What do you think?
Rate this book
Crossroads Crisis Center #2
Deadly Ties
HER ENEMY WILL STOP AT NOTHING FOR CONTROL…
SHE WILL RISK EVERYTHING FOR FREEDOM.
A horrific crime shatters Lisa Harper’s idyllic childhood. Her father is dead and her desperate mother, Annie, quickly marries Dutch Hauk, an abusive monster who soon reveals his hatred for Lisa. To protect her, Annie defies her ruthless husband and forfeits custody to a trusted friend. Enraged, Dutch vows to keep Annie and Lisa apart—and he does. Years later, though keenly aware of Dutch’s evil intent, Lisa and her mother seize a chance to be a family, safe in a home where love dwells. But they fail to fathom how far Dutch will go to keep his vow.
Determined to control his women, Dutch proves resourceful. His associates in crime are feared at the highest levels across the globe—and for Lisa they plan a fate worse than death. Yet she too has formidable connections, including former Special Operations Officer Mark Taylor. Burdened by his own traumatic past, Mark has loved Lisa from afar. Now, for Lisa and her mother to survive, Mark must risk his life—and even more difficult for him, he must trust God. All as one question haunts them: Can Mark and Lisa untangle these deadly ties before it’s too late?
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2011
25 people are currently reading
485 people want to read
About the author
Vicki Hinze
102 books328 followersVicki is the USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of nearly 40 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles. She's recognized as an author and as an educator by Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. For seven years, she was a columnist for Social-In Global Network; before then, a radio-talk show host for Everyday Woman.
The former VP for International Thriller Writers, consultant to the RWA Board of Directors, and a consultant to multiple other writing organizations. She's a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., ALLi, and Southern Independent Booksellers Assn.
The former VP for International Thriller Writers, consultant to the RWA Board of Directors, and a consultant to multiple other writing organizations. She's a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Novelists, Inc., ALLi, and Southern Independent Booksellers Assn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 4, 2011
Story summary
A mad man, Dutch, falls in love with a married woman, Annie, for being nothing but kind to him, and decides to have the husband killed so he can move in and take over. He finds Annie's daughter, Lisa, to be an unbearable brat for no reason other than she is a kid that he finds disrespectful.
As mentioned, Dutch is a mad man. He has illusioned himself into thinking that no one can defeat him, and he is an abusive control freak that beats his wife, Annie, and routinely threatens Lisa and Annie into obeying him. As the girl grows up, she becomes more a threat to him due to various set-ups, and the real drama begins when Lisa is a week away from getting her medical degree and becoming a doctor.
This event would mean that Lisa is financially capable of taking care of her mother, and her mother has decided she would leave Dutch. Being the control freak that he is, Dutch makes some deals and contacts an nihilistic-anarchist society of killers for hire to “fix” his troubles.
Lisa and Annie have made some rather intriguing friends of former blacks ops and the entire town. On this side of the story you have the requisite love story between Lisa and Mark, head of the black ops, and the undying devotions of close knit community.
On the night of celebration when Lisa is to get her medical degree, Dutch sets into motion a scheme where he has Annie beat to a pulp, and Lisa kidnapped in order to be tortured. Mark, his team of black ops buddies, and the town folks create a rather energetic team of fanatics that stop at nothing to make sure Annie and Lisa are brought back safe.
This story is a bit convoluted with many interested twists and turns from the start. While it is difficult to figure out just what is where and who is who and what is going on, the story sucks you in and holds you captive.
Characters
The characters, as described above, were really one dimensional to me. For instance, the black ops team seems to be the traditional requisite characters thrown in for various reasons, but not really to develop the story. More like a group of guys tossed in to sort of give Mark another dimension, a little bit of character background, and to be there for a little bit of fodder later on. However, they meant nothing. Same goes for the townspeople.
As for the main characters, which I assume are Dutch, Mark and Lisa, they show a little more dimensionality. However, I felt they were strained and forced at some of the less required scenes, like the one where Mark and Lisa partially admit their feelings for one another. The emotions of these characters are not really fully shown in the writing style.
Thoughts
The story itself was quite entertaining and engaging, with plenty of twists, turns and excitement. But, the way the character brought the story to life seemed to make it fall flat. If this book was made into a TV show or film, it would be exclusively on Lifetime Television for women; complete with 2nd rate acting at best.
**Disclaimer**
I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
A mad man, Dutch, falls in love with a married woman, Annie, for being nothing but kind to him, and decides to have the husband killed so he can move in and take over. He finds Annie's daughter, Lisa, to be an unbearable brat for no reason other than she is a kid that he finds disrespectful.
As mentioned, Dutch is a mad man. He has illusioned himself into thinking that no one can defeat him, and he is an abusive control freak that beats his wife, Annie, and routinely threatens Lisa and Annie into obeying him. As the girl grows up, she becomes more a threat to him due to various set-ups, and the real drama begins when Lisa is a week away from getting her medical degree and becoming a doctor.
This event would mean that Lisa is financially capable of taking care of her mother, and her mother has decided she would leave Dutch. Being the control freak that he is, Dutch makes some deals and contacts an nihilistic-anarchist society of killers for hire to “fix” his troubles.
Lisa and Annie have made some rather intriguing friends of former blacks ops and the entire town. On this side of the story you have the requisite love story between Lisa and Mark, head of the black ops, and the undying devotions of close knit community.
On the night of celebration when Lisa is to get her medical degree, Dutch sets into motion a scheme where he has Annie beat to a pulp, and Lisa kidnapped in order to be tortured. Mark, his team of black ops buddies, and the town folks create a rather energetic team of fanatics that stop at nothing to make sure Annie and Lisa are brought back safe.
This story is a bit convoluted with many interested twists and turns from the start. While it is difficult to figure out just what is where and who is who and what is going on, the story sucks you in and holds you captive.
Characters
The characters, as described above, were really one dimensional to me. For instance, the black ops team seems to be the traditional requisite characters thrown in for various reasons, but not really to develop the story. More like a group of guys tossed in to sort of give Mark another dimension, a little bit of character background, and to be there for a little bit of fodder later on. However, they meant nothing. Same goes for the townspeople.
As for the main characters, which I assume are Dutch, Mark and Lisa, they show a little more dimensionality. However, I felt they were strained and forced at some of the less required scenes, like the one where Mark and Lisa partially admit their feelings for one another. The emotions of these characters are not really fully shown in the writing style.
Thoughts
The story itself was quite entertaining and engaging, with plenty of twists, turns and excitement. But, the way the character brought the story to life seemed to make it fall flat. If this book was made into a TV show or film, it would be exclusively on Lifetime Television for women; complete with 2nd rate acting at best.
**Disclaimer**
I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
February 26, 2011
Lisa Harper has lived separately from her mother Annie for years. Not because they wanted to, they had no choice. Annie signed custody of Lisa over to someone else to protect her from Dutch Hauk, Annie's controlling abusive second husband.
Lisa has worked hard to become a doctor because the plan has been that as soon as Lisa is able to support Annie she will leave Dutch. Just as that plan is about to come to fruition Dutch sets something in motion that just might keep them apart forever.
Mark Taylor, a former special operations spy with the group "Shadow Watchers", is now the chief of security at the Crossroads Crisis Center.He has done everything in his power to keep Lisa and her mother Annie safe, and somewhere along the way he started falling in love with Lisa. Because of his past he has always dreamed of being loved and wanted, not just needed. When he and his friends from the Shadow Watchers realize that Nina an organization they were working to bring down is involved in Dutch's plans, they plan on doing everything in their power to keep Lisa safe, while bringing down Nina. Can it be done?
