Dangerous Prospects

by Sandra Orchard

School teacher Angie Caldwell has been independent and resourceful her entire life. Abandoned to the foster care system at a young age, her only known remaining family is an estranged uncle. When the long-lost relative summons his niece to his hospital bedside out of the blue, Angie vows to do everything in her power to reach her uncle before it’s too late, hoping their reunion might lead to reconciliation. But at such late notice, flight choices are limited and Angie isn’t too impressed with the only available option. Accepting the risk, she reluctantly boards a tiny, independent aircraft—which has clearly seen better days—only to have her worst fears come to life when the plane is shot down over the Northern Ontario wilderness.

Unknown to Angie, professional engineer Gabe Blake has been hired to provide expert testimony in a case against her uncle’s small mining operation in the wake of an industrial catastrophe.

Years ago, Gabe’s brother died in a hunting accident because Gabe didn’t follow his gut. When their plane goes down, Gabe is determined not to repeat his past mistake, especially when he’s certain the crash was no accident, and the perpetrator will reach the site to finish off the passengers long before rescuers arrive. Angie is equally adamant that the best course of action is to remain with the plane, and the life of a teenage girl with a serious medical condition hangs in the balance.

Lost in the treacherous wilderness, Angie, Gabe, and their temporary charge fight the elements, those sent to track them down, and rapidly dwindling resources. With time running out, they must work together in order to survive.

216 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2023

About the author

Sandra leaps off the garden trails of her herbal-researcher-turned-amateur-sleuth (Port Aster Secrets) series, to the museum corridors of her plucky FBI art crime agent Serena Jones, in A Fool and His Monet.

When not plotting crimes, Sandra plays make-believe with her grandchildren or hikes with her hubby along the escarpment, near their home in Niagara, Canada.

Her novels have garnered numerous awards, including the National Readers' Choice Award, a Holt Medallion Award of Merit, an RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Daphne DuMaurier Award of Excellence and five national Canadian Awards.

Learn more about Sandra’s books and fun bonus features at www.sandraorchard.com

Reviews

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some deep backstories in Dangerous Prospects by Sandra Orchard. Seriously damaged protagonists here. A plane crash deep in the wilderness of Canada. A ticking clock with an insulin-dependent diabetic teen. And. Hunters hunting for the protagonists.

Dangerous Prospects feels more like Gabe Blake’s story than Angie Caldwell’s. However, both are needed to make the story compelling. Move the plot forward. And they thwart each other—sometimes at every turn. Both protagonists need to face their own demons to move on in life.

Orchard keeps the suspense high, the plot racing by until the very end. This adventure/mystery keeps the reader guessing how the characters will survive and get away from the hunters and out of the backcountry. This is an excellent story to study for pacing in a novel.

But if you are looking for an edge-of-your-seat adventure with plenty of danger, then Dangerous Prospects by Sandra Orchard is the novel for you.