3 stars
Trace of Doubt
By DiAnn Mills
I am conflicted by this book. I typically love Christian fiction but this one is very over the top. Most Christian fiction books have faith as the main plot which I truly enjoy; however, Trace of Doubt just force-feeds it, which even for me seemed over the top. The first third of the book is enjoyable yet a tad predictable, the middle half just slogged through and the last five chapters and epilogue were by far the best part of the book.
I am giving the book three stars for character development and a few plot twists that were highly unexpected plus this book will appeal to those who love clean Christian fiction.
I recommend this book
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

There are so many layers to this amazing story. Shelby Pearce was seventeen when she was sentenced to prison for killing her brother-in-law. After fifteen years, she is getting out of prison. She was also accused of embezzlement, which she has continued to deny. Since she has been disowned by her family, an offer of a home and job in Valleysburg, Texas, may be her only chance to resume a semi-normal life. FBI Special Agent Denton McClure is obsessed with finding out what Shelby did with the money and poses as her neighbor, to get close to her, to find the money. Becoming a much stronger person during her time in prison, Shelby is surviving thanks to a few good friends and her faith. When the threats against her start, who and why would someone want her to commit suicide? As Denton slowly begins to believe in her innocence, the attraction between them grows stronger, dare she trust in him and his love? Will Shelby survive the final twisted and personal threat? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Trace of Doubt is a very well written romantic suspense. Great plot and character development. Ms. Mills has written another winner. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

“You asked about Aaron,” Isaac said. “He made it through surgery and is holding his own. Due to Shelby’s quick thinking, she kept him from bleeding out.”

Diann Mills autographed my Trace of Doubt book with “expect an adventure.”

She was right. It did not take long for me to become absorbed in this latest book by Diann Mills. The adventure soon began and it became super, super difficult for me to put this book down. Trace of Doubt is the fourth book I have read by Diann. What I loved about this book and all of Diann’s books is her unique way of writing short chapters that readily speed the stories along. She certainly has a way of bringing depth to each of the characters in this story from an ex-con, to a down-and-out FBI agent, to small-town characters, to even close family members.

Trace of Doubt is more faith-centered than the other Diann Mills books I have read. The main character of Shelby in this book has the deepest faith of all the characters. It is that conviction of knowing God that gets her through all the situations in this book from starting over to getting shot at to the final heartrending ending. She even trusts her faith even more during the most heightened moments of danger in this story. What's even better about this story is that it shows a woman can be extremely resilient and strong with a deep faith.

If you love, fast-paced adventure Trace of Doubt will keep you on the edge of your seat and engrossed until the very end. This book was an unputdownable satisfying weekend read for me. This plot is amazing. Thank you, Diann, for promising an adventure and letting your well-crafted story that took me along a journey I did not see coming.

Mills really captured the troubles a person has when newly released from prison. The difficulties a parolee experiences in reentering society are daunting. I admired the people who gave her a chance and was totally disappointed with the people who showed such prejudice, holding her past over her, especially the church people. The message about judging was clear and not subtle at all.

The characters Mills crafted were a bit puzzling to me. I bordered on disbelief about how dedicated Shelby was to her sister. Shelby developed a stronger character while in prison yet remained clueless in evaluating her sister. I found it interesting that, even in the end, the behavior of Shelby's sister remained a mystery to her. (4949/5045) Shelby's thoughts did not give me confidence that we readers were supposed to understand the behavior either. Family loyalty would be a good topic for discussion at a reading group, as would questions about childhood influences on adult behavior.

The resolution to the complex plot was quick and felt a little unreasonable, the cavalry coming over the hill to the rescue kind of ending. I thought Shelby was crafted to be a strong person and I would have preferred her having an active part in the final action.

This mystery has lots of suspense woven around family relationships. It includes a very strong Christian faith message. Even though I felt there were some character and plot defects in the novel, I do like Mills' writing and will be looking for her next book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

After fifteen years in prison, Shelby Pearce is ready to start her life over. But as a convicted murderer, allies are hard to come by, especially since there's still the question of $500,000 that she's suspected of stealing at the same time as the murder. Denton McClure, who'd worked the embezzlement case as a rookie agent, is sure she's guilty and is determined to prove her guilt and uncover the cash. As he gets to know her, though, he begins to doubt what he's known as fact for 15 years. And it looks like he's not the only one who's out to find the money.

