Code of Courage by Janice Cantore

Book Blurb:

Detective Danni Grace has never met a police officer who wants to face a scenario where pulling the trigger on another person is the only option. When the worst does occur and there’s a police-involved shooting, it leads to riots and calls to disband the entire police force in La Rosa, Danni’s hometown.

After fifteen years on the force, Danni has had enough. Injured in the line of duty when a protester throws a chunk of concrete at her and shaken by the vitriol being shown to the police, Danni realizes for the first time that she’s lost her passion for the job.

While she’s on a leave of absence, though, a community activist in La Rosa is shot and a fellow officer is blamed for his murder. Taking on this case means stepping back into a job Danni’s not sure she can do anymore . . . and working closely with her ex-husband, Gabriel Fox, an investigator for the city prosecutor’s office. Danni will need to tap into her code of courage to uncover the truth, prevent another injustice, and uphold her oath to serve and protect.

His Review:

Danni is on leave after being wounded in the line of duty. She had followed her father into a career in law enforcement but working in law enforcement now was entirely different from the police department he had known.

Jareb Moore is the wayward son of the police commissioner. His mom, the chief of police, was his get-out-of-jail-free card. He knew that his crimes would be swept under the rug. His grandfather, the former chief of police, would not let any charges stick on him either. His mother seemed determined to dismantle the police department and have the county sheriff’s department handle all cases in the area.

Any officer who showed independence of spirit was summarily dismissed or put on desk duty handling old cases. Meanwhile, well-organized gangs control areas called “autonomous areas” which the police were not allowed to enter. Basically, the area and its’ citizens were paying fees to the gangs to protect their homes and businesses.

Gabe, Danni’s ex, is an investigator in a totally different division of the police department. The town is subject to frontier justice with the gangs and guns instigating disturbances. The police are threatened at gunpoint for trying to investigate crimes including murder.

The controlling element rules with an iron hand. Threats are made, houses burned and people killed to maintain the status quo. Danni and her former husband Gabe are working together to solve various crimes. They receive edicts from the powers that be to back off the investigation and not to enter the areas where the crimes have been committed.

Janice Cantore has been a police officer and understands the politics of crime and the people who are charged with finding the perpetrators. City hall says, “back off” and they are assigned to desk duty or simply put on suspension. I developed a real sympathy for law enforcement and the hurdles they must overcome to do their job, investigate crimes, and prosecute criminals. Enjoy the adventure. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Mystery & Suspense Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
ISBN-10: ‎ 1496457560
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1496457561
ASIN: B09JT6LFP5
Print Length: 432 pages
Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Code of Courage [Amazon]

The Author: A former Long Beach, California, police officer of twenty-two years, Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, including patrol, administration, juvenile investigations, and training. She’s always enjoyed writing and published two short articles on faith at work for Cop and Christ and Today’s Christian Woman before tackling novels. She now lives in a small town in southern Oregon, where she enjoys exploring the forests, rivers, and lakes with her Labrador retrievers, Abbie and Tilly.

Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Crisis Shot is the first title in her latest series. Janice also authored the Cold Case Justice series—Drawing Fire, Burning Proof, and Catching Heat—the Pacific Coast Justice series—Accused, Abducted, and Avenged—and the Brinna Caruso novels, Critical Pursuit and Visible Threat.

Visit Janice’s website at http://www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JaniceCantore.

©2022 CE Williams – V Williams