Deadly Ties-Vicki Hinze

Deadly Ties
Vicki Hinze
Multnomah, Feb 8 2011, $13.99
ISBN: 9781601422064

In 1987, Dr. Charles Harper is killed near Orlando while his seven years old daughter Lisa is abducted. Not long afterward Lisa escapes and manages to return home to her mom Annie in Seagrove Village, Florida. Grieving and worried for her daughter’s future, Annie hastily marries kindhearted Dutch Hauk, but quickly realizes she made an error as he is an abusive control freak instead of the nice man she thought he was. Her religion will not allow her to divorce this beast, but Annie protects her daughter eventually giving custody to a family friend.

Years later, Lisa is about to obtain her medical degree. She looks forward to liberating her mother who she rarely speaks with except through the efforts of Seagrove Village Security Chief Mark Taylor. Lisa and Mark are attracted to one another.

NINA operative Lone Wolf attacks Annie leaving her in a coma and Lisa is abducted from the hospital where her mom rests. Mark, brought his former comrades in arms the Shadow Watchers to keep the two females safe and now he blames himself for not doing a more diligent job. He soon realizes NINA is involved when killer Lone Wolf is spotted nearby, but remains unsure how Dutch fits in on the attacks.

The latest Crossroads Crisis Center inspirational thriller (see Forget Me Not) is an exciting action-packed suspense novel that is enthralling. The fast-paced story line focuses on female trafficking in which Lisa’s beliefs sustains her and give hope to the other three captives through the ordeal. Although OCD Dutch has no redeeming qualities while even Lone Wolf shows his humanity with his Angel and saving Annie’s life (after he took it), fans will relish Deadly Ties; as Lisa’s beliefs in prayer give her hope and Mark’s beliefs in his beloved gives him hope.

Harriet Klausner