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Angel Delaney Mysteries #1
Deadly Aim
Patricia Rushford kicks off a thrilling new crime series set in the cozy coastal hamlet of Sunset Cove, Oregon. Featuring determined police officer Angel Delaney, the first episode is sure to have armchair sleuths turning the pages as fast as they can to discover whodunit? When a police shootout results in the death of a 12-year-old boy, Officer Angel Delaney is blamed, convicted, and condemned by the media and the Sunset Cove community before the case even goes to trial. Angel will have her day in court, but before she has the chance to defend herself, the situation spirals out of control. Key evidence is missing, evidence that could have verified her claim of firing only one shot in self-defense. In short order, the body count rises, and suddenly Angel is a suspect in more than one murder investigation. Heartsick about the young boy's death, and questioning her judgment as a police officer, Angel joins forces with Detective Callen Riley to fight the mounting charges against her.
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First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Patricia H. Rushford
64 books142 followersPatricia H. Rushford, an award winning author and speaker, has extensive experience in writing and has authored over sixty books, both fiction and non-fiction. In addition to having a nursing degree and masters in counseling, she is also an artist and quilter.
The Jennie McGrady Mysteries for young adults have sold well over 500,000 copies. Silent Witness won the Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media and was nominated for an Edgar Allen Poe Award by Mystery Writers of America. She also wrote the Max & Me Mysteries for middle grade.
The various mystery series for adults continue to receive great reviews. Her series include, The Helen Bradley Mysteries, The Angel Delaney Mysteries, The McAllister Files and her latest, the Artisan Mysteries.
Her newest releases are: Watercolor Dreams, Deadly Deception and The Quiltmaker's Daughter, both are romantic suspense novels featuring artists.
She has been awarded the Golden Quill Award by RWA- Desert Rose Chapter and earned honorable mention in the Silver Angel Awards.
Patricia is a member of ACFW and a number of other writing organizations. She has participated in such mystery events such as Bouchercon--the World Mystery Convention, Left Coast Crime, and other conventions for lovers of mystery and suspense. She manages a website and blog and has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads and Linked-in and also generates a newsletter. Called Mysterious Musings.
Additional info at www.patriciarushfordbooks.com
The Jennie McGrady Mysteries for young adults have sold well over 500,000 copies. Silent Witness won the Silver Angel Award for Excellence in Media and was nominated for an Edgar Allen Poe Award by Mystery Writers of America. She also wrote the Max & Me Mysteries for middle grade.
The various mystery series for adults continue to receive great reviews. Her series include, The Helen Bradley Mysteries, The Angel Delaney Mysteries, The McAllister Files and her latest, the Artisan Mysteries.
Her newest releases are: Watercolor Dreams, Deadly Deception and The Quiltmaker's Daughter, both are romantic suspense novels featuring artists.
She has been awarded the Golden Quill Award by RWA- Desert Rose Chapter and earned honorable mention in the Silver Angel Awards.
Patricia is a member of ACFW and a number of other writing organizations. She has participated in such mystery events such as Bouchercon--the World Mystery Convention, Left Coast Crime, and other conventions for lovers of mystery and suspense. She manages a website and blog and has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads and Linked-in and also generates a newsletter. Called Mysterious Musings.
Additional info at www.patriciarushfordbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
November 21, 2013
This book was listed as a Mystery but I think the mystery became lost in the harlequin style romance and excessive faith references. Nowhere was it stated that this was a religious/Christian based book but it was VERY clear that the author was using the fiction forum to push god. Everywhere there was a faith/religious angle the story faltered and fell off track. I think the author may want to take a moment and decide what exactly she wants to write and once she decides, market the book that way. The fact that no reference was made to this being a faith based fiction book seemed dishonest to me and is the main reason for the 2 stars. The author pushed way too many agendas without taking the time to build a believable story. Thankfully the book was a free Amazon download.
August 20, 2024
3.5⭐️
This is a tough one to rate, because the mystery aspect was really well done! Even though I called the ‘bad guy’ very early into the story, the red herrings and journey to get there felt realistic and organic.
My issue was with the romance element. While it was a secondary story thread to the mystery (which is good), and it felt fairly natural (which is also good), the FMC is in a different relationship while she falls for our MMC….grrrrrr….
