Tag Archives: Janice Cantore

Edge of Truth – by Janice Cantore – Mystery, Intrigue, Suspense

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If you enjoy mystery and intrigue, you may want to read Janice Cantore’s newest book Edge of Truth. 

Lainie Jensen works for the Long Beach Police Department.  She’s a hardworking detective and committed to her work.  In recent years, Lainie has pull back in her relationship with her sister Evie, mostly because of Evie’s husband Stan.  But when news comes from Hawaii that she sister may have been kill in a shark attack, Lainie is going to investigate for herself.  Something is off and Stan’s story doesn’t make sense.  FBI Agent Ben Isaacs is also investigating Stan about his involvement in a money laundering operation.  Lainie and Ben’s investigations will overlap.  Will they be able to combine forces and get to the truth?  Will justice be delivered?

When Lainie started with the police force fifteen years earlier she had a difficult case in which the person escaped justice.  While she had to move forward, that case left a scar and it took a toll on her faith.  With her sister still missing, Lainie realizes that she needs to return to God.  Ben Isaacs is in the right place at the right time.  Not only to help with their interconnected investigations, but also to encourage Lainie’s faith in this time of trouble.  Will Lainie take a closer look at Ben, a man who is determined, committed, kind and caring.

Edge of Truth by Janice Cantore is filled with suspense, mystery, and intrigue and I especially enjoyed the setting in Long Beach.  I liked the growing relationship between Lainie and Ben and the professional relationships Lainie had with colleagues she had over the course of her career.  Also, Lainie’s love and care for her family.  Appreciated that this novel did not have profanity. 

Writer Janice Cantore is a former police officer from the Long Beach Police Department.  So, she brings realism to the story from a police perspective.  Edge of Truth will be released on February 17, 2026, and will be available online and at various retailers.  You can learn more about Janice and her books on her website: janicecantore.com. 

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complementary copy of Edge of Truth by Janice Cantore.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

Crisis Shot by Janice Cantore – If you like mysteries and police novels, give it a try.

Posted in Book Review, Crisis Shot, Janice Cantore, NetGalley, Tyndale House, Uncategorized by

I had previously read a novel by Janice Cantore and was looking forward to her new book Crisis Shot.

The story starts out with Long Beach Police Commander, Tess O’Rourke answering an emergency call where a fellow officer is imminent danger.  How Tess responds, right or wrong, will affect her future.  The story could be taken out today’s headline news, where every action a police officer takes is scrutinized and condemned, even when there is little merit to critic’s narrative.

When the fallout from Tess’ action doesn’t seem to be winding down, she decides to make a move to a small town in Oregon, with the hope of being able to resume the career she loves in law enforcement.  It a huge change in her life.  As Chief of Police in the small town of Rogue’s Hallow, she will be answering to the mayor and city council.  It might be a small town but even there, evil is at work.

I sort of liked the main character Tess, but didn’t feel like I got to know her well or really care about her like I wanted to.  There was a bit of a disconnect.  At first, I struggled with how Tess continually compared police work and what people were like in the small town compared where she had spent most of her life, in Long Beach, CA.  Then I realized if I had made such a drastic change in my life, I would likely be reflecting back on where I came from and what it was like back then.  The reader will get an understanding of how police work in a big city differs from a small town.  I liked how the relationships with fellow police officers changed as they worked with their new Police Chief.

The overall pace of the novel seemed to drag.  Tess encountered many obstacles and people seemed to be tight lipped and withheld important information.  I didn’t guess who the bad guy was, there weren’t a lot of clues along the way, just lots of suspicious behavior on the part of several towns people.  I didn’t really connect with the characters.  I didn’t come away from reading the book saying, “I can’t wait to find out what happens with Tess next.”  Something was missing, but I’m not sure what it was.

The Christian faith is a small part of the story.  Tess is not a believer, but there are several Christians she encounters along the way.  If there is a sequel I hope that Christian faith is a bigger part of the story.

Crisis Shot is okay.  I would definitely read Janice Cantore’s future books because of my good experience with her earlier novels.  If you like mysteries and police novels, give Crisis Shot by Janice Cantore a try and be sure to read some of her earlier books.

I would like to thank Tyndale House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Janice Cantore’s newest book Crisis Shot.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

 

 

Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore – Hits the Target

Posted in Book Review, Drawing Fire, Tyndale House by

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I love a good mystery filled with intrigue and interesting characters.  I hit the target with Drawing Fire by author Janice Cantore who is a former Long Beach police officer.  This is the first book I’ve read by Janice Cantore and I look forward to reading her earlier books.

Drawing Fire is filled with suspense and lots of action, but not at the expense of character development.  I really liked the characters and learning about what drives them and makes them tick.  The story takes place in Long Beach, California.  Having lived in So Cal for many years it was fun to read about the various locations and visualize the scenes.

I appreciate when a Christian author weaves their faith into the characters and storyline.  I thought that Janice did a good job in showing what a loving and supportive Christian community can be like.  It wasn’t contrived but flowed naturally as we learn about the characters and see them interact in everyday life and in crisis situations.

At the end of Drawing Fire there are twelve discussion questions which can be used for a book club or the individual reader.  I found the questions compelling as I remembered the characters and storyline and wondered how I might have responded.

When Drawing Fire concludes the readers will know who done it, but things aren’t neatly and perfectly tied up, which is kind of like real life.  It proves to be a good stopping off point because the characters will be continued in the next book of the Cold Case Justice series.  That’s a book I will want to read.

I would like to thank Tyndale Publishers for the opportunity to read Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore in exchange for an honest review.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.