by Diana Hockley

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of the book and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

There is a fine line between being a teen and being recognized as an adult with a bright future ahead. After a family tragedy some years previously and his parents’ break up in the process, Decker struggles to keep himself up to standard with his education and his prowess at baseball. His father is determined that Decker will relive his own dreams of glory; if not at football, then baseball will do. When he calls on his father and observes through adult eyes the man’s burgeoning alcoholism and slovenly lifestyle and discovers his father’s embezzlement of his firm’s finances, he is torn between love and disgust.

Decker’s mother is working hard to rebuild her home decorating business and weave a tactful path between business and the expectations of the developer who can give her enough clients to become a mighty success. Moreover, she is determined not to get involved in a personal relationship with any man, let alone a client.

Imagine, then, Decker’s bewilderment and concern when he sees her supposedly having a drink at a run-down pub with a scruffily suspicious man. She does not appear to be on a date – perhaps he is a client? The man’s appearance would suggest otherwise.

Ms. West has woven a thoroughly sensitive and engaging account of Decker’s dilemma when he follows the man into a house, overhears an argument and witnesses the result of an assault on an elderly man. The characterization in this novel is head and shoulders above many, as we are allowed inside this young man’s mind and heart. The tension mounts as Decker pursues his course, courageously defying known danger in his quest to help his new friend, thereby ensnaring the reader in concern for a safe outcome.

This is a satisfying story, and given the beguiling personality of the main protagonist, it could well be the forerunner of a series.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Risky Pursuit, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “pursuit” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 26, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Lorie Lewis Ham is our Editor-in-Chief and a contributor to various sections, coupling her journalism experience with her connection to the literary and entertainment worlds. Explore Lorie’s mystery writing at Mysteryrat’s Closet. Lorie’s latest mystery novel, One of Us, is set in the Tower District of Fresno and the world of community theatre!

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