A Fine Line (The Baxter Series #5) [Paperback]

Kathy Herman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2003

Baxter residents fear upheaval when a regional tire plant announces it's coming to Baxter. Rumor says mayor Charlie Kirby's signature on the deal was influenced by an affair with the tire company's corporate attorney - who dies suddenly after the agreement is finalized. Charlie, a pillar of the community and a father of seven, faces the court of public opinion and the biggest moral dilemma of his life. Meanwhile, newspaper editor Ellen Jones goes looking for a feature story, collides with the brick wall of the late attorney's past - and is stalked by someone pursuing the same track!

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (October 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590522095
• ISBN-13: 978-1590522097
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #596,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kathy Herman is no stranger to the Christian publishing industry. Before becoming a bestselling author and award-winning poet, Kathy worked on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association for five years. She gained eleven years of bookstore experience as a children's products specialist and drew on that expertise to conduct related seminars in the U.S. and Canada.

Kathy quickly rose to the rank of bestselling author when her first novel, TESTED BY FIRE, became a CBA bestseller shortly after its release. Since then, five more of her novels have claimed the title of bestseller: ALL THINGS HIDDEN, THE REAL ENEMY, THE LAST WORD, THE RIGHT CALL,and FALSE PRETENSES.

Her contemporary, fast-paced novels weave inspirational messages into the storyline so effectively that a college professor in Houston utilized her books as required reading to educate students on the value of teaching through fiction. Kathy's books have also been widely used in book club discussion and Bible study groups.

Kathy and her husband Paul live in East Texas and have three grown children, five "nearly perfect" grandchildren, and an adorable cat named Samantha. Her hobbies include world travel, deep sea fishing, and bird watching--and an ongoing fascination with hummingbirds.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Line..., November 3, 2003

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Fine Line (The Baxter Series #5) (Paperback)

Baxter's city council voted to let Thompson Tire Corporation build a plant in town. Most of the residents were glad about it. Some were not.

Sheila Paxton was the company's lawyer. Sheila made a move on Charlie Kirby, Baxter's mayor, even though she knew he was happily married and had seven kids. Charlie seriously considered it, was very tempted, and refused the offer. When Sheila suddenly died, dark rumors spread of an affair between Charlie and Sheila. Charlie's marriage became threatened and the small town was heavy with gossip.

Worse, Sheila was part of the Witness Protection Program. A killer from her past was interested in finding her parents. Since Sheila (a.k.a. Mary Angelina Risotto) died in Baxter, that was where he went. The lives of Charlie and Ellen Jones, the editor of the town's paper, were about to become nightmares!

***** This is the last book in the Baxter series. I did not read the first four, but it does not matter. The story was able to stand alone. I was never confused or felt that I was missing anything. I love books of a series that manage to please no matter in what order they are read.

The story is filled with the warmth of a small town where everyone knows each other. That could be a good thing! However, the author shows that there are times that it could be a problem as well. There is a lot of suspense with all the mob, FBI, and local police involvement. The story also focuses on family matters, as well as, their faith in God. A wonderful story that will keep you hooked! Recommended! *****

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The weakest by far in the Baxter series, April 2, 2011

By 

April Whitener (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fine Line (The Baxter Series #5) (Paperback)

After coming off of the highly suspenseful, richly characterized "High Stakes," I was looking forward to a dramatic conclusion of the Baxter Series. I did not get it. The opening scene was gripping and promising, but the book quickly slows pace and concentrates way too much on the characters' petty day-to-day lives. The "mystery" is more of a side-story, with a flat, boring villain and a final "twist" that is painfully anticlimactic and makes the rest of the story pointless.

At about halfway through the book, I was tired of the story and the characters, but I gave the rest of the book a chance, hoping it would pick up toward the end. The opposite is true. The deeper I got into the book, the less interesting it became. I ended up skimming the pages just to get to the end. The conversations are dull and repetitive, and the dialogue in some areas is pretty cheesy. Although I enjoy Christian fiction and do not mind conversations about God, I felt like I was reading a Sunday School lesson instead of a novel at times.

I do like what Herman decided to do with the character of Mort, giving him a bit more development. But as for the rest of the book, I was surprisingly disappointed. I've never read a Kathy Herman book I couldn't get into. Although her novels are not perfect and have had some plot issues, I've always enjoyed them. I can't say the same for this one. My advice is skip it and go to the Seaport or far-better Phantom Hollow series.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Enjoyed It!, June 3, 2008

By 

Tamara Tilley (Hume Lake, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Fine Line (The Baxter Series #5) (Paperback)

A FINE LINE is the fifth and final book in the Baxter Series by Kathy Herman. After reading all five, I would have to say HIGH STAKES and A FINE LINE were my favorites. I enjoyed the way these stories were built around real everyday issues. In A FINE LINE, Charlie Kirby deals with the temptation that could ruin his marriage. When Shelia Paxton, Thompson Tire Co.'s persuasive lawyer, dies suddenly in a drive by shooting, rumors fly regarding Charlie's relationship with her. He vehemently denies any involvement with her, though he knows he is far from innocent. And as Ellen Jones, Baxter's newspaper editor, sees an even deeper story in Shelia's sudden death, she has no idea the dangerous Pandora's box she has opened when she decided to investigate.

A FINE LINE swings from Charlie's agonizing guilt over his unfaithfulness to Ellen's realization that she is in over her head in her investigation of Sheila Paxton's death. I enjoyed the suspense and the honesty in dealing with sin and forgiveness. I recommend the series as a whole.