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Southern Crimes #2
Fatal Exchange
Emily Hunt might come from a family of cops, but she never goes looking for an adrenaline rush. She lives the quiet–well, relatively quiet–life of a teacher and thrives on making a difference in the lives of her students. But she’ll have to draw on a well of strength and savvy she didn’t know she had as student Rafael Cerda takes her class hostage for ransom money to save his brother’s life.
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Fatal Exchange draws readers into a complex matrix of intertwining lives and unraveling secrets, where every answer creates more questions. Romantic suspense fans will hardly want to come up for air.
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Fatal Exchange draws readers into a complex matrix of intertwining lives and unraveling secrets, where every answer creates more questions. Romantic suspense fans will hardly want to come up for air.
316 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2014
94 people are currently reading
1,298 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Harris
121books1,231followersLISA HARRIS is a Christy Award finalist for Blood Ransom, Vendetta, and Port of Origin, Christy Award winner for Dangerous Passage, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 (Blood Covenant) and 2015 (Vendetta) from Romantic Times.
She has fifty novels and novellas in print. She and her family work as missionaries in southern Africa. Lisa loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari. Visit Lisa’s website to learn more.
She has fifty novels and novellas in print. She and her family work as missionaries in southern Africa. Lisa loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari. Visit Lisa’s website to learn more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
January 17, 2019
I liked it! It was such a nice, clean romance spiced up with some nail-biting hostage for ransom nad abduction suspense!
Being this christian romance there were some preaching, but nothing overdone.
Being this christian romance there were some preaching, but nothing overdone.
January 21, 2016
Fatal Exchange is the second book in the Southern Crime series.
I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel much more than the first of the series. Fatal Exchange had continuous action and shifted from one aspect of the police activity to another in each chapter, which kept things especially interesting. The main characters were Emily and Mason. My only frustration was with a secondary character (name withheld to avoid spoiler) was a huge part of the story initially and then completely dropped off the radar. I would have liked to known more of what was going on with the secondary character in the last quarter of the novel.
The very end of the novel would have been shocking, however, my daughter that has read the entire series "spilled the beans" on that revelation a couple of months ago so the ending likely would have been much stronger if I hadn't already known what was going to happen.
I recommend this series for fans of Irene Hannon's suspense novels.
I enjoyed this romantic suspense novel much more than the first of the series. Fatal Exchange had continuous action and shifted from one aspect of the police activity to another in each chapter, which kept things especially interesting. The main characters were Emily and Mason. My only frustration was with a secondary character (name withheld to avoid spoiler) was a huge part of the story initially and then completely dropped off the radar. I would have liked to known more of what was going on with the secondary character in the last quarter of the novel.
The very end of the novel would have been shocking, however, my daughter that has read the entire series "spilled the beans" on that revelation a couple of months ago so the ending likely would have been much stronger if I hadn't already known what was going to happen.
I recommend this series for fans of Irene Hannon's suspense novels.
November 16, 2020
What a gripping story! This one had me until the end...and, now, I can't wait to read the sequel; I'm glad I already have it on hand! I'm thankful for the Hoopla app, which provided me with an eBook version!
August 23, 2015
SUMMARY: Emily Hunt might come from a family of cops, but she never goes looking for an adrenaline rush. She lives the quiet–well, relatively quiet–life of a teacher and thrives on making a difference in the lives of her students. But she’ll have to draw on a well of strength and savvy she didn’t know she had as student Rafael Cerda takes her class hostage for ransom money to save his brother’s life.
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Fatal Exchange draws readers into a complex matrix of intertwining lives and unraveling secrets, where every answer creates more questions. Romantic suspense fans will hardly want to come up for air.
REVIEW: Continuing the story of the Hunt family, the second in the Southern Crimes trilogy combines intrigue, suspense, and action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish along with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure. The plot was unique and once again Harris' characters were well developed and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Emily and Mason. Harris focuses on evil, man's choices and how they affect others , and the need to depend on God when faced with evil. Full of twists and turn along with many red herrings, I was almost at the end before I figured out one of the villains. Great read and I am glad that I already have book 3 from the library so can find out what happens next.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I still struggle justifying the evil that I see around me every day; but the older I get, the more I believe --have to believe--that not matter what happens, God is still in control."
"...he was learning that following Christ wasn't about religion; it was an intimacy with his Creator that had him hungering for more."
"I've come to believe that God hears our prayers and wants what is best for us, but I've seen enough to know that man's choices often go against God. He doesn't alway stop people from making stupid choices that affect those around him. "
"Today reminded him of how sin had come into the world with Adam. But everything happened today wasn't a refloiction on God, but instead on man's decision to turn away from their Creator. And how turning away from His will affected everyone."
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Fatal Exchange draws readers into a complex matrix of intertwining lives and unraveling secrets, where every answer creates more questions. Romantic suspense fans will hardly want to come up for air.
REVIEW: Continuing the story of the Hunt family, the second in the Southern Crimes trilogy combines intrigue, suspense, and action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish along with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure. The plot was unique and once again Harris' characters were well developed and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the development of the relationship between Emily and Mason. Harris focuses on evil, man's choices and how they affect others , and the need to depend on God when faced with evil. Full of twists and turn along with many red herrings, I was almost at the end before I figured out one of the villains. Great read and I am glad that I already have book 3 from the library so can find out what happens next.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I still struggle justifying the evil that I see around me every day; but the older I get, the more I believe --have to believe--that not matter what happens, God is still in control."
