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Sun Coast Chronicles #3
Ulterior Motives
The police think he killed someone. He swears he’s innocent. All she knows for certain is his crime against her. Louis Dubose, international art dealer, has been murdered. The police are certain they’ve got their man. Recently fired by Dubose, Ben Robinson has a motive backed by a convincing trail of evidence. Except that one person isn’t convinced—someone who knows Ben well. Knows that he’s quite capable of trashing human lives but not of taking them. Now that person is about to gamble her own well-being on his innocence . . . when her personal indictment against him may be almost as bitter as murder. The question is, does Sharon Robinson know Ben as well as she thinks she does? Two small kidnapping victims hold the answer—and time to save their lives is running out. Ulterior Motives is more than just a superbly crafted suspense novel. It’s a wrenching portrayal of the cost of forgiveness, of innocence and faith pitted against monstrous evil, and of skepticism’s journey to the cross of Christ. Ulterior Motives is book three in the Sun Coast Chronicles by award-winning author Terri Blackstock. From absorbing legal drama to lightning-paced action, the Sun Coast
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 22, 1996
209 people are currently reading
1200 people want to read
About the author
Terri Blackstock
91 books5,621 followersTerri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over seven million books sold worldwide.. She has had over thirty years of success as a novelist.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re valued by God and that their trials have a purpose.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re valued by God and that their trials have a purpose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 19, 2016
First of all, I just have to say that I am flipped over all of Terri Blackstock's books. When I start one of her books, I literally don't want to stop. They are so fast-paced, throwing you into the plot and the story without dragging you through the mud of every-day-life, like a lot of books.
Anyways, down to this book . . .
I found it stuck in the upstairs shelf at my granny's. I looked for book one, but it wasn't there. But I was bored. So I settled. Usually (unless I've read the first one) series are a no no. They're usually hard to follow--and end up more frustrating than anything.
This book was pretty much clear, however. I didn't have a problem following along with the characters, and although I did get the understanding that there had been past drama in the other books, it didn't clutter up the story or confuse me.
The plot was gripping, heart-wrenching, and horrible. But I like horrible. When I'm reading. The characters were very endearing (although one of the main characters, in my opinion, was highly unattractive due to his long hair).
I love it how Terri isn't afraid to put her characters through some pain. Some authors seem to shy away from "hurting" their characters too much, which gets a little annoying. Everyone likes to see the hero suffer a little, and Terri does a wonderful job agonizing the reader, all the while making it enjoyable.
So, in short, great book. Although I wouldn't say this was my favorite from her titles, I still give it a firm 5-star rating.
Anyways, down to this book . . .
I found it stuck in the upstairs shelf at my granny's. I looked for book one, but it wasn't there. But I was bored. So I settled. Usually (unless I've read the first one) series are a no no. They're usually hard to follow--and end up more frustrating than anything.
This book was pretty much clear, however. I didn't have a problem following along with the characters, and although I did get the understanding that there had been past drama in the other books, it didn't clutter up the story or confuse me.
The plot was gripping, heart-wrenching, and horrible. But I like horrible. When I'm reading. The characters were very endearing (although one of the main characters, in my opinion, was highly unattractive due to his long hair).
I love it how Terri isn't afraid to put her characters through some pain. Some authors seem to shy away from "hurting" their characters too much, which gets a little annoying. Everyone likes to see the hero suffer a little, and Terri does a wonderful job agonizing the reader, all the while making it enjoyable.
So, in short, great book. Although I wouldn't say this was my favorite from her titles, I still give it a firm 5-star rating.
December 29, 2016
This was a great suspense from Terri Blackstock. I always enjoy her suspense and this was no different. The suspense was great, though initially it started out frustrating with the police just focusing on what they see and not considering other possibilities.
The family dynamics was also interesting and I loved to see how they forgave and reconciled.
Recommended to fans of Christian suspense.
The family dynamics was also interesting and I loved to see how they forgave and reconciled.
Recommended to fans of Christian suspense.
August 13, 2020
So far all three books that I have read in this series teach us a lesson that when God answers prayer He always decides how He wants to answer prayer which may be different than our prayers we offer. This is a great series showing that we need to come to the Lord more often than we usually do. God knows what we are going thru in our lives, it never surprises the Lord in what we end up getting ourselves involved in, and He always knows the way out no matter how involved we become. In this story, that cat that appeared was an answer to a child's prayer.
August 26, 2017
I enjoyed this book very much. I like how the characters are entwined but not so much. the series has included character lives individually and linked them together nicely. I do like that you could start with book three and go back and still enjoy one and two.
November 9, 2021
Book number three. I have really enjoyed this series. It is different than other books I have read by this author.
August 11, 2012
I loved this one. Some books of hers rank 3-4. A few like this one a 5. hard to put down.
April 23, 2025
Awesome read
February 28, 2021
Characters: One of the things I appreciated about this book was the lack of perfect characters. Everyone had their flaws and made lots of mistakes, but most of the characters grew by the end of the story.
