Title: When A Heart
Stops (Deadly Reunions)
Author: Lynette Eason
Pages: 336
Year: 2012
Publisher: Revell
The first book in
the Deadly Reunions series is entitled, When the Smoke Clears. In the first book, the framework for the
story is laid out with small amounts of information about the past as well as
the current life of one of the girls, Alexia.
In When a Heart Stops, the stories of the characters from the
first book as well as the plot from the first book are continued. If you haven’t read the first book, there are
“spoilers” shared in the second book. So,
if you don’t want to know the ending to the first novel, read that book first. The characters from the first book appear in
this sequel although with a different mystery.
The author does a fantastic job weaving both books together as there is
a main mystery going on throughout the books along with sub-mysteries that you
might think have nothing to do with solving the main problem. Is that really the case?
There is a high school
10-year reunion coming up. The main
characters begin to think back on their high school days, and that is where the
spark of a mystery begins. How does the
author begin to lay the groundwork for her multilayered mysteries? When the Smoke Clears begins with some
unanswered questions. On top of that,
Alexia, who is a firefighter, becomes the focus of a killer. As you progress through the mystery, clues
from the past are given to the reader about the characters’ public and private
lives.
The reunion still
hasn’t taken place, and the focus shifts to a character named Serena who is
employed as a medical examiner. Her job
has been to get clues before and after an autopsy. She lives alone with no immediate future
prospects for a boyfriend. As the body
count keeps going up, the MO starts to remind FBI agents of a case from the
past even though the killer is incarcerated.
With the help of other agencies and familiar characters, the research
begins to uncover an even deeper unsolved case.
Is it the same case an agent at the FBI was working on in the past or is
it a copycat killer?
The more Serena
helps FBI agents and friends find answers, the more her life is
endangered. Throw into the mix Alexia
and her brother are also looking for their long lost father. Do they really want to find him though? Serena is so good at finding solutions she
comes up with the biggest clue yet that helps others track down leads. What exactly is this big lead that no one
else has noticed?
I really enjoyed
this mystery, especially since I had been reading When the Smoke Clears. The multiple storylines, plots, scenes,
clues, and themes keep the reader turning every page until the end. However, was I really reading the end? It is so enjoyable to see characters
portrayed as believers who pray, struggle, fellowship, doubt, make mistakes,
and how God redeems it all. One other
point from the books is that we should never be so wound up in our own lives
that we aren’t reaching out to others.
Fantastic job done by Lynette Eason and I can’t wait to see what she
comes up with next!
My rating is 4
stars.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest
review of this book. The opinions shared
in this review are solely my responsibility.
Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/
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