"...he was learning that following Christ wasn't about religion; it was an intimacy with his Creator that had him hungering for more."
"I've come to believe that God hears our prayers and wants what is best for us, but I've seen enough to know that man's choices often go against God. He doesn't alway stop people from making stupid choices that affect those around him. "
"Today reminded him of how sin had come into the world with Adam. But everything happened today wasn't a refloiction on God, but instead on man's decision to turn away from their Creator. And how turning away from His will affected everyone."
December 26, 2015
Wow, I loved every book in this series! I do have to say, I'm glad I only just discovered it, because I would have very much disliked being on the waiting end of any of these stories. They lead very quickly one to another and I am very sorry now that I have to say goodbye to the spirited Hunt family!
This has to deal with Emily, the schoolteacher sister, getting involved in a hostage crisis that might just be more than meets the eye. Mason, her brother's former undercover partner and best friend, is right there working the case, and it's up to them to help a young man realize his dreams and get Avery's daughter Tess out of this mess alive.
This has to deal with Emily, the schoolteacher sister, getting involved in a hostage crisis that might just be more than meets the eye. Mason, her brother's former undercover partner and best friend, is right there working the case, and it's up to them to help a young man realize his dreams and get Avery's daughter Tess out of this mess alive.
January 14, 2015
About this book:
“Though Emily Hunt comes from a family of cops, the relatively quiet–life of a high school teacher suits her just fine. She’s saving up to buy a house, slowly moving forward after her brother’s death, and settling into a life she loves. So the last person she wants to spend time with is Mason Taylor.
An undercover cop, Mason is enemy number one as far as her family is concerned. His involvement in the death of Emily’s brother is still up in the air, and now he expects her to help him with a case. Mason has been working with one of her students, Rafael Cerda, whose brother has been kidnapped by a drug cartel. And with time running out to meet their demands, Rafael is getting desperate.
Emily will have to draw on all her strength to handle what happens next…�
Series: Book #2 in the “Southern Crimes�. {I have not read book #1 “Dangerous Passage�, but I was able to follow this book.}
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers and said and Scriptures are quoted; The Phase “who’s playing God� is said; Talks about God, Trusting Him & that He’s in control.
Negative Content- Mason is after a drug gang that Mason says “makes the mafia look soft�; Blood parts (highest being a semi-detailed); Slitting throats (most are not-detailed, maybe one semi-detailed); Finding dead people (not- detailed to semi-detail); Drugs, guns and a school lock down because of a gun hostage.
Sexual Content- Mason calls Emily “hot� when she’s wearing a disguise; a couple not-detailed kisses and a semi-detailed kiss.
-Emily Hunt
-Mason Taylor
P.O.V. switches between them and Avery
304 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star (less than a star)
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Oh my. “Fatal Exchange� had me on the edge of my seat! I was really scared about reading it—I didn’t know if it would be detailed! In all honesty, I had myself prepared not to go past the second chapter…if I got that far! I do not do blood, or gore or dead bodies—I get lightheaded!
I enjoy “Fatal Exchange� much more than I thought I would, but I would not recommend to younger girls…I’ll have a book up some-time soon of one I would recommend to younger girls though! :)
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this review.
“Though Emily Hunt comes from a family of cops, the relatively quiet–life of a high school teacher suits her just fine. She’s saving up to buy a house, slowly moving forward after her brother’s death, and settling into a life she loves. So the last person she wants to spend time with is Mason Taylor.
An undercover cop, Mason is enemy number one as far as her family is concerned. His involvement in the death of Emily’s brother is still up in the air, and now he expects her to help him with a case. Mason has been working with one of her students, Rafael Cerda, whose brother has been kidnapped by a drug cartel. And with time running out to meet their demands, Rafael is getting desperate.
Emily will have to draw on all her strength to handle what happens next…�
Series: Book #2 in the “Southern Crimes�. {I have not read book #1 “Dangerous Passage�, but I was able to follow this book.}
Spiritual Content- Many Prayers and said and Scriptures are quoted; The Phase “who’s playing God� is said; Talks about God, Trusting Him & that He’s in control.
Negative Content- Mason is after a drug gang that Mason says “makes the mafia look soft�; Blood parts (highest being a semi-detailed); Slitting throats (most are not-detailed, maybe one semi-detailed); Finding dead people (not- detailed to semi-detail); Drugs, guns and a school lock down because of a gun hostage.
Sexual Content- Mason calls Emily “hot� when she’s wearing a disguise; a couple not-detailed kisses and a semi-detailed kiss.
-Emily Hunt
-Mason Taylor
P.O.V. switches between them and Avery
304 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star (less than a star)
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Oh my. “Fatal Exchange� had me on the edge of my seat! I was really scared about reading it—I didn’t know if it would be detailed! In all honesty, I had myself prepared not to go past the second chapter…if I got that far! I do not do blood, or gore or dead bodies—I get lightheaded!
I enjoy “Fatal Exchange� much more than I thought I would, but I would not recommend to younger girls…I’ll have a book up some-time soon of one I would recommend to younger girls though! :)
Link to review:
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this review.
December 29, 2015
This was a great suspense with a lot of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of the seat. There was numerous times where the author had me at, "Wow, did not see that coming". The writing kept me turning each page. Emily and Mason was both great characters to get to know and a lot of forgiving to give.
