The Witness

Police Chief Luke Granger's witness to a murder, Amy Griffin, has been on the run for years. Her family thinks she was murdered eight years ago, but Amy chose to accept a life in the shadows in order to protect her sisters' lives. Now unveiled secrets about their father have thrust the sisters into the public spotlight. The man who wants Amy dead now sees her sisters as the way to locate her. Luke and two of his homicide detectives are determined to stand in the way. They are each falling in love with a different sister, and it's become a personal mission to keep them safe. But chances are that at least one of them will fail, and facing the future will take a faith deeper than any of them currently knows. Tyndale House Publishers

She lived in the shadows. Now unveiled secrets endanger her life . . . and her heart.

Publishers Weekly

This latest romantic thriller from Henderson (the two series O'Malley and Uncommon Heroes) and her first with Tyndale House has the elements that have made her so popular in the inspirational Christian market: interesting characters, an intriguing plot and fast pacing. Amanda Griffin is deep in hiding, using various aliases to fly under the radar of nefarious criminal interests. When she witnesses a multiple murder, Deputy Chief of Police Luke Granger befriends her. He fails to convince Amanda to come out of hiding, however. Three years later, Amanda's story and that of two newly minted millionaire sisters come together, and Luke finds his interest in Amanda becoming more personal. There is a foreshadowing of tragedy, and Henderson isn't afraid to kill off a beloved character in the interest of a compelling plot. She does an admirable job dispensing just the right amount of information, and her penchant for resilient women characters is endearing. Yet despite mostly strong writing, her dialogue is sometimes stiff and a few plot segments strain credibility (e.g., Amanda working incognito at a jewelry store in her sisters' hometown). Better is the well-paced action, the romance, and Henderson's integration of faith themes. The conclusion tapers off, a major disappointing note in this otherwise engrossing stand-alone entertainment. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Dee Henderson is the author of fourteen best-selling novels, including the acclaimed O’Malley series and the Uncommon Heroes series. As a leader in the inspirational romantic suspense category, her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards including the RWA’s RITA Award, the Christy Award, the ECPA Gold Medallion, the Holt Medallion, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Golden Quill. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois and is active online. Visit her at www.deehenderson.com.