This read grabbed me and never let go! There is something serious happening from the beginning to end, and the author did an amazing job of keeping me guessing! Is it the weird guy? Maybe the Aunt? I thought I knew, but?

We are offered a precocious young girl, that you will fall in love with, and a young woman who's mother and best friend have died, were they murdered? Also we are gifted with sea lions, these guys are special and they work for crabs and our government, keeping us safe, and trained by Joe , and now befriended by Torrie.

I have enjoyed many books by this author, and this one was a hit!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

I've read many of Coble's books, and while I enjoyed this one, it wasn't my favorite. It felt a bit more disjointed, though I did love the setting and the incorporation of turtles!

This is a romantic suspense story, and the mystery was solid. Characters are realistic and relatable in their struggles. Scenes are well detailed and easy to visualize. I liked Torie, and I enjoyed uncovering the clues with her.

“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.”

Torie Berg strongly believes that her friend, Lisbeth Nelson’s, drowning was no accident. That’s why she’s returned to Jekyll Island after 18 years. She intends to search for clues because she can’t believe the police report.

As straightforward as it may seem, pretending to be a new IT hire and searching for clues, it’s anything but easy. Someone wants Torie off the island and is trying to force her to leave by breaking into her cottage and messing around with personal items and their placement. If it weren’t for Joe Abbot and his daughter, Hailey, she’d have high tailed it out of there!

Joe might regret coming to Torie’s aid, though. When it costs him personally to get involved with Torie, he has to do some soul searching and evaluate his plans for the future. Will training sea lions for the Navy be enough for him? Does Hailey need female influence? Can he handle Torie’s baggage?

I loved the delicate balance of mystery and romance. Torie was authentic and her quest propelled the story. What really did happen to Lisbeth?

A new author to me, Colleen Coble pleasantly surprised me with the references to God and faith alongside the main message encompassing family, friends, and trust. I’d classify it as a Christian romantic mystery! I also loved learning about Jekyll Island in Georgia, the sea turtles, and its rich WW2 history.

Publishes January 4, 2022.

I was gifted this advance copy by Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Colleen turns in another strong offering with this one. I love the premise, it’s original and intriguing, and involves the daughter of the owner of a hotel chain going undercover at one of their hotels to investigate her best friend’s death.

It was definitely suspenseful and kept me guessing through several twists and turns! And the characters! Torie is complex and multi-faceted, and Joe and Hailey steal your heart within moments of appearing on the page!

I think I’d definitely rate this one of her best!!

But there was one thing that nagged at me while I was reading it, and just to be clear, this has no reflection on the quality of the book, it was great! This was just me trying to remember something I couldn’t remember. When Torie helps hide the glass globes for the scavenger hunt, it felt SO familiar to me!! If this wasn’t an ARC I’d have thought I’d read it before and forgotten. But obviously not! I must have read a different book with a similar scavenger hunt… but do you think I can remember what book?! Of course not! 😂 And it’s really bugging me, so if anyone knows what other book might have a scavenger hunt for tourists involving glass globes hidden around a coastal town, please let me know in the comments!!!

Despite the scavenger hunt feeling familiar, it was a highly original plot and I definitely recommend for fans of romantic suspense. I think this will definitely be a comfort read for me in future. Oh, and if you like books that feature animals - just wait until you meet Simon the sea lion!!!!!!!!

Many thanks to @tnzfiction and @netgalley for the ARC! I was only asked to provide an honest review in return and here you have it!

This was a really good suspenseful book! It has a lot of action, a good mystery and some romance. It also takes place on an island that is about 20 mins from where I live.
It’s a page turner and one you don’t want to miss. I really enjoyed it!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

1.5/5⭐️

Torie Bergstrom has come back to her childhood home of Jekyll Island (incognito as an IT tech, as her father owns the Jekyll Island Club Resort) to find out how her best friend suspiciously died. She is stalked by an unknown, possibly related to her friend’s death. She meets marine biologist Joe, who trains sea lions for the Navy’s defense and his 8-year-old daughter Hailey, who she grows close to as they work together to find answers.

There are really three plot lines here (Torie’s friend’s death, a possible naval threat and Torie’s mom’s suspicious death 18 years prior). All of which may or may not be connected.

I hate to say this, but the only thing that I found redeeming here was the setting, which brought back memories of my own previous visits to the island. The writing was choppy, and I found quite a few things that did not follow through as feasible or even logical (good editing needed). The characters were one-dimensional and lackluster. Unfortunately for me, just a hodgepodge of disappointments.

My thanks to #NetGalley and #ThomasNelson for providing me the free early arc of #AStranger’sGame for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book!

A Stranger's Game is just utter perfection!

Torie has it all, a rich hotel heiress who is enjoying her time at the top. When Torie finds out her best friend, Lisbeth, has died she knows that things are not as it seems. Lisbeth was afraid of water, there is no way she would have ever "gone for a swim" . How did Lisbeth end up drowning?

Torie needs to find out the truth even if that means going under cover. When Torie decides to check into the hotel that Lisbeth died at under a different name she knows she is putting herself at risk but ends up meeting Joe and his daughter. Together, they set out to find out what actually happened to Lisbeth.

The closer they come to finding out the truth the more details they uncover about the mysterious death of Torie's mother many years previous. Someone will go to great lengths to make sure these long buried secrets, stay secret.

This was an interesting read from start to finish and I loved every bit of it! I highly recommend this novel!

Colleen Coble is hands down one of my absolute favorites. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I am in for a great suspense read that will keep me on the edge of my seat... A Stranger's Game certainly did not disappoint.

When Torie's best friend dies of an apparent suicide, she finds herself returning to Jekyll Island after 18 years haven't not returned to her childhood home since her mother's death...the very death that her friend had been there looking into at the time of her own. Right from the start, I was quite drawn into this island setting and the mysterious deaths that seemed to occur there. I found myself wanting to figure out how or if all the pieces fit together. The action at times seemed a little bit slower to me than what I have seen in other books by the author, but I still found myself at the edge of my seat nonetheless... there was so much going on and I felt like there was a good bit of suspicion thrown in various directions to really keep things entertaining throughout. While I was excited to see how it ended, I also found I enjoyed these characters and wasn't quite ready to say goodbye quite just yet when it ended.

If you love romantic suspense, this is certainly one to add to your TBR.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Colleen Coble is one of my favorites, and I always look forward to her new book releases. I expect great things going into each and every one of her books, but I was honestly completely blown away by A Stranger's Game. I've read so many of her books over the years, and this one may just be my favorite yet. It had every element a reader of Christian suspense could ever want, and I'm still thinking about it days after finishing it.

The mystery and the characters both wrapped me up into the story immediately, but what I ended up loving most of all was the setting. I'd never heard of Jekyll Island before picking this one up, but I now feel like I've almost vacationed there myself after the vivid and beautiful descriptions that Colleen Coble uses to form the setting for her new, wonderfully written mystery.

This one was definitely sinister, and a wild ride from start to finish, and I loved each and every moment. I loved both Tori and Joe as characters, and appreciated the emphasis on the fact that just because we all come from different backgrounds, we all matter just as much to our Heavenly Father. I usually really enjoy the addition of children to stories, and I thought Joe's daughter was sweet, charming and quirky, and I really enjoyed the friendship that starts to develop between her and Tori.

I don't think anyone can set up a mystery quite like Colleen Coble does, and I have to say the ending of this one really surprised me. I thought I had quite early on figured out the culprit, only to find out that I was completely wrong. I've read quite a few mysteries lately, and this is the first one that left me completely surprised so I really enjoyed that.

All in all, this amazing read is everything I've come to expect from this author, and I can't recommend it enough. The characters are heart warming, the mystery is well developed, the setting is atmospheric and beautiful, and the faith content plays an essential role.

Final Rating: 5/5.

I can't recommend this one enough, and I look forward to rereading it in the future.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGally in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

** “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.” **

Colleen Coble once again shines in the thriller department with her latest standalone novel “A Stranger’s Game.”

