Broken Allegiance by Mark Young

By Nike Chillemi –

An accident that killed his son, shattered Detective Tom Kagan’s life. The offending driver, a gangbanger, ran from the scene and was never brought to justice. Now back from a temporary assignment with the FBI,Kagan’s once again hunting down gang members in Santa Rosa, CA.

The author pulled me into the emotional turmoil that is Tom Kagan’s life. Although he deeply loves his wife Sara, since the accident, he has shut down all emotion and is often remote from her. We see Tom with all of his warts. He drinks too much and is also a first class cheapskate who begrudges tips he gives to waitresses.

Having been called out to the murder crime scene of Paco, a high ranking, seemingly untouchable, “all good” member of the Nuestra Familia (NF) street gang, he knows this could become a no holds barred fight within the gang, with innocent people getting hurt along the way. What he doesn’t know is a gang leader named Ghost is calling the shots from his cell within Pelican Bay State Prison, CA.

Kagan has a history with the Hispanic gangs since the accident that killed his son—a bad one. His sergeant thinks he’s a loose cannon who should be retired back to patrol, but the chief wants Tom in gangs. The detective has been receiving photographs of himself, his wife, and his partner’s wife with the message: we’re watching you. His partner, grounded in the spirituality of his Christian religion, is a sharp contrast from Tom’s depression and rage. Kagan keeps knowledge of this surveillance from his supervisors out of fear he will be removed from working on gangs, which is where he gets intelligence with which to protect his wife.

When Kagan and Hector Garcia, a gang expert with the Special Service Unit (SSU), visit Ghost in Pelican Bay, the gangbanger taunts Tom. He says he was the one driving the car that killed Tom’s young son, years ago. Agent Garcia has to hold Tom back. Ghost screams at Tom, “You’re a dead man.”

After an assault on Ghost in the prison, he’s transferred from Pelican Bay to a community hospital, from which he escapes. Now the gangbanger is hunting Tom Kagan and his partner Detective Bill Stevenson. There is an emotionally wrenching scene where Tom and his wife go to his partner’s home for dinner, unaware that Ghost lurks outside watching the house. Bill reads his young son a story and then he and Tom listen as the boy says his prayers before bed. They have no clue there is evil lurking outside.

It is obvious the author has personal, career experience in law enforcement with gangs. He is totally successful in getting across how senseless gang violence is, that nobody gets out alive from a gang. Regardless of the demand for loyalty by the gang, there is no loyalty within. Eventually every gang member is killed by a rival gang, or by a stronger member of his own gang who seeks power. This novel is well written and readers who are thrilled by a good detective novel will love this one’s authenticity.

The Darkest Valley by Rick Dewhurst

Reviewed by Nike Chillemi –

The Darkest Valley by Rick Dewhurst is a profound novel, and like all profound books is not always easy to read. I’m reminded of an old cocktail party cartoon I once saw, I believe in the New Yorker. A man races toward his wife, through a chic living room filled with partygoers, a highball in his hand, “Niles Peterson is coming. He’s read a book that changed his life. Run!”

This is a story of an ordained minister in Canada’s Cowichan Valley who is about to have his church taken from him. The elders want somebody at the helm who appears a more seemly than Pastor Tom Pollard. His heart for the natives on the nearby reserve and in his center, along with his penchant to help the more degenerate elements of the community, has not endeared him to the most powerful elements in his church.

The novel is not action packed, and in fact is rather depressing, but I kept turning pages. I didn’t like the pastor’s wife, Ruby Pollard, due to her nasty streak which I felt predated her terminal cancer. Her dishonesty in her marriage also turned me off. However, I agreed with her. I would’ve liked her husband Tom to work up a bit of gumption now and then. It became awfully painful watching him fail. And yet, as I turned the pages, I began to care about them a great deal. I also found myself chuckling from time-to-time, as they could be quite pithy. It was apparent they loved each other deeply and were doing absolutely the best they could.

If the most interesting character is Jesse, the self-absorbed atheist/nominal Catholic editor of the town’s small newspaper, the one I liked the best is Will, the half-breed Christian whose new found faith in Christ has angered his native father and his tribe. After Will is kidnapped, I wanted to slap Pastor Tom for having been so listless and apathetic when Will repeatedly tried to tell the man of the cloth of this coming danger. At one point in the story, Jesse says to Tom, “With Christians like you in the lead, it’s a wonder anyone ever joins your flock.” I have to agree.

At another juncture, worldly and jaded Jesse says he’s happy Tom and Ruby don’t hide behind the typical self-righteous Christian façade. He’s thrilled to find they’re as messed up as the rest of us. I do think this is very important to many nonbelievers, especially intellectual nonbelievers whose razor sharp minds have not saved them from the mess, pain, and dysfunction of life. I would highly recommend this novel to them.

My feeling is this is the “every church” story . . . and my meaning is akin to what is meant by the “every man” story. I’m sure there’s more of Tom Pollard and his wife Ruby at the helm in churches all over the globe than most Christians would like to admit. After all, church leaders are only people, calling notwithstanding, and people all have feet of clay. Church politics in churches in every mountain and glen resemble the unkindness and backstabbing in this novel, of this I’m sure. It is obvious the author is a pastor.

Fields Of The Fatherless by Elaine Marie Cooper

Reviewed By Tammy Doherty –

FIELDS OF THE FATHERLESS is an incredibly well-written novel. Its depth of historical facts is amazing.

Our family celebrates Patriots Day every year, often trekking over to Concord, MA, to watch the parade. The general details of that fateful day, and events leading up to it, are familiar to me. Elaine Cooper has taken these dry facts and brought them to life, writing about those events from the point of view of a real person, Betsy Russell, who really lived in Menotomy in 1775. Her reactions, and those of the other people of Menotomy, during the days leading up to war and during those horrible hours on April 19th open the reader’s eyes to the true horrors of war.

The story unfolds in the weeks prior to April 19th, giving readers insight into the feelings of the Colonists, both their anger and their fears. Betsy and her family do not want to live in tyranny yet Betsy fears the looming threat of war—will she lose her family? When fighting does break out, the terror felt by all (Betsy, her family, the other Colonists) is palpable and real.

Knowing what happened didn’t stop me from wondering what happens. Sounds silly, but that’s how real the story feels. How Betsy copes with the aftermath of battle in her backyard and learns to forgive her enemies is truly amazing while at the same time it flows in a natural way, never forced.

Though the diary entries used for this novel are fictitious, it’s easy to believe that Betsy really felt these things, might have said those words. Reverend Cooke did actually speak the word of the sermons Ms. Cooper includes in this novel. Some of what he said over 200 years ago applies so aptly to current events.

I recommend this novel to anyone who likes historical fiction and those who love American history.

CHARISSE by Fay Lamb

Reviewed by Nike Chillemi –

I most often review murder mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals, and if I’m up against a wall a romantic suspense. That’s tongue in cheek, but you get it. So why am I reviewing CHARISSE, a romance novel? Well, because there’s plenty of mystery in this story, the kinds of mysteries and dilemmas life throws at individuals. And, it’s well written.

Main characters Charisse Wellman and Judge Gideon Tabor are both hiding something. Add to the mix a jealous harridan in stilettos named Delilah, who lives up to her name and you’ve got one interesting story.

Charisse carries pain, insecurity, and disappointment from her high school days, when she was quite overweight. Now as a widow who has just lost her beloved husband, she’s trying to raise her young son. It becomes apparent she must give up her dream of law school and go to work to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. She finds herself interviewing with Gideon Tabor, a local criminal court judge, with whom she had an unpleasant run-in many years ago. But does he remember her? Whatever the case, that incident from long ago, disheartening as it was, is not the only bone she has to pick with him . . . not by a long shot.

Of course, she aces the interview and begins clerking for Judge Tabor. Just as she’s hoping she can put the past behind her and settle into some kind of normal work routine, Judge Delilah James begins playing office politics. Using underhanded tactics, this vixen in judicial robes, turns what could’ve been a pleasant working experience into a nightmare where Charisse is in fear of losing the job she so desperately needs.

On top of this Charisse is battling deep resentment toward the hit-and-run driver who killed her husband and the judicial system that allowed him to get away with it. No matter how much she prays, she can’t get over the bitterness she harbors.

I immediately warmed to V.J., Charisse’s young son. He is the sweetest child, and at times, the pain of the loss of his father is palpable. However, if there is a flaw in this novel, in my opinion, it would be that this darling little boy is just a tad too perfect at times. However, I have a penchant for obviously flawed characters. Other readers might not agree on this point.

There are Christian themes running throughout the entire story. As the characters develop and grow emotionally they attain greater spiritual maturity as well. This is a read I could recommend to any fifteen-year-old, as well as anyone’s great-grandmother. Although romance novels are most often read by women, this is a story I believe many a man would enjoy.

A Review of Peril by Jordyn Redwood

By Carol McClain –

Life couldn’t get worse for Morgan Adams, a pediatric nurse in a Denver Hospital. Her infant daughter died several months earlier—shaken by a trusted friend and babysitter. Morgan’s kidneys are failing, and with her rare blood type, a hope for a donor is remote.

The events of her life erode her faith, strain her marriage, threaten her job and exacerbate her thoughts of suicide.

Then her traumatized world is turned upside down when a fourteen-year-old girl is brought to her unit, comatose, raped and brain dead. Her heart is donated, and the recipient has visions of the attack. Morgan discovers these events will entangle her own beleaguered life.

The threads of the attack stem back to her husband. Medical researcher Dr. Tyler Adams works for a renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Thomas Reeves, who has gained significant ground treating PSTD.

A past Morgan does not yet know will threaten her and the lives of those she cares for.

This is the third in the Bloodline Trilogy by Jordyn Redwood, and is as gripping as the first two in the series. Redwood, a pediatric nurse herself, uses her vast knowledge of medicine to weave twists in the story the reader never suspects, so the reader remains enthralled through the last words.

All elements of the first two books—Proof and Poison—tie together in the conclusion. Redwood’s ability to weave such a cohesive web amazes me.

If you like Richard Mabry, Robin Cook or Brandilyn Collins, you’ll love Jordyn Redwood who writes with the skill of the most popular authors.

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