The Last Word by Kathy Herman

The Last Word
Book 2 Sophie Trace Trilogy
Kathy Herman
2009
David C Cook
Fiction/Christian/Suspense/Mystery

Book Source: B & B Media Group

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

Brill Jessup is the police chief of Sophie Trace, a small town, where she seems to attract trouble. Following a male chief, townsfolk are not sure she is the right "man" for the job, but she does seem to be clearing up the petty crime, now if she just wouldn't attract so much trouble. One of her detectives has been murdered, right under her nose, in the squad room. Another one stabbed in the parking lot of a restaurant, her former partner and the District Attorney have been murdered also and Brill is next on the list.

Adding to the stress of the situation, Brill and Kurt's twenty year old daughter came home for summer break from college seven months pregnant. A devout Christian family, they are sorely disappointed in Vanessa's choices to have premarital sex, but proud of her for not aborting the baby, as the father of the baby wished her to do. Faced with the decision of placing the child for adoption or raising the baby as a single mother, Vanessa is unsure of what to do. Already in love with the child she is carrying her heart cries out to keep her baby, but she knows it will not be an easy task.

Kurt is trying to keep his family safe, trying to keep his youngest daughter Emily from being upset and distressed by the events happening around them. Constant police protection, seems to lessen Emily's fears. He is also trying to understand Vanessa's decisions, and help guide her to wise choices. A husband of a police chief, he understands the danger his wife is in. Will his family survive this stress? Will they emerge from the threats of a mad man intact?

This is a fast paced novel, very intense. Very well written. It is the first book I have read by this author and I truly enjoyed the book. Definitely a four star book! Discussion questions for book clubs and groups end the book. 390 pages $14.99 US

Disclaimer, no payment was received for this review, only compensation was the book, sent from the publisher or publicist which was used to write the review