Torie Berg has not been back to her childhood home in Jekyll Island, Ga., in 18 years. But when her childhood friend dies under mysterious circumstances, she returns under a secret identity to look into Lisbeth’s death at the resort her family owns.

Widower Joe Abbott works security at the Jekyll Island Club Resort as well as trains marine mammals to be used in national security while raising his daughter Hailey.

When a major convention comes to the resort with national implications and Torie continuously finds herself in dangerous situations while looking into her friend’s death, Joe and Torie are drawn together while jointly trying to figure out all the horrific events happening on the island.

Coble, as always, does an incredible job of developing a plot filled with twists and turns, heart-thumping action (both suspensefully and romantically), and very real, relatable and flawed characters. Readers will love both Joe and Torie, as well as his spunky daughter Hailey and a cool sea lion named Simon.

“A Stranger’s Game” is also filled with a number of great themes, like “one’s friends are known in the hour of need”; it can be hard to trust God when scary things occur (“Life isn’t always safe, Hailey. It’s an adventure God gives us, and we never know exactly what will happen. But what do we know for sure? … That God is in control”); hiding behind our shields; finding a purpose; not judging or making assumptions about others; and God uses bad things to make us more beautiful.

Fans of authors like Lynette Eason, Kelly Irvin, Terri Blackstock and Irene Hannon will love this novel.

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Colleen Coble has become one of my favorite authors. She has a knack for story telling and I’ve loved every one of her books. A Stranger’s Game did not disappoint. It is a standalone story and is chocked full of romance and suspense. The setting, Jekyll island, was depicted beautifully. Eighteen years after her mother’s death, Tori returns to Jekyll island after her friend drowns. They said it was an accident but Tori doesn’t believe it and sets out to prove it. The. The characters are realistic and the storyline kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally could not put the book down. I love that she adds faith to her stories and proves you don’t need all the bad language to tell wonderful story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a tale of romantic suspense with a happy ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from The publisher via NetGalkey and the thoughts are my own.

Eighteen years after her Mothers death Victoria “Tori” finds herself back at Jekyl Island. Her friend has just drowned and it has been labeled accidental. Tori is certain it wasn’t accidental, her friend was deathly afraid of water and wouldn’t have gone into the ocean. There is suspense and romance in this book with a bit of faith in the mix. It got my interest from the beginning. I suspected one of the twists. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

A Stranger’s Game is another standalone winner from gifted storyteller Colleen Coble. The beautifully sketched Jekyll setting drew me in from the beginning, and the smoothly flowing, suspenseful plot held me captive to the satisfying end. The characters in this fast-paced, action-packed narrative are realistic and memorable. A bit of romance and a gentle thread of faith add to the enjoyment of the read. The historical aspect regarding the Federal Reserve is interesting and informative. If you like stories that seamlessly meld mystery, suspense, faith, history, and romance, don’t miss this one!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

Eighteen years after her mother died, Victoria “Torie” Bergstrom finds herself back on Jekyll Island and at the resort owned by her dad. Torie is undercover to find out the truth behind the death of her best friend. With the help of Joe Abbott who works part-time security at the resort and trains sea lions for the Navy, she is determined to figure out what really happened. Another good, suspenseful mystery from Colleen Coble.

Quite the romantic suspense written by an author new to me. This story is a cozy mystery, there is no mention of alcohol drinking, they attend church and quote scripture.
Victoria (Torie) is the daughter of hotel magnate Anton Bergstrom. She is going undercover as an IT specialist at the Jekyll Island Club Resort. Torie's mother committed suicide eighteen years ago here and she' not been back since. Now she's secretly investigating her childhood best friend Lisbeth's recent apparent suicide by drowning at this same luxury resort.
Jekyll Island has long been on my list of must visit places. The scenic descriptions of sand and sea reinforced this even more.
Torie's godmother, Genevieve Hallston, is also her aunt and the resorts manager. She's an unpleasant, resentful, ungrateful and unlikable character. There are many other supporting characters at the hotel, the Navy and the local police force members.
Joe Abbott, a widower, works security part-time at the resort. He's raising a young daughter. His primary job is training sea lions for the Navy defense program, including war games off the island. There are ever present underwater threats from divers and submarines by hostile countries. This was a unique and interesting concept.
There's murder, break-ins, threats, kidnapping and general mayhem on the island as the resort prepares for an important dignitary conference. The Federal Reserve is meeting and there are political references.
Joe and Torie have an instant connection and their relationship develops as they attempt to solve Lisbeth's death. It's a heart warming, feel good kind of story and an easy read.
Thanks to Netgalley, Colleen Cobble and to Thomas Nelson HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. for the advance digital copy of "A Stranger's Game". These are my thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

It was OK, but not much more than that. Thanks for the opportunity to read it--wish I could have liked it better.

Torie Berg returns to Jekyll Island for the first time in 18 years for the worst of reasons: To investigate the death of her best friend and childhood playmate, Lisbeth Nelson. Despite what the police and news media report, Lisbeth’s drowning death was no accident.

When Torie shows up for her job at the resort where Lisbeth worked, she wonders if she’s in over her head. Someone wants her off the island as soon as she steps foot on it. Break-ins at her cottage and missing items mysteriously returned are enough to freak anyone out. Fortunately for Torie, she’s found a friend in fellow employee and neighbor Joe Abbott and his young daughter, Hailey.

When someone kidnaps Hailey, Joe and Torie band together to find who wants to silence Torie.

Joe Abbott never expects to have a second chance at love. He and Hailey have carved a life for themselves on Jekyll Island. He works part-time in resort security and trains sea lions for the Navy the rest of the time. His new neighbor, Torie Berg might just change his mind about staying single for the rest of his life.

Why I Loved This Book

Coble is the maestro of inspirational suspense, and A Stranger’s Game is no exception. Readers will relate to Torie’s need to control things—even if it keeps her from becoming the best version of herself. The plot twists and turns in a unique setting will keep readers up late at night as they travel with the characters to the shocking conclusion.

Colleen Coble has been one of my favorite Christian Fiction authors since I read my first book by her over 15 years ago. I don't know how she keeps coming up with such well written stories over and over again, but I hope she doesn't stop.

As usual, the characterization is so realistic the people in her stories seem as human as my best friends. They often struggle a bit with their faith, but in the end, they come to a realization of how important it is. The settings are vivid, and the plots are enticingly revealed with small clues being offered up a little at a time. By the end, every lose end is neatly wrapped up.

Bravo! Another book worthy of the ultimate in ratings: 5 stars!

A well written book with interesting characters and a gripping mystery. This was my first read by this author, but I will definitely find and read other titles.

Torie goes undercover to dig up clues as to how her best friend died. She suspects foul play. In her investigating, she meets a man named Joe Abbott and his eight-year-old daughter, Hailey. Torie and Hailey bond over sea turtles and the fact they both lost their moms at a young age. Joe and Torie begin to think they could be more than friends after a scuba diving adventure.

One of the things I love about this author’s books is the fact she usually has interesting settings and fascinating things to discover. I like learning through her characters, in this novel, readers get to explore a little of Jekll Island in Georgia. I learned some history like during WWII the Coast Guard patrolled there in case of an attack by a submarine or U-boat happened. Torie grew up on the Island and readers get to see the landscape through her eyes and memories.

Joe works with sea lions. He trains them for the Navy. Simon is still in training, and we discover what he still needs to learn for his training to be complete. The seals help keep bad guys away, warn people if danger is about. Hailey tells Torie about her dad’s training. Joe says, “It’s a good thing I’m not a spy or something. Hailey would give away all the secrets.”

Strange things start to happen to Torie. She runs to Joe for help. They come up with a plan to get to the bottom of the mystery. This is an interesting story that is full of suspense, drama, an intriguing setting, with a mystery to solve. I enjoyed this novel and the bond that Torie, Joe and Hailey had. This is a good escape and one that would work well for book club.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org