Accused

An officer-involved-shooting puts Officer Carly Edwards of the Las Playas, California police department on a desk assignment, but she is still there long after the investigation is complete. The press sensationalism and a comment taken out of context have long reaching and forever lasting effects on her career. From the death of her father to a career in a perpetual standstill and a divorce final from a cheating husband, Carly rejects faith. However, her career situation changes due to a telephone call, when the mayor is found dead in the trunk of a car, and in an instant, Carly sees her chance to get back into action at the job she loves. The juvenile suspect requests to speak to Carly because he knows her mother, personally. However, when Carly hears his name, she has nothing on her mind but getting his confession. Hadn't she told her mother that faith wouldn't change that kid—or any other—for even a minute? This murder proves how right she was about faith and about him. Carly wants to tell the juvenile that he's playing the faith card with the wrong cop, but she is listening to get him to talk. As the police tactic goes, get him to feel you will understand, and you might walk out with a confession. Nevertheless, a confession doesn't come. However, something else happens that Carly doesn't expect. She believes him. Positive he or his "accomplice" did not kill the mayor, Carly's left with many niggling questions. Now, she needs the one person that she can trust, in police matters. But going to Nick will cause many other problems in her personal life; her former husband actually expects that one day Carly will believe that's he's a changed man. He's not. She knows it. However, she does need help. Suspecting a cover-up with this kid as fall guy leads Carly to set out on her own, and soon she's the one running from the law. My Take: Janice Cantori writes from a fascinating perspective. As a former law enforcement professional, she uses her knowledge and skills to add police procedure then blend it with fiction and faith to provide a compelling read in ACCUSED. She portrays real-to-life characters carrying heavy burdens with nothing to guide their way, but just like people, her characters change, grow, and find faith in the most tension filled circumstances. The next title in the Pacific Justice Series Book 2, ABDUCTED, will release August 2012. ***Though the publisher provides the free book, I offer the opinion.***

Unpredictable and entertaining enough that I am acquiring other books by Janice Cantore