Snitch

Occupational Hazards #2

by Rene Gutteridge

Convinced he has a greater chance to die–of boredom–at his desk job than he ever faced in narcotics, Las Vegas police sergeant Ron Yeager agrees to slip off the retirement track long enough to head up an undercover task force designed to combat the recent surge in auto thefts. Then he meets his inexperienced team of officers, most of whom seem completely incapable of infiltrating the seamy underbelly of Sin City. In particular, Mackenzie “Mack” Hazard’s determination to wear her faith like a badge threatens to send Yeager’s blood pressure skyrocketing. And then there’s maverick Jesse Lunden, who thinks he’s learned all he needs to know in his three years of undercover work. As Yeager gambles his reputation on transforming this group of egos and eccentrics into a force to be reckoned with, he stumbles onto a much bigger scheme than anyone expected. This could be the showstopper of their careers–if his back doesn’t give out first. This second book in the Occupational Hazards series blends wacky characters, sincere faith, and surprising plot twists into one hilariously addictive read.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Mystery

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2007

About the author

Rene Gutteridge is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than eighteen novels, including the beloved Boo Series and Heart of the Country, her novelization release with director John Ward and Tyndale House Publishers. Her recent suspense titles include Listen, Possession and the award-winning Seven Hours project Escapement. She's been published by Bethany House, Tyndale House, WaterBrook Press, Thomas Nelson and B&H and novelized the successful motion picture The Ultimate Gift. She is teaming again with screenwriter Cheryl McKay for the romantic comedy Greetings from the Flipside from B&H and releasing her new suspense title, Misery Loves Company from Tyndale in 2013. Her romantic comedy Never the Bride won the 2010 Carol Award for Best Women’s Fiction. Her upcoming literary projects include the novelization of the motion picture Old Fashioned with Tyndale House Publishers and filmmaker Rik Swartzwelder.

Her adaptation of her novel My Life as a Doormat is in development with Kingdom Pictures and she is also a creative consultant for Boo, a film based on her best-selling novel, in development at Sodium Entertainment with Cory Edwards attached as director and Andrea Nasfell as screenwriter. She is also co-writer in a collaborative comedy project called Last Resort with screenwriters Torry Martin and Marshal Younger. Her screenplay Skid is currently in production and scheduled to begin filming in April of 2013. Find her on Facebook and Twitter or at her website, www.renegutteridge.com

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sergeant Ron Yeager is hired by Captain Laura Gates to lead a Task Force she has created to take down an auto theft ring that has been stealing cars and selling them for parts in the Las Vegas/Hendersonville area. When he gets a cocky young man named Jesse with his friend dozer, a young woman named Mackenzie Hazard who wears her faith on her sleeve, a man named Wiz who is weird and his pastor Kyle for the task force, he may be in over his head. Can the Sergeant get these cops and his pastor ready to go undercover in time for the bust to go down or will disaster strike? Read and find out for yourself.

This was a pretty good Christian cop book that I borrowed off my mom's bookshelf. If you enjoy stories about faith and cops in action, definitely check this book out for yourself. This book is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this author's "Boo" series, and pick this up off my shelf just as something to be light and entertaining. I was quite pleasantly surprised that the characters, though some were a little cartoons, mostly caught my interest. Far & away I found them not to be stereotypical, and the plot was pretty intricate. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and now I guess I will have to find some of the others in the series for a little light entertainment.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, Mack is a police officer trying to get into undercover work.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable easy read.

[Carrie Del · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious mystery! Couldn't stop laughing while trying to figure out how they'll catch the bad guys. Great read!

[Gayle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t tell if this was supposed to be a funny book or a serious one. Most of the characters didn’t seem developed enough. Kyle seemed kind of clueless for a pastor. The ending seemed abrupt.

[Barbara Cryer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way more plot than most Christian books. Likable characters without being preachy.

[Carissa Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a fun light read and this was a fun one. The characters were likable and felt like real people - the Christian references were sweet and real without being overly preachy.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snitch, the second entry in The Occupational Hazards series, continues to follow the humorous misadventures of the Hazard siblings as they enter the workforce following their parents' deaths and the dissolution of the family clown business. This time, daughter Mackenzie - who prefers to be known as "Mack" - takes center stage as an officer with the Las Vegas Police Department who dreams of working undercover. Her dedication catches the attention of Captain Laura Gates, who selects Mack for an task force dedicated to breaking up an auto theft ring. With little training and a personality distinctly lacking in guile, Mack is thrust onto a rag-tag team where her vibrant faith often makes her stand out.

