Present Danger

Author: Elizabeth Goddard
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Series: Mountain Courage #1
Release Date: April 6, 2021

Hidden crimes. Open threats. Long-buried secrets.
They'll be fighting for the truth--and their lives.

Former FBI Special Agent Jack Tanner is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission. He's committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

When Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts, the investigation takes a deadly turn--one that hits too close to home. As Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before.

If he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

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Reviewer: Gee Dixon

This story is very fast-paced. It is full of mystery and very action packed with some romance.  It is a series, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.  Elizabeth Goddard is one of my favorites.  Happy Reading!

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews and Reviews.

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Reviewer: Anna Bottoms

Secrets abound in the shadows of Stone Wolf Mountain, and I was completely invested in trying to unwind the thread of clues. Each one steered me in one direction only to yank me back, raising even more questions. I couldn’t put it down.

Looking for sisters lost on the mountain Jack discovers a body and comes face to face with Terra the woman he loved and lost. As danger closes in around them, will they be able to overcome the past to grab hold of the future, or will their second chance be cut short?

I loved this book and highly recommend it.

This book was given to me courtesy of Revell a division Baker Publishing  House through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

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Reviewer: Winnie Thomas

Elizabeth Goddard’s new series, Rocky Mountain Courage, promises to be another winner for romantic suspense fans. Present Danger, the first book in the series, is a wild ride of twists and turns that kept me guessing from the first page to the last. Goddard is talented at keeping the suspense ramped up throughout the story.
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With carefully-crafted and colorful characters, and a setting in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, the scene is set for intrigue. USFS Special Agent Terra Connors is paired with Jack Tanner, a former FBI agent now working as a detective, to solve a murder involving the trafficking of archaeological artifacts.

This book should appeal to those who enjoy suspense, mystery, with a dash of second-chance romance. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Revell through LibraryThing. All opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: June McCrary Jacobs

Another well-crafted romantic suspense penned by Elizabeth Goddard . . .

Present Danger is the first installment in the author's Rocky Mountain Courage series from Revell. The stunning cover is the gateway to an intricate story filled with many secrets, red herrings, and surprises, along with plain, old-fashioned solid investigative work by the lead characters and amazing writing by the author!

The story opens with a tense situation in Montana. An experienced airplane pilot hired as a courier for an airfreight company blended with inclement weather, engine trouble, and a mountaintop thick with trees works together to instantly pull readers into the story. The action and suspense did not let up from that moment until the final page of the story.

One thing I appreciate about this author's work is that she reveals clues to her readers in her own good time. She respects our intelligence enough to expect us to figure some things out without being spoon-fed the answers. It also means she plays fair with her clues—she tells readers what the more obscure acronyms she is using in her manuscript mean. FBO—fix-based operator, FLETC—the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and NPS—National Park Service, are a few of the acronyms the author uses and helpfully defines for readers.

This book features an intelligent, strong female protagonist named Terra Connors, a US Forest Service Special Agent with a background in archaeology. Her male counterpart is the dedicated, experienced Detective Jack Tanner, who is currently working with the local sheriff's department. Both of these characters have personal baggage from their family backgrounds which influences their view of the world and their jobs.

As a history and cultural art buff, I truly enjoyed the archaeological evidence discovered in the story and the crimes surrounding these artifacts. I felt the author did an outstanding job of bringing current global events into her plot in a manner that enriched the story for readers.

The main characters are Christians struggling to focus on their faith and God's will for their lives after feeling out of touch with their spirituality in the recent past. The book is completely clean in language and content. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series when it is released in the future.

Highly recommended for fans of Christian/clean romantic suspense, Christian/clean romance, and Christian/clean mysteries. 

I received a paperback Advance Reader Copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. The opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are solely my own.

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Reviewer: Mindy Houng

"The direction your life takes can often come down to one decision, one moment in time."

Such an exciting and adrenaline-filled start to a new series! In her trademark fashion, Elizabeth Goddard weaves an action-packed, heart-pounding suspense with a complex and intricate plot that will have you guessing until the very end. I really enjoyed how all the pieces and clues fell into place to create a bigger picture than either of the main characters suspected when they took on the investigation. Jack and Terra have their voices in the story as the main characters but there is a third voice from a man named Chance whose role in the case is quite ambiguous until the end. I can't wait to read the second book in the series about Terra's friend Erin and Jack's co-worker Nathan.

