O'Malley: The Guardian (Series #2) (Paperback)

Publishers Weekly,An entertaining thriller-cum-romance-cum-conversion story is what readers get in this fast-paced novel. U.S. Marshal Marcus O'Malley has a lot on his mind. One of his sisters has just been diagnosed with cancer, and the case he's working on is getting tricky: a judge has been gunned down, and someone wants to kill the only woman who saw the murder. Marcus's heart gets a workout, too, as he finds himself charmed by the lovely speechwriter who witnessed the crime. Moreover, in a thoughtful subplot, he's shocked to learn that two of his sisters have turned to the church. Marcus himself was once a believer, but lost faith after his mother died. Faith in this novel is never a saccharine panacea, however. Shari, the speechwriter, is also a Christian, and she eloquently testifies that her belief in Jesus "doesn't take away the pain" of traumatic events. Shari and Marcus's slowly unfolding love story is utterly believable (Henderson is an expert in romance, having won the RITA award for Danger in the Shadows). What most distinguishes this novel, however, is its development of charming minor characters. There's Kate, the sister to whom Marcus is closest; Dave, an FBI special agent and Kate's sweetheart; and Jennifer, the sister who bravely suffers cancer. Marcus is the most compelling character of all, struggling to balance the needs of his ill sister with the demands of his job, and managing to do both with panache. Christian readers will relish this intriguing tale. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved