Title: Accused (Pacific Coast Justice Series #1)
Author: Janice Cantore
Story Length: 376
Year: 2012
Publisher: Tyndale
Wow, what a great story and fantastic start to a series! This is a fictional, law enforcement, suspense story set in a fictional city in California, Las Playas. The main character is Carly Edwards, a 30-something, divorced policewoman. She has been reassigned from her job as a patrol cop to a juvenile desk job as a disciplinary action as she was involved in a shooting where death occurred. Her exile is to last as long as litigation is in the works, so she is there indefinitely and doesn’t like it much.
Her ex-husband, Nick Anderson, also is on the police force in the same city and she tries her best to avoid him at all costs. She receives a phone call from Nick’s best friend, Jeff, asking her to meet him for dinner so they can talk about a case. She agrees and what he tells her changes her life forever. After asking Carly to keep her eyes and ears open for information and at the end of their conversation, he tells her to trust no one. Carly has a lot of trust issues with her ex-husband as he was unfaithful to her, which caused the breakup of their marriage, but she still believes he is an honest cop. She talks to him about the case and they begin a tentative working relationship. She also learns in the year she has avoided him and not talked to him Nick has become a Christian, the kind of person the both of them used to ridicule when they were married. Carly can see Nick has changed and begins to ask questions about God. She has been angry with God for five years as she sees God’s taking her father from her when he died of cancer. The case gets more and more complicated and attempts are made on her life. Who can she trust?
This is just a nail-biter of a story that readers won’t be able to put down. I read the whole book in a day because I just had to see how the case was resolved. There is lots of action, deception, faith and hope. The author is a former policewoman and that experience definitely translates throughout the story, making it realistic and plausible. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series, Abducted. Please don’t pass up this thrilling and exciting novel!
My rating is 5 stars.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/. Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )

Set in are area like Long Beach, this first novel introduces Carly Edwards, female detective solving some city corruption and murder. Has a Christian flavor to it! ( )

This was a story that left you guessing till the very end on who you could trust and who you couldn't. I like that in a book, where you just aren't sure about how it will all play out in the end. This was a new author for me and as she was in law enforcement before writing you get a real feel for what is happening in this book; it seems very real and true to life as you are reading.

Carly Edwards is a police officer doing her job and enjoying what she does. When the mayor in her city is killed and one of the suspects asks for her and swears his innocence Carly must try to figure out why everything around her seems to be missing pieces. Her ex-husband Nick, who Carly is trying hard to ever trust again when it comes to her heart, is someone she feels she can trust on this bizarre case she finds herself in. Caught between a fellow officer who seems to have gone bad, and other officers who she now works with, who seem to want to "break some rules", Carly must try to make some sense out of her life, her beliefs and her job. Carly is a lady who I came to understand and care for in this story. She is levelheaded, yet confused; she fights hard against her Mom's "religion" and later finds others who seem to share those same beliefs. She will find her life in danger as well as those she loves. I had a hard time putting this book down and enjoyed myself till the very end. It is suspenseful and thought-provoking and well worth the time to read. Looking forward to the next story in this Pacific Coast Justice Series. Good job Janice Cantore!

Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers, who thru NetGalley sent me this copy to read and review.
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1414358474
ISBN-13: 978-1414358475 ( )

Carly Edwards loves being an police officer but doesn't like serving in juvenile (where they placed her after she was involved in an officer-involved shooting). When the mayor is murdered and they arrest a troubled youth named Londy Atkins she is called to the scene. Carly interviews Londy hoping to gain a confession and be moved back to patrol where she really wants to be. Londy swears his innocence and as Carly talks with him she's inclined to believe him. Carly's ex-husband Nick is also an officer and feels Londy is telling the truth. Nick lost Carly because of a stupid mistake. He's since given his heart to the Lord and wants very much to prove to Carly that he's a changed man and win her back. But Carly isn't sure she wants to trust him again. As she continues to look into Londy's case she suspects things are not as they appear. But where can she turn and who can she trust?

Accused is an excellent, well-written, seat-gripping and soul-wrenching tale. I have not read anything by this author so didn't know what to expect but the cover really intrigued me. I promise you that once you pick up this book you will have a hard time putting in down. There were places in this story that actually caused me to gasp out-loud because it caught me by surprise. I also reached for the Kleenex as well. That's great writing that can do that. It felt in many ways like watching a movie because I could so clearly see in my mind how things played out. All the characters were very well developed and felt flesh and blood real. Their reactions and responses were true to life. You can tell this author used her vast experience as a police officer to give the story a real authenticity. I really appreciated how the spiritual message of hope was grafted so naturally into the story. It didn't feel forced or thrown-in and wasn't over-powering but it was powerful. You'll want to be sure an read the author interview at the end. If you like Dee Henderson and Anne Patrick then I would definitely recommend you pick up Accused! Be ready for some very fast page-flipping!!! Great job Janice!!! This is book 1 in the Pacific Coast Justice series. I am anxiously looking forward to the next installment!! A thank you goes to Tyndale for this complimentary ARC through Netgalley for my review.
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (February 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 1414358474
ISBN-13: 978-1414358475 ( )