The Cutaway by Christina Kovac @christina_kovac #Suspense #Thriller #TVNews

The Plot:

The Cutaway draws you into the tangled world of corruption and cover-up as a young television producer investigates the disappearance of a beautiful Georgetown lawyer in this stunning psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn.

When brilliant TV news producer Virginia Knightly receives a disturbing “MISSING” notice on her desk related to the disappearance of a beautiful young attorney, she can’t seem to shake the image from her head. Despite skepticism from her colleagues, Knightly suspects this ambitious young lawyer may be at the heart of something far more sinister, especially since she was last seen leaving an upscale restaurant after a domestic dispute. Yet, as the only woman of power at her station, Knightly quickly finds herself investigating on her own.

Risking her career, her life, and perhaps even her own sanity, Knightly dives deep into the dark underbelly of Washington, DC business and politics in an investigation that will drag her mercilessly through the inextricable webs of corruption that bind the press, the police, and politics in our nation’s capital.

About the Author:

Christina Kovac managed newsrooms and produced crime and political stories in the District. Her career as a television journalist began with Fox 5’s Ten O’Clock News, followed by the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C. For the last nine years, she worked at the Washington Bureau of NBC News. She lives with her family outside of Washington, D.C.

Review:

I started out working at the National Public Radio affiliate in Charleston, S.C. One of our producers recognized my writing talent and mentored me. But one thing I learned while working with her was that I don’t have the attitude for hard news. If the Secret Service tells me to stand behind a certain line, I’ll do so. Mine won’t be the hand with the microphone snaking out of the crowd to get Prince Charles to answer at least one question before being dragged back behind the line—as my mentor was.

Virginia Knightly is who I’d like to be if I ever grow up. She’ll get behind that line and talk the Secret Service into letting her stay. In fact, she’ll convince Prince Charles he needs to talk to her. And if he’s done anything wrong, she’ll prove it, even if she has to risk her life to do so. As she does when Evelyn Carney goes missing.

Ms. Kovac created a cast of compelling, intriguing characters. Then she put them into a fast-paced book I couldn’t put down. In fact, when my granddaughter texted and said she was on her way to pick me up for my great-granddaughter’s birthday party, I texted “Okay,” and continued reading when I should have been grabbing my coat and running out the door. I was annoyed when she texted “Here.” That’s really bad.

Furthermore, I couldn’t figure out who did it. First I thought it was one person, and then another, and then someone else, and back again. It was difficult to tell who was telling the whole truth, part of the truth, or just flat-out lying. Plus, it was all mixed in with an upheaval back at the station. And did I mention she actually uses good grammar? Heaven!

Any book that almost makes me miss my great-granddaughter’s fifth birthday party is an absolute MUST READ!

Author Website:  https://www.christinakovac.com/

Warnings:  None

Length:  320 Pages

Prices:

Print:  $26.00

Digital:  $13.99

Buy Link:  https://smile.amazon.com/ dp/1501141694

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To Protect and Serve by Staci Stallings

Blurb:

To save others’ lives, they will risk their own…

Houston firefighter, Jeff Taylor is a fireman’s fireman. He’s not afraid of anything, and no situation is too dangerous to keep him on the sideline if lives are at stake.

Lisa Matheson runs a semi-successful ad agency that’s on the brink of falling apart. Her employees are incompetent and her schedule has become exhausting. When she takes on a client with a brilliant idea for a big conference, she thinks that maybe, finally this is her lucky break. However, the fire station wasn’t what she had in mind for finding conference speakers. When she falls for a handsome but shy firefighter, it’s possible that life might just be going her way for a change. The only problem is she can’t control Jeff and the death wish he seems to have…

Donna's review:

Both Jeff Taylor and Lisa Matheson have some serious issues that have kept them from forming any sort of emotional attachments as adults. While there are some action scenes of fires in this book, it is largely an emotional read. Both Lisa and Jeff must come to terms with their past and their present if they are to forge a happily ever after with each other. Stallings does a great job building and peeling the layers away in slow increments so that the story is driven towards the end.

The portrayal of a firefighter’s angst and the trauma their family and loved ones endure for these men to follow their career is also well down. I am ashamed to admit I had never really given these men a lot of thought. They truly do put their lives on the line every day for the public.

I will say there were times the story drags a bit, and I often thought it could have been said in fewer words. Stalling’s style is not particularly unique, but her sentences for the most part flow and the story is read easily. There are a few turns of phrases she occasionally uses that did cause me to scratch my head and reread.

I also found the formatting a bit confusing. I read a kindle edition, so I can’t speak for the paperback. There were times it was not clear that the story was moving to a different point of view and it pulled me out.

Stallings writes Christian Fiction, so there is no premarital sex in this one. The heat level is relatively low and confined to the feelings of both characters and light kissing. However, it is taken for granted that both main characters are already Christians. There is no conversion for anybody in this book, and neither character had a particularly racy past.

An enjoyable, heart breaking read from start to finish. (Yes, I cried at one point, maybe two.) The plot is well done. The characters are believable. The pacing, except in a few instances, is quick.

I had a hard time putting this one down. 

Four roses!

Length:  352 pages

Prices:

Print:  $ 12.70

Digital:  $ 0.00

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Protect-Serve-Contemporary-Christian-Romance-ebook/dp/B008391QB2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426792279&sr=8-1&keywords=stallings+staci+protect

Thanks for visiting. Rose, Julie Donna & Rochelle