Intervention

August 24, 2009
Prolific suspense author Blackstock (Double Minds
) begins with every parent's nightmare: a drug-addicted teenage daughter is dragged to a rehab facility. When the interventionist is found dead and the teen is missing, mother Barbara Covington tries to find her daughter before police can arrest the girl for murder. Short chapters and terse dialogue propel the fast-paced action. It's competent genre work, though the characterizations could go deeper. The villain is somewhat improbable, and the 14-year-old brother of the missing teen is exceptionally clever and poised. But the mother-daughter relationship strikes true emotional notes; the redemptive arc of evangelical Christian fiction is natural and resonant in a story of addiction. Blackstock's many fans will be pleased, and this story will also speak to families dealing with addicted children.

September 1, 2009
Barbara Covington is a distraught mother trying to save her daughter from her crippling addiction. When she decides to hold an intervention, the interventionist is found dead at the airport, and Barbara's missing daughter becomes the prime suspect. VERDICT Veteran Christian suspense author Blackstock seamlessly interweaves family drama with riveting crime stories. She is clearly one of the best in this genre, and her newest entry maintains her reputation. An absorbing read that will appeal to fans of Brandilyn Collins or Kristen Heitzmann.

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.