Bound by Guilt

February 15, 2011

As a foster child, Roxi Gold doesn't have much choice about the direction of her life. She either travels with her foster parents across the country stealing rare books or gets tossed out onto the street. What she wants more than anything is a real family to claim her. Abby Dawson is a policewoman in Carol Stream, IL. Having lost custody of her daughter to her ex-husband, she also longs for a family. The two cross paths when a crime wounds an innocent man. VERDICT Darlington's Thicker Than Blood won the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild's 2008 Operation First Novel contest. Her second novel will appeal to readers who enjoy suspense in which the characters overcome doubts about their faith.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2011
The winner of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guilds 2008 Operation First Novel contest is back with a story of the heartache of abandonment and the power of true forgiveness. Sixteen-year-old Roxi can only dream of what being a part of a real family would feel like, after being shuffled through the foster care system to end up living in an RV with a thieving family. Through a tragic set of events, her path is intertwined with that of Abby Dawson, a divorced cop desperately trying to reconnect with her daughter when her brother is murdered, the victim of a burglary gone wrong in his rare book store. Peppered with intense moments of suspense as well as grace, Darlingtons latest provides fans of Christian womens fiction with a solid page-turner that may also intrigue readers interested in rare books and fans of inspirational crime fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)