The DMZ

All Things Jeanette Windle did it again. I am impressed that all of Jeanette's heroines are strong, independent women who eventually learn that community, dependence, and trust are what God wants for each person. This is a thrilling story, reflecting Jeanette's years of experience living in South America. She makes the geography and the people come alive. Although she uses a tad of science fiction in her book, she even makes that believeable. I don't get a lot done when I read Jeanette's books, but they are well worth the read. I'm looking forward to her current book coming out soon.

The plot jumps out at you the moment you read the first page, although you have no idea what's going on. The main character, Julie Baker is thrown into a whirlwind of painful past events in her mind and present events in reality. Her past is filled with grief and her future is believed with uncertainty. She becomes kidnapped by guerillas (drug "policeman") in Columbia. In her captivity she is unexpectedly protected constantly by a guerilla, named Enrique, from other ruthless guerilla men. But with the help of an old friend surprisingly a guerilla himself, she narrowly escapes. Suddenly she is thrown into a revelation of who Enrique really is and why he is dressed in guerilla fatigues. Her knowledge of who Enrique is causes her to think twice about his character. His personality is one of a mystery and hard steel, but slowly she realizes why. With that, Julie becomes fond of this man who saved her life in numerous events. Her love for him grows, but she tries to keep it hidden for the imminent danger lurks too close for both of them. Enrique on the other hand is well hiding his own feelings for her that Julie begins to think he blames her for all the now blown up plans he had. The story continues with turn after turn of unexpected events as they discover the ultimate threat to America's people and how they become the ones who stop it. This is definitely my favorite book for the romance isn't at all "cheesy" and all about looks, but friendship and teamwork that becomes a love for one another. I completely recommend this book to anyone that loves mystery, suspense, and romance.

I liked this book. I struggled through the first 80 pages but the rest of the book more than made up for it. It was suspenseful with a little romance thrown in which is my kind of book. I def. recommend this book.

DMZ by Jeanette Windle is a fast-paced, political suspense novel that is almost impossible to put down, especially towards the end. It's practically addictive! The story is very believable, not surprising considering the incredible amount of research that has gone into this novel and the fact that the author has herself lived in South America for many years. (Windle has written an earlier book entitled Crossfire, a story dealing with the drug trade in Bolivia). Her writing is so realistic that government agencies have questioned her to determine if she has received classified information! The novel chronicles the adventures of Julie Baker, a young journalist who is caught in international intrigue while covering a story involving the deaths of three U.S. citizens in the Columbian demilitarized zone. Julie is part of the media, medical, and political contingent sent to investigate the incident but she has a personal agenda as well. Her missionary parents died in Columbia and she is seeking answers in hopes of reconciling her feelings with the haunting memories from her past. Julie soon learns that besides the mysterious deaths of the three Americans, a sophisticated military aircraft has also disappeared and the FARC guerrilla rebels who roam the jungles of Columbia are considered prime suspects. Julie gets first-hand information about this group when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken into the impenetrable interior of the rainforest. Her life among the rebel troops is intriguing and captivating as is the guerrilla soldier, Enrique Martinez, who rescues her from danger and death. Together they pit their lives against overwhelming odds as they attempt to uncover a deadly secret beneath the jungle's canopy. This story has a compelling plot, great dialogue, realistic characters, and a powerful message of faith and courage. I recommend this wonderful book to all readers - male and female - because it is sure to captivate all who read it. (Just don't expect to get much work done until you've finished reading it. You really CAN'T put it down when nearing the final chapters!)

This is a great book! I read it during a book tour, and could hardly wait for my next break to get back to the Colombian jungle and the adventures of this young reporter who is caught in international intrigue while trying to sort out her own feelings about her past. The story is compelling, with good characters, great dialogue and descriptions, and an ending you cannot put down. Windle writes as well as Grisham and does a better job of weaving faith into the story.