Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Before I Wake
Author: Dee Henderson
Publisher: Tyndale
ISBN: 1-4143-0815-9
Release Date: September 2006
Genre/Sub-genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Year/Setting: Current/Justice, IL
Overall Rating: 5.0
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity) Rating: Mild
Violent Content Rating: Moderate
Dee's Website: www.deehenderson.com
Rae Gabriella has lived the adventuresome life and is ready to get off of that rollercoaster. She has spent the recent years as an undercover FBI agent and her last case ended with her being hurt and the outcome not being what she would have desired. To that end, Rae has decided to put away life as an agent and move onto something else. She isn’t entirely sure what that will be. Her uncle has offered to let her work part time for him (he cleans up crime scenes) and while she agrees to help out in order to keep busy, she knows this isn’t what she wants to do.
Her answer seems to be heaven sent when one of her oldest friends shows up to help her move. He too was once an undercover dealing with drugs so he understands what is going on (or at least as much as she has shared). He picked up stakes and moved to Justice, IL where he has established his own private investigation firm and is now inviting her to join him. Since Rae doesn’t have much else on her plate right now and really needs a friend, she decides to take him up on it.
Upon arriving in Justice, Rae finds the town to be quaint and the people nice but there is trouble just on the outskirts. Sheriff Nathan Justice is beginning to really get his hands full. The normal business is one thing but on top it the city’s largest employer has its employees out on strike and things aren’t looking good. Not only is the company in some financial trouble but there is talk of them bringing in strikebreakers. Things could really get ugly very fast.
Yeah, the strike could get ugly but things got even uglier much faster than anyone anticipated. A woman at the hotel is found dead. While it appears to be natural causes there are just too many things that make the hair on the back of the sheriff’s neck rise. However, with the strike, he can’t devote the time or the manpower to checking this out more. To top it off, he is very intrigued by the new woman in town who just happens to be the last women to see the dead woman alive.
He is actually relieved when the family of this dead woman hires Rae to find out how their daughter’s last days were spent. Just maybe something will get under control.
Have you ever had a book that when it finished you sat back and thought oh my? Well, this is one. Dee Henderson does a fabulous job of pulling the reader into the work and getting them to be part of the story. There is a bit of a triangle developing between Bruce, Nathan and Rae. Bruce is a man she once almost married and Nathan is quickly becoming more than just a friend. The twists and turns the plot takes are great and keep the reader always on their toes. Each word becomes something you focus on so you don’t miss anything. The characters are real and deep as they deal with very raw, current situations.
The oh my part comes though in that everything isn’t solved by the end. As readers we get very used to everything being wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end of the story. This book is obviously going to be a series with more great installments to come. Now don’t get me wrong, if Before I Wake is the only one you ever read, you aren’t left hanging out in left field. However, it sure leaves you ready for the next book. Can’t wait, Dee!!
Lori
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Lori know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews