Private Justice (Newpointe 911) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Terri Blackstock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2009 | Series: Newpointe 911 (Book 1)

Staying together had seemed impossible. Now it's their only hope. A dark shadow of fear has fallen over Newpointe, Louisiana. First one, then another of the town firemen's wives has been murdered, and a third has barely escaped an attempt on her life. Incredible as it seems, a serial killer is stalking this sleepy little southern community. And Mark Branning's wife may be next on the list. Mark is determined to protect her. But keeping Allie alive won't be easy---not with their marriage already dying a bitter death. Unless they renew their commitment to each other and to God, someone else may settle their problems ... permanently. And time to decide is running out. 'This tense and exciting thriller is more than a fabulous read; it has an underlying message about the place of religion within a marriage. Highly recommended.'---Library Journal Private Justice is book one in the Newpointe 911 series by award-winning novelist Terri Blackstock. Newpointe 911 offers taut, superbly crafted novels of faith, fear, and close-knit small-town relationships, seasoned with romance and tempered by insights into the nature of relationships, redemption, and the human heart. Look also for Shadow of Doubt, Line of Duty, Word of Honor, and Trial by Fire.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Another winner from Blackstock. It is the week of Mardi Gras in the Louisiana town of Newpointe, and the whole town is celebrating. Then horrible news arrives: Martha Dwyer, the wife of a firefighter, has been found murdered, shot through the head, her body set on fire. The townspeople's shock soon turns to horror when yet another firefighter's wife is found murdered in a similar fashion. By the time a third wife is attacked, it has become clear that a serial killer is at work. Firefighter Mark Branning is terrified, especially since he and his wife are estranged. Realizing that Allie may be the next victim, Mark convinces his reluctant wife to leave town with him. Unfortunately, this action does not stop the killer. This tense and exciting thriller is more than a fabulous read; it has an underlying message about the place of religion within a marriage. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

A dark shadow of fear has fallen over sunny Newpointe, Louisiana. First one, then another of the town firemen's wives has been murdered, a third has barely escaped an attempt on her life, and what at first seemed incredible appears to be only too true: A serial killer is stalking this sleepy little community near the Mississippi border. For fireman Mark Branning, the murders are a dash of icy water, waking him up to how much he really cares about his own wife, Allie. Their bad marriage had faded into an uneasy separation. Now, with a madman on the loose, Allie's life could be in danger--and marital problems or not, Mark is determined to protect her. The danger is much closer than either of them had realized. A terrifying encounter makes it clear that Allie is at the top of the killer's list. Her life could end violently at the hands of a cunning and relentless psychopath . . . unless Mark and Allie can find out who the criminal is and bring that person to justice. A suspenseful, superbly woven tapestry of fear, faith, and close-knit, small-town relationships, Private Justice pits an estranged couple against an enemy greater than their own marital struggles. Mark and Allie must resolve their differences, trusting God in a way they never have before, or suffer lethal consequences . . . and they don't have much time to make the choice. Private Justice is book one in the Newpointe 911 mystery series by award-winning novelist Terri Blackstock. Written in the style of Mary Higgins Clark, Newpointe 911 offers fast-paced suspense and action, seasoned with romance and tempered by insights into the nature of relationships, redemption, and the human heart. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 561 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; Lrg edition (May 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141041552X
• ISBN-13: 978-1410415523
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #924,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual "new kid," her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

In 1994 Terri was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. As she was praying about her transition, she went on a cruise and noticed that almost everyone on the boat (including her) had a John Grisham novel. It occurred to her that some of Grisham's readers were Christians, and that if she wrote a fast-paced thriller with an added faith element, she might just find her niche. As God would have it, Christian publishers were showing interest in the suspense genre, so she quickly sold a four-book series to Zondervan. Since that time, she's written over thirty Christian titles, most of them suspense novels.

Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers' online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope.

Other recent books include her stand-alone novel Shadow in Serenity, and Vicious Cycle (Book 2 in her Intervention Series). She's also known for popular series such as the Restoration Series, the Cape Refuge Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good application of faith to life, October 17, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Rome, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Justice (Newpointe 911 Series #1) (Paperback)

The mystery of this novel was intriging, but the draw of the book for me was the way the author wove the faith of the characters with the crises in their lives. Blackstock pulls no punches as she shows us Christians and non-Christians living out their lives, "warts and all." It's not just a mystery that has been "christianized" with "god-words," it is an look at believable characters who struggle with their faith, yet perservere. Bad things do happen to Christians, yet the promise of Romans 8:28 is evident throughout the book. If, like me, you are used to Patricia Cornwell novels, you will find that Blackstock is not as developed, but her characters still have a depth that makes them believable. I approached the novel with a bit of skepticism because I'm used to the likes of Cornwell; however, I came away with my spirit lifted in a way that I've never gotten from secular mysteries.

30 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fiction with Great Values Makes Great Reading, May 19, 2003

By 

Daniel Darling "Christian author and speaker" (Chicago area) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Private Justice (Newpointe 911 Series #1) (Paperback)

Terri Blackstock has done a masterful job of combining heart-pounding fiction with Christian values. You will absolutely not be able to put this book down and yet you will have no sense of guilt or shame at having read it, because you know the writer is committed to following Christian values.

What is also refreshing is that Private Justice doesn't follow a formulaic, Polyanish, everything-is-okay storyline. There are real people, with human flaws, who fail their families and their God. Christians make mistakes. Men are not Knights in shining armor and woman are not breath-takingly beautiful homemakers with perfect waistlines and no bad thoughts.

There is a marriage on the rocks that is put together only by God who allows tragic circumstances to force two independent belivers to come to grips with His will for thier lives. This book mirrors the real Christian life. You as a reader will at times wonder if Terri Blackstock has inside information from your life.

What I also enjoy is that Private Justice is so tightly written that she doesn't have to overwhelm the reader with unneccessary minutia about the field of police and fire and rescue.

This was my very first Terri Blackstock novel, but I can assure you that I will read many more. She has a wonderful storytelling talent. May God richly bless her work.

31 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars couldn't finish it, May 26, 2010

By 

Maria P - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Private Justice (Newpointe 911) (Kindle Edition)

I was intrigued by the title and the synopsis and, what the heck, it was free so I grabbed this book. I found the characters to have no personality whatsoever and couldn't buy into the marriage problems of Mark and is unreasonable wife. But, the reason I quit the book before finishing was frustration with the way the crimes and investigations were handled by the writer.

If you are portending to write about crime and law enforcement, please try to learn SOMETHING about either. I am a police officer and I was so incredibly distracted by the inaccuracies regarding how the investigation was being handled. As a murder mystery goes, it almost seems as if the murders were an afterthought so that the publishers had something to write in the book description. The murders were kind of forgotten about for a period while we took a break to discuss God, faith, marriages, break-ups...

The characters were flat and there was no drama.