Code of Courage by Janice Cantore: Book Review

  **I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own. 

Detective Danni Grace has never met a police officer who wants to face a scenario where pulling the trigger on another person is the only option. When the worst does occur and there’s a police-involved shooting, it leads to riots and calls to disband the entire police force in La Rosa, Danni’s hometown.

After fifteen years on the force, Danni has had enough. Injured in the line of duty when a protester throws a chunk of concrete at her and shaken by the vitriol being shown to the police, Danni realizes for the first time that she’s lost her passion for the job.

While she’s on a leave of absence, though, a community activist in La Rosa is shot and a fellow officer is blamed for his murder. Taking on this case means stepping back into a job Danni’s not sure she can do anymore . . . and working closely with her ex-husband, Gabriel Fox, an investigator for the city prosecutor’s office. Danni will need to tap into her code of courage to uncover the truth, prevent another injustice, and uphold her oath to serve and protect.

A former Long Beach, California, police officer of twenty-two years, Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, including patrol, administration, juvenile investigations, and training. She's always enjoyed writing and published two short articles on faith at work for Cop and Christ and Today's Christian Woman before tackling novels. She now lives in a small town in southern Oregon, where she enjoys exploring the forests, rivers, and lakes with her Labrador retrievers, Abbie and Tilly.

Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Crisis Shot is the first title in her latest series. Janice also authored the Cold Case Justice series—Drawing Fire, Burning Proof, and Catching Heat—the Pacific Coast Justice series—Accused, Abducted, and Avenged—and the Brinna Caruso novels, Critical Pursuit and Visible Threat.

Visit Janice's website at www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JaniceCantore.

Code of Courage very well could have been ripped right from the headlines in recent years. From the very start we are drawn into the story at the scene of a mob with no love for the police. Told from a perspective of those in law enforcement, it added a very real and human element to the story. I think the author's experience working in the police force certainly was evident and made the story all that much better. While admittedly, I don't always like stories that are too close to real life happenings in the world as reading tends to be my escape, but this one was done so well that I couldn't help but enjoy the story. It kept me at the edge of my seat, with plenty of twists and surprises to keep me guessing. Two crimes were weaved together effortlessly, and made for a wonderfully layered and intriguing story! Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good romantic suspense.