Into the Fire

Carrie Stuart Parks has written a fabulous series featuring a wonderful character in Gwen Marcey, self-deprecating breast cancer survivor and ultra talented forensic artist slash investigator. She's named her many sets of breast prosthetics (i.e. Laverne and Shirley) that somehow keep being used and discarded in critical situations when her life is at stake. 

Gwen has a probationary much-needed new job with a not-so-nice boss. She hears of a new case at the meeting of investigators and campaigns for one she isn't assigned. Although difficult, she is able to talk her boss into the assignment she wants knowing if she fails, this job is history. In order to get started she must leave her new beau – who fails to understand why after they had made significant travel plans - to go to Lapwai, Idaho, a predominantly Native American populated town, in search of a child who's been kidnapped. The sheriff there fails to understand why he needs her but soon learns to truly appreciate her multiple skills in spite of the resentment she feels from tribal law enforcement.

When this child turns out to be one of many, Gwen's company car and some of her equipment end up in a river, while the sheriff's female deputy continues to give her the evil eye over the drop-dead gorgeous sheriff's attention to and respect for Gwen, slowly Gwen begins to establish some long ago connections between this child's (and others') kidnapping and the unexplained death of her parents in a private plane crash. She calls in her longtime friend and neighbor back home who loves to help Gwen with her fine-tuned (former Microsoft employee) research skills and natural and persistent investigative curiosity. Faithfully she brings everything Gwen needs including herself.

All of this while her arrogant and despicable ex-husband threatens to get full custody of their teen daughter no doubt to provide a live-in babysitter for his expected first child by his second wife.

The twists and turns, the terrible danger Gwen experiences through these twists, and just a great complex plot with Carrie's both dead serious and LOL humorous, irreverent, and sarcastic voice expressed mostly in Gwen's internal dialogue, unmistakable forensic expertise, and innate storytelling ability, all combine to give us a fascinating tale of sheer determination, a grown up re-experiencing childhood pain, the desire to risk it all to get to the truth and to save victims. Gwen Marcey is my second favorite heroine, second only to Raleigh Harmon, and that in itself is a supreme compliment to Carrie Stuart Parks. 

A powerful and compelling book about vengeance and its destruction. Highly recommend this fascinating series and this latest addition Portrait of Vengeance.  

Father, you know Carrie and all her needs. You've healed her, helped her, kept her safe, and loved her deeply. Please continue to bless her life, skills, and give her all she needs to continue to do what you have for her. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.