Another engaging legal mystery from Robert Whitlow. Connor Grantham is pastoring a small church in north Georgia. He loves nature and hiking in the mountains. An affluent couple in the church have come to him for marriage counseling. Matt Thompson is co-owner of a tech firm and still in love with his first wife. Meanwhile, his second wife, Elena Thompson, retains the services of Liz Acosta, a young attorney, just in case counseling doesn’t save the marriage.

During a company retreat at a hunting lodge, Matt is found dead. Was it suicide? A hunting accident? Or murder? The answer has implications for the three life insurance policies on Matt’s life. The payout is doubled if his death is ruled an accident. Hence the title.

Although I was able to figure out ‘whodunit’ midway, the ride was worthwhile. I enjoyed seeing the growth in Connor and Liz, both in their relationship to each other and to God, as they worked through the Thompsons’ detritus. This would make a great summer read – not too complicated and the pages keep turning.

(Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing a review copy.)

This book is full of mystery and suspense! Some of the characters were frustrating to me. I wanted to jump in the story and straighten them out :). Lyle and Sarah were my favorite characters. Their faith and power in their prayer life was amazing.



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own

Double Indemnity by Robert Whitlow – Missed the Mark


I had the opportunity Robert Whitlow’s newest book Double Indemnity, which will be released June 6, 2023. Since I enjoy mysteries, suspense, and legal thrillers, I’ve read and enjoyed Robert Whitlow’s other books.

Double Indemnity takes place in Bryson, a small town in Georgia. The story begins with pastor Connor Grantham hiking through the woods, part of it on private property. When he spotted a massive buck with antlers passing by, he took a video. Suddenly he encountered a hunter who stumbled and fell. Assuming the man was pursuing the deer Connor thought nothing of the chance encounter.

The story then goes back three weeks prior and leads up to the present time. Readers are introduced to Liz Acosta who works for Pollard and Associates law firm. She is relatively new to the community. Sometimes Liz feels like she was hired because of her ability to speak and translate Spanish. But now she has an opportunity to represent a new client, Elena Thompson, who is seeking legal counsel regarding her troubled marriage and a possible divorce. Elena and her husband Matt are in marriage counseling with their pastor Connor. It’s an understatement to say that both Liz and Connor will be challenged in their jobs to handle Elena Thompson and the ever-widening chaos and drama that swirls around her.

I was looking forward to reading Double Indemnity, but I really struggled to get through this book. It was very slow in story development. But the biggest stumbling block for me were the main characters. I didn’t like Connor, Elena, Matt and felt neutral about Liz. When I don’t like or connect with the characters, I’m probably not going to like the book.

Connor Grantham was a pastor who developed his sermons based on his experiences in nature and found Scripture to make the point of his illustration. He seemed drawn to mysticism and experiences, rather than sound Bible teaching. He lacked wisdom and discernment, especially in his dealings with Elena. He seemed surprised that by trespassing he was violating the law and was a suspect in the murder of Matt Thompson. Not to mention he returned to the scene of the crime multiple times. He seemed to jump whenever Elena said jump and would ask how high. Something that made no sense to me was when he touched and removed evidence from a potential crime scene.

Elena was probably one of the most dislikable characters I’ve read about in a long time. Innocent or guilty, she was terrible. She treated everyone like they were at her beckon call and most everyone went along with her.

Liz showed some common sense and reason, especially compared to the other characters. Some of the secondary background characters were likeable.

The story dragged through a good part of the story. I couldn’t understand why there was so little support for Connor from his friends and congregation. Then it seemed like the story came to an abrupt conclusion. It was only at the end that friends came alongside Connor and tried to help him.

If you are a Robert Whitlow fan or like legal suspense stories, you may like this book.

I wanted to like this book. But I found Double Indemnity hard to read because the story dragged, moved ever so slowly, and most of the main characters were not likable. Sound Christian faith was lacking in this book. Because of that I don’t recommend this book.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Double Indemnity by Robert Whitlow. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

I enjoyed reading Double Indemnity by Robert Whitlow. While I never thought I'd like reading legal thrillers, I'm glad I gave them a chance, because this author gave me an intriguing look at the lives of lawyers and the intricacies of the law.

