What do you think?
Rate this book
Intervention #1
Intervention
In this New York Times bestselling novel from Terri Blackstock, Barbara Covington has one more chance to save her daughter from a devastating addiction by staging an intervention. But when Emily disappears on the way to rehab—and her interventionist is found dead at the airport—Barbara enters the darkest nightmare of all. In the wake of Barbara’s husband’s death, her eighteen-year-old daughter Emily has developed a severe addiction to drugs, and Barbara is afraid her son Logan will pursue the same path. In desperation to save her daughter, Barbara enrolls Emily in a rehab program, complete with an intervention agent scheduled to securely escort Emily to the facility. Emily and the agent set off for Georgia, but when the interventionist is murdered in the parking garage of the Atlanta airport and Emily disappears into thin air, Emily becomes the prime suspect. Convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that her daughter is innocent, Barbara and her son race to Atlanta to try to find Emily before Detective Kent Harlan arrests her for the murder. Detective Kent has questions of his own. His gut tells him that this is a case of an addict killing for drugs, but as he gets to know Barbara, he begins to hope he’s wrong about Emily. Fearing for Emily’s life, Barbara maintains her daughter’s innocence. But does she really even know her daughter anymore? The panic level rises as the mysteries Did Emily’s obsession with drugs lead her to commit murder—or is she another victim of a cold-blooded killer?
337 pages, ebook
First published September 18, 2009
592 people are currently reading
3457 people want to read
About the author
Terri Blackstock
90 books5,548 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 502 reviews
December 1, 2021
4 stars
This is the first book I've read by this author and now I plan to add all of her others to my list! This story has a bit of everything and is laced nicely with the power of faith.
This is the first book I've read by this author and now I plan to add all of her others to my list! This story has a bit of everything and is laced nicely with the power of faith.
October 31, 2009
Terri Blackstock is one of my favorite authors, and she never disappoints me no matter what the subject matter of her book happens to be. This is a stand alone novel about a drug intervention and a murder. Ms. Blackstock is one of the few mystery writers who can prevent me from figuring out who committed a crime until she, as the author, chooses to tell me. I found the characters very believable; they were flawed and made mistakes in the midst of a crisis situation just as most of us probably would. If they had made perfect decisions every step of the way it would have seemed unreal. One reviewer found the mother, Barbara Covington, a little bit over the top and annoying. I can understand this reaction to the mother in this novel, but I thought she was a very genuine character whose actions were out of love and desperation for her daughters well being. This was a quick read for me because I didn't want to put it down. It is compelling, interesting reading, and will stay on my bookshelf and be lent to others.
October 8, 2011
I can’t remember where I heard about this book and what made me decide to try it, but somehow I missed that this was Christian Fiction. I am a Christian; a practicing Catholic. My family goes to church every Sunday, our children go to Catholic schools, and we enjoy being a part of our church community. But when I choose a book to read, particularly fiction, I am not looking religious message. To be honest, Terri Blackstock wasn’t too overbearing in this regard, I just wasn’t expecting it. The first half of the book was a little slow, but she had my interest in the last third of the book. However, overall I had an issue with the “Christian” theme. I don’t want this review to be a spoiler so I will just say this. The issue I have with the message “Christians” try to get across, or at least how I hear it, is that if you pray God will swoop in and save the day (or in the case of TV Evangelists they will send God in to save the day after a sizable contribution has been made). In the book Barbara, the Mother, got in the way of the Atlanta Police, who were trying to find her daughter, and put her life, and her son’s, in grave danger. But by praying everything worked out. In reality she would have made things far worse for her daughter and her son. I believe we were created by a Supreme Being, God. And that he gave us a free will. With that free will we humans make many mistakes and usually pay the consequences for those mistakes. Hopefully, we learn something. To me being a good Christian means that we try our best, acknowledge our failures, ask for forgiveness, and carry on. We do not jump into a viper pit and pray for God to protect us.
October 10, 2018
I read this book several years ago and on a road trip this week listened to it. It was just as amazing as when I first read it. I love a good suspense and Blackstock does not disappoint.
