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Calculated Vendetta
KILLER STORY
When army journalist Casey Jordan's attacked, she's convinced it's a random mugging--until a killer comes after the military team she's interviewing. But who's the real target: Casey or her ex--staff sergeant Travis Heath? Despite an attraction that still lingers, Travis pushed Casey away months ago, convinced military life leaves no room for attachments. But when the attacks grow increasingly personal, Travis begins to question his chosen path. As the targets of a killer's vendetta, though, it could be too late to make up for lost time...because he and Casey may not have a future to share.
When army journalist Casey Jordan's attacked, she's convinced it's a random mugging--until a killer comes after the military team she's interviewing. But who's the real target: Casey or her ex--staff sergeant Travis Heath? Despite an attraction that still lingers, Travis pushed Casey away months ago, convinced military life leaves no room for attachments. But when the attacks grow increasingly personal, Travis begins to question his chosen path. As the targets of a killer's vendetta, though, it could be too late to make up for lost time...because he and Casey may not have a future to share.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 9, 2017
30 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Jodie Bailey
113 books192 followersJodie Bailey is the author of Quilted by Christmas, as well as two suspense novels, Freefall and Crossfire and a novella in Holiday Defenders. Her devotions have appeared in Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home and Sweet Freedom with a Slice of Peach Cobbler. She is also a contributor to PWOC International’s e100 Bible study for military wives. Her memberships include American Christian Fiction Writers.
When not at the keyboard, Jodie is a former middle school literature teacher and yearbook adviser who is convinced a camping trip to the beach with her family, a good cup of coffee, and a great book can cure all ills. Jodie lives in North Carolina with her husband, her daughter, and two dogs.
When not at the keyboard, Jodie is a former middle school literature teacher and yearbook adviser who is convinced a camping trip to the beach with her family, a good cup of coffee, and a great book can cure all ills. Jodie lives in North Carolina with her husband, her daughter, and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 26, 2019
Title: Calculated Vendetta
Author: Jodie Bailey
Series: N/A
Format: ebook (bind-up)
Length: N/A
Rating: 2.5 stars
Synopsis:
KILLER STORY
When army journalist Casey Jordan's attacked, she's convinced it's a random mugging—until a killer comes after the military team she's interviewing. But who's the real target: Casey or her ex—staff sergeant Travis Heath? Despite an attraction that still lingers, Travis pushed Casey away months ago, convinced military life leaves no room for attachments. But when the attacks grow increasingly personal, Travis begins to question his chosen path. As the targets of a killer's vendetta, though, it could be too late to make up for lost time…because he and Casey may not have a future to share.
Favourite character: Kristin
Least favourite character: N/A
Mini-review:
First complaint: Authors, unless your books are part of a series, do not spoil other books for your readers. This was the first Jodie Bailey book I read and now I know most of the plot of one of her other books, Dead Run. Any other LIS fans, please read Dead Run before this book. Other than that, it was okay. I guessed the culprit, which shouldn't surprise me. Despite a man dying and another man almost dying, there wasn't much suspense. And what suspense there was didn't feel suspenseful. Not that much of a fan.
Fan-cast:
Casey Jordan - Katie Findlay
Travis Heath - Lucas Till
Author: Jodie Bailey
Series: N/A
Format: ebook (bind-up)
Length: N/A
Rating: 2.5 stars
Synopsis:
KILLER STORY
When army journalist Casey Jordan's attacked, she's convinced it's a random mugging—until a killer comes after the military team she's interviewing. But who's the real target: Casey or her ex—staff sergeant Travis Heath? Despite an attraction that still lingers, Travis pushed Casey away months ago, convinced military life leaves no room for attachments. But when the attacks grow increasingly personal, Travis begins to question his chosen path. As the targets of a killer's vendetta, though, it could be too late to make up for lost time…because he and Casey may not have a future to share.
Favourite character: Kristin
Least favourite character: N/A
Mini-review:
First complaint: Authors, unless your books are part of a series, do not spoil other books for your readers. This was the first Jodie Bailey book I read and now I know most of the plot of one of her other books, Dead Run. Any other LIS fans, please read Dead Run before this book. Other than that, it was okay. I guessed the culprit, which shouldn't surprise me. Despite a man dying and another man almost dying, there wasn't much suspense. And what suspense there was didn't feel suspenseful. Not that much of a fan.
Fan-cast:
Casey Jordan - Katie Findlay
Travis Heath - Lucas Till
May 8, 2017
Jodie's books always have the perfect recipe of suspense (with unexpected twists), love, friendships, and lessons for her protagonists. Calculated Vendetta is no exception. She skillfully weaves an engaging tale around the familiar and relatable characters Casey and Travis who are both soldiers.