After the suspense ended (at about 80%), the book slowed down a bit and felt some issues were repeating. The romance also felt a bit to fast, but Emily and Mason did know each other for years and the writer did mention that there were feelings back when the first met, so in some sense it was reasonable.
I enjoyed this suspense more than the suspense in book 1 and it was great to meet up again with Avery and Jackson. The ending... the book ended with a very intriguing twist.
Recommended to Romantic Suspense readers.
After the suspense ended (at about 80%), the book slowed down a bit and felt some issues were repeating. The romance also felt a bit to fast, but Emily and Mason did know each other for years and the writer did mention that there were feelings back when the first met, so in some sense it was reasonable.
I enjoyed this suspense more than the suspense in book 1 and it was great to meet up again with Avery and Jackson. The ending... the book ended with a very intriguing twist.
Recommended to Romantic Suspense readers.
July 6, 2014
Fatal Exchange is the second book in the Southern Crimes series and I had no problem at all following along with this story, even though I had not read the first book, Dangerous Passage. Although the members from the first book in the series do make some appearances in Fatal Exchange, this story can stand alone just fine. This is also the first book that I have read that was written by Lisa Harris. I enjoyed her writing style, and now look forward to reading books one and three of the series.
Fatal Exchange had many tense moments and a few unexpected twists, as well. The main characters, Emily and Mason, were well-written and handled the situations they faced with as much grace as possible, considering the various dangerous circumstances they were thrown into.
Emily was a likeable character who has to deal with a lot in this book. Toward the end of the book, she battled guilt and even second guessed her ability to judge people’s character. I did enjoy that she was a strong, Christian woman who wanted to be a good role model for children.
Mason was a strong and steady character through the turmoil of the book. But even he eventually had to deal with some issues of guilt and unforgiveness that weighed him down. A family situation hung over him that had to be dealt with and I liked that even though he was a follower of Christ, he struggled with being able to forgive some big wrongs that had been done to him.
This book had lots of action, tense situations, and the start of a sweet romance. I enjoyed Fatal Exchange and look forward to reading more from Lisa Harris.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell, through The Book Club Network, in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review on my blog at:
Fatal Exchange had many tense moments and a few unexpected twists, as well. The main characters, Emily and Mason, were well-written and handled the situations they faced with as much grace as possible, considering the various dangerous circumstances they were thrown into.
Emily was a likeable character who has to deal with a lot in this book. Toward the end of the book, she battled guilt and even second guessed her ability to judge people’s character. I did enjoy that she was a strong, Christian woman who wanted to be a good role model for children.
Mason was a strong and steady character through the turmoil of the book. But even he eventually had to deal with some issues of guilt and unforgiveness that weighed him down. A family situation hung over him that had to be dealt with and I liked that even though he was a follower of Christ, he struggled with being able to forgive some big wrongs that had been done to him.
This book had lots of action, tense situations, and the start of a sweet romance. I enjoyed Fatal Exchange and look forward to reading more from Lisa Harris.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell, through The Book Club Network, in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review on my blog at:
May 9, 2014
This was a really good romantic suspense novel. This was my first time reading a book by Lisa Harris, so I didn't really know what to expect but I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it! The plot was very unique, and I really liked both Emily and Mason and I loved the fact that the author actually made me feel and root for Rafael. There were many twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming at all, for example I had no clue who the true villain was for much of the book and I was very surprised when that person's identity was revealed; I read a lot of romantic suspense and I can usually guess who the villain is pretty early on (Which I really enjoy!) but I have to give this author kudos for stumping me! I hope nobody will view this as a spoiler, but one of the things I loved the most and felt was the most interesting and unique thing about this book is that (With the exception of the last couple chapters!) the events of this book take place all in one day, and what a crazy day it was! Very unique angle!
I enjoyed this book very much and I am now really excited to go back and read the first book in the series. And let me tell you, after reading the excerpt of book three in the back of this book, whoa I am waiting with bated breath to read the rest of it!
This was a great read and the only reason why I'm giving it four stars instead of five is because I felt like there were some minor plot holes and a few things were unnecessarily repeated quite a bit, which got a tad bit annoying at times.
I highly recommend Fatal Exchange!
I received this book for free from Revell in exchange for an honest review. I have done so.
All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own
January 11, 2024
When undercover cop, Mason Taylor, unexpectedly stepped back into Emily Hunt's life, he never imagined it would be as a hostage negotiator. Thrown together into an impossible situation, Emily and Mason must sift through the horrific details of a drug cartel's kidnapping and ransom demands; using innocent members of Emily's family as pawns in a dangerous game of "cat and mouse".
Emily, a high school history teacher, is used to a somewhat quiet and mundane routine. The daughter of a retired police captain and the sister of a police woman, she has no desire for a high-adrenaline kind of life. But all that changes when her classroom is held hostage and a student turns desperate. The situation worsens when her niece disappears, her sister is shot and Emily's own life becomes endangered through an ironic twist of fate. "Trust Mason", is her father's advice; and Emily finds herself clinging to the strong, compassionate family friend in more ways than one.
With a "Lynette-Eason" kind of pace, this romantic suspense hits on all cylinders and is a huge step forward in quality from Lisa Harris's first novel in this series!
Emily, a high school history teacher, is used to a somewhat quiet and mundane routine. The daughter of a retired police captain and the sister of a police woman, she has no desire for a high-adrenaline kind of life. But all that changes when her classroom is held hostage and a student turns desperate. The situation worsens when her niece disappears, her sister is shot and Emily's own life becomes endangered through an ironic twist of fate. "Trust Mason", is her father's advice; and Emily finds herself clinging to the strong, compassionate family friend in more ways than one.
With a "Lynette-Eason" kind of pace, this romantic suspense hits on all cylinders and is a huge step forward in quality from Lisa Harris's first novel in this series!
May 2, 2016
Wow!! This book was so good, Lisa Harris has topped herself with the second installment of the "Southern Crimes series". I enjoyed every moment in this book! There were so many heart pumping, shock-worthy moments, lol, I was definitely on my toes. If your a fan of Irene Hannon or Dani Pettrey, I believe this would be a great book to read.
July 5, 2019
This was an exceptional 2nd book in Lisa Harris's Southern Crimes series. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but there is a little bit of family history you glean from book 1. Dangerous Passage (book 1) follows the life of Avery North (nee Hunt) and this book follows her sister, Emily Hunt. Avery makes a few appearances in this one as well, so there is a tie-in, but the story-line is completely separate.
Emily Hunt is the one member of the Hunt family who opted to not go into law enforcement, choosing instead to form young minds by teaching. She gets a call one morning about one of her students from Mason Taylor, an undercover detective who was her brother's best friend, and her sister's prime suspect in their brother's death. When that student, Rafael, becomes desperate to save his family, Emily and Mason have to band together to ensure that no one else gets hurt - or worse.
This book, like the first one in the series, had a great amount of twists and turns. I didn't see the resolution coming until it actually happened. I'm generally not a huge fan of the romance element of romantic suspense, but Ms. Harris has done this series really well with just the right amount of romance. There is also a strong faith thread in this book (as in book 1) as the characters are leaning on God to get them through some sticky situations and the question of where is God when bad things happen is addressed well. There is a strong theme of trust and forgiveness as well. I would highly recommend this book (and the series) to fans of inspirational romantic suspense!
Emily Hunt is the one member of the Hunt family who opted to not go into law enforcement, choosing instead to form young minds by teaching. She gets a call one morning about one of her students from Mason Taylor, an undercover detective who was her brother's best friend, and her sister's prime suspect in their brother's death. When that student, Rafael, becomes desperate to save his family, Emily and Mason have to band together to ensure that no one else gets hurt - or worse.
This book, like the first one in the series, had a great amount of twists and turns. I didn't see the resolution coming until it actually happened. I'm generally not a huge fan of the romance element of romantic suspense, but Ms. Harris has done this series really well with just the right amount of romance. There is also a strong faith thread in this book (as in book 1) as the characters are leaning on God to get them through some sticky situations and the question of where is God when bad things happen is addressed well. There is a strong theme of trust and forgiveness as well. I would highly recommend this book (and the series) to fans of inspirational romantic suspense!
January 26, 2021
Really good book! The plot was twisty, exciting, and very well done. Because I am reading this series in backward order (it's called desperation - I read whatever the library has on hand), I already knew a major, major spoiler or two - but, even then, I still really enjoyed the plot!!
This book was intense and (at times) emotional . . . and the romance was amazing. Maybe I'm just a sucker for suspense story romances. I don't know. But I just loved this one.
And the characters were just awesome!! I love how this was a suspense book with a law enforcement officer, but the other MC wasn't a fearless tough girl (not that I don't like those, but this was a nice change, and made this book stand out). And Mason. I just love Mason. And the fact that both characters had a clothing style that they always wore was a nice touch. :D
Content: No language. The romance was typical for a book like this, minus a lot of the awkward noticing and such that drives me nuts (yay!). There was plenty of violence and danger and suspense. Lots of mentions of drugs, and a passing reference to someone having a mistress. Overall, though, a cleaner read than some others in this genre, and one I wouldn't mind handing to a slightly younger reader (maybe 14 or 15+).
In short? If you want a suspense read with an exciting plot, intriguing characters, and some quick plot twists, check this one out!
This book was intense and (at times) emotional . . . and the romance was amazing. Maybe I'm just a sucker for suspense story romances. I don't know. But I just loved this one.
And the characters were just awesome!! I love how this was a suspense book with a law enforcement officer, but the other MC wasn't a fearless tough girl (not that I don't like those, but this was a nice change, and made this book stand out). And Mason. I just love Mason. And the fact that both characters had a clothing style that they always wore was a nice touch. :D
Content: No language. The romance was typical for a book like this, minus a lot of the awkward noticing and such that drives me nuts (yay!). There was plenty of violence and danger and suspense. Lots of mentions of drugs, and a passing reference to someone having a mistress. Overall, though, a cleaner read than some others in this genre, and one I wouldn't mind handing to a slightly younger reader (maybe 14 or 15+).
In short? If you want a suspense read with an exciting plot, intriguing characters, and some quick plot twists, check this one out!
April 7, 2017
The first book was a little slow at times, but this one hit the ground and did not stop running! It was amazing, emotional, and powerful. Highly recommended!
November 8, 2022
An enjoyable clean story about a teacher who is trying to help her students
While she is the daughter of a cop family .One brother of a student is
Kidnapped by members of a drug cartel and Mason Talylor the undercover
Cop is on the scene and is still on the outs with Emily and her family as
He was involved in her brother’s death. This is a complex tale with lives
Intersecting. I recommend this book and series.
