Violet Dawn

Paige Williams is a young woman with a troubled past. She yearns for friends and a new life in peaceful Kanner Lake, Idaho. Finding a dead body isn't going to help, especially when she knows the victim. But Paige can't call the police. How could she possibly explain she's clueless where the body came from? And what if her face ends up on TV? She's forced to take matters into her own hands, even as the real killer remains on the lam . . . watching her. When you pick up a novel and the main character discovers a body in her hot tub by page 4, chances are you're probably going to read on to find out how it got there. But when you know the author of the book is Brandilyn Collins, you'll want to hunker down and prepare for the thrill-ride. Violet Dawn marks the start of a new "Seatbelt Suspense" series for Brandilyn, Kanner Lake. Closer to her first two suspense novels Eyes of Elisha & Dread Champion for its third-person narrative and multiple character story arc, Violet Dawn is a solid Book 1. Savvy readers might manage to guess the final twist, but even if you do, it will only heighten the suspense. Paige is immediately a sympathetic character, and I found myself completely empathizing with her struggles. But Violet Dawn isn't only Paige's story. The book also follows to a lesser degree several other intriguing characters---police chief Vince Edwards who's grieving his son's recent death, rookie reporter Leslie Brymes who's desperate for the "big story", coffee-shop owner Bailey Truitt, and of course, the villain who calls himself Black Mamba. There are also several eccentrics haunting Bailey's Java Joint, who are destined to make readers chuckle. Many of their fun musings can be read at the Scenes and Beans blog. Even more sympathetic than Paige are the heart-rending flashback scenes following an abused girl named Rachel Brandt. Sometimes time jumps can be unnecessary and boring in novels, but not in Violet Dawn. Rachel's scenes are some of the best written in the book, embellishing and deepening the story. Which just goes to show Brandilyn's skill. She's able to switch between thrilling suspense numbers to the compelling character pieces without losing us. There were a few times when I was slightly distracted by what I affectionately call "Brandilisms" -- Collins' penchant for using imaginative verbs and metaphors, but these have also become a familiar trademark many fans will enjoy. A thrilling, taut page-turner, Violet Dawn is Brandilyn Collins at her best. Book two, please! --Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for Infuze Magazine

Paige Williams, on the run from a nightmarish past, came to Kanner Lake seeking refuge and respite for her soul, wanting a chance to start over. She longs to find a place she can truly belong and dreams of a "soul sister," a forever friend that will accept and love her inspite of her sordid past. Instead, mere weeks after her arrival, she encounters a corpse in the hot tub of her rental home - and not just any corpse, either. The body is Edna San, a Hollywood actress and Kanner Lake's infamous resident celebrity. Fearing the discovery of her past, Paige panics and dumps the body in the lake. However, instead of solving her problems, Paige's position grows more precarious because she knows a killer is watching her every move... Ms. San's murder sends shockwaves through the tight-knit community. The danger that lurks in the shadows, threatening Kanner Lake's peaceful, small-town charm forces more than one resident to confront the scars dwelling the shadows of their own hearts. Bailey Truitt, owner of the local coffee shop the Java Joint, is struggling to cope with her husband John's declining health, while police chief Vince Edwards fears the dissolution of his marriage that has been paralyzed by grief due to the impending one-year anniversary of his son's death in Iraq. Though Edna was almost universally disliked, her murder serves as a catalyst for Paige and other Kanner Lake residents to allow the light of God's grace to heal the fear, shame, grief, and worry held close in the deepest recesses of their hearts. This may be hard for the slew of die-hard Brandilyn Collins fans out there to imagine, but Violet Dawn is the first novel I've read by this author. I was absolutely hooked from the first pages. Collins structures her novel in a series of short, snappy chapters that keep the plot moving (and the suspense building) at a rapid-fire pace. Paige's darkly-shrouded past is revealed in a series of vivid, intense flashback scenes. These are sprinkled throughout the novel and gradually reveal the history behind the violence that has come to Kanner Lake. This is an effective hook that helps draw readers into Collins' skillfully crafted thriller - she doles out pieces of a puzzle that intrigue you with its as yet unanswered questions and takes your breath away by constantly racheting up the suspense level. In short, this is a novel you'll want to give yourself a block of several hours to enjoy. Generally speaking, I would never classify myself as a fan of crime thrillers -- but Violet Dawn has opened my eyes to a terrifically talented author who pens what I suspect are highly addictive novels in exactly that genre. Collins very effectively illustrates God and faith as a natural part of her narrative. The tone is never preachy, in fact quite the opposite -- it's wonderful to see an author who shines the light of faith into some very dark, harrowing circumstances and allows its impact to naturally unfold. I also appreciated how Ms. Collins was ab

Brandilyn Collins is famous for her "seatbelt suspense" for good reason. Her novels take off at full speed and we're jerked left and right through twists and turns we never see coming. Her lastest novel, Violet Dawn, does not dissapoint. As I expected, the plot was tight, there were surprises and the writing was near flawless. This is a book to give to suspense lovers who may not have checked out this author before. She's an amazing writer. All in all this was a fantastic suspense novel and the characterization was wonderful as always. Brandilyn is a master in her genre.

Brandilyn Collins always warns us to remember to breathe, but sometimes it just isn't possible--especially when you're right in the middle of her newest thriller, Violet Dawn. From the first scene, when Paige Williams eases into the hot tub on her deck overlooking Kanner Lake in the Idaho woods, only to find that the tub is already occupied by a floating corpse, to her terrifying confrontation with a man who spends his time dreaming up new and more painful ways to commit murder, the suspense is relentless. If you enjoy an edge-of-your-seat page-turner, it doesn't get any better than this!