Severed Trust

The Men of the Texas Rangers #4

by Margaret Daley

The day Sadie Thompson finds her high school student, Lexie, asleep in class and can't wake her is the day she realizes how entrenched a prescription drug ring is in her school. As Sadie is pulled into doing something about the growing problem, she becomes involved with Ethan Stone a Texas Ranger who suspects the drug ring reaches far beyond the high school. Helping Lexie recover from the overdose, Sadie feels she is making a difference until the 16-year-old's best friend dies from the apparent mixing of various prescription drugs. Lexie doesn't think her friend took her own life, but her relationship with her Uncle Ethan is precarious and she doesn t know if either he or Sadie will help her discover the truth.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Suspense, Christian, Audiobook, Western Romance, Romantic Suspense

375 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Margaret Daley, an award-winning author of seventy-six books, has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread and corralling her three cats that think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret visit her website at http://www.margaretdaley.com.

Reviews

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I found many aspects of this story fascinating, I wish that the author had set this with college students and not high school students. So many deaths of underage students bothered me. I also struggled with the narrator. She’s fine with the female characters but her tone for the males is too loud and gravelly for my tastes. Happy reading and listening!

[Iola · Rating 3 out of 5]

High school football star Jared Montgomery is found drowned in his car, and it looks like foul play. Texas Ranger Ethan Stone joins local chief of police Cord Thompson in unravelling a case that involves prescription drug abuse at teenage ‘pill parties’ and an attempted murder in a case that is too close for comfort for Ethan and Cord, especially when it becomes apparent that Ethan’s niece and Cord’s sister might be at risk.

Severed Trust was a fast-paced and exciting read, and once I’d started reading I didn’t want to put it down (always a good sign). There was a complex plot, with a combination of suspense (prescription drug abuse and murder), relationship issues (between friends, and father-daughter), and a little romance. The Christian aspect was understated and not at all preachy. There were a good set of characters, all of whom felt very real and not at all stereotypical.

Despite all these good things, I had two problems with Severed Trust. First, there were a lot of characters, and I had trouble keeping them all straight at times. This is partly my own fault. I read fast anyway, and I read especially quickly when the book is as fast-paced and exciting as this. My second problem was at the end, when it seemed that a character was added out of nowhere.

This is the fourth book in Margaret Daley’s Texas Ranger series, and can easily be read as a standalone as the series is related by theme rather than by characters. Each story features a Texas Ranger (surprise!) facing a challenging criminal case, and hopefully finding a little love. The other similarity is the cases: each book deals with an issue facing modern teens.

Thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review. You can find out more about Margaret Daley at her website. http://www.margaretdaley.com/

[Shannah Mauney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another excellent book by Margaret Daley, and the perfect conclusion to the Men of the Texas Rangers series. At times, the story had me gripping the edge of my seat. There were a couple plot lines running through the story, and the author did an excellent job of bringing everything together to a satisfactory close. See my full review: http://faithlovebooks.blogspot.com/20...

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good!

[Leisa Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and thought it was the best one in the series. The characters were engaging. The subject matter was current and gripping. Ms. Daley showed the effects of drug abuse on so many levels. It also showed the impact of parents that are involved in their children's lives and those that are not - yet in both cases the impact of drugs can still touch both types of relationships. We looked at peer pressure and the need to be accepted. It was a well written book.

Note: Although these books are part of series the only common thread is that they are all Texas Rangers. Sadly, you don't revisit any of the characters from previous books and that was somewhat disappointing. Having said that it really doesn't matter in what order you read them as they are all stand alone novels. Happy reading!

[Reggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school teacher, Sadie Thompson, can’t believe that one of her students is dead...and it wasn’t suicide! Apparently it all started at a ‘pill party’. As her brother, police chief Cord Thompson, and childhood friend, Texas Ranger Ethan Stone, investigate, it becomes obvious that the teens are hiding something. When Sadie finds one of students unresponsive in class, she becomes more involved...especially since the teen is Ranger Stone’s niece!
This book is the best in the series. The author does an excellent job handling the seriousness of prescription drug abuse. Lots of drama and the ending will surprise you. Highly recommend this series.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian Contemporary Suspenseful Romance

This story is soo relevant to the youth of today.  It's truly scary if you have school age children or family members!
Drugs, whether prescription used wrongly, or street varieties, are so extremely dangerous, addicting, and can affect all ages and walks of life.
This story does a wonderful job showing the dangers, the reasons some might try it, and the ease of access in obtaining them. I know it's just a story, but take this one to heart!
The narration was excellent and the story was engrossing!

