In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world–and friendships–crumbled.
Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.
Dani Pettrey is a wife, mom, grandma, and the author of Cold Shot, the first book in the Chesapeake Valor series, and the Alaskan Courage romantic suspense series, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and Sabotaged. Her books have been honored with the Daphne du Maurier award, two HOLT Medallions, a Christy Award nomination, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award, among others.
She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves—the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of her characters’ faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, a son-in-law, and a super adorable grandson.
My Impressions:
Cold Shot by Dani Pettrey was By The Book’s June selection. My book club gave it a unanimous thumbs up for likable characters, non-stop action and an unpredictable plot. A great book for beach or poolside reading, this one gets our unequivocal recommendation.
A cold case soon becomes almost too hot too handle when a body is discovered on Little Round Top at the Gettysburg National Battleground site. Ranger Griffin McCray and forensic anthropologist Finley Scott join forces to determine the identity of the victim and bring to justice those who killed her. But with a slew of bad guys, tension between old friends and past trauma, this case is neither straightforward nor easy.
My group loved the main characters in Cold Shot, but also those secondary characters we are hoping will get novels of their own. Most are Christians who struggle with trust in a Father they know is good, but lets them experience pain and tragedy and exhibits His strength through their weakness. Both Griffin and Finley turn to God in prayer to guide their lives and discover the truth. Short chapters keep the action going, making this a page-turner with enough twists and turns to keep the characters and the reader off-balance. The depravity of the bad guys is discussed, but never graphically. You get chills, but no nightmare-inducing images. There was only one complaint expressed by all in our group — we have to wait 7 more months for book 2, Still Life, to come out!
Cold Shot is a winner from our new favorite author, Dani Pettrey. Grab your copy for your next weekend getaway.
Recommended!
Audience: adults.
To purchase this book, click HERE.
(Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for the copy I received through their book club coordinator program. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Beckie, I’m not big on suspense as you probably know, but Dani is one author whose books I do enjoy. While I miss Alaska, this new series is good also.
Dani’s Alaska series was a bit uneven to me — loved some, others were a bit meh. But Cold Shot had everything I like in a romantic suspense. Glad you liked this one as well. Stay cool this weekend!
I felt the same about the Alaska series; thought maybe it was because I am no longer young. I trust your tastes and luckily our library system has a few copies of this new novel. Put my name on the holds list. We will see if I concur.
This book’s characters are all involved in forensics or law enforcement, so there is a different vibe than the Alaska series. Hope you like it! As to trusting my tastes, that really means a lot to me. My friends won’t let me choose movies or restaurants, but they will let me pick the books they read. After leading a book club for almost 14 years, I can usually 😉 figure out what people will like to read. Have a great weekend, Sue!
I think that with the Alaska series, it was the family and setting that I loved so much. Though I’d probably get tired of the cold, I still think I’d like to live in Alaska. I just don’t enjoy summer’s heat and I guess it’s even warmer in south Georgia, Beckie.
Now I can’t help but ask . . . What’s wrong with your tastes in movies and restaurants?!
I like “odd” little movies. You know the ones that are thought-provoking and have a plot. LOL. And I like small, unique restaurants. I actually have a few friends that share my tastes in food and movies.
I talked a bunch of people into seeing the first Lord of The Rings movie. No one had read the books or knew anything about them. They were mad that the movie ended without resolution and were incredulous that there were going to be 2 more!!
Fortunately, my husband and I usually agree on food and movies. Except he wants his SPICY. The food that is. 😉