Shadows on the Sand

Shadows on the Sand

by Gayle Roper

Carrie Carter and her sister Lindsay ran away from home 17 years ago (at 16 and 10 years of age, respectively). Their mother was an alcoholic who attracted the wrong kind of men, and it had no longer been safe to stay at home. The two sisters wound up in Seaside, New Jersey, where Carrie got a job at a diner. Now, 17 years later, Carrie runs the diner while Lindsay works as a sous chef in the kitchen. 

Greg Barnes, a former cop, has been coming in to Carrie's Cafe for breakfast for the past 3 years - since his wife and children were killed. He doesn't say much, but Carrie has a major crush on him. When one of Carrie's employees, Jase, turns up missing, Greg helps try to figure out what happened to him, and he and Carrie figure out they have a mutual attraction. When another employee goes missing, suspicions turn to a dangerous cult. Will they figure out what happened to the missing employees? And will their romance last?

I loved this book. I have read several other suspense novels by Gayle Roper and enjoyed each one of them. So when I saw that this book was available for review, I put my request in right away. I love the small town feel of Roper's novels, and the way she weaves a suspenseful story without making it overly scary. I also like the way she has her characters work through spiritual issues of forgiveness and trust. Roper also works in some comedy -in this instance, through the back characters who are constantly on their smart phones, "twittering" and "facebooking." She almost made these characters seem satirical - I know I laughed out loud several times! This is one I recommend, and one I will definitely read again in the future. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."