This book started out a bit slow for me, but one it got going it was a real thrill ride that had me on the edge of my seat on several occasions. The main characters in this story carry burdens from their past, but that doesn't stop them from having hope and faith in God. Lisa was an amazingly strong character, determined to take care of her mother. Mark carried blame for the death of his mother and his friend in Iraq, things that were out of his control, but he still felt responsible. The love story that unfolds between the two is touching and they fit so well together.The banter that went on between Mark's friends from the Shadow Watchers was often very funny, but also gave us a true look at the close bond between them.
While this story is the second story in the Crossroads Crisis Center series it can easily be read as a stand alone work. If your a fan of christian suspense that draws you in with a great plot and characters that will keep you riveted to the story then you definitely should pick up this book!
rating 5/5
Reviewed for Readersfavorite.com
Lisa has worked hard to become a doctor because the plan has been that as soon as Lisa is able to support Annie she will leave Dutch. Just as that plan is about to come to fruition Dutch sets something in motion that just might keep them apart forever.
Mark Taylor, a former special operations spy with the group "Shadow Watchers", is now the chief of security at the Crossroads Crisis Center.He has done everything in his power to keep Lisa and her mother Annie safe, and somewhere along the way he started falling in love with Lisa. Because of his past he has always dreamed of being loved and wanted, not just needed. When he and his friends from the Shadow Watchers realize that Nina an organization they were working to bring down is involved in Dutch's plans, they plan on doing everything in their power to keep Lisa safe, while bringing down Nina. Can it be done?
This book started out a bit slow for me, but one it got going it was a real thrill ride that had me on the edge of my seat on several occasions. The main characters in this story carry burdens from their past, but that doesn't stop them from having hope and faith in God. Lisa was an amazingly strong character, determined to take care of her mother. Mark carried blame for the death of his mother and his friend in Iraq, things that were out of his control, but he still felt responsible. The love story that unfolds between the two is touching and they fit so well together.The banter that went on between Mark's friends from the Shadow Watchers was often very funny, but also gave us a true look at the close bond between them.
While this story is the second story in the Crossroads Crisis Center series it can easily be read as a stand alone work. If your a fan of christian suspense that draws you in with a great plot and characters that will keep you riveted to the story then you definitely should pick up this book!
rating 5/5
Reviewed for Readersfavorite.com
February 4, 2011
"Deadly Ties" is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book in the series, and some things in this story won't be entirely clear unless you've first read "Forget Me Not." A subplot in "Deadly Ties" continues the story of the main characters in "Forget Me Not" and thoroughly spoils the events and surprises of "Forget Me Not," so I'd recommend reading these novels in order.
The story was fast-pasted and the suspense (created mainly by physical danger to the various characters) was high throughout. The details about the setting and military/criminal aspects did a good job of bringing the story alive in my imagination (though I did wonder how realistic a few of those details were).
The characters were interesting, and Mark and Lisa were complex, determined, and likable. The romance was handled well with the two characters learning how to love and trust each other while dealing with traumas in their past. I also really enjoyed the joking around that Mark and his buddies did.
Many of the characters were Christians and their faith was a meaningful part of their lives. The main characters struggled with why God seemed to let bad things happen to them while He blessed everyone else. They came to a conclusion which satisfied them, and this did involve some brief Christian-related discussions between them.
There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of "he cussed" style bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, suspenseful novel.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
The story was fast-pasted and the suspense (created mainly by physical danger to the various characters) was high throughout. The details about the setting and military/criminal aspects did a good job of bringing the story alive in my imagination (though I did wonder how realistic a few of those details were).
The characters were interesting, and Mark and Lisa were complex, determined, and likable. The romance was handled well with the two characters learning how to love and trust each other while dealing with traumas in their past. I also really enjoyed the joking around that Mark and his buddies did.
Many of the characters were Christians and their faith was a meaningful part of their lives. The main characters struggled with why God seemed to let bad things happen to them while He blessed everyone else. They came to a conclusion which satisfied them, and this did involve some brief Christian-related discussions between them.
There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of "he cussed" style bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable, suspenseful novel.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
not-for-me-dnf
August 20, 2024Attempted in 2020. I couldn’t get into it but I enjoy suspense. No rating. Just not a fit for me. Did not finish.
February 28, 2011
Just when you thought you had read all the books that were you absolute favorites, here comes a new one. A book that leaves you yearning for more of the story. I loved the first book in the Crossroads Crisis Center series, but this one just topped it! Vicki Hinze is such an excellent author, and her way with suspense and mystery sets her high on my list of favorite authors.
Centered once again around the Crossroads Crisis Center, this story is more detailed about the people of the center, than the actual center. Lisa Harper, has had a rough life, her dad died of a supposed accident when she was young, her mom married a control freak with an evil streak, and eventually Lisa and her step-dad clashed so much that Annie sent Lisa away for her own protection. She sent her to live at the Towers apartments, with some of her trusted friends from the Center. Now twelve years later, Lisa is celebrating obtaining her license as a medical doctor, and her new job at the hospital. Now, Lisa will get her mother away from the evil Dutch Hauk, and they will live together peacefully. At least that is what she hopes, but Dutch has other plans, even if it means having Lisa's mother killed.
What should have been a happy occasion, is the beginning of a nightmare. An exciting series of events that will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow the horrors that could be. Discovering that her mother has been beaten and left for dead, Lisa rushes to her mom's side at the hospital, only to be abducted. As she realizes the dangers that she and the other two women in the truck with her are in, she begins re-living a nightmare. The only problem is that nightmare was real, it was what happened to her as a young child. All these years of believing her dad died while on a mission trip to Haiti, Lisa is horrified to have flashbacks of him being murdered, and her being abducted. Will she survive this time, or will she live long enough to be beat to death in a fight to the death match? The horrors she faces are real, and she has got to keep her wits about her, it is the only she will survive and be able to help the other women survive too?
Mark Taylor, the security chief for the Center, and for the owner of the center is on the job. He loves Lisa and the only person who doesn't know that is him. But he vows to Lisa's mom that he will find her and he will bring her back safe. How is he going to do this? He has no idea, but knows he has to trust in the Lord to keep her safe and to help him find her.
A face paced book, you can not put down. I laughed and cried through the entire book and it will go into my permanent library. Do not miss this book!! Readers guide included. 323 pages US $13.99 5 stars.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
Centered once again around the Crossroads Crisis Center, this story is more detailed about the people of the center, than the actual center. Lisa Harper, has had a rough life, her dad died of a supposed accident when she was young, her mom married a control freak with an evil streak, and eventually Lisa and her step-dad clashed so much that Annie sent Lisa away for her own protection. She sent her to live at the Towers apartments, with some of her trusted friends from the Center. Now twelve years later, Lisa is celebrating obtaining her license as a medical doctor, and her new job at the hospital. Now, Lisa will get her mother away from the evil Dutch Hauk, and they will live together peacefully. At least that is what she hopes, but Dutch has other plans, even if it means having Lisa's mother killed.