While she is the daughter of a cop family .One brother of a student is
Kidnapped by members of a drug cartel and Mason Talylor the undercover
Cop is on the scene and is still on the outs with Emily and her family as
He was involved in her brother’s death. This is a complex tale with lives
Intersecting. I recommend this book and series.
January 20, 2016
Fatal Exchange: A Novel (Southern Crimes) by Lisa Harris is an almost five star book. I received a free kindle copy from NetGalley for fair review.
Emily is a teacher who comes from a family of cops. For that reason she doesn't want to have a relationship with one. Although she almost married a hostage negotiator named Charlie. That did not end well.
Mason is an undercover cop with a heart of gold. He came from a home with an absent father who was addled by drugs. Because of this, in his spare time, through Big Brothers he mentors a young man, Rafael, one of Emily's special students. He had been interested in Emily for a long time. He'd asked her out once but based on her checklist for men, she did not accept even though she found him attractive. His lack of a faith based life style was a strike against him.
There are many twists & turns & that it kept me guessing. It was a fast read & an enjoyable one.
Link to purchase:
Emily is a teacher who comes from a family of cops. For that reason she doesn't want to have a relationship with one. Although she almost married a hostage negotiator named Charlie. That did not end well.
Mason is an undercover cop with a heart of gold. He came from a home with an absent father who was addled by drugs. Because of this, in his spare time, through Big Brothers he mentors a young man, Rafael, one of Emily's special students. He had been interested in Emily for a long time. He'd asked her out once but based on her checklist for men, she did not accept even though she found him attractive. His lack of a faith based life style was a strike against him.
There are many twists & turns & that it kept me guessing. It was a fast read & an enjoyable one.
Link to purchase:
January 7, 2015
The follow up to Dangerous Passage doesn’t disappoint as it proves to be even better than the first in the series.
The second book in the Southern Crimes series by Lisa Harris thrust us into the life of Avery Hunt’s sister Emily and Mason Taylor, who Avery believes is responsible for the death of their brother. Emily is a teacher at a local private school where Tess, Avery’s daughter attends. When Mason gets a panicked call from Rafael, a young boy he has been mentoring and who also goes to Emily’s school, he goes to Emily for help. Rafael’s brother has been kidnapped by a drug cartel and is demanding a lot of money for his release. Rafael has tried as hard as he can to keep himself and his family out of that kind of life and is having a hard time believing his brother could be involved in something like this. It has to be a case of mistaken identity. When Mason doesn’t hear from Rafael again he knows he needs help. Even though most of the Hunt family doesn’t want to have anything to do with him anymore, Mason still takes a chance and goes to Emily for help. She promises to get in touch with him if she hears from Rafael. Mason leaves to see if he can find any new leads and Emily prepares to start the school day. As she heads to her room her niece, Tess, comes to get a book from her before heading to her own classes. Before Tess has a chance to leave the room Rafael walks in with a gun locking the door behind him. He demands money be sent to an account so he can free his brother. With nothing as it seems and lives in danger, Emily has to do everything she can to stay calm and work a way through the situation, even though she has no idea how to do that.
I went into Fatal Exchange a little hesitant. I enjoyed the first book but it didn’t leave me dying for more. With that said, I am very happy I picked this one up and flew through. The story was different from the first in so many ways. I didn’t feel as if I was more consumed with a love story than a suspense story. This one had me on the edge of my seat turning the page as fast as possible. The characters were very believable and easily relatable. I enjoyed Emily and the way she handled the situations she was thrust into. She was a strong female character that wasn’t what you would have expected. Avery being a cop is expected to be strong, Emily has never felt as strong as the rest of her family, but shows she has more strength than even she imagined. The pairing of her and Mason was nice. It was easy to tell where that relationship was going but not in a troubling way. The pace was well set and didn’t slow until the last few chapters. About mid-way through I thought things weren’t looking good for the pace since it seemed as if one of the major plot points was about to be resolved, but things went in a whole new direction that kept the story moving.
I was very impressed with the way Lisa Harris brought this story about and kept me glued to the edge of my seat. I would recommend this one to anyone that loves a good edge of the seat thriller.
The second book in the Southern Crimes series by Lisa Harris thrust us into the life of Avery Hunt’s sister Emily and Mason Taylor, who Avery believes is responsible for the death of their brother. Emily is a teacher at a local private school where Tess, Avery’s daughter attends. When Mason gets a panicked call from Rafael, a young boy he has been mentoring and who also goes to Emily’s school, he goes to Emily for help. Rafael’s brother has been kidnapped by a drug cartel and is demanding a lot of money for his release. Rafael has tried as hard as he can to keep himself and his family out of that kind of life and is having a hard time believing his brother could be involved in something like this. It has to be a case of mistaken identity. When Mason doesn’t hear from Rafael again he knows he needs help. Even though most of the Hunt family doesn’t want to have anything to do with him anymore, Mason still takes a chance and goes to Emily for help. She promises to get in touch with him if she hears from Rafael. Mason leaves to see if he can find any new leads and Emily prepares to start the school day. As she heads to her room her niece, Tess, comes to get a book from her before heading to her own classes. Before Tess has a chance to leave the room Rafael walks in with a gun locking the door behind him. He demands money be sent to an account so he can free his brother. With nothing as it seems and lives in danger, Emily has to do everything she can to stay calm and work a way through the situation, even though she has no idea how to do that.
