Picking up immediately following “Drawing Fire,” Janice Cantore continues the story of homicide detective Abby Hart and private investigator Luke Murphy in “Burning Proof.”
As Abby and Luke are still trying to piece together the clues of the murders that killed their relatives 27 years ago, each takes on a new case. Luke tackles a 10-year-old cold case dealing with 16-year-old Molly who had been kidnapped and raped but escaped, only to have her captor never caught. Abby is searching for the murderer and rapist of a young girl, but when the capture of the suspect goes terribly wrong, Abby finds her faith and ability to work greatly shaken.
I suppose this book could be read as a standalone, but I really wouldn’t recommend it. I would strongly urge you to read “Drawing Fire” first before reading this one, as it will make it much easier to follow the plot of “Burning Proof.”
Cantore’s latest offering is a great thriller, with perhaps a slightly slower pace than “Drawing Fire.” It also offers a slight romance thread — as Abby must sort out her feelings between Luke and fiance Ethan, and Luke finds himself attracted to both the unavailable Abby and Faye Fallon, the crime blogger who introduced him to Molly’s case.
Besides being a thriller with a little romance, “Burning Proof” is filled with many awesome gems — like questioning why God allows bad things to happen; the fact that nothing stays hidden; healing a fractured faith; trusting in God’s justice; and finding one’s solid and firm foundation. As Aunt Dede tells Abby: “Stop using today’s strength for tomorrow’s trials.”
Cantore, herself a former police officer, offers up many wonderful and intriguing characters. In addition to Luke and Abby, Woody — who has been part of Abby’s life since the murder 27 years ago — returns, as does Abby’s partner Bill and the dubious Kelsey Cox, now working for Gov. Rollins. And the creepy yet fascinating Gil Barone will have an impact on them all.
Five stars out of five.
Tyndale House Publishers provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.
“Burning Proof” (Cold Case Justice series, #2) by Janice Cantor