I especially love that I can picture the places she describes and feel like I could run into the characters in my daily life! This book takes place in the Fort Bragg area!
If you haven't checked out her works and are in the mood for a quick uplifting read then start here or with one of her earlier military inspired novels. You won't regret it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I especially love that I can picture the places she describes and feel like I could run into the characters in my daily life! This book takes place in the Fort Bragg area!
If you haven't checked out her works and are in the mood for a quick uplifting read then start here or with one of her earlier military inspired novels. You won't regret it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
March 23, 2017
What a nail-biting book! I was interested in Casey and Travis when they were minor characters in Dead Run so it was fun to read their story. Bailey starts out with a bang and keeps you turning pages. Complicated characters that are believable. Stomach-fluttering romance. Pedal to the metal suspense all the way through--toss in the military backgrounds of the characters--and this becomes a ride you don't want to stop. Well-written. Well-plotted.
March 8, 2017
Calculated Vendetta is by Jodie Bailey. It is a love inspired suspense so has no explicit sex scenes nor language. That makes reading the story even better.
Army journalist Casey Jordan is writing a story about an incident that took place in the past. It was led by Staff Sergeant Travis Heath. Everyone knew about the incident but Casey decided to get personal views from those in the incident. When her sources began getting killed and there were several attempts on her life, she couldn’t figure out why. With the help of Travis Heath, she tries to stay one step ahead of the killer and figure out what is going on.
Very suspenseful as you have no idea why or who for sure was being targeted.
Army journalist Casey Jordan is writing a story about an incident that took place in the past. It was led by Staff Sergeant Travis Heath. Everyone knew about the incident but Casey decided to get personal views from those in the incident. When her sources began getting killed and there were several attempts on her life, she couldn’t figure out why. With the help of Travis Heath, she tries to stay one step ahead of the killer and figure out what is going on.
Very suspenseful as you have no idea why or who for sure was being targeted.
January 15, 2020
The moment Travis Heath and Casey Jordan stepped into Dead Run, I knew I wanted to read their story.
Casey is a soldier in the Army. She may be miles from the front lines as an Army journalist, but she's still tough. She doesn't like having to lean on people. While writing an article about an old mission, someone starts targeting the men who'd been part of it. Now Casey's in danger due to her involvement in writing the story, and to make things worse, Travis Heath had to show up as her knight in shining armor. Travis knows he's made mistakes and he's doing everything in his power to redeem himself.
Throughout the book, Casey and Travis are thrown into danger. The suspense is nail-biting. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, Jodie Bailey throws in another twist to keep your head spinning and wondering who the culprit is going to be. Not only did I love these characters, but she added a cute, fluffy Australian Shepherd too! You will not regret picking up this book!
Casey is a soldier in the Army. She may be miles from the front lines as an Army journalist, but she's still tough. She doesn't like having to lean on people. While writing an article about an old mission, someone starts targeting the men who'd been part of it. Now Casey's in danger due to her involvement in writing the story, and to make things worse, Travis Heath had to show up as her knight in shining armor. Travis knows he's made mistakes and he's doing everything in his power to redeem himself.
Throughout the book, Casey and Travis are thrown into danger. The suspense is nail-biting. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, Jodie Bailey throws in another twist to keep your head spinning and wondering who the culprit is going to be. Not only did I love these characters, but she added a cute, fluffy Australian Shepherd too! You will not regret picking up this book!
November 2, 2017
CALCULATED VENDETTA is the second book by Ms. Bailey that I read and I enjoyed it, though I think I should've read the back cover blurb before I started the book because it took me the longest time to figure out what Casey did for a living (journalism was a given, but how did it tie into the military) and how she was so involved with all these military types.
The attacks did seem random, but I've been around Love Inspired Suspense long enough to know there is no such thing as random. They are planned down to a science and it will all pan out in the end. Who-dun-it, why, how, when, what for, you know the basic five questions that must be answered.
I liked Casey and Travis and felt for these characters. If you are looking for a good suspense to read, don't miss CALCULATED VENDETTA. Available at your favorite retailers online.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
The attacks did seem random, but I've been around Love Inspired Suspense long enough to know there is no such thing as random. They are planned down to a science and it will all pan out in the end. Who-dun-it, why, how, when, what for, you know the basic five questions that must be answered.
I liked Casey and Travis and felt for these characters. If you are looking for a good suspense to read, don't miss CALCULATED VENDETTA. Available at your favorite retailers online.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
May 26, 2017
When Army journalist Casey Jordan & Staff sergeant Travis Heath met again, it's under dire circumstances! A killer is after one of them and will stop at nothing to silence them. Can they figure out the mystery before it's too late?