This is a tough one to rate, because the mystery aspect was really well done! Even though I called the ‘bad guy’ very early into the story, the red herrings and journey to get there felt realistic and organic.
My issue was with the romance element. While it was a secondary story thread to the mystery (which is good), and it felt fairly natural (which is also good), the FMC is in a different relationship while she falls for our MMC….grrrrrr….
January 22, 2014
What surprised me most about this book is that I actually finished reading it. I did consider marking it DNF, more than once, and I can't even explain why I didn't. If I had, it would get one star, not two.
It's not much of a mystery. I had the identity of "Duke" figured out before I hit the halfway mark. The few red herrings tossed in swam weakly, then floundered.
It's not suspenseful, either. It moves at a snail's pace, primarily because there's TMI about just about anything that has nothing whatsoever to do with the story.
If someone told me to classify this book, I'd call it Christian Romance before I'd call it a murder mystery - in which case, I never would've downloaded it in the first place because although I occasionally read romance novels, I'm not a fan of Christian Romance.
Besides the slow pace, there were awkward moments - like Brandon showing Angel the house he bought her and proposing on the same day she kills a 12-year-old boy while on duty. Who could ask for a more sensitive guy?
This one gets a "meh" from me. I'm almost embarrassed to say I read it all the way through.
It's not much of a mystery. I had the identity of "Duke" figured out before I hit the halfway mark. The few red herrings tossed in swam weakly, then floundered.
It's not suspenseful, either. It moves at a snail's pace, primarily because there's TMI about just about anything that has nothing whatsoever to do with the story.
If someone told me to classify this book, I'd call it Christian Romance before I'd call it a murder mystery - in which case, I never would've downloaded it in the first place because although I occasionally read romance novels, I'm not a fan of Christian Romance.
Besides the slow pace, there were awkward moments - like Brandon showing Angel the house he bought her and proposing on the same day she kills a 12-year-old boy while on duty. Who could ask for a more sensitive guy?
This one gets a "meh" from me. I'm almost embarrassed to say I read it all the way through.
January 23, 2016
I just finished, AS GOOD AS DEAD, the third book in the Angel Delaney Mysteries by Patricia Rushford. What a great read! I thoroughly enjoyed all three books. The action, suspense, twists and turns, it had it all. Add that with a little romance and you have yourself a wonderful book filled with intriguing characters and fascinating plot lines.
Book one, DEADLY AIM, follows Angel Delaney as she struggles to deal with the death of a kid that she's shot in a gang related robbery, she begins to question why it is she is a cop. Is it what she wants to do or has she gotten involved in law enforcement to try and earn the love and respect of her father, a veteran cop himself?
In DYING TO KILL, Angel decides to step back from police work and try her hand at being a Private Investigator. When a string of murders happens, all link to her therapist, Angel gets involved. As her list of suspects grows, Angel herself is threatened. She now must figure out who the killer is before she is the next victim.
In AS GOOD AS DEAD, Angel deals with a loss that motivates her to find her brother who vanished several series ago. When Nick, a fellow cop and best friend to her brother Luke is shot and left for dead, she realizes Luke might not be that far away after all. Though she is ever convinced her brother is innocent of what he has been accused of, she realizes she will never know the truth until she can ask him herself.
Along with great plot lines, Patricia introduces a measure of romance in book one, in the form of Callen, the investigator assigned to her officer involved shooting. Though, he is struggling with the death of his wife, he is drawn to Angel. We get to watch there relationship grow and define itself throughout all three books.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Angel Delaney Mysteries. They were quick reads and kept you guessing until the end.
Book one, DEADLY AIM, follows Angel Delaney as she struggles to deal with the death of a kid that she's shot in a gang related robbery, she begins to question why it is she is a cop. Is it what she wants to do or has she gotten involved in law enforcement to try and earn the love and respect of her father, a veteran cop himself?
In DYING TO KILL, Angel decides to step back from police work and try her hand at being a Private Investigator. When a string of murders happens, all link to her therapist, Angel gets involved. As her list of suspects grows, Angel herself is threatened. She now must figure out who the killer is before she is the next victim.