Language: Clean.
Moral: This book had a ton of good morals. Some of the ones that stood out to me were these ... Prayer is important, as is forgiveness. Also, we should obey God to glorify Him. Not to make ourselves look like great Christians. Another moral was that divorce causes major problems and hurts everyone involved. Something else stressed was that God can bring good out of bad situations.
Plot: The author kept the plot moving. It had a lot of details, but I never felt lost.
Random comments: I didn't like the implication that a divorced person would probably get remarried. I was also a little confused over whether a character at the end got saved or just wanted to learn more about God. (I'm actually reading the next book right now, and he did get saved.) I just wish that'd been more clear. And then there was the part where a Christian character accepted a date with an unsaved character ...
Romance: Clean. I appreciated that there wasn't much romance.
Writing: This book was kind of written from an omniscient perspective (the reader gets to know multiple characters' thoughts in the same scene). I'm used to one perspective per scene, so this style confused me a little.
Overall: Because I mostly enjoyed this book, I'm giving it 3.5 stars and am rounding up to 4 stars. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction and suspense.
Language: Clean.
Moral: This book had a ton of good morals. Some of the ones that stood out to me were these ... Prayer is important, as is forgiveness. Also, we should obey God to glorify Him. Not to make ourselves look like great Christians. Another moral was that divorce causes major problems and hurts everyone involved. Something else stressed was that God can bring good out of bad situations.
Plot: The author kept the plot moving. It had a lot of details, but I never felt lost.
Random comments: I didn't like the implication that a divorced person would probably get remarried. I was also a little confused over whether a character at the end got saved or just wanted to learn more about God. (I'm actually reading the next book right now, and he did get saved.) I just wish that'd been more clear. And then there was the part where a Christian character accepted a date with an unsaved character ...
Romance: Clean. I appreciated that there wasn't much romance.
Writing: This book was kind of written from an omniscient perspective (the reader gets to know multiple characters' thoughts in the same scene). I'm used to one perspective per scene, so this style confused me a little.
Overall: Because I mostly enjoyed this book, I'm giving it 3.5 stars and am rounding up to 4 stars. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy Christian fiction and suspense.
January 25, 2024
Not her best book (2 stars)
I've enjoyed several of Terri Blackstock's suspense thrillers, but this was somewhat of a disappointment. Sharon Robinson's ex-husband Ben is framed for a murder, and he and his new wife end up living in Sharon's home while trying to solve the murder. Awkward. The race to exonerate Ben becomes a race to protect the lives of their own children, who are kidnapped as hostages by the murderer in an attempt to get his demands.
Much of story was bogged down by the constant and ugly bickering between Ben's ex-wife Sharon and Ben's new wife Anne, and the dynamics of their broken family. While I appreciate the attempt to include serious themes of forgiveness and reconciliation, in this case it was just a big distraction from the main plot, and seemed to be more of an unpleasant account of family squabbles rather than a serious treatment of these relationship issues. The plot itself lacked the suspense of Blackstock's other books, especially since the real killer is revealed quite early on in the story, and the only remaining suspense is what will happen to the kidnapped children; and once they are found, the story doesn't end as quickly as it should.
Unfortunately this story fell short both on the level of a suspense thriller, and on the level of a theological treatment of family reconciliation; by combining both of these elements, both ended up suffering. So in short, a disappointment, but every good writer is entitled to that on occasion - the previous novel in the Sun Coast Chronicles series (Justifiable Means) was outstanding!
I've enjoyed several of Terri Blackstock's suspense thrillers, but this was somewhat of a disappointment. Sharon Robinson's ex-husband Ben is framed for a murder, and he and his new wife end up living in Sharon's home while trying to solve the murder. Awkward. The race to exonerate Ben becomes a race to protect the lives of their own children, who are kidnapped as hostages by the murderer in an attempt to get his demands.
Much of story was bogged down by the constant and ugly bickering between Ben's ex-wife Sharon and Ben's new wife Anne, and the dynamics of their broken family. While I appreciate the attempt to include serious themes of forgiveness and reconciliation, in this case it was just a big distraction from the main plot, and seemed to be more of an unpleasant account of family squabbles rather than a serious treatment of these relationship issues. The plot itself lacked the suspense of Blackstock's other books, especially since the real killer is revealed quite early on in the story, and the only remaining suspense is what will happen to the kidnapped children; and once they are found, the story doesn't end as quickly as it should.
Unfortunately this story fell short both on the level of a suspense thriller, and on the level of a theological treatment of family reconciliation; by combining both of these elements, both ended up suffering. So in short, a disappointment, but every good writer is entitled to that on occasion - the previous novel in the Sun Coast Chronicles series (Justifiable Means) was outstanding!
