Blood Lines

Marine Gunnery Sergeant Shel McHenry becomes a target when he's forced to kill the man he is sent to arrest--a gang member who hijacked another marine's car and left him permanently disabled. The dead man's father, Victor Gant, a Viet Nam veteran who now runs a drug dealing operation, might not have been the best father in the world, but he certainly doesn't intend to keep breathing the same air as the man who killed his son. Shel's danger expands when Victor threatens his family--and tells him that Shel's father, also a Viet Nam veteran, murdered another solider in Viet Nam. Shel is forced to confront the one thing he's been running from his whole life--the harsh relationship he has with his own father. The conflict between Shel and Victor escalates, eventually bringing in Shel's entire NCIS team and Victor's Viet Nam drug contacts as well. While Shel wrestled with survival, he also wrestles with his lack of faith. Although his brother is a preacher, Shel has never had much time for faith. As for their father, he knows he's committed a crime that will cause God to turn away from him forever. Author Mel Odom weaves the theme of fatherhood through the story. Beginning on Father's Day, then bringing in Shel's issues with his father, Victor's own perverse fatherly love, NCIS Commander Will's estranged relationship with his own children, and the issue of God's fatherly love for humans, BLOOD LINES lets us see fatherhood from a variety of angles. BLOOD LINES is published by Tyndale House, a Christian publisher, and the issue of God is never far removed from the story. Odom does a great job blending faith with action, making the story appeal both to religious and non-religious readers. Faith plays its role, but doesn't overwhelm the story. Odom's strong characterizations drive the story forward. Although Victor is clearly evil, Odom makes even him sympathetic and understandable. Perhaps preacher Don is a bit too perfect, but he's a minor character. All of the major characters are flawed but doing their best to cope--or to control--their situation. If you're looking for an exciting action story with a strong element of faith, you won't go wrong with BLOOD LINES.

On Father's Day, Shel McHenry finds himself in a bad mood, thinking about the difficult relationship he has with his own father. So, when he is asked to help investigate the whereabouts of Bobby Lee Gant, a suspected carjacker, he readily agrees to the distraction. But Bobby Lee Gant is no ordinary thug. His father is a known felon and suspected drug dealer. And when Bobby Lee's arrest goes down badly, Victor decides to take his revenge out on Shel. Unlike the previous installments, this story focuses more on a Marine and his family rather than characters in the NCIS team. Though, the investigation does come from the NCIS. The McHenry family and their relationships are at the heart of it. Shel and his brother were always held at arms length from their father. Shel is more than a little resentful. And his brother is the peacemaker, family man, and minister. But Tyrel McHenry is a tortured soul. An incident in Vietnam changed him forever, and affected his relationship with his sons. As Shel and the NCIS team slowly begin to learn about a dark secret that ties the McHenry's to the Gant's, they must also deal with Victor's ruthlessness. The main characters are extremely vivid and gripping. And any time Victor is on the page, there is overlying suspense and a feeling of dread. I always enjoy Mel Odom's writing, but he outdoes himself with the villain in Blood Lines. This is published as Christian fiction, but besides occasional references to Shel's brother being a pastor, there aren't many other instances where faith is mentioned. Blood Lines is just like watching an episode of any crime drama, with all of the intensity and mystery. The characters are flawed and realistic. I sincerely hope Tyndale has Odom continue this series or something similar. These NCIS novels are entirely gripping and thought provoking.

What begins as a routine investigation into a car jacking against a Marine and his wife, develops into a world of pain for NCIS Agent Shel McHenry and his team, as the perpetrator turns out to be the son of drug smuggler and killer, Victor Gant. Victor will not take the hit on his boy lying down and has Shel firmly in his sights, keeping the NCIS team of Wil, Remy and Estrella on their toes. As Shel recovers from the fallout of the investigation, his thoughts turn to his distant father, Tyrel McHenry, a man he barely knows despite growing up in his home. Tormented by long ago demons, brought on by his experiences in the Vietnam war, Tyrel's dark past rises up to haunt him as it reaches out to threaten the very life of his son. Blood Lines is another hard hitting story from Mel Odom that delivers action aplenty, fascinating characters and an emotional punch that leaves you exhausted and fulfilled! Wil Coburn's team is back and in fine form as they chase down notorious criminal, Victor Gant and investigate the death of a soldier forty years earlier. With his sharp eye for detail, Mel pumps his military thriller with the complex characters of his past NCIS stories, fleshing out Shel's past and delving into the sometimes difficult relationship between fathers and sons. The story reveals Shel as a boy desperately seeking his father's approval and love and Tyrel, a man so emotionally burnt by war and the burden of guilt he carries, is unable to offer anything, shattering their relationship before it could begin. Their interaction as adults is painful to read but exceptionally drawn and adds emotional depth and honesty to this story. Blood Lines' pacing is fast and furious, as one expects from Mel's novels and is a highly satisfying conclusion to this series.

The ties of blood run deep.... NCIS agent and Marine Shel McHenry and teammate Remy Gautreau are following a lead on Bobby Lee Gant, a carjacker on the Most Wanted list. It's Father's Day and Shel is willing to do anything to ease the anger burning inside of him, but neither he nor Remy expects things to go so wrong. Now, Bobby's father, Victor Gant, is seeking vengeance and Shel's about to learn some dark family secrets. BLOOD LINES is an exciting, emotional journey chock full of action from the very first page. While it is the third book in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. The members of the team have remained consistent in all the books with each one focusing more on a particular member. The bond of the team is very apparent in BLOOD LINES as Mel Odom highlights the importance of working together and aiding one another in a time of need. Mel Odom explores the theme of family relationships, focusing on fathers and sons, in this very moving tale. Shel and his brother, Don, have dealt with the distance of their father, Tyrel, in different ways and the events of the book brings it all to the forefront. Don is a preacher and wants salvation for his father while Shel wants approval and love. Victor and Bobby's connection is in sharp contrast as theirs is solely based on BLOOD LINES and the idea of progeny or perhaps even leaving a legacy of some sort. BLOOD LINES is a spectacular Christian fiction thriller. The Christian message isn't preachy but instead builds throughout the plot. The ending is simply beautiful and left me in tears of joy. Kudos to Mel Odom for yet another fantastic book as BLOOD LINES is highly recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Although this is the third book in the series, the others don't have to be read in order to understand this one. It's a stand-alone book. From page one, I did not want to put this military thriller down. If it were made into a movie, my husband would salivate to see it as soon as it was released; it's so full of action. Written in omniscient voice, the reader easily grasps the forward motion of the story from several different character's viewpoints. There's a theme of male family love. Shel, the tough Marine, refuses to get in touch with his father on Father's Day, yet we notice that he can't stop thinking of "Daddy." Victor, the evil criminal, loves his son enough to die for him. Don, the gentle preacher, is strong enough to withstand verbal abuse from his father, yet takes a firm stand and tells his father some hurtful things when pushed too far. Twists and turns make for an interesting ending. Even though I hate blood and fighting, this is a book I liked. A good bit of violence is included.