Book Review, Author Interview & Giveaway: ‘Cold Case Trail’ by Sharee Stover

Following the clues

could be the last thing they do…

Temporarily working in the cold case division was supposed to mean less danger for state trooper Trey Jackson and his injured K-9 partner, Magnum—until they thwart an abduction. Now he must protect profiler Justine Stark, even as she blames him for her friend’s death ten years ago. Can he right past wrongs by finally solving the murder…and making sure Justine lives to find closure?

From Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Hello Sharee! I am delighted to have you today and it’s so kind of you to take the time to join us and answer a few questions. I am a huge fan of suspense and your books are just right up my alley.

1. How did your writing journey begin?

I’ve always loved writing and as a kid, my favorite “toy” was an antique typewriter. It wasn’t until my youngest daughter was born that I discovered the desire to write stories. I first thought I’d focus on devotionals, but the journey took me a whole different direction and a decade later, I’m writing romantic suspense and loving every minute of it.

2. What does a writing day look like for you?

I am a creature of habit, so every day starts with an early morning workout with my husband and our German Shepherd. Coffee and time with Jesus are a must before I settle into my office. On days where I’m writing a new story, I start from notes I made the day before. If I’m plotting, I may start out reading research materials or brainstorming with my critique partners. 

3. Do you have a certain area dedicated for your writing?

I do! I have a basement office without windows which is a positive and a negative. I’m easily distracted so not having windows helps me stay focused, but I do miss watching the birds and rabbits in the yard. However, I can close the door and pretend the laundry isn’t taunting me, too. So that’s helpful.

4.  How big a part does prayer play in your writing?

Praying is a non-negotiable absolute MUST HAVE. I pray before I start writing in the morning and throughout the day. I cannot be creative without the Lord.

5. How do you come up with ideas for books?

Ideas come from all over the place. Sometimes it’s a true crime TV show, or an article…books, magazines, sometimes even just a location or building will spark an idea. Usually, it happens when I least expect it to.

6. Do you read the same genre you write? 

I have always been an avid reader. I do read a lot of romantic suspense, but crime fiction is my favorite genre. I also enjoy historical and woman’s fiction.

7.  I loved the dog Magnum in this story so much!  I know you have a dog, too.  Tell us about him and if possible, give us a picture of him.  

Magnum was a blast to write, and I had to remind myself he isn’t real. He’s so fun! Our dog did inspire Magnum’s characteristics.

I could talk for hours about my sweet boy, Niko. He’s an eight year old full bred German Shepherd who is a huge part of our family—no pun intended at 100 lbs.—with an equally large personality. He is brilliantly smart, so training him was almost too easy. He never counter-surfs, doesn’t get into the trash, and has never chewed up anything in the house. He’s super laid back and easy going except for his daily walks. So regardless of the weather, my husband and I are out in the elements to walk Niko. If I’m late getting out of bed in the morning, he lovingly slams against the side of the bed and sticks a cold nose in my face to wake me.

He kind of thinks he owns the neighborhood too.

On the rare occasions when we can’t walk, he shows his frustration by throwing himself down in a temper tantrum and gives an exasperated sigh like the character Lilo in Disney’s Lilo and Stitch. It cracks me up.

He loves his rubber ball but refuses to give it back when you throw it. When we take our walks, he carries the ball like a giant pacifier. And a secret about Niko…he’s afraid of the dark. Shhh, don’t tell him I told you, he’d be so embarrassed. He will not go outside after the sun has gone down unless we accompany him with a flashlight to do his business. And Niko gives the best hugs. He is a great listener too and I spend most of my day talking to him about everything from life to story ideas.

8.  I know your husband is in law enforcement.  First of all, bravo to him!  I pray for law enforcement daily.  Do you use him to help you, such as answering questions about law enforcement?  (If this is an okay question.)

Thank you for praying for law enforcement!! From our family I assure you those prayers are very appreciated. My husband is my real-life-hero both in the public life of his job and in our family. He always reads my books before I send them to my editor and he’s a wonderful resource, always willing to shoot holes in my plots to make the story stronger. He walks through my danger scenes to make sure they’re accurate. And his favorite response to any question I ask is, “it depends” which makes me crazy. LOL. He is my most valuable resources as a subject matter expert and prays through my books with me. And when it’s deadline time, he willingly takes over house duties to give me time to write. I could never have embraced the dream to write without his love and support.9.  What do you want readers to take away from this book?  

9. What do you hope readers take away from this book?

I think books speak differently to readers, but I hope the biggest take away is that God’s love is immeasurable and unending. And God’s forgiveness is irrevocable. Justine’s painful past makes it hard for her to believe she can be loved, and Trey’s sense of duty and responsibility interfere with the reminder that God has a plan for each person. We can absolutely trust God with our past, present and future. 

So, I loved ‘meeting’ Niko here. We had a German Shepherd Dog named Samson many years ago and they are the best breed! Sharee has agreed to share a photo of Niko. I love him!

‘Would working Kayla’s case expose everything Justine had spent her adult life escaping?’

I only recently discovered this author’s work and I am now a huge fan. She certainly knows how to hit the ground running with the suspense and continue to ratchet it up throughout the book. Reading this one, I just kept casting about in my mind trying to figure out who the culprit was. That, dear reader, is the mark of a good suspense author. You can’t figure it out until they decide to let you figure it out.

‘Three days to solve a ten-year-old murder. Next they’d want him to explain the Bermuda Triangle.’

Stover populates this book with great characters, the two main ones especially great. We do see a few old friends from an earlier book, which was so nice. Even the bad guys are really good bad guys. Now good, mind you, but good bad guy characters. And the dog Magnum was a definite hero in this story. I loved him! Well done!

My thanks to Love Inspired Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. I was not expected to leave a positive review. The opinion here is entirely my own.

Here’s how you can win a digital copy of this book:

Simply comment on this blog post with your full name and email in a non spammy formula by May 26, 2021. I will notify the winner by their email and they will have 24 hours to respond. If no response is found, a new name will be picked. Good luck!

Publisher: Love Inspired
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Length: 205 pages
Buy link: Cold Case Trail (Love Inspired Suspense) – Kindle edition by Stover, Sharee. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.