March 26, 2025
Barbara Covington thought her 18-year-old daughter's drug addiction was her worst nightmare, but she was wrong. Barbara, her 14-year-old son Lance, and Trish the interventionist had talked Emily into flying to Atlanta with Trish to go into Trisha's Christian rehab program. However, a worse nightmare than drug addiction began when Barbara received a call from Atlanta detective Kent Harlan calls her with the news that Trish has been murdered, and Emily is the suspect.
As Barbara and Lance try to prove that Emily is a victim, not a perpetrator, Kent Harlan follows every possible step to find out who killed Trish.
Terri Blackstock has long been one of my favorite Christian writers because of the depth of her writing. Her experience in a jail ministry and with an addicted child lend a depth to her characterization of Barbara. At points, Barbara's pain tempted me to lay the book aside for a while.
The story is fast-paced and well thought out, the Christian faith strong but not overpowering.
I'm glad to find this story that I had somehow missed. I think I'd better head back to the library to scour the shelves for more of her books that I may have missed.
As Barbara and Lance try to prove that Emily is a victim, not a perpetrator, Kent Harlan follows every possible step to find out who killed Trish.
Terri Blackstock has long been one of my favorite Christian writers because of the depth of her writing. Her experience in a jail ministry and with an addicted child lend a depth to her characterization of Barbara. At points, Barbara's pain tempted me to lay the book aside for a while.
The story is fast-paced and well thought out, the Christian faith strong but not overpowering.
I'm glad to find this story that I had somehow missed. I think I'd better head back to the library to scour the shelves for more of her books that I may have missed.
August 27, 2015
Very enlightening
This book was very enlightening to the hurt and pain of being addictive to drugs in the family. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to all Terri Blackstock fans.
This book was very enlightening to the hurt and pain of being addictive to drugs in the family. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to all Terri Blackstock fans.
June 3, 2021
3.5, sometimes the characters where a bit childish and/or stupid ;)
November 4, 2009
One of my biggest criticisms of contemporary Christian fiction is that while the stories and situations may be compelling and interesting, the characters and their reactions to the situations or chain of events often are not. Too often, you can predict the story arc for each character based on his or her introduction in the novel. You can guess who will be "saved" and who won't be early in the story, thus ruining some of the enjoyment of the story and diminishing the authenticity of the novel. (I'm looking at you "Left Behind.")
So, when a book comes along from the contemporary Christian genre that has not only well drawn, realistic characters but also ones who react in authentic manners, it always draws my attention a bit. That's the case with Terri Blackstock's "Intervention"
"Invention" is the story of widowed mother Barbara and her two children. Her oldest, daughter Emily has embraced the world of drugs and addiction in the wake of her father's death while her younger son, Logan has his own struggles but hasn't quite gone down the same path. In desperation to save her daughter, Barbara enrolls her in a rehab program, complete with an intervention agent who will come and take Emily to the facility so Emily can't talk her mother out of this course of action. The two set off for Georgia but the interventionist is murdered in the parking garage of the Atlanta airport and Emily becomes the prime suspect. Barbara races to Atlanta with her son in tow to try and find Emily, convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt of her daughter's innocence.
Blackstock does a nice job of making Barbara feel like a real character over the course of the story. Her faith and prayers are authentic as as her doubts as the evidence begins to pile up. Barbara is not a perfect person or mother and Blackstock allows her to be portrayed as such at several points in the early stages of the novel.
However, once the novel hits a certain point and some aspects of what is really going on are revealed that things being to slowly unravel. The last third of the novel depends a lot on Barbara becoming McGyver-like in her ability to get information and do certain things to help track down Emily. Yes, Google is a powerful tool but it certainly shouldn't allow Barbara to get one step ahead of the police in her investigation as is portrayed here. And the revelation of what exactly is going here and why is a bit of a disappointment.
It's a shame really because for the first 200 pages, "Intervention" is a well crafted, suspense thriller with realistic characters and a horrifying situation.
So, when a book comes along from the contemporary Christian genre that has not only well drawn, realistic characters but also ones who react in authentic manners, it always draws my attention a bit. That's the case with Terri Blackstock's "Intervention"
"Invention" is the story of widowed mother Barbara and her two children. Her oldest, daughter Emily has embraced the world of drugs and addiction in the wake of her father's death while her younger son, Logan has his own struggles but hasn't quite gone down the same path. In desperation to save her daughter, Barbara enrolls her in a rehab program, complete with an intervention agent who will come and take Emily to the facility so Emily can't talk her mother out of this course of action. The two set off for Georgia but the interventionist is murdered in the parking garage of the Atlanta airport and Emily becomes the prime suspect. Barbara races to Atlanta with her son in tow to try and find Emily, convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt of her daughter's innocence.
