Beyond the Cabin

Lexie Montgomery #2

by Dana Ridenour

FBI Special Agent Lexie Montgomery goes deep undercover to investigate the Earth Liberation Front, a domestic terrorism group operating in the South Carolina Lowcountry. As Lexie struggles to infiltrate the ELF, she soon realizes everything may not be as it seems in the Lowcountry. Lexie's investigation spirals out of control and places her life in danger after someone in her trusted inner circle reveals her undercover identity. Now Lexie must work to bring those responsible to justice . . . if only she knew who she could trust.

376 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 2017

About the author

Dana Ridenour is a retired FBI agent. She spent most of her career as an FBI undercover operative infiltrating criminal organizations including the Animal Liberation Front, an organization of domestic terrorists.

Dana’s first novel, Behind The Mask, is fiction but based on her personal experiences working as an undercover agent. Behind The Mask won numerous literary awards including the Hal Bernard Memorial Award for best novel and the Edna Sampson Award of Excellence both presented by the Southeastern Writers Association. The novel also took top honors in the 2016 Royal Dragonfly Writers Awards winning not only the Grand Prize, but also first place in the Fiction-Novel category, and first place in the First Time Author (Fiction) category. Kirkus Reviews awarded Behind The Mask the coveted Kirkus star and named the book one of the best indie books of 2016. Behind The Mask won first place in its category at the Chanticleer International Book Awards. The book was awarded the Silver Medal at the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for Best New Voice in Fiction. Behind The Mask was the First Place Winner for Best Action/Adventure Book at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Dana’s second novel, Beyond The Cabin, was released on August 1, 2017. Beyond The Cabin won the Hal Bernard Memorial Award for best novel presented by the Southeastern Writers Association. Dana was also the recipient of the 2018 Royal Palm Literary Award for Best Thriller/Suspense Novel.

Dana's third novel, Below The Radar, was released on August 13, 2019. Like its two predecessors, the book won the Hal Bernard Memorial Award for best novel presented by the Southeastern Writers Association. Below The Radar was also the 2020 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner in the Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist genre as well as 2021 Feathered Quill Book Awards Gold/First Place winner for best Adult Fiction.

Dana lives in Beaufort, South Carolina where she is working on her fourth novel.

Reviews

[Dana Ridenour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond The Cabin is my second novel. I wrote my first novel, Behind The Mask, after I found my journals chronicling my many years of undercover work in the FBI. After I finished my first novel, I realized that I had many more novels in my head. Beyond The Cabin is the second novel in the Lexie Montgomery series, but it's not necessarily a sequel. Even though the book picks up with the same FBI agent heroine, it has a stand alone story.

Set in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Beyond The Cabin is an FBI undercover thriller which follows FBI Special Agent Lexie Montgomery on her second full-time undercover mission. The novel is fiction, but I use some of my personal experiences as an FBI undercover agent to make the story believable and fast paced. I hope you enjoy reading Beyond The Cabin as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[Dana Ridenour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond The Cabin is my second novel. I wrote my first novel, Behind The Mask, after I found my journals chronicling my many years of undercover work in the FBI. After I finished my first novel, I realized that I had many more novels in my head. Beyond The Cabin is the second novel in the Lexie Montgomery series, but it's not necessarily a sequel. Even though the book picks up with the same FBI agent heroine, it has a stand alone story.

Set in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Beyond The Cabin is an FBI undercover thriller which follows FBI Special Agent Lexie Montgomery on her second full-time undercover mission. The novel is fiction, but I use some of my personal experiences as an FBI undercover agent to make the story believable and fast paced. I hope you enjoy reading Beyond The Cabin as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[Kathy Rhode · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the first book of this author and I liked this one even more. Good crime drama written by former FBI agent. Quick read.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you call a book so good you can’t put it down? They need a word for that. Excellent book. Great writing. I’m excited for what Dana will write next!

[Margarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for an FBI undercover operation in the South. The second book in the series continues with FBI agent Lexie's next undercover assignment. The pace is faster than book one and there is a lot more suspense!
Lexie meets challenges with determination and grit. In the end, she understands herself a bit better. I wonder if she will leave the force after all and become a sort of sleuth!

