Book Reviews: HAZARDOUS DUTY and TEXAS ROADS

HAZARDOUS DUTY by Christy Barritt is delightful. It’s about a young woman who cleans up crime scenes, which is a gory job, yes. But, this book doesn’t dwell on the gore, and the story takes off from the very beginning. Gabby and her only employee Harold are cleaning up a wealthy man’s mansion from the murder of his wife. Soon, there’s a fire, and Gabby barely escapes with her life.

Mrs. Barritt tells Gabby’s story with liberal amounts of humor, delightful accounts of Gabby’s unique neighbors, and a down-to-earth style I think anyone would love.

This is a suspense mystery, and if you like to keep turning pages, this is as good as it gets. It’s told from Gabby’s wacky, sarcastic point of view. HAZARDOUS DUTY is light, fun, and different.

At the same time, this is a solidly Christian work. Mrs. Barritt understands hearts, and she knows how to expertly weave an intense story in a hilarious way. I will definitely seek out more of her books. Five stars.

TEXAS ROADS by Cathy Bryant is a pleasant fiction read about a young woman named Dani (Danielle), who goes to Miller’s Creek, a very small town. As in all small towns, in Miller’s Creek everyone knows everyone, and there are no secrets. Dani has gone there to spend some time with her aunt, whom everyone in town calls “Mama Beth.” This small town life is a far cry from Dani’s in Dallas. She’s the daughter and heiress of a successful (and maybe crooked) businessman. In Miller's Creek, Dani feels, for the first time in her life, that she’s come home.

The first person she meets, in not the best of circumstances, is a rugged cowboy named Steve. They don’t hit it off, for many reasons, some of them buried in their pasts.

I liked this book. It kept me reading and was entertaining. Its Christian message is very good, and I liked how Mrs. Bryant developed it. I loved Mama Beth, Steve, and Dani, in that order. The town was a fun setting, especially the people.

The writing style, even though Mrs. Bryant has won a prize for this book, wasn’t exactly my favorite. (There are a lot of adjectives, when I would personally prefer simpler sentences and more pace. But that’s being picky.) It is a pleasant book, and I don’t want to take away from that. The story has many complications (sicknesses, accidents, and more), and the main characters sometimes have to juggle two or three catastrophes at a time. Of course, there’s a romance, which was handled well. TEXAS ROADS is a solidly Christian book, and I think many women will enjoy it.