This is the second DiAnn Mills book I've read, and though I quite liked the other one, this one was a miss for me. I think that mostly boils down to the author's writing style, which I don't remember being quite so distracting for me during the other book I read. In this book, though, I often found myself confused by what thought or emotion was being portrayed in a scene, unable to quite grasp the meaning in the author's choice of words. In many scenes, dialog felt unnatural or stilted, or even felt as though the characters were not having the same conversation as each other.

I did like some of the characters, though mostly secondary ones. Shelby was written well for the bulk of the book, but I didn't connect with her as much due to my own very different personality as anything. By the end, though, I realized she was actually pretty terrible at making good decisions. Denton was confusing and a little unbelievable in his drive to prove her guilt, letting the search for $500k control/ruin his life. As the mystery of who is targeting Shelby since she's been released from prison is revealed, as well as why, the premise of her confessing to murder and going to jail becomes less and less believable to me. I won't give any spoilers, but it mostly goes back to what I said above about Shelby making terrible decisions.

I struggled with consistency issues in various places and with a couple of antagonists that were fairly one-dimensional. I did, however, like the theme about redemption that was brought out more by the secondary characters that were willing to look past Shelby's history and give her a chance to start over as much as anything. I really dislike giving this low of a rating to any book, and I can already tell that this is going to be one of those books that makes me wonder if I got a different version than everyone else. Please check out other reviews for different opinions, as most of them are positive so far, if you're interested in the synopsis and/or genre.

Trace of Doubt is a modern day Christian crime story by DiAnn Mills. Shelby has served time for a murder she did not commit and is now trying to move on with her life. A local law enforcement officer does not want her moving to his town. Her family wants no contact with her. The FBI agent originally on the case want to find out the truth. And someone wants her dead.

This is a fast paced story that is full of action and suspense with a touch of romance blended in. This story put a whole new spin on doing what ever you can for family. But it also shines a light onto how some peoples thought process can be so messed up. I totally enjoyed reading this story. It grabbed my attention right from the start and kept it to the very end. This suspense is so good, it is hard to put this book down.

I received a complimentary copy of this story from Tyndale Publishing and NetGalley. This is my honest review.

A thrilling story of faith, sacrifice, forgiveness, friendship and love, Trace of Doubt kept me up all night trying to follow the heart-pounding twists and turns in the life of Shelby Pearce after her release from prison. At first, I tried to guess what was going to happen next but when I found myself wrong several times, I decided to just enjoy and let DiAnn Mills take me for a literary ride. Starting with the dramatic prologue all the way to the satisfactory conclusion in the epilogue, this book had me enthralled.

Ms. Mills has a deft hand in the characterization of her leads, especially with Shelby’s. From page one, I cared about her and had absolutely no trace of doubt in my mind in her innocence of the crime for which she’d served fifteen years behind bars. I was in turns worried, indignant, scared, sad, relieved, and happy for her as the events unfolded. I am glad she found people who believed in her and supported her wholeheartedly to balance the number of those who intended her harm.

Mirroring Shelby, I didn’t trust Denton at first, especially with his preconceptions and deceptions, but I warmed to him the second he showed up with a gift of a puppy. I enjoyed the self-examination of his relationship with God and celebrated his rediscovery of his faith. For me, it was a believable transformation heavily influenced by the awe-inspiring strength of Shelby’s example in words and in deeds.

Christianity is central to this story. Ms. Mills didn’t stint on proclaiming her beliefs through the main characters. God’s words often emboldened Shelby in her actions. Biblical quotes and Christian maxims abound in Trace of Doubt. One of my favorites is:
Trusting God doesn’t mean we have to understand why bad things happen.”

The one aspect of the book that I had difficulty with was the characterization of the villain. While I appreciate the attempt to explain their motivation, I wanted the addition of redeeming qualities. Even just one.

