Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig
Reviewed by Lori Twichell, Radiant Lit.com
Genre: Action, Adventure, Military
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication Dates: March 1, 2010

Shiloh Blake is an underwater archaeologist. Her first big dig with her best friend, Khalid, gets her into the middle of an international nuclear crisis. She finds herself running for her life with people being shot or killed around her and it gets a little crazy. She has no idea who she can trust or if she should trust anyone.

Reece Jaxon is an agent (albeit a really hot agent!) who has been pulled into the middle of Shiloh’s chaos. Unfortunately, he can’t tell her who he is and he’s got to try to convince her to trust him.

So what happens when her best friend proposes and she realizes she has feelings for Reece? Oh and everyone’s trying to kill her. I know I mentioned that earlier, but it really happens all the way throughout the whole book.

Ronie Kendig’s outing into the world of international intrigue and mystery is fast paced, adventurous and has just enough romance to keep everything spinning quite nicely. Shiloh Blake is a stubborn character with enough flaws that we all can empathize. As she tries to figure out her feelings for Khalid and save everyone’s lives (including her own) the story takes us on a variety of twists and turns that keep everyone guessing.

The settings were rich and beautifully described. Kendig definitely has some idea of what she’s talking about as she’s writing. The descriptions immerse you in the setting so fully that you wonder if Ronie lived the life she’s describing. The details are just plentiful enough to make you feel as if you’re there without being overwhelming or taking away from the story. The banter and dialogue is light and fun when it needs to be and brutally honest when the plot calls for it.

Ronie has done a brilliant job in creating a character with a painfully bitter past and showing how someone can be brought back to God in the most unique of circumstances. I loved the twists and turns in the plot and enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery. There were a few times I couldn’t figure out how Ronie would be able to fix the mess she’d written her characters into, but thankfully she’s wiser than I am!   Dead Reckoning is a fantastic, adventurous read that I highly recommend!

Rated PG – there’s some violence and some tough situations that could stress you out a bit!

**Review copy provided courtesy of Abingdon Press.