Into the Fire

Mirage by L.T. Ryan and Brian Shea is Book 13 in A Rachel Hatch Novel Series. 

Rachel Hatch goes by "Hatch. Just Hatch." Former military, she's worked private security, and she's seen and faced all kinds of danger having the vicious scars on her left arm as a constant reminder. No longer officially working in private security, she's promised an old friend she'd deliver a covert message to his sister (Emily) in a tiny blip on the map town of Riverton, Texas. Emily is the single mother of a 10-year-old daughter "Cass." Just prior to Hatch's arrival, Emily had seen a newsfeed about her brother's death and is trying to hold herself together in order to tell her daughter.  

Hatch's assurance that her brother is alive is a welcome relief even if the circumstances can't be explained. 

Before the threesome can get to know each other, all the power goes out. Hatch's car won't start, Emily's generator won't work, zero phone service, and it seems particularly different than a normal outage. 

Hatch has already had one confrontation before even getting into town, and now another problem has presented itself. Something's off, but she has no idea what. When she, Emily, and Cass decide to walk into town, they learn the town is not functioning, the sheriff is missing, and people want answers. Cass spots her school science teacher and when she introduces him to Hatch and her mom, he and Hatch have an interesting conversation. Before long, in comes a powerful Humvee, the only operating vehicle, with a familiar survivalist family of three, Dad and two adult sons, one of whom lost the confrontation with Hatch before she arrived. 

The Dad (Rick) takes charge as the mayor willingly hands the bullhorn he'd been using to attempt to calm the crowd. Rick assures the crowd they'll get through it, and his family will help.

Hatch observes it all: the grateful, helpless mayor, the crowd wanting to hear what Rick has to say, and still nothing is sitting right. 

When Cass reminds her mom who's suffering from a migraine that they need to get her prescription, the three of them head for the pharmacy, hoping to find it available. Inside, looters are bagging drugs and threaten them. Hatch makes sure Emily and Cass get back out of the way before she does what she must. Rick and sons find their way there in order to collect all the drugs for safekeeping and realize what has just taken place.

Amidst all of this, it's learned that the electrician who made a visit to the power station before all of this happened is also missing. 

It's a town in chaos in desperate need of rescuing. Little do they know what this "just passing through" gal specializes in. 

Without communication available, she and the science teacher must pool their intellects to figure out who has made this happen and how to fix it. 

Rachel Hatch is a unique and near-perfect heroine for every story L.T. and Brian have created for her. Not as hard nor as brutal as Ham from Dustin Stevens, I think she's my favorite next to Raleigh Harmon created by Sibella Giorello. 

Mirage leaves us in a bit of a cliffhanger that demands a reckoning. 

This series is a very good one with a strong but sensitive heroine who does everything she can to stay disciplined in every factor of her life. Well-written, action-packed in appropriate places, with meaningful connections along the way. Highly Recommend but start from the beginning if you can. 

Father, only you know hearts and minds. Although it's hard for many to realize, apart from you we can do nothing. Please bless L.T. and Brian with more stories you have just for them to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.