Blackstock does a nice job of making Barbara feel like a real character over the course of the story. Her faith and prayers are authentic as as her doubts as the evidence begins to pile up. Barbara is not a perfect person or mother and Blackstock allows her to be portrayed as such at several points in the early stages of the novel.
However, once the novel hits a certain point and some aspects of what is really going on are revealed that things being to slowly unravel. The last third of the novel depends a lot on Barbara becoming McGyver-like in her ability to get information and do certain things to help track down Emily. Yes, Google is a powerful tool but it certainly shouldn't allow Barbara to get one step ahead of the police in her investigation as is portrayed here. And the revelation of what exactly is going here and why is a bit of a disappointment.
It's a shame really because for the first 200 pages, "Intervention" is a well crafted, suspense thriller with realistic characters and a horrifying situation.
January 2, 2012
Barbara Covington is desperate to save her daughter from drug addiction. Emily has been in rehab before and has gone right back to the drugs that she craves. Barbara finally stages an intervention. Trish from Road Back Recovery Center arrives to escort Emily to rehab.
When Trish and Emily land in Atlanta Barbara's nightmare begins. Trish is found dead in the parking garage and Emily is missing. Barbara and her son Lance arrive in Atlanta where the police believe that Emily is the one who murdered Trish. Everyone sees Emily as a junkie willing to do anything for her next fix. Only Barbara believes that her daughter is not the cold-blooded killer that everyone believes her to be.
When Barbara receives a text from her daughter saying "mom help me" she is more than convinced that something horrible has happened to her daughter. Frustrated that the police seem to be doing nothing to help find Emily, Barbara is determined to go out on her own and find her no matter where it takes her.
Filled with the anguish and helplessness that a parent must feel when their child sinks into substance abuse the author captures those powerful feelings and emotions in each page of Intervention. At the end of the book Terri Blackstock shares about her own daughter's substance abuse. The feeling of first-hand experience and emotions are apparent throughout the story. The mystery and suspense of Intervention kept me on the edge of my seat. An excellent novel that has me ready to delve into the next book in the series Vicious Cycle.
When Trish and Emily land in Atlanta Barbara's nightmare begins. Trish is found dead in the parking garage and Emily is missing. Barbara and her son Lance arrive in Atlanta where the police believe that Emily is the one who murdered Trish. Everyone sees Emily as a junkie willing to do anything for her next fix. Only Barbara believes that her daughter is not the cold-blooded killer that everyone believes her to be.
When Barbara receives a text from her daughter saying "mom help me" she is more than convinced that something horrible has happened to her daughter. Frustrated that the police seem to be doing nothing to help find Emily, Barbara is determined to go out on her own and find her no matter where it takes her.
Filled with the anguish and helplessness that a parent must feel when their child sinks into substance abuse the author captures those powerful feelings and emotions in each page of Intervention. At the end of the book Terri Blackstock shares about her own daughter's substance abuse. The feeling of first-hand experience and emotions are apparent throughout the story. The mystery and suspense of Intervention kept me on the edge of my seat. An excellent novel that has me ready to delve into the next book in the series Vicious Cycle.
October 1, 2016
Absolutely riveting. This author sure knows how to spin a suspenseful tale! I was completely captivated on page one. The subject matter is gritty and there are so many emotional punches -- at times I couldn't catch my breath. Page turning does not begin to describe how compelling a read Intervention is.
Barbara is a relatable heroine. She's been through so much -- especially where her daughter is concerned. And yet she clings to the Lord -- looks to Him for comfort and direction. When her daughter's drug addiction upends her world she struggles to take control....only to lose it completely in an unexpected and horrific way.
Suddenly her missing daughter goes from victim to suspect and Barbara doesn't trust the local police handling the case. She bulldozes through their investigation with assistance from her intrepid, computer savvy son. They drum up leads and chase them down as danger mounts and Barbara grows more desperate to save her child. I didn't put this book down until I reached the end...in the wee hours of the morning.
