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Fiction. Suspense. HTML: Brill Jessup becomes the first female police chief in Sophie Trace, Tennessee and is riding on the credentials of a stellar eighteen-year-career on the Memphis Police Force. She may be a pro at finding clues, but she ignores the obvious in her personal life. Her husband, Kurt, is weighed down by her unrelenting anger as he struggles to let God redeem the stupidest mistake he ever made. Brill hides behind her badge and her bitterness, deciding that moving her family away from Memphis is the only change she needs to make. Before she has time to unpack her boxes, people start disappearing. Lots of them. To complicate matters, a local legend has many residents believing that the cause is unearthly�??tied to the "red shadows," or spirits of the departed Cherokee who once inhabited the land. While Brill draws on all of her experience and instinct to solve the case, she must confront an enemy that threatens everything she holds dear�??one that cannot be stopped with a badge and a gun… (more)
User reviews
Brill Jessup, the protagonist, comes across as a believable chief of police as she works 24/7 with the Sheriff and the FBI on
On the other hand, Emily, Brill's precocious nine-year-old daughter is written too flat, and several times I had trouble believing that any child, no matter how bright, would speak and act this way. That being said, it still is a terrific book and well worth the read. Discussion questions are included.
Brill Jessup is the new police chief of Sophie Trace. Her family is attempting a new start, but past regrets, betrayals and bitterness keep them from truly moving on. Brill’s husband, Kurt, was unfaithful and it is this that has impacted the whole family. Unwilling to forgive, Brill immerses herself in her work, which following mysterious abductions and increased gang activity, has gotten harder and more complicated.
Herman does a good job of balancing the family drama with a good mystery. Both story lines kept this reader interested. Herman explores the damage that is done to the whole family when just one strays from God’s law. The mystery of the missing people makes way for the town legend of the Red Shadows adding an interesting look into the history of the early settlers and Native Americans of the Smokies. I also liked that Herman introduces supporting characters that add color to the small community. Nick’s restaurant is the hub for town gossip and serves as a means for the main characters and the reader to gauge the pulse of the town.
I listened to The Real Enemy on my morning walks. The reading was well done — a great pace that made my exercise fly by. So if you are looking for a mystery with some depth and spiritual truth in the mix, check out The Real Enemy.
Recommended
Audience: Adults