The beginning of this was off-putting: an SUV rams into an outdoor classroom, the teacher and students narrowly escaping. As soon as the teacher makes it out, a random pregnant woman starts accosting her about her dead husband. Then the teacher goes and stays the night with the pregnant stranger.

Just me?

Besides the beginning, the rest of this shaped up to be a pretty good thriller. Parks has a way of writing characters that draws me in and makes me invest in what happens.

Thanks to the publisher for a free digital galley in exchange for an honest review!

great book loved the premise. cant wait for more books. Suspenseful and exciting. great.cover. Loved the romance

If You Like Suspense That Keeps You Guessing and Wondering You Will Not Want To Miss This Book!

Carrie Stuart Parks has a way with weaving a tale that will leave you entertained and searching for more of her books!

There was a lot to unpack and follow but when you connected all the dots you were stunned by the end result!

Another thing I like about Carrie’s books is that even though they aren’t part of series, each book is standalone. There are some familiar places and people weaved in.

Wow. What can I say about this book? The twists and turns were intense. You will not want to put it down. I did feel the end was a bit rushed and then just ended. I would have maybe liked an epilogue also.

This book is not your typical Christian romance novel like I’m used to reading but one you won’t want to miss. The author did an amazing job of giving just enough information throughout to keep you guessing and suspecting what was going on.

Das Buch beginnt direkt mit dem Unfall, der schon in der Buchbeschreibung angesprochen wird. Samantha Williams, Lehrerin sieht zufällig noch einen Wagen aufs Gebäude zufahren und kann die Schüler noch warnen, bevor er ins Klassenzimmer rast. Dank ihres Notfall Trainings wird niemand verletzt. Hilfe, Polizei, Feuerwehr und besorgte Eltern sind schnell Vorort. Dann gerät alles etwas durcheinander, als sie von eine schwangeren Frau angesprochen wird, die sie zunächst für eine Reporterin hält. Aber sie gibt an, dass ihr Mann vor zwei Monaten verschwunden ist, und sie Fälle aufgefundener Leichen folgt, wie im Fall von Alderman Acres, in der verschlafene Farmer Gegend LaCrosse Washington gelegen. Sie wollte gerade den Deputy an der Schule ansprechen, als der Unfall geschah. Dann wird das Unfallauto freigelegt, der Beifahrer kann mit gebrochenem Arm befreit werden, aber die Fahrerin ist tot. Beide gehören zum Clan Firinn, der Reha Organisation, bekannt aus dem ersten Buch. Der Beifahrer, der forensische Anthropologe Dr. Dutch Van Seters gibt an, dass sie kurz vor dem Crash erschossen wurde. Als Sam schlussendlich heim will, entdeckt sie, dass ihr Auto auch zerstört wurde, mit ihrer Tasche, Telefon und Schlüsselbund. So kommt sie bei der fremden Frau Mary unter, im Rose Cottage Airbnb.
Ich fand die Entwicklung nach dem Unfall verwirrend, aber vielleicht wollte die Autorin auch, dass man sich emotional, wie Samantha fühlt. Orientierungslos, es hat einem gerade den Boden unter den Füßen weggezogen. Es liest sich etwas unzusammenhängend, bruchstückhaft, zum Teil fehlt mir das Fließende eines Romans. Sam und Dutch sind sympathische Protagonisten. Es gibt so manche unerwartete Wendung, man rät die ganze Zeit mit, versucht die Zusammenhänge zu finden und im letzten Drittel nimmt die Spannung deutlich zu. Es kommt zu einem großen Showdown und alles wird aufgeklärt.

"Fallout" is a thrilling mystery of a story had builds and builds to a dynamite resolution! The story kept me engaged and wondering the entire time, "What was going to happen next?" Sam, Dutch, and the rest of the main characters were all likable individuals. But you just know someone is hiding something; someone isn't who they appear to be. But though I liked these people, I never knew who was trustworthy. A mysterious black SUV, which made an appearance early on, had me on edge.

The story is told from two points of view: Sam's and Dutch's. I frequently wondered whether either of our narrators was reliable. Dutch is recuperating from past trauma, and Sam has holes in her memory about her past, and what we do know is pretty shadowy. Their circumstances led to some fantastic plot twists and turns that surprised me and kept me glued to the pages. Add in the great descriptions of the Palouse area of Washington state, vivid imaginings of places from Sam's past, as well as a unique and wonderful disguise as a Hutterite, and this was one good and satisfying story.

I recommend FALLOUT for readers that enjoy thrilling mystery stories with loads of action with one of the best examples of Christian mystery fiction I've read.

"The fallout from our work has destroyed or killed too many people."