Edge-of-your-seat-suspense will keep you invested in the story, underlying romance between Casey & Travis will keep your heart pumping, and a mystery to solve will keep you guessing. It seems Casey's story she is writing has triggered something the killer doesn't want out. Danger lurks at every turn, nowhere is safe and it has them trying to figure out who is friend and who is foe. These two have a history together and it sizzles just under the surface. Can they get past the hurt to start over, or will it end with Travis leaving again? Then there's the faith element I so love to read. The author seamlessly weaves it throughout the story to make it feel a natural part. There were many twists and turns to keep me on my toes and unanswered questions to keep me turning pages to find out the answers. Riveting suspense, elements of faith, threads of romance and heart-stopping scenes make for a thrill ride with this one!
* I received a complimentary copy from the author. I was under no obligation to post a review & all opinions expressed here are my own. *
Edge-of-your-seat-suspense will keep you invested in the story, underlying romance between Casey & Travis will keep your heart pumping, and a mystery to solve will keep you guessing. It seems Casey's story she is writing has triggered something the killer doesn't want out. Danger lurks at every turn, nowhere is safe and it has them trying to figure out who is friend and who is foe. These two have a history together and it sizzles just under the surface. Can they get past the hurt to start over, or will it end with Travis leaving again? Then there's the faith element I so love to read. The author seamlessly weaves it throughout the story to make it feel a natural part. There were many twists and turns to keep me on my toes and unanswered questions to keep me turning pages to find out the answers. Riveting suspense, elements of faith, threads of romance and heart-stopping scenes make for a thrill ride with this one!
* I received a complimentary copy from the author. I was under no obligation to post a review & all opinions expressed here are my own. *
May 10, 2017
I'll admit it: I've been a fan of Jodie Bailey's books from the beginning. This book is no different from her others: there's fast-paced suspense, well-developed characters, and hope in the face of fear. What more could you want? I couldn't help but root for Travis and Casey throughout the story. What I couldn't figure out is were the bad guys after Travis or Casey? That's part of what made this story so much fun to read till the end. And that end came way too soon! I would've loved to keep reading about these characters well beyond the confines of this story. But, I know I'll have her future books to look forward to! You should read this one if you want a good story and a new author to follow!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 31, 2017
Buckle your seatbelts and get ready for another wild ride with this latest from Jodie Bailey. This is another edge of the seat suspense story with twists and turns that had me hooked from the first pages and kept me reading because I had to see what was going to happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed following the relationship develop between Casey and Travis as they tried to work through their past to see if they could built a future together all while trying to evade a killer. I was given a copy of this book, but a positive review was not required. The opinions expressed are my own. This is one that the reader who enjoys really good Christian romance and suspense will definitely want to add to their reading list.
September 7, 2017
The couple focus is on Casey Jordan and Travis Heath, both soldiers serving in the military.
This was loaned to me by a friend.
My Take
Another one of those stories in which the publisher told the author to "insert God here". It was not natural the way in which Bailey would tuck her religious references in. Of course, it didn't help that she had two protagonists who kept whining on about how the other doesn't love them, there's no hope, I can't possibly let them be in danger...yadda, yadda...
As for how each refuses to consider that Casey's case could "possibly" have anything to do with Travis? Or vice versa? How stupid are they?
The "icing" on the cake was that the story was all tell.
This was loaned to me by a friend.
My Take
Another one of those stories in which the publisher told the author to "insert God here". It was not natural the way in which Bailey would tuck her religious references in. Of course, it didn't help that she had two protagonists who kept whining on about how the other doesn't love them, there's no hope, I can't possibly let them be in danger...yadda, yadda...
As for how each refuses to consider that Casey's case could "possibly" have anything to do with Travis? Or vice versa? How stupid are they?
The "icing" on the cake was that the story was all tell.
June 9, 2018
This story is obviously the same cookie mold for too many Love Inspired Suspense. In the guise of suspense we actually see a lot of worry, second guessing, and a definite lack of trust in themselves, each other, & God. There is a security and a confidence in a healthy, genuine love relationship and (only in my opinion) helps make a good mystery a great one as the two individuals work together in respect. The one thing that is repeated on almost every page is that he wants to protect her, and she wants to be protected and kept safe by him as if we didn't get it within the first quarter of the book. I don't want to be mean but I think this author has a lot more potential than just pushing out a story so similar to many others.
May 12, 2017
A lovely mix of weak-in-the-knees romantical and hope-stirring faith. Perfect to balance all the danger in this fast-paced and action-packed suspense, Casey and Travis find themselves in the middle of a puzzling mystery...and the targets of a very determined killer. Intricately woven clues will keep armchair sleuths on the edge of their seat as they follow all the twists and turns of a baffling investigation. Loved the second chance romance angle -- Casey all prickly pride and wary reserve while Travis is stubbornly intent on keeping her at arms length. A whirlwind of a read that will leave you breathless!
