Traces of Guilt: (A Contemporary Cold Case Mystery & Suspense Romance) (An Evie Blackwell Cold Case)
Traces of Guilt: (A Contemporary Cold Case Mystery & Suspense Romance) (An Evie Blackwell Cold Case) book cover

Traces of Guilt: (A Contemporary Cold Case Mystery & Suspense Romance) (An Evie Blackwell Cold Case)

Paperback – May 3, 2016

by
Price
$10.16
Format
Paperback
Pages
400
Publisher
Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0764218866
Dimensions
5.43 x 1 x 8.27 inches
Weight
15.1 ounces

Description

From Publishers Weekly Launching a contemporary series, Henderson (Full Disclosure) introduces Evie Blackwell, a state cop tentatively being considered for a new governor's unsolved crimes task force. Evie begins with two Carin County, Ill., cases: a missing local sheriff's deputy and his family, and the case of a six-year old girl who goes missing while passing through the county on a family vacation. She teams with Gabriel Thane, the current local sheriff, whose father, Caleb, was sheriff at the time the disappearances occurred. With the exception of 10 pages encompassing a tedious interview with the missing family's counselor, Evie and Gabriel move quickly through leads and possibilities, enlisting help from Gabriel's two brothers and Caleb. Henderson's well-developed cast of supporting characters includes a few recognizable names from her previous novels. Romantic possibilities are raised, but Evie seems to be more concerned with overcoming doubts in a man's profession than she is with the man. Henderson treads very lightly in the faith department, keeping the investigations of the cold cases the focus of the story. Leaving as many mysteries in limbo as solved, Henderson ends this story with plenty of fodder for future installments. (May)\n She's turning up the heat on Carin County's cold cases . . . Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective . . . mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job.Gabriel Thane grew up in Carin County and is now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have. . . .When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it's to help launch a new task force focused on unsolved crimes across the state. She will work with the sheriff's department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases. As she studies old evidence to pull out a few tenuous new leads, she unearths surprising connections. One way or another, she knows Gabriel Thane and his family will be key to the answers she seeks."The mysteries explored in the story are nuanced and their resolutions surprising...The interplay of the characters is fascinating and sets up some intriguing scenarios for future installments." -- RT Book Reviews "Henderson's well-developed cast of supporting characters includes a few recognizable names from her previous novels...Leaving as many mysteries in limbo as solved, Henderson ends this story with plenty of fodder for future installments." --Publishers Weekly "The combination of dogged detective work and clever deductions that leads Evie to solve both cases is bound to please mystery fans, and the hint of attraction between Evie and Gabriel will keep romance readers intrigued enough to see how this relationship develops over the course of the series." --Booklist "Henderson's writing is crisp, and the gripping story line will keep readers on edge until the final page. A twisty plot in which nothing is as it seems. . . . Police procedural aficionados and the author's many readers will be lining up for this one." --Library Journal Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels, including Taken , Undetected , Unspoken, Full Disclosure , and the acclaimed O'Malley and Uncommon Heroes series. Her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion. Dee is a lifelong resident of Illinois. Learn more at www.deehenderson.com. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • A Riveting Cold-Case Mystery from Dee Henderson
  • Evie Blackwell loves her life as an Illinois State Police detective . . . mostly. She's very skilled at investigations and has steadily moved up through the ranks. She would like to find Mr. Right, but she has a hard time imagining how marriage could work, considering the demands of her job. Gabriel Thane
  • is a lifetime resident of Carin County and now its sheriff, a job he loves. Gabe is committed to upholding the law and cares deeply for the residents he's sworn to protect. He too would like to find a lifetime companion, a marriage like his parents have.When Evie arrives in Carin, Illinois, it's to help launch a new task force dedicated to reexamining unsolved crimes across the state. Spearheading this trial run, Evie will work with the sheriff's department on a couple of its most troubling missing-persons cases. As she reexamines old evidence to pull out a few tenuous new leads, she unearths a surprising connection . . . possibly to a third cold case. Evie's determined to solve the cases before she leaves Carin County, and Sheriff Thane, along with his family, will be key to those answers.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(2.1K)
★★★★
25%
(867)
★★★
15%
(520)
★★
7%
(243)
★
-7%
(-244)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Not a romance. Not a suspense. Not really even a mystery genre.

If you're such a fan of this author that you'll read anything she writes, then ignore this review. If you're expecting a romantic suspense like her early novels, though, then this isn't it. "Traces of Guilt" is general fiction, not a romantic suspense. Evie is happy as a single woman (by which she means she's happy dating a man who wants to marry her but whom she doesn't intend to marry). This doesn't change, but we don't meet her boyfriend.

