//published 2017// Look, another solid cover, too! //
And here we are, the final Dee Henderson book! It’s been a long and interesting journey, one that I began just because I wanted to read this book, which was generously provided to me by the publisher, Bethany House. While I definitely appreciate the book, their gift doesn’t impact my review.
This is the second book with Evie Blackwell as the main character; we met her in Traces of Guilt. This book opens a few months later with the newly appointed Missing Persons Cold Case Task Force (I’m sure they have a shorter, catchier name, but I don’t remember it) taking on their first official set of cases. There are several members of the task force, but our story really only deals with one other member, David. His missing person is from the same area as Evie’s, so they set up shop together, and even though each of them is primarily focused on his or her own case, they swap ideas and information throughout.
David’s missing person is a private investigator, while Evie’s is a college student. Overall, it felt like Henderson did a good job balancing the two cases – they touch, but aren’t dependent on each other. David and Evie have a good relationship; they were already acquaintances, but now they are working together and even though their work styles are different, they balance. There’s not even a whiff of romance between them; both are involved in serious, steady relationships elsewhere, which makes their friendship more relaxed and comfortable.
There are definitely quite a few coincidences that crop up when the plot needs a nudge (although nothing quite as bad as Perfect Ann’s sweeping conclusion in the last book), and the ending wasn’t a complete cop-out, although it could have been a little tighter.
As always, Henderson handles the religious/Christian aspect of her stories really well. I know I’ve been busy complaining about a lot of her other books and haven’t touched on this much, but she’s one of the few people who writes Christians in a way that feels genuine and honest. They aren’t perfect people and they aren’t hypocritical puppets; they’re just realistic individuals who have made a commitment and are doing their best to follow it. Conversations on the topic always feel natural and very rarely verge into the preachy.
All in all, Threads of Suspicion was a solid read that left me feeling like I actually will pick up Henderson’s next book, especially if Evie makes a reappearance. I’ve had my ups and and a lot of downs with Henderson’s more recent novels, but this one is a good addition to her bibliography. 3.5/5 and recommended.
#5 for #20BooksofSummer!
The Aroma of Books 