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding a car and body inside, a football high school player, had every thing going for him, so they rule out suicide. Rumors of pill parties going on.
Kelly wanting Jared to like her, takes pills from her mother’s stash and goes. He left her, everything is a blur, thankfully she had a phone to call Lexie to pick her up. Cops are concerned, then Ethan as a Texas Ranger and Sadie a teacher, start to investigate. Good haunting story of high school kids.

[Diane Fazioli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

Margaret did a wonderful job. Each story had more than 1 plot. Love the way she keeps her characters entwined. The reason I continue to read her books is because she keeps God in the story, as a major character. As it says in the Bible “all things are possible through God”

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great to read this series again, and I enjoyed reading them the second time as much as I did the first.
All were great reads, but this one seemed more suspenseful and had a lot going on.
I highly recommend this series, and it is one that can be read in any order. Though all of the books are about Texas Rangers, they do not overlap or hinge off each other in any way

[Danyelle]

Sadie Thompson, a high school teacher, is thrust into the issue of drug abuse after a beloved student dies under suspicious circumstances and everyone feels the sting of his loss. She becomes more aware of the ever growing problem of prescription drug abuse by teenagers and is determined to help eradicate the problem to help current and future students be safe in school. Because of her determination to stifle the problem, she's put in the crosshairs of some nasty pranks and she might need help if those threats ever come true.

For Texas Ranger Ethan Stone this wasn't the case he wanted after just moving back. However, the case becomes personal when Ethan's niece, Lexie, is drugged in an attempt to silence her of what she knows. After this Sadie joins up with Ethan and they discover that the drug ring goes way deeper than just Sadie's high school. They also must work together to help Lexie piece her life back together from the betrayal and hurt that has been piled on her.

Progress is made until Lexie's best friend commits suicide, or so it looks to the authorities. When Lexie confides in Sadie about her doubts about her friend's death, Sadie tells Ethan and they work together to stop abuse and a murder before they have another crime scene on their hands. Their closeness brings them together and their digging puts them in danger but they're not going to stop until they stop the drug ring completely.

Will Ethan and Sadie be able to find out who's responsible for all the deaths or will they lose another person before they figure it out? Will Ethan and Sadie be able to have a relationship or will circumstances and a brother keep them apart? Can Lexie help find her friend's killer and help stop another from dying or will she keep information to herself? Can Ethan and Sadie stop the drug ring or will it still go strong?
---------------------------------

I believe this is the first book I've ever read by Margaret Daley and I must say that she did a very good job at making a very believable storyline and mystery. Her choice of topic is an interesting one and one I don't think many know even exists let alone is a big problem in our culture. She did an amazing job at capturing the severity of the topic and forming a believable suspense from it. It really asks the question how far would you go to keep your secret?

Like most suspenses written by women, this boom has some romance to it. Also like most suspenses, the romance takes second stage to the actual mystery and that's how I like it. Actually I got two small romances out of this novel, but the main focus was on Sadie and Ethan, their investigation and romance. I thought that their love was sweet and made sense and I loved it.

The suspense isn't very intense which means that the majority of the book is spent with threats and secrets and not much action which can make the book drag on a bit at points. However, the action points are nicely handled and the end if the suspense was a perfect end to the mystery. The author also chose to make the murderer almost impossible to figure out as they are only really mentioned once or twice throughout the book. I was actually a bit surprised at the author's choice for the killer and their motive. The killer was handled excellently.

I think the topic of this novel is one we should all pay more attention to, our prescriptions and potential abuse. People think that their child would never take their pills but peer pressure is very strong and you never know what your children might decide to do with the right coaxing. That's why anyone that has a child that lives at home needs to be aware of their medications, even ones that seem harmless or ones that don't seem desirable. Keep track of how many you actually have and if you have medication that you don't use anymore, properly dispose of it instead of letting it sit in your medicine cabinet ready for the taking. If every one of us does this maybe we can at least deter substance abuse, at least in our own homes. This book carries a heavy cautionary tale that we should all take seriously.