The task force was looking at a bunch of cold cases, so there's no suspense. They talk about what might have happened and possible leads. They talk about what they did and what they discovered. They think and talk about how they feel very sad and how heartbreaking and painful it is to work these cases. We're rarely allowed to be "in on the action" with an actual scene of an interview or when finding physical evidence.

There were plenty of cases--a missing girl, a missing family, missing parents, two murdered pedophiles, and a woman in hiding from a killer--yet it's not a mystery genre. In two of the missing cases, they know whodunit. It's just a matter of finding the bodies, and they know where to look. There was no justice in those cases, just providing resolution. Gab and Evie also worked the missing family case, which got nowhere and Evie went home. Then, in the last chapter, a new, chance clue allowed Gab to solve the case, and Gab provided Evie (and the reader) with a brief summary of his investigation. [structure spoiler] We don't even know whodunit exists before this. [end spoiler] Again, no justice. And, for all her work, Evie didn't solve any of the mysteries.

Frankly, what we had were six viewpoint characters struggling emotionally with what happened in the past and what they want in the future. That was the focus of the story. The Thane family was nice, but I didn't really connect with the women characters. The Christian element was a few prayers and the fact that they go to church. There was no sex or bad language.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
14 people found this helpful
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Traces of Guilt – Dee Henderson (5 Stars)

Illinois State Police Detective Evie Blackwell arrives in Carin, Illinois, for a working vacation. As a potential member of the state’s new task force focused on solving previously unsolved cases, she has her eye on several crimes that have left local enforcement officers completely stumped. Carin County sheriff Gabriel Thane soon finds himself with an ambitious detective ready to dive into the community’s past, even as families of victims are hoping to finally receive resolution on cases that have shaken their hometowns. With the help of Gabriel and his brothers, Evie soon discovers that several missing person cases may be intertwined as new evidence surfaces from unexpected places.

Ms. Henderson returns with this captivating novel that introduces an entirely new cast of characters, while also featuring a few old friends from her previous books. One can only hope that Traces of Guilt serves as only the first of many stories featuring Evie Blackwell and her incredible detective skills.

Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Traces of Guilt. Ms. Henderson consistently produces some of the best Christian suspense novels in the genre and this novel is no exception. While her previous works have primarily taken place in and around Chicago, Traces of Guilt offers a more rural setting. Likewise, Evie Blackwell’s focus on cold cases presents a different type of story for Ms. Henderson’s fans, even as it continues to build upon characters and themes that have become essential elements of her previous works. In contrast to Ms. Henderson’s most recent novels, Traces of Guilt also follows a larger cast of characters and relationships, which are designed in such a way that they require a multi-book series to fully develop. Based on the fact that the novel’s cover page features the phrase “An Evie Blackwell Cold Case,” as well as the general story arch of the novel, readers are definitely left with the impression that Ms. Henderson will continue to build upon Evie’s character and many of the other characters introduced in this novel. Based on the excellent quality of Traces of Guilt, I eagerly await Ms. Henderson’s next work regardless.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the promotional copy of Traces of Guilt!

Thanks!
Brittany at BooksandBiscuits.com
11 people found this helpful
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Rather boring

This is a good book but it repeats itself on details too many times, there is little suspense and the characters are rather boring. Not a typical Henderson book, but her last three have been disappointing compared to her previous books. I wouldn't recommend it to friends.
7 people found this helpful
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... book by Dee Henderson although I’ve heard she’s a wonderful Christian author

This was the first time I’ve ever read a book by Dee Henderson although I’ve heard she’s a wonderful Christian author. I was intrigued by the title of the book, Traces of Guilt, when I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I assumed, from the title, that the book would be a great mystery and was looking forward to reading it.

The main character of the story is Evie Blackwell, an Illinois State Police Detective. Evie loves her job and puts everything she has into it. As dedicated as she is, Evie longs to be married but hasn’t yet found the right man and even if she did; she doesn’t have a clue how to balance her life with both a job and a man in it.

Evie is assigned to a task force that will begin looking at cold cases between five and fifteen years old. The police department needs a fresh pair of eyes to help them solve some of the cases and Evie is gung-ho to be part of the team.

The task force works together to discuss possible scenarios and leads. Some of the cases are solved and some are not but the story line kind of leaves us hanging here. I was looking forward to deep forensic type investigations but most of the cases were just lightly glossed over and not much attention was paid to detail.

Although this book was written by a Christian author, there wasn’t a lot of reference to Christ in the book or Scripture reference either. There were a few short prayers included and it was evident the characters were church goers but other than that, I would just have considered this a good, clean book for the general public.

