When a Heart Stops: A Novel (Deadly Reunions) [Paperback]

Lynette Eason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2012 | Series: Deadly Reunions (Book 2)

Spunky and outgoing, nothing much bothers medical examiner Serena Hopkins--except for the thought of falling in love again. But when a serial killer is picking off her former classmates, Serena's life becomes intertwined with her old high school crush, FBI agent Dominic Allen. Is the secret she's keeping putting her next on the killer's hit list? Can she trust Dominic with the truth before it's too late?

Intense, emotional, and fast-paced, When a Heart Stops will have readers up late as they race to the finish to find out what happens.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A killer's deadly game needs new players . . . but someone's about to change the rules

As a medical examiner, Serena Hopkins is used to dealing with death. But that doesn't make it any easier when she's called to the eerie scene of a murder--especially when Serena realizes that she knows the victim. Nearly as unnerving is the presence of FBI agent Dominic Allen, her childhood crush.

As evidence mounts and points to a serial killer with disturbingly familiar methods, Serena and Dominic must work to find a pattern and stop the killings before the murderer strikes again. And when Serena's own life seems at stake, she must decide if the secret she has been keeping has put her next on the killer's hit list. Can she trust Dominic with the truth before it's too late?


Praise for Lynette Eason's suspense

"The suspense is high; I was turning pages so fast I had to go back and reread."--Suspense Magazine

"Eason has the ability to make the characters come alive and keep the suspense strong enough that the pages have to keep turning."--ARomanceReview.com

"Balancing skilled action writing with quality characterization is difficult for many writers, but Eason does both well."--Crosswalk.com


Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including the Women of Justice series and When the Smoke Clears. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. A wife and the mother of two, she has a master's degree in education and lives in South Carolina.

About the Author

Lynette Eason is the author of several romantic suspense novels, including Too Close to Home, Don't Look Back, A Killer Among Us, and When the Smoke Clears. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Revell; Original edition (October 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800720083
• ISBN-13: 978-0800720087
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Literature & Fiction > Mystery

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Be prepared for a suspense that'll creep you out! October 23, 2012

By Katie McCurdy

Format:Paperback

Okay, Lynette Eason! You are an awesome author, but...*sigh*...must you torture me with yet another cliffhanger??

Don't worry, dear reader, I mean this in the best way possible! While I'm not the ideal model when it comes to patience, I'll be the first to admit a cliffhanger has its advantages--such as making you that much more eager to get your hands on the next installment! And such seems to be the case with Eason's Deadly Reunion series. When the Smoke Clears left the readers with many questions answered...but many more left unanswered! And as When a Heart Stops comes to a pulse-pounding ending, the reader is left longing for the release of the next book.

I always love when a suspense book is written so well that *I* am left on edge and jumpy right along with the characters. And in When a Heart Stops there was several times I had to stop reading and check to make sure there wasn't any creepy psycho-killers looking at me through the window, (Though it probably didn't help that I read this book at night after everyone had gone to bed and the house was eerily quiet! Haha!)

As for the characters...they're awesome! I've loved Serena ever since the first time I read about her (In the Women of Justice series), and getting to find out more about her previous life really made her come alive and endear herself to me even more. Dominic was...wow! He was good-looking, a total gentleman, had a cool-sounding name (I know, I know!) and...in short, he was totally sigh-worthy!

The fact that Serena was a medical examiner might be a bit disturbing for some readers. While she does do several autopsies during When a Heart Stops, Eason doesn't go into too much detail. So those with weaker stomachs shouldn't get too grossed out. ;-)

I love reading a book that will creep me out. And the whole Doll Maker Killer certainly got me to that point! As is usual for Eason's novels, I had a pretty good idea of who the serial killer was about halfway through the book, but it didn't hinder the book at all. It actually kind of enhanced it even more, in my opinion. When a Heart Stops is sure to keep you on your toes from page one! Be prepared for a suspense that'll creep you out!

I reviewed this book for Revell. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, but not a stand alone title... September 23, 2012

By Ashley Pichea

Format:Paperback

I have loved Lynette Eason's writing from the first time I read one of her books, so I was very eager to dive into "When a Heart Stops."

As I began to read, I found myself trying to remember a lot of the details from "When the Smoke Clears" {book one in the Deadly Reunions series}, as those details were constantly being referenced in the first several chapters of the book. I found it difficult to recall some of the key elements {having been several months since I'd read book one}, and I found myself missing key details of the story due to a lack of recall. This made me wish that I had a copy of book one easily accessible to re-read immediately prior to reading book two.

"When a Heart Stops" is not able to be a stand-alone title.

Once I was able to get past the inability to recall the missing details, I found myself lost in the story, frantically turning pages to see what happened next, constantly trying to guess the twists and turns that were about to be revealed.

I have to say - while I definitely had my suspicions about the outcome, details in reveal made the ending next to impossible to truly guess with accuracy.

---

Disclosure: I received a free copy of "When a Heart Stops" from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What a book! October 11, 2012

By Rosie

Format:Paperback

Whew! What a book! Fast-paced and heart pounding from the first page, this isn't a book you want to miss!

I read this book incredibly fast. And that's a good thing. This is the first book I've read from Miss Eason and I must say I'm impressed. Her writing is easy to read, her characters are very admirable, and her plot was a large knot just waiting to be untied.

When a Heart Stops is focused mainly on Serena. It was just another homicide investigation until Serena pulled up and recognized the victim as someone she knew from high school. Evidence seems to indicate that an old serial killer has returned...but he's in jail so it must be a copycat. The tension mounts with every chapter and soon Serena finds herself the next target.

Serena is a medical examiner (M.E.) for the police. Not exactly an attractive job, but it was neat to read about. I'd like to thank Miss Eason for giving us a very little, visually, about the autopsies. From what I've heard, she's had a part in past Eason novels, but this is the first time I met her. She is a very realistic character with honorable traits and a heart for God. I think she and I would have been good friends.

Miss Eason's latest suspense novel is one that I enjoyed. I would recommend though, that you don't read it at night... ;-)

Available October 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

I received this book from Revell for free in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done.