This story is gut-wrenching and frightening as it mirrors reality. But Blackstock has also infused it with the joyous hope of Christ's saving grace. It's a story that is very close to the author's heart and that is evident in the rawness of the telling. Make sure to read the her note at the end.
Barbara is a relatable heroine. She's been through so much -- especially where her daughter is concerned. And yet she clings to the Lord -- looks to Him for comfort and direction. When her daughter's drug addiction upends her world she struggles to take control....only to lose it completely in an unexpected and horrific way.
Suddenly her missing daughter goes from victim to suspect and Barbara doesn't trust the local police handling the case. She bulldozes through their investigation with assistance from her intrepid, computer savvy son. They drum up leads and chase them down as danger mounts and Barbara grows more desperate to save her child. I didn't put this book down until I reached the end...in the wee hours of the morning.
This story is gut-wrenching and frightening as it mirrors reality. But Blackstock has also infused it with the joyous hope of Christ's saving grace. It's a story that is very close to the author's heart and that is evident in the rawness of the telling. Make sure to read the her note at the end.
July 23, 2021
I have always wanted to reread this series. Its not the most popular of Terri Blackstock series but it is still one my favorites of hers and so worth the read. Barbara daughter Emily is a drug addict and finally gets her to go to rehab. But there is a problem, the case worker with her is murdered and Emily has disappeared. Barbara knows her daughter, she is innocent of this crime. So Barbara sets out with her son to find out who took her and how to get her back, not matter what the cost. This book has everything in it. Suspense, thrills and a great mystery, also the foundation of Christ in each of their lives even Detective Kent who becomes more invested to find Emily. Does he start to have feeling for Barbara? Really a great read from Terri Blackstock and she writes with knowledge of what a child goes through with a drug problems. Such a wonderful book which I highly recommend reading!!
September 16, 2023
I don’t think this was my cup of tea.
I’m a Christian and love that the author tried to mix biblical messages into the book, but it felt awkward and forced. I also didn’t find any of the characters to be likeable, which made it hard to have any connections with the storyline.
I’d give another of this author’s books a try, but was not a fan of this one.
I’m a Christian and love that the author tried to mix biblical messages into the book, but it felt awkward and forced. I also didn’t find any of the characters to be likeable, which made it hard to have any connections with the storyline.
I’d give another of this author’s books a try, but was not a fan of this one.
November 19, 2009
Clean christian fiction, but the sap runs thick.
March 19, 2011
K - they need to start putting disclaimers on religious books. I will still read you if you aren't totally religious - but at least I have full warning that you are coming at me with scripture. For instance - um - Jodi Piccoult? I think she has religious tones in her books - but I enjoy them - and I'm ok with that. One of my favorite books was about religion and orphans and blah blah blah blah. It's been a while since I read it. But - again - DISCLAIMER!
For the book itself - interesting enough. Who would have thought you would be kidnapped as you were going into a rehab center? I find it difficult to imagine the mothers thoughts. The need to find her daughter vrs the need for her to stay safe for her son. If one of my children went missing, would I be able to sit and wait and hope the police knew what to look for? I don't like how (in general), the non police people always know more than the real police people. Does that give credence to what the mother did? As skinny models teach you that is beautiful, books like this can teach you that you will always find out more than the cops, and no matter how stupid you are, they will be there just at the exact second you need them.
I guess I like more where my thoughts went from reading this novel, than anything the novel actually gave me. And I'm not going to lie, I just skimmed all the god crap out. (No offense to those who are religious)
For the book itself - interesting enough. Who would have thought you would be kidnapped as you were going into a rehab center? I find it difficult to imagine the mothers thoughts. The need to find her daughter vrs the need for her to stay safe for her son. If one of my children went missing, would I be able to sit and wait and hope the police knew what to look for? I don't like how (in general), the non police people always know more than the real police people. Does that give credence to what the mother did? As skinny models teach you that is beautiful, books like this can teach you that you will always find out more than the cops, and no matter how stupid you are, they will be there just at the exact second you need them.