All in all, the book was good but I kept wanting more. The writing was descriptive with well thought out scenarios and plots. Ms. Henderson writes in a way that is easy to read. The story flowed nicely although I needed a more intense story line or some sort of excitement to spark my interest a little more. I’m not sure I would recommend this book to others. It seemed slow in some parts and almost dead in others. On a star rating, I would probably give it a 2 just because I felt like there wasn’t enough excitement and energy to keep the characters engaged and interesting.

I would like to thank Bethany House Publishers for the opportunity to review this book. I was not encouraged to give a positive review, only an honest one.
5 people found this helpful
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Classic Dee Henderson with a slight twist.

I've been a fan of Dee Hendersons writing for a very long time. That being said I'm also extremely critical of any book I read. After taking a long break from writing Dee came back with a slightly different style. That being said her writing is still far above and beyond your average "romantic suspense" author. I've heard a lot of reviews say that this book was confusing being of the multiple view points it was written from and that the characters are far too similar to characters she has already written. It is true that the characters are similar to her past books in the fact that they are typically extremely strong male characters and somewhat scarred females with a past. What people seem to miss is that the recurring theme is not females being saved by men because they're too weak to save themselves. Quite the opposite, Dee Henderson books typically show a female who has been through more than anyone should ever have to handle and comes out stronger on the other side. As far as the multiple view points being "difficult to follow", I did not have an issue with that at all. I think that the way the book was written was what made it stay interesting all the way through. It gave the book a deeper element. I'll be the first to say I was a little disappointed when the O'Malley's appeared in the newer books with a slightly different take and different last names however I think this book proves that despite the recurring themes and patterns, Dee Henderson is still by far one of the most talented Christian authors you will ever find.
4 people found this helpful
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Not Dee's best in writing

Because I am a real fan of Dee Henderson, I have read all of her books, and enjoyed them tremendously. For me, I think reading from the beginning with Danger In The Shadows and through The O'Malley Series,on to other deep, penetrating stories will give you a real sense of her characters. She has a tendency to carry her characters through her works, so you can really appreciate the continuation you see, even though you may have to go back to previous reads to make the connection.

I was in agreement with some of the other reviews on Traces Of Guilt....................a little disappointed to not see the wholesomeness of relationships building to fruition in this story. I agree the O'Malley series was her best works, followed by Uncommon Heroes. The Healer in the O'Malley series requires a huge box of kleenex to go along with the crescendo as it leads to Jennifer's death. I for one have felt I knew each character and they became family to me. Reading and re-reading all of these books is not a negative for me. I have donated all of her books to women's shelters to enable them to see the best qualities in men, and to aspire to acquiring those qualities in relationships. I found myself purchasing the books all over again, to most probably share with others.

Bella
3 people found this helpful
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and the plot made me stick around even during parts I didn't like. Traces of Guilt was full of twists in ...

I have been a Dee Henderson fan for a long time, the O'Malley series is at the top of my list of well written, entertaining series. Yet Henderson's last few novels have not had that same effect on me, they just seem out of reach from reality. Traces of Guilt is an odd blend of the two styles of writing. Ann Falcon from the novel Full Disclosure comes and goes throughout the book bringing her unique drama and personality into the story. However, right in the middle of the book the old Dee Henderson (O'Malley) style comes back and I was thrilled, even though it didn't last long. That being said, the characters were well written, each scene developed to a tee, and the plot made me stick around even during parts I didn't like.

Traces of Guilt was full of twists in the characters lives, that will keep you guessing what is coming next. If you are a fan of the last few Henderson novels you won't find a thing wrong with this book, but if you are a die hard O'Malley fan, as I am, this book is a page turner with glimpses of what you know and love.

I was given this book free from Bethany House Publishing for my honest review.
2 people found this helpful
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Love the Evie Blackwell Cold Case books!

Any Dee Henderson book is a good read - and I especially enjoyed the Evie Blackwell cold case books. I've got most of Henderson's books and she's never disappointing!
1 people found this helpful
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Not Entertaining...Boring.

So disappointing. I haven't finished the book yet but I find it to be a chore to read. I've read many of Henderson's books and enjoyed them all. Unfortunately, this one is letting me down. I kept hoping it would get more interesting, but alas it is not to be. Now I'm just reading it to be done with it. I bought the second in the series at the same time but I'm not sure I want to read it. Very sad. I love to read but this was such a letdown.
1 people found this helpful
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The Thane family was an outstanding example of what a family should be like. I had heard many praises of this authors ...

This was my 1st read of Dee Henderson but it definitely won't be my last. Her writing is detailed, thorough and action filled. This story was moving with lots of mysteries and twists to keep it interesting. The Thane family was an outstanding example of what a family should be like. I had heard many praises of this authors writing and I was not disappointed.
1 people found this helpful

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