‘Pursuit of Justice’ by DiAnn Mills – Book Review

One of my favorite book genres is Christian Suspense. An offshoot of that genre is Christian Romantic Suspense. The latest book I’ve read, ‘Pursuit of Justice’ by DiAnn Mills falls into that category.

Here is the synopsis of this novel:

For centuries, the legend of the Spider Rock Treasure has lured people to West Texas with promises of unimaginable wealth. And it just claimed three more victims.

Did they fall prey to the legend’s curse or just get too close to someone else’s discovery? To investigate the murders, the FBI calls in one of its most promising up-and-comers-Special Agent Bella Jordan. What they don’t know is that one of their prime suspects is deeply connected to the past she’s been running from for fourteen years.

As Bella begins to sift through evidence, another murder and threats on her own life convince her she’s hunting an experienced killer…and he’s not working alone. To catch the suspect before he catches her, Bella must draw on all her skills and instincts and gather the courage to face the memories she’s managed so hard to forget.

Here is the biography of this author:

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. DiAnn’s first book was published in 1998. She currently has more than fifty books in print, including three books in the ‘Call of Duty’ series, Sworn to Protect, Breach of Trust and Pursuit of Justice. There are more than one and a half million copies of her books in print.

Six of her books have appeared on the CBA best-seller list. Six of her books have either won or placed in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year contest, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Award finalist for Lightning and Lace in 2008 and for Breach of Trust in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive; Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love chapter; and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also the Craftsman mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.

Her latest releases are A Woman Called Sage and Sworn to Protect.  

DiAnn lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband.

Here is the trailer for this interesting novel:

I was impressed with how far Bella Jordan made it in life considering the many obstacles she had to overcome from her early years. I was even more impressed when she made one of the most important decisions one can make in life (you will have to read the book to find out which decision she made!). I was encouraged to see how much she’d grown as a person from the beginning of the book to the end. And I was highly satisfied with the ending.

It was interesting to read a book set in West Texas (near Ballinger, Texas in Runnels County), a locale that is so different from southeastern Michigan/Metro Detroit, where I live. Ms. Mills certainly painted a beautiful portrait of the scenery. Here is Bella describing a sunrise:

Bella gasped, and he [Carr] followed her gaze to the eastern sky. “If I did see a sunrise this beautiful, I don’t remember it. It’s as if a huge bonfire has ignited the sky.” (p. 194)

The Spider Rock Treasure angle of the book was interesting; I had never heard of that legend. I love reading novels that incorporate truths into them; it is nice to learn somewhere when reading non-fiction, and not just being entertained! Here is Ms. Mills explaining how she learned of it:

A few years ago, while visiting a friend in West Texas, I was told about the legend of the Spider Rock treasure. My friend even knew people who continued to look for the lost Spanish gold. Immediately I became interested, not to embark upon a digging expedition but to write a contemporary story about this legend. I snatched up every article and book I could find about Spider Rock, and I began interviewing treasure hunters and dreaming about a romantic suspense novel that used this information.

I made a second trip to West Texas for the sole purpose of setting the stage for my story and visiting sites mentioned in the Spider Rock research. What fun! I lived Belle’s life vicariously while my mind spun with possibilities. (p. 369)

I liked this book. It kept me turning the pages to discover who was wreaking havoc in so many lives. There were some twists and turns, but not so many that I lost interest or track of the plot. It would make a great book to take with on vacation or a day trip to the beach.

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Tyndale Fiction and provided by them for review purposes.