Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA

Y’Barbo (The Pirate Bride) deftly weaves modern theories into the latest installment of this Christian “True Colors” crime series. Alice is a bright, refreshing character, and fans of enterprising female detectives, such as Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs and Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody, will appreciate the period details and clean romance.

Austin transports readers into the lives of her characters, plunking them in the middle of a brutal war and giving them a unique take on the traditional World War II tale. Readers won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough to find out how Eve and Audrey met and what could have gone so terribly wrong.

Martin deftly unwinds Shepherd’s backstory in between high-octane chase scenes. Readers who enjoy flawed yet likable characters created by authors such as John Grisham and Nicholas Sparks will want to start reading Martin’s fiction.