I guess I like more where my thoughts went from reading this novel, than anything the novel actually gave me. And I'm not going to lie, I just skimmed all the god crap out. (No offense to those who are religious)
August 2, 2011
Like all Terri Blackstock books, I made the mistake of trying to read a few pages before bed once I was within 50 pages of the end and wound up staying up until I finished at about 3 am. This was one of the best I've read from her. I really empathized with the characters and cared about their relationships and dilemmas. As usual, Blackstock's faith comes through in the story, but not in a preachy or corny way. She is very good at developing believable Christian and non-Christian characters and doesn't feel the need to have the story be about people getting saved. A lot of Christian fiction (especially in film) falls into that trap, and the effect of the story itself often gets lost or loses its power as the audience begins to feel that it was all just a set up for an agenda. This book is certainly Christian fiction, but it is first and foremost a good thriller of a story. I highly recommend it.
September 30, 2009
I whipped through it because it was hard to put down. It was very eye-opening in terms of what the families of addicts face. I know the author was trying to get across how distressed the mom was, but this characater really started to get on my nerves.
May 20, 2024
This book is really good. Barbara Covington wants to help save her daughter from a devastating drug addiction. She stages an intervention with an interventionist. But the interventionalist is found dead at the airport and Emily is missing and considered a suspect. Barbara and her son Lance go to Atlanta to help find Emily. Good suspense and mystery.
April 17, 2025
WOW! I've always been a Terri Blackstock fan and somehow overlooked this one. I was on the edge of my seat all through this intense suspense novel. Drug addiction leads to pain for so many here - mother, brother, and the addict. When a broken doctor turns from light to darkness to assuage his pain, things spiral into murder and mayhem. Hang on for a wild ride!
March 16, 2020
Good evening everyone, I've just recently finished listening to intervention by Terri Blackstock, again. It's not a bad thing to like listening to certain series by your favorite authors, repeatedly, is it? I don't think so, anyhow.
OK, I'm gonna admit something here, I'm a very avid reader, and i love, love, love listening to audiobooks when I'm doing laundry, cleaning, or doing anything else outside of actually reading a book. So, Terri Blackstock is an awesome Christian author, she's got series I still have yet to read/listen to. Intervention is the first in her intervention series, followed by vicious cycle and downfall. Intervention follows the Covington family shortly after losing dad and husband to cancer, leaving mom to single parent her two teenage children and work all while grieving and eventually moving forward. I've thankfully never had to deal with drug addiction with my kids, however, knowing people who do, I give them praise. In the book, Barbara is about at wit's end with her 18yr old, drug addicted, still grieving daughter, who's gotten herself addicted to so much, you sit and wonder how she hasn't overdosed somewhere yet, thankful that she hasn't. Barbara is so frustrated and not knowing what else to do, she brings in an interventionist to hopefully help make her daughter's transition from fallen off the wagon drug addicted daughter to rehab.
The meet with the interventionist does not go anything like Barbara hoped for. Instead, she has to break down and admit it went just like the interventionist, Tricia, says it would. However, once the meet is said and done, Emily is packed and they are safely delivered to the airport, she tries checking off one stressor off her list. Just when she starts to relax a little, thinking things are going according to plan, she gets what you almost want to imagine as a frying pan to the head, finding after speaking to her daughter at baggage claim, that the final leg of the trip to rehab, goes very far south.
The suspense of the story following the events that take place starting with the interventionist's demise, the disappearance of the drug addicted daughter, and the ever so helpful younger son, added to her already full plate, would definitely make me want to crawl in a hole and forget to come out again. I understand her frustration of getting that call from Atlanta's police detective regarding her daughter's interventionist being quietly killed and her disappearance from the scene, nonetheless from the airport. While listening to it, I sat and thought to myself, if that were me, would i automatically want to believe that all that transpired in between hearing that my daughter is just an hour away from rehab, and getting a call from the state's police in which they traveled to tell me I needed to also head there directly to help find out the events that took place, on top of now searching for my drug addicted daughter? I'd have also called the police station to verify that this guy actually existed and that, yes, indeed, this incident did actually happen. Crap..... how many of us, mothers or not, tried thinking in our head of all the things you need to get done in a very short time frame, and coming back to the realization that, you're not gonna get it all done in time, and, on top of it all, you have to arrange for your younger child, who hasn't gotten carried away in the ways of the world, yet, to be placed with somebody who's gonna make sure they stay in school, do homework, behave and panic that they've lost dad to cancer, sister in a whirlwind of what you think, crime you've only heard about on TV, and now mom to help untangle it all. No way, that younger child has now added a really big monkey wrench to your overflowing plate, and you haven't had a chance to stop, breathe and pray that God will wake you up from what you're hoping is just a really really bad dream, and not having hubby there to help you figure it all out.