In AS GOOD AS DEAD, Angel deals with a loss that motivates her to find her brother who vanished several series ago. When Nick, a fellow cop and best friend to her brother Luke is shot and left for dead, she realizes Luke might not be that far away after all. Though she is ever convinced her brother is innocent of what he has been accused of, she realizes she will never know the truth until she can ask him herself.
Along with great plot lines, Patricia introduces a measure of romance in book one, in the form of Callen, the investigator assigned to her officer involved shooting. Though, he is struggling with the death of his wife, he is drawn to Angel. We get to watch there relationship grow and define itself throughout all three books.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Angel Delaney Mysteries. They were quick reads and kept you guessing until the end.
December 16, 2013
Predictable. Except for . . . what kind of idiot decides to propose on the night that your intended has just shot a kid in the line of duty. Who would except a proposal under those circumstances. I didn't mind the reference to religion/faith but they did seem forced or out of place at times. The romance part was way to convenient.
October 8, 2012
This was a good quick read but at times felt unnecessarily complicated. Almost like the author was trying to make the plot more complex than necessary with details and side plots that didn't add value to the overall story. It was still enjoyable and good for an after work, commuter train read!
December 29, 2012
A nice little suspense/mystery with a smidgen of romance. I was impressed with the outcome, not who I was thinking.
June 20, 2012
I don't want to say too much about this book. I feel it was overly complicated with too many murders and too many unresolved relationships. This is supposed to be a series, and maybe the author is laying the groundwork for several story lines, but I don't feel that is the way a series should start. This book did not make me turn pages. It did not give me warm and fuzzies about any of the characters - not even the Italian mother, although she was the only sympathetic character in the story. All of the characters were well developed, but none of them will stick with me for very long. I tend not to want to surround myself with problems, and all of these folks have something going very wrong with them. Maybe the next book in the series will solve some of it, but I probably will never know. I really expected more out of an established writer.
September 9, 2012
I like the story. I like the characters. I believe the plot is well thought out and well developed. What I don't like is the "evangelizing" the author uses her characters to do. It is obviously not just her character's spiritual journey we are seeing. Nearly each time a character contemplates God, religion, scripture etc. the storyline hits a small jag. The religious journey of the characters could be depicted in a much more fluid (and less obviously witnessing) way.
I hope book two has a more developed, better flowing way of showing us Angel's spiritual journey.
I hope book two has a more developed, better flowing way of showing us Angel's spiritual journey.
July 13, 2013
This wasn't for me. It was very, very repetitive, I found, and I got quite annoyed with it. A shame as I was banking on reading the series. I gave up on page 78 so did give it a chance. Angel, the title character let her answer machine pick up once too often for me as well!
However, I will say there were no mistakes which earned an extra star as that always impresses me these days of the reading-by-Kindle experience.
However, I will say there were no mistakes which earned an extra star as that always impresses me these days of the reading-by-Kindle experience.
January 7, 2015
I had no idea this was going to be a churchy book, got to page 47 then decided I had enough. I think it had
June 13, 2012
The "quiet" town of Sunset Cove, Oregon has supplanted Cabot Cove, Maine as the murder capital of America by the end of Patricia H. Rushford's "Deadly Aim". This romantic, mystery novel with a sprinkling of religious overtones follows Officer Angel Delaney as she is dragged through an internal investigation after she shoots a 12-year-old boy during a failed pharmacy hold-up. He dies. Then things get really nasty after the body count piles up as the Drug Overlord starts to cover his tracks and the African-American community gets stirred up over a white cop gunning down an innocent little boy.
I say romantic, because of the considerable POV shifting between Angel and new cop in town, Detective Callen Riley, whose tasked with finding out what the heck is going on with the boy's death and the increasing body count. Any time two characters share head space, it's not hard to figure out the arc of that part of the story. The other romantic pairings just seem convenient. I say mystery, because it is a whodunit. Several potential suspects weave in and out of the story, but only two seem really plausible. The family play dynamics is well done; the quality of the investigation seems to waver at times from procedural step-by-step accuracy to 'Oh hell, let's wing this.'
