Critical Pursuit

Critical Pursuit
Janice Cantore
(Tyndale House Publishers)
ISBN: 978-1414375533
September 2013/384 pages/$13.99
Officer Brinna Caruso has built a reputation at the precinct as the cop to call when a child goes missing. For Brinna, it’s personal because she was once one of them. Brinna and her K-9 search and rescue dog, Hero, will stop at nothing to find a missing child, no matter the stakes.

Detective Jack O’Reilly isn’t ready to return to his homicide duties, after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He’s on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he’s assigned as Brinna’s partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.

Skeptical of Jack’s motives, Brinna isn’t sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Janice Cantore is a retired Long Beach police officer who now writes suspense novels to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Her twenty-two years of experience on the force lend authenticity to her stories. Her Pacific Coast Justice series has met with critical acclaim. Critical Pursuit is the first book in her latest series.

Visit Janice's website at www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook.

MY THOUGHTS

Authors are often told to "write what you know" and it is obvious that Janice Cantore's experience as a police officer brings an authenticity that adds a level of suspense and a "shudder factor" to her novels. I could not have read this book ten or twelve years ago when my girl was little. The story is captivating enough when focused on the perspective of Officer Brinna Caruso and Detective Jack O'Reilly. When occasional chapters began giving a glimpse of the sicko's creep's perpetrator's mindset and plotting, the tension ratcheted up exponentially! Had that been all there was to the book, there would have been no point in reading it. However, Cantore's character portrayals and spiritual authenticity made this book impossible to put down. Both Officer Brinna Caruso and Detective Jack O'Reilly are deeply wounded individuals from the tragedies they have experienced. Brinna is convinced God doesn't exist, in spite of the relentless attempt by her believing mother to convince her otherwise. Jack has given up on his faith as a result of the tragic death of his pregnant wife and shuns any attempt by his friends to guide him back to God. Their raw honesty as they contend with each other and deal with their issues in the midst of some harrowing situations is gripping and thought-provoking. I picked this book up after dinner on a quiet night and didn't quit reading until I reached the end, much past my bedtime. Obtaining a copy of this book should be your next Critical Pursuit!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”