By reading the title, one might connect this book with nuclear fallout. That would be a correct assumption. But this book is also about the fallout that happens when we find ourselves involved in intense situations and need to have space to recover. I did enjoy the book, but I might have liked the author's end notes equally as much. Her explanation on how she wove both aspects of the story together was fascinating.

This is a book that seemed random at times, but how the author connected the dots was well done. Samantha was a tough heroine as she was forced to be independent from a young age. Because her life seems to be in danger this causes her to seek help in trying to stay safe and to find answers. This book started with a dangerous scene and that adventure/suspense continues throughout the book.

I liked how part of the plot involved a journey toward faith. When we go through hard times, it can be hard to trust God. Some of the characters learned to see God even in the midst of tragedy.

Carrie Stuart Park is a "must-read" author for me. I did read this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. I wanted to review it.

I can't believe this is my first Carrie Stuart Parks book! Y'all, it won't be my last. I'll be downloading her backlist asap! I thoroughly enjoyed the quirky heroine in this story, and felt for her situation. The author took Samanatha on a rollercoaster ride of danger. This book has a bit of romance but the majority of the book centers on her and why was anyone after her? I had a suspicion of who the bad guy was, but didn't know until the end.
I recommend to all suspense lovers especially those who love forensics in a story.
*I was given a copy of the book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and this is my honest opinion,.

I loved this book for being a clean, suspenseful read. I was not as invested in this title as Carrie Stuart Park’s other books, I agree with another reviewer that pointed out the main character’s personality was described and portrayed differently, and from that I felt it was hard to get as invested in her, Samantha William’s, story. I was invested enough to keep reading and finish the book and am glad I read it, but it wasn’t one that I couldn’t put down like most of the books by this author. I love the cover and think it’s gorgeous and would look great on a bookshelf! I do love the forensic artistry and always in interested in that part in this authors works. I do still recommend this book as a clean suspenseful read and there is a lot to enjoy about this book.

Samantha Williams has forgotten huge chunks of her life. And she’s ok with that. Orphaned at a young age, Samantha runs away from home after her aunt dies and makes her own way through life. Now, an art teacher and semi-recluse, Samantha has carefully constructed her life to prevent surprises and avoid worst-case scenarios.

But when an SUV crashes into her mobile classroom, everything changes. None of her students suffer, but someone shot and killed the driver moments before the crash. Samantha’s world starts to unravel faster than she can react. Her car gets demolished, and someone steals her purse and ID. Her apartment floods.

Every action causes her to question both her past and her future. Does someone want her dead? If so, why? Is her new place of refuge a refuge or an elaborate trap? It’s up to Samantha to make connections between secrets from the past and the string of murders in the present. But in a world gone wild, who can she trust?

Why I Loved This Book

Parks has created another fast-paced thriller that will keep you up late at night as you try to unravel the mysteries. Readers will relate to Samantha—quiet, bookish, and prone to blurting out what she thinks before thinking through the consequences. Those who work in law enforcement and other helping professions will relate to the Dutch and his connection to Clan Firinn.

Fans of John Grisham, David Baldacci, and Elizabeth Goddard will enjoy this book.

Fallout opens with a guy finding his way through the night to a nuclear waste site with a bomb in tow. It then transitions to the students and teacher of an elementary school art class fleeing for their lives when an SUV comes crashing through the wall of their classroom. The author keeps the twists and turns coming, they grab you, and they keep you wanting more.

The novel has a likeable main character and well developed supporting characters. The characters, as well as the setting, are both multilayered with background stories that are revealed slowly to make them multidimensional. In addition, my inner forensics geek loved all of the details that the author provided.

The pacing of the book was off. Some of the details were presented swiftly to keep the story moving and then others dragged to be introduced.

All in all an enjoyable read and I will be looking for other works by the author.

Fallout by Carrie Stuart Parks is about a young woman, Samantha Williams. While teaching a class at an elementary school in Washington state, an SUV comes crashing into the classroom. She gets the kids out safely but in the process, her car is wrecked, and her purse and keys are missing. She ultimately loses her job as her classroom is a mess.

Sam has no friends to speak of and her parents are deceased so she is pretty much on her own. When talking to the authorities she finds that the driver Dr.Greer, the SUV was shot. The passenger, Dutch Van Setters, he holds a Ph.D. and is not too shabby to look at. He is employed at Clan Firinn, a retreat of sorts. Because she has not place to go at the moment, she is invited to stay at Clan Firinn until she gets things sorted.

There is a body unearthed at Alderman Acres, this is intended to be a new housing development but because of the body being found, development can not be completed. Because of her art education, Sam is asked to do a facial reconstruction on the skull. She accepts and is quickly drawn into the workings of Clan Firinn. Clan Firrin is a place for people to recover from various addictions where hope and rehab is offered.