Overall though, it is story filled with a lot of reasonably interesting characters, lots of food making and eating, and scenes on a beach (always a plus for me). The author does use her twists and turns to good affect. The tension ramps up, but by the end, I admit, I was saying, let's end this. This is a good plane ride read: not so deep that you forget to get off the plane and end up in Ulan Bator, but good enough that you can ignore the person next to you and their out-of-focus pictures. It squeezes into a size "4".
I say romantic, because of the considerable POV shifting between Angel and new cop in town, Detective Callen Riley, whose tasked with finding out what the heck is going on with the boy's death and the increasing body count. Any time two characters share head space, it's not hard to figure out the arc of that part of the story. The other romantic pairings just seem convenient. I say mystery, because it is a whodunit. Several potential suspects weave in and out of the story, but only two seem really plausible. The family play dynamics is well done; the quality of the investigation seems to waver at times from procedural step-by-step accuracy to 'Oh hell, let's wing this.'
Overall though, it is story filled with a lot of reasonably interesting characters, lots of food making and eating, and scenes on a beach (always a plus for me). The author does use her twists and turns to good affect. The tension ramps up, but by the end, I admit, I was saying, let's end this. This is a good plane ride read: not so deep that you forget to get off the plane and end up in Ulan Bator, but good enough that you can ignore the person next to you and their out-of-focus pictures. It squeezes into a size "4".
July 28, 2013
Title: Deadly Aim
Author: Patricia H. Rushford
Pages: 320
Year: 2004
Publisher: Revell
Angel Delaney is a cop who takes one hit after another. She doesn’t get shot, but she is forced to shoot when a teenage boys aims a gun at her. When the media and local groups start bashing her, not only is her world turned upside down, so is her apartment.
Callen Riley is the detective that must look the case over and try to figure out what all went on, and who the other guys were that got away. Was Angel set up? Is she just a really good actor? Every bit of evidence, or even lack thereof sure points to her. And then what happens when his heart gets involved?
This is definitely a suspense/mystery novel. Although there are a few romantic relationships that take place throughout the book, I felt the detective work taking place was much stronger writing. So if your not super stoked about romance in your reading material, you will appreciate this book more. If you are a die hard romance book fan, I hope you also like mystery with it.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I love suspense, and trying to solve the case before Patricia, the author, revealed the answers was part of the fun. I was also interested in the romantic relationships, but they didn’t sizzle. The relationship between Angel and her father was one that required forgiveness. And it was worth reading about. Also the spiritual aspect of working through how God can be a loving God even when bad things happen is a fantastic journey that takes place Angel’s story.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://TMWoodsBooks.com/blog . Also follow me on Twitter @TMWoodsBook, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/TMWoodsBooks .
Author: Patricia H. Rushford
Pages: 320
Year: 2004
Publisher: Revell
Angel Delaney is a cop who takes one hit after another. She doesn’t get shot, but she is forced to shoot when a teenage boys aims a gun at her. When the media and local groups start bashing her, not only is her world turned upside down, so is her apartment.
Callen Riley is the detective that must look the case over and try to figure out what all went on, and who the other guys were that got away. Was Angel set up? Is she just a really good actor? Every bit of evidence, or even lack thereof sure points to her. And then what happens when his heart gets involved?
This is definitely a suspense/mystery novel. Although there are a few romantic relationships that take place throughout the book, I felt the detective work taking place was much stronger writing. So if your not super stoked about romance in your reading material, you will appreciate this book more. If you are a die hard romance book fan, I hope you also like mystery with it.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I love suspense, and trying to solve the case before Patricia, the author, revealed the answers was part of the fun. I was also interested in the romantic relationships, but they didn’t sizzle. The relationship between Angel and her father was one that required forgiveness. And it was worth reading about. Also the spiritual aspect of working through how God can be a loving God even when bad things happen is a fantastic journey that takes place Angel’s story.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://TMWoodsBooks.com/blog . Also follow me on Twitter @TMWoodsBook, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/TMWoodsBooks .
July 23, 2013
Overall, a pretty good read with lots of action, suspense, mystery and family dynamics. There were definite Christian and religious overtones but I didn't find it overly preachy.
Strong, likeable characters made the book very enjoyable. Angel, the main character, was tough and feisty but she certainly had her human foibles as well, experiencing vulnerability, doubts and uncertainties about herself, her family, her religion and her career choice. I also really liked the tough, but caring cop, Callen Riley, and loved how he established a rapport with Angel's mother, Anna, with his extraordinary culinary skills.