Fast forward close to a week, feeling like you're still in that clouded dream that won't seem to end, thinking you're just about reunited with your daughter, while you're son is safely on his way home via airplane, and you'll finally be able to sleep and get back to functioning like a somewhat normal human, when, yet again, another monkey wrench wreaks havoc. When you start thinking, as Barbara is, "man, when is this going to end. I'm so close to getting life, somewhat back to normal and then this, somebody, please just shoot me." Coincidentally, that almost does actually happen before this whole ordeal is finished. Imagine being that mother who's just about ready to crack, or who's in the cracking stage, adrenaline kicking in, and fear of nothing running the show you're about ready to end. When, thankfully, her knight in shining armor comes to the rescue to give her the fairy tale ending she has been hoping for way too long.
I myself enjoyed listening to this series, I hope you enjoy the review also and take time to either read or listen to the last two in this series, vicious cycle and downfall. They'll get you hooked.
OK, I'm gonna admit something here, I'm a very avid reader, and i love, love, love listening to audiobooks when I'm doing laundry, cleaning, or doing anything else outside of actually reading a book. So, Terri Blackstock is an awesome Christian author, she's got series I still have yet to read/listen to. Intervention is the first in her intervention series, followed by vicious cycle and downfall. Intervention follows the Covington family shortly after losing dad and husband to cancer, leaving mom to single parent her two teenage children and work all while grieving and eventually moving forward. I've thankfully never had to deal with drug addiction with my kids, however, knowing people who do, I give them praise. In the book, Barbara is about at wit's end with her 18yr old, drug addicted, still grieving daughter, who's gotten herself addicted to so much, you sit and wonder how she hasn't overdosed somewhere yet, thankful that she hasn't. Barbara is so frustrated and not knowing what else to do, she brings in an interventionist to hopefully help make her daughter's transition from fallen off the wagon drug addicted daughter to rehab.
The meet with the interventionist does not go anything like Barbara hoped for. Instead, she has to break down and admit it went just like the interventionist, Tricia, says it would. However, once the meet is said and done, Emily is packed and they are safely delivered to the airport, she tries checking off one stressor off her list. Just when she starts to relax a little, thinking things are going according to plan, she gets what you almost want to imagine as a frying pan to the head, finding after speaking to her daughter at baggage claim, that the final leg of the trip to rehab, goes very far south.
The suspense of the story following the events that take place starting with the interventionist's demise, the disappearance of the drug addicted daughter, and the ever so helpful younger son, added to her already full plate, would definitely make me want to crawl in a hole and forget to come out again. I understand her frustration of getting that call from Atlanta's police detective regarding her daughter's interventionist being quietly killed and her disappearance from the scene, nonetheless from the airport. While listening to it, I sat and thought to myself, if that were me, would i automatically want to believe that all that transpired in between hearing that my daughter is just an hour away from rehab, and getting a call from the state's police in which they traveled to tell me I needed to also head there directly to help find out the events that took place, on top of now searching for my drug addicted daughter? I'd have also called the police station to verify that this guy actually existed and that, yes, indeed, this incident did actually happen. Crap..... how many of us, mothers or not, tried thinking in our head of all the things you need to get done in a very short time frame, and coming back to the realization that, you're not gonna get it all done in time, and, on top of it all, you have to arrange for your younger child, who hasn't gotten carried away in the ways of the world, yet, to be placed with somebody who's gonna make sure they stay in school, do homework, behave and panic that they've lost dad to cancer, sister in a whirlwind of what you think, crime you've only heard about on TV, and now mom to help untangle it all. No way, that younger child has now added a really big monkey wrench to your overflowing plate, and you haven't had a chance to stop, breathe and pray that God will wake you up from what you're hoping is just a really really bad dream, and not having hubby there to help you figure it all out.
