Firewall

May 5, 2014
In this first installment of Christy Award–winning Mills’s Deadly Pursuit trilogy, beautiful but socially awkward Taryn Young marries Francis “Shep” Shepherd after a brief courtship. Acutely aware of the national importance of her software design skills, she is hooked by Shep’s appreciation of her work. But as they board a plane for their honeymoon, a bomb explodes. Shep disappears; airport tapes show him fleeing just before the explosion. FBI agent Vince Bradshaw accuses Taryn of planting the bomb with Shep. But Bradshaw’s partner, Grayson Hall, believes Taryn’s protests of innocence. Hall and Taryn join forces to find the connection between the bombing and the security software she is developing—and to find their respective paths back to God. The murder of Taryn’s best friend Claire and the abduction of Claire’s daughter, Taryn’s godchild, raise the stakes higher. The surprising identities and motives of those villains, and the growing trust between Taryn and Grayson, will keep readers turning pages in this fast-moving, intricately plotted thriller. Agent: Janet K. Grant, Books & Such Literary Management.

Starred review from June 15, 2014

Taryn Young cannot believe her good fortune. Barely three months ago she met Francis Shepherd, the man of her dreams, and now she will be traveling with him to Puerto Rico on their honeymoon. Before they can board their plane, though, the Houston airport terminal is bombed. Taryn is injured, her husband is missing, and the FBI considers the couple their prime suspects in the explosion, although agent Grayson Hall believes Taryn might have been set up. VERDICT In her series launch, the Christy Award-winning Mills ("Call of Duty" series) skillfully builds a menacing overall tone, and the tension level rises as layers of lies are peeled away in multiple plot twists. This novel, which takes off at a breakneck pace with a narrative arc that could have been ripped from today's headlines, will greatly appeal to fans of James Patterson's "Alex Cross" series and readers who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
Taryn Young is a brilliant software developer, but after she allows her heart to fool her head, she finds herself in more trouble than she could have ever imagined. She is now the sole suspect in a major FBI case and must convince the agents in charge that she, too, is a victim. Agent Grayson Hall has been assigned to her case, and despite his professional judgment and his partner's instincts, he wants to believe Taryn and protect her. The two forge an uneasy alliance as she seeks evidence proving her innocence. The more they learn, the more danger they put themselves in, along with those around them. Mills (Attracted to Fire, 2011) takes readers on an explosive ride. The terror is all the more chilling because it could easily be a headline story on the nightly news, and Mills' characters spring to life through their fears, strengths, and quirks. A story as romantic as it is exciting, Firewall will appeal to fans of Dee Henderson's romantic suspense stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)