Content notes: physical violence, bullying, death of a loved one, gun violence, child abuse

Trace of Doubt by DiAnn Mills gives readers a wild adventure. The story centers around Shelby Pearce, who just got of prison for murder. She tries to settle down in a small town, but her past haunts her. FBI agent Denton McClure has been tracking her for years, convinced she stole $500,000 and he’s determined to find it. But he soon finds there’s much more to Shelby’s story, especially when someone wants her dead.

I like the fast-paced intensity of the story. This is more than a traditional who-done-it mystery. As I read, I kept wondering why and tried to figure out motives for several crimes plus the actions of a few characters. The plot is complex and twisted, but it takes on an emotional layer. There’s lots of betrayals and hidden agendas that kept me hooked until the very end. Not everything is as it seems. I’m not usually a fan of first-person points of view, but I liked how this story switched between Shelby and Denton. It worked!

This is a great book for suspense fans! It has a nice level of complexity that made me think as well as be entertained.

Overall Rating:
5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)

Suspense Rating:
5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was interesting one… it took me a while to get into it, but once I did…

Let me put this way. I started reading, and after a few chapters I was like, ‘I love the premise, this is such a cool idea, but I’m struggling to connect with the story…’ and then, the next thing I knew, it was an hour later and I’d knocked off another 20 chapters! 😂 Needless to say, I got sucked in hard!

And it was a whirlwind! Such a different and unique story. Starting with an MC being released from prison after a 15 years sentence is definitely a different take to anything I’ve read before. And while DiAnn usually falls very much under the romantic suspense banner, this one turns out to be edging closer to a psychological thriller! There’s is still some romance, but only a little. The main drive of the story is why someone is trying to kill our MC… and what really happened all those years earlier when she confessed to the murder of her brother-in-law.

If you don’t usually read thrillers, and you’d like to try one, but you’re a bit apprehensive of the creep factor, this might be a good place to start because it’s a little ‘softer’ (and a little less scary) than your usual thriller, but still has all the action. Kind of like it wants to be a thriller but still has a touch of that romantic suspense vibe about it to soften it. Once I got past the slow start, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thanks @netgalley and @tyndalehouse for the ARC. I was only required to provide an honest review in return.

Unputdownable! That’s how I would describe Trace of Doubt by Diann Mills. It starts with a bang and moves nonstop to a very unexpected ending.

Shelby Pearce has just been released from prison where she served time for manslaughter, and she’s ready for a fresh start. But starting over isn’t easy for a parolee.

FBI Special Agent Denton McClure was a rookie when Shelby was convicted, and he believes she has also embezzled $500,000. He goes undercover to befriend Shelby and track down the money. As he gets to know Shelby, Denton begins to have doubts about her conviction. Meanwhile, someone is going to a lot of trouble to discredit or eliminate Shelby.

This book is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are lots of twists and turns, and breadcrumbs along the way that add doubt about Shelby’s guilt. Is Shelby villain or victim? Denton isn’t sure. The supporting characters are an interesting mix, either making you furious or making you laugh.

Trace of Doubt is Christian romantic suspense. Suspense takes the starring role, but there are also strong notes of redemption and forgiveness.

This is one not to be missed. It will be available September 7, 2021. I received an advance copy from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for my opinion.

I was attracted to this book because… I have been a fan of DiAnn Mills for many years. I alway look forward to her next book. (I did receive an advance copy of this book, but I have also purchased a copy.) And the title does make me wonder about the doubt.


This book was about… Shelby Pearce’s attempt to make a fresh start in the world on her release from fifteen years in prison for confessing to the murder of brother-in-law. FBI Special Agent, Denton McClure, always believed Shelby was also guilty of the unsolved embezzlement five hundred thousand dollars from her brother-in-law’s account. Now, as an undercover agent, he has rented a cabin next to where Shelby plans on living. As he befriends, Shelby, plans on revealing her involvement with the embezzled funds.

As Denton comes to know Shelby and be a part of threats against, he begins to have ‘a trace of doubt’ about what he has believed for over fifteen years about her.

Things I liked about this book…The story is fast moving, providing many clues, and a variety of locations and characters. The plot lines keep you away from discovering the devastating evil behind the story until the last possible moment.