While the book doesn't start out as a page turner, after I got to know the characters and what they were going through, especially Connor and Liz, I really wanted to see how it was all going to turn out. I didn't have a clue what really happened to Elena's husband, Matt, but I was inclined to believe that someone murdered him.

This is a Christian fiction book, and the author demonstrated throughout the story that he wasn't afraid to add scenes that were appreciated by me, and I'm sure by others who like to see Christianity in books like this. Some claim to be Christian fiction, but fail to deliver anything of value. That was not the case with this one.

I always enjoy Robert Whitlow’s book and as usual, this one did not disappoint. If you enjoy a good legal “whodunit” then Double Indemnity is for you.
The book is set in the picturesque mountains of Georgia where a hunting accident takes place. Was it really an accident? Who stands to gain from the death of Matt Thompson? The cast of characters that grows as we see who really would benefit the most.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest opinion of the book. Thank you Netgalley for my ARC.

Double Indemnity by Robert Whitlow is my first book to read by this author. The book begins with a man dead in the woods. No one truly knows what happened and they didn't know it would end up being a murder. Once they find this out the book paces faster and the thrill of the books starts to grow. The ending is no shock and it plays out how you imaged it to be. This book does have a talk of political and religious within in.
Since this is my first book by Robert Whitlow. I am willing to try another by him. Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advance copy to read in exchange for my review. If there was an option for a 3.5 that is what this one would be.

Double Indemnity by Robert Whitlow is a real page-turner. When I told my daughter I was reading one of Whitlow's books, she was excited. She had already read a book by him and enjoyed it. She was correct, I was enthralled with the book. I could. not. put. it. down!!! A marriage on the rocks, a pastor who counseled the couple, a lawyer who advised the wife, and a murder were all entwined to lead to this suspenseful novel. Faith strengthened, faith received, and prayerful support gave Double Indemnity an important component to pull together the characters of Connor (pastor) and Liz (lawyer) into a deep friendship resulting in romantic feelings. I will definitely search for more Robert Whitlow books.

A copy was provided for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Good, entertaining story. Didn’t care for the writing style and sentence structure st first, but was soon captivated by the two main characters. The ending was not very surprising, but the story was good enough to hold my attention til the end. Solid 3.5 ⭐️

Wow. This was such a great book. I highly recommend reading it . I couldn’t put it down. I feel like a lot of books give away “who did it” in the first couple of chapter . This book did not have that problem. It kept you guessing the whole time .

It starts with the journey of a married couple who meet with their pastor for some marital counseling . The pastor refers them to do homework and meet with them weekly . The wife , Elena obviously is high strung and has some mental health issues . Matt is potentially cheating on his wife with his ex wife . Connor the pastor leads his congregation almost robotically . He prepares sermons and puts a lot of time into serving his congregation but he doesn’t truly seem to know God.

Liz a local attorney meets with Elena as Elena wants to prepare in case Matt files a divorce. Liz’s neighbor invites her to church and surprisingly says yes . Her saying yes brings her to church and meeting the Pastor, Connor.

All these players are in the background and some amazing church members when Matt dies in an accidental shooting , or was it accidental .

Elena has odder and odder behavior. Liz comes across differing ethical issues as Elena’s attorney. Connor realizes that maybe his prayers aren’t really connecting with God and maybe he has missed the mark as a pastor and with his relationship with God.

Then Connor gets charged with murder and everything falls apart and comes together at the same time .

I really enjoyed this book and plan to read it again!
Thank you for the publishing company and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review .

Review: Double Indemnity
This is the first Robert Whitlow novel I have read. I enjoyed this murder mystery. I am not too fond of romance novels, but that took a lower priority in this mystery/romantic novel. The characters were well developed. I actually liked some of the secondary characters best. The lawyer aspect of the story was well done, explaining issues many of us do not understand. The story succesfully kept me wondering, "who done it." I will look for this author again. Wondering if these same characters will appear again?

