False Front

by Charlie Hudson

False Front, the new novel featuring female underwater investigator Chris Green, takes the reader from the beautiful reefs of Belize to a gritty inner city neighborhood in Houston and then back into the dark waters of Galveston Island. If you enjoyed Deadly Doubloons, you'll find even more to like in False Front.

Genres: Crime, Memoir, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2013

About the author

Set aside the fact that I was going to be a French teacher, which wasn’t a bad idea. That, by the way, can be clearly traced to my affection for the original movie of "Sabrina". Although my intent was strengthened by spending my senior year of high school in France on a scholarship, my grandfather’s influence took over when I returned. I decided to follow in his footsteps, go to law school, and enter the small family law firm in a very small Louisiana town. Since we lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana, the home of Northwestern State University, going to college in town was the economically feasible choice. Paying for law school was going to be another matter. It’s a bit difficult to believe now, but at that time, women were not allowed to go through ROTC or the military academies, and so they had special programs to bring women into the military directly from college. The special program paid for my senior year of college, would require me to only serve for two years, and then I would have the GI bill that I could use for law school. Voila!, problem solved.

Except that one thing led to another and it was actually 22 years before I left the Army. (Not to worry, two of my cousins went to law school and upheld the family name.) During the process of my first career, I became somewhat of an inadvertent pioneer, holding several jobs that had been traditionally held only by men. It really was a matter of timing; not a grand scheme. For those who have not yet had two decades-plus slip by you, it’s amazing when you look back. Those 22 years saw my career with assignments overseas and in the U.S., my first marriage, an unexpected pregnancy, the birth of our son Dustin, and the tragic accident that left me as a widow with a four-month old son. Then it was seven years of single parenting, and a night at the Officers’ Club (on a Friday the 13th no less), when I met the man who was to become my second husband. The next part of my career saw more time overseas including both of us serving in Desert Storm, then Italy, then Hawaii, and my participation in Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti in 1995. And yes, it was in Hawaii where my husband introduced me to the wonders of scuba diving and the fascinating underwater world.

I was coming up on retirement in the summer of 1995 when my husband strongly urged me to take some time and work on that novel that I had been putting off. We were on our way to Washington, D.C., for my husband's assignment to the Pentagon. In the “write what you know” vein, my first novel, Orchids in the Snow, centered around a military wife. When it became evident that my venture into publishing was not going to launch me onto a best seller list, I took a position with a small services and Information Technology firm, as do many retired military.

I balanced book and short-story writing with my “day job” as well as fulfilled my military wife duties, and adjusted to having a high schooler. It was also in this stage of our lives when we modified our plans for my husband’s retirement so that we would actually move away from the corporate world and focus on fun second careers. That led us to South Florida where my husband teaches scuba and I write.

Do join me on my web site of http://charliehudson.net where the first chapter of all my books are posted.

Reviews

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Hudson’s False Front surprised me by how atmospheric it was: I could almost feel the saltwater on my skin when Chris dives among reefs, and smell the damp concrete of Houston’s backstreets. The pacing is sharp, there’s no fluff, only tension and action. Chris isn’t a stereotypical “hard-boiled” detective; she’s layered, haunted by the underwater world’s mysteries and drawn into danger when least expecting it. I appreciated that the book didn’t shy away from moral complexity: allies might betray, and the boundary between hunter and prey gets blurred. A memorable thriller that balances setting, character, and plot.

[Abe Feranmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What makes False Front stand out is its lead: Chris Green feels real. She’s not invincible, she hesitates, doubts herself, but pushes on when she has to. That human fragility makes the peril she faces more intense. The transitions, from Belize reefs to Houston streets, then to Galveston’s murky waters, are handled seamlessly, which kept me immersed instead of jarred. I particularly liked how the author leveraged Chris’s unique skills as an underwater investigator in unexpected ways, giving the story a freshness that many thrillers lack. A smart, satisfying mystery that left me thinking long after I finished.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished False Front and absolutely loved it. Charlie Hudson delivers a gripping mystery that kept me turning pages from start to finish. Chris Green is such a strong and believable lead, and the way the story moves from the beautiful reefs of Belize to the darker waters around Galveston made everything feel vivid and real. The tension builds smoothly, the twists land perfectly, and the underwater scenes are some of the best I’ve read. If you enjoy fast, immersive mysteries with a smart, capable heroine, this one is definitely worth reading.

[Dorothy Larrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved most is how Hudson balances action with emotional depth. The dives in Belize are described vividly you can almost feel the salt on your skin, taste the humidity of the sea, and hear the muffled sounds of life under water. These scenes aren’t just set dressing for danger; they become integral to Chris’s character and the mysteries she unravels. On the other hand, when the story moves into the urban chaos of Houston and later Galveston Island, the contrast is sharp but well-earned the darkness of the city mirrors some of the more internal shadows Chris fights.

[Aveline · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Front centers on Chris Green, an underwater investigator, which already sets the stage for a suspenseful, somewhat exotic tone. The story takes you to very different settings, from the vibrant, dangerous reefs of Belize to gritty urban neighborhoods in Houston, and even into the murky depths of Galveston Island. Hudson uses the contrast between these worlds to build tension, the calm beauty of the sea hides danger, just as city life conceals darker secrets.

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Hudson really knows how to use water, reefs, boats, and coastal environments to shape atmosphere. The Belize sections in particular feel vivid without slowing the narrative, and the shift between those bright tropical scenes and the murkier Houston/Galveston moments gives the story a nice contrast.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book and honestly, it pulled me in more than I expected. The characters felt real, the pacing stayed tight, and the little twists kept me turning each page. It blends emotion and suspense in a way that doesn’t feel forced. If you enjoy stories that leave you thinking about the characters long after you’re done, this one is worth picking up.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A suspense loaded ride from page one. The hidden identity twist, with Emma/Emily’s past and Nathan’s public persona, made every chapter feel like walking on a tightrope: you never know when the next reveal will upend everything.

[Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is convincingly more than the “victim turned heroine”: her trauma shapes her choices, but doesn’t define her weakness, she’s tough, vulnerable, realistic. Nathan could’ve been a shallow playboy, yet the author peels back his façade to show a conflicted, capable man scarred by his past.

[David Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Front left me unexpectedly moved, following Chris through each shift in her world felt so real that I carried the story with me long after I finished.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Front pulled me in from page one. The twists were sharp, the pacing tight, and the characters felt real. A solid, gripping read.

[Wonder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlie Hudson delivers a clever, suspenseful story. I loved how every clue mattered. Perfect for anyone who enjoys smart mysteries.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chemistry between Emma and Nathan never felt forced, there was history, guilt, longing, and pain. Their attempts to reconnect felt genuine, messy, and earned.

[Charlie Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nailed it!!!!