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Ozark Mountain Trilogy #3
A Treacherous Mix
When twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings wakes up by Beaver Lake at sunset, all he remembers is a dream about a spider that spewed venom. Then he realizes that Kennedy—the young woman he broke every vow to have an affair with—is gone. He rushes to her house only to find it empty. No furniture. No pictures. No sign that anyone lived there.
Ashamed and confused, Hawk decides not to report anything to the sheriff. Then Hawk realizes that someone else in town knows what happened to his lover. He begins to fear for Kennedy’s life—and his own.
Ashamed and confused, Hawk decides not to report anything to the sheriff. Then Hawk realizes that someone else in town knows what happened to his lover. He begins to fear for Kennedy’s life—and his own.
- GenresChristian FictionFiction
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2018
40 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Herman
35 books245 followersBest-selling suspense novelist Kathy Herman has written twenty novels—including the Secrets or Roux River Bayou Series, Sophie Trace Series, the Seaport Suspense Series, and the Phantom Hollow Series—since retiring from her family’s Christian bookstore business. She and her late husband Paul have a blended family of three grown children. Kathy lives in the Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 19, 2018
After very much enjoying the first two books of the Ozark Mountain Trilogy, the conclusion missed the mark for me. The novel focused very heavily on Hawk's mistake and while it was a good message, it became repetitive. It seemed the suspense part of the novel was a distant second to the moral compass portion. I absolutely enjoy seeing characters learn from mistakes in novels. However, I prefer it to feel more organic and less forced.
November 18, 2023
I appreciate Kathy Herman's ability to keep a book rooted in Scripture while still having suspense
December 20, 2020
What is so unique about these books is how the story starts off with The Event and you're dumped in suspense from then on. Even the "slow" bits are suspenseful.
This book deals with sex before marriage and is not for younger readers. Nothing graphic, handled well, and important to talk about but definitely for older people.
It was neat to see Moral Revolution mentioned. I've liked following them on Instagram. They are an important voice today.
I will admit, I thought
This book deals with sex before marriage and is not for younger readers. Nothing graphic, handled well, and important to talk about but definitely for older people.
It was neat to see Moral Revolution mentioned. I've liked following them on Instagram. They are an important voice today.
I will admit, I thought
August 27, 2018
***well-developed plot, enhanced by realistic characters
that captures the consequences of moral failure***
“A Treacherous Mix” by Pacific Northwest author Kathy Herman completes her Ozark Mountain Trilogy with an intriguing story of moral failure that leads to conspiracy, deception and murder. It’s also a story of moral compromise and faith lived out against the backdrop of the Cummings family, twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings, a secret affair and a mysterious young woman.
The story opens with Brody Armison pretending to watch “the sailboat races on Beaver Lake” from a vantage point high up on Sure Foot Mountain. However, his spy glass was really trained on a classy appearing woman and “rugged” looking man on the blanket next to her. Brody was surprised such a mismatched couple were so obviously smitten with one another.
That’s when Brody saw a “cool looking hexacopter drone” approach and hover only to spray a “reddish appearing vapor” over the unknowing couple before two men “wearing gas masks and black coveralls” ran out of the neighboring trees. They ignored the now comatose man, grabbed the woman’s limp body and ran toward a “huge house visible through the trees” where a black Suburban sat in the driveway; slid the body into the back of the vehicle and quickly sped away. Brody had no idea that what he’d just seen would soon put him in extreme peril.
Thus, begins a roller-coaster mystery of danger, intrigue and suspense where twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings wakes in a meadow feeling as if “a giant spider had spewed venom onto him!” The beautiful woman he knew as Taylor had disappeared. Hawk, his head pounding, feeling dizzy and disoriented, stumbled to his feet and walked slowly through the trees toward Taylor’s house.
He found the home completely empty, stripped of all furniture and wall hangings as if Taylor had never lived there. Still confused and disoriented he wondered if Taylor had dumped him yet he knew it would take planning to empty a house of this size so quickly. That’s when he realized he knew very little about Taylor other than their secret times together.
Now the embarrassing secret he had never wanted to come out would now be exposed and he would no longer be looked at as a man with a strong moral code. The embarrassment and shame would be hard to face. However that would be nothing compared to the unknowing danger he had just put himself, his family and friends in.
Although Herman’s well-developed plot and setting are enhanced by realistic characters that show the consequences of sin, the prayers and religious references seem heavy-handed at times as if the author were preaching instead of building a story line. Still the plot, the story and the surprising, unexpected ending are exceptional with characters that capture the intricacies and far-reaching consequences of moral failure which makes “A Treacherous Mix” a book not to miss.
