I love to read Colleen Cobble’s novels, this one is no exception!
The characters are caring and relatable, the suspense and pace will keep you turning the pages, a superbly written book by a wonderful author!
Take the time to immerse yourself in the world of wealth, try to solve the mystery and wait for the truth to be revealed!

Huge congratulations to Colleen Coble for a superb mystery!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 for neutral. I couldn’t get into this book, in order to finish, but did try on numerous occasions. Will update if able to finish at a later date.

This is now my favorite Colleen Coble book that I've read in the past year or so. I really enjoyed the mystery/suspense going on at Torie's family resort and the romance between her and Joe.

This is a clean Christian mystery that I'll be sure to recommend to many patrons at the library.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 4 January 2022.

What an amazing mystery/romance book. I love that it took longer for me to see the plot as I worked my way to the end. It made me want to keep reading it everyday. Thank you NetGalley for the advance read.

Very clever book. A good plot and strong characters. I really enjoyed this and stayed up very late one night to finish it off.

My Thoughts: Torie quickly finds out that, One thing is clear: someone will risk anything—even more murder—to keep their secrets. Torie goes undercover to try to find out how her best friend dies. She does find someone who does not know who she really is and he soon becomes a little more than just a helper. Mystery, suspicious happening and the fight to uncover the truth make this a.. really? That's who did it! Kind of story. I really enjoyed it. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. No review was required. My opinion and review is voluntary.

I love a book with romance and suspense and this one has both! This was my first book by the author and I’m a fan. She did a fantastic job creating a heartfelt romance that balanced perfectly with intrigue. I absolutely loved the characters and wanted to know the ending because it was so captivating but also didn’t want it to end. This is a good one!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was such a great romantic suspense novel. The characters were very enjoyable and it the mystery kept me on my toes wondering what the outcome as going to be. Loved it!

This was my first Colleen Coble book. I really liked the characters in this book and the way she let us into their thoughts. The character growth was excellent. I enjoyed the story she told, and found the mystery compelling. My only complaint was that there were three mystery story lines throughout the book, and only one of them really had a satisfying resolution in my opinion. The other two sort of resolved, but I expected more from them. The way it was going, I really thought they were all going to be woven together into a really satisfying conclusion, but that didn't happen and the other two were just kind of explained away. Other than feeling a little let down by that, I really enjoyed the book, and I would read more from this author.

I always enjoy the little things Coble includes in her books that don't have to be in there but end up playing a part in the story. In this book, it is glass bowls with a peek into the artistic technique of glassblowing and training sea lions to capture divers where they're not supposed to be. It brings another element to the book because it exposes me to things that aren't normally included in books but I find fascinating. This is an excellent inspirational romantic suspense novel and the niche elements are what really sets the book apart.

"Evil things happen to all of us, honey. Hard things, bad things. We don't understand, and a lot of the time, we can't understand because we aren't God. When those times come - and they seem to come to everyone - all we can do is trust that God loves us."

Torie has already faced one tragedy in her life. Returning back to that scene to investigate another incident is not what she wants to do. But she has to know what happened. Soon she is at risk herself. Can she live long enough to discover the truth?

Sometimes when you read a suspense book, the intrigue part is all that matters, and the rest falls behind. With Colleen Coble's books that is not the case. She picks an interesting place to set her titles then includes details that make it more than a simple suspense.

This book is set at Georgia's Jekyll Island. This place is known for sea turtles, and these creatures play a part in the plot. Sea lions are another important part of the storyline. I found it interesting how helpful to humans that this animal can be.

How the different people intersected in the book were also interesting. That made the mystery challenging to solve. Trying to discover who was a friend and who was an enemy was challenging. I figured certain parts out, but for much of it, I did not have any idea.

Faith is a part of this story. So is romance. But that part is definitely not the focus. I would say that the book is well-rounded.

I really enjoyed this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for letting me read this one early. All opinions are my own. I wanted to review this book. My first 5 star read in 2022 - I finished it an hour or two after midnight. :-)

I found the romance and the suspense to be equally entertaining in A Stranger's Game. I liked the both the hero and heroine, and the hero's eight-year-old daughter was adorable. Especially in the scenes she tried to protect the baby hatchling turtles. I also loved Simon the seal lion. The island setting was beautiful and the underwater actions exciting. All in all a very good read! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

(Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this enjoyable book! This review has been posted on Amazon, B&N, Christianbooks.com and Goodreads.)

Colleen Coble is one of those authors that I know I'll get a solid story. I may not cry or feel strong emotions, but the writing is decent and the stories she tells are usually good, so she's a good choice when I need a palette cleanser.

This novel is no different. I liked the characters. The story kept me moving along. The writing's good. I found myself skimming through some of the book because there was a lot of description I just didn't feel that I needed. I did love Joe Abbott's job and found myself focusing on the parts that he was at work.

