Book Spotlight: Tracing a Kidnapper's Trail by Katy Lee

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Tracing a Kidnapper's Trail by Katy Lee, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Tracing a Kidnapper's Trail 
Series: K-9 Search and Rescue #18 
Author: Katy Lee 
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense 
Release Date: February 24, 2026 
Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Solving an abduction case means a relentless K-9 manhunt… 

When search and rescue worker Hunter Shelton and his bloodhound Libby are called to a crime scene, he discovers his ex-fiancée murdered and her young daughter missing—and he's attacked. Soon, he realizes the little girl may have been taken by drug runners, and could possibly be his own child. With no one else to turn to, Hunter teams up with DEA Agent Marlee Price and her narcotics K-9, despite their rocky history. As they face escalating threats and uncover a rising body count, an old enemy from Marlee's past resurfaces. Will they be able to rescue the child and bring dangerous criminals to justice before time runs out? 

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub | Other Places to Buy

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Excerpt

But why should Marlee jump at his call?

Hunter Shelton was from her past and better off left there. But he also had been in distress. This case was more than a missing child, just as he’d said.

Personal.

Someone had been murdered. Someone he knew. There were also drugs involved, and that was Marlee’s specialty.

She felt the typical excitement for the hunt well up within her. She and Gustav sniffed out drug houses daily for the pure joy of it. She’d vowed to shut down every one of the despicable sites.

For Ben.

But Ben would expect her to help his lifelong best friend now. Could she do this for her brother? Could she face the man she blamed for Ben’s death? She hadn’t spoken to Hunter in eight years and had never planned to again.

Except, here she was climbing out of bed, knowing in a few hours, their paths would cross regardless.

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About the Author

#1 Publishers Weekly, best-selling author Katy Lee writes character-driven romantic suspense that thrills and inspires her readers, keeping them coming back for more. She is a multi-award winner and nominee for the Rita Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, Holt Medallion, and Selah Award, celebrating excellence in mystery and suspense. Katy lives in Utah's beautiful, rugged mountains and is also a special education teacher. She runs a literary nonprofit called Story Haven Writers, helping people write their healing stories from trauma. Keep up with Katy and her latest news, including her monthly newsletter, "Novel Ideas" at www.KatyLeebooks.com.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $25 VISA gift card with a plush Bloodhound and a matching signed bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 24, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 3, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Spotlight: Seal of Honor by Jessica Ashley

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Seal of Honor by Jessica Ashley, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Seal of Honor 
Series: Iron Tide Brotherhood #1 
Author: Jessica Ashley 
Publisher: B.A.D. Publishing, LLC 
Release Date: February 23, 2026 
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

She vanished on their wedding day. Now she’s back… and someone wants her dead. 

Zane Knox is a man who doesn’t officially exist. 

The former Navy SEAL has spent years living in the shadows, forced into off-the-books missions for a government agency that owns his secrets—and his freedom. He’s learned the hard way that love is a liability and trust gets you killed. 

Until the woman who broke his heart stumbles onto his boat in the middle of the night. 

Bruised. Terrified. And begging for medical supplies. 

Tessa Lane doesn’t know who’s hunting her or why. She only knows that nowhere is safe and that every place she runs to turns into another crime scene. The faith she once clung to is gone. So is her belief in love… and the vows she nearly made to Zane. 

But when the danger closes in and her past catches up to her, Zane becomes the only safe place she has left. 

Protecting Tessa was never part of his mission. 

But losing her might destroy what little is left of him. 

As a relentless enemy hunts them through the coastal shadows, Zane and Tessa must confront the secrets that tore them apart—and the faith, love, and redemption that might be the only things that can save them now. 

Because this time, walking away isn’t an option.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Direct from the Author | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub 

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Excerpt

A future with this man was all I’d ever wanted.

We’d even planned on taking his father’s boat—this very boat—around the world together afterward. An extended honeymoon where we’d sleep in, sail, and spend our evenings beneath the stars.

Peace.

Home.

That’s what he’d offered me. Now I’m sitting across from him, not as his wife but as a hunted woman. A woman who nearly got him killed only a few hours ago.