There was romance, but it didn't overwhelm the plot. It developed slowly and realistically and didn't involve gratuitous sex scenes or sexual tension. And, none of that horrid insta-love/lust stuff. Yay!
The mystery was quite good with perhaps an overabundance of dead bodies, but there were a lot of viable suspects and twists and turns to keep one guessing.
I will definitely be reading more of this series and would recommend it to fans of the murder mystery genre.
Strong, likeable characters made the book very enjoyable. Angel, the main character, was tough and feisty but she certainly had her human foibles as well, experiencing vulnerability, doubts and uncertainties about herself, her family, her religion and her career choice. I also really liked the tough, but caring cop, Callen Riley, and loved how he established a rapport with Angel's mother, Anna, with his extraordinary culinary skills.
There was romance, but it didn't overwhelm the plot. It developed slowly and realistically and didn't involve gratuitous sex scenes or sexual tension. And, none of that horrid insta-love/lust stuff. Yay!
The mystery was quite good with perhaps an overabundance of dead bodies, but there were a lot of viable suspects and twists and turns to keep one guessing.
I will definitely be reading more of this series and would recommend it to fans of the murder mystery genre.
November 25, 2012
The story opens as Angel Delaney, a police office, and her partner arrive on the scene of a pharmacy robbery in progress. Angel chases the robbers out of the rear of the pharmacy, confronting one in a darkened warehouse. After the robber raises a gun, Angel shoots and realizes that he is a kid. When the boy dies, Angel's world falls apart, with the media and the boy’s relatives attack her and accuse her of being a racist.
This is an exciting, enjoyable mystery romance with a Christian theme. The themes of racial hatred and Christianity run through the book, while Angel attempts to deal with the emotions of the killing and issues in her life. Rushford keeps you guessing about the identity of the killer until the end of the book. Angel is an enjoyable character as she struggles to deal with shooting a boy, accusations of racisism, and her unstable faith. Female readers of detective stories with a romantic twist should pick up a copy of Deadly Aim. I cannot wait to pick up the next ones in the series, as well as other Rushford novels.
This is an exciting, enjoyable mystery romance with a Christian theme. The themes of racial hatred and Christianity run through the book, while Angel attempts to deal with the emotions of the killing and issues in her life. Rushford keeps you guessing about the identity of the killer until the end of the book. Angel is an enjoyable character as she struggles to deal with shooting a boy, accusations of racisism, and her unstable faith. Female readers of detective stories with a romantic twist should pick up a copy of Deadly Aim. I cannot wait to pick up the next ones in the series, as well as other Rushford novels.
October 8, 2012
Deadly Aim an Angel Delany Mystery has it all. The starting pages have a pharmacy robbery with a big shootout. Angel shoots down a young black boy who aims a gun at her. Now Angel must face an internal investigation into the matter but that is only the very beginnings of her problems.
This book has many plots and twist and turns. I love that in a book and Patricia Rushford has done a wonderful job of that here. I must admit I did not figure out who did it. I really had someone else pegged. I don’t find many books I can’t figure out so thumbs up on this.
I’ll be reading more from this author. I recommend this for a fast exciting read.
This book has many plots and twist and turns. I love that in a book and Patricia Rushford has done a wonderful job of that here. I must admit I did not figure out who did it. I really had someone else pegged. I don’t find many books I can’t figure out so thumbs up on this.
I’ll be reading more from this author. I recommend this for a fast exciting read.
March 18, 2013
I enjoyed this book from Patricia Rushford. Angel Delaney is a wonderful character. She struggles with her demons as we all do from time to time. I thought the development of all of the characters was really excellent. Her mother, Anna is great. You can smell her cooking as you read the pages. I love when that happens. This was an excellent crime mystery that I did not solve on my own (almost, but not quite) so I'm happy to say that it kept me guessing until the last few pages. I would definitely recommend this book.
November 15, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. There is nothing better than a good mystery and this story gave me everything. It held my interest from beginning to end. I really found myself relating to Angel where her family was concerned. Angel was a police officer that found herself in the heart of a murder she was accused of. The story finds her trying to clear her name and deal with her personal life along the way. I really liked the fact that the typical romantic relationships didnt develop here nor did it take away from the mystery aspect of the story line. I will be following this series.
