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The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey Review

Hello Everyone :)


How's your week going so far?


Mine has been really amazing actually.


I've been enjoying the Christmas in July readathon I'm taking part in so very much, and I'm also really enjoying the devotional I'm currently working my way through as well.


I've been feeling a lot more inspired about everything lately, and I hope that's also coming across in my more recent blog posts.


If you've been following my blog for awhile, then you probably already know that I love Dani Pettrey's novels. They're always deliciously scary, but always have a strong faith element at the core of the story, and that's a fact that's very much appreciated by this Christian book blogger.


Her upcoming release was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019, and I'm so thankful to Bethany House for giving me the amazing opportunity to advance read this.


Today I'm here to share with all of you what I thought about it!


The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey:



Source: Publisher (Bethany House) Via NetGalley

Publisher: Bethany House

Publication Date: August 6th, 2019

Genre: Christian Fiction/Suspense

Series: Coastal Guardians

Synopsis:


When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, CGIS special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous and volatile crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's adrift cutter, and the direction the clues point will test him and the guard to their limits.

Complicating matters further is the arrival of investigative reporter Harper Grace. An unrelenting journalist who was nearly killed as the result of her last expose, Harper has been sent to Wilmington on the hunch of her boss that the Coast Guard is stonewalling the truth about the officers. An interview with the dead victim's wife convinces her there's a story worth uncovering, even if it means risking her life again.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Harper can't ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them, but will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer before they become his next mark?


(synopsis from goodreads)



My Review:

The Killing Tide is a thrilling start to Dani Pettrey's new Coastal Guardians series. Fans of her previous books will enjoy this suspenseful, character driven, page turner of a novel that plunges readers right into the story from the very first pages.

Gabby Rowley is an investigative journalist who's recent role in the take down of a highly successful drug lord has put a price on her head. After an attempt on her life, her older brother Noah decides the best place for her is back home with her family around to protect her. Noah is a member of the Coast Guard Investigative Services special agent team, and decides the best plan of action is for Gabby to stay in his fellow team member Finn's guest house. Finn and Gabby have a history, and it ended with her choosing her career over him, and breaking his heart into pieces in the process. However, despite the unresolved feelings on both ends, Finn will stop at nothing to keep Gabby safe.

Finn and Noah's work with CGIS is often dangerous, and they're about to experience one of their most dangerous cases yet. A situation gone wrong at sea results in the death of two of their own, and suspicions are soon placed on those they never would thought they couldn't trust. As the case builds and builds, more and more players are revealed, and the enormous depths as to just how far this case truly extends have only begun to be revealed. As Finn and Noah struggle to solve the case, and bring those behind everything to justice, they also struggle to keep Gabby safe and sound, and out of the line of fire. They'll need faith, prayer and God's help more than ever before, to truly get to the bottom of just what they've gotten themselves into.

From start to finish, The Killing Tide is a roller coaster ride of a story, and showcases once again just how talented of an author Dani Pettrey is. The reader can always tell just how much research goes into each and every one of her stories, and I loved the fact that she chose to set her new series around the CGIS. As with each of her previous series, this one is highly character driven, and the reader is introduced to quite a few characters within the CGIS and their surrounding friends and family that will most likely play a roll in the consequential novels. I have to applaud the fact that with and every one of this author's books I've read, the faith element has been at the front and center, and I was very happy that this was the case here as well. It's always refreshing when a crime fighting team remembers to call on His help, and not depend on only their own devices.

I did have a couple of minor issues with this one that I do want to mention. As much as I love how character driven Dani Pettrey's novels are, this one tends to get a tad carried away with this, and there's quite a few characters and corresponding back stories introduced, many of which we're never truly explained. I'm hoping this is because they'll be explained in future novels. As well, I really found the writing jumped around a lot within this one, and while I never truly got confused, I think it would have been a bit more enjoyable if this had been minimized a bit. Also, while I loved many of the characters featured throughout; especially Finn, Noah, Caleb and Rissi, I was never really sold on Gabby's character by the end of the story. She makes some pretty bad decisions in the name of her career, putting both herself and others in danger in the process, and her selfishness kind of grated on my nerves. Thankfully it wasn't enough to ruin the story for me, but I have a feeling I'll enjoy the stories about the other characters more. 

Overall though, I really enjoyed this one and thought it was a great start to her new series. I especially enjoyed the fact that the ending completely blew me away, and I'd actually thought I had a big piece of it pieced together, and am happy to admit that I was completely wrong. I highly recommend this to anyone who's been a fan of Dani's previous novels or any fans of Christian suspense.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Thanks so much to Bethany House for the opportunity to advance read this!



I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review. 


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