Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore (Review)

Series: Cold Case Justice (Book 1)

Paperback: 416 pages

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (May 21, 2015) 

ISBN-13: 978-1414396682

With a possible serial killer stalking elderly women in Long Beach, California, homicide detective Abby Hart’s best lead is Luke Murphy, an irritating private investigator who saw a suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide. But as she works with the handsome PI to unravel the serial killer case, she must also confront the spark between them. When Abby discovers that the most recent victim is related to the governor, she’s anxious to talk to him about a cold case that’s personal to her, one Luke is interested in as well.

As she learns more about the restaurant fire that took her parents’ lives years ago, Abby discovers why Luke is so invested in finding the ones responsible. With everyone else telling her to walk away from this case, Abby and Luke search for evidence buried beneath years of deceit . . . and soon realize that someone will do anything to make sure this case remains cold.


My Review:

This was a great Christian suspense/mystery book with a little romance. It is the start of a new series called Cold Case Justice. I have read and enjoyed the authors other series too. In this book the main characters are Abby Hart and Luke Murphy. Abby is a police officer and Luke a private investigator. They had good chemistry and became friends even though their professions are sometimes at odds. You can also tell the author was a police officer for a long time. The details in the book ring authentic. The plot and characters were interesting and well developed. The conclusion was good but definitely leaves you wanting to read the next book immediately. Recommended.






A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".

With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.

Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Visible Threat by Janice Cantore (Review)

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 21, 2014)
• ISBN-13: 978-1414375540

 Officer Brinna Caruso wants perfection—perfect justice and a perfect world. She wants to save and protect all the innocents in the world, no matter the cost.

Orphaned and struggling to get by, Ivana and her sister left Bulgaria for America with dreams of a better life. But since they arrived in Long Beach, everything they were promised has turned out to be a lie.

After a dead girl is found in the river with a mysterious tattoo on her hip, homicide detective Jack O’Reilly asks for Brinna’s help. Unaware of the depths of evil that will be uncovered, Brinna finds herself flung into a dangerous frontier—an organized human trafficking ring.


 My Review:
This was a great book in the Brinna Caruso series. I do recommend reading the first if you want the background on the characters themselves. The plot mysteries are different. The plot and characters were well written and interesting. It tackled the serious subject of human trafficking. Officer Brinna takes her job seriously and sometimes goes outside the lines a little which can lead to trouble to those who do not understand. She knows detective Jack O'Reilly from when he was put on the beat for a few weeks. They like each other but nothing is definite. Ivana and her sister Villie come from Bulgaria for a better life but end up prostitutes in a human trafficking ring. When one of the girls is found dead in the river Jack is put on the case. He calls in Brinna for help. The plot had plenty of twists and turns and the ending fit the book. The book reads like it is real probably due to the author having been a cop. Fans of Dee Henderson and Irene Hannon would like this book. Recommended.




 A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".

With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.

Critical Pursuit by Janice Cantore (Review)

Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 16, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1414375533

Officer Brinna Caruso has built a reputation at the precinct as the cop to call when a child goes missing. For Brinna, it’s personal because she was once one of them. Brinna and her K-9 search and rescue dog, Hero, will stop at nothing to find a missing child, no matter the stakes.

Detective Jack O’Reilly isn’t ready to return to his homicide duties, after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He’s on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he’s assigned as Brinna’s partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.

Skeptical of Jack’s motives, Brinna isn’t sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.


My Review:

This was another great police drama from this author. It is the start to a new series featuring cop Brinna Caruso. Brinna is a little hard to relate with at first but she grows on you. She has been through some rough times including being kidnapped and found as a child. Her father is a bad alcoholic and she does not have a good relationship with him. She is not really connected to her mother or brother either. Jack lost his wife and child and has been hanging out at a desk in the department he used to be a detective. The author always does a good job with descriptions so you can picture the characters and setting in your head. The only thing I did not like was the way Jack changed from miserable questioning everything to happy Christian man again. It happened too quick without enough details. I can't wait for the next book in this series. I look forward to getting to know these characters more and see Jack and Brinna hopefully develop a romance. ;) Recommended.







A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".

With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.

Review copy provided by Tyndale Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Avenged by Janice Cantore (Review)

Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (March 22, 2013)

ISBN-13: 978-1414358499

About the book:

When Officer Carly Edwards finds three young gangbangers shot execution style, she and her husband, Sergeant Nick Anderson, head of the gang unit, fear Las Playas may be on the verge of a gang war. The Las Playas PD is put on high alert as tensions escalate between rival gangs, especially after Carly confiscates weapons from a gang leader and learns they were stolen from a military base along with explosive devices.

But something isn’t adding up, and Carly suspects there might be more going on. As she prepares to testify at a major trial, Carly’s reputation is shredded by a reporter apparently trying to discredit her professionally. Facing pressure on all fronts, Carly must rely on faith and trust God in a deeper way during one of the biggest struggles of her career.


My Review:

This is the third book in the Pacific Coast Justice series. I loved it and the whole series. I would recommend reading the books in order as they build toward this one. The characters and plot are interesting and unique. I love Carly and Nick and their dynamics. Their relationship and faith are renewed through hard work and belief. The suspense/mystery part of the plot held my attention too. The whole book was well written and concluded the trilogy nicely. I can't wait to read another book by this author. She is now on my must read list. Highly Recommended! :)




About the author:

A retired Long Beach California police officer of 22 years (16 in uniform and 6 as a non-career officer), Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, patrol, administration, juvenile investigations and training. During the course of her career in uniform Janice found that faith was indispensable to every aspect of the job and published articles on faith at work, one for a quarterly newspaper called "Cop and Christ", and another for the monthly magazine "Today's Christian Woman".

With retirement Janice began to write longer pieces and several novels were born. Janice is excited and honored to now be a part of the Tyndale Publishing House family. Accused, the first installment in her new suspense offering, The Pacific Coast Justice Series, was released February 1, 2012 and kicked off a brand new chapter in her writing career. In addition to suspense and action, her books feature strong female leads. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep you engrossed and leave you inspired.

http://www.janicecantore.com/