Jack, ex-FBI and now a county detective, and Terra, ex-NPS and now a forest service special agent, have a rocky past together. Despite having grown and matured through the years that separated them, they still have a difficult and awkward time working together to solve a murder investigation in the national forest of Montana. The initial investigation leads to more confusing and deadly encounters and it gets personal when Terra becomes targeted. Jack and Terra's backstory is heavy with regret, self-doubt, and mistakes but their feelings for each other solidify as they dodge bullets, brainstorm theories, and work to protect others from harm. Archaeological trafficking is something I wasn't really aware of until this book.

I received the book from Revell/Baker Publishing Group and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own.

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Reviewer: Monica Huyser

Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard is a mystery full of twists and turns. This book kept me guessing right up until the end.

US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Conners is called to investigate a body found in the national forest. While uncovering clues and looking at the body with detective and former FBI special agent Jack Tanner, they find out that some illegal activity has been going on. However, they don't know who all is involved and just how widespread the activity is. At the same time, Terra and Jack have a history together from years ago. Do they want to rekindle what they once had?

Present Danger started out strong and it ended strong. The mystery was well done as I didn't figure that out until the end. I did think it slowed down a bit in the middle but I still enjoyed the book and kept trying to figure things out. I do wish that there had been a bit more romance but I enjoyed what was there. Terra and Jack also seemed to be people of faith but there wasn't a lot of spiritual talk. I found the main characters to be likeable as a whole and I was pulling for them both separately and as a couple. There was a lot going on in the last few pages of the book so it took me a bit to process all of that when the book was done.

Present Danger is the first book in the Rocky Mountain Courage series and there is a brief blurb to whet the reader's appetite for the next one, Deadly Target. After reading the first few pages, I can't wait to read that one.

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division, through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions in this review are my own.

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

This is a brand new series by Elizabeth Goddard and is her best yet. I very much enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end.

With great characters and an awesome plot, what's not to love about this book? I was very excited when I saw this book and knew I had to read it. Her books are just so exciting and wonderful. The twists and turns in this book sure kept me eagerly turning the pages to see who and what the motive was for the killing of Mr. Jim. There were definitely some surprises in this book. I loved how she described the scenery. Just simply gorgeous!

I felt like I was experiencing it through Terra and Jack's eyes as they helped solve the murder mystery. I enjoyed every minute of this story.  I "sighed" with pleasure and thought about this book long after it was over. 

Thank you for another great story, Ms. Goddard. Please keep them coming!

This book was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews.

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Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

"The direction your life takes can often come down to one decision, one moment in time."

Her deceased mother's advice still ringing in her ears, United States Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors is unsure about her reaction to seeing Grayback County Sheriff's Detective Jack Tanner again. Obviously, Jack already knew that she was back in the area, but laying eyes on him again after that fateful decision, was still a shock to her system. Personal feelings aside, they would have to find an amicable means of working together; a private plane has crashed, the pilot has mysteriously disappeared from the hospital, and a respected member of their community has been murdered. And that's not all.

Jack Tanner had been conducting a search and rescue operation when he spotted what appeared to be a body at the bottom of a ravine. . . . it certainly wasn't the bodies of the two twin girls, the objects of their original search. After rappelling down to the scene, he comes eye to eye with the one person whose face has interrupted his thoughts and dreams for years, how could he have ever let her go?

As Terra and Jack delve into the case, the facts become more and more confusing while the body count continues to rise; but they have gained one cryptic clue; "Janus", the name of an ancient Roman god with two faces, one looking backwards toward the past and the other looking forward towards the present. In an odd sort of way, it also depicts the journey that Terra and Jack have taken, the obvious question in both cases remains, "Where do we go from here?".

Readers will definitely enjoy puzzling over this story while they savor the sweetness of a relationship tossed aside for all the wrong reasons, only to be put back together for all of the right. The pacing is perfect; continuous, mind-boggling action, with plenty of time for "unfinished business".

"I'm holding you close, that's what. I'm holding this moment close. I almost lost you out there. I can't let that happen ever again."

I received a copy of this book from the Baker Publishing Group/Revell through Interviews & Reviews.

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