The author is a new one for one but this book, even though it wasn't the best I've ever read, definitely made me want to read the other three in the series and see what other serious and fatal topics that this author broaches. The fact that she chose a topic that isn't widely known or light made me a fan an gives her major points in my book. If all of her books are like this you can expect to see more reviews for books of hers popping up on this website.

Overall, even though this book wasn't perfect, the topic made this book memorable and because of that I gave it more points than I normally would've given it. This book is perfect for fans of Margaret Daley and suspense or people who want fiction novel that will show them the dangers of prescription medication abuse. This book is definitely best left to the adults but teenagers could read this to show them what could happen if they start taking medication that isn't theirs. I give this book a four out of five.

*I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

[Julie Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced and exciting

I have read all 4 books in this series. This author is great in her writing and all 4 books have me wanting to read more from this author. I love theses books about Texas rangers.

[Starla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow kept me wondering who did it. This books just opens your eye, especially with the epidemic all over the country of prescription drug use with kids and adults with meds that aren’t yours. It’s sad and scary

[Ramona Lowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nail biter!!!!

This has to be one of my favorite books by Margaret Daley.......... actually I LOVE this series. It's the type of book you can't wait to get to the end then wish it didn't end. So very good!

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the series Men of the Texas Rangers. The series is all about Texas Rangers but included cowboys so that makes it even better. I read all four and thought they were suspenseful and romanic so I liked all of them.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked how this whole series exposes the dangers that right in our own houses, schools and areas, without being overly graphic, but kept me still on the edge of my seat a bit.
I enjoyed the whole series.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The issues in this book are so true to life now days with teenagers. Drugs galore, and peer pressure have always been an issue with kids. But a pill party? Gone South...and murders all occurring to teenagers....Margaret writes a very compelling, open your eyes book with this one. great read.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Kelly Greenwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Scary insight into prescription drug abuse. It was the topic that interested me rather than the christian writer.

[JonaLee]

really enjoying this series

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the latest "in" thing. But first you have to be approved by those that are already part of this exclusive group. Funny how it has to happen that way but in order to ensure security within the group it has to be this way. Oh and you do have to bring along a little something to contribute to the party as well. Welcome to a pill party. Now that you have been approved based on who you're dating, you are expected to bring along whatever happens to be in your medicine cabinet. Don't take too many pills from those bottles as we don't want others to notice they are missing, but maybe one or two for now. They can be anything, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, blood pressure medicine or even pain pills. Just make sure no one sees you taking them and we'll see you there. Make sure you don't tell anyone either or else!

Such is the premise behind Severed Trust by best selling author Margaret Daley in the fourth book in her Men of the Texas Rangers Series. We are immediately introduced to Kelly Winston who finally has her shot with the popular kids in Summerton High School. Now dating a football player, Jared Montgomery who literally has everything going for him including the fact that his dad Bradley is one of the town's richest men and who also owns the largest ranch in Texas. Now Kelly just has to make it through this party with Jared who ensure her that he won't let anything happen to her. He loves her after all and this is a way for Kelly to get to know his closest friends. Armed with a handful of prescription pills that removed from their parents medicine chests, they arrive at the party to contribute their pills to a large bowl in the middle of the abandoned warehouse. The goal of the party is to take a handful of the assorted pills and drink them down with a beer and see what happens.

Jared tells her nothing bad has ever happened. Most of the time, kid's don't experience anything at all; some get a temporary high or others simply sleep off the effects. However Kelly questions just how right any of this is, but wanting to be a permanent part of Jared's future, she decides to take a risk. Only tonight things will take a dramatically different course. When Kelly wakes up she finds Jared cold and laying on the ground of the warehouse. She hears someone mention he is dead and that they have to get him out of the warehouse. Kelly knows she has to get out of here before anyone finds out, so she calls her best friend Lexie to come give her a ride. She makes Lexie promise not to say anything about picking her up, but when she arrives home, the police are waiting for her.