‘A Treacherous Mix,’ #3of 3 Ozark Mountain Trilogy, by Kathy Herman, David C Cook, August 1, 2018, 384 Pages, 978-0781408059, $14.99
“Gail’s Bookshelf” Midwest Book Reviews: "May 2018"
Google+GailWelborn
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that captures the consequences of moral failure***
“A Treacherous Mix” by Pacific Northwest author Kathy Herman completes her Ozark Mountain Trilogy with an intriguing story of moral failure that leads to conspiracy, deception and murder. It’s also a story of moral compromise and faith lived out against the backdrop of the Cummings family, twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings, a secret affair and a mysterious young woman.
The story opens with Brody Armison pretending to watch “the sailboat races on Beaver Lake” from a vantage point high up on Sure Foot Mountain. However, his spy glass was really trained on a classy appearing woman and “rugged” looking man on the blanket next to her. Brody was surprised such a mismatched couple were so obviously smitten with one another.
That’s when Brody saw a “cool looking hexacopter drone” approach and hover only to spray a “reddish appearing vapor” over the unknowing couple before two men “wearing gas masks and black coveralls” ran out of the neighboring trees. They ignored the now comatose man, grabbed the woman’s limp body and ran toward a “huge house visible through the trees” where a black Suburban sat in the driveway; slid the body into the back of the vehicle and quickly sped away. Brody had no idea that what he’d just seen would soon put him in extreme peril.
Thus, begins a roller-coaster mystery of danger, intrigue and suspense where twenty-four-year-old Hawk Cummings wakes in a meadow feeling as if “a giant spider had spewed venom onto him!” The beautiful woman he knew as Taylor had disappeared. Hawk, his head pounding, feeling dizzy and disoriented, stumbled to his feet and walked slowly through the trees toward Taylor’s house.
He found the home completely empty, stripped of all furniture and wall hangings as if Taylor had never lived there. Still confused and disoriented he wondered if Taylor had dumped him yet he knew it would take planning to empty a house of this size so quickly. That’s when he realized he knew very little about Taylor other than their secret times together.
Now the embarrassing secret he had never wanted to come out would now be exposed and he would no longer be looked at as a man with a strong moral code. The embarrassment and shame would be hard to face. However that would be nothing compared to the unknowing danger he had just put himself, his family and friends in.
Although Herman’s well-developed plot and setting are enhanced by realistic characters that show the consequences of sin, the prayers and religious references seem heavy-handed at times as if the author were preaching instead of building a story line. Still the plot, the story and the surprising, unexpected ending are exceptional with characters that capture the intricacies and far-reaching consequences of moral failure which makes “A Treacherous Mix” a book not to miss.
‘A Treacherous Mix,’ #3of 3 Ozark Mountain Trilogy, by Kathy Herman, David C Cook, August 1, 2018, 384 Pages, 978-0781408059, $14.99
“Gail’s Bookshelf” Midwest Book Reviews: "May 2018"
Google+GailWelborn
Pinterest: GailWelborn
Twitter: @GailWelborn
FaceBook: Gail Welborn
FaceBook Reviews: Gail Welborn
January 13, 2019
This was the final book from the Ozark Mountain Trilogy and if asked how it was I would say "Eehh". There was both good and bad with it.
I will start with the good. I enjoyed the Cummings family. We had a book covering each kid and how they and the family faced something dramatic by relying on God. In this book Hawk, the oldest, dealt with something very weird. The lady he was "having an affair" with disappeared after being kidnapped when a drone dropped a red powder on Hawk and Kennedy knocking them out. Eight men then hauled Kennedy away. I also enjoyed how Herman worked in God's Word into the story and showed how even when we mess up God will forgive us and help us through the problems we create.
What I didn't care for. Herman referred to the relationship with Hawk and Kennedy as an affair despite neither of them being married. Yes it was a relationship of premarital sex but no marriage involved. I also didn't like the holes in the plot being brushed off as "confidential" leaving holes in the story. Yes, the FBI was involved but the reader should get the whole story, not just accept that it was confidential and we would never know. Also the plot was too unbelievable. I kept thinking this is it but it kept going another step beyond believable.
Worst book of the series but I still enjoyed the series.
I will start with the good. I enjoyed the Cummings family. We had a book covering each kid and how they and the family faced something dramatic by relying on God. In this book Hawk, the oldest, dealt with something very weird. The lady he was "having an affair" with disappeared after being kidnapped when a drone dropped a red powder on Hawk and Kennedy knocking them out. Eight men then hauled Kennedy away. I also enjoyed how Herman worked in God's Word into the story and showed how even when we mess up God will forgive us and help us through the problems we create.
What I didn't care for. Herman referred to the relationship with Hawk and Kennedy as an affair despite neither of them being married. Yes it was a relationship of premarital sex but no marriage involved. I also didn't like the holes in the plot being brushed off as "confidential" leaving holes in the story. Yes, the FBI was involved but the reader should get the whole story, not just accept that it was confidential and we would never know. Also the plot was too unbelievable. I kept thinking this is it but it kept going another step beyond believable.
