Behind the Badge
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Another exciting adventure for the Morgan brothers
If you are looking for Police Officer Friendly to talk to a kindergarten class, chief Russ Morgan is the wrong choice. The crabby police chief finds zero joy in life.....after an accidental shooting of a small child, Russ blames himself for not checking his captured perp for concealed weapons more closely. Russ compounds matters by drowning his sorrows in alcohol....losing his wife to divorce and also custody of his seven year old son.
Rookie sheriff's deputy Sydney Tucker has had a crush on Russ Morgan since high school - where he rejected her as being "too young" for him. Sydney is raising her sixteen year old sister Nikki alone, since her father abandoned them and her mother also drowned her sorrows in alcohol.
While spying on her younger sister and friends at a drinking party, Sydney observes a drug dealer who is trying to supply the kids with drugs. The dealer spots Sydney and reports to his "supervisor" - who then begins an all-out campaign to rid the world of Sydney Tucker.
Russ happens upon Sydney while she is hiding in the woods after one of her escapes from her assailant. Russ has begun to develop feelings for Syd now that she is older.....but her opinion of "worthless drunks like my mother" dashes his hopes for any chance of a relationship.
Russ and Syd put their personal feelings aside to catch the drug ring participants (the one at the highest level is a real shocker and sheds fresh light on the Sydney Tucker vendetta). A happy ending is guaranteed, but this book teaches important lessons about forgiveness, accepting others' weaknesses, being non-judgmental, and avoiding self-blame. The final story in this series, "The Christmas Witness", focuses on Russ' older brother Reid (whom Russ credits for his rescue from self-destruction)- but Russ and Syd return also in the last book.
February 7, 2013
More Trouble in Logan Lake
Behind The Badge- Susan Sleeman Book 2: Morgan Brothers Series
Russ Morgan had lost everything he cared about. As an Officer he watched a young boy die and blamed himself. After turning to drinking he lost his wife and son. He has sobered up since and is the Chief of Police in Logan Lake. He is able to see his son, Zack, but never enough. He is a changed man who still carries a huge burden. And than one night he is in time to rescue Deputy Sydney Tucker. Years ago this beauty has told him she was in love with him but she was a freshman and he was in college, he broke her heart and she walked away from him.
Sydney was checking on her new townhouse when she heard two men and then gunshots. She had left her gun in her car along with her cell phone. When strong arms came around her when she was going to run for it, she thought she was dead, but it was Russ Morgan not the gunman, and he was still as handsome as ever.
The murdered man is a drug dealer that Syd had threatened after he had her young sister and her friends at a party, encouraging Nikki and the other to drink or do drugs, Sydney could end a suspect.The gunman seemed to think she had something he wanted. He was threatening those Sydney cared most about and he always knew where to find them.
Russ put Sydney on his investigation team even though she was with the Sheriff's office and they did not usually work well together. He told himself it was because she was a witness but the truth was he wanted her nearby.
As Russ & Sydney work through finding a murder, overcoming guilt and dealing with a seventeen year old girl who did not like hiding out instead of hanging out with friends, more starts building. Can these two find happiness and love in their lives and let go of the past?
The first in the series is High Stakes Inheritance. The third book comes out in December; The Christmas Witness. Good series!
September 19, 2011
This Isn't Over!
In Behind the Badge, Susan Sleeman has pulled off another riveting, love-inspired suspense. Sydney Tucker is a rookie cop who receives threatening phone messages, insinuating that someone may get hurt unless she turns over crucial evidence taken from the home of a drug bust. SheâÂÂs in a quandary, as she has no idea what that evidence could be, as she didnâÂÂt take anything from the house.
Under the order of Logan Lake police chief, Russ Morgan, Sydney is assigned to work with him to find who is behind the threats being sent. Having had a crush on Russ back in high school, she wonders how they will work together. Little sparks of romance begin to seep out, but both try to keep wraps around their emotions, so they can concentrate on the investigation and subsequent protective custody. However, both Sydney and Russ have broken pasts and secrets that hinder their working and personal relationships.
Susan leads us on a wild goose chase, trying to stay ahead of the perpetrator. The ever-changing plots and twists in the story thoroughly keep your attention as your mind tries to encapsulate who the culprit is. The trails of evidence pull you into different directions, throwing you off course as to how you think it went down. The story line is vivid and true to the methods of police training and operations, with a few minor tweaks here and there by the characters to pull off secret plans!
Susan does a great job of exemplifying NikkiâÂÂs defiant attitude toward SydneyâÂÂs âÂÂunfairâ rules, escalating their relationship to the point where Nikki sneaks out and causes more problems throughout the deadly crisis. She depicts the typical behavior for a defiant teenager trying to find her own way and fun, even if it eventually causes undue tension and danger for others.
SydneyâÂÂs faith kept her going throughout the whole ordeal, knowing God was aware of all that was transpiring, though she didnâÂÂt understand it all. Russ wasnâÂÂt as open. And NikkiâÂÂforget it, she too old for Sunday school times.
I was hooked by all the twists and plots, the numerous and innocuous phone messages, the perpetratorâÂÂs knowledge, the accuracy of police procedures, the romantic tension between Russ and Sidney, SydneyâÂÂs faith, and the defiant teenage behavior amidst the tension of a dangerous situation. This is just as riveting as SusanâÂÂs previous novel, High-Stakes Inheritance. She is an author that will go far!
This book was provided by Susan Sleeman in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a good review. No monetary compensation was exchanged.
June 8, 2011
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