It doesn't help that Lexie's uncle is Ethan Stone, a Texas Ranger and her dad, Cord, is the chief of police. Just how can she find her way through being loyal to her best friend and doing the right thing, especially when Jared's body has been found in the lake. Now it leads Lexie to wonder just what Kelly and Jared were up to and Kelly doesn't want to talk to her about anything that happened that night. In fact, Kelly goes as far as telling the police that she came home after her date with Jared and she doesn't know what happened after he dropped her off. But soon clues begin to point Ethan and Cord to the fact that Jared was murdered and his father will pull out all the stops to ensure that the murderer is caught.

I received Severed Trust by Margaret Daley compliments of Abingdon Press for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable one and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. This really opens the readers eyes to what may in fact be happening in schools all over the country. With illegal drugs becoming harder to come by, "pill parties" are becoming the latest thing for middle school and high school students to be involved in. We already know how easy it is for some kids to become addicted to prescription drugs but this is a chilling look at the dangers that may be happening right under our own noses. Once again Margaret Daley takes this novel into a sensational suspense thriller and completely leaves you guessing at what is happening until it all falls into place at the very climatic ending. Makes you wonder how far you'd go to cover for your friend when you give them your word? I'd rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and think it definitely gives parents another conversation starter to have in their own family to prevent this kind of thing from happening to those we love and care about.

[Victor Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margaret Daley in her new book, “Severed Trust” Book Four in The Men of the Texas Rangers Series published by Abingdon Press takes us into the lives of Ethan Stone and Sadie Thompson.

From the back cover: Is it suicide — or murder?

When a popular high school student dies under mysterious circumstances, teacher Sadie Thompson is not only pulled into the growing problem of prescription drug abuse but also becomes involved with the Texas Ranger investigating the death. Through Ethan Stone Sadie discovers the drug ring reaches much further than just into her high school.

After Ethan’s niece Lexie is drugged in an attempt to silence her, Sadie helps Lexie piece her life back together. They make progress until Lexie’s best friend commits suicide–or so it looks to the authorities. When Lexie confides to Sadie about her suspicions concerning her friend’s death, Sadie and Ethan find themselves in a desperate race to stop the abuse — and a murder.

I like stories that involve The Texas Rangers. It does not matter to me what time period the story takes place in just so that it involves them. There is a certain personality to this group that captures my attention. Let me say this right off, Margaret Daley does not disappoint! Drugs! Not the prescription kind, the kind that does terrible things to the body and turns it into an addict. A criminal group is targeting High schoolers with their evil pills and Ethan is trying to combat them. Sadie is just trying to teach but her “kids” are involved and they drag her into the investigation. Now the two of them with some help from Lexie are going to try to put an end to this epidemic. I think that “Severed Trust” is her best work yet. Ms. Daley knows how to ratchet up the tension so that your nerves are strung tight as you work with Ethan and Sadie to break the organized crime ring that has a death grip on their teenagers. “Severed Trust” is a thriller as the characters are in deadly danger practically from page one. On top of everything Ms. Daley manages to weave a romance into this story that just captivates you. This is also just plain fun and exciting as well. Don’t start this book late at night because it will cost you sleep. I hope there is a next book in the series.

You can find “Severed Trust” at a discount at http://www.deepershopping.com/item/ma...

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Carissa (Regency Woman) · Rating 4 out of 5]

- I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In the small town of Summerton, life is normal. Kids go to school, parents go to work . . . and people pop prescription pills for fun. Kelly discovers the hard way that being accepted into a pill party isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially when another attendee ends up dead. But she's too scared to talk, not even to her best friend Lexie, and certainly not to Lexie's Uncle Ethan who just happens to be a Texas Ranger. Secrets and lies pile up and Ethan is desperate to get to the bottom of the mystery, especially before someone he loves gets hurt.

This is one of those books with a plot so true-to-life that it's terrifying. Pill parties are real. Kids don't just take heroine or cocaine to get high. It can just be a combination of pills snitched from their parents. So, in this regard, Margaret Daley addresses a very real issue that tends to get glossed over in literature, even Christian lit. Prescription drug addiction is real and it can ruin your life.

