This is
the first time I’m reading anything by Michael Arches. The book cover and the
title immediately drew me in. So, let’s meet Athena Kazan, a former Cheyene federal
prosecutor who was shot in the head when she came upon a cash exchange between
Wyoming’s Attorney General and Dominique Santiago, the daughter of a drug
cartel leader. Athena was maimed (wears a glass eye and walks with a limp) and
is now in witness protection in Colorado because Dominique’s father has a huge
bounty on her head to prevent her from testifying against his daughter. 

Fast
forward and Athena (now Christina Nielsen) gets embroiled in a dangerous
situation. It all happened while she was waiting in line to use the bathroom at
a discount gas station when Jackie, a pregnant woman slipped her an index card asking
for help. Jackie was with her nurse, Mia and they both got whisked away by an
armed man into a Chevy Suburban. Unable to get the feds to send help, Athena
decides to follow them (I admired her spunk). But things get dicey when she is later
kidnapped from her apartment and taken as a surrogate in the care of Misha Chekov,
psychopathic boss on behalf of Mr. Langer, an insane New York billionaire. 

Overall,
this was an intense read. This book had me on the edge of my seat once the feds
finally got involved and ramped up a rescue mission of the women and young
girls who were trapped as surrogates and sex slaves. The subject matter (kidnapping)
isn’t one that gets a lot of attention, so I think the author did a great job
shining some light on it and giving the storyline a good resolution. 

Nevertheless,
I was a bit disappointed that Misha Chekov didn’t get a death deserving of his
cruel treatment of these women. Also, I really wanted to know who the mole in
the FBI was but everyone including Dr. Wu, the OB/GYN cut a deal to spill their
guts about the surrogacy operation. Otherwise, this was a great read! Two
thumbs up! 

Rating: 4.5
stars  

Some of my
favorite lines: 

     Jackie
uttered a quiet gasp, looked with pleading eyes at Athena and pressed an index
card into her free hand. That done, Jackie hurried after Mia and Rico.

     Athena
froze. What the hell was going on?

     But before
figuring that out, she really had to relieve herself. She hurried into the
bathroom and sat to do her business. Only then did she check out the
three-by-five card.

     In clear
block print, it said: Over forty women and girls—mostly pregnant—held prisoner!
Five dead already. About an hour east of Durango. Call the FBI. Sheriff’s
office corrupt. PLEASE HELP US!

Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com

Deliah Lawrence Attorney, Author, Blogger, Workshop Facilitator

Deliah Lawrence is a Maryland-based attorney and award-winning author of two romantic suspense novels (Gotta Let It Go and Gotta Get It Back) set in Baltimore. She’s also a blogger and workshop facilitator who writes poetry and short stories.

When Deliah isn’t writing, you can find her reading a book, indulging in her addiction to investigation discovery shows; or painting her yet-to-be exhibited oil artworks of landscapes, portraits or whatever else comes to her creative mind. Constantly on the go, she is also a member of the Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland and Sisters in Crime.