What should have been a happy occasion, is the beginning of a nightmare. An exciting series of events that will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow the horrors that could be. Discovering that her mother has been beaten and left for dead, Lisa rushes to her mom's side at the hospital, only to be abducted. As she realizes the dangers that she and the other two women in the truck with her are in, she begins re-living a nightmare. The only problem is that nightmare was real, it was what happened to her as a young child. All these years of believing her dad died while on a mission trip to Haiti, Lisa is horrified to have flashbacks of him being murdered, and her being abducted. Will she survive this time, or will she live long enough to be beat to death in a fight to the death match? The horrors she faces are real, and she has got to keep her wits about her, it is the only she will survive and be able to help the other women survive too?
Mark Taylor, the security chief for the Center, and for the owner of the center is on the job. He loves Lisa and the only person who doesn't know that is him. But he vows to Lisa's mom that he will find her and he will bring her back safe. How is he going to do this? He has no idea, but knows he has to trust in the Lord to keep her safe and to help him find her.
A face paced book, you can not put down. I laughed and cried through the entire book and it will go into my permanent library. Do not miss this book!! Readers guide included. 323 pages US $13.99 5 stars.
This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
May 12, 2011
My Opinion:
Vickie Hinze creates a suspense filled tale that keeps you hooked, you will not want to put this book down! I loved how the characters were portrayed in this book. Deadly Ties is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book in the series, and some things in this story won't be entirely clear unless you've read the first ~ Forget Me Not. With that being said go get Forget Me Not you will not regret it. I must say I really liked this book and would recommend this for your reading list. Even if you haven't read Forget Me Not you will still be able to keep up with this storyline which has a nice blend of romance and suspense. I would have given this 5 stars had it not been for the fact that Anne, Lisa's mother in the book stayed with an abusive man for so long. Coming from my background ~ My father was abusive ~ that part of the book made me cringe. But I still liked the references to God and that there was nothing "dirty" about the romance. I think this would be a great read for a young adult. I give this 4/5 stars.
Author Bio:
Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of more than twenty novels (including Forget Me Not), three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a vice president on the International Thriller Writers board of directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com for more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.
Vickie Hinze creates a suspense filled tale that keeps you hooked, you will not want to put this book down! I loved how the characters were portrayed in this book. Deadly Ties is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the second book in the series, and some things in this story won't be entirely clear unless you've read the first ~ Forget Me Not. With that being said go get Forget Me Not you will not regret it. I must say I really liked this book and would recommend this for your reading list. Even if you haven't read Forget Me Not you will still be able to keep up with this storyline which has a nice blend of romance and suspense. I would have given this 5 stars had it not been for the fact that Anne, Lisa's mother in the book stayed with an abusive man for so long. Coming from my background ~ My father was abusive ~ that part of the book made me cringe. But I still liked the references to God and that there was nothing "dirty" about the romance. I think this would be a great read for a young adult. I give this 4/5 stars.
Author Bio:
Vicki Hinze is an award-winning author of more than twenty novels (including Forget Me Not), three nonfiction books, and hundreds of articles. Hinze is active in Romance Writers of America and serves as a vice president on the International Thriller Writers board of directors. Vicki lives in Florida with her artist husband, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel. Visit www.vickihinze.com for more about Vicki’s books, blogs, and writing programs.
July 23, 2011
More like 4.5 stars.
Deadly Ties was fast paced and tied nicely in with the first book, though you don't have to read the first book to enjoy it. I do think reading the first book gave me a better perspective because I had that in the back of my mind. I loved the NINA concept and the code words like the cleanup crew and the spiders. That was pretty creative and interesting. I really loved the romance part of the story. At first, I wasn't sure how much I'd like the book because the first chapter didn't do much for me. I thought it was an odd way to start the story, but it quickly grew on me and the next thing I knew I was pulled in and didn't want to stop.
I am not a huge fan of suspense, but the romantic aspects of this novel were a big plus for me. I loved the military scene where the hero lost Jane and then the flashbacks Lisa started to have about what happened to her when she was seven. I found it interesting that she replaced the truth of what happened with a story that fit. Kids do that, so it fit the story well. The tie-in with the Crossroads Crisis Center was minimal in this story compared to the first book, but I still enjoyed it very much.
The subplot regarding human trafficking was interesting. This author didn't soften some of the harsh realities of the crime underworld, and that seems to be her greatest strength. She paints a story with scary, realistic villains, and keeps you worried for them. I wasn't sure how any of them would survive. That's great storytelling because I forgot I was reading fiction for awhile there...
Deadly Ties was fast paced and tied nicely in with the first book, though you don't have to read the first book to enjoy it. I do think reading the first book gave me a better perspective because I had that in the back of my mind. I loved the NINA concept and the code words like the cleanup crew and the spiders. That was pretty creative and interesting. I really loved the romance part of the story. At first, I wasn't sure how much I'd like the book because the first chapter didn't do much for me. I thought it was an odd way to start the story, but it quickly grew on me and the next thing I knew I was pulled in and didn't want to stop.
I am not a huge fan of suspense, but the romantic aspects of this novel were a big plus for me. I loved the military scene where the hero lost Jane and then the flashbacks Lisa started to have about what happened to her when she was seven. I found it interesting that she replaced the truth of what happened with a story that fit. Kids do that, so it fit the story well. The tie-in with the Crossroads Crisis Center was minimal in this story compared to the first book, but I still enjoyed it very much.
The subplot regarding human trafficking was interesting. This author didn't soften some of the harsh realities of the crime underworld, and that seems to be her greatest strength. She paints a story with scary, realistic villains, and keeps you worried for them. I wasn't sure how any of them would survive. That's great storytelling because I forgot I was reading fiction for awhile there...
March 27, 2013
Who would have thought that you could bring so much prayer into a thriller book? While at times the book was a bit on the slow side, it definitely came through with some good plotting. Not a great read, but a page turner at the end.
June 6, 2019
Deadly ties
Deadly Ties is the second in the Crossroads Crisis Center series by Vicki Hinze. Although the storyline is good and full of suspense, there were serious editing flaws. When Lisa is kidnapped and thrown into the back of the van, she rolls around in the empty cargo area. She passes out & when she wakes up, two more women are there. Later, they make a detour 4 hours out of the way & pick up another kidnap victim. It seems vital at the checkpoint that these four women match the pictures the head honchos use to identify them. At one point an FBI undercover agent gets into the back. When they reach the destination the 4th victim (Amanda) is no longer part of the cargo. She is never mentioned again. These kind of loose ends frustrate this proofreader! Overall, the book is recommended.
Deadly Ties is the second in the Crossroads Crisis Center series by Vicki Hinze. Although the storyline is good and full of suspense, there were serious editing flaws. When Lisa is kidnapped and thrown into the back of the van, she rolls around in the empty cargo area. She passes out & when she wakes up, two more women are there. Later, they make a detour 4 hours out of the way & pick up another kidnap victim. It seems vital at the checkpoint that these four women match the pictures the head honchos use to identify them. At one point an FBI undercover agent gets into the back. When they reach the destination the 4th victim (Amanda) is no longer part of the cargo. She is never mentioned again. These kind of loose ends frustrate this proofreader! Overall, the book is recommended.
September 28, 2017
This is Christian Fiction which I enjoy reading. Well, I usually enjoy it. I didn't care for this one as much as I had hoped. The story was a little too far fetched, which is not a deal breaker for me. I just wish some time was taken to anchor down some of the events into the world presented...everything was too convenient with all of the wild leaps over reality. This, plus the other problems, made this a little painful to get through.
The biggest problem was the dialogue. It was over inflated. So many words. So much minutia. Overall, there were just a few too many negatives for me.
I will say though, the author incorporated some great tension into the story. So 2 stars.
The biggest problem was the dialogue. It was over inflated. So many words. So much minutia. Overall, there were just a few too many negatives for me.
I will say though, the author incorporated some great tension into the story. So 2 stars.
June 13, 2018
Deadly Ties is a great book; hard to read, at times, when thinking of the real-life plight of women, though. The story is well-written and riveting. I didn't realize at first that this was the second book in a series. It stands well on its own, but I plan to read the whole series. The characters struggle with real questions as Christians, the faith of older saints is real and gritty, the action is well paced. Great book!
June 15, 2019
Fantastic read!
The second book in this series doesn’t disappoint. It centers around Lisa and Mark. NINA is determined to put them out of commission and Mark calls in his old team to assist. A real page turner. Can’t wait to read the next one!
The second book in this series doesn’t disappoint. It centers around Lisa and Mark. NINA is determined to put them out of commission and Mark calls in his old team to assist. A real page turner. Can’t wait to read the next one!
November 14, 2019
Another good story as the plot continues from book one. But this one centers on characters from the last book, but were only minor characters. Someone is out there and still wanting to cause trouble.
December 28, 2019
Great book!
This book will keep you interested from start to finish. Can't wait to read another Vicki Hinze book. Enjoy everyone!
This book will keep you interested from start to finish. Can't wait to read another Vicki Hinze book. Enjoy everyone!
July 8, 2015
I liked Forget Me Not, the first book in this series and looked forward to receiving a review copy of Deadly Ties. Vicki pens a very powerful, suspenseful and nail biting tale I couldn’t stop reading. A few characters from Forget Me Not returned in this book in a minor way, which I enjoyed.
This book reminded me of a 007 movie. Nina – Nihilists in Anarchy is a bad international organization whose members were dedicated to making money any way they saw fit. Nina did whatever to whomever for the right price!
Taylor was a member of The Shadow Watchers, an elite highly specialized unit; meant to protect the innocent. He and his men were very aware of the Nina organization and were working on bringing it down. Taylor was a family friend of Annie and Lisa, but hoped to be more than that to Lisa some day. “Taylor, Dutch (my stepfather) will do anything to avoid losing. If that means killing me, he’ll kill me.” Lisa says and prays, “Help me Lord; I can’t save mom or myself on my own. Please help”
Taylor and his team try to protect Lisa as she does what it takes to help bring the Nina down from the inside out! Along the way, memories of times past come flooding into Lisa’s mind. Memories that were best left buried. Lisa starts to battle demons from the past and the present. Only by the grace of God, prayers and the unconditional love of a man, could Lisa make it through such horrific times.
Annie is a mom doing what she can to protect her 20 something daughter Lisa, from her abusive husband. Annie’s whole world was forever changed in a flash and is angry at God, why didn’t He send her a sign, a warning? Annie says this, “Why, God? Why didn’t you send me at least one bad feeling? Couldn’t you spare me even one piddling stomach flutter? I’ve been loyal, obedient. Why didn’t I get something?”
Lisa, Annie’s daughter, hated her mom’s situation, but when she graduated from medical school, things would change. She promised her mom that. She couldn’t stand to see her mom live the way she did. Meanwhile, she would help Taylor take down Nina anyway she could.
Deadly Ties is a riveting, suspenseful, action adventure novel with a believable faith-challenging message not only for Vicki's characters, but for the reader as well. Vicki Hinze quickly captured my attention, heart and emotions in this fascinating tale of pain, healing, forgiveness and second chances. I enjoyed the colorful characters and the sweet, tender and playful love story woven in the middle of this compelling, powerful drama. I couldn't put it down. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsored by publisher.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
This book reminded me of a 007 movie. Nina – Nihilists in Anarchy is a bad international organization whose members were dedicated to making money any way they saw fit. Nina did whatever to whomever for the right price!
Taylor was a member of The Shadow Watchers, an elite highly specialized unit; meant to protect the innocent. He and his men were very aware of the Nina organization and were working on bringing it down. Taylor was a family friend of Annie and Lisa, but hoped to be more than that to Lisa some day. “Taylor, Dutch (my stepfather) will do anything to avoid losing. If that means killing me, he’ll kill me.” Lisa says and prays, “Help me Lord; I can’t save mom or myself on my own. Please help”
Taylor and his team try to protect Lisa as she does what it takes to help bring the Nina down from the inside out! Along the way, memories of times past come flooding into Lisa’s mind. Memories that were best left buried. Lisa starts to battle demons from the past and the present. Only by the grace of God, prayers and the unconditional love of a man, could Lisa make it through such horrific times.
Annie is a mom doing what she can to protect her 20 something daughter Lisa, from her abusive husband. Annie’s whole world was forever changed in a flash and is angry at God, why didn’t He send her a sign, a warning? Annie says this, “Why, God? Why didn’t you send me at least one bad feeling? Couldn’t you spare me even one piddling stomach flutter? I’ve been loyal, obedient. Why didn’t I get something?”
Lisa, Annie’s daughter, hated her mom’s situation, but when she graduated from medical school, things would change. She promised her mom that. She couldn’t stand to see her mom live the way she did. Meanwhile, she would help Taylor take down Nina anyway she could.
Deadly Ties is a riveting, suspenseful, action adventure novel with a believable faith-challenging message not only for Vicki's characters, but for the reader as well. Vicki Hinze quickly captured my attention, heart and emotions in this fascinating tale of pain, healing, forgiveness and second chances. I enjoyed the colorful characters and the sweet, tender and playful love story woven in the middle of this compelling, powerful drama. I couldn't put it down. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsored by publisher.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
March 21, 2011
Trying to categorize Deadly Ties is somewhat difficult as it is at times a light romance story with heavy elements of thriller/suspense and inspirational fiction thrown into the mix.
The beginning chapter of this story doesn't make much sense and as a result throws the reader off -- or at least this reader. The premise is that Lisa Harper, a newly licensed physician, witnessed her father's murder at age 7 while on a road trip and was then kidnapped with the intent to be sold (as a child bride or slave is never made quite clear). She somehows escapes her kidnappers and is reunited with her mother, Annie Harper. Annie, who is written as a woman of extremely weak faith in the first chapter, has a heart attack, presumably suffers a miscarriage, almost loses the family home and subsequently marries the first man to propose, Dutch Hauk. Regrettably this man is not only domineering but verbally, emotionally and psychologically abusive to not only his wife but his stepdaughter. This abuse continues until Lisa turns 16 at which point her mother signs over custody to family friends and Lisa moves out. The abuse, however, continues and Annie, now a woman of presumably strong faith, refuses to divorce her husband because this is seen as displeasing to God even though he refuses to allow her to see or speak to her daughter and keeps her a virtual prisoner within her home.
Enter Mark Taylor, an special ops veteran and security expert hired by Lisa's surrogate father. Mark facilitates communication between Lisa and Annie by providing them both with cellphones. He also works out a system where he can check daily on Annie to ensure that she has not been injured or worse. Now if you think that Lisa suffered trauma as a child, imagine Mark being emotionally tortured as a child because everyone in his family blames him because his mother died in childbirth. As a result, Mark has distanced himself from his birth family (I wonder why) and made his co-workers his family, specifically his ex special ops co-workers.