I went into Fatal Exchange a little hesitant. I enjoyed the first book but it didn’t leave me dying for more. With that said, I am very happy I picked this one up and flew through. The story was different from the first in so many ways. I didn’t feel as if I was more consumed with a love story than a suspense story. This one had me on the edge of my seat turning the page as fast as possible. The characters were very believable and easily relatable. I enjoyed Emily and the way she handled the situations she was thrust into. She was a strong female character that wasn’t what you would have expected. Avery being a cop is expected to be strong, Emily has never felt as strong as the rest of her family, but shows she has more strength than even she imagined. The pairing of her and Mason was nice. It was easy to tell where that relationship was going but not in a troubling way. The pace was well set and didn’t slow until the last few chapters. About mid-way through I thought things weren’t looking good for the pace since it seemed as if one of the major plot points was about to be resolved, but things went in a whole new direction that kept the story moving.
I was very impressed with the way Lisa Harris brought this story about and kept me glued to the edge of my seat. I would recommend this one to anyone that loves a good edge of the seat thriller.
May 16, 2014
A thrilling, captivating mystery!
What a roller coaster ride! Once you start reading Fatal Exchange the pace picks up and never slows. I loved that. There's nothing quite like curling up on a rainy day with an awesome mystery book and Fatal Exchange fit the bill. I was completely enthralled into the story and was lost in its pages for a couple hours, hardly able to set the book down.
I did not read the previous book in this series, nonetheless, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I will say, after I tore through Fatal Exchange, I'll be going back to find Dangerous Passage for certain. Harris writes in a fluid style that leaves you turning pages.
I really, really, liked Emily and Mason. I felt I could relate to certain aspects of their character. They felt so real! I was so thankful for how accurately Emily's emotions were portrayed after everything she went through. I cringe when I read about characters who breeze through life having unrealistic reactions to traumatic events. I also felt Mason's internal struggles were justifiable. I found myself thankful again that his growing relationship with Christ wasn't stilted or forced, rather the opposite. I appreciate Godly characters so much.
The "mystery" and thrill in and of itself was fantastic and different for me, personally. I will definitely be looking up more of Harris's works and digging into Dangerous Passage when I have time. Why, oh, why must we wait until Spring '15 for the next book?? I highly recommend to fellow readers of mystery/thrillers. There really wasn't much romance in the story, but if there had been more than there was, it wouldn't have flowed. I recommend to readers fifteen or older due to the nature of the story. Things to know: There are at least ten murders either mentioned or presented in the story, though not given in grotesque detail. There is a drug cartel.
I received this book from Revell in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!
What a roller coaster ride! Once you start reading Fatal Exchange the pace picks up and never slows. I loved that. There's nothing quite like curling up on a rainy day with an awesome mystery book and Fatal Exchange fit the bill. I was completely enthralled into the story and was lost in its pages for a couple hours, hardly able to set the book down.
I did not read the previous book in this series, nonetheless, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I will say, after I tore through Fatal Exchange, I'll be going back to find Dangerous Passage for certain. Harris writes in a fluid style that leaves you turning pages.
I really, really, liked Emily and Mason. I felt I could relate to certain aspects of their character. They felt so real! I was so thankful for how accurately Emily's emotions were portrayed after everything she went through. I cringe when I read about characters who breeze through life having unrealistic reactions to traumatic events. I also felt Mason's internal struggles were justifiable. I found myself thankful again that his growing relationship with Christ wasn't stilted or forced, rather the opposite. I appreciate Godly characters so much.
The "mystery" and thrill in and of itself was fantastic and different for me, personally. I will definitely be looking up more of Harris's works and digging into Dangerous Passage when I have time. Why, oh, why must we wait until Spring '15 for the next book?? I highly recommend to fellow readers of mystery/thrillers. There really wasn't much romance in the story, but if there had been more than there was, it wouldn't have flowed. I recommend to readers fifteen or older due to the nature of the story. Things to know: There are at least ten murders either mentioned or presented in the story, though not given in grotesque detail. There is a drug cartel.
I received this book from Revell in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!
January 23, 2016
FATAL EXCHANGE, the second installment in the Southern Crimes series by Lisa Harris, was a fast read with suspense, and a few more twists than expected.
Emily Hunt comes from a law enforcement family. And though she respects her family tremendously, being a school teacher is more to her liking. After a failed engagement, Emily learns two things. Marriage without love is not the way to go, and cops are off her approved dating list. But, when undercover cop, Mason Taylor reinserts himself into her life, she’s not sure if the feelings stirring inside her are personal or a knee-jerk reaction because of the drama surrounding them. One thing she does know for sure, without his help, tragedy is going to continue to touch her family.
Mason Taylor is no longer welcomed in the Hunt home. After the death of Michael Hunt, his partner, the Hunt family blames Mason, even accusing him of being a department mole. But, when his involvement in a kidnapping intersects with Emily Hunt, old feelings are brought to the surface. Mason has no intention of failing the Hunt family again. But being objective in his latest case is difficult because of his personal feelings for Emily.
FATAL EXCHANGE is fast paced, making for a very quick read. Twists come at unexpected times, drawing you in, not allowing you to put it down. The relationship between Emily and Mason is electric. The Hunt family is tight-knit, reminding me of the bond shared by the Reagan family on Blue Bloods, on CBS. Though a few plots were guessable, it didn’t distract from Lisa Harris� overall storytelling. And the hook for book three, has been anxiously awaiting its release. I encourage readers to also pick up DANGEROUS PASSAGE, book one in the Southern Crimes series. It will bring you up to speed on Emily’s sister, Avery North, and give you more insight into the Hunt family.
Book provided for review purposes.
Available May 2014 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Emily Hunt comes from a law enforcement family. And though she respects her family tremendously, being a school teacher is more to her liking. After a failed engagement, Emily learns two things. Marriage without love is not the way to go, and cops are off her approved dating list. But, when undercover cop, Mason Taylor reinserts himself into her life, she’s not sure if the feelings stirring inside her are personal or a knee-jerk reaction because of the drama surrounding them. One thing she does know for sure, without his help, tragedy is going to continue to touch her family.
Mason Taylor is no longer welcomed in the Hunt home. After the death of Michael Hunt, his partner, the Hunt family blames Mason, even accusing him of being a department mole. But, when his involvement in a kidnapping intersects with Emily Hunt, old feelings are brought to the surface. Mason has no intention of failing the Hunt family again. But being objective in his latest case is difficult because of his personal feelings for Emily.
FATAL EXCHANGE is fast paced, making for a very quick read. Twists come at unexpected times, drawing you in, not allowing you to put it down. The relationship between Emily and Mason is electric. The Hunt family is tight-knit, reminding me of the bond shared by the Reagan family on Blue Bloods, on CBS. Though a few plots were guessable, it didn’t distract from Lisa Harris� overall storytelling. And the hook for book three, has been anxiously awaiting its release. I encourage readers to also pick up DANGEROUS PASSAGE, book one in the Southern Crimes series. It will bring you up to speed on Emily’s sister, Avery North, and give you more insight into the Hunt family.
Book provided for review purposes.
Available May 2014 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
March 4, 2015
Fatal Exchange by Lisa Harris
Emily Hunt might come from a family of cops, but she never goes looking for an adrenaline rush. She lives the quiet–well, relatively quiet–life of a teacher and thrives on making a difference in the lives of her students. But she’ll have to draw on a well of strength and savvy she didn’t know she had as student Rafael Cerda takes her class hostage for ransom money to save his brother’s life.
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Language: None!
Violence: mentions of being beaten (Not detailed), mentions of executions and slit throats(not detailed). A woman is shot and sees blood(Semi-detailed). Two men are shot and killed (Descriptions of the scene is semi-detailed).
Romance: Talk of marriage, Mentions of blind dates, talk about "falling" for a guy, feelings, wishing for a kiss,
Scripture/Bible stuff: Talk of going to church, talk of God's Power and trusting in a Savior. Talk of Creator. Mentions of Adam from the bible. Emily talks of giving her burden to the Lord.
Any other negative content: Several mentions of selling and using drugs. talk of having surgery, and having a wound stitched up.
Age Range: 14+
Stars: 3 of 5
Point of view switched between Emily and Mason.
My personal opinion:
My feelings are mixed about this book.... There was several intense scenes! Scenes where I should have been on the edge of my seat, and not able to put down the book! But, I did put it down.. several times. It didn't pull me in as I was expecting.
But it was a great mystery, and did have me wondering. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoy suspense novels! The ending was amazing!!! I got a little teary eyed :D I will definitely be reading more by Lisa :)
Emily Hunt might come from a family of cops, but she never goes looking for an adrenaline rush. She lives the quiet–well, relatively quiet–life of a teacher and thrives on making a difference in the lives of her students. But she’ll have to draw on a well of strength and savvy she didn’t know she had as student Rafael Cerda takes her class hostage for ransom money to save his brother’s life.
Undercover cop Mason Taylor has been working with Rafael to find his brother and bring the cartel thugs who hold him to justice. Can he talk Rafael down from his impulsive actions? And is there something more sinister at work here than he realizes?
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Language: None!
Violence: mentions of being beaten (Not detailed), mentions of executions and slit throats(not detailed). A woman is shot and sees blood(Semi-detailed). Two men are shot and killed (Descriptions of the scene is semi-detailed).
Romance: Talk of marriage, Mentions of blind dates, talk about "falling" for a guy, feelings, wishing for a kiss,
Scripture/Bible stuff: Talk of going to church, talk of God's Power and trusting in a Savior. Talk of Creator. Mentions of Adam from the bible. Emily talks of giving her burden to the Lord.
Any other negative content: Several mentions of selling and using drugs. talk of having surgery, and having a wound stitched up.
Age Range: 14+
Stars: 3 of 5
Point of view switched between Emily and Mason.
My personal opinion:
My feelings are mixed about this book.... There was several intense scenes! Scenes where I should have been on the edge of my seat, and not able to put down the book! But, I did put it down.. several times. It didn't pull me in as I was expecting.
But it was a great mystery, and did have me wondering. I would recommend it to anybody who enjoy suspense novels! The ending was amazing!!! I got a little teary eyed :D I will definitely be reading more by Lisa :)
August 25, 2016
We met the Hunt family in Dangerous Passage, the first of the series with Avery's story. In Fatal Exchange, we see Avery's sister Emily again. Emily is the only one of the three siblings and their father that is not a cop. Emily and Avery's brother Michael was killed while working undercover with drug dealers. Michael's best friend, Mason Taylor, is also a cop and has worked undercover. Avery is investigating Mason in Michael's death and doesn't trust him. He has befriended a young poor Hispanic boy Rafael, who is a student in Emily's class where she teaches high school history. Rafael is attending the private school on a scholarship. On Monday morning Rafael contacted Mason in a panic because his brother has been taken hostage by a group of drug dealers who claim he owes them money. Mason let Emily know about the situation before school starts so that she knows what is going on. Unfortunately in a distraught state, Rafael arrived in the classroom with a gun. The kidnappers are using Rafael to try to get ransom money from the wealthy parents of the students in exchange for the release of his brother. As the police arrive at the school, the Captain on the scene agrees to allow Mason to be the negotiator with Rafael since he knows him. The day starts off with this scene and is jam packed with action and suspense from that point. As the hostage situation is solved, Avery's daughter Tess, a student in the school is kidnapped. One event happens after another. When I thought things would settle down, something else would happen. Mason and Emily have each had an attraction to each other in the past but Emily has said that she would never date a cop. As the day goes on, they come to realize that their attraction to each other is still there. This book is hard to put down. It is filled with murder, drug dealers, traitors, hostage situations, and dealing with forgiveness and hurt. It is a great read. My only thought was how in the world so much could happen in so short a time.
May 11, 2014
Emily Hunt is content to live a relatively boring life compared to that of her sister, her brother, and her father. She's a high school history teacher when the rest of her family works in law enforcement. Her quiet life suddenly changes when a student holds her classroom hostage with a gun while demanding a ransom to be paid in order to get his brother back from a drug cartel. Emily must figure out a way to remain calm and in control. When Mason Taylor hears that the student he has been mentoring for the past several months has taken Emily's class hostage, he acts as the negotiator. He knows the boy. Hopefully Mason can talk the student into ending things peacefully. But time is running out. And there is more at stake than just release of the hostages. Will Mason be able to meet the demands?
I've got to admit that this book was MUCH better than the first one in this series. It literally kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire book. While not an all time favorite, I was fully engrossed and engaged with Mason and Emily. It was fast-paced. This particular book did remind me of an NCIS episode several years ago. I think that may have been why I enjoyed it so much. I think it would make a great summer read.
You don't have to read the first book in order to understand this one, but it is recommended.
I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of romantic suspense, Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason, Dee Henderson
Rating - 4 stars
I've got to admit that this book was MUCH better than the first one in this series. It literally kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire book. While not an all time favorite, I was fully engrossed and engaged with Mason and Emily. It was fast-paced. This particular book did remind me of an NCIS episode several years ago. I think that may have been why I enjoyed it so much. I think it would make a great summer read.
You don't have to read the first book in order to understand this one, but it is recommended.
I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Recommended to fans of romantic suspense, Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason, Dee Henderson
Rating - 4 stars
August 11, 2016
I really enjoy this author and this series is really very good. I read the first book, it's still my favorite out of the two, but this book I enjoyed. Full of suspense, I thought I knew what was going to happen but then it took a turn. The thing I also like about this series is the books are not super long. They are suspenseful but the author does not drag everything out. The characters are likeable and the overall flow of the book is well written. I don't think you really need to read the first book to understand this one but they both are good!! If you enjoy suspense with a dab of romance you will enjoy this book.
"I received this book from Revell for free in exchange for an honest review."
"I received this book from Revell for free in exchange for an honest review."
April 6, 2016
This was almost a direct follow up to Dangerous Passage, and seems to pick up shortly after where it left off. We get to further see the changes in Mason that had been started in that book, and Emily was a quiet heroine with a surprising well of strength and determination. The book starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up until the end of the book! The faith aspect of the book isn’t preachy, but artfully woven into the story, so that it seems like a believable extension of the characters. The romantic relationship did come across as a bit rushed, but somewhat believable, as Mason had been “half in love� with Emily from afar since college. All in all, it was a pleasant way to pass a day!
October 2, 2014
I LOVED this book. The pacing is fast -- 85% of the plot happens in one day. It is tightly woven with an intricate plot. The action doesn't slow until the end. By that point, the characters need a chance to catch their breath. There is a romance, and because of the hero and heroine's past, it works even under the very tight timeline. The Christian thread only enhances the story.��I loved this romantic suspense and the way it weaves in characters from a prior novel. It stands on its own and has me itching to read the next Lisa Harris novel.��
May 29, 2016
Emily grew up in a family of cops but chose the peaceful life of a school teacher instead. When crisis strikes, however, she is up for the challenge. So much can happen in one short day. A student arrives one morning and holds her class as hostage. A drug lord and a police mole are behind the scenes and her niece is missing. This was an adrenaline packed book that was hard to put down.
December 27, 2015
I think this one was my favorite of the series. I liked the characters more, and felt like Mason and Emily were the most developed, with the exception of Olivia in the third book. Romance was the most believable, and the suspense was just right. Just the right mix of spine-tingling and heartwarming.
February 20, 2016
This book captured me from page one and carried me until nearly the end. If I had any complaint, it would be the tie up of the romance at the end carried on a little too long. It does make me want to go ahead and read the third book in the series, which is something I rarely do.
April 13, 2015
Another great read by Lisa Harris. Read this one in a day too. Can't wait for a chance to read book 3.
October 15, 2016
Couldn't put it down. Anxious to read the next in the series!
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