Now, on to the book itself, I couldn't really put it down. I started it sometime early this morning, before church, and just finished it now. Which means that the story was compelling enough to keep me reading. However, I will say that I think Ms. Daley had a few too many main characters. She changes perspective several times to represent these characters and it was hard for me to remember who was related to who and what their connection was to someone else. Also, I think it climaxed too quickly and with too easy of a resolution. I'm not sure what I expected, but not everything tidily wrapped up, well mostly wrapped up since I'm still not sure about one guy's motive in showing up again in his ex-wife's life.

Ultimately, the book would have been better had it been written strictly for teens. Because I read a lot of teen lit, I found Ms. Daley's voice to match teen lit better than adult. I connected with Kelly and Lexie much better than her adult characters. The teen voice just worked. I would like to see what she would do with a book written solely for teens. I think she would wow the Christian market and I hope she considers it someday.

On the whole, Severed Trust was a very compelling read about a terrifying subject, made all the more scary because it's real.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Severed Trust is Margaret Daley's fourth book in her "The Men of the Texas Rangers" series. Having already read the other three books in the series, Saving Hope, Shattered Silence and Scorned Justice, I just had to read her newest offering in the series. I wasn't disappointed.


Ms. Daley always creates believable characters that work their way into the heart of the reader. In Severed Trust, school teacher Sadie Thompson and Texas Ranger, Ethan Stone bring to life a story about teenagers, pill parties and prescription drugs. A death occurs, is it suicide or murder? That is what drives the story forward.

The scary thing is pill parties are happening around the country in the real world today. Parents should read this book so they can get an idea of what could be happening in their children's school. A pill party is where kids steal prescription pills from parents, or wherever they can find them, go to a party where all the pills are tossed in a bowl and then along with drinking alcohol they grab handfuls of pills and down them. Scary huh?! They can be taking a deadly combination and in this book that's exactly what happens when a young high school football player takes a wrong combination and is found dead. But was it from the pills or was something else at play that caused the death. Ms. Daley puts the reader on the edge of their seat as she takes them on a journey with many twists and turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out something else happened to take me to another conclusion. I love books that can make me feel as if I am part of the story and keep me interested until the very last page.

I am a really big fan of Margaret Daley's work and I have loved each and every book in "The Men of the Texas Rangers" series. They are all stand-alone books so you needn't worry that you have to read them in order. but I highly recommend that you read each one of them as they are all very good.

If you would like to read the Prologue and Chapter 1 you can read it here.

On a 5-star scale = 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Abingdon Press for my review copy of Severed Trust. I received my copy for free in order to read it and give my honest review, which I have done.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: SEVERED TRUST
Author: Margaret Daley
Publisher: Abingdon Press
October 2013
ISBN: 978-1426761867
Genre: Romantic Suspense

The day Sadie Thompson finds her high school student, Lexie, asleep in class and can't wake her is the day she realizes how entrenched a prescription drug ring is in her school. As Sadie is pulled into doing something about the growing problem, she becomes involved with Ethan Stone—a Texas Ranger who suspects the drug ring reaches far beyond the high school.

Helping Lexie recover from the overdose, Sadie feels she is making a difference—until the 16-year-old's best friend dies from the apparent mixing of various prescription drugs. Lexie doesn't think her friend took her own life, but her relationship with her Uncle Ethan is precarious and she doesn’t know if either he or Sadie will help her discover the truth.

SEVERED TRUST is book 4 in Ms. Daley’s The Men of the Texas Rangers series. The four books are stand alone, but readers will want to read them all, Saving Hope, Shattered Silence, Scorned Justice, and SEVERED TRUST. These books all deal with tough, hard-to-read issues, and the main issue in SEVERED TRUST is teenaged drug abuse.