Fast forward close to a week, feeling like you're still in that clouded dream that won't seem to end, thinking you're just about reunited with your daughter, while you're son is safely on his way home via airplane, and you'll finally be able to sleep and get back to functioning like a somewhat normal human, when, yet again, another monkey wrench wreaks havoc. When you start thinking, as Barbara is, "man, when is this going to end. I'm so close to getting life, somewhat back to normal and then this, somebody, please just shoot me." Coincidentally, that almost does actually happen before this whole ordeal is finished. Imagine being that mother who's just about ready to crack, or who's in the cracking stage, adrenaline kicking in, and fear of nothing running the show you're about ready to end. When, thankfully, her knight in shining armor comes to the rescue to give her the fairy tale ending she has been hoping for way too long.
I myself enjoyed listening to this series, I hope you enjoy the review also and take time to either read or listen to the last two in this series, vicious cycle and downfall. They'll get you hooked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2021
she never disappoints. Wonderful!
February 14, 2025
I like this author .. especially enjoyed her If I Run trilogy.
Sadly this author lived much of this story as she had a daughter addicted to drugs. She’s writing what she knows. Worthwhile read.
Sadly this author lived much of this story as she had a daughter addicted to drugs. She’s writing what she knows. Worthwhile read.
June 8, 2019
I would really like to give this book 3 1/2 stars. Reading it is like watching a TV crime show. Gripping action and scene changes between mother, cops, and daughter keep the reader drawn in. I certainly appreciate Mrs. Blackstock's emotionally honest portrayal of the grief, anger, questioning, and desperation of a parent of an addicted child. The height of that emotion as Barbara throws a chair at the TV left me hurting with her.
But I was frustrated with Barbara's choices of believing the cops weren't caring or doing enough. In that way, the story imitates TV and loses some originality. Someone always has to go rogue to solve the mystery, and in this case, it was the mom. Perhaps some of Barbara's decisions and accusations may be what a desperate parent would actually do in real life, but they seem unrealistic to me.
But I was frustrated with Barbara's choices of believing the cops weren't caring or doing enough. In that way, the story imitates TV and loses some originality. Someone always has to go rogue to solve the mystery, and in this case, it was the mom. Perhaps some of Barbara's decisions and accusations may be what a desperate parent would actually do in real life, but they seem unrealistic to me.
July 8, 2015
I enjoyed this book but I had subtle problems with it. I liked the character of Lance, he provided comic relief. I did not like the fact that every time the mother described her daughter to someone she would always call her pretty. I got tired of that description...I felt as if it was very shallow. Every mother would describe their daughter as pretty. I enjoyed the perspective of Emily, and hearing her tell what'd happened....but I didn't really like the killer/kidnapper's POV. I feel like that was a little too much and it eventually took away the mystery aspect.
I still enjoy Terri Blackstock's work and can't wait to read more of it.
I still enjoy Terri Blackstock's work and can't wait to read more of it.
August 20, 2011
I hated this book. Well, I hatd the character of the mother. While she was portrayed as a mother bear type, willing to do whatever it took to protect her child, I saw her as shrill, pushy, and manipulative and just getting in the way. I tried to keep reading, kept hoping her character would dial it down a little but it didn't happen and I finally couldn't stand it anymore and quit reading.
I did, however, end up reading the 2nd book in this series, "Vicious Cycle" which I liked a lot, which was surprising. Glad I gave it a shot. Off to write that review now.
I did, however, end up reading the 2nd book in this series, "Vicious Cycle" which I liked a lot, which was surprising. Glad I gave it a shot. Off to write that review now.
July 20, 2021
She was an addict, going to get help. But her Chauffeur gets killed and everyone thinks she is the killer.
With Emily missing her mother and brother come to try and find her to help her. They know she cant be a killer. But everyone only wants a story and an addict gone killer sounded nice to them. So they were on their own to find Emily, to save her. If she hadnt killed then she was with the killer if not she cpuld be dead somewhere too.
With Emily missing her mother and brother come to try and find her to help her. They know she cant be a killer. But everyone only wants a story and an addict gone killer sounded nice to them. So they were on their own to find Emily, to save her. If she hadnt killed then she was with the killer if not she cpuld be dead somewhere too.
