🚓🗻❄️ “Cold Light of Day” (Missing in Alaska #1) (2023) ❄️🗻🚓 – Book Review
MY REVIEW
Series: Missing in Alaska (Book #1)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell (February 7, 2023)
Language: English
ISBN: 0800742044
ISBN-13: 978-0800742041
⬅️ Click Photo for Purchase Information
“Police Chief Autumn Long is fighting to keep her job in the quiet Alaska town of Shadow Gap when an unexpected string of criminal activity leaves her with a wounded officer, unexplained murders, and even an attack on her own father. Despite her mistrust of outsiders, she turns to Grier Brenner, a newcomer who seems to have the skills and training Autumn needs to face this threat to her community.
Grier is in Alaska for the same reason so many others are--to disappear--when Chief Long enlists his help. He emerges from the shadows and proves his mettle, but his presence in her life could be a deadly trap for them both. If his secret is exposed, all will be lost. And he's not sure even Autumn could save him.
As the stakes rise and the dangers increase, Autumn and Grier must rely on each other to extinguish the deadly threats.”
Thank you in advance to the publisher, Revell Books (a division of Baker Books), for providing a complimentary review copy through the author’s launch team. A positive review was not required nor requested, and all words are my own.
[As of note, that candle was really beautiful, and lasted from the first page to the last, and even a bit longer 🕯️]
I’ve always enjoyed the romantic-suspense genre, so any book of that group – I’m down for reading. And, it’s even better when it’s an author you’re familiar with.
Goddard is known not only for her Revell releases, but also as a Love Inspired Suspense author. I have two books from the UNCOMMON HEROES (Revell) on my TBR list, along with over six (6) of her LIS titles.
Her Revell releases DO NOT DISAPPOINT. I absolutely loved the ROCKY MOUNTAIN COURAGE series.
The first book in this new series, Cold Light of Day, is NO exception. And, that cover really drew me in. It definitely matches the story and setting. And, Alaska? Brutal.
Goddard introduces readers to:
🚓 Chief Autumn Long
🚓 Miles Long (Autumn’s father, former Chief)
🚓 Nolan Long (Autumn’s brother, Alaska State Trooper)
💻 Grier Brenner (Young)
🚓 Craig (Police Officer, Uncle on City Council)
🚨 Tanya (served under Miles, now under Autumn)
⚖️ Wally (Member of City Council, wants nephew to be chief)
🍻 Pearl “Birdy” Lively (Autumn’s Grandmother & Co-Owner of The Lively Moose)
🍻 Ike Lively (Pearl’s Husband, Autumn’s Grandfather)
As well as other citizens and officers of Shadow Gap, Alaska.
There will be some mentions of alcohol abuse as well as waterboarding. These might be disturbing to some readers but are not drawn out for any length of time.
Immediately it starts off in May with a young man reconsidering his choices, seeing something he shouldn’t, and then – darkness. Yikes!
Chapter one begins in August – three months after the young man’s incident. Police Chief Autumn Long is heading back to Shadow Gap – though she’s devastated by the loss of her state certification. She has little time to think about it when she sees one of the town’s new residents rescuing a woman.
Autumn recognizes the hero as Grier. But, he doesn’t want any accolades. And, while there is some spark between him and Autumn, he can’t afford to let her get too close.
It’s clear he doesn’t intend to stick around – though the why is very interesting. And, the woman he rescues? She has her own story as well.
Autumn is facing losing her job due to a particular member on the council. Seems Wally has it in for her and wants his nephew as Chief. Most of it is based on allegations of her questionable behavior, some involving her father.
Although her father was once the chief, he is now an alcoholic and has had difficulty since the death of his wife, Autumn and Nolan’s mom, Jessie some 22 years earlier.
In an effort to prove the rescued woman’s story – Autumn and Craig take a dive to see if Sarah is telling the truth when they stumble on another body.
Barely 55 pages into the story (story begins on page 9) – there’s about three dead people so far.
Of course, Autumn wants Grier’s help, but his “contact” is trying to gather information which can help Grier.
When one of her officers is shot, it turns into a manhunt with bodies popping up left and right, and each “bad guy” leading to another.
And, Grier has his own challenges.
While he wants to leave, he opts to stay when Autumn becomes a target and her father is shot. Is the person really after her or her father. Her father only gives her a slight clue – she’s in danger and it is his fault.
Finding the remains of a man brings to light a new and interesting development.
As Autumn and Grier investigate, it seems everything is connected together; even more so when a body found inside an old shipwreck is connected to Grier. That forces Grier to tell Autumn the truth. A truth that is strangely connected to her mother’s death, and Autumn’s own safety. Autumn’s job isn’t the only thing on the line – her life is as well.
And, like she usually has in the past, Goddard delivered yet another intense, thrilling, heart-stopping, pulse-pounding, and suspenseful read with one unexpected reveal after another. Just when I thought I couldn’t find one more astonishing, Goddard would sandbag me with another one. It seemed like there were 4-5 straight chapters with shocking reveals.
I was drawn in right away from the prologue – one that I did, for a time, wonder when and if Goddard was going to address it. And, when she did? I couldn’t have imagined it.
I definitely found this hard to put down, and the short chapters really lured me into one-chapter-after-another. Towards the end, I ended up staying up past my bedtime to finish the final 40 pages (a little after 2 am; bedtime is usually midnight/1 am).
The descriptive writing (and that cover) really set the tone for the story. At times I could almost picture myself there. And, there were times my heart was racing with the action.
I love how most everyone, even Craig, stepped up to help Autumn or Grier. Everyone seemed to jump in and help with whatever they could.
The name of Tex’s boat (The Black Pearl) gave me a giggle. If you’ve watched The Pirates of the Caribbean film series – you know.
As of note, visiting Alaska and seeing the Northern Lights is on my “bucket list”. It’s definitely a place I’d LOVE to go see.
While this is romantic-suspense, it is leans more on the suspense than romance. But, that was fine for me.
I am truly looking forward to the next books in the series. I’m also wanting to know if Craig is going to come back as well. There was something about his storyline that seemed “fishy” to me.
Since this is distributed by a primarily Christian publisher, there will be some references to faith. These are not preachy in tone. More like the characters reaching out to God for guidance and hope in extreme situations.
Fans of the author and genre won’t be disappointed in this new release.
RATING:
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html;update https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ELIZABETH GODDARD is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 novels, including Cold Light of Day and the Rocky Mountain Courage and Uncommon Justice series which have sold over one million copies. A Carol Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award finalist, Elizabeth loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website at www.elizabethgoddard.com.
You can find her on the following social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGoddardAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabethgoddardauthor/
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