Janice Cantore is a gifted writer. I have to admit though that this first title in the series was not as enjoyable as the latter ones ( which I somehow managed to read before this one!)

Crisis Shot by Janice Cantore is the first book in her new series The Line of Duty. While I enjoyed this book, it wasn't one of my favorites of this author. With exception to the end of the book, I could easily put it down and not pick it up to read again for a few days (that is very unusual for me if I am really involved in a book). I liked the characters, but I didn't feel like I really "got to know" the characters very well and the story line didn't keep me all that interested. Even with the main character, you don't learn that much about who she is. I will likely still read the other books in the series when they come out because I did enjoy the characters and would like to see how they evolve.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tess O'Rourke never wanted to be anything but a cop. She has worked her way through the ranks over 18 years on the Long Beach police force to the position of commander, but on a single officer-needs-assistance callout, she shoots an unarmed 14-year-old, and her career begins circling the drain. Cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, pressure both internal and external, forces Tess to find a new place to work. Rogue's Hollow, Oregon is in need of a police chief so she applies and is hired. No one, including her fellow officers, appears to want her there. Can she change their minds, and show them that she knows her stuff?

As Tess settles into her new job, her only supporters appear to be the well-respected local pastor, Oliver MacPherson and his wife, Anna. When Anna disappears, all eyes are on Tess and her department to find her. When Anna's cousin is found murdered, pressure mounts on Tess to stop the crime spree. Can she keep her head above water while so many in town, including the mayor, are trying to sink her?

I've read many of Janice Cantore's books, and I am always impressed with her knowledge of police procedure, and her affinity for the "thin blue line." This story seems ripped from the headlines, and I could almost believe that I would be seeing the facts on the news channels. Cantore's suspense is unparalleled. I listened to the audio version of this book, and lost myself in the story many times over the course of listening. I highly recommend experiencing it in this way!

Suspense readers, especially those who enjoy police procedurals, will enjoy Crisis Shot. I'm looking forward to picking up Cold Aim and Lethal Target next! While there is a touch of romance here, it is so barely there I even hesitate to mention it.

I received this book free via NetGalley, but every opinion here is MINE!

Great read! I found the story interesting and the characters are well developed. Like pieces of a puzzle, the lives of various characters connected into a suspenseful, heartpounding story!

CRISIS SHOT is a thriller...fully of suspense and intrigue. A real page turner. Loved it, Five stars.

I sit here staring at a blank page not sure how to proceed. I finished this book last night without an abundance of fanfare. It was entirely too many hours past bedtime, which I paid for all day, but it wasn’t like jumping from my fuzzy socks exciting. .I enjoyed the story, the twists and turns, getting to know the characters. I just didn’t fall in love with the story. It’s like someone forgot to glue the glitter when they poured it on.

The characters were well developed and memorable. There were a few too many for my ability to remember names and I would frequently have to go looking back to figure out who was who. That is always a me problem and seems to be more prevalent in the first book in a series as the stage is set for the continuation. I think where it fell apart for me was truly in the plot. I’ll talk about the actual mystery of the whodunit later because that was amazing! I couldn’t get into all the different ideas going around. I know some were there to carry the mystery but at times some of the events felt more like filler than anything to actually propel the story forward, Bubba Magee, comes to mind. I mean I get it in the aspect that he is something that is part of her new community but it was just awkward I guess. There are other things like that but I don’t want to waste time listing them all because we gotta talk mystery.

Red herring? Check. Convoluted string of coincidences? Check. Unreliable witness? Check. Weird little vignette of the actual killer? Check. (This was weird and awkward honestly. It didn’t fit since it was just a one-off in the middle of the book that wasn’t repeated before or after.) Twisted theme of lies and half-truths to unravel? Check. The perfect setup you could say. I didn’t figure this one out before I was supposed to which is always a plus in my book. Yes, much of the book left me wanting but the actual purpose of the book, the mystery, was wrapped up so perfectly in that it didn’t follow a direct path. I followed it through all the random rabbit trails and potholes. I had a few ideas of who was involved. I wasn’t always right but then again they were part of the greater coverup so there’s that right?

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

I finished this book in record time because it was so good! It sucked me in quickly and I couldn't help how fast I read it because the story kept moving at a pretty good clip.

