alvarez's first case as a homicide detective drags her into the murky world of computer hackers. When she finds herself under attack by cybercriminals, she has no choice but to use unconventional methods to expose the truth and find a killer.

 

My Thoughts:

I read Tom Threadgill's first novel, Collision of Lies, with Revell Publishing, and the conclusion disappointed me. The climactic moment happened around Amara, not to her, so I was okay with the novel, but not taken away. While Threadgill does a fabulous job at crafting timely suspense stories, Network of Deceit was much better. I believed that Amara's characters shone so much more in this novel. She was feisty, brave, and intuitive. She was a wonderful character to follow. I loved following her as she worked through what happened to Zach. There were moments that she spoke so fast, like in the police station to the suspects, that I had a hard time following the ping-pong dialogue. This was not a bad thing. I have seen cops do in real life. They ask so many questions, so fast that they are hoping to catch the suspect in a lie or frustrate them that they tell the truth. I like the plot, the hint of romance, and the real life that Amara had to struggle with at the same time. Realistic. Overall, Network of Deceit was more up to my speed. I honestly pray that there is more novels by Threadgill. He is getting better with this novel. I can't wait to see what he crafts next.

I received a complimentary copy of Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Tom Threadgill: Collision of Lies

By Kelly Bridgewater

Three years ago, a collision between a fast-moving freight train and a school bus full of kids led to devastation and grief on an unimaginable scale. But a fresh clue leads San Antonio police detective Amara Alvarez to the unlikely conclusion that one of the children may still be alive. If she's correct, everything law enforcement believes about the accident is a lie.

With time running out, Amara must convince others--and herself--that despite all evidence to the contrary, the boy lives. And she will do everything in her power to bring him home.

A fresh voice in suspense, Tom Threadgill will have you questioning everything as you fly through the pages of this enthralling story.



From Goodreads

 

My Thoughts:

Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill is a new author for me. Before Revell agreed to publish this story, I have never heard of him, but apparently, he has a number of other published books out there. I enjoy how the story follows a female heroine written by a male. This was an unexpected twist. The writing is fabulous. Threadgill really knows how to write a police policedural and make it interesting. I liked how he didn't give Amara the Homicide position just yet. She was a procedural detective, so she did what suspense lovers would call the boring job at the police department. I enjoyed the authentic Spanish phrases thrown in to show the heroines background and community. The mystery was different, and I actually couldn't wait to see how it ended. There lies my problem. The ending. I kept reading to see this climactic moment occur and the explanation for why, but it never came. Amara stands to the side and someone comes back to tell her the threat is over. Readers don't see it or hear it. It happens off-side. I was majorly disappointed in this. Didn't feel right to me. I read a suspense story to see justice served, not hear about it and see the aftermath. I also didn't like that the explanation was guessed at by the officers in the police station, but readers never know for certain this is why this happened. Being an author who has been published in the secular market, I was curious if there were moments that were going to touch the line, but Threadgill never did. It is a clean read with no language or sexual scenes. There is a teaser at the end of the this novel for the next novel, so I'm curious about that story and probably will pick it up too. Overall, Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill was a timely and touching hunt for justice, but the ending fell completely flat for me. If readers are a fan of Janice Cantore or Susan Sleeman, I would recommend picking this novel up.

I received a complimentary copy of Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About the Author:

From Goodreads

Tom Threadgill turned his love of a good tale into a full-time profession. His books have a distinct focus on clean, suspenseful action with strong character development. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). In his downtime, Tom enjoys woodworking, riding his Harley, and chasing the elusive Yard of the Month award. He currently resides with his wife in rural western Tennessee and can be reached through his website at TomThreadgill.com. (Taken from Goodreads.)