The character development of both the female and the male protagonists is very captivating. I found this presentation brought me closer to both of these characters in a satisfying way.

Why you should read this book…This story will remind you of how careful we should be with first impressions. Things are often not what they appear to be.

Trace of Doubt
by DiAnn Mills
Tyndale House Publishers
Rating: 4
Back of the Book: “Fifteen years ago, Shelby Pearce confessed to murdering her brother-in-law and was sent to prison. Now she’s out on parole and looking for a fresh start in the small town of Valleysburg, Texas. But starting over won’t be easy for an ex-con.
FBI Special Agent Denton McClure was a rookie fresh out of Quantico when he was first assigned the Pearce case. He’s always believed Shelby embezzled five hundred thousand dollars from her brother-in-law’s account. So, he’s going undercover to befriend Shelby, track down the missing money, and finally crack this case.
But as Denton gets closer to Shelby, he begins to have a trace of doubt about her guilt. Someone has Shelby in their crosshairs. It’s up to Denton to stop them before they silence Shelby—and the truth—forever.”
My Thoughts: Oh, the suspense! But was it good suspense? From the beginning, I had a hard time seeing Shelby as a murderer. As the story evolves, I didn’t understand why people she had never met were so trusting and invested in her. It was a bit strange to me. These things set the story up to work however and the mystery of who Shelby was covering for made the story more interesting. The ending was a bit theatrical and dramatic. I wasn’t imagining anything so grand. Did I like it? Yes- no. I liked the middle. The beginning was too confusing. Shelby was good but also a cold blood killer? The ending was too over the top for me. Ultimately, I stayed up far past my bedtime to read it so it was interesting and intriguing.
Inspiring Thoughts: “’ He’s like Good Housekeeping.’ ‘What?’ ‘He has years of issues.’” – This just made me laugh.
“I was overthinking, overreacting, not weighing the facts, and leaving God out of the picture.”
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review shared here.

Classic DiAnn Mills. Fast paced. Suspenseful thriller. Action packed. Many twists and turns. Adventurous. A real page turner. Five stars.

Gosh darn it, I love DiAnn Mills! Her work never fails to entertain and satisfy. Trace of Doubt is no exception. Shelby Pearce is finally a parolee. After spending fifteen years in prison, she’s ready to begin a new life, in a new town, with a new faith. Jesus moved while she was behind bars, and Shelby knows He’ll be right by her side as she starts her next journey. She prays it will be peaceful…but the threats come almost as soon as she enters Valleysburg. Someone wants her dead. But Shelby Pearce is a hard person to kill; prison taught her a few things.

Denton McClure has believed in Shelby’s guilt since he was assigned to her case fifteen years ago. Now that she is out, he is determined to learn what she is hiding. Maybe he will have to lie to her, but there was no way she had turned her life around. She was a murderer…and a thief, too, in his book. Denton seeks closure, and the only way he will get it is to get her to confess.

But as time moves forward, he grows to know Shelby Pearce for who she really is. Time moves forward, and the threats increase at the same pace. She claims a piece of his heart—whether he wants her to or not—and he cannot accept anything happening to her. Not on his watch. He and Shelby will learn the identity of the villain, and they have to do it before it is too late.

Trace of Doubt by DiAnn Mills is exciting. Filled with edge-of-your-seat moments, I flew through this book as if I were aboard a rocket to the moon. I had to know what happened next, because Mills does a very good job of surprising her readers. Mills’ characters are multi-faceted. That is something I appreciate so much about her work, because characters grow—especially Denton, which thrilled me. So many romantic suspense novels focus on the female character. The man is almost a “perfect” person, with few faults. Denton, however…goodness, he can have my heart any day!

I did not only enjoy Trace of Doubt by DiAnn Mills for the romance or the suspense, though both are wonderful! Mills portrays the goodness of God so clearly, and it floods my heart with such warmth. I have a smile on my face even thinking about it. Mills has such a way with words, and I cannot wait to read her next novel. I will not be able to click “pre-purchase” fast enough.