The main thing that detracted from the story was the believability of Lexie breaking all the protocols and rules for this case, even in the beginning when it wasn't as personal as it became later on.

Overall, an entertaining suspense story.

[T.M. Mike Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexie is the kind of action heroine we all can enjoy as she finds herself in one bad decision after another as an overeager undercover agent. Dana’s thriller held me in my easy chair once Lexie went undercover in the story. Great job! Love the imagery, sensory responses I got from her detailing the LowCountry SC setting too. You’ll get hooked...

[Chelsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FBI Special Agent Lexie is back with another undercover offer that she cannot refuse. Willing to help a fellow colleague out, she agrees to head to South Carolina to try and infiltrate the group that is doing damage to a construction area. This case is unlike her last one, and Lexie is having a very hard time gaining information in that she can't find anything in the area. No groups, no hangouts, no coffee shop meet ups. Doing her best to get a lay of the land, she befriends a Captain who has many words of wisdom as well as has a hunch that Lexie isn't a newly deposited photographer. Damage continues and when a shoot out happens, she knows she is losing time. Mostly going flying blind on her own in this mission, she decides to follow through with what her gut is telling her and it just might cost her, her life this time. I really loved this adventure of Lexie's and also really loved Captain Meade. I also liked that a character from her last undercover makes an appearance as well. Looking forward to the next ones in the series. Also excited to see a fourth one is in the works. Thank you to the author for the complimentary novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Cath Tourluks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond the Cabin, the 2nd book of the Lexi Montgomery series, takes place in the lowcountry. Undercover FBI agent Lexi Montgomery travels to South Carolina to investigate what on the surface looks like the work of an Environmental radical group.

You can't help but feel the emotional and physical pain that she endures in the course of her assignment and wonder how and if she has the skills to make it out with her life.

The lowcountry, from North Myrtle Beach to Pawleys Island, comes alive. You can almost smell the pluff mud. You'll want to visit the spots mentioned such as Brookgreen Gardens, and many of the restaurants and boat tour businesses.

The author, Dana Ridenour, is a retired FBI agent. Have to wonder if she endured any of the events that transpire in this novel.

Engrossing, entertaining and well written.
No need to have read the first book, Behind the Mask, to enjoy Beyond the Cabin.

[Johnathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing. I’m glad Agent Montgomery got what she wanted. This is definitely a book I will recommend to my friends and family. The story is a slow burn at first but as you read on the hook gets you. I’m not a big reader but I couldn’t put it down. 10/10, an amazing book. With very vivid details that help paint a picture of the story. I could imagine myself right there with Lexie as she went through the days.

[Patty Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond the Cabin is a captivating read. The antagonist is both fierce and warm-hearted, an extremely likable combination for a female undercover agent. The action is intense and expertly paced, fully engaging the reader throughout the marshy, low country setting. The surprise at the end: There's a secondary message in this fast moving book. You'll definitely want to read this!!

[Darla Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again author Dana Ridenour brings so much life and detail to her characters. This is the second book based on the character Lexie Montgomery. It was a fast paced suspenseful read! This was truly one of my most favorite all time reads! Hope she continues to write about Lexie.

[Eva Moylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite as good as her first one in my opinion

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story. Writing not the best.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is written by a distant relative of mine, a new author. She's getting better with each book.

[Candi Crego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this story and the setting in SC

[Steve Lazarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant story telling by an author who has walked the walk. If you like realistic crime fiction with an edge, put this one on your reading list today.

[Jess Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I had never read a book in the POV of an FBI agent- especially a badass female FBI agent. So good from beginning to end!

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written page-turner of a story. It kept me up late to see what happened to the characters.

[Ptaylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm reading this mystery (?) for a book club. I'm going to finish it for that reason, but it isn't good. The main character, an FBI agent, is an idiot but at least she has "silky hair." The local police contacts are even dumber. I appreciate that the author is a SC author, but she should take writing classes.

UPDATE: It turns out that the author was a FBI agent who specialized in deep cover, but she hasn't taken any writing classes since college. It explains why her writing is amateurish.

[Eva Moylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite as good as her first one in my opinion