Now we have the bad guys, a nefarious criminal organization referred to as NINA (Nihilists in Anarchy), which include Dutch Hauk. Dutch knows that something is going on between his wife and stepdaughter so he hires NINA to rough up his wife and then kidnap Lisa (apparently for the second time as he was behind the initial child kidnapping incident). He actually states that he wants his wife kept alive if possible but if isn't possible that's acceptable. Long-story short, Lisa is kidnapped again, fights against her kidnappers, and strengthens her faith through prayer and acceptance as a result of her trials and adversity.
There are times when the action stretches credulity, but this reader is aware that fiction does not always mimic reality. If we truly wanted reality then we would read nonfiction. Even with the weaknesses in the story, it works as a story meant to inspire. This may not be acceptable reading material for everyone, but I honestly feel that it works well as an inspirational novel and could be read and appreciated by anyone of faith, be they Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other.
The beginning chapter of this story doesn't make much sense and as a result throws the reader off -- or at least this reader. The premise is that Lisa Harper, a newly licensed physician, witnessed her father's murder at age 7 while on a road trip and was then kidnapped with the intent to be sold (as a child bride or slave is never made quite clear). She somehows escapes her kidnappers and is reunited with her mother, Annie Harper. Annie, who is written as a woman of extremely weak faith in the first chapter, has a heart attack, presumably suffers a miscarriage, almost loses the family home and subsequently marries the first man to propose, Dutch Hauk. Regrettably this man is not only domineering but verbally, emotionally and psychologically abusive to not only his wife but his stepdaughter. This abuse continues until Lisa turns 16 at which point her mother signs over custody to family friends and Lisa moves out. The abuse, however, continues and Annie, now a woman of presumably strong faith, refuses to divorce her husband because this is seen as displeasing to God even though he refuses to allow her to see or speak to her daughter and keeps her a virtual prisoner within her home.
Enter Mark Taylor, an special ops veteran and security expert hired by Lisa's surrogate father. Mark facilitates communication between Lisa and Annie by providing them both with cellphones. He also works out a system where he can check daily on Annie to ensure that she has not been injured or worse. Now if you think that Lisa suffered trauma as a child, imagine Mark being emotionally tortured as a child because everyone in his family blames him because his mother died in childbirth. As a result, Mark has distanced himself from his birth family (I wonder why) and made his co-workers his family, specifically his ex special ops co-workers.
Now we have the bad guys, a nefarious criminal organization referred to as NINA (Nihilists in Anarchy), which include Dutch Hauk. Dutch knows that something is going on between his wife and stepdaughter so he hires NINA to rough up his wife and then kidnap Lisa (apparently for the second time as he was behind the initial child kidnapping incident). He actually states that he wants his wife kept alive if possible but if isn't possible that's acceptable. Long-story short, Lisa is kidnapped again, fights against her kidnappers, and strengthens her faith through prayer and acceptance as a result of her trials and adversity.
There are times when the action stretches credulity, but this reader is aware that fiction does not always mimic reality. If we truly wanted reality then we would read nonfiction. Even with the weaknesses in the story, it works as a story meant to inspire. This may not be acceptable reading material for everyone, but I honestly feel that it works well as an inspirational novel and could be read and appreciated by anyone of faith, be they Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other.
June 14, 2012
Wow! Deadly Ties has earned a place on my top favorites list! The first book I’ve read by Vicki Hinze, and I was hooked – I found it nearly impossible to put the book down! The first few chapters build up the suspense and tension, and then when everything lets loose…the reader is left reeling and hanging onto the edge of her seat! I know I am reading a good book when I continually sneak off to my room every ten minutes!
Vicki’s writing style is unique, but by the time I was introduced to the heroine, Lisa, I was intrigued and captivated by her style. She really grabs the reader’s attention and puts them in the characters mind. I love it when I can actually feel and empathize with the characters—and that is exactly what Vicki has done. A few times I felt conversations or scenes were a little drawn out, but not much and it certainly didn’t ruin the book for me. :-)
Lisa’s bravery and determination was heroic and endeared me to her. Her protectiveness and desire to see her mother safe added to her charm. I was instantly able to connect with this character and sympathize with her. Mark was just awesome! Who wouldn’t want a smart, good-looking special Ops nearby when a creep like Dutch hung around. :-) He was easy to grow attached to! Strangely enough, I also enjoyed getting into Karl’s head as well. Even though he was the bad guy, he had a soft side to him. From the glimpse the reader got of his past, I got the impression he didn’t choose his occupation in life, but he continued to roll with the punches. It’s sad, and although I was secretly glad how his story ended in this book, I am curious if he will resurface later on. He was a complex character on the wrong side of the law…but I liked him. :-)
There is some violence in the book. Lisa uses self defense when trying to evade her abductors. There’s also mild mention of torture when Lisa remembers back to when Mr. Phen had her. Besides this, Lisa was abducted with the intent of selling her to some sort of illegal operation where women would cock-fight, of sorts. It was rather sickening to hear that people are so deprave that they would stoop so low. But besides these issues, there was nothing questionable in the book.
I didn’t realize until half way through the book that this is the middle to a series – the third book is coming out in the spring of 2012. I want to get my hands on the first book, Forget Me Not, now! Deadly Ties was such a captivating and suspenseful read! And the ending – when everything slowed down and finally came to a close – was sweet. I kept cheering for Lisa and Mark! They make such a cute couple! I can’t wait to learn more about Beth and Joe in the next installment in the Crossroad Crisis Center series.
Vicki’s writing style is unique, but by the time I was introduced to the heroine, Lisa, I was intrigued and captivated by her style. She really grabs the reader’s attention and puts them in the characters mind. I love it when I can actually feel and empathize with the characters—and that is exactly what Vicki has done. A few times I felt conversations or scenes were a little drawn out, but not much and it certainly didn’t ruin the book for me. :-)
Lisa’s bravery and determination was heroic and endeared me to her. Her protectiveness and desire to see her mother safe added to her charm. I was instantly able to connect with this character and sympathize with her. Mark was just awesome! Who wouldn’t want a smart, good-looking special Ops nearby when a creep like Dutch hung around. :-) He was easy to grow attached to! Strangely enough, I also enjoyed getting into Karl’s head as well. Even though he was the bad guy, he had a soft side to him. From the glimpse the reader got of his past, I got the impression he didn’t choose his occupation in life, but he continued to roll with the punches. It’s sad, and although I was secretly glad how his story ended in this book, I am curious if he will resurface later on. He was a complex character on the wrong side of the law…but I liked him. :-)
There is some violence in the book. Lisa uses self defense when trying to evade her abductors. There’s also mild mention of torture when Lisa remembers back to when Mr. Phen had her. Besides this, Lisa was abducted with the intent of selling her to some sort of illegal operation where women would cock-fight, of sorts. It was rather sickening to hear that people are so deprave that they would stoop so low. But besides these issues, there was nothing questionable in the book.
I didn’t realize until half way through the book that this is the middle to a series – the third book is coming out in the spring of 2012. I want to get my hands on the first book, Forget Me Not, now! Deadly Ties was such a captivating and suspenseful read! And the ending – when everything slowed down and finally came to a close – was sweet. I kept cheering for Lisa and Mark! They make such a cute couple! I can’t wait to learn more about Beth and Joe in the next installment in the Crossroad Crisis Center series.