While Sam is there, strange things start happening around her she tries to find the truth of what happened to her parents. She was very young when they died and she was sent to live with an aunt. As time goes on she finds that whatever is happening is connected to her parents.

There is a nuclear plant not far from where she is, does this have anything to do with the threats that she starts to receive? A woman by the name of Mary is pregnant and hoping to find her partner who she hasn't seen in a while. I was not so sure about Mary, there was just something not quite right about her. As Sam digs deeper, the more she finds out that has her wanting to learn more. Bits and pieces of the Cold War are found and how does this affect Sam?

I enjoyed this novel, has a little bit of everything in it. History, romance, Cold War, scientists, and more. If this is your kind of book, then you must go get this one. A page-turner for sure! I give it 5 stars!

This book is full of action and mystery. This is a very fast paced book that gets straight to the point so you're always moving and not given a lot of useless information. I enjoyed reading about a character who's spiritual and will call on God at anytime. This was a really good read and I will recommend to others. Thanks to the publisher and NetGally for the opportunity to read this book and provide my unbiased opinion.

Fall Out by Carrie Stuart Parks was tough to get started but I was glad I stuck with it. The beginning has a lot of action, but you are not sure how it all ties together. Keep with the story because it will all tie together. The author was able to surprise me several times and I love it when that happens.

Samantha was our lead and was a different type of heroine. I personally didn't like her Sneetch moments but other readers may enjoy them. The author did a fabulous job of revealing her background and that may have been the most interesting part of the book for me.

A car plows into her school room and they find out that the driver was shot right before. So who was the intended victim?

The author is a forensic artist which adds some authenticity to those scenes. Also if you read the authors notes about how much of the story is based on real events it is frightening.

I recommend the story. keep reading even if you feel like it has a disjointed start you will be glad you stayed till the end.

Sexual content - none
Violence - opens with a murder, and a car plowing into a school room, a couple more people die, mention of past murders and a rape.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

Her carefully crafted life is about to be demolished.
After a difficult childhood, Samantha Williams craves simplicity: jigsaw puzzles, lectures at the library, and the students she adores in her role as an elementary school art teacher in the dusty farming community of LaCrosse, Washington.
But when an SUV crashes into the building where she teaches, her entire world is upended. Samantha manages to keep the children safe, but her car isn’t so lucky. Oddly, her purse--with her driver’s license, credit cards, and other identification--is missing from the wreckage.
After authorities discover that the driver in the accident was shot seconds before the crash, Samantha quickly becomes entangled in increasingly strange events that have her constantly looking over her shoulder.
Samantha has long tried to forget the tragedy of her past, but the twisting connections she discovers between the murdered driver, a deadly secret government project, and an abandoned town can’t be ignored. Those involved are determined to keep these secrets buried, and they’ll use any means necessary to stop Samantha’s search for truth.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Carrie Stuart Parks is one of my go-to authors for mystery, suspense, and thrillers--and this book just continues to illustrate why!

Not one to read at bedtime, as I found out to my detriment haha (in a good way!)--between subject matter and the gripping plot, as I had to find out what would happen next. And of course the Washington-state setting just made my little PNW heart happy.

I particularly enjoyed reading and learning about Hanford, WA, and its involvement in nuclear testing in WWII and the Cold War. I'd read Jennifer L. Wright's _Come Down Somewhere_ earlier this year, and the two complement each other well on that topic.

Readers of Park's other recent books may notice some familiar references (Clan Firinn, in particular), but this is a standalone read aside from that--more an Easter-egg reference than anything else imho.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review. Carrie grabs you from the beginning in this story, but it has many plots, twists and turns that at times leaves you totally confused and wondering where she is going with this story. Samantha is a teacher and she is teaching her students in the classroom when a car runs into their classroom. Everyone survives the incident, but this is when things go crazy and someone is after Samantha. I would honestly say for the most part this is a good book, but again there were many things that didn't make sense and left me confused at times as to what the author was trying to convey to the reader. I did stop reading the book for a bit as I was confused and came back and started the book over. I did finish it and did enjoy it for the most part.

In Fallout, author Carrie Stuart Parks transports the reader to the farming town of LaCrosse, Washington, for an intriguing suspense tale that will keep the reader guessing and turning the pages.

The story centers around Samantha Williams, an elementary school art teacher, who gets caught up in a dangerous situation when a car careens out of control and into her art classroom. The driver of the car, Dr. Beatrice Greer, an art therapist was shot and killed. Dr. Greer and passenger Dr. Dustin "Dutch" Van Seter, an anthropologist are employed with Clan Firinn, a privately owned and funded facility located outside of Pullman, Washington, that specializes in offering hope and rehabilitation to law enforcement and first responders suffering from PTSD and other disorders arising from their work. Dutch asks Sam to help draw a facial recognition from a skull from a body that was found at Alderman Acres, a new housing development owned by Clan Firinn, which leads her to getting drawn into the investigation. When mysterious events occur and danger lurks around every corner, Sam wonders if her own troubled past is connected to the events as she tries to find the truth, especially when she becomes a target by someone who is determined to keep deep secrets buried at all costs.

Author Carrie Stuart Parks weaves a fast-paced and suspenseful tale written in alternating first (Sam) and third person narrative (Dutch) that follows Sam and Dutch as they get dragged into a dangerous investigation that has placed a target on her life, and a threat of danger lurks around every corner.

The reader is easily drawn into this well written story with its richly descriptive plot and setting. It is filled with enough family drama and secrets, motives, possible suspects, action, government Cold War secrets, and intriguing twists and turns that definitely keeps the reader guessing until the surprising conclusion.

This was a really intense story to read! The author does a wonderful job of providing enough clues to engage the reader, and I found myself so caught up on trying to figure out who is behind all the incidents around the area. I loved how Sam was able to go beyond her troubled and shadowy past to hep Dutch put all the pieces of the puzzle together, I was absolutely stunned by the conclusion! I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I also loved reading about Sam and Dutch's backstory, both are broken people who have to overcome their traumatic pasts and learn to move forward.

Fallout will definitely take suspense readers on one heck of a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via NetGalley from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/09/fallout-by-carrie-stuart-parks-vbt-book.html

Carrie Stuart Parks starts Fall Out with a bang - literally! The story starts with an SUV careening into the classroom of Samantha Williams and her students. While no one in the classroom is hurt, a dead woman is found in the drivers seat of the SUV. Due to the crash, Samantha loses her car and her purse has gone missing. A stranger claiming to be a reporter befriends Samantha and brings her home with her as Samantha attempts to put the pieces of her life back together.

As authorities work to solve the mystery of who shot the SUV driver causing it to crash, they are also working to find out who two bodies found in a building site are. Samantha finds herself enmeshed in a series of mysterious events that carry with them a serious hint of secrets. As Samantha struggles to put the pieces together, past meets present in ways most unexpected.

Parks is a fairly new author for me to be reading. And I love her writing, but the story in this book seemed to keep speeding through events. There was little down time, allowing the story to breath. While there was a great deal of mystery in the story, which I can appreciate, it felt like the main characters were shrouded in so much mystery that it was difficult to get to know them.

Despite this, I still couldn't put down the story, and I was stumped until close to the end with the who dun it!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this book! This review is my own, honest opinion!

Carrie Stuart Parks is one of my go-to suspense authors – I love the mix of forensics, faith, humor, psychology, danger, and romance. Nobody creates engaging and relatable heroines quite like she does, and she’s done it again in Fallout.

Samantha Williams has clearly been through some sort of trauma in her childhood, but she’s suppressed it as a means of coping. As the other suspense threads unfold throughout the story, Parks also feeds us just enough of Samantha’s backstory to keep it niggling at the back of our minds. Reminding us that there’s information just out of reach. Uniting us with Sam in her quest for the truth. In fact, all of the suspense elements in Fallout are laid out like that, allowing us the barest hint of a connection here and there to see if we’ll be able to connect the dots before it’s too late for these characters we’ve quickly come to love. As Samantha points out toward the end of the novel, it’s all about the dots. I absolutely loved the pace of the information reveals, the high levels of tension, and the almost gothic feel surrounding Clan Firinn. Who can we trust? Who is behind all the strange occurrences? And how are they all connected – if at all? Ahhhhhh I literally could not read this fast enough to see how each puzzle piece would come together in the end.

As a random side note that no one cares about but me (lol). I appreciated the mention of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory which is significantly tied to my own family history.

Bottom Line: I was glued to the pages of Fallout from the beginning of chapter one when art teacher Samantha sees an SUV hurtling toward her occupied classroom. Carrie Stuart Parks brilliantly crafts a plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, holding their breath, and even – as I did at a certain twist – gasping out loud at the unexpected. She also tucks in a gentle faith thread that is organic to the character and contributed to the overall narrative as well. Sam and Dutch are likable, intelligent, and empathetic characters with layers beyond what is first seen, and I of course loved the dash of sweet romance Parks wove into their story. The tidbits of Cold War history are fascinating and sobering all at the same time, and the mood of the novel is pitch perfect. Not to mention the expertly utilized nods to some of my own beloved children’s books. I can hardly wait to go back and read it again!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)