I am closing this review with a poem from Trace of Doubt. I think it is permanently tattooed on my heart—in the best way possible.

Why can’t I hold on to the
Forgiveness that makes me whole?
Ashes rise to steal my breath.
I choke from drowning fear.
Help me, Lord, to cling to You
In never-ending prayer.

This was a tantalizing suspense novel that kept me turning the pages as fast as I could. I have never read anything by this author before and will definitely keep her on my reading radar. There were definitely characters in this book that I really enjoyed and there were some in here that I despised! If you enjoy reading suspense novels, check it out!

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

Trace of Doubt is a contemporary novel written by DiAnn Mills.

Summary: FBI Special Agent Denton McClure is still haunted by the case that got away. Yes, Shelby Pearce went to prison for murder, but the missing half a million dollars was never found.

Now that Shelby has served her time, Denton is determined to discover where she hid the money-even if it means going undercover and inserting himself into Shelby’s life to close this case once and for all.

But Shelby is nothing like her reputation indicates, and Denton begins to wonder if she not only doesn’t have the money, but did she even commit the murder?

My Thoughts: I liked this book. The plot is action-packed, and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing throughout the book.

I thought the author did an especially good job with character development. The characters are interesting, unique, and I was fully invested in seeing how things turned out for each person.

This book was a fun read, and would be a great choice for anyone who enjoys action/mystery novels.

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

"Trace of Doubt" is a Christian romantic suspense novel. Denton believes Shelby's guilty of theft but he's never been able to prove it. When she's released from prison, though, he realizes that this smart, brave, self-sacrificing woman didn't steal the money. He's been putting the blame for a lot of things on the wrong person. Shelby would do anything for her family, especially her older, perfect sister. She's blind to the manipulation that Denton soon begins to suspect.

The main characters were caring, engaging, and reacted realistically to events. I found it believable that Shelby was initially fooled even though she's a smart woman, but then she still underestimated just how clever that person was even though she saw the evidence firsthand. After getting to know each other, Shelby and Denton grew into friends and then to care more deeply for each other. They used their unique skills to gather information to stop the person targeting Shelby. The suspense was from the increasing physical danger to Shelby.

The Christian element was mainly some questioning by Denton about how Shelby could trust God when He let so many bad things happen to her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.

Shelby, recently released from prison for killing her brother in law just wants to start fresh in a new town. But will she be able to or will her faith be tested to the point of breaking her? Someone wants her gone for good and mystery begins. Readers will have several choices of villains in this cat and mouse like tale. The person behind the plot may become apparent but the reasoning will perhaps be more difficult. Recommended!

DiAnn Mills delivers gripping suspense and a sociopath no one saw coming!

Shelby Pearce confessed 15 years ago to shooting her brother-in-law, Travis. At 17, she expected leniency but instead got prison. Prison, where she endured numerous beatings, broken bones, and molestation by the guards. Prison, where she found Jesus, the love of her life. Now paroled and completely unwelcome to her family, all she wants is to live quietly, make her jewelry, and prove she can contribute to society. Too bad someone out there sees her as a threat and tries, repeatedly, to erase her from the planet.

FBI Special Agent Denton McClure investigated Shelby Pearce's crime when it happened. He always believed there was more to the story, $500,000 more to be exact. If Shelby killed her brother-in-law, she must have also embezzled the half million that was stolen, too, right? Now that she's been released, Denton is living undercover in her community, befriending his new neighbor Shelby, and trying to figure out where she hid the money. Trouble is, the more he gets to know the woman Shelby has become, the less he believes in her guilt. When his deception is uncovered, can he convince her that she needs his protection?

Ms. Mills leaves breadcrumbs throughout this story as to who the true villain of the piece is, and it didn't take long to figure it out. Just how evil the person is, though, that doesn't come out until near the end. This is a very emotional read told mostly in first person from both Shelby's POV and Denton's. The world looks way different when seen through the eyes of an ex-con whose one fear is being sent back.

Readers who enjoy romantic suspense can't go wrong with a DiAnn Mills book. This one was a gem to add to her booklist! I can definitely recommend it. (I believe it is also a stand-alone, not part of a series.)