Beguiled

I normally steer clear of suspenseful novels, particularly when a female character is in some kind of perilous situation. When I asked for a review copy of Beguiled, I did so because it is set in Charleston, a city that I find both beautiful and intriguing. When the book arrived, I realized that I paid too much attention to the setting, and not enough attention to the plot, and I wondered if I could handle the fear factor.

In Beguiled, Rylee Monroe is a dog walker in Charleston’s wealthiest neighborhood. She is a sweet girl with a tragic past, and she finds comfort with her four-legged friends in the part of town where her family once lived. Unfortunately, a thief begins to terrorize the neighborhood, and he seems to be targeting people with connections to Rylee. As danger looms, Rylee turns to Logan Woods, a reporter following the break-ins, for help, and their relationship grows deeper than she planned. Rylee and Logan are forced to figure out her connection to the thief and sort out their own feelings before the foundations of their personal and professional lives come crashing down around them.

I admit that I was a little scared to start this story; I try to keep any images of stalking or nighttime break-ins far from my mind. Once I started reading, however, I couldn’t put it down! The story is action-packed, and the setting of Charleston is perfect. I could picture the grand houses and imagine how spooky they would seem in the late-night hours. Rylee is such a likeable character, and I wanted her to avoid danger and find happiness. Although I sometimes shuddered to think of the danger surrounding the story, I put my wimpy feelings aside, and I am glad I did.

I am sure not all of you are scaredy-cats like me; some of you probably prefer suspense. If so, I recommend Beguiled. Christian authors Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand have combined their romance and crime-writing talents to create a fun and dramatic tale that is sure to keep you quickly turning pages.

Lauren is a wife, a mother of two, an avid reader, and a scaredy-cat. She still checks under her bed and in closets for the boogeyman. Lauren blogs at Baseballs and Bows. She thanks Bethany House for providing the review copy of this book.