I know these things go on, but some of the things the teens did in this book are very dangerous, such as droned (getting drunk and stoned), or mixing a collection of various prescription drugs and taking a handful at a time. Seriously. Parents of teens or teachers need to talk to them about drug abuse. Fans of romantic suspense will love these books, as there is enough action to keep the pages turning, even if the subject matter is hard reading. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 320 pages. 4 stars.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Severed Trust by Margaret Daley
The Men of the Texas Rangers Series Book 4
Texas Ranger Ethan Stone has recently moved back to his hometown. Things are not right there. After the death of a high school student things quickly turn worse. Heading up the investigation with his old friend Cord Thompson, who is the chief of police, they find themselves buried in the investigation while trying to protect those they love.
Sadie Thompson also recently returned to town. After choosing to marry a man her father disapproved of, she left. So did her new husband after the twins were born. Now she finds herself as a teacher in the local high school in the middle of a prescription drug ring and her ex has returned wanting to be part of her twins lives, thirteen years late. Not the best time for her young girls crush to make a reappearance.
This story pulled me in from the start and held on to the end. It gave insight to several of the characters points of view. There was definitely romance, put on the back burner while real life took over. This series is so well written and hard hitting. Truths of what is going on in everyday life. Starting with Saving Hope that deals with child prostitution rings, then Shattered Silence dealing with bullies among other topics and book three is Scorned Justice which deals with an organized crime ring.
**Received through NetGalley for review http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...

[Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in The Men Of The Texas Rangers Series, and it's exactly the kind of series I enjoy. Each book is a stand alone story full of action, suspense and romance, although not so much of the last that it dominates the entire story. This book is another great addition to the series.
Prescription drug use has become a big problem at the local high school and one of the teachers, Sadie, wants to do something about it. Not only is she a teacher, she has twins at home who are approaching high school age so she's also a concerned parent. She, of course, doesn't think her kids would have anything to do with it but really gets her eyes opened to just how widespread it is. This is a problem that is prevalent in our society and many people can relate to it. The author really educates the reader on the problem of prescription drug use, and not only with young people.
I enjoyed the book, but I have to say I was not happy with the ending. The antagonist had rather flimsy reasons for doing all that they did, in my mind. I would still highly recommend the whole series. I received this ebook from Abingdon Press for the purpose of an honest review. My opinion is my own. Thank you Abingdon Press.

[Jennifer Lombardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drug problems in high school? Who has heard of such a thing? HA! We ALL have, am I right? This is a HUGE problem that is generally kept quiet. This book goes through a school facing severe prescription drug problems. students are dead, parents are freaking out, the school board is upset and the cops are frantically trying to get to the bottom of things.

I LOVED this book. LOVED it. The real life issues were not glazed over. It was realistic and intense throughout. The author did not sugar coat things or try to make it less real and I appreciated that. I loved that she did not hold back and allowed important characters to be killed or hurt. That made this book even better in my opinion.

I was able to really understand these characters. I could feel their emotions, laugh with them, cry with them and really relate to each and every one of them. There were times that I thought I knew what was going on and then something happened to make me doubt myself. In this book, I did not figure it all out until the end and I LOVE that. This book kept me guessing!

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a light mystery with a touch of romance.

***This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an open and honest review***

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Severed Trust was a quick read that seems to have been plucked right out of the headlines of our country. Margaret Daley carefully penned a story that unfortunately, many people can relate with. The issue of prescription drug abuse has spread like wildfire throughout our country and sadly enough our young people.

Sadie Thompson is a small town teacher in Texas that begins to investigate and dig deeper into a drug ring in her school. With the help of her love interest, Ethan, and some cooperating additional characters, this murder mystery is solved. Many twists and turns along the way kept me glued to the book. I finished reading the book in two days. I definitely enjoyed the book, however, I felt that there were a few too many characters and not enough of their story was revealed. I wanted more background on people, especially Harris. As the book concluded, I still had several questions: Why was that lawyer Livingston so involved in the case? What were really Harris' motives?

I do recommend this book; it will not disappoint.
Thank you to the author, Margaret Daley, and Abingdon Press for the opportunity to read the advance copy.

[Sheila McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is right on target in terms of a huge problem our country has with prescription drugs and in particular our young people--Ms. Daley tackles the issue head-on. Overall, I thought the book was really good, and it has reminded me that being addicted to drugs can be in the form of illegal drugs or in the form of drugs that were prescribed for the right reasons but taken wrongly.

The characters were believable and certainly in keeping with what young people would go through. I love how Lexie, even though she faces some struggles by herself, rises above them and handles them as a mature Christian would--how inspiring for such a young girl! While I love the story, I did find sometimes that the writing wasn't as smooth as I have read in other books. Overall though it was a great book, and I would recommend others to read it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Abingdon Press for allowing me to preview the book--the opinions which I wrote are my own.