March 27, 2013
Very good mystery with just the right amount of romance, this book held my interest from the beginning. Angel is a strong but also vulnerable woman who after a deadly force situation involving a twelve year old must try to prove her innocence while confronting new and old personal demons. The rest of the characters are very well developed and the twists in the plot make for a mystery to almost the end read. I will probably read the next in this series.
August 12, 2012
I suppose it's part of the drama of a good mystery, but I was amazed at how much trouble Angel Delaney could walk into. Over and over and over, she seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Good news? She didn't do it. :) I didn't see the ending coming. My guesses were totally wrong the entire time. Good story. Good writing. I'd be willing to read more in the series.
August 28, 2013
I enjoyed this book quite a bit the romance was a bit strange but I kept guessing at the killer till the end. It leaves an opening for the second book while still finishing the story line. I will read the rest of the series when they get cheap enough.
June 8, 2012
Good story line, but there are some odd culinary ramblings and other writing oddities. Story had loads of good twists and turns, but writing just fell a bit flat to me.
August 22, 2024
It was as good story, but the writing could have been better. I'm still interested in more in the series, but I hope that part improves.
It wasn't until the sermonizing started that I realized the author was a Christian, and then it was painfully obvious. I think more Christian authors need to study the way faith was portrayed in older (100+) fiction. It always sounds/feels forced in modern fiction. Like it was put in to placate. I don't like it in Christian fiction, or even non-Christian fiction where ideologies, politics, or anything else subjected comes into it. Anything that feels or sounds false or untrue just shouldn't be there.
But that wasn't my main problem. The story starts with an ominous encounter with Duke, a mystery figure who clearly is behind all the events in the book. But except for that, we don't hear from him again until nearly the end. Which means the reader forgets about him. It would have been more intriguing to bring him up every few chapters. James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Jeffrey Deaver, most contemporary writers use this device, and it works. Sometimes it gets tiresome, so it can be overused. But the beginning and end were a mistake. I completely forgot he was a character.
There were scenes, too, where it felt like something had been skipped. The character is standing, talking, no evidence of moving, then suddenly she's pulling the covers up or putting on a seatbelt. Abrupt changes like that happened more frequently near the end, as if she was rushing to the conclusion.
I always have issues with the characters, who are supposed to be focused on one thing, suddenly struggling because they are distracted by another character. Something modern writers do that I DON'T think needs to be copied. Show their growing attraction naturally, don't immediately have them daydreaming about each other. Especially when pains are taken to show how unready both are for roaming eyes and thoughts.
So there were issues, hence 3 not 4 or 5 stars. It was still an intriguing story, and I love the northwest setting. I'll be checking out more Angel Delaney books, but I'd recommend Ms. Rushford get a more critical editor.
It wasn't until the sermonizing started that I realized the author was a Christian, and then it was painfully obvious. I think more Christian authors need to study the way faith was portrayed in older (100+) fiction. It always sounds/feels forced in modern fiction. Like it was put in to placate. I don't like it in Christian fiction, or even non-Christian fiction where ideologies, politics, or anything else subjected comes into it. Anything that feels or sounds false or untrue just shouldn't be there.
But that wasn't my main problem. The story starts with an ominous encounter with Duke, a mystery figure who clearly is behind all the events in the book. But except for that, we don't hear from him again until nearly the end. Which means the reader forgets about him. It would have been more intriguing to bring him up every few chapters. James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Jeffrey Deaver, most contemporary writers use this device, and it works. Sometimes it gets tiresome, so it can be overused. But the beginning and end were a mistake. I completely forgot he was a character.
There were scenes, too, where it felt like something had been skipped. The character is standing, talking, no evidence of moving, then suddenly she's pulling the covers up or putting on a seatbelt. Abrupt changes like that happened more frequently near the end, as if she was rushing to the conclusion.
I always have issues with the characters, who are supposed to be focused on one thing, suddenly struggling because they are distracted by another character. Something modern writers do that I DON'T think needs to be copied. Show their growing attraction naturally, don't immediately have them daydreaming about each other. Especially when pains are taken to show how unready both are for roaming eyes and thoughts.