Worst book of the series but I still enjoyed the series.
August 16, 2018
I didn’t know what to expect from this book when I first saw it because this is a new to me author. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked the storyline and the characters. This is the third book in the, Ozark Mountain Trilogy and I found it is written so thoroughly that I knew who the characters were and their relationship to each other without having read the first two books.
The plot in this book is pretty terrific and kept me engaged throughout. I loved that the friends and family of Hawk rallied around him and cared so much about what he was going through. They don’t shy away when he did things they didn’t approve of but they certainly are in his corner no matter what.
The Cummings family are hard workers, enjoy their family dinners and are strong in their faith. Who wouldn’t want to be in a family like that?
Ms. Herman blends family, faith, mystery and suspense perfectly in this novel which is exactly the kind of book I love to read. If you are already a fan of his author or looking for a new to you author, then I recommend this book to you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
The plot in this book is pretty terrific and kept me engaged throughout. I loved that the friends and family of Hawk rallied around him and cared so much about what he was going through. They don’t shy away when he did things they didn’t approve of but they certainly are in his corner no matter what.
The Cummings family are hard workers, enjoy their family dinners and are strong in their faith. Who wouldn’t want to be in a family like that?
Ms. Herman blends family, faith, mystery and suspense perfectly in this novel which is exactly the kind of book I love to read. If you are already a fan of his author or looking for a new to you author, then I recommend this book to you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
October 4, 2018
I love Kathy Herman’s novels! Her writing style is such that I find myself smack dab in the center of the story.
In A Treacherous Mix, a family comes under the scrutiny of a killer. Hawk Cummings is engaged in an affair with Kennedy, who disappears without a trace.
I was certain Hawk and his family were going to suffer the worst at the hands of a sadistic killer, despite the careful planning of protection by the FBI. You see, Hawk Cummings having found himself in the crosshairs of a killer, has unwittingly become the only person who can draw out the killer, a wanted man by several government law enforcement agencies.
This novel is about choices, choices that do not just affect one person but their entire family, maybe even neighbors and friends. Even after seeking forgiveness and reconciliation from those who may be drug in, choices have consequences, consequences that most often cannot be undone.
In A Treacherous Mix, a family comes under the scrutiny of a killer. Hawk Cummings is engaged in an affair with Kennedy, who disappears without a trace.
I was certain Hawk and his family were going to suffer the worst at the hands of a sadistic killer, despite the careful planning of protection by the FBI. You see, Hawk Cummings having found himself in the crosshairs of a killer, has unwittingly become the only person who can draw out the killer, a wanted man by several government law enforcement agencies.
This novel is about choices, choices that do not just affect one person but their entire family, maybe even neighbors and friends. Even after seeking forgiveness and reconciliation from those who may be drug in, choices have consequences, consequences that most often cannot be undone.
September 2, 2020
Valuable lesson.
In all too many so-called novels, sexual content is designed to grab attention and keep people turning pages with more and more seamy episodes. Miss Kathy has taken a sensitive subject, and turned it into a valuable life lesson. The details of the affair are only implied, while the consequences are vivid.
On top of that, she shows 1 John 1:9 in clear easy to understand illustrations. God will forgive us, but we are still liable for His discipline. Hawk finally felt the Father's forgiveness, but only after a major soul search, and true confession and repentance.
Miss Kathy is a marvelous author that has never allowed her principles to be lost. She gives a wonderful story that is exciting and inspirational.
I would recommend all her works to everyone.
In all too many so-called novels, sexual content is designed to grab attention and keep people turning pages with more and more seamy episodes. Miss Kathy has taken a sensitive subject, and turned it into a valuable life lesson. The details of the affair are only implied, while the consequences are vivid.
On top of that, she shows 1 John 1:9 in clear easy to understand illustrations. God will forgive us, but we are still liable for His discipline. Hawk finally felt the Father's forgiveness, but only after a major soul search, and true confession and repentance.
Miss Kathy is a marvelous author that has never allowed her principles to be lost. She gives a wonderful story that is exciting and inspirational.
I would recommend all her works to everyone.
March 19, 2019
Real story, the Best of the Best!
This story began very simple so it seems and than it changed completely with different consequences that are beyond my understanding. Just amazing how the story developed. I am so thankful for the subject and truth that came out in the end of this real story that does happen often in this century! I am glad for all the Bible verses that were referenced & how Elliot showed his love towards Hawk during this story! Thank you so much to the author & publishers for creating a real the Best story!!