June 26, 2017
Jodie's military mysteries are always full of great characters, exciting mysteries and lots of action. Thus one is no exception. I have been looking forward to Casey and Travis's story since reading "Dead Run" earlier this year. This one for the most part did not disappoint. It was a fun read but I figured out the bad guy way early in the book and I wasn't fond of the the way the conclusion of the mystery played out. That being said, it was still worth reading and getting to know Casey and Travis a bit better. Looking forward to Jodie's next book!
May 15, 2017
Another great one from Jodie.
I enjoyed reading about Casey and Travis as well as figuring out the mystery.
I loved the little bit of Casey and Travis from Dead Run, so reading more of their tale was a treat.
I love trying to figure out the mystery of who, what and why and this definitely has it. While I was able to guess some, finding out the answers to those questions kept me involved..
I enjoyed reading about Casey and Travis as well as figuring out the mystery.
I loved the little bit of Casey and Travis from Dead Run, so reading more of their tale was a treat.
I love trying to figure out the mystery of who, what and why and this definitely has it. While I was able to guess some, finding out the answers to those questions kept me involved..
February 2, 2019
Casey Jordan is working on a story about soldiers dealing with addictions when she runs into her ex-boyfriend Staff Sargent Travis Heath and they’re robbed at gun point. Travis vows to stick close to Casey no matter what until the danger is over but even Travis seems to be the target. Now they are on a race against time as the attacks grow more blatant and Travis and Casey grow to realize how much they still love each other.
Very good!
Very good!
October 3, 2017
Jodie Bailey has been writing some good Love Inspired Suspense stories.
This one is QUITE up to that five-star rating, but it's worth the read.
This one is QUITE up to that five-star rating, but it's worth the read.
August 25, 2019
Another good murder mystery.
November 12, 2025
Loved both lead characters in this second chance story. The drugs twist surprised me a bit but I managed to spot the villain before the MCs did. Well done suspense!
March 18, 2017
Calculated Vendetta is another stellar book by Jodie Bailey. With her mixture of authentic Army vernacular, the realistic depiction of the military town where her story is set, and her distinctive and spot-on description of the humid, summertime South, this book was like a visit back home for this North Carolina girl. When Jodie tells a story, she takes me there -- to the early September evening that was so humid it "made taking a breath feel more like drowning." And I loved every suspenseful minute of it! But my favorite part of Calculated Vendetta, as with all of Jodie's books, is the characters. Jodie's characters are such complex characters with layered feelings... in short, they are real. I can't wait for my next visit with them!
November 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this book!
April 19, 2017
Calculated Vendetta
By: Jodie Bailey
Calculated Vendetta is a Love Inspired Suspense By Jodie Bailey. If you love a good suspense with inspirational romance you will love Calculated Vendetta. Bailey captured me right at the start and I was hooked till the end. She weaves a page turner that will have you trying to read faster to see what is going to happen next. The story and the characters both are so real and well developed. At times I caught myself holding my breath. Casey Jordon , an army journalist , is attacked . Is she under attack or is it her ex . ,Staff sergeant Travis ? There is still some attraction between these two, but with everything that is going on are they to late ? Be sure and take a trip alone with these two and see what happens. You will love their story.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book , but was not told that I had to give positive review.
By: Jodie Bailey
Calculated Vendetta is a Love Inspired Suspense By Jodie Bailey. If you love a good suspense with inspirational romance you will love Calculated Vendetta. Bailey captured me right at the start and I was hooked till the end. She weaves a page turner that will have you trying to read faster to see what is going to happen next. The story and the characters both are so real and well developed. At times I caught myself holding my breath. Casey Jordon , an army journalist , is attacked . Is she under attack or is it her ex . ,Staff sergeant Travis ? There is still some attraction between these two, but with everything that is going on are they to late ? Be sure and take a trip alone with these two and see what happens. You will love their story.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book , but was not told that I had to give positive review.
April 27, 2017
Jodie Bailey has become one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books and she never disappoints. "Calculated Vendetta" is full of twists, turns, and surprises. It's definitely a page turner and keeps me coming back for more of her books. This book also has a strong message that our plan is not always God's plan and if we just turn to Him, we will be directed to the right path.
~I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.~
~I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.~
May 1, 2017
This book gives us a nail-biting, roller coaster ride from the first sentence until last.
The things I loved about the book was the suspense, story-line, and how the characters let God work in their lives.
A copy of the book was given to me by the author and my opinions are my own.
The things I loved about the book was the suspense, story-line, and how the characters let God work in their lives.
A copy of the book was given to me by the author and my opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews