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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

How Secrets Will Do Their Best to Kill You

by Chautona Havig · 12 Comments

Let's just say that Jane Doe was a delightful surprise of nail-biting suspense and faith-strengthening story-telling. Can't wait for more. via @chautonahavig

When I’m nearing the end of one of my own books and get on a writing roll, I don’t like to have to stop for anything. Eating, sleeping, trips to the smallest room of our house for obvious reasons to all except the dogs who plop themselves right outside the door to make sure no wolves climb in through the smallest window in the house and carry me off for dinner.

Silly dogs.

So, when I looked at my planner this week, I growled. No, really, I did. But that was probably because while I was looking at said planner, I was also playing tug-of-war with Neville LongBarkem, and he likes it when I growl during tug-time. I aim to please.

Still, I was frustrated. Here I am, at the most fun part of writing this book that I’m crazy in love with, and I have to stop to read a book?

So what if it’s suspense? Who cares if the synopsis sounds amazing? I’ve got work to do, people.

Confession time? Yeah, I thought I’d end up doing a boatload of skimming because characters would beg me to get back to work. And, further confession, I did… just a little bit. At the very beginning. But I’ll get to why in a minute.

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by Lillian Duncan before, but if this book is any indication of what she writes, I will be reading more. Especially since she takes a compell—wait. I’ll get to that in the review.

How Secrets Will Do Their Best to Kill You- Jane Doe Review

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. Additionally, I requested and received a free e-book copy of this novel and chose to tell you my thoughts without any other compensation.

How Secrets Will Do Their Best to Kill You

Okay, so maybe some secrets might keep you alive, too. I’ll admit that—WITSEC and all. Those are life-saving secrets. But other secrets… yeah. They might get you dead.

Raven learns this the hard way.

So, first… there’s the skimming thing I did. As the story kicks off, we’re treated to a horrific scene—one woman’s systematic and almost ritualistic torture and psychological reprogramming. I kept expecting it to end up being a rape thing. If it was, I either missed it in my bits of skimming or it didn’t happen. Either way, if it happened, it was so minor that I could miss it with a few dances across these words or those. I have issues with rape.

Lillian Duncan didn’t trigger those. Thank you.

Okay, as for the rest of the story… Wow. Duncan took a common suspense trope and twisted it into a new story that is sort of… sorry, but there’s no other good way to put it. Twisted. From the beginning, we know something big is going on, but we don’t know what or why. I mean, Raven was an investigative journalist. Let’s just say we know there’s more to her abduction than some random guy going, “I think I’ll take… um… her!” Bam. We’ve got ourselves a victim with no rhyme or reason? I think not.

Instead, we get several stories woven together—some as old as time. Others, new, unexpected ones. We have faith colliding with fear. Secrets shatter trust. Friendships forge in the toughest of times and when things ramp up even more… look out.

Now, was Jane Doe perfect?

Nope.While I loved the plot, the faith element, the characters, all of it… one thing didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The writing had… moments. I don’t know how else to put it. Too often I felt as if the author was informing me of the action or worse, explaining it.

And, there was one tiny line in the faith element that while solid and encouraging, sounded more self-help “empowerment” rather than the truth of Scripture. Those things took an incredible story and made it just really good.

Did you read that? The two things that I found “lacking” in this book “only” made it “really good.” I mean, come on! That’s just hardly worth mentioning.

So why did I do it?

Because avid readers of suspense will probably notice it. If those kinds of things bother you, this might not be the book for you (but I’d try it anyway. It’s really that good of a story). So good, that despite that tiny bit of a reservation, I’m calling it an “I loved it” five-star story.

Recommended for people who enjoy deep, multi-layered plots and characters, interesting settings, excellent pacing, and a desire to see justice served. Add a faith element that kept me thinking and encouraged the whole time I read, and you’ve got one solid book in Jane Doe. Can’t wait to read another by her.

Jane DoeAbout the Book

Book:  Jane Doe

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 26, 2020

A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She Wasn’t The Last Victim?

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .At first because she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.

Even though her fractured memory can’t recall every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim? Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

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Comments

  1. Paula Shreckhise says

    July 5, 2020 at 1:21 pm

    That looks incredible! Thanks for the heads up, though.

    Reply
  2. Caryl Kane says

    July 4, 2020 at 6:08 pm

    Wonderful review! Sounds like a page-turner. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  3. James Robert says

    July 4, 2020 at 4:39 am

    I encourage reading so having a family who loves to read I sure support.Thanks for sharing your terrific read with us.

    Reply
  4. Emma says

    July 3, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    You always have a way of making me want to read a book for myself!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 4, 2020 at 7:20 am

      I love fiction… I love seeing faith playing out on the page so I can see what God’s hand might look like in someone else’s life. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Debbie P says

    July 3, 2020 at 2:06 pm

    This sounds like a really great read.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      July 4, 2020 at 7:20 am

      It’s a really enjoyable one.

      Reply
  6. Amelia says

    July 3, 2020 at 10:32 am

    Thanks for the review!

    Reply
  7. Rita Wray says

    July 3, 2020 at 8:16 am

    Sounds like a great read.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Jane Doe Author Interview and GIVEAWAY! | For the Love of Literature says:
    July 12, 2020 at 12:32 am

    […] Just the Write Escape, July 3 […]

    Reply
  2. Jane Doe by Lillian Duncan with a giveaway | bigreadersite's Blog says:
    July 11, 2020 at 10:58 pm

    […] Just the Write Escape, July 3 […]

    Reply
  3. Jane Doe – A Review and Giveaway – Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy says:
    July 11, 2020 at 6:59 am

    […] Just the Write Escape, July 3 […]

    Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

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Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 265: A Chat with Karen Witemeyer
byChautona Havig

Nothing says fairy tale like a sweet western romance by an author like Karen Witemeyer… unless it’s a fairytale retelling set in Texas in the late 19th century, right?  Fairest of Heart takes the familiar “Snow White” and turns it on its head with retired cowboys, a self-absorbed actress, a Texas Ranger, and a sweet girl who knows the true Source of her beauty.  Listen in to see all the genius Easter eggs Witemeyer planted in this book.

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Sometimes All a Girl Needs Is a True Change of Heart

I fell in love with the cover of Karen Witemeyer’s Head Over Heels a few years back (only to learn it’s much older than that, even), and meant to read that book.  I didn’t.  #BecauseIdiot. Well, that’ll be rectified just as soon as I’m done listening to her first book in a trilogy of fairytale retellings. I loaded it up on my Audible app tonight and wheeeeeeee. Here I go! So much for no new books until October. HA! 

Karen talks about her heart for young women today and how they’re taught by every bit of media blasting at them that they need to use their bodies to get what they need or want when the Lord has a better plan. And I can’t guarantee it, but I strongly suspect she does it without preaching. SQUEE!

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer

Once upon a time in Texas . . .

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters–and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas Ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young lady found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope’s acting troupe, and all evidence points to Penelope’s guilt. But Titus might just be convinced that the fairest woman of all has a heart as pure as her last name . . . if only he can prove it.

You can learn more about Karen Witemeyer and her books on her WEBSITE. Don’t forget the book is 30% off on BakerBookHouse.com.  

Follow Karen on BookBub and GoodReads.

And don’t forget her Posse Group on Facebook.

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Episode 265: A Chat with Karen Witemeyer
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