“You really should let me go,” I tell him. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

“You can barely walk.” Those sharp green eyes pin me in place.

“It’s not the first time I’ve been hurt, and it probably won’t be the last.” The night of my wedding, my father had snapped my ankle. I’d had to push through the pain then, and I can do it now. Though I don’t elaborate on that.

His nostrils flare. Is he thinking of the time I was seventeen and he’d come home from college break to find me barely moving after walking in on my father and a random woman in our living room?

Or the year before that, when I’d been pushed down the stairs and broken my clavicle?

I shove those poisoned memories aside. They’re in the past, and that man is long dead. He can’t hurt me from six feet under.

That was only proven tonight when I stepped into his empty trailer.

He really is gone. The man who always seemed indestructible was destroyed by the alcohol he refused to put down.

“We’ll start digging tomorrow, see if we can find out what’s going on and who’s after you. If there’s something to be found, we’ll find it,” he says, confidence lacing every word. When I don’t respond, he returns to reading his Bible, and I fall quiet, sipping my tea and watching him every chance I get.

I know God exists.

I know that He created us.

That He sent His Son to die for us.

What I don’t know about is the grace they say He offers.

I know my sins.

The weight of them crushes down on me daily.

And if I can’t forgive myself, how can I expect my Creator to forgive me?

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More in This Series

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About the Author

Jessica Ashley is a three-time award winning author of faith-filled stories where swoony romance meets edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Her goal is simple: to remind readers that even in the darkest moments, God’s love shines through with hope, healing, and redemption. 

She believes fiction has the power not just to entertain but to transform. Growing up, she saw how stories of faith and love could bring hope. So she pours this experience into the stories she writes where characters face real danger—literal or emotional—but through faith, love, and courage, they emerge changed. 

When she's not writing, she's homeschooling her three kids, baking homemade bread, or sneaking in quiet moments with her husband in their New Hampshire home. 

Her stories are clean, heartfelt, and written to inspire. Because she believes fiction should stir the heart, strengthen faith, and leave you with a smile.

Connect with Jessica by visiting jessicaashleybooks.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a $20 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 25, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 4, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Spotlight: Rancher for Easter by Susanne Dietze

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Rancher for Easter by Susanne Dietze, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Rancher for Easter 

Series: Home to Foxtail #3 

Author: Susanne Dietze 

Publisher: Love Inspired 

Release Date: February 24, 2026 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

An inheritance with strings attached…

Forces him to tie the knot. 

Rancher Thatcher Dalton accidentally triggers a marriage requirement to his inheritance and now must find a wife in six months…or lose his farm. When widowed bookkeeper Bliss Anderson suddenly finds herself without a job, she knows that the adoption of her foster daughter, who has epilepsy, will be in jeopardy—unless she accepts Thatcher’s proposal of a marriage of convenience. As the platonic couple settle into married life and parenthood, they soon find that remaining just friends is harder than expected. But when a long-held family secret threatens their growing happiness, it’ll take a little girl’s Easter wish to turn them into a real family… 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

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Excerpt

He must have caught the way her gaze held on a simple but elegant marquise-cut diamond on an unadorned gold band, because he tapped the glass over it. “Could we see this one, please?”

The clerk handed it over, so she might as well try it on.

And then she had to blink to keep the tears at bay.

“What’s wrong?” Thatcher leaned sideways against the counter. “If you hate that one, try another.”

That wasn’t the problem at all. “I don’t hate it.”

“Ah.” His lips twitched. “It’s pretty, Bliss.”

“It is.”

“And it’s perfect on your hand, like it was made just for you.”

“It’s the right size and everything.” She wished she didn’t like it so much, but it was precisely the style of ring she always imagined when she was a girl.

“Do you want to try another on?” She could hear the smile in his voice.

She shook her head. “I don’t need this. I’m fine with a plain band, Thatcher.”

“You deserve better than fine, Bliss. And this will be on your finger for a long time.”

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More Books from this Series:

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About the Author

Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she's an award-winning, RWA RITA® nominated author who's seen her work on the Publisher's Weekly and ECPA Lists for Inspirational Fiction. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne lives in California and enjoys fancy-schmancy tea parties and curling up on the couch with a costume drama.