I sympathized with Tess from the beginning. What she went through was incredibly difficult and I hate that she had to move because of it but it seemed to me she thrived in her new environment. I actually really liked some of the characters in the small town. It was kind of funny how they were so brutally honest with her about how they felt about her. But at the same time some of the small town issues of everyone knowing everyone's business immediately just reminded me why I never liked the smaller towns I lived in.

As usual Cantore's experience on a police force lent to an incredibly realistic and reliable book. I find in her books a perfect balance of explanation of how things work at crime scenes and during investigations without making me feel like I'm reading a textbook on police drama.

I liked how there was a good mix of drama but also a lot of mystery thrown in too. I tried to figure out how it would end and wasn't able to. I always appreciate it when an author is able to keep me guessing.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion.

This is the first book I have read by Janice. I was blown away! I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

I really enjoyed this novel that feels ripped from the headlines. It has a great blend of mystery and romance. Definitely kept me engaged.

Crisis Shot is the first book in new The Line of Duty series and I cannot wait until the next book comes out. If it’s anywhere near as good as this one, I will love it as well.

This book was wonderful, suspenseful, and I didn’t want to ever put it down. The police involved shooting, is totally relevant in our society today. With all the controversy over these shootings lately, it was nice to see the police point of view.

This was really well written and I could not figure out who the murderer was. I was able to see the story play out and I would forget that it was not real. I felt as though I was there, right in the heat of the investigation.

I loved Tess and how she was not willing to back down when she was in hot water and so many people turned their back on her. The way she always handled herself was inspiring. She never let anyone intimidate her and kept to her morals, no matter what.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.*

This story kept me interested until close to the end. The author missed an opportunity for a cataclysmic climax and missed it completely. Way too many points of view so it was very difficult to really care about the protagonist, not even sure which one was the protagonist. So I lost interest. The premise is pretty good, but I think there are lots of other small town, small county sheriff/police chief stories that have been done so much better.

However, the tiny details of police work were very interesting, and the management of the officers different personalities was great!

Crisis Shot is well written - it keeps you interested - at least for the first couple of chapters that I read and then I stopped - this was categorized as a Christian book - well - this book swore within the first few chapters and then a couple of pages after that there she went again and swore - so being a Christian myself - that was the end of my reading - that was one thing my Father taught me - if there is swearing in something you read or watch - change the channel or change the book - in the Scriptures it talks about swearing and for you to avoid it and for you to not let foul language come out of your mouth. Col 3:8-10, I was honored to be able to read this book though.

Crisis Shot by Janice Cantore begins as Tess O’Rourke responds to an officer’s distress call and ends of defending him and thereby ending her own dreams of becoming the first female police chief in Long Beach. Accused of police misconduct and found guilty by public opinion, Tess accepts a job as the police chief in a small town far away from Long Beach. Here, she finds some suspicions of a female outsider and she quickly faces some big cases to solve. This was the first book that I read by this author. I recommend this book as a fun weekend read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I love Janice Cantore's books and Crisis Shot was no exception. The book is very well written and has a great plot. As usual Cantore's characters are well developed. Could not put this book down. If you are a fan of suspense I recommend this book.

I thought the romance was going to be a bigger part of it based on the book blurb and a couple of scenes in the early part of the book but it was a very minimal part and sometimes wondered if it was going to show up at all. It was so minimal a part that I wondered if there was going to be a second book on the same characters and continue their stories. I enjoyed the suspense in the storyline but in the back of my mind, I kept wondering if the romance was going anywhere or would even show up that I couldn’t enjoy the book fully. If the blurb wouldn’t have misled me to believe that this book would be a romantic suspense, I may have been able to enjoy the book better. The author would occasionally through in scenes or comments that would tease that the romance was going to develop, but I felt like it never did. So, if you are going to read this book, don’t expect romance to be an interwoven thread because it was more like a few crumbs.

I am not sure how I have been missing out, but I have never before read a book by Janice Cantore. However, that is going to change from here on in!

"Crisis Shot" was jam-packed full of action, filled with excellent police work and a sense of fighting for justice in the face of true adversity as Tess battles misunderstanding and misplaced criticism. The story held my interest from beginning to end, and I can admit that while I had a sense of who the perpetrator was, there were plenty of moments that kept me guessing and resulted in genuine surprise. Those are my favourite types of stories! Tess is one of those characters who you simply can't help but root for, and I enjoyed getting to know her over the course of the story. I'm not sure if she will again be starring the next book in the series, but I would be happy to witness Tess back in action, taking down the bad guys. The romance is handled with just the right touch, and I appreciated that Cantore doesn't make it the centre of the story, but allows things to develop naturally.

