Violet Dawn (Kanner Lake, Vol. 1) [Paperback]

A cover with shades of violet and purple is not one to draw my attention. I'm a man. This didn't look like my type of book. Nevertheless, I'm a big fan of Brandilyn Collins, so I took a chance--and boy, am I ever glad!

"Violet Dawn" is every bit the page-turner of her previous novels. The story starts with a lonely woman whose attempt at a serene new life is turned topsy-turvy by the startling discovery in her hot tub one night. Her attempts to deal with this surprise only cause further trouble, drawing the attention of the law and of a criminally insane villian. The story is fairly simple, but Brandilyn turns it into something special through her quick pacing, her shifts of point of view, and the setting for her new series. Though the plot lacked some of the surprises of her previous books, this is a satisfying read. I look forward to running into some of these characters again in the next books. Although one previous review complained that too much characterization slowed the pace, I felt the opposite: I thought the characterization was superbly balanced to increase my concern for those involved in the sordid details.

With the Kanner Lake series, Collins forges ahead with other female authors (Kathy Mackel, Melanie Wells, Claudia Mair Burney...to name a few) who are mixing excellent mystery and suspense with splashes of grace and faith in the midst of turmoil. It's a bright day for Christian fiction.

Brandilyn Collins is famous for her "seatbelt suspense" for good reason. Her novels take off at full speed and we're jerked left and right through twists and turns we never see coming. Her lastest novel, Violet Dawn, does not dissapoint.

As I expected, the plot was tight, there were surprises and the writing was near flawless.

This is a book to give to suspense lovers who may not have checked out this author before. She's an amazing writer.

All in all this was a fantastic suspense novel and the characterization was wonderful as always. Brandilyn is a master in her genre.

Paige Williams is a young woman with a troubled past. She yearns for friends and a new life in peaceful Kanner Lake, Idaho. Finding a dead body isn't going to help, especially when she knows the victim. But Paige can't call the police. How could she possibly explain she's clueless where the body came from? And what if her face ends up on TV? She's forced to take matters into her own hands, even as the real killer remains on the lam . . . watching her.

When you pick up a novel and the main character discovers a body in her hot tub by page 4, chances are you're probably going to read on to find out how it got there. But when you know the author of the book is Brandilyn Collins, you'll want to hunker down and prepare for the thrill-ride. Violet Dawn marks the start of a new "Seatbelt Suspense" series for Brandilyn, Kanner Lake. Closer to her first two suspense novels Eyes of Elisha & Dread Champion for its third-person narrative and multiple character story arc, Violet Dawn is a solid Book 1. Savvy readers might manage to guess the final twist, but even if you do, it will only heighten the suspense.

Paige is immediately a sympathetic character, and I found myself completely empathizing with her struggles. But Violet Dawn isn't only Paige's story. The book also follows to a lesser degree several other intriguing characters---police chief Vince Edwards who's grieving his son's recent death, rookie reporter Leslie Brymes who's desperate for the "big story", coffee-shop owner Bailey Truitt, and of course, the villain who calls himself Black Mamba. There are also several eccentrics haunting Bailey's Java Joint, who are destined to make readers chuckle. Many of their fun musings can be read at the Scenes and Beans blog.

Even more sympathetic than Paige are the heart-rending flashback scenes following an abused girl named Rachel Brandt. Sometimes time jumps can be unnecessary and boring in novels, but not in Violet Dawn. Rachel's scenes are some of the best written in the book, embellishing and deepening the story. Which just goes to show Brandilyn's skill. She's able to switch between thrilling suspense numbers to the compelling character pieces without losing us.

There were a few times when I was slightly distracted by what I affectionately call "Brandilisms" -- Collins' penchant for using imaginative verbs and metaphors, but these have also become a familiar trademark many fans will enjoy.

A thrilling, taut page-turner, Violet Dawn is Brandilyn Collins at her best. Book two, please!

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for Infuze Magazine

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