Book Review: Exposure by Brandilyn Collins

Exposure - Brandilyn Collins

Publisher: Zondervan, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-310-27643-2

Pages: 268

Genre: Christian Suspense

Have you ever had the feeling that someone was following you? Or watching you? I have. I have quite an overactive imagination, and I have often imagined someone following me, perhaps in a parking lot, or in a bus station. Or maybe someone would be listening in on a private conversation I was having. Several times I have gone a different way home because I thought maybe the driver in the car behind me was following me home.

I know, I know, I seem very paranoid, but I also know that those things do happen to people sometimes. I'd rather think of myself as cautious and realistic. Better safe than sorry, right?

Well, I have to say that I was on the edge of my seat with this book. The main character, Kaycee Raye was being stalked and the things that happened to her were terrifying. She saw pictures of a dead man in various places and then when she would call the police, the pictures would be gone. Then she starts smelling blood and hearing strange noises. Was she going crazy?

The book also contains Mafia characters, a missing 9-year-old girl, a bank robbery, and seven million dollars. Oh, yes, and a little romance, too. All combined to make a great plot that kept my interest to the very end.

This is a thrilling psychological suspense that you will not want to miss! Thank you, Mrs. Collins!

I give Exposure 5 out of 5 stars.

(I checked this book out from the library, so the FTC can ignore this review!)

"You May Have Missed" Mondays

One of my first exposures to "Christian suspense" was when I read Dee Henderson's novels, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I wanted more, but at that time could not find any other authors writing books in that genre (I'm not even sure if it was a separate genre then).

Until I discovered Terri Blackstock. I began looking for more books by her, and I was soon reading all her books. I couldn't get enough.

Then, along came Brandilyn Collins into my reading life. I read her first series, the Bradleyville Series, and was hooked. And the books just get better and better.

The Kanner Lake Series is highly entertaining. I like the characters and how they interact with one another. They are so "real". And, of course, the suspense is quite, well, suspenseful. Mrs. Collins certainly has a way with words and know exactly how to keep the tension going throughout the entire story. 

Violet Dawn is the first in the series. Here is the synopsis of the book from the author's website:

Something sinuous brushed against Paige’s knee. She jerked her leg away.

What was that? She rose to a sitting position, groped around with her left hand.


Fine wisps wound themselves around her fingers.

Hair?


She yanked backward, but the tendrils clung. Something solid bumped her wrist.


Paige gasped. With one frantic motion she shook her arm free, grabbed the side of the hot tub, and heaved herself out.


Paige Williams slips into her hot tub in the blackness of night - and finds herself face to face with death.


Alone, terrified, fleeing a dark past, Paige must make an unthinkable choice.


In Violet Dawn, hurtling events and richly drawn characters collide in a breathless story of murder, revenge and the need to belong. One woman’s secrets unleash an entire town’s pursuit, and the truth proves as elusive as the killer in their midst.

 Coral Moon is #2 in the series:

The figure remained still as stone. Leslie couldn’t even detect a breath.
   

Spider-fingers teased the back of her neck.

Leslie’s feet rooted to the pavement. She dropped her gaze to the driveway, seeking...what? Spatters of blood? Footprints? She saw nothing. Honed through her recent coverage of crime scene evidence, the testimonies at last month’s trial, the reporter in Leslie spewed warnings: Notice everything, touch nothing.

Leslie Brymes hurries out to her car on a typical work day morning—and discovers a dead body inside.
Why was the corpse left for her to find? And what is the meaning of the message pinned to its chest? In Coral Moon, the senseless murder of a beloved Kanner Lake citizen spirals the small Idaho town into a terrifying glimpse of spiritual forces beyond our world. What appears true seems impossible.


Or is it?

#3 is Crimson Eve:

Carla stared at the gun and David Thornby—or whatever his name was. Her mind split in two, one side pleading this was some sick joke, the other screaming it was all too real.

"Please. You must have the wrong person. There’s no reason for someone to want me dead. I don’t have any enemies."


"Then you’d best rethink your friends."


Realtor Carla Radling shows an “English gentleman” a lakeside estate—and finds herself facing a gun. Who has hired this assassin to kill her, and why? Forced on the run, Carla must uncover the scathing secrets of
her past. Secrets that could destroy some very powerful people.


Perhaps even change the face of a nation...

And, #4, Amber Morn:

The whole thing couldn’t have taken more than sixty seconds.

Bailey hung on to the counter, dazed. If she let go, she’d collapse—and the twitching fingers of the gunman would pull the trigger. The rest of her group huddled in frozen shock.

Dear God, help us! Tell me this is a dream...

The shooter’s teeth clenched. "Anybody who moves is dead."

On a beautiful Saturday morning the nationally read "Scenes and Beans" bloggers gather at Java Joint for a special celebration. Chaos erupts when three gunmen burst in and take them all hostage. One person is shot and dumped outside. Police Chief Vince Edwards must negotiate with the desperate trio. The gunmen insist on communicating through the “comments” section of the blog—so all the world can hear their story. What they demand, Vince can’t possibly provide. But if he doesn’t, over a dozen beloved

Kanner Lake citizens will die...

Sound good? Then you might want tp check out the Kanner Lake Series. You can read excerpts of the books on Mrs. Collins' website. And if you are interested in purchasing these books, just click on the links in this post.

Try them, I think you'll like them!

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!

         

What I am currently reading: The House on Malcolm Street by Leisha Kelly- I like the feel of this book so far. It is the story of a young widow and her 6-year-old daughter who go to live with the late husband's aunt in another state. They meet Josiah, a relative of the husband and aunt (I don't know yet how they are related), who is a widower. And there is also a kind, male neighbor who is Jewish. The setting is small town life in 1920. I will be reviewing this one next week.

What I recently finished reading: Heart of Lies by M.L. Malcolm - I got this one from the author. It was okay, but I think I would give it a 3 out of 5. I posted a guest post from Mrs. Malcolm on Monday.

What I'll probably read next: Exposure by Brandilyn Collins - I have liked Mrs. Collins' books over the years, practically inhaling the four books in the Kanner Lake Series. She has a way with words and the ability to put you on the edge of your seat when reading. I've had this one next to my bed for weeks, drooling over it and dying to get into it. I know I won't be disappointed.

That's it for this week. Tell me: what are you reading or have been reading or about to read? Let me know!

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!

What I am currently reading: Hidden Wives by Claire Avery

This is a story of two sisters living in a fundamentalist Mormon community and are being forced to marry men who are much older than themselves who already have several wives and children.

The authors (Claire Avery is a pen name for two sisters) were raised in an extreme fundamentalist Catholic community and have researched the lives of many in similar circumstances in order to write Hidden Wives. I have always been fascinated by groups such as this one depicted in the book. I don't want to put this book down! Review to come soon.

What I recently finished reading: Juliet by Anne Fortier

Read this post for a teaser on Juliet. Review will be posted on September 15. (BIG hint: I loved it!) 

What I'll probably read next: Either Choosing To SEE by Mary Beth Chapman (description here), or Exposure by Brandilyn Collins, or Predator by Terri Blackstock.

         

Hmmm......... choices, choices. So many books, so little time.

What are you reading? If you have a link, please share in the comment section. Thanks for visiting!