So there were issues, hence 3 not 4 or 5 stars. It was still an intriguing story, and I love the northwest setting. I'll be checking out more Angel Delaney books, but I'd recommend Ms. Rushford get a more critical editor.
October 25, 2018
I'm hooked and can't wait to get my hands on more books by this author!
I just loved so almost everything about this book and wasn't really surpirsed to read the author holds master's degree in counseling. The characters, their development, struggles and faults were so realistic and well described it's amazing. I loved the way most of the relationships were pictured - especially the slow build up of the primary romance and the relationship between the two main characters which made me wonder midway through the book how she's going to solve this issue (which is well resolved as well).
The crimes were well crafted. I had four possible suspects almost from the very beginning and there were enough hints and red herrings that let me guess until the very end - and yeah the perp was one of the four :-)
There were two plot issues I don't think were resolved (well enough) and struggled with the development of two characters pretty much but hope the two more important issues (one plot and one with a character I expect to see in the following book(s) again) will be resolved later, so it didn't have any impact at my final rating.
An information for Christian readers:
Since it's a Christian mystery it's clean.
Still like in real life there're several scenes where the characters' feelings and wishes for kisses and a romantic relationship are explicitly mentioned and the story includes a (short) love triangle - so if you don't like/struggle with this kind of content, it could be it's not the right book for you.
I just loved so almost everything about this book and wasn't really surpirsed to read the author holds master's degree in counseling. The characters, their development, struggles and faults were so realistic and well described it's amazing. I loved the way most of the relationships were pictured - especially the slow build up of the primary romance and the relationship between the two main characters which made me wonder midway through the book how she's going to solve this issue (which is well resolved as well).
The crimes were well crafted. I had four possible suspects almost from the very beginning and there were enough hints and red herrings that let me guess until the very end - and yeah the perp was one of the four :-)
There were two plot issues I don't think were resolved (well enough) and struggled with the development of two characters pretty much but hope the two more important issues (one plot and one with a character I expect to see in the following book(s) again) will be resolved later, so it didn't have any impact at my final rating.
An information for Christian readers:
Since it's a Christian mystery it's clean.
Still like in real life there're several scenes where the characters' feelings and wishes for kisses and a romantic relationship are explicitly mentioned and the story includes a (short) love triangle - so if you don't like/struggle with this kind of content, it could be it's not the right book for you.
July 3, 2020
Began Slow, but then a Swift Toboggan Ride - Angel Delaney, a police officer who respected and wanted to emulate her policeman father all her life, finds herself in an officer involved, deadly force shooting. This happens at the beginning of the book. After that you are bombarded with all types of characters, names, situations, which left me repeatedly saying, “How is this connected to the shooting.” I almost stopped reading a few times, because one thing after another kept happening to Angel, but I persevered to the end, to find out “who were the bad guys!”
Angel is stubborn and she has trust and control issues. Her mother was an interesting character, the father at times rather off-putting. Her boss, Joe seemed unsympathetic and far more concerned about himself. All the various police officers, except Eric rather jumbled all together. Detective Callen Riley was a wonderful developed character, it was easy to trust that he would find answers. Once I reached the 50 percent point, the story moved very fast and I did not want to put my Kindle down.
Angel is stubborn and she has trust and control issues. Her mother was an interesting character, the father at times rather off-putting. Her boss, Joe seemed unsympathetic and far more concerned about himself. All the various police officers, except Eric rather jumbled all together. Detective Callen Riley was a wonderful developed character, it was easy to trust that he would find answers. Once I reached the 50 percent point, the story moved very fast and I did not want to put my Kindle down.
April 22, 2023
This was an amazing book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading!
Things I liked about the book.
1. The main characters were interesting and were fun to read about.
2. The storyline was solid with what I thought was a good balance of main storyline focus and side things that came up to keep you interested.
3. Emotions were expressed extremely well. This is one of the things I liked most about this book. Patricia H. Rushford did an amazing job making you be able to almost see or feel how the character is feeling.
4. The interactions between characters were for the most part entertaining and kept you interested in the book.
The thing I didn't care for about the book
(This is mainly just personal preference)
1. I think the criminal master mind behind it all was hinted at too early and too many times. This made me realize it was him early in the story so that when he was revealed there was hardly any suprise which made the climax not live up to its potential.
