Dani Pettrey has a new inspirational romantic suspense out that I'm looking forward to reading. Check out the excerpt (it grabbed my attention) and enter the giveaway below...
Cold Shot
(Chesapeake Valor #1)
by Dani Pettrey
by Dani Pettrey
Christian Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
February 2nd 2016 by Bethany House Publishers
Summary
In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI, and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world–and friendships–crumbled.
Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper.
When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.
Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet–until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern–a young social justice lawyer missing since spring–and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper.
When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he’ll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he–and those he cares about–are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.
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Excerpt
Finley’s phone vibrated against her rib cage.
Please be an out.
Slipping it from her clutch nestled tightly between her body and the stiff chair arm in the darkened concert hall, she glanced at the number and recognition dawned.
Ranger McCray? Seriously? At nine o’clock on a Saturday night? The man really had no life outside of work. She looked over at the date her mother had set her up on and winced. Ac- tually, she was only pretending at one. Had been ever since . . .
Blackness flashed before her eyes, and then the shining light. She blinked, her chest tightening, her palms moistening.
No. Not now. Not surrounded by all these people. Please.
Nauseated terror sloshed over her in a clawing rush, frustra- tion and irritation following. How could it come on so fast?
Do the stupid breathing thing.
Sucking in what was supposed to be a deep inhale, her rib cage barely inched up, but she focused on the stage before her and forced herself to release the pitiful amount of air slowly, like a balloon squeaking out tiny spurts as it deflated. One, two, three, four.
She let the memory of panic drop, or at least pretended to. She was getting good at that—pretending. But she had no choice. She refused to let the world see what a mess she’d become. Least of all, a ranger who was too uptight for his own good—or anyone else’s.
At least with Ranger McCray what you saw was what you got. He didn’t tiptoe around her, which was refreshing, but then again, he didn’t know. Though she doubted it would make a difference. The man possessed no filter, no sense of pretense, which she admired . . . at least half the time. The other half she wanted to throttle his ridiculously handsome neck.
God was using McCray and their time together as a test. She’d sensed it the first time they met, but it was a test she’d ignore. Despite what God thought, she was anything but ready for it.
Her phone vibrated again in her palm, and she looked back to it. Clicking on the voice message, she held it to her ear, attempt- ing to ignore the offended looks of the other concert patrons.
“Ms. Scott,” Ranger McCray began with that tone—his nerve-pricking emphasis on Ms., which burrowed under her skin. How many times had she asked him to call her Finley?
“This is Chief Ranger McCray from Gettysburg National
Military Park.”
Like she didn’t know who the infernal man was. If she’d had any idea the planned three-month dig would run so far past es- timated completion, that she’d be forced to endure his brooding and incessant lectures about disturbing hallowed ground over and over, she never would have applied for the grant in the first place. It seemed a safe enough job. Controlled. Helpful. Just how she needed to spend her summer. But she hadn’t foreseen Ranger McCray or the feelings he stirred—both the good and the bad.
“We’ve got a . . . situation. Could use your expertise. Come
as soon as you get this.”
What possible situation could he have with an archaeological dig at a Civil War battlefield at nine o’clock on a Saturday night?
He, of all people, would manage to find one.
Glancing over, she found Kirk’s basset-hound-brown eyes staring at her. “Is everything copacetic?”
“Actually, no.” Beginning with his use of the word copac-etic. Was that the fourth or fifth time he’d used it tonight? She gripped her clutch. “Work emergency. I’m afraid I have to go.”
Read the entire first three chapters of the book here.
Please be an out.
Slipping it from her clutch nestled tightly between her body and the stiff chair arm in the darkened concert hall, she glanced at the number and recognition dawned.
Ranger McCray? Seriously? At nine o’clock on a Saturday night? The man really had no life outside of work. She looked over at the date her mother had set her up on and winced. Ac- tually, she was only pretending at one. Had been ever since . . .
Blackness flashed before her eyes, and then the shining light. She blinked, her chest tightening, her palms moistening.
No. Not now. Not surrounded by all these people. Please.
Nauseated terror sloshed over her in a clawing rush, frustra- tion and irritation following. How could it come on so fast?
Do the stupid breathing thing.
Sucking in what was supposed to be a deep inhale, her rib cage barely inched up, but she focused on the stage before her and forced herself to release the pitiful amount of air slowly, like a balloon squeaking out tiny spurts as it deflated. One, two, three, four.
She let the memory of panic drop, or at least pretended to. She was getting good at that—pretending. But she had no choice. She refused to let the world see what a mess she’d become. Least of all, a ranger who was too uptight for his own good—or anyone else’s.
At least with Ranger McCray what you saw was what you got. He didn’t tiptoe around her, which was refreshing, but then again, he didn’t know. Though she doubted it would make a difference. The man possessed no filter, no sense of pretense, which she admired . . . at least half the time. The other half she wanted to throttle his ridiculously handsome neck.
God was using McCray and their time together as a test. She’d sensed it the first time they met, but it was a test she’d ignore. Despite what God thought, she was anything but ready for it.
Her phone vibrated again in her palm, and she looked back to it. Clicking on the voice message, she held it to her ear, attempt- ing to ignore the offended looks of the other concert patrons.
“Ms. Scott,” Ranger McCray began with that tone—his nerve-pricking emphasis on Ms., which burrowed under her skin. How many times had she asked him to call her Finley?
“This is Chief Ranger McCray from Gettysburg National
Military Park.”
Like she didn’t know who the infernal man was. If she’d had any idea the planned three-month dig would run so far past es- timated completion, that she’d be forced to endure his brooding and incessant lectures about disturbing hallowed ground over and over, she never would have applied for the grant in the first place. It seemed a safe enough job. Controlled. Helpful. Just how she needed to spend her summer. But she hadn’t foreseen Ranger McCray or the feelings he stirred—both the good and the bad.
“We’ve got a . . . situation. Could use your expertise. Come
as soon as you get this.”
What possible situation could he have with an archaeological dig at a Civil War battlefield at nine o’clock on a Saturday night?
He, of all people, would manage to find one.
Glancing over, she found Kirk’s basset-hound-brown eyes staring at her. “Is everything copacetic?”
“Actually, no.” Beginning with his use of the word copac-etic. Was that the fourth or fifth time he’d used it tonight? She gripped her clutch. “Work emergency. I’m afraid I have to go.”
Read the entire first three chapters of the book here.
About the Author
Tour-Wide Giveaway
To celebrate the launch of this exciting new series, Dani and Bethany House Publishers are pleased to present theCOLD SHOT SWEEPSTAKES, and your chance to win one of three marvelous prizes, all closely connected to the story.
Timeframe & Notifications:
This giveaway starts February 16, 2016 and ends March 7, 2016 @ 11:59 pm (PST).
Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Tuesday, March 8, 2016, and announced at DaniPettrey.com.
Entry is open to US residents only, age 18 and over. Winners will be selected Tuesday, March 8, 2016, and announced at DaniPettrey.com.
About the Prizes
GRAND PRIZE:
In COLD SHOT, Griffin reunites with friends after they’ve drifted apart over the years. Do you have a friend you want to reconnect with? Here’s your chance to hit the road with them for a friend getaway!
Our Grand Prize winner will receive: A $250 gift certificate to BedandBreakfast.com, good for reservations at lodges across the Continental US, plus a $50 Darden restaurants gift card, and a Chesapeake Bay tote bag, to pack your road trip essentials.
SECOND PRIZE:
FINLEY’S FAVORITES PACK
Finley has a lifelong love of travel and exploration, something captured in her cozy home decor, right down to her steamer trunk coffee table. This prize gives you a chance to have a steamer trunk just like Finley’s, and a coffee table book from the Chesapeake Bay to go with it.
Our Second Prize winner will receive: A $150 value cedar wood steamer trunk and vivid Maryland coffee table photo book.
THIRD PRIZE:
TASTE OF MARYLAND KIT
COLD SHOT is sure to leave you with a craving for the mouth-watering snacks Griffin, Finley, and the rest of the crew enjoy in the story. If you wish you could sample Chesapeake’s one-of-a-kind local fare too, this prize is for you.
TASTE OF MARYLAND KITCOLD SHOT is sure to leave you with a craving for the mouth-watering snacks Griffin, Finley, and the rest of the crew enjoy in the story. If you wish you could sample Chesapeake’s one-of-a-kind local fare too, this prize is for you.
Our Third Prize winner will receive: The beautifully lithographed, $50 value Taste of Maryland Tin, including the Chesapeake Bay Cookbook and famed local treats such as Old Bay Seasoning, Maple Syrup, Maryland crab soup mix, specialty dip, and Goetze’s Caramel Creams.
HOW TO ENTER:
Go to: http://www.danipettrey.com/cold-shot-sweepstakes/ and complete the entry box, anytime between February 16 – March 7, 2016.
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