Latest in Intervention Series by Terri Blackstock A Winner!

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                  Downfall


                          An Intervention Novel






                        By Terri Blackstock




When a member of a family gets into some type of trouble or problem, it is normal that the entire family is affected. So even though Emily Covington had left the drug scene behind and was now going to college, her mother and brother were still not totally over everything they had already gone through--at least not enough to completely trust her... Understandable, but it still adds pressure to the one who was the center of the situation...

So when Emily found herself right in the middle, and, possibly, even a target, she felt she had to discover what was happening in order to overcome the impression that she had again fallen...

In addition to taking classes, Emily had also started desk coverage at a local rehab center. Her mother had not been happy, since she was right in the center of those involved with drugs, but Emily felt she was doing a good job. During a break one day, she had overheard a conversation between two men who had just finished watching a Hitchcock movie. She quickly forgot about the whole situation until she heard that the wife of one of the men involved had been murdered.

But then, a bomb was placed under Emily's car so that it set fire when she started it. Luckily her brother was there and helped her get out so that only the car was destroyed. Sooo, was she a target in general or was the one responsible for the murder of the woman wanting to get rid of her as a witness to that fateful conversation.

Then the wife of the other man was murdered! But not before Emily had tried to prevent it by calling her, the police, and finally driving to her home to explain. Unfortunately her actions were perceived as aggressive. She was put in jail on the charge of murder...

Fortunately, there is a romance between Emily's mother and a cop. But even that relationship proved to be part of the problem since he had to take himself off the case and could not officially help...

The "aftermath" of the addiction issue is what is truly spotlighted in this novel and, in my opinion, it is an important one. No matter whether it is drugs, alcohol or some other addiction, society in the U.S. does not let it be forgotten. And yet, the most important thing to that individual is to know that they are still accepted and loved...and trusted...as they were in the past. Thank you Terri for this important aspect being covered so effectively!

The suspense of the murder mystery is fascinating and keeps those of us who want to solve the crime quickly on edge. I had picked up a hint early so I wasn't quite so lost during the investigation, but the intrigue kept me interested to the last page. BTW, I enjoyed the author's note at the end...and there are a set of questions for book clubs included... I personally was inspired by Emily own actions as she tried to deal with once again being in the midst of turmoil with her family...   Highly recommended...for many reasons!

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Biography Scroll down to read entire statement

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual "new kid," her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

In 1994 Terri was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. As she was praying about her transition, she went on a cruise and noticed that almost everyone on the boat (including her) had a John Grisham novel. It occurred to her that some of Grisham's readers were Christians, and that if she wrote a fast-paced thriller with an added faith element, she might just find her niche. As God would have it, Christian publishers were showing interest in the suspense genre, so she quickly sold a four-book series to Zondervan. Since that time, she's written over thirty Christian titles, most of them suspense novels.

Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers' online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope.

Other recent books include her stand-alone novel Shadow in Serenity, and Vicious Cycle (Book 2 in her Intervention Series). She's also known for popular series such as the Restoration Series, the Cape Refuge Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

Book Readers Heaven Reviewer Selects 2009 Best Book Read!

Just for fun...

I've selected my favorite books read during 2009...in case anybody is interested...LOL

I know, I know...I'm not giving any prizes, but, if you want several recommendations, you just want to consider:

Best Book Read in 2009


http://ipbookreviewer-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2009/09/review-rooms-is-one-of-best-books-ive.html - Check out My Review!



One of the Perks of being a book reviewer is that you get to review books way in advance! I read Rooms last year through Net Galley! NOW I have the book via Amazon since I wanted the final copy...It has a beautiful cover and will hold a special place on my permanent library shelf!

It is available! You'll be very sorry if you miss this one! In my opinion...

Next...series books...

Review: A Slow Burn Beautiful Story of Love!

A Slow Burn


By Mary E. DeMuth
Zondervan
ISBN: 9780310278375
362 Pages


There are some books, like A Slow Burn by Mary E. DeMuth, that speak directly to you. When that happens, it becomes memorable and is one that will be placed on your “keep” shelf, possibly to reread or refer to special friends. A Slow Burn has a number of lessons to be learned, or perhaps, as He is prone to do, God’s particular message for “you” will be what you find.

While Emory Chance is the main character, I was drawn most to Hixon and his role in the book. Although I don’t normally find that race is an important factor in a book, I think it was for this novel. Hixon is a Black handyman. He loves God and talks with Him often. The thing is—God has told him that Emory Chance was going to be his wife. Not only was it hard to believe because he thought she was so beautiful and he just a handyman with little to give her, but he knew that his being Black was something that those in Defiance would find hard to accept.

Yet he felt His message had been clear. And he quietly went about doing small jobs for Emory and being there when she might need him. Just waiting until God gave him further guidance.

Emory was beautiful, yes, but she was also a drunk and a druggie. In fact, her daughter, Daisy, was more mature and did more to take care of her mother rather than what it should have been—Emory taking care of Daisy.

And then Daisy was gone—murdered!

Emory was lost without her daughter. Not only because she loved her but because Daisy had been the one good thing in her life and had constantly tried to help Emory. Now, Emory was forced to face the fact that she had been zoned out while her daughter had been taken; she knew she had to carry some of the responsibility for Daisy’s death. And it was tearing her apart.

When she could, she would try to stay off the drugs; even Hixon was trying to help her get clean. Then her guilt would surface and she’d turn to the drugs to help her forget. Or her supplier would come by and give her some samples, wanting to party and have a good time... Then, too, someone, perhaps the one who murdered Daisy, was playing tricks—stealing things and putting them back, etc. It seemed Emory was doomed to stay on the drugs!

DeMuth has created a wonderful cast of characters, merging racial differences in such a way that you know those differences mean little in the scheme of things. Some quietly bring food to Emory, her boss cares for and gives her time when she needed it and, because of Hixon and God’s promise, she was being provided a home for her future. God surely does work in mysterious ways!

I won’t say that I enjoyed the ending. However, A Slow Burn by Mary E. DeMuth is a beautiful story of love, forgiveness and redemption like no other. DeMuth certainly writes to explain clearly that God does indeed have a personal plan for us and that He takes personal interest to ensure His children come home to Him! An amazing story that must be read!

G. A. Bixler
For Amazon Vine

Review: Terri Blackstock Writes Thriller on Intervention!

Intervention
By Terri Blackstock
Zondervan
324 Pages

Be prepared for Intervention! If you do not like to read true-to-life fiction, this book may be too realistic for you! But you will be missing, in my opinion, the best novel yet written by Terri Blackstock with her "Up All Night Fiction"!

Emily Covington is an 18-year-old drug addict. Her father died from cancer several years ago. They had been very close. Her mother, Barbara, had nursed her father during his long illness and now had to work even harder to provide an income for Emily and her brother Lance.

Barbara was always under a cloud of guilt for not being able to be with her children more and so when she tried to talk to Emily about the life-threatening decisions she was making, Emily knew to use that guilt to get her own way. Knowing this, Barbara felt that an outside individual might be more able to help. With the support and agreement of Lance, who was just 14, Barbara scheduled an Intervention.

When Trish Massey arrived, Barbara was concerned. She was a small woman, smoking a cigarette and drinking a caffeine-laden energy drink. Would she be able to handle Emily and get her back to the recovery center? By the time they were home and Trish had spent some private time with Emily, however, Emily had reluctantly agreed to go for the treatment.

Arriving in Atlanta, Emily used Trish's cell phone to call her mother and begged to allow her to come home. Refusing, Barbara then talked to Trish. That was the last time Barbara had talked to her daughter.

For Trish had been murdered in the airport-parking garage! Emily was seen on the security cameras running away from the car and getting into a large black sedan. And the police were looking for Emily for the murder!

Barbara dropped everything, including the work necessary to be awarded the chance to redecorate the Governor's mansion and keep her company solvent, and flew to Atlanta. After much begging, she took Lance with her and together they started their own investigation into what had happened to Emily. The difference for them was that they just wanted to find her!

But for Detective Kent Harlan, he was still naming her as the lead suspect for the murder of Trish. That is, until he met Barbara and Lance and listened to them talk about Emily. And began to piece together other clues that indicated that Emily could have actually been running away from Trish's car, in fear of her life!

A touch of romance as Kent takes a personal interest in helping Barbara find her daughter adds to the tense drama as it is discovered that Emily had definitely been kidnapped, the only lead being a text message, mom help me.

Blackstock is one of my favorite authors. You may find after reading Intervention, she'll be added to your must-read author list! Definitely 5+!

G. A. Bixler







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