April 3, 2011
This is the sequel to the book “Forget Me Not”. I would recommend you read that book if you have not yet read it. It is not a requirement for understanding this book. Shortly after Lisa’s father dies her mother marries Dutch Hauk. He turns out to be abusive and lets it be known that he hates Lisa. To protect her, Lisa’s mother sends her away, giving up custody. This still doesn’t satisfy Dutch. He hates her just as much. He sees her as a threat. He knows that one day she will come between him and her mother. As she prepares to graduate he sets up a plan. For years Lisa and her mother have been protected by Mark Taylor. There are romantic sparks throughout between Lisa and Mark. The themes of Love and trust and just feeling worthy of love run throughout the book. Now here is where I tell you my thoughts. I have read many reviews of this book. Many believe it is somewhat realistic. If you have money and a means you just get out right? My sister has had two abusive husbands. They find you. Her first husband reminded me so much of Dutch. She was fresh out of high school when they got married. They had a landscape business. On one of their trips up north he tried to kill her. He shoved her out of a boat and held her under with a paddle. His uncle stopped him. He tried to tell him he was only playing. My sister wanted to believe him. He would not let her visit without being there and he would not leave her alone with anyone. When she was finally finished with the abuse she left a message in the toilet paper holder and whispered it in my ear. We waited until he left her alone in the motor home they lived in on his parents property. We rushed in and started hauling her personal belongings out. He returned and ran in. I stood between her and him with a butcher knife. We had to move because of the death threats and we had to involve the police because he kept trying to find out where we lived. People like this don’t just give up unless they get help. My sister felt she was not worthy of being loved by a “good man” and that is what led her to her second abusive husband. He finally left her and ended up in prison. To say that this story was somewhat unbelievable has to be based on your personal knowledge and background experiences. I could not understand why my sister didn’t just leave these men. I was not in her shoes and did not have the whole story. I do know that it made her faith and trust in the Lord much stronger as in this story. When you think there is no one to turn to you must turn to God. I recommend this to all of my friends and look forward to the next book in the series.
April 20, 2011
Her enemy will stop at nothing for control...She will risk everything for freedom.
Deadly Ties is the thrilling second novel in the Crossroads Crisis Center series, the sequel to Vicki Hinze's Forget Me Not.
In this fast paced suspenseful action filled gripping story of pain and forgiveness - Lisa Harper is the focus - she is battling her past and trying to build a life and perhaps have a future that includes happiness and a long overdue relationship with her mother, while Mark Taylor her protector, is struggling with Guilt.
After the death of her husband, Annie, Lisa's mother marries a horrible man , Dutch Hauk, out of desperation. Dutch is not only a extremely controlling, but he is an abusively cruel human being - who wants only the worst for Lisa and her mother.
Lisa Harper was abducted at the age of 7 but managed to escape her abductor yet hasn't seen her mother for almost 13 years. Now years later, Lisa has made sure she is trained and ready should her abductor ever returns - return he does and with a vengeance!
Mark Taylor a Special Operations Officer with the group "Shadow Watchers", is now the chief of security at the Crossroads Crisis Center and has been assigned to protect Lisa and her mother - and somewhere along the way, he started falling in love with Lisa. However, Mark has issues of his own and isn't certain if he deserves the love of someone. He does all he can to make sure Lisa and Annie are safe and goes above and beyond the call of duty to protect them, but will it be enough to bring down Dutch?
Author Vicki Hinze keeps the action moving, the tension at it's peak, and the plot twists spinning as the story goes beyond rescuing Annie and Lisa from the clutches of an abusive madman to the international problem of human trafficking and a multinational crime organization called NINA. Not only must Mark risk his life for Lisa and her mother to survive, but even more difficult for him, he must trust God. Equally as important, can Mark and Lisa untangle the deadly ties before it's too late?
If you enjoy action packed intrigue with a bit of romance, Deadly Ties will make a nice addition to your reading collection.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Deadly Ties is the thrilling second novel in the Crossroads Crisis Center series, the sequel to Vicki Hinze's Forget Me Not.
In this fast paced suspenseful action filled gripping story of pain and forgiveness - Lisa Harper is the focus - she is battling her past and trying to build a life and perhaps have a future that includes happiness and a long overdue relationship with her mother, while Mark Taylor her protector, is struggling with Guilt.
After the death of her husband, Annie, Lisa's mother marries a horrible man , Dutch Hauk, out of desperation. Dutch is not only a extremely controlling, but he is an abusively cruel human being - who wants only the worst for Lisa and her mother.
Lisa Harper was abducted at the age of 7 but managed to escape her abductor yet hasn't seen her mother for almost 13 years. Now years later, Lisa has made sure she is trained and ready should her abductor ever returns - return he does and with a vengeance!
Mark Taylor a Special Operations Officer with the group "Shadow Watchers", is now the chief of security at the Crossroads Crisis Center and has been assigned to protect Lisa and her mother - and somewhere along the way, he started falling in love with Lisa. However, Mark has issues of his own and isn't certain if he deserves the love of someone. He does all he can to make sure Lisa and Annie are safe and goes above and beyond the call of duty to protect them, but will it be enough to bring down Dutch?
Author Vicki Hinze keeps the action moving, the tension at it's peak, and the plot twists spinning as the story goes beyond rescuing Annie and Lisa from the clutches of an abusive madman to the international problem of human trafficking and a multinational crime organization called NINA. Not only must Mark risk his life for Lisa and her mother to survive, but even more difficult for him, he must trust God. Equally as important, can Mark and Lisa untangle the deadly ties before it's too late?
If you enjoy action packed intrigue with a bit of romance, Deadly Ties will make a nice addition to your reading collection.
Review copy provided by publisher.
February 19, 2011
Deadly Ties
By Vicki Hinze
Published by Multnomah Books
Deadly Ties is a fast-paced thriller, packed with action and suspense. Lisa Harper has just received her license to become a doctor, has a black belt in karate and teaches battered women self-defense. A good life it would seem. But Lisa’s life has been anything but good ever sense her father Charles died.
Lisa’s mother Annie, married wealthy store owner Dutch Hawk shortly after Charles’ passing in desperation to keep her home and family together. Soon after however, things began to change with Ducth. He became controlling, cruel and manipulative. Frightened for Lisa’s safety, Annie sent her away to live with friends in a safe place. Outraged at Annie’s audacity, Dutch imprisoned Annie within their home, never to see or talk to Lisa again.
Twelve year later, Mark Taylor, Special Operations Officer, along with a group of friends from his old team are preparing an ‘off the record’ covert security detail to protect Lisa and her mother at a party to celebrate Lisa’s becoming a doctor. It is well known that Ducth is not happy and will do anything he can to stop Lisa from taking Annie away from him; even if it means killing her, Annie or both of them.
Soon, the wheels of destruction are turning. Annie is viciously attacked and beaten on her way to Lisa’s party. Lisa, Mark and his team hurry to the hospital where Annie barely clings to life in a coma. While visiting with her mother, Lisa is abducted right under the nose of the Special Opps men and quickly finds she is not the only one. What unfolds is a devious plot bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.
A little confusing at the beginning, stick with it; all will be explained in due time.
I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their BloggingForBooks program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
By Vicki Hinze
Published by Multnomah Books
Deadly Ties is a fast-paced thriller, packed with action and suspense. Lisa Harper has just received her license to become a doctor, has a black belt in karate and teaches battered women self-defense. A good life it would seem. But Lisa’s life has been anything but good ever sense her father Charles died.