One thing about Colleen Coble is that the characters are always slightly religious. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This time felt forced, like it was just there to push an agenda.

All in all, I liked this book. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. I just liked it.

In this latest release, readers will enjoy a thrilling romantic suspense story. As usual, Mrs. Coble does an amazing job writing this book. If you enjoy suspense books, then this one will not disappoint. It has many twists and turns. This is a standalone novel. The main character of this book is Torie who is on a mission to discover what happened to her friend. Torie’s backstory is important to the details of this book. After her friend drowns, she heads back to the island to discover what could have happened to her. Obviously something was amiss. As she is investigating, she meets Joe and his daughter. The more she is around Joe, the more she wants to know him, but she also wonders if he had anything to do with her friend’s death. I highly recommend this book and know you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

Action packed and full of excitement.
This book has lots of mystery, suspense, and action.
But...it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Did I like it? Yes! Yes, I did. And I highly recommend it, but I can't say that it is my new favorite Colleen Coble novel.
Torie returns to beautiful Jekyll Island, where she's not been back to since she was 10 years old. (Why, you may wonder...just give it time, all will be revealed as you read... :) )
This island holds lots of memories for her. Some good, some not-so-good.
Her primary reason for the visit now is to investigate the death of her friend Lisbeth. It's been ruled accidental, but Torie knows Liz would never have gone out into the water like that. So, just what does that mean? And what exactly is going on?
As the story progresses, Torie's history is revealed, and we learn why this island is such a difficult place for her to be.
In addition to the mystery, there is also some romance mixed in. Torie meets Joe and his daughter Hailey, and is immediately drawn to them both...
There are plenty of twists and turns, and some of it was just a bit too predictable for me... but then, maybe that's just because I've read a few too many suspense novels!
This book is definitely one that you won't want to put down until you've finished the last page!
If you enjoy romantic suspense, I highly recommend this story.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Colleen Coble is a relatively new author for me, but is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. A Stranger's Game is her latest standalone novel, based around several suspicious deaths near a hotel on Jekyll Island.

Torie Bergestrom has returned to Georgia for the first time since she was a child. Jekyll Island used to be full of happy memories before tragedy struck. Now, she's coming back to investigate another tragic death--this time, her best friend. She knows Lisbeth was terrified of water and would never have gotten close enough to the ocean to have drowned. Something bigger is at play here, and her unofficial undercover investigation seems to be the only solution since local authorities don't seem to be interested in looking further into Lisbeth's death. Shortly after her arrival, she meets Joe Abbott and his young daughter. Joe and Hailey quickly become allies in her search. However, it quickly becomes clear that someone doesn't want her looking into things. And she just might become the next body.

I loved the setting for this novel with the ocean surrounding the beautiful island. As always, the suspense was top-notch and I never would have guessed who was behind the murders. I also loved that there was so much Scripture throughout the story, and that Joe had taught Hailey to memorize so many Bible passages. The sea lions were a super fun addition, and I enjoyed seeing how they were used to help the Navy. However, I felt like there were definitely a few holes in the plot, and struggled to connect with the main characters. Hailey was an exception. She reminded me a lot of my own eight-year-old daughter, and was definitely my favourite character. Some of the events at the end also felt a little unbelievable and far fetched.

I really hoped this would be a 5 star book for me, but ended up settling on 3 stars due to the factors mentioned above. I would still recommend reading this novel if you enjoy romantic suspense and can overlook a few plot holes.

*I received a complimentary copy of A Stranger's Game through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

Interesting and full of suspense:
Another great book by this talented author. There was danger and suspense but also plenty of emotion and a sweet romance to balance everything out. The pacing was excellent and I was eager to see how everything would turn out. The plot felt fresh and unique and I liked that I had no clue what was going to transpire next yet it wasn't overly complicated either. I enjoyed the coastal barrier island setting and especially discovering about the training of sea lions for military defense purposes.
I liked Joe and Torie together and their relationship felt natural and uncontrived. 8 year old Hailey was a nice addition to the story and I enjoyed the lightness and joy that she brought forward. There was also a wonderful reminder that although their is evil in the world and bad things happen, God is with us in these circumstances.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I liked this book. Really enjoyed the characters and the plot was great. Will definitely be looking for more books by this author. I love how she tells a story

My feelings about this book are conflicted. On one hand, it was a really great, suspenseful mystery. On the other, there was an odd, positive emphasis on Greek and Roman mythology.

I thought the turtles were going to play a much larger role, so that aspect was disappointing.

The leading lady thought people using their First Amendment right to peacefully protest was “insane.” Whatever happened to being proud to be from the USA and knowing one’s rights and using them well and respectfully? The peaceful protesters in chapter one were apparently doing that, but the leading lady scoffed at them.