However, even the most experienced team members bring baggage to the task force. Leader Ron is just shy of retirement but desperate to seize one last chance at a high-profile assignment. Jesse, the most experienced officer, has his heart set on working in narcotics and not property crimes. He masks his uncertainties with a grating bravado and aversion to taking orders that marks him as a "wild card." And then there's Kevin, who mysteriously seems the most ill-equipped to handle undercover work. When the assignment turns out to be much bigger and more dangerous than anyone dreamed, can this rag-tag group of officers rise to the occasion and bring down the bad guys?

I think Snitch is a much better read than its news-themed predecessor, Scoop. Mack is a much better-rounded, more interesting, and less "cardboard" character than the previously featured Hayden. Gutteridge does a hilarious job dealing with Mack's quirks - like her quick temper - and a better job of presenting Mack's faith and homeschool background without feeling like she's brushing the fringes of cheesy stereotyping. Each ensemble member also benefits from stronger characterizations - I particularly enjoyed Gutteridge's portrayal of Ron's marriage. She does a terrific job of not only portraying Ron's work drive but also gives equal, insightful time to the challenges that face a marriage when one member thrives on a high-risk occupation. Since I'm a series reader, I would've preferred if Snitch had skipped recapping the Hazard parents' funeral (this time from Mack's point-of-view). This opening was so similar to Scoop's that it felt redundant as a result I had a harder time getting into the story - however for non-series readers this shouldn't be an issue. Strong character development coupled with brisk plotting, snappy dialogue, and hilarious, laugh-out-loud humor make Snitch a winning entry in The Occupational Hazards series.

[Robin Quattlebaum]

This was a cute and funny book. I laughed out loud several times. I happened to notice it on the New Books shelf, hadn't heard of the author but the jacket and the fact that it looked like a police drama did appeal to me. It was light reading but the characters were appealing. I had trouble keeping a few people apart tho. About a third of the way into it, I noticed some religious refererences. I was not bothered by them and they are in keeping with the book and characters. I finally took a closer look at some of the blurbs on the jacket and realized that it is a Christian drama. And I did really enjoy it. I will look for more of this author's work and perhaps find others like it.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is only the second crime type novel that I have picked up. I was tempted to quit the story because the character development seems just barely believable, but am still with it. The plot doesn't take a lot of processing to follow, so I am buzzing through the book. It is entertaining enough for a distraction.

I finished the book, but am not sure how I made it through. The Christian religious references were a real turn off and the character development remained superficial throughout the story. At least the story made sense and followed an understandable sequence.

[Dailyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful. So sneaky and clever. I loved how the author described all of the aspects of going undercover. She didn't just skip over the training and preparation, she spent time on it and described it. It was a lot of fun. Of course, I could be picky and say that at times the writing was a little bit confusing (you couldn't always tell who was talking or what they were talking about). She also had a great build-up, but the climax was rather short and slightly disappointing in comparison. Overall however, I VERY MUCH enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud at several parts!

[Kathy Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gutteridge yet again creates a group of unusual and lovable characters in Snitch. The Occupational Hazards series focuses on a family that have ran an entertainment business; they all were clowns! After disbanding and being free to find their own way in life, each member faces challenges as they bring an unusual skill set to their respective new career. In Snitch, we follow the adventures of Mack as she tries her hand at law enforcement.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like this is the 2nd book in a Christian series. Not a bad read -- fluffy, a little stilted. The plot ran a little thin, but the characters were interesting. The cover caught my attention in the library, and I gave it a try. I might try to find another of hers just to see whether they are better/worse. A decent sleuth novel, but I don't think that's the author's niche genre.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, whose only fault lies in the fact that I wanted Mack Hazard to have a larger role. It seemed like Hayden (Scoop) and Hank (Skid) were more present in their stories. Luckily though, the other characters whose lives are interwoven in the Occupational Hazard books are just as interesting.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute. It wasn't something that was breathtaking that it left me hungry for more, but it wasn't terrible. So I call it "cute". I like the gentleness of the Christianity in the book...just right for that.

[Rita K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick read that at least kept my interest. I may read another of these but won't necessarily seek them out. The ending was a disappointment. Just kind of stopped and all the prayer references just got in the way of the story.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the humor in this book, and shared one of the opening scenes with one of my teens, whom I think will read it after me. I loved the interview and the first drug bust in this book. The Kyle character was good, too - and his fight with Jesse. It's worth reading just for the laughs.

[Cathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as delightful as the first in the series.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las Vegas undercover cops with alot of unique characters. This has a label saying Faith in Fiction. Not a terribly deep book but several good laughs and lines and definitely clean.

[Bridget · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, the last 3 books I read have been duds.

Not much to say about this other than I was kinda bored. The faith stuff gets a little heavy-handed, but whatever.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy Christian fiction read.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!! super clean and a HILARIOUS!

[Sof · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed my way through this book! Great book!