Pastor Connor Grantham tries to counsel a couple with a strained marriage. The husband, Matt, seems to be making progress on his end of things -- until he is shot while hunting. His widow Elena hired attorney Liz Acosta prior to his death, in case they divorced, and retains her services to obtain the life insurance payouts. But there are suspicions surrounding Matt's death, and Connor becomes a suspect when camera footage catches him on the hunting property.
I love the writing style. I really love Connor's relationships with members of his church and community. He starred our cerebral and skeptical of miracles, but God really grew him. These relationships really secured the human element of a legal drama. I did think the manner of Matt's death and the reason behind it were pretty obvious. I mean, who manages to accidentally shoot themself in the abdomen with a long-barreled gun? And it seemed to take a small clue to reveal the truth. Still, the stakes kept rising and the excitement continued to swell throughout the book. By the way, Miranda warnings are read when a suspect is in custody and about ty o be interrogated, not upon arrest.
There were some double-indentations in paragraphs as well.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. This is a legal drama with a strong Christian theme and a touch of romance. I enjoyed the mystery of the death investigation and all of the legal matters that he worked into the story. All of this author’s books center on the power of prayer and this was a major theme of this story as well. I enjoyed Connor and Liz and the sweet romance that was worked into the narrative. Some of the dialogue seemed stilted and abrupt for me but the pacing was well done and I enjoyed the book overall.

Romantic Content: Kisses

This books is Robert Whitlow at his best! The story is set in the mountains of North Georgia .Connor, a young pastor, faces allegations that could ruin his ministry and his reputation. He has the support of many of his church members, but many of them are unsure. As he and his lawyer/love interest, Liz, look for evidence to clear his name the story takes many turns. Robert Whitlow is the John Grisham of the Christian fiction genre of books. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I want to thank NetGalley for this ARC.

This is another great legal drama by Robert Whitlow. The book is an intriguing fast paced story. There are many twists and turns and unexpected surprises. The characters are very well developed. This book grabbed me from the beginning and did not let up until the end. The author was able to blend mystery, murder, legal, and romance to create a very enjoyable novel.
I recommend this book. Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This was a different experience for me. The whodunit part was great, a few times I questioned Liz’s likelihood of sharing what she did with who she did. Overall, the mystery was great. But there will be hundreds of reviews telling you about that.

The part that absolutely blew me away was the prayers. Being a topic I’m fascinated with and currently studying, that was my main focus.

I’ve read so many books with ‘popcorn’ prayers, which have their place, to be sure. So when I come across a novel with deeper prayers that don’t feel preachy, but really like the relationship with God we love to talk about, I sit up and take notice.

The connection, the confidence, the way they left people changed, is what I long for.

This was my first Robert Whitlow, but will NOT be my last. I want to see more of these deep, genuine prayers.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

Good, clean legal thriller! When Conner, the minister of a small Georgia church becomes the center of a murder investigation, his faith will soar to new heights. Loved that Conner held on to his integrity while trying to council Matt and Elena. Liked the way Harold mentored Liz as she represented Elena. The congregation was portrayed in a very realistic way, some very supportive and others not. Although the story was predictable as to who was behind the murder, it was very enjoyable. Recommended!

Part mystery, part romance story about a pastor who becomes involved in a murder investigation when the man he was counseling dies in a seeming hunting accident. Along the way, he meets a lawyer who is helping the man's widow navigate the insurance claims. I really liked how the story illustrated the pastor's spiritual journey.

Imagine having marital trouble and. financial troubles then miraculously your husband is killed in an accident. Does that solve all the issues? No it just makes for an intriguing story of lies love business money and death. I enjoyed the small town setting of the story keeps the circle small on when could of done it if it wasn’t an accident, which so much to gain by widow and business partner it will keep you guessing Till the end.

Good!

In this legal thriller, young small town pastor Connor Grantham finds himself in the middle of a difficult situation. He's counseling a married couple and one of them dies soon afterwards. Connor learns to navigate the fine line of providing comfort and keeping distance with a female parishioner. I love hiking so appreciated the peace he found walking trails.

The other main character Liz Acosta only took the job in a small north Georgia town because she couldn't find one near her hometown in south Florida. Initially, she is more Spanish translator than attorney, but soon navigates legal waters with a demanding client.

Love the cover and the title. Double Indemnity is now included as one of my Robert Whitlow favorite novels.

From the first page this book captured my attention. The characters were very believable and there were several twists that I didn't see coming. He is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait for his next book!