Things I liked about the book.
1. The main characters were interesting and were fun to read about.
2. The storyline was solid with what I thought was a good balance of main storyline focus and side things that came up to keep you interested.
3. Emotions were expressed extremely well. This is one of the things I liked most about this book. Patricia H. Rushford did an amazing job making you be able to almost see or feel how the character is feeling.
4. The interactions between characters were for the most part entertaining and kept you interested in the book.
The thing I didn't care for about the book
(This is mainly just personal preference)
1. I think the criminal master mind behind it all was hinted at too early and too many times. This made me realize it was him early in the story so that when he was revealed there was hardly any suprise which made the climax not live up to its potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2019
Repetitive, shallow, goodies vs baddies
I just realized that the (female) protagonist was Angel and her male love interest was Callen, why not just make him Galen?
She describes both a room and a building as green and purple, and there are THREE referenes to a pot pourri smell, pot pourri, the protagonist smelling sexy and room freshener I think was the last one. Coriander/cilantro apparently is everything the protaginst eats. She bites her lip/her hand a lot esp. while feeling emperiled. The protagonist is in danger A LOT. She strings along her quasi fiancee, she comes across as a little shallow. Also she apparently can’t even boil pasta which is possibly a reason for her to move in with a boyfriend who can cook. Also, her new boyfriend woos her mom a bit, which could get creepy, but I guess it;s supposed to demonstrate what a good guy he is.
I just realized that the (female) protagonist was Angel and her male love interest was Callen, why not just make him Galen?
She describes both a room and a building as green and purple, and there are THREE referenes to a pot pourri smell, pot pourri, the protagonist smelling sexy and room freshener I think was the last one. Coriander/cilantro apparently is everything the protaginst eats. She bites her lip/her hand a lot esp. while feeling emperiled. The protagonist is in danger A LOT. She strings along her quasi fiancee, she comes across as a little shallow. Also she apparently can’t even boil pasta which is possibly a reason for her to move in with a boyfriend who can cook. Also, her new boyfriend woos her mom a bit, which could get creepy, but I guess it;s supposed to demonstrate what a good guy he is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book. It had alot of twists and turns in it and I didn't know for sure until the end who was the bad guy!
Policewoman Angel Delaney shots a 12-year old boy during a robbery. She is accused of killing him because he was black. Detective Callen Riley is investigating this case and others. She believes she only shot him once in the shoulder but there were 3 bullets found in him. Then the evidence goes missing! Who took it out of the police evidence locker? Is there something more going on here? More bodies are found dead and someone is trying to make Angel look like the culprit. Plus someone is trying to harm Angel. Will she survive? Will they find out what is going on? and who is behind it?
Policewoman Angel Delaney shots a 12-year old boy during a robbery. She is accused of killing him because he was black. Detective Callen Riley is investigating this case and others. She believes she only shot him once in the shoulder but there were 3 bullets found in him. Then the evidence goes missing! Who took it out of the police evidence locker? Is there something more going on here? More bodies are found dead and someone is trying to make Angel look like the culprit. Plus someone is trying to harm Angel. Will she survive? Will they find out what is going on? and who is behind it?
November 13, 2023
I don’t knowwwwww.
It was just kind of corny. Like how the deductive falls in love with angel but never expresses what is so infatuating about her. Angel seems to be the hottest item out there but she just seems plain boring to me. Her relationship with Brandon was weird and over done. How she was done with him and he her but he still purposed and bought them a house?
Just ridiculously unrealistic and cheesy.
It was just kind of corny. Like how the deductive falls in love with angel but never expresses what is so infatuating about her. Angel seems to be the hottest item out there but she just seems plain boring to me. Her relationship with Brandon was weird and over done. How she was done with him and he her but he still purposed and bought them a house?
Just ridiculously unrealistic and cheesy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2019
This is the first time I've read one of Patricia Rushford's book and it won't be the last. I've already downloaded the other two books in this series. Can't wait to read them, too. Lots of action, suspense, and romance without the bad language, sex, etc. you find in some romantic suspense. That's why I choose to read Christian authors.
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