Cape Refuge (Cape Refuge, No. 1) (Paperback)

by Terri Blackstock (Author) "The air conditioner was broken at City Hall, and the smell of warm salt air drifted through the windows from the beach across the street..." (more)
Key Phrases: warehouse church, boat shop, grease fire, Hanover House, Cape Refuge, Rick Morrison (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Although Blackstock, a former bestselling romance author in the general market, is now well-known in the CBA for her writing partnership with Beverly LaHaye, her most successful books belong to the inspirational suspense genre, and this novel is no exception. On a small barrier island east of Savannah, Ga., lies Cape Refuge, the site of Hanover House, a halfway home for ex-cons and derelicts run by the island's most beloved no-nonsense Christian couple, Thelma and Wayne Owens. But when the Owenses are found spear-gunned through their throats in their warehouse church, the island and its inhabitants get turned upside-down. The Owens's daughter Morgan's husband, Jonathan, is charged with the murder, but former drug addict Gus Hampton and Hanover House resident Richard Dugan also fall under suspicion. As the Owenses' other daughter, Blair who has spent a lifetime rejecting faith and love because of facial scars from the mysterious burns she suffered as a young child examines her parents' papers, she discovers that Thelma and Wayne had a very shady past. Also drawn into the web of intrigue is a homeless teenager who comes to Hanover House seeking shelter from an abusive family. The pacing is a bit slow at the start, but good writing, well-honed descriptive details, compelling characters and a conclusion that doesn't succumb to pat answers keep the pages turning, making this an engaging novel for fans of Christian nail-biters.

From Library Journal
Cape Refuge is a peaceful island off the coast of Savannah, GA, a place where the weary and the persecuted retreat to find themselves again. Nothing bad happens here until Wade and Thelma Owens are murdered. Prior to their deaths, the couple had been under pressure from the town council to shut down Hanover House, their bed-and-breakfast for lost souls, because some of their clients had criminal records. And Jonathan Cleary, the couple's son-in-law, had wanted to move his wife, Morgan, out of the house, fearing for her safety. Blair Owens, the second daughter, had moved out years ago and become the town librarian, seeking refuge in books from scars incurred during a fire. When motive and means point to Jonathan, the sisters band together to find the true killer. As Morgan takes over running Hanover House, her example reawakens Blair's interest in God even as they discover that their perfect parents were keeping secrets that may have killed them and endangered everyone at Hanover House. Because of her strong and lengthy publishing history, Blackstock (Emerald Windows) belongs in library collections as a standard purchase; this first book in an new series is an excellent starting point.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; First Edition edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310235928
• ISBN-13: 978-0310235927
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,780 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gripping Whodunnit!, August 23, 2002

By	Bookworm in WI (SE Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

Well, after deciding I needed to expand my repertoire of authors that I read, I happened to see Ms. Blackstock on a talk show--and she discussed briefly this new book. I had heard of her previous pseudonyms, used in the secular market, but never read her--they were romance. This book sounded perfect, and I was not disappointed! The characters are well developed, the storyline moves at a good pace, and as the reader approaches the end...you can't wait to find out...whodunnit? And what a twist! I read this over the span of 24 hours--I had to sleep and take care of my little ones, you know--and boy, was it satisfying! And I see it's Book 1 of a new series! Well, now I need to go back and read her Newpointe 911 series, as I wait for the next installment of Cape Refuge! If you like suspense, mystery and a "clean" read, you won't be disappointed with this one!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surpassing Greatness, May 25, 2002

By	Shane Hendrickson (Greenwood, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

I first became hooked on Terri Blackstock when I read the "Newpointe 911" series. After that, I read her previous series, "SunCoast Chronicles". They were all great (Newpointe being far better), and this new series will have no problem living up to her name.
I found the characters in Cape Refuge to be quite engaging. Unlike some previous books, this one didn't throw you at the bad guy right away. Some major plot twists keep you guessing for a while. (You may think it's this person, but then this person, but wait that person is lying...maybe...)
A very awesome read and highly recommended.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cape Refuge Series, May 10, 2006

By	Mystery Series Fan - See all my reviews

When I find out about a good series, I try to read them in order but it's time consuming to find the order in which they're written. So, I'm going to provide that for anyone else who's interested.
Read the Cape Refuge Series in this order:

Cape Refuge
Southern Storm
Rivers Edge
Breaker's Reef

This is an excellent series of stories following characters you'll soon realize you care deeply about. Truly an enjoyable experience.