Cover Image: Lethal Target

Lethal Target

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Police Chief Tess, the drug problem from a year ago she thought was over. Today of all days, not of her birthday, but of death, when she receives a call. Eighteen year old boy, bags found, and an open screen, mother and a friend said no, he wasn’t into drugs. Pot farms are sprouting up, as well as some questionable people show up at the farms, till she becomes a target. Oliver as Tess faced him, she saw his strength, his compassion,knowing now that God was real for her. I thought the story had a nice flow to the story. More of knowing where Tess is in her life, with her job, and her thoughts about Oliver. Enjoyable, and one didn’t need to read the first book.
Given ARC by Net Galley and Tyndale for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

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LETHAL TARGET by JANICE CANTORE is a fast paced mystery suspense novel with a good Christian message. The plot is well worked out and the characters are believable. It is altogether a really good read.
Tess O'Rourke is the police chief in Rogue's Hollow, where she is faced with the recent legalization of the growing and selling of cannabis, the murder of a young boy which seems drug related, the trumped up stories that are circulating about her in the small town community, and fibally her being accused of murder.
Her father's murder has caused her to turn her back on the God he served. This is contrasted with the way her friend Oliver still trusts in the Lord, even though he lost his wife under terrible circumstances. When all these things hit her we wonder if she will finally turn to the only One who can see her through.
Although Lethal Target is the second book in the series, I have read it as a stand alone without any problems.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

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Police Chief Tess O'Rourke is back battling against drugs again in this second book of the series. Since the author's former career was in the police force, actions and events ring very real. Tess does not have an easy time at her job since her past has followed her to Rogue Hollow. Other familiar characters from Crisis Shot, the first book in the series are also included in this story. Plus there may be a romance brewing. I guess fans will have to wait for the next installment. Highly recommended!

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Disclosure: I have not read book one in this series.

Overall, while this is a very technically sound and interesting story with a great plot, I felt like it lacked a bit of "heart." The main characters seemed a bit one-dimensional to me, which, considering this is the second book in the series, I would have expected more depth. Tess just seemed to me like your typical cop character, and Oliver was just your typical pastor character. I never really truly "liked" the characters because they just seemed so flat to me. As I've said before, characters make or break a story for me, and I'm afraid that's why this was only a mediocre book for me personally. The storyline kept me intrigued and I was constantly guessing as to who our villain was. It was definitely very suspense-y and I was quite literally on the edge of my seat during the final climax. Having not read the first book in the series, I was still able to follow along very well, despite missing pieces of the story from book one. The faith element was well done, and I almost teared up a bit in one scene.

All in all, while not my favorite, this was an interesting suspense read and I will be checking out book one.

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This is book two in The Line of Duty series, even though it is a stand alone book, book one gives you lots of history into the characters in book two and it is a good book to read anyway. I am glad I read them both.

Both books focus on Police Chief Tess O’Rourke and the many struggles past and present she is facing. She is a beautiful, determined police woman who is great at her job, yet when questions fly about her ability to do her job she must learn to trust on God, even though she feels like he left her long ago.

Janice Cantore does an amazing job at putting you in the mind and heart of the police. Her books are full of suspense, problem solving and more. There is a touch of romance in this one but it is by far not the main focus. If you like contemporary police suspense type books you will like this one. There are many twist and turns in this book. I look forward to ready book 3, if there is one.

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WOW! This book was entertaining from the opening pages until the very end.

I love how the author has developed Tess’ character. She is a strong woman with a tremendous burden when it comes to the death of her father. Oliver brings to much to the story as he deals with his own loss and the desire to help those he cares about.

I loved the story. Though, the Hector character bothered me on so many levels. But sadly, I think he represented too many people in our society, the desire to make our police officers look bad. She also dealt with the issue of legalized pot farms and issues they can create in a community. (Especially one like Rogue Hollow)

I would definitely buy this book for my friends who enjoy mystery/suspense novels. As a book two it does stand alone, but you would get more out of this story by reading the first one.

Disclaimer: I did receive this copy free from the publisher through netgalley.com. I was under no obligation to give a review and the thoughts I express are my own.

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Janice Cantore has done it again with Lethal Target. Admittedly I was a little concerned when I read the back cover about Tess having feelings for Oliver. Janice made it flow beautifully and reasonably.

The book opens with Tess’s birthday. A day she does not celebrate as her dad was killed in the line of duty on her 16th birthday. She has been angry at God ever since and questioning his existence.

Oliver is the local pastor who lost his wife in the first book. He plays a major role in the book and in the town. I truly enjoyed his conversations with Don Cherry. This was a great addition to the story.

The blogger who hates Tess has come to her town to continue to harass her. This time someone is paying him to cause her trouble and distract her.

Janice’s books are so realistic and not just the police drama part of it. In Lethal Target we have local politics and the legalization of marijuana and the effects it has on the town.

I was thrilled to see Tilley in the book and the progress she is making. Janice adds these little details that thrill readers and makes the characters real to us.

sex - none
violence - a teen is murdered, people are shot at, some killed, some people kidnapped,
drugs/alcohol - recovering drug addict, legalized marijuana,

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Janice Cantore has written a powerful sequel to her earlier book, Crisis Shot. Tess O’ourke has now been the Chief of Police of Rogue’s Hollow, OR, for just about a year. The community has accepted her and she feels a part of the community she has made her home. At least until the body is literally found at the doorstep of her home. Oregon’s new legal pot trade has made itself at home in her community – but, surprisingly, there has been an uptick in the number of opioid overdoses during that same time. Suspicions run high that there is a connection between the pot farms and the increasing drug crisis – but Tess, the County Sheriff, nor the Federal DEA can find a connection between the two.

The book has enough suspense to keep this reader’s nose in the book for the four or five nights it took to read. Written by a former police officer, the book has the sound of truth from the first page to the last. Though probably classified as a romantic suspense, the romance is relatively light and does not overwhelm the plot as is sometimes happens in books of this genre. The role of faith is also present – a bit more than romance – but not overwhelmingly so. The book could easily find a home in the public library, the church library, or in the home of anybody looking for a well-written suspense novel.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

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3.5 stars

Police Chief Tess O’Rourke must confront the drug problem in her small town once again. She thought she’d taken care of things, but that was before an eighteen-year-old is found dead, likely of an overdose. She believes local pot farms are involved, as well as even deadlier drugs, which could result in even more deaths. As the anniversary of her father’s murder approaches, she continues to hold on to her anger, which is adding to the problems in her relationship with Sergeant Steve Logan. On top of everything, someone from her past has returned, and Tess doesn’t see anything positive coming out of this new development. Will Tess be able to win her war on drugs in her town before someone decides to silence her?

This is the second installment in Cantore’s “Line of Duty” series, though it could be read as a standalone. The author’s experience as a copy adds credibility and insight into the inner workings of the police force. Thankfully, for me, the mystery angle overshadows the romance, making this an interesting crime drama/police procedural. The drug epidemic is a timely topic. While there is a bit of overdetailing at times which stalls the pace, the characters are authentic and the plot realistic. To get a better grip on the characters’ history, it could be beneficial to read the books in order.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.

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