The Real Enemy (Sophie Trace Trilogy, Book 1) [Paperback]

Kathy Herman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

Brill Jessup would rather work than deal with the bitterness she feels about her husband Kurt's infidelity. They've made a fresh start with Brill taking a job as the new police chief in a small East Tennessee town. Kurt is genuinely contrite and making every effort to show his commitment to Brill. Meanwhile Emily, their nine-year-old, is being the perfect little girl, as if she can make everything okay again. So why can't Brill get over this anger? Work presents the perfect distraction as rumors and superstition are running rampant in the wake of the disappearances of seven people in seven days. As fear rises in the community, Brill works desperately to solve the mystery... until it threatens her family and she is forced to confront the real enemy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bookstore owner turned novelist Herman delivers a competent suspense novel that will please fans of police procedurals. After 18 years with the Memphis police, Brill Jessup is almost immediately handed a challenge as new chief of the police force of a small town nestled in the Smoky Mountains. People go missing, one by one, and townsfolk are more than ready to believe that an old legend about vengeful displaced Cherokee accounts for the mystery. Meanwhile Brill's home life is in tatters; she has stayed with her unfaithful husband Kurt for the sake of their daughter but resolutely refuses to forgive despite his remorse. Brill is an intriguing, flawed character and several townspeople supply local color, though the Jessups' neighbors the Masinos seem improbably saintly. A Bible verse about evil forms an epigraph and credibly motivates some action in this police thriller. Some of the exposition is slightly clunky, but on the whole things move along briskly, and the novelist will have readers waiting for the next installment in this trilogy.
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* “Brill” Jessup earned her nickname because of her brilliant detective work during her 18 years in the Memphis Police Department. Now the first female police chief in the sleepy little town of Sophie Trace, Tennessee, Brill needs to build her “street cred” all over again, both with a staff that’s just getting to know her and with a sheriff with a giant ego whose cases sometimes overlap hers. In this faith-based novel, Brill’s husband, Kurt, has had an affair, and she’s not able to forgive him. But Brill has more to worry about than just her marital problems. People are beginning to disappear from Sophie Trace without leaving a clue, and many believe “red shadows,” the ghosts of Cherokees who were forced from their land, are responsible. Herman skillfully builds suspense and twists plotlines, keeping her readers hooked from beginning to end. While the characters in this book are both interesting and three-dimensional, Brill is an especially fascinating blend of tough and vulnerable, the epitome of a woman under great stress, personal and professional. This is the first installment in the Sophie Trace trilogy, and libraries will want all three. --Shelley Mosley

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook; New edition (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434767868
• ISBN-13: 978-1434767868
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #853,493 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

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast moving, great Christian mystery, May 31, 2009

By 

Shana "That's my opinion- I could be wrong!" (Northern NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Real Enemy (Sophie Trace Trilogy, Book 1) (Paperback)

(What's this?)

This is a nicely written suspense/mystery book. Written in third-person narrative, this Christian thriller keeps the reader on the edge. The plot is a bit of a brain teaser. I really enjoyed it!

Brill Jessup, the protagonist, comes across as a very believable chief of police. She works endlessly with the Sheriff and the FBI on a case that seems impossible to crack. Meanwhile, she does her best to ignore her husband who cheated on her. All while trying to stay strong for her daughter and keep her family together.

One of the Christian themes covered in this book is bitterness, along with the inability to forgive (illustrated by Brill & her husband). It's a topic that most people will relate to.

At times, I could really relate to Brill. On the other hand, Emily, Brill's very intelligent nine-year-old daughter is written too unbelievable. Several times I had trouble believing that she would speak and act as maturely as she did. Also, at the end the 180 turn in Brill and her husband's relationship out of no where was hard to believe. Though, Brill herself admitted it was a miracle reunion.

Even though, there were minor things I didn't like it was a great read. Overall, a fast, easy and thought provoking read. I'd highly recommend to any Christian book clubs or ladies group. I would most definitely read another of the series.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable mystery, May 25, 2009

By 

CJ-MO (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Real Enemy (Sophie Trace Trilogy, Book 1) (Paperback)

(What's this?)

"The Real Enemy" is the first of a new series. The main character, Colleen "Brill" Jessup is the first female police chief in a small town in Tennessee. She faces many obstacles as she starts her new job: trying to prove herself since she's new and a woman, dealing with marital problems, and then trying to solve a series of tough missing person cases.

I really liked this book and found that it moved along quickly and kept me interested in finding out what would happen next with the cases and in Brill's personal life.

The book is classified as Christian suspense. The characters do talk about their faith and passages and messages from the bible are referenced. However, the book is not "preachy" and should appeal to a wide range of mystery/suspense fans.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Series starts slow but has a lot of potential., May 16, 2009

By 

Natalie Dawn (Southern CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real Enemy (Sophie Trace Trilogy, Book 1) (Paperback)

(What's this?)

It was a good book and I didn't have any problems finishing it as it does keep you engaged. However, like other reviewers have stated, the characterization is rather weak and you never fully connect with the characters. That normally wouldn't be a problem if the main element of the story was the mystery but even that come across as somewhat weak and isn't the main emphasis.
The Authors message of forgiveness and the effects of bitterness especially in light of betrayal and adultery was very good but lost some of the effectiveness due to the flat characterization. The suspense was good especially at the end but I would have liked to have seen a stronger mystery. Seemed anticlimactic.
Overall I think that the book had a lot of potential and that this might be one of those series that starts out slow but quickly strengthens. It is definetely worth giving a chance.