Christy J. (southernsassygirl) reviewed Accused (Pacific Coast Justice Bk 1) on + 180 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Before reading Accused, I had never even heard of Janice, and had no idea that she's been writing books for a few years now. I thought I would be getting an early peek at a debut author (considering this book doesn't release for another month). Well...no debut here, but nonetheless, Janice is definitely an author I'll be reading more from in the future! She does what all authors should do, in my opinion...write what they know. Being a veteran police officer-turned-author, her knowledge and expertise in law enforcement shines through much of this story.
Accused is also a very appealing read for those who want a little romance with their suspense, and the mix here is just right--not too much so that it's corny, but not too little to make you think no one has a heart. :o) It is all-the-more believable since Carly and Nick are divorced, and Carly still carries a great amount of bitterness toward Nick because of their split.
But the icing on the cake here is the plot itself! It is so twisted that you won't come up for air until the very last page! The bad guys in this story are all over the place, too, and just when I think I've got one pegged, another one rears his ugly head. To me, that's what makes a good suspense novel. Give me a little something to figuratively chew on, while keeping me glued to the pages at the same time, and I'm a fan for life.
If there's anything to dislike here, it would be the spiritual elements. Now, since I read nothing but Christian fiction, you'd think I wouldn't have a problem with this, but this is the first book that I've read in awhile that is as preachy as this one is. Carly has some major issues with anything concerning God, and her disinterest initially is a little repetitive. It's not until after the funeral that the preachiness starts to become overwhelming. I understand that everyone in her circle wants to be a witness to her, but it's all just laid on a little too thick here. I think if maybe just one character, perhaps two, had not shared their personal testimony, it would've helped the overall flow of the story a great deal.
So, with a mixed bag of thoughts, Accused is still a great read, and gets a high recommendation from me if just for the suspense alone. Out of 5 stars, it easily gets 5, but the preachiness causes me to bring the overall rating to a 4. I am so glad there is a sneak peek into book 2, Abducted, included in the back because I'm anxious to see how Carly performs in her usual element of patrolling the streets, a job she was not allowed to do in Accused. Oh, and not to mention what happens between her and a certain someone...gotta get the juicy details on that. :o)
Accused is also a very appealing read for those who want a little romance with their suspense, and the mix here is just right--not too much so that it's corny, but not too little to make you think no one has a heart. :o) It is all-the-more believable since Carly and Nick are divorced, and Carly still carries a great amount of bitterness toward Nick because of their split.
But the icing on the cake here is the plot itself! It is so twisted that you won't come up for air until the very last page! The bad guys in this story are all over the place, too, and just when I think I've got one pegged, another one rears his ugly head. To me, that's what makes a good suspense novel. Give me a little something to figuratively chew on, while keeping me glued to the pages at the same time, and I'm a fan for life.
If there's anything to dislike here, it would be the spiritual elements. Now, since I read nothing but Christian fiction, you'd think I wouldn't have a problem with this, but this is the first book that I've read in awhile that is as preachy as this one is. Carly has some major issues with anything concerning God, and her disinterest initially is a little repetitive. It's not until after the funeral that the preachiness starts to become overwhelming. I understand that everyone in her circle wants to be a witness to her, but it's all just laid on a little too thick here. I think if maybe just one character, perhaps two, had not shared their personal testimony, it would've helped the overall flow of the story a great deal.
So, with a mixed bag of thoughts, Accused is still a great read, and gets a high recommendation from me if just for the suspense alone. Out of 5 stars, it easily gets 5, but the preachiness causes me to bring the overall rating to a 4. I am so glad there is a sneak peek into book 2, Abducted, included in the back because I'm anxious to see how Carly performs in her usual element of patrolling the streets, a job she was not allowed to do in Accused. Oh, and not to mention what happens between her and a certain someone...gotta get the juicy details on that. :o)
Wendy H. (donkeycheese) -
Helpful Score: 1
This was a great read. There was just enough action and mystery to keep me turning page after page. Pulling in several different areas of the police department as well as civilians made this more interesting. I loved not being able to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys until they were revealed at the very end.
I felt that the crime/mystery portion of the book was definitely overshadowed by the religious aspects of the book. Carly is a nonbeliever since the death of her father and finds herself surrounded by people with great faith who want her to have the same beliefs she does. Carly's personal struggle overpowered the main plot of the book, although I definitely believe it was worth it. Carly's struggle alone would have made for a good book. Strong conflict and well-written characters, you won't want to put this one down!
I felt that the crime/mystery portion of the book was definitely overshadowed by the religious aspects of the book. Carly is a nonbeliever since the death of her father and finds herself surrounded by people with great faith who want her to have the same beliefs she does. Carly's personal struggle overpowered the main plot of the book, although I definitely believe it was worth it. Carly's struggle alone would have made for a good book. Strong conflict and well-written characters, you won't want to put this one down!
Virginia P. (virginiajeanne) reviewed Accused (Pacific Coast Justice Bk 1) on + 207 more book reviews
Police officer Carly is involved in a shooting and sent to work in the juvenile department. She looks for a way to get back to her old job in patrol and the mayor's shooting might be the answer. She finds a cover-up and doesn't know who to trust, especially when her ex-husband offers to help.
I thought this book was very good and an authentic read from a retired police officer. Corrupt people seem to be everywhere and it was interesting to find out at the end who was dirty and who wasn't. I do think the spiritual side of the book was a bit overdone in parts. Several characters preach at Carly, which makes her turn away from God instead of toward him. Overall, a good read and I'm looking forward to the second book.
I thought this book was very good and an authentic read from a retired police officer. Corrupt people seem to be everywhere and it was interesting to find out at the end who was dirty and who wasn't. I do think the spiritual side of the book was a bit overdone in parts. Several characters preach at Carly, which makes her turn away from God instead of toward him. Overall, a good read and I'm looking forward to the second book.
Loved this book & am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Accused is an excellent, well-written, seat-gripping and soul-wrenching tale. I have not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect but the cover really intrigued me. I promise you that once you pick up this book you will have a hard time putting in down. There were places in this story that actually caused me to gasp out-loud because it caught me by surprise. I also reached for the Kleenex as well. That's great writing that can do that. It felt in many ways like watching a movie because I could so clearly see in my mind how things played out. All the characters were very well developed and felt flesh and blood real. Their reactions and responses were true to life. You can tell this author used her vast experience as a police officer to give the story a real authenticity. I really appreciated how the spiritual message of hope was grafted so naturally into the story. It didn't feel forced or thrown-in and wasn't over-powering but it was powerful. You'll want to be sure an read the author interview at the end. If you like Dee Henderson and Anne Patrick then I would definitely recommend you pick up Accused! Be ready for some very fast page-flipping!!! Great job Janice!!! This is book 1 in the Pacific Coast Justice series. I am anxiously looking forward to the next installment!! A thank you goes to Tyndale for this complimentary ARC through Netgalley for my review.
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1414358474
ISBN-13: 978-1414358475
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1414358474
ISBN-13: 978-1414358475