When a father panicked when his daughter vanished, the leading lady “chalked it up to an overly protective father.” Yet, two seconds later, she thought the girl’s disappearance was “none of her business, really, but she had to make sure the little girl was all right.” So she thought the dad was “overly protective” for worrying about his missing daughter, but a moment later she found herself concerned even though she hadn’t met the child yet. How does this contradiction make any sense?

The leading characters kept finding excuses to stay in the same cottage or house overnight. This felt sleazy and made me uncomfortable. It was not sticking to Bible-based moral standards, nor was it a good example for the man’s young, impressionable daughter to observe and learn from. Since the leading lady was involved in these low-moral decisions, I found it ironic that she would then accuse the leading man of having “no morals.”

At one point, a character was disappointed that her cover was blown—but she was the one who revealed her identity. I didn’t understand her train of thought on that, so her emotion was wasted on me.

The thing that bothered me most of all was that the leading lady encouraged a little girl to admire Greek and Roman mythological figures. She even touted them to be heroes to learn courage from. I’m not sure which myths she meant, because all the ones I’ve ever heard about are the devil’s way of twisting God’s truth into something completely convoluted. I had noticed a subtle mention of a mythological creature in a previous Coble book, but that one was neutral and basically only a cameo appearance. The mentions in this book were definitely in a positive light and had a lot more page time. This is a disheartening trend that’s creeping into her books now.

The core of this story was a really great mystery that was thick with good suspense and high-stakes action, but I had to wade through the aforementioned swamp to get to it.

The turtle hatchlings were amazing. I just wish there would have been a stronger presence of turtles in the remainder of the story. You know, past that first chapter.

The island was beautifully described and felt realistic. The setting, in and out of the water, came alive and was one of the best parts of the story. That was helped out by the spectacular sea lion scenes. I had never heard of Navy sea lions before, so this was a fascinating topic to explore. This part of the story was really well expressed and kept me riveted to the pages while the sea lions were upon them. I especially enjoyed the underwater scenes. These had me holding my breath!

I really enjoyed the mystery that Torie was trying to unravel and the troubles this journey threw in her face. This aspect provided many surprises and plot twists that kept me guessing most of the time. It was wonderful to see the layers peel back one by one until the big reveal. The suspense kept me on pins and needles throughout the story, even though I guessed one of the bad guys about a third of the way through.

Joe and Hailey were great together. Their father-daughter relationship was fun, and I liked that they began incorporating Torie into their close-knit group from pretty early on. Their runs for ice cream were so enjoyable!

I wish the negatives were fewer so that I could have enjoyed even more of this story.

Content: alcohol, crude sexual term, suicide mentioned often, mythology

A Stranger’s Game

by Colleen Coble

Torie Berg introduces herself at Jekyll Island Club Resort as their new IT specialist. In reality, as the daughter of the owner of a huge resort chain, she spent her early childhood there. After eighteen years she has returned to find out what happened to her best friend Lisbeth who recently died while tracking down leads on Torie's mother’s death.

Someone recognizes Torie and wants her to abandon her investigation. Who knows how far this creepy person will go in intimidating her and what their motive might be. Is it personal or does it have anything to do with the war games the Navy is conducting? Is Torie getting too close to the truth or does this involve the many important visitors the hotel is expecting for a major financial meeting?

Joe Abbott trains dolphins to intercept saboteurs and lives at the resort with his eight year old daughter Hailey in exchange for providing security. He is caught up in issues with the Navy when Simon, a dolphin he is training, catches a diver planting a bomb. As Torie’s neighbor on Jekyll Island, Joe becomes involved in protecting her from a mysterious stalker. He has not been interested in dating in the three years since his wife died, but he is attracted to Torie and she is drawn to his daughter Hailey as they share a sense of loss that both experienced in losing their mothers as children.

A Stranger’s Game is a fast-paced mystery that includes some psychological creepiness and suspense, but not enough for me to classify it as a thriller. It has a touch of clean romance, but the emphasis is on the plot. The Jekyll Island Club Resort setting is critical to the story. The characters are allowed to develop as the story progresses. The novel contains adventure and three major plot lines along with cross threads that give the book both color and cohesion. I did not guess the identity of the criminals behind the detailed plotting of various crimes or those who executed the plans. Well done! Colleen Coble has created a standalone that will send you looking for more of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery, Christian Fiction, Romantic Suspense

Notes: Standalone

Publication: January 4, 2022—Thomas Nelson Fiction

Memorable Lines:

“It’s hard to understand even for adults. But evil things happen to all of us, honey. Hard things, bad things. We don’t understand and a lot of the time, we can’t understand because we aren’t God. When those times come—and they come to everyone—all we can do is trust that God loves us.”

“By its very nature, life involves loss. If we stop taking chances, stop living our lives, we might as well crawl in the grave and let someone kick the dirt over us. Real life is worth the risk.”

The reserve she’d donned all her life had made ruts through her soul, tracks she followed like a mule plodding a well-worn trail.