Customer Reviews

An Eye for an Eye (Center Point Christian Mystery (Large Print))

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Do you have favorite authors whose books you await? Well I have a new one. Irene Hannon jumped onto my must read list after the release of her first book in her Heroes of Quantico series and cemented her placement with the release of An Eye For An Eye.

Recently released An Eye for an Eye features FBI Agent Mark Sanders, but this time he's on restricted duty from after an accidental shooting and not partnering with his fellow agent Coop. At least not until a sniper fires at Mark in the park when he's talking to old girlfriend Emily Lawson.

Trouble is Mark is uncertain if the sniper wants to kill him or Emily. And the reader is uncertain, too, until the very end. Along the way we watch Mark and Emily fall back in love as Mark and Emily are thrust together while he looks out for her safety. Oh and if you read Against All Odds you'll be happy to know that Coop is featured in the book but he's in the unique role of protecting Mark.

An Eye For An Eye is Hannon's second romantic suspense novel. She has a long list of romance titles under her belt and that experience really shows as she fully develops her characters and their relationship struggles. She couples these very likeable and real characters with well researched FBI suspense and creates books that you sit down and read in one night because you can't put them down.

If you missed Against All Odds, I recommend reading it first as it will make An Eye For An Eye more meaningful, but it's not necessary. What is necessary if you are a romantic suspense reader is to rush out and purchase both of these books and getting them read before the third and final book in the series, In Harms Way releases in April of 2010.

With a sniper shooting in the first chapter, An Eye for an Eye starts with a promise of action. But it quickly bogs down in the relationship of the two main characters. Their instant rapport based on a twenty year old romance, and their memories of that time, are interspersed with the search for the would-be killer. They each rehash their feelings for each other and their fears about rekindling their love, while FBI agents look for clues. I'm not a big fan of flashbacks, but I found myself wishing Hannon had used one or two to catch us up and move on to the story at hand.

The characters are compelling and you have to like them. But as the tough FBI agent shows his softer side, he also reveals that he has wandered far from his childhood faith. His love interest, who is a committed Christian, is concerned about his soul, but doesn't worry about her own relationship with an unbeliever. She sees a wonderful man and is pleased that her faith opens his heart to begin seeking the Lord again. But his return to faith is not explicit and I wanted to have a motherly chat with her about the problems I've seen in marriages between believers and unbelievers.

But there is a killer to catch, and as the romance progresses, so does the investigation. The FBI and police actions ring true, including some tedious detective work, as they follow a limited number of clues. The strength of the book lies in the brief glimpses we are given of the shooter. As the investigation progresses so does our knowledge about him and his motives. In the end I found myself hoping he would get some help; mercy as well as justice.

It's a good crime story, but prepare yourself for lots of romantic scenes and a lot of introspection by the main characters.

Pros: Well plotted crime investigation with just enough clues to keep you going. A very good depiction of the perpetrator.

Cons: Repetitive descriptions of the characters' feelings.

Original review was posted on Pix-N-Pens

An Eye for an Eye is my first Irene Hannon read, and it definitely won't be my last. A couple of years ago I absolutely fell in love with Dee Henderson's romantic suspense novels, particularly the O'Malley Series, which featured a set of siblings, each involved in a high-profile, intense, fascinating career. It's been a bit of a search for me to find other books that match the "gold standard" set by the O'Malley series - comparable, equally absorbing romantic suspense novels that feature just the right balance of high-profile jobs, swoon-worthy heroes, and fast-paced, intense action that doesn't let go until the final page. Hannon is definitely on the right track with her FBI-centered Heroes of Quantico series. Though Eye is the 2nd book in the series, it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Mark and Emily's story opens with a bang, literally. It's a superbly executed sequence that sets up the unknown assailant and the threat against Mark and Emily. After being involved in a standoff situation that resulted in the accidental shooting death of a teenager, Mark was temporarily reassigned from his duties as a member of the HRT (Hostage Response Team) in Quantico to a less high-profile job in St. Louis as a field agent. A chance encounter with a former flame, Emily, quickly tailspins out of control when a sniper takes two shots at them and then disappears, leaving Emily wounded. Mark is left reeling - has one of his former cases come back to haunt him, or was Emily the intended target? And if so, how can he protect a woman scarred by past loss and intent on protecting her heart?

From Mark's reaction to the shooting and the subsequent investigation, it's obvious Hannon's done her research into FBI protocols. The investigation clips along at a pace worthy of shows like 24 or its British equivalent, MI-5. The pacing slows down a bit once the imminent threat seems to be removed and Mark and Emily begin to reconnect. I loved how their relationship plays out - they have an actual history with each other which you rarely see in this type of story, and when they reconnect the chemistry is electrifying. The camaraderie between Mark and his friends and coworkers is also extremely well-executed - Hannon does a good job of nailing the male point-of-view and illustrating the depth of the bonds that develop between individuals in high-risk, life-or-death jobs. And even though Emily has her own fear and trust issues to work through, I really like how Hannon illustrates the strength of her faith - and how that unshakeable faith, even in the face of death, prompts Mark to re-evaluate his own faith walk. Well-researched, masterfully plotted, and with a few twists and turns I didn't see coming, An Eye for an Eye is not to be missed for fans of romantic suspense.

An Eye for An Eye is the second book in the Heroes of Quantico series. In the first one you learn all about Connor, so in this one you learn more about his partner Mark Sanders. Mark is a part of the Hostage Rescue Team in the FBI. He is involved in a accidental shooting he is sent to St. Louis to let things smooth over with the bad press and his own emotions.

While out jogging he runs into a old flame from his teenage years. As they are talking in the park someone is trying to get a shoot Emily. When a shot is fired, Mark goes into officer mode and finds them protection, but Emily has been hit. Why is someone shooting at them? So much for a nice reunion.

Mark at first think that maybe the shooter was after him, but then soon finds out he is after Emily. As Mark puts the pieces together he also rekindles a relationship with Emily.

Okay here is my thoughts, I liked the first book better. That normally happens in series books, but I am not saying that its a bad book. I liked this book, but there was just something about this one that made it a bit harder for me to read.

I had never heard of the Hostage Rescue Team before, I never really thought must of the different branches that are in the FBI, so this is very interesting to learn about. You can tell that Irene Hannon as done a lot of research for these books as the details about how this team operates is very well written.

If you like a good story with romance, suspense and intrigue then you will like the second book of the Heroes of Quantico series. It works real well as a stand alone book. I recommend it to everyone.

Mark Sanders is sent to St. Louis to work as a field agent and to help him recover from a robbery gone bad in which he shoots an innocent young man by accident. While jogging in the park he notices a pretty female. As he looks closer he realizes that it's Emily Lawson. Twenty years ago he and Emily had a crush on one another and shared a first kiss. She can't believe it when he tells her who he is. As they stand chatting with each other shots ring out! Mark throws Emily to the ground. After observing where the shots are coming from he checks Emily. She's been hit and is losing blood quickly. Will they be able to get to the hospital in time? Were the shots meant for him? Who is shooting at them and will they try again? Will Emily and Mark get a chance to re-acquaint themselves with a long ago friendship?

An Eye for an Eye is Book 2 in the Hero's of Quantico Series and an excellent read. The story keeps you engaged from the first page to the last. The dialog is crisp and realistic. I found that the emotions of Mark, Emily and the shooter all rang true. I thoroughly enjoy the romantic element in the book too. I loved that Coop (from Against All Odds) played a major role. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for Book 3.

I do not want to write at length, I enjoyed all of the Quantico Series and was happy to get it on my Kindle. The author is a good writer.

This is a great book. I enjoyed it better then the first book. Once I began reading this book I could not put it down.

Irene Hannon
2009
Revell
Fiction/Suspense

Reviewed by Cindy Loven

Book Two in the Heroes of Quantico Series, has Mark and Coop teamed up again, however they are not on a HRT assignment. Mark is recuperating and laying low after a accidental shooting, where he was shot and an innocent bystander was killed, and the FBI has him laying low for a while on a temporary assignment in St Louis.

However things never stay dull around Mark Sanders and at a chance meeting of an old friend at a park, they are shot at by a sniper. Coop comes to St Louis to help keep an eye on Mark and Mark is keeping his eye on his old friend Emily. Who was being shot at? Was Mark or Emily the target?

Things heat up quickly between Mark and Emily, will they be able to make a relationship work? Can Emily put herself in position of being in relationship with another man who has a dangerous profession? Another excellent book by Irene Hannon. She truly makes you feel like her characters are people you know and work with everyday. 301 pages $12.99 US 5 stars!

This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.

Irene Hannon has done it again. AN EYE FOR AN EYE, the second book in the Heroes of Quantico series, continues where AGAINST ALL ODDS leaves off.
Mark Sanders, a member of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team finds himself in St. Louis recovering from an accidental shooting. While he debates his future and the emotional fallout from a botched rescue attempt, he runs into Emily Lawson, his childhood sweetheart. Their chance meeting in a park turns from nostalgia to sniper fire. Both Emily and Mark are hit, but evade the shooter. The only question now is . . . who was the shooter's intended target?
As Mark takes all necessary precautions to keep Emily safe, Emily does the same with her wounded heart. Both Mark and Emily feel the attraction they once had for each other, but for Emily it is a feeling she knows she must ignore. She took a chance on love once and lost her firefighter husband in the line of duty. She refuses to open up her heart once again to a man who puts his life on the line every day. Mark feels Emily's apprehension and deals with some of his own, but he knows logic will not have the final say. He is falling in love with Emily all over again, but will he be able to keep her safe? Will he and Emily find love again?
AN EYE FOR AN EYE is a great follow-up to AGAINST ALL ODDS. I don't care how old the damsel in distress plot is. When written this masterfully it is anything but boring.

An Eye for an Eye is romantic suspense at its best! The fast paced plot, believable characters, meaningful spiritual thread, and satisfying romance are all woven together into a wonderful page-turner. It'd give it more stars if it was possible. I will look forward to the next Heroes of Quantico novel.