Connect with Susanne by visiting www.susannedietze.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a copy of A Rancher for Easter and $25 Starbucks gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 26, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on March 5, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Book Spotlight: Whispers in the Snow by Heidi Eljarbo

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Whispers in the Snow by Heidi Eljarbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Whispers in the Snow 
Series: Heartwarming Christmas 
Author: Heidi Eljarbo 
Publisher: independently published 
Release Date: ‎ January 27, 2026 
Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery Romance

Of course, a young woman in Norway during the late nineteenth century can be a successful amateur sleuth, and goodness knows, Cornelia’s days are always more exciting when she can devote her time to resolving a local mystery. 

Cornelia Gran is a dedicated daughter, friendly and kind; although, she has an exorbitant amount of curiosity. She devours Arthur Conan Doyle’s magazine articles and tries to follow the fictitious Sherlock Holmes’s investigative examples, but her fascination with solving puzzles always gets her into mischief. 

Each morning, Cornelia reads the newspaper, looking for a conundrum to solve. Searching for clues—and then chronicling her discoveries—thrills her. She certainly finds those activities more entertaining than taking her grandmother’s advice and attending one Christmas ball after another in search of a husband. 

But chaos and danger turn Cornelia’s quiet days upside down when her attempt to find information about the owner of a nearby abandoned cottage takes her into dangerous territory. As winter winds rattle the windows and swirl snowdrifts against the doors, she faces off with a ghost, gets in trouble with the police, and finds herself staring down danger without thinking of the consequences. In the middle of it all, she meets Simon and is captivated by his charm, good looks, and personality. 

Meanwhile, a real killer is after her, and he won’t stop until he gets information she doesn’t have! Christmas, with all its cheery festivities, hygge, and family traditions, has never been more threatened. Cornelia must call on all her investigative skills, not only to stop the ruination of her family’s holiday, but also to make certain Simon and his aunt keep what belongs to them. And maybe, just maybe, the amateur sleuth will discover the meaning of true love.  

Set in a fictitious town in Norway in 1891, this cozy historical mystery is perfect for those who enjoy curious and determined women sleuths, clean and wholesome romance, and the discovery of buried secrets in an abandoned house.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Excerpt  

Cornelia climbed the stairs to her room and closed the door. Lying on her stomach on the bed, she browsed the Sherlock Holmes articles—all five of them—looking for ways to approach her mystery. She had not witnessed a murder, and she was not aware of any criminal acts like theft, kidnapping, or life-threatening violence. But she had to admit that even though she’d brushed off the things she’d seen and heard as nothing to worry about, the situation had escalated from curious to eerie. 

An hour later, she closed all the magazines and put them back in a neat pile on her nightstand. Skimming through the stories for the hundredth time had not enlightened her mind whatsoever. It was time to venture out on her own. If she was persistent enough, surely, she’d find enough clues to piece together the mysterious puzzle. Something very peculiar was going on inside the abandoned house.

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More in This Series

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About the Author

 

HEIDI ELJARBO grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries. 

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history. 

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter. 

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Connect with Heidi by visiting heidieljarbo.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a paperback copy of Whispers in the Snow and The Relic Thief, plus a $10 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 23, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 2, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Book Spotlight: The Memory Stone by Bryan Davis

Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for The Memory Stone by Bryan Davis hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Memory Stone 

Series: Dragons of Camelot #2 

Author: Bryan Davis 

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers 

Release Date: January 6, 2026 

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure 

A Girl with Powers Beyond Her Understanding. 

A Boy Sworn to Protect Her. 

And a Kingdom Veering into Madness. 

Camelot is becoming increasingly dangerous for dragons and their allies. When a fear-inducing toxin seeps into the water supply, Merlin, Hawk, and Sabina suspect sorcery. Could this be Lady Morgan’s doing? But when Lady Morgan pleads innocent and offers a truce to save her poisoned sister, the trio hesitantly believes her. Using a supernatural device called the memory stone, the team splits up to embark on an epic journey to Dragon’s Rest and portals beyond to uncover the mystery. 

Readers of Bryan Davis’s previous books will devour this fast-paced read following the thrilling adventures of heroic new characters. 

Perfect for teen and tween readers of Christian fiction, this magical, YA fantasy adventure includes:

• Clues to Sabina’s Underborn heritage
• Suspenseful escapes and rescues
• An epic battle of good dragons and dragon riders versus the forces of evil
• Clean action adventure, portal fantasy, and supernatural mystery
• Cameo appearances by characters from Oracles of Fire series
• Multiple POVs from humans and dragons
• Strong faith themes focused on the power of prayer

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Book Excerpt

Hawk and Sabina leaped up and gathered any flasks and jars they could find, most of which had been used for water before, and set them near the secret panel. When Hawk searched under a shelf laden with old scrolls, he found a leather bag the size of a large gourd. The loose drawstring at the top allowed him to peek inside. The sparks powder filled the bag to the top. He tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. The powder had to be extremely dense.

“Hurry!” Merlin called from the panel as he held a lantern and an armful of the vessels. “We have enough. We must make haste.”

Hawk left the bag behind, picked up the remaining vessels, and all three hustled into the secret room. Merlin led the way to the end of the narrow corridor where his bed now sat instead of the table that had been there before. He set his vessels and lantern on the floor and pressed the wall at a spot where a knot marred the wood. The bed slid to the side on its own until it abutted the wall, exposing the trapdoor underneath.

Merlin crouched and knocked on the trapdoor, using the same combination of knocks that usually opened the secret panel. The trapdoor rose to a vertical position and stopped.

“This is a new invention,” Merlin said. “No time to explain. Hawk, you will come with me. While we are descending, Sabina, you will close and secure the panel leading here. When we arrive at the bottom, you will drop the vessels one at a time. We will catch them and signal for the next one. Then you will join us with the lantern.”

Sabina nodded. “I understand, Master Merlin.”

“Good. And we must work quickly.” He climbed down the ladder, his voice muted in the passage. “I will explain our purpose and our haste once we are together in the dungeon.”

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More Books from this Series:

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Tyndale Fiction | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

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About the Author

Bryan Davis is the author of several fantasy/science fiction novels for youth and adults, including the bestselling series Dragons in Our Midst. He and his wife, Susie, have seven adult children, and they work together as an author/editor team. 

Connect with Bryan by visiting www.DavisCrossing.com to follow him on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a softcover copy of The Memory Stone!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight February 18, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on February 25, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Book Spotlight: Oscar and the Mystery of the Glowing Orbs by Don Everts

About the Book:

What if you could see things no one else could?

Meet Oscar, a new kid navigating life in a new town, at a new school, with no friends to lean on. Just as he's decided to shuffle his way through freshman year and settle for lonely lunches on the football bleachers, something extraordinary happens―Oscar begins to see glowing orbs that no one else can see. Confused and curious, he soon discovers he's not the only one at his school with a mysterious power.

Oscar and the Mystery of the Glowing Orbs launches The Sensate Saga, a middle-grade adventure brimming with courage, curiosity, and faith—perfect for fans of The Wingfeather Saga and The Sherlock Society.

Purchase Link: IVP Press.

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Book Excerpt:

Oscar and the Mystery of the Glowing Orbs
Excerpt ch. 1, “Oscar Climbs the Steepest Steps”

Oscar Owens stood in the morning sun staring down at his Bilbo Baggins T-shirt.

He had washed it and carefully laid it out the night before because it was, by far, his favorite shirt. But in the light of day, Oscar was suddenly having second thoughts. Is this something a high schooler would wear?

“Hijo!” Amá called from downstairs, “It’s time to go!”

Oscar checked the time and started rooting frantically through his dresser. His heart beat double time as he pulled out shirt after shirt with images of dragons or elves or wizards or enchanted forests. Do I own even a single normal shirt?

While searching, Oscar couldn’t help but relive the argument he’d had with his dad and stepmom during dinner the night before. It turned out their new house was too close to the high school for Oscar to take a bus, so Dad and Amá calmly suggested Oscar just walk.

Usually Oscar tried not to make a huge deal about his legs around his parents, knowing how guilty they still felt about the accident. But this crossed a line. Do the Oscar Shuffle all the way through downtown while kids in buses and cars stare at the new freak in town? No way! Oscar’s voice had cracked in that embarrassing new way as he tried to get them to see how unfair they were being.

Eventually Amá agreed to drop Oscar off on the first day. But after that? She was unbending, “Oscar, you’re a high schooler now. It’s time to act like it.”

Oscar couldn’t believe her words, or Dad’s firm agreement. So. Unfair.

And now his stepmom was yelling from downstairs because he was going to be late. Since the accident four years ago, Oscar had found that nothing was worse than shuffling into a classroom with everyone already seated, all eyes watching you make your way to your desk. So he quickly threw on trusty Bilbo, ran a comb through his stubborn brown hair, and took a last look at himself in the mirror.

Oscar felt average in size and looks. Nothing too special about him, he thought.

Oscar glanced down at the reflection of Bilbo in the mirror and the backward reflection of the quote that had made him smile when he first saw the shirt: “I think I’m quite ready for another adventure.”

Oscar wasn’t sure he felt the same.

“Vamos!” Amá’s voice had a ring of urgency to it.

“Ya voy!” Oscar said to the open door and then looked back into his own eyes in the mirror. Okay then, Oscar. And with that he grabbed the faded gray JanSport he’d been using since sixth grade and shuffled downstairs.

In the end, the drive only took two minutes.

The short trip made Oscar feel silly for insisting on the ride and made his stomach start to churn like an off-balance washing machine.

Amá pulled up to the curb and put the white station wagon into park. Oscar just sat there staring at the front steps while a group of loud kids streamed around their car toward the imposing redbrick building.

Eventually Amá spoke softly. “Te amo, Hijo.”

Oscar didn’t dare turn to respond. Finally he opened the door and shot a gruff “See ya tonight” over his shoulder. It came out rougher than he intended, but he couldn’t worry about Amá’s feelings right now.

He shut the door and slowly shuffled away from the car toward the unfamiliar redbrick steps. He stopped and glared up at the imposing front door he’d been dreading. “Centerville High School” it read above the door. Sounded innocent enough. But for some reason Oscar was reminded of the door he’d read about in Coraline, a seemingly ordinary door that wound up leading to a dangerous place.

Oscar shook away the thought and started up.

The steps felt annoyingly steep to Oscar, almost unnaturally steep. As he climbed up each step, slower than all the strangers around him, Oscar grumped his way, for the hundredth time, through a set of well-worn questions.

Why did Dad and Amá have to get new jobs?
Why did they drag Oscar away from everything he’d ever known?
And why in the world did they move into an old house that was possibly haunted?

Oscar paused on the top step, considering the open door in front of him, a scary threshold he wasn’t sure he was ready to cross.

Taken from Oscar and the Mystery of the Glowing Orbs by Don Everts. Copyright (c) 2026 by Donald Dean Everts II. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com

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Book Endorsements:

"Thanks to a compelling blend of contemporary social commentary and urban fantasy, Oscar and the Mystery of the Glowing Orbs is an engaging, ultimately uplifting read about finding your voice, accepting your flaws, and realizing that your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength—an ideal read for anyone who enjoys character-driven narratives, secret-society tropes, and stories that use the fantastical to explore real-world issues of identity, courage, and social justice." —The Children's Book Review

"This cozy story weaves Christian themes of faith and friendship into a slow-burn mystery with spots of humor and drama. Everts develops the large, racially diverse cast of characters through strong dialogue that propels the plot." ― Kirkus Reviews

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About the Author:

Don Everts is the senior pastor at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri, and has been serving in ministry for over thirty years—on campus with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and in the local church with the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. He is also an award-winning author who has published over twenty books including Jesus with Dirty Feet, I Once Was Lost, and The Spiritually Vibrant Home. An avid reader, frequenter of rocking chairs, and amateur chicken farmer, Don and his wife, Wendy, have three adult children and live in a home solidly built in 1887.