Swope's Ridge

"Swope's Ridge" was written by Ace Collins and is the second in the Lije Evans Mysteries series. The first book, Farraday Road was a very good read and I was excited to receive the sequel to review as well. Lije continues the search for the cause and perpetrators of his wife's murder. He now knows that it is connected to the property he owns, but he doesn't know much more than that. His search takes him back to World War II and outside of his own country. At the same time, he is working on a case defending a man accused of a terrible crime for a terrible reason. Will he find the answers he is looking for? Will another innocent man face the death penalty? As I said, the first book was well written and the sequel is the same. It took some turns I did not expect. Some of the historical occurrences were intriguing as well. I thought that perhaps they were created by Collins, but later learned they are based on fact! For someone who has read quite a bit about WWII, this was exciting. I was satisfied with the ending, as much as someone can be who is anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. As far as I know, there is not one in the works as Collins is working on other projects. Still, I highly recommend this book and its prequal as well written and highly entertaining.

I just finished two of the best suspense, murder mystery books I have read in a long time! Farraday Road and Swope's Ridge by Ace Collins. Both books combine a modern murder mystery with historic events like World War 2 and September 11th. I received these books to review awhile ago and didn't realize they were a set. I started Farraday Road while I was in the hospital waiting for Lincoln to recover from RSV. This is one of those books you can't put down, and I finished it at 2 in the morning. I loved the story in Farraday Road, but was frustrated with the ending. . . . until I realized I had a 2nd book! You will want to buy both books because I guarantee that once you finish Farraday Road, you'll want to keep going! Swope's Ridge was just as engaging and well-written, and I ended up staying up late to finish that one as well. Another wonderful thing about these books is that they are completely clean and free of the junk often found in mystery novels! These books as a set are fabulous and I think they would make a great movie someday, especially if you like ones like "National Treasure." Buy both and you won't be disappointed, buy one and you'll be wanting more.

Every time we read about a person on death row who declares they are innocent up to and including their last breath we have to wonder. Are they really guilty? Are they innocent? Or are they delusional and believe their own lies? This kept me riveted to this story to see how the cross and double cross was solved . . . or not. I like a book that makes me think and ponder and search for truth.

If you haven't read the first book in this series, be sure to check out Farraday Road first...but just put both in your cart now! Farraday Road by Ace Collins. During one of the worst storms the state of Arkansas had ever seen, Lije Evans and his wife were gunned down. Lije was discovered in time and saved, but his wife wasn't so fortunate. In his grief, Lije vows to find the people responsible for the murder of his wife ~ but his memory of the night is scattered and incomplete. As the weeks progress and the blanks start filling in, the mystery of that night grows deeper and deeper. What seemed to be a completely random attack is tied to something much more sinister, but every step that brings Lije closer to an answer is filled with increasing danger. Swope's Ridge by Ace Collins. The mystery of his wife's death led Lije to a man on death row ~ one who claims he is innocent of the charges brought against him. Lije and his team have only a short amount of time before the man is scheduled for execution. As the team searches for clues to the man's innocence, bizarre and sinister secrets are revealed that go back decades in time ~ and it all ties into the recent murder of his wife. My Thoughts Both of these books were so hard to put down! I received Farraday Road about a month ago, set it on my nightstand and a few days later picked it up to start reading. Several hours later, I realized that it was VERY late and I had been completely swept into the mystery on Farraday Road. I finished the book the next day and then {sadly} realized the story wasn't finished ~ it ended with a reader's worst fear: 'To be continued...' Especially at 1 AM in the morning {not that I stayed up that late or anything!}. Really. It's just plain mean! Fortunately for me, the sequel Swope's Ridge had just been released. Zondervan was wonderful and sent me the sequel to review as well! The chapters in the books are short, so you quickly find yourself justifying 'just one more chapter...' You'll grow to love the characters and get pulled into the many mysteries. While the books are faith-based, it isn't the primary focus of either, just an underlying theme throughout both. I've set both of these books aside for my husband to read because they are two that he would love {mystery, suspense, conspiracies, adventure and so much more!}. Now I'm just waiting for the third book to be released...

Swope's Ridge continues the story Ace Collins began in his riveting debut work of fiction, Farraday Road. Lije Evans and his cast of characters follow the mystery of Swope's Ridge to places none of them could have possibly imagined. What began as the hunt for the murderer of his wife becomes Lije's quest to stop something far bigger than the individual pieces of the mystery. The stakes are raised as we realize what happened in a sleepy corner of Arkansas was only the precursor to something much more sinister than first believed. The author expands the story this time to include international terrorism and the last soldier of the most infamous of all terrorists, Adolf Hitler. This time around we are carried from Arkansas, to England, to Germany, to Mexico, to Kansas, and back home again on a wild ride of suspense, mystery, and espionage. Though the stage is much bigger than the first novel, Collins still manages to keep us close to the characters; something that is often lost in sequels. Swope's Ridge is not a book for readers looking for stereotypical cut outs of characters. Through all the adventure we are presented a sobering look at racism, betrayal, and misplaced loyalties. Once again the plot is tight and the dialogue, engaging. And the really good news ... there is no "to be continued" at the end of this one. Though Lije Evans may be back another day you will be satisfied with the conclusion of the mystery of Swope's Ride. Very satisfying.