April 28, 2021
Ulterior Motives is the best of the series so far. It started out a little rough for me, that Jenny would try to guilt Sharon into housing someone she didn't want to, and really shouldn't, seemed a little out there. But as the story unfolded, you do realize there is a purpose for all those people being in one house.
The drama of the missing girls had me reading every moment I could. I expected a certain outcome, but I was interested to see how we got there.
I have read this series in order, but you could pick it up at any point and not be completely lost. The stories are separate, but the relationships from previous books are referenced in each one.
The drama of the missing girls had me reading every moment I could. I expected a certain outcome, but I was interested to see how we got there.
I have read this series in order, but you could pick it up at any point and not be completely lost. The stories are separate, but the relationships from previous books are referenced in each one.
June 9, 2021
I didn't realize the audio edition I listened to was abridged until after I'd finished. I have loved all the Terri Blackstock books I've read, but this one was more difficult to like. Part of the difficulty was due to the very cheesy mid-Western accents that most of the actors in the cast had. The plot/dialog was also the cheesiest I've seen from her. I couldn't find this book in any other format, so I just went with it. I'm glad that none of her other audiobooks have had this issue, and that Terri Blackstock has progressed in her literary skills since this was written.
August 28, 2022
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Christian writers or Christian fiction. And yes, I’m a Christian myself! The few I’ve read have been incredibly oooey and gooey. Terri Blackstock may have just changed my mind. Ulterior Motives is a really good book; plain and simple. It held my interest and I found that I couldn’t seem to put it down. Definitely a page turner. It deals with modern day issues intertwined with a captivating mystery filled with anticipation. Will definitely entertain more Terri Blackstock books!
September 2, 2017
The unpleasant protagonist, Sharon, who screams and shouts at her family members, and even at the man who's interested in her, lowered this book's rating for me. You expect me to believe that the man who wants to date her is going to stay interested after she's shouted in his face, after he's witnessed her shoving her ex-husband? In real life, a man would, or should, run when a woman behaves like that.
June 4, 2023
The lesson on forgiveness was worth the read and the mystery gave it that much more interest! Personally, I was annoyed by the amount of times the characters cried. Other than that, the kidnapping was a good lesson on how to teach your own children to never go with someone just because they’re familiar with them. Definitely a page turner!
June 29, 2023
While the story was interesting (murder, sale of stolen artifacts, kidnapping), it didn't grab me in the way most Blackstock stories do. I didn't really feel that I got to know any of the characters very well, though they had moments of vulnerability.
Not one of my favorites, but hoping the next in the series will be more gripping.
Not one of my favorites, but hoping the next in the series will be more gripping.
July 17, 2025
after my last read I needed a feel good book like this; the suspense was just enough to make me not want to put it down - i would describe it as PG-thriller. nothing too intense but enough to keep it exciting. I really enjoy how terri doesn't drag out the resolution of her books - we get the end and that's it. very excited to read the last one and I already know these books will rereads for me!!
October 20, 2017
An innocent man is charged with murder. His children are kidnapped. How will God intervene in the lives of the surrounding family, friends, and even the police. I loved this story of love and redemption. Forgiveness for past transgressions hit an especially poignant note with me.
August 23, 2018
Another good read
Blackstock has a way with getting you into the story at the beginning of the book. Then she takes you on a whirlwind ofSeemingly impossible situations and has the solution is solved to God’s glory. It’s a Book with a message of how people’s lives are changed.
Blackstock has a way with getting you into the story at the beginning of the book. Then she takes you on a whirlwind ofSeemingly impossible situations and has the solution is solved to God’s glory. It’s a Book with a message of how people’s lives are changed.
April 21, 2021
Having recently read some of Blackstock's more recent novels (If I Run series), I can see that she has grown leaps and bounds since the early writings this book represents. I enjoyed the book, but it really pales in comparison to her later work.
April 3, 2024
I listened to the abridged audiobook for this portion of the series & that really took away from the depth & development of the story & characters. I firmly believe that I would have enjoyed it so much more if I had listened to the whole unabridged version of the book.
October 28, 2025
Will good win out?
The story of Jimmy and Beth and the St Clair Children's Home is another good story by Terri Blackstock. Characters from previous stories reappear making her books even more special.
The story of Jimmy and Beth and the St Clair Children's Home is another good story by Terri Blackstock. Characters from previous stories reappear making her books even more special.
December 12, 2017
Very good book
January 2, 2018
Love this series!
February 26, 2018
I dont know if this was the abridged version, but it seemed very short. Great book!!
September 17, 2018
Another great book! Hard to put down.
January 4, 2019
It moves nicely and keeps you guessing!
January 2, 2020
Love how Terri weaves Christian dilemmas into her stories.
March 24, 2020
Murder and kidnapping over a stolen painting worth millions. Very good story. Would recommend this book. Terri Blackstock very good author.
July 5, 2021
Great!!
July 29, 2021
Catches you from the beginning and can't put it down! Always hopeful, redemptive, inspiring!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews