Sunday, September 27, 2020

BLOG TOUR - Christmas Witness Conspiracy

Title:   Christmas Witness Conspiracy
AuthorMaggie K. Black
Series:  Protected Identities #4
PublisherLove Inspired Suspense
Genre:   Romantic Suspense
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   368
Date of Publication:   October 13, 2020
My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Reunited in peril…

The family he never knew is under siege.

Detective Liam Bearsmith’s life is turned upside down at Christmastime when the hacker he’s tracking turns out to be the witness he fell for twenty years ago. But Kelly Marshall insists she’s being framed, and he wants to believe her…especially after criminals attack them. Can he clear her name, even as he shields Kelly—and the family he never knew existed? 

BUY LINKS:

MY THOUGHTS:

Detective Liam Bearsmith is hot on the trail to a tracker. He is beside himself when he discovers that she is none other than the only woman who ever claimed his heart. Now he has to arrest her, but first he has to keep her alive, as there are bad guys at every turn trying to kill her. Her name is Kelly Marshall and they haven't seen each other in over two decades.

Not only are Liam and Kelly connected due to a crime that has taken place, they have a family connection that Liam was previously unaware of. She claims innocence, so just maybe Liam can save Kelly's life, and clear her name at the same time.

What an excellent story! As a Christian fiction romance, faith is part of the story, and that always a plus for me. However, there is a lot of suspense, especially when it comes to trying to stop a group of hackers before major damage is done in Canada. Then, the second chance romance between Liam and Kelly. As far as the suspense is concerned, the book is chock full. The intensity never lets up for one moment in this book, all while Liam and Kelly work together to repair the chasm that is between them.

Christmas Witness Conspiracy is the thrilling fourth book in the Protected Identities series. I hadn't read the previous books, and this book did quite well as a standalone. I did see several characters mentioned who were no doubt part of previous stories, so for those who enjoy the continuity they will enjoy those appearances.

Many thanks to Love Inspired Suspense and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.



Please enjoy the following excerpt:
Excerpt, CHRISTMAS WITNESS CONSPIRACY by Maggie K. Black

***

He turned and walked toward the restaurant, so quickly and firmly she couldn’t have grabbed his hand again if she’d wanted to. She followed him up the stairs and across the deck—the empty deck with its picnic tables inches deep in snow. He reached for the door, found it unlocked and pushed it open. They stepped into the restaurant. It was empty and dark. Chairs were stacked upside down on empty tables.

As the door clicked shut behind them, a young man in a thick beard stepped out from behind it and pressed the barrel of a gun to the side of Liam’s head.

“Down on your knees.” The voice was low and mean. His face was lost in shadows and the click of the gun was unmistakable. “You’re about to learn what happens to someone who tries to lie to Bill Leckie, and it ain’t going to be pretty.”

“You tell Bill, I didn’t cross him,” Liam said calmly, raising his hands, “and I await his apology when he figures that out. Now, tell me, what exactly does Bill think I’ve done?”

Then, before the man could even formulate an answer, Liam struck, apparently more interested in distracting his attacker long enough to get the upper hand than hearing what he had to say. Kelly watched as Liam spun toward the gun-wielding man, grabbing the weapon before he could even fire and slamming him into the wall. She felt a gust of wind and heard the door slam and click shut again. She blinked. Liam had disarmed his attacker, thrown him out and locked the door behind him, without even breaking a sweat. Then she felt Liam’s strong hand on her shoulder, guiding her and the still-sleeping baby underneath a table, sheltering them with his body.

“Stay here,” Liam whispered, his voice urgent. His face was just inches from hers. Worry flooded his eyes. “It’s an ambush. That guy won’t be alone and just because I was able to catch him off guard doesn’t mean the others won’t put up more of a fight.” Not to mention the guy he just locked outside would be trying to get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.”

Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them.

“Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.”

He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God get back in, no doubt. “There are other doors to this place, but we’d have to go through the kitchen or down the hallway, both of which are risky. This is an easier place to defend. Whatever Bill thinks I’ve done, he won’t want his goons hurting you or the baby. He’s got way too much honor than to allow a woman or child to get hurt on his watch, and has probably already told his attack dogs to leave you alone. I’m the one they’re after. I’ll get you out of here. Just promise me, if you get a clear path to escape, just take Pip and go, okay? Don’t wait for me and don’t look back.”

Before she could answer, his hand slid to the side of her face. His lips brushed over her forehead. Then he rolled back out into the room and leaped to his feet, knocking a table in front of Kelly and Pip’s hiding space as he did so, further shielding and protecting them.

“Like I told Bill, I have a woman and baby with me!” he shouted to the seemingly empty room. He tucked the gun he’d lifted into his belt. “If you’re Bill’s men you’ll know full well that hurting innocent women and children is against his code. Whatever his problem is, it’s with me, not them. And no weapon fire, please. The kid’s asleep and Bill won’t want you making things loud and scaring her awake.”

He sounded so calm and in control, as if he was the only person there who really understood what was going on. Kelly slid Pip’s car seat into the corner against the wall, sheltering it with her body and praying God would protect Pip from realizing they were in danger. Then Kelly crouched up onto the balls of her feet and looked out through gaps in the chairs and fallen table that barricaded her from view. As she watched, two more men, of varying heights, wearing plaid jackets and with full-length beards, stepped out of the shadows. Liam had been so convinced that Bill would protect them and he’d been wrong.

Lord, please keep us safe.

She watched as Liam raised his badge high.

“I’m Liam Bearsmith!” he shouted at the approaching men. “RCMP. Stand down! Now! Or I’ll arrest you for assaulting an officer.”



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maggie K. Black is an award-winning journalist and self-defense instructor. She's lived in the United States, Europe and Middle East, and left a piece of her heart in each. She now makes her home in Canada where she writes stories that make her heart race.



8 comments:

  1. This is a new author for me and looks tasty, but I cannot bring myself to read Christmas stories yet, I just can't

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  2. I love the cover! I usually only read historical Christian though.

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  3. Not one for me, but I am glad you enjoyed it! :)

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  4. Great review and how cute is that cover.

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  5. Amazing review Robin, this book looks and sounds like my kind of book that I would so love and enjoy reading. I am really glad you fully enjoyed reading this book. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post and for putting this book on my radar.

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  6. ooh I love Christmas books! Thanks for sharing this one :)

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