January 29, 2015
Terri Blackstock is always a great choice if you're looking for a suspense story from a Christian worldview. She often deals with modern, real-life issues, and in Intervention that issue is drug abuse. I read this book a few years ago, but I remember it being realistic and engaging.
April 13, 2020
Two-haiku review:
Daughter is addict
Rehab woman is murdered
Did daughter do it?
Christian mystery
Pretty well done characters
Exciting plotline
Daughter is addict
Rehab woman is murdered
Did daughter do it?
Christian mystery
Pretty well done characters
Exciting plotline
November 5, 2025
I haven’t read a Terri Blackstock book in probably fifteen(?) years, so I was really curious to see if 1) the books would be as scary / suspenseful as I remembered, and 2) if I’d enjoy them as much.
This book was well-paced and fairly engaging. It wasn’t too long, and I was interested to see how things would turn out. It’s written in third person, so I didn’t connect with any of the characters or get emotionally invested. (The characters weren’t particularly likable, anyway.) I felt that the plot was stronger than the writing.
My main critique is that the author seemed a bit dated? She referred to instagram as a blog (lol) and acted like people would be pouring their hearts out, leaving vital clues, and sharing flight itineraries to their public pages?? Lol. She also talked about “bad” areas of town the way older parents or grandparents would (semi judgmental language), and the one person of color that was mentioned was a Jamaican cab driver whose speech was written with a very stereotypical accent.
I’m glad I read it, but it wasn’t compelling enough for me to continue the series.
*I read the book; I didn’t listen to the audiobook.
This book was well-paced and fairly engaging. It wasn’t too long, and I was interested to see how things would turn out. It’s written in third person, so I didn’t connect with any of the characters or get emotionally invested. (The characters weren’t particularly likable, anyway.) I felt that the plot was stronger than the writing.
My main critique is that the author seemed a bit dated? She referred to instagram as a blog (lol) and acted like people would be pouring their hearts out, leaving vital clues, and sharing flight itineraries to their public pages?? Lol. She also talked about “bad” areas of town the way older parents or grandparents would (semi judgmental language), and the one person of color that was mentioned was a Jamaican cab driver whose speech was written with a very stereotypical accent.
I’m glad I read it, but it wasn’t compelling enough for me to continue the series.
*I read the book; I didn’t listen to the audiobook.
September 26, 2022
Per my YouTube video on Christian fiction, this book actually fits some of that criteria. They do make a point of the fact that rehabs will never solve the issue. And there is a conversion story. But they don't ever go to, or mention, a church or biblical counseling.
However, there was too much bad that outweighed the good parts of this book. First of all, the mom is a pretty terrible mother (even though much of the story revolves around the fact that her daughter's drug addiction is not the fault of parenting), threatening her son multiple times even though her daughter is suspected of murder. Very distasteful.
Also, I felt like the references to drugs in a addiction in here deserve a trigger warning. It does not seem like Blackstock needed to go quite that far in her remarks on drugs.
However, there was too much bad that outweighed the good parts of this book. First of all, the mom is a pretty terrible mother (even though much of the story revolves around the fact that her daughter's drug addiction is not the fault of parenting), threatening her son multiple times even though her daughter is suspected of murder. Very distasteful.
Also, I felt like the references to drugs in a addiction in here deserve a trigger warning. It does not seem like Blackstock needed to go quite that far in her remarks on drugs.
March 16, 2021
4.5 rounded up to 5
This story was another great one by Terri Blackstock.
It deals with a dark and triggering subject, drug abuse so I just want to put that out there. I think Blackstock handled it in a great manner.
I loved reading from Barbara, the mother's point of view because it gave us a first hand look at the love of a mother and what a mother is willing to put herself through in order to make sure her child is okay.
A thing that I appreciate is the realistic portrayal of life and suffering and grief.
Overall, amazing book that was written excellently and interested to see what will happen in book two.
This story was another great one by Terri Blackstock.
It deals with a dark and triggering subject, drug abuse so I just want to put that out there. I think Blackstock handled it in a great manner.
I loved reading from Barbara, the mother's point of view because it gave us a first hand look at the love of a mother and what a mother is willing to put herself through in order to make sure her child is okay.
A thing that I appreciate is the realistic portrayal of life and suffering and grief.
Overall, amazing book that was written excellently and interested to see what will happen in book two.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 502 reviews