Lisa’s mother Annie, married wealthy store owner Dutch Hawk shortly after Charles’ passing in desperation to keep her home and family together. Soon after however, things began to change with Ducth. He became controlling, cruel and manipulative. Frightened for Lisa’s safety, Annie sent her away to live with friends in a safe place. Outraged at Annie’s audacity, Dutch imprisoned Annie within their home, never to see or talk to Lisa again.
Twelve year later, Mark Taylor, Special Operations Officer, along with a group of friends from his old team are preparing an ‘off the record’ covert security detail to protect Lisa and her mother at a party to celebrate Lisa’s becoming a doctor. It is well known that Ducth is not happy and will do anything he can to stop Lisa from taking Annie away from him; even if it means killing her, Annie or both of them.
Soon, the wheels of destruction are turning. Annie is viciously attacked and beaten on her way to Lisa’s party. Lisa, Mark and his team hurry to the hospital where Annie barely clings to life in a coma. While visiting with her mother, Lisa is abducted right under the nose of the Special Opps men and quickly finds she is not the only one. What unfolds is a devious plot bigger than anyone could have ever imagined.
A little confusing at the beginning, stick with it; all will be explained in due time.
I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their BloggingForBooks program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
June 9, 2013
Another thrilling suspense story from Vicki Hinze!
This book was an emotional ride through some very dark topics. I was amazed how, despite the difficult topics of murder, abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking, the author kept the story from being impossibly dark and hopeless. Yes, these things were not whitewashed, but hope shone through on every page. Specifically the hope that comes from Jesus, and the inner strength and courage that only He can give.
The characters are not victims paralyzed by fear. They fight back, try to survive and do what is right. They sacrifice personal safety for each other and for strangers. It reminds me of the thought, “if not me, then who will?”
I enjoyed the first book in this series, Forget Me Not, but I liked this one even better. There was something about Lisa and Mark that drew me in and kept me turning those pages to find out what would happen next. Both characters have a sense of responsibility that I admired, sometimes they take on more than they should in the guilt department, but they do their best to protect and help those placed under their care.
Deadly Ties moves around geographically, Florida, Louisiana, Mexico. Not bogging the story down, the author handles the scenery in this book very well. Enhancing the story, the senses are drawn in with the sights, sounds, smells. As a reader I like to read a book that engages not only my emotions but immerses me into the story so that when I put it down I have to 'return to the real world', this book did it very well.
One of the best suspense series' that I have read, it's nice that I already have the final book on my TBR shelf.
(I received this book from the Publisher through Bookfun.org in exchange for my honest opinion.)
This book was an emotional ride through some very dark topics. I was amazed how, despite the difficult topics of murder, abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking, the author kept the story from being impossibly dark and hopeless. Yes, these things were not whitewashed, but hope shone through on every page. Specifically the hope that comes from Jesus, and the inner strength and courage that only He can give.
The characters are not victims paralyzed by fear. They fight back, try to survive and do what is right. They sacrifice personal safety for each other and for strangers. It reminds me of the thought, “if not me, then who will?”
I enjoyed the first book in this series, Forget Me Not, but I liked this one even better. There was something about Lisa and Mark that drew me in and kept me turning those pages to find out what would happen next. Both characters have a sense of responsibility that I admired, sometimes they take on more than they should in the guilt department, but they do their best to protect and help those placed under their care.
Deadly Ties moves around geographically, Florida, Louisiana, Mexico. Not bogging the story down, the author handles the scenery in this book very well. Enhancing the story, the senses are drawn in with the sights, sounds, smells. As a reader I like to read a book that engages not only my emotions but immerses me into the story so that when I put it down I have to 'return to the real world', this book did it very well.
One of the best suspense series' that I have read, it's nice that I already have the final book on my TBR shelf.
(I received this book from the Publisher through Bookfun.org in exchange for my honest opinion.)
August 3, 2011
This was another excellent story, although I didn’t feel sucked in as quickly with this one as I did the first one, Forget Me Not. Our main characters were all introduced in that first book so you were somewhat familiar with them. However, the author takes us to much deeper into their past and events that shaped their current lives. She does a great job of telling you their history that you feel their pain, for me, I was especially touched by Mark’s past. His story was a strong reminder of the influence parents have on their children’s self esteem.
I, personally, struggled with some of the decisions Annie made in her past, but I can’t relate with the circumstances that put her into the place she was. If I were in her position maybe I would make the same decisions.
The story not only dealt with the personal struggles of the main characters but it also touched on the topic of human trafficking, with some interesting twist.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book as well as anyone new to Vicki Hinze’s writing style. You do not have to read book one to enjoy book two. The author does a good job of introducing the characters and chances are if you read book two first, you’ll want to go back and read book one. If you like Kristen Heitzmann books, then I think you’ll like Vicki Hinze’s books.
I, personally, struggled with some of the decisions Annie made in her past, but I can’t relate with the circumstances that put her into the place she was. If I were in her position maybe I would make the same decisions.
The story not only dealt with the personal struggles of the main characters but it also touched on the topic of human trafficking, with some interesting twist.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book as well as anyone new to Vicki Hinze’s writing style. You do not have to read book one to enjoy book two. The author does a good job of introducing the characters and chances are if you read book two first, you’ll want to go back and read book one. If you like Kristen Heitzmann books, then I think you’ll like Vicki Hinze’s books.
April 6, 2013
This is the second in the Crossroads Crisis Center trilogy, and it’s highly recommended to read the first one to gain the backstory. All the characters we got to know in the first book are back, but the emphasis is on the story of Lisa and Mark. We share their up- close- and- personal encounters with pure evil when the menacing NINA returns for more murder and mayhem, including assault and abduction, with threats of worse brutality to come. The plot seems to be more straight -forward than in FORGET ME NOT. Here it isn’t as much the need to identify the players in the crimes as it is to locate and rescue the heroine before it is too late. The suspense is unrelenting.
The good characters are likeable, flawed-but- redeemed people, and the bad guys are despicable and heartless . As the story unfolds, we examine with the characters the questions in Mark’s and Lisa’s minds: How could one human being treat another with so little regard for sanctity of life? What does a Christian do when faced with a question of kill or be killed? How could one survive the unsurvivable without faith to cling to? Can “fumes of faith” be enough to stay strong and trust God for deliverance?
Great story given to me to read by The Book Club NEtwork in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.
The good characters are likeable, flawed-but- redeemed people, and the bad guys are despicable and heartless . As the story unfolds, we examine with the characters the questions in Mark’s and Lisa’s minds: How could one human being treat another with so little regard for sanctity of life? What does a Christian do when faced with a question of kill or be killed? How could one survive the unsurvivable without faith to cling to? Can “fumes of faith” be enough to stay strong and trust God for deliverance?
Great story given to me to read by The Book Club NEtwork in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.
January 26, 2011
I’ve never read a book by Vicki Hinze before this one, but based on the reviews for her previous books, I was interested in reading her newest work. I knew I was probably in for quite a ride and based on the description of the book, I knew it might be a difficult read. Both ended up being true. I though Deadly Ties was very well written. There was a lot of suspense and very evil villains. I did have some difficulty reading this book because it was a bit disturbing. I realized early on that this was not the book to read right before going to bed. I didn’t need to have certain things getting stuck in my head right before sleeping. I did, however, get plenty of thrills (and some serious chills) while reading this book in the light of day.
Despite the suspense, violence, and dramatic tension Vicki has placed God in the forefront of this story. It amazes me that very often, the most suspenseful and edgy stories have the strongest Christian messages. Vicki wrote that message very well, made it believable and made Deadly Ties a surprisingly uplifting story. It challenged me just as I suspected it would, but it was well worth the challenge to get the message that the author was trying to get across.
Despite the suspense, violence, and dramatic tension Vicki has placed God in the forefront of this story. It amazes me that very often, the most suspenseful and edgy stories have the strongest Christian messages. Vicki wrote that message very well, made it believable and made Deadly Ties a surprisingly uplifting story. It challenged me just as I suspected it would, but it was well worth the challenge to get the message that the author was trying to get across.
February 24, 2011
DEADLY TIES by Vicki Hinze is an exciting inspirational suspense/thriller set in present day Atlanta,Georgia.(Crossroads Crisis Center Series). It is the sequel to "Forget Me Not",but can be read as a stand alone. It is written with depth and details. It has romance,faith,adventure,love,friends,spousal abuse, human trafficking,forgiveness,trust,control,healing and second chances. The characters are believable,engaging and will capture your heart. This is a fast paced,action packed suspense,romantic adventure that will have you captured from the first page to the last. This is a powerful story of the beginning of love and trust entwined with a powerful drama of lost,human trafficking and pure evil. I would highly recommend this book to any one to enjoys suspense,thrillers,and romance. It does have faith entwined into the story but it is not preachy.This book was received for the purpose of review from Multnomah Book Group and details can be found at Doubleday Publishing and My Book Addiction and More.
** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review**
** I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review**
April 27, 2011
It seems my readings of late have been filled with women in crises. Lisa Harper certainly is one, she has been living on her own since her mother made her move out at age 16. She has just finished med school, has great friends and co-workers. Just one itty bitty thing wrong: her stepfather wants her dead. Lisa and her mother have made arrangements for Annie to move in with Lisa after she graduates and leave her abusive husband. Annie didn’t want Lisa to move out but it was safer form both her and her daughter.
Mark Taylor has loved Lisa for a long time, and she him but LIFE always got in the way. His as a spy and hers as a self-defense instructor, dodging stepfather attempts to end her associate with her mother, etc. They now have time to explore their possible future together. Not even close!
Lisa is abducted, Annie attacked and Mark and his team have all they can do just to follow the dots. With the help of their “prayer warriors”, God, and their faith in Him and in each other can justice be found in time? An Up-all-nighter for me and for you as well as soon as you open page one of this fantastic book.
Mark Taylor has loved Lisa for a long time, and she him but LIFE always got in the way. His as a spy and hers as a self-defense instructor, dodging stepfather attempts to end her associate with her mother, etc. They now have time to explore their possible future together. Not even close!
Lisa is abducted, Annie attacked and Mark and his team have all they can do just to follow the dots. With the help of their “prayer warriors”, God, and their faith in Him and in each other can justice be found in time? An Up-all-nighter for me and for you as well as soon as you open page one of this fantastic book.
March 7, 2011
I have just had the pleasure of reading one of Vicki Hinze's novel, "Deadly Ties". This story takes its' characters and brings them to life in the readers imagination, to the point of feeling as though you are right there in the story. It is filled with twists and turns throughout the story and as you follow Lisa Harper, one of the main characters, you can feel her emotions and desires through the story. Mark, her knight in shining armor, is part of an elite group of former Special Forces team. This story lets the reader into Lisa's mind as a child, when her father dies and Lisa is abducted. She eventually escapes her captors only to find that her mother marries Dutch, a mean underhanded man. Vicki Hinze paints perfect pictures of Human Trafficking, death and a multitude of those twists and turns which keeps the reader guessing with every turn of the page. Intrigue is only one way in which to describe this wonderful novel. You will not be able to put this novel down. Bravo Vicki, for a wonderful read.
April 9, 2011
I liked the suspense in Vicki Hinze’s first Crossroads Crisis Center novel, Forget Me Not, and so decided to give Deadly Ties a shot. This second installment in the Crossroads Crisis Series focuses on the unfolding drama of Mark Taylor and Lisa Harper–two minor characters from the first novel–while the main characters from book one (Ben Brandt and Kelly Walker) fade to the background of the story.
My first impression is that Deadly Ties is a big step up from Forget Me Not. The plot was more complex and suspenseful, the history of the two main characters was more interesting, and I was up ’til 1AM trying to figure out what was going to happen next. That being said, I did have a few quibbles with the dialogue (particularly Mark’s voice) and the sub-plot of his evolving relationship with Lisa.
Continue reading this review here: http://parchmentgirl.com/2011/02/04/d...
My first impression is that Deadly Ties is a big step up from Forget Me Not. The plot was more complex and suspenseful, the history of the two main characters was more interesting, and I was up ’til 1AM trying to figure out what was going to happen next. That being said, I did have a few quibbles with the dialogue (particularly Mark’s voice) and the sub-plot of his evolving relationship with Lisa.
Continue reading this review here: http://parchmentgirl.com/2011/02/04/d...
December 2, 2013
Vicki Hinze knows how to write inspirational w/o coming across sappy like some stories. She has real characters in crisis. "Deadly Ties" is no different. Edge of your seat suspense with a hero who can take your breath away. That's what romantic suspense is all about.
The only problem I had with the book was the FBI allowing civilians to go undercover into an extremely dangerous situation involving human trafficking. My skepticism only got worse when they crossed into Mexico. I think most people wouldn't be bothered by it, but I work for an attorney. I saw potential lawsuit all over this issue. :)
That being said, the book is good. It'll keep your interest until the end. Ms. Hinze even made me feel for one of the bad guys. I was hoping Karl would turn into a good guy before the end of the story. I won't let you know if he does or not, but it's not easy for a writer to get the reader to care for your bad guy.
The only problem I had with the book was the FBI allowing civilians to go undercover into an extremely dangerous situation involving human trafficking. My skepticism only got worse when they crossed into Mexico. I think most people wouldn't be bothered by it, but I work for an attorney. I saw potential lawsuit all over this issue. :)
That being said, the book is good. It'll keep your interest until the end. Ms. Hinze even made me feel for one of the bad guys. I was hoping Karl would turn into a good guy before the end of the story. I won't let you know if he does or not, but it's not easy for a writer to get the reader to care for your bad guy.
May 13, 2011
When I saw a new Crossroads Crisis Center book, I jumped at the chance to read it. I really enjoyed the last book I read from this series. I think I should have reviewed it before reading this book, though. While Deadly Ties can be read as a stand-alone book, it took me a while to sort out the characters and the back story without having read the first book recently.
The story of Lisa Harper's determination to make a life for herself and her mother is a great read. I admit I stayed up too late one night reading it, and then was late to work the next morning because I just couldn't put it down.
There are some topics covered in this book that might make some readers uncomfortable (human trafficking and fight-or-die events). They are essential to the story line, but if you're looking for a relaxing, feel-good book, this would be too intense!
The story of Lisa Harper's determination to make a life for herself and her mother is a great read. I admit I stayed up too late one night reading it, and then was late to work the next morning because I just couldn't put it down.
There are some topics covered in this book that might make some readers uncomfortable (human trafficking and fight-or-die events). They are essential to the story line, but if you're looking for a relaxing, feel-good book, this would be too intense!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews