The Shadowed Mind by Julie Cave

All men are created equal. Or are they? One of America's core beliefs is about to be challenged. There's a killer on the loose who is intent on making a point. Those deemed unworthy – the prostitutes, mentally ill, alcoholics, and homeless – are all lower on the evolutionary scale and ought to be eradicated. Former FBI Agent Dinah Harris is hired by the mysterious Detective Samson Cage to assist in the investigation and gets a crash course into the world of neo-eugenics. As a recovering alcoholic, staying sober is hard enough. But when the killer targets her personally, the stakes are higher than ever before.

The Shadowed Mind by Julie Cave is the second book in the Dinah Harris trilogy. In my opinion, it is better than the first book though I do recommend reading them in order. Dinah Harris is a deeply intricate character that captures and holds the attention of the reader. Half-mystery and half-suspense, this book keeps the reader guessing about the killer's identity. There is also a sub-plot that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the Dinah's part of the story until the very end. I am always impressed when an author writes so well that I can't predict who did it until the chosen moment of revelation.

I applaud Cave for her boldness in tackling the topic of neo-eugenics. In way of warning, I think that politically liberal readers will probably take offense at some portions of this book. The book takes obvious stabs at prevailing liberal philosophies. From mocking evolutionary beliefs to quoting Obama's “no longer a Christian nation” statement, the author attacks ideologies and defends her own. Personally, I agree with the author's beliefs. I just feel it necessary to warn of the prevalent conservative bias that may cause some readers to discard the book rather than considering Cave's argument.

I recommend reading this book with an open mind.

Click here to read an excerpt from The Shadowed Mind.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from New Leaf Publishing Group as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Deadly Disclosures

Dinah Harris was a one time a highly skilled FBI agent. Now she has been delegated to teaching a class while she fights depression, numbness and alcohol addiction. When a former partner, pressures her to help him with the murder case of the secretary of the Smithsonian, she hopes to escape the emptiness inside. Unfortunately, the emptiness remains. Through events related to the case she is brought into contact with a former friend of the deceased secretary who seems to think that the murder may have been motivated by the secretary’s religious beliefs. When additional bodies appear, Dinah must fight her personal issues at the same time she searches for a murderer.

Deadly Disclosures by Julie Cave was very interesting to read. The plot was well-written and the mystery element of the story kept me guessing about who was behind the murders and why were the murders done. The ending satisfactorily closed the case and the story; however, it certainly left a strong hint about the upcoming sequel to this book. The author did an excellent job of addressing Dinah’s depression and alcohol addiction. She did not gloss over it and seemed to express the situation realistically. I appreciate authenticity.

Although I certainly consider myself a Creationist, I must admit that all the Creationist talk at times got to be a little to much for me. Not that I disagreed with what was said, but it seemed like certain characters would go on long diatribes explaining Creationism. I think one weakness of the book is that it almost blasts the reader over the head with Creationism. I certainly am not against Christian views being presented by Christian authors in Christian fiction books; however, I think it could have been done with more tact. It certainly would not have appealed to someone who was not a Christian. With a little different style, the material could have been presented in a way that an unbeliever would still be interested in the story, at least. Unfortunately, the way the material was presented was more overwhelming than appealing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from New Leaf Publishing Group as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."