Cantore has offered up a well-written suspense novel that is sure to garner her new fans. I strongly recommend this novel for those readers looking for suspense, romance, and a book where good conquers evil. I award this novel 4 out of 5 stars. I am looking forward to what's to come next in the series!

An egalley has been provided courtesy of the publisher and netgalley for the purposes of this unbiased review.

Crisis Shot was my first book by Janice Cantore. It certainly won't be my last. Tess O'Rourke became a cop to follow in her father's footsteps and has risen through the ranks to become top brass. However, her perfect life comes crashing down when she faces public outcry for her actions in the line of duty. Disgraced, Tess takes a job as a police chief in a sleepy little town. A missing person, drugs, and a murder become Tess' first challenge in her job with all eyes watching her including the mayor and the city council. Watch Tess grow and find her need for dependence on God. This is the first in a series, and has built a foundation of developed characters that will only blossom in subsequent books.

Janice Cantore is back in full force with one of her best novels yet. I’ve been waiting for her to write this book for a long time.

Tess O’Rourke’s dream of becoming the first female police chief in Long Beach, California comes to a screeching halt when an unfortunate shooting leaves a fourteen-year-old boy victim and Tess as the shooter. Tess is cleared of any wrongdoing but, that doesn’t stop the public, especially an obnoxious blogger from trying to crucify her in the court of public opinion. Tess decides her best option is to move away and start new somewhere else. She takes a job as police chief of a small town in Oregon. Even though it is a long way from Long Beach, the residents of Rogue Hollow have still heard of what happened and are hesitant to give Tess a chance to prove what she can do. She is able to make a few close friends, but things take a turn for the worst when her best friend turns up missing and the woman’s cousin is found shot dead. Tess must rely on the help of sheriff’s deputy Steve Logan who has been an asset since she moved to town and she quickly finds herself becoming attracted to him. Together, they work together to solve the first murder the town has seen and worry about mixing business with pleasure.

Janice Cantore has been a favorite of mine for a long time, but after the last series I felt a little underwhelmed. It just wasn’t the great work I had come to expect from her. With Crisis Shot, I am happy to say my faith in her work has been restored. This was a great read. The characters were just right in all aspects of the story. Tess is a strong female lead that even though she is going through a tough situation, she handles it with dignity and is able to be logical and not let her emotions get the best of her. Steve was brought in but his presence wasn’t overwhelming. I really liked how the members of the force were very standoffish when Tess arrived, but after seeing how capable she was of handling the situations they were faced with, their attitudes changed quickly. With all the changes that Tess went through, she was still able to handle it well, I think it helped that she didn’t have family holding her in one place so she was able to go somewhere else and start a new life for herself. The fact that Cantore is a former officer gives credibility and authenticity to the writing that is missing from many police procedurals. I recommend this book to anyone who has read Cantore as well as to new readers looking for a great romantic suspense that won’t disappoint.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

This is my first book by this author and I liked her writing style and the topic. It's one of those "Ripped from the headlines" type of story. Strong story, stronger characters.

I really liked Tess because she is a fighter. I also respected her when she realizes she is fighting a losing battle after the shooting. I admired her tenacity as she takes on the role as the first female chief of police in a small community in Oregon.

The story itself is excellent. Characters to love and characters to not care for. The author also allowed the reader to try and solve the case along the way. Something I also appreciate. There were some "gotcha" moments at the end. Thankfully, this appears to be a book 1 in a new series, because there were a lot of unanswered questions at the end.

Disclaimer:  I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, I was not required to give a review and the opinions here are my own.

Crisis Shot

by Janice Cantore

Tyndale House Publishers

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Christian , Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 05 Sep 2017

I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Cris Shot through Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley:

Tess O'Rourke has great ambitions she dreams of being the first female chief of police in Long Beach California! Currently as the commander of the East Division Tess O'Rourke is on her way to making her dreams come true. But one night she responds to a call saying officer needs assistance and ends up fatally shooting a teenage suspect, despite being cleared of all wrong doing by a grand jury in the public eye she is guilty. And soon leaves Long Beach and heads to Oregon!

Settling in a small town called Rogue's Hollow, which meant a pay-cut but it could be the chance she needs to get away from bad press.

Will Tess be able to build a life in Rogue's Hollow, or will she once again have to face the quick judgement of others? Find out in Crisis Shot!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!