This story began very simple so it seems and than it changed completely with different consequences that are beyond my understanding. Just amazing how the story developed. I am so thankful for the subject and truth that came out in the end of this real story that does happen often in this century! I am glad for all the Bible verses that were referenced & how Elliot showed his love towards Hawk during this story! Thank you so much to the author & publishers for creating a real the Best story!!
July 27, 2025
This is the first book I read in this trilogy, and it holds its own as a standalone novel. There are references to incidents in the previous books to help you understand the plot, but they are not overwhelming.
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything" ..."You have to know what you believe before you can stand firm. You need a moral compass."
Every youth pastor or leader of young adult groups should read this book to help them learn how to discuss and mentor on the subject of pre-marital sex and relationships.
"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything" ..."You have to know what you believe before you can stand firm. You need a moral compass."
Every youth pastor or leader of young adult groups should read this book to help them learn how to discuss and mentor on the subject of pre-marital sex and relationships.
July 24, 2022
Kathy Herman books
I have enjoyed all of Kathy Herman books. I appreciate how she takes real life scenarios and shows how God works in our lives. Her characters always seem to come to life for me. Her writings capture my attention and I am able to get lost in the lives of her characters. The Ozark Mountain trilogy was a very good read and I was sorry to see it end. She always leaves me wanting to hear more about the characters. I would recommend her books to everyone.
I have enjoyed all of Kathy Herman books. I appreciate how she takes real life scenarios and shows how God works in our lives. Her characters always seem to come to life for me. Her writings capture my attention and I am able to get lost in the lives of her characters. The Ozark Mountain trilogy was a very good read and I was sorry to see it end. She always leaves me wanting to hear more about the characters. I would recommend her books to everyone.
February 19, 2023
Ozark Mountains Trilogy series was a great inspirational series. All of the cummings family had such a trusting retationship with God it was a blessing to read. Forgiveness was displayed in so many ways it made my heart cry. There was no way this family could go through what they did without their trust in God. They touched everyone they came in contact with showing the love of God. I recommend these books to everyone who wants an uplifting read.
May 23, 2021
I highly recommend this book. Kathy Herman has the ability to present the truths of God's Word through her storytelling. I always leave the final page of her books with so much encouragement and so much to think about. And I'm always carried away with her page-turning suspense. None of her books disappoint!
March 4, 2019
Grace and mercy. God heals and grows us. I so enjoyed getting to know each one of these characters. Through Hawk we see that even when we make mistakes God continues to love us and draw us to Himself.
April 25, 2020
This was a good ending to the Ozark Mountains Trilogy--A Treacherous Mix. Hawk learns a very valuable life lesson about being an authentic Christian, while also trying to stay alive long enough to apply it.
August 31, 2018
Kathy Herman does a fantastic job of writing! Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
August 31, 2018
What I loved was the author's exploration of the consequences of sin.
December 19, 2018
Author: “I am going to beat you over the head with the idea that premarital sex is wrong. For 50% of the words in this book!” The actual mystery was good, but I sure as heck wished it was a novella!
January 7, 2019
An excellent read
As usual an awesome book by kathy Herman. Her novels take you places that you did not think you would go. I found myself praying for her characters.
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As usual an awesome book by kathy Herman. Her novels take you places that you did not think you would go. I found myself praying for her characters.
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August 1, 2020Wonderful last book of the trilogy! Lots of suspense, and a wonderful story of forgiveness of self.
July 14, 2021
An excellent written book. I enjoyed every minute of it. Lots of suspense that kept me going.
Absolutely loved it!
Absolutely loved it!
November 28, 2023
Glad to finally have been able to read the last 2 books in this series! Very good
June 13, 2024
I liked it, but I was expecting a more intense story. It was kept lighter than the first two. Nice series.
December 3, 2024
The book closed off with such a let down for me…I think from the first two I thought it would be the icing on the cake. I struggled to finish it.
December 3, 2024
I don't think I like this series. It has intense scenes which is why it's three stars and not 2 stars
November 5, 2025
I loved the first 2 books in this series, but struggled with this one. Not much suspense and the mystery was not very interesting.
December 11, 2023
When it comes to Christian romantic suspense, few writers are better than Kathy Herman.
** VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **
** VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **
August 2, 2018
It was good to see the whole gang from the Ozark Mountain Trilogy back at it. This is book three in the series and can be a stand alone. Herman wrote a great story with A Treacherous Mix. The Cummings family were all accounted for and if they were a real family I would love to have a seat at their dinner table. They are a family full of faith. A lot of people feel that when they read a "Christian" book everyone in the book should be perfect. I for one love that Herman had one of the characters fall from grace so to speak. Along the way he finds forgiveness, mercy and love through God. I gave this book four stars and I recommend this book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
May 19, 2022
There were so many twists and turns in this book. It was very well-written, fast-paced and difficult to put down. I loved it and loved the trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews