Explosive Christmas Showdown

Crisis Rescue Team #2

by Darlene L. Turner

A bomber brings terror to Christmas

as the presents go tick…tick… boom .

With criminal investigative analyst Olive Wells at the center of a bomber’s dangerous game, she’ll do anything to catch the culprit—even work with her ex-fiancé and his K-9 detector dog. But with the Christmas rampage drawing ever closer, Zac Turner’s convinced the attacks are personal. Can they piece together their ties to the bomber…before another gift explodes?

From Love Inspired Courage. Danger. Faith.

Crisis Rescue Team

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Suspense, Christian Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Love Inspired

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 25, 2022

About the author

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning, best-selling author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders. Be sure to follow her on BookBub https://bit.ly/33TYIS2

Reviews

[Carolyn Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A serial bomber, dubbed The Jingle Bell Bomber, is playing a twisted, deadly game in Ontario, Canada, “eliminating people from his past—one by one”! Among his targets are Criminal Investigative Analyst Olive Wells and her ex-fiancé Constable Zac Turner who also become pawns in his game as they reunite to track him down. Can they connect the dots and end this mayhem? Will their forced working relationship give them a second chance for love? I was drawn into this story by the first line—“Someone will die in your office today.” After that, I literally could not put the book down and finished it in one sitting! The skillfully crafted, action-packed plot kept me guessing all the way to the reveal! Superb characterization advances the plot. Although I am not a big dog fan, I love Ziva, the explosive detector/search and rescue K-9! I especially like that Olive and Zac’s experience is also a faith journey for both of them as they come to grips with secrets from their past. I love this book and highly recommend it especially for fans of inspirational suspense. This is the first book I have read by this masterful storyteller and look forward to reading more of her works.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Laura Hamby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darlene Turner never disappoints! If you want to give yourself an early taste of the Christmas season pick up this thrilling book releasing October 25th. It kept me glued to the page for several hours as I sought to determine who the perpetrator was. She is one of those authors that when you see her name on a book you buy it without having to read the blurb on the back!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of books by this author. I am also a big fan of books set at Christmas. There is a lot going on in this book but it does not leave you confused or overwhelmed. This novel is like one big puzzling mystery that you are trying the whole time to put the pieces together. A lot of twists and turns are thrown in to make it that much harder to determine the bad guy. I personally did not figure it out. If you love suspense books with not too much romance, then you will enjoy this book. I definitely recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Jingle Bell Bomber is actively seeking victims to target and the team has to rush from one place to another trying to defuse bombs before they harm people. This is a love story as well an an intriguing suspense tale of bodies piling up and a team of experts stymied about where to go next to stop his vicious attacks. Olive Wells is an analyst and her colleague Zac Turner is an expert at finding and defusing bombs. Zac’s intelligent and intuitive dog Ziva made this book for me! She knew just where to go and when and also knew who needed her gentle presence to calm them. She is a trained bomb sniffing dog as well as a tracker, but she is so much more. Her personality stood out in the book to me and I really enjoyed getting to know her and her people. The characters were all well developed and the pace was fast, with action that was non-stop as the team raced from one place to another, following clues left by the JB, their term for the Jingle Bell Bomber. There are also sub-plots about secrets that Olive and Zac have that eventually have to be revealed for them to try to have a relationship. Faith is also a strong element in the story as the characters who have moved away from God ultimately decide that they need to totally depend on Him to keep them safe and to help them plan a future. The credible characters and their quest to save lives had me mesmerized from beginning to end. I should also note that the weather was almost a character by itself as it kept snowing and interfering with the investigation and the team’s ability to get to places quickly. This was very realistic as the book was set in Canada at Christmas time and added to the emotional turmoil of finding a deadly bomber before he strikes again. Fans of clean romantic suspense will enjoy the story of Zac, Olive and Ziva.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

[Mary Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive Christmas Showdown
Darlene L. Turner
Want a story that starts out with suspense after suspense, we’ll this is it! So well written that you haven’t got a clue who has Olive and Zac in his or her sights. It keeps pulling you along cause you just have to find out what is going to happen next and will they be able to stay in one piece. Definitely a late night read that has you turning the pages in order to find out who the bomber is. Best place to hide is in the open and Olive and Zac need to find the place and the bomber before anyone else dies.
I received an ARC for an honest review.

[Lynn Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every minute of this book. It was action throughout from page 1 till the end. As Olive Wells hunts for a bomber she is forced to work with her ex-fiance Zac Turner and his K-9 detector dog Ziva. I like how faith is portrayed throughout the book. Both people have secrets from their past that they have to learn to share. I like how their stories unfold. I also enjoyed the multiple surprises throughout the book that were totally unexpected for me. So if you enjoy suspense then this book is definitely for you. I look forward to reading more. As a dog lover I was a fan of Zivas from the start.

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Lord, when will it end?'

Darlene L. Turner wrote her first book a few years ago and has been doing wonderful Christian suspense since. And winning awards with her stories, too.

This one is no exception. Give it a try and follow along as these officers race against the clock to find a devious bomber/killer. Great ending, too.



My thanks to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. The opinion here is my own.

[Keren Herrera-Lyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a book of Author Darlene, I think this one is my favorite. Well, this one is my new favorite of hers. She has out done herself again. Loved it!!!! And the characters, you come to love them along with their flaws and strengths. But their redemption and forgiveness towards others and themselves is what makes her stories like this one amazing.

Explosive Christmas Showdown, is a fast paced story where you have to be ahead of the next BOOM!!! Christmas gifts are exploding left and right and is up to CI analyst Olive and Constable Zac and their sweet doggie K-9 Ziva to find out who is behind all these popping gifts. The only clues are the notes attached to the gifts and some jingle bells. And a secret connection between the bomber and them that will have you suspecting on everyone. You'll be connected to the bomber's game and the game doesn't end until Dec. 25.

Author Darlene, makes you get at the edge of your seat with feeling you know who it is while adding some other characters that could also be. I just love this suspenseful action stories she creates along with Faith and God wrapped around them.

For all of you that love stories that will have you put on your own detective hat and ride along with them to reveal and uncover the truth and who done it, this is your story.

Received an ARC of this story for my personal opinion. All here are my own.

[Kailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a page turner for sure! I was so into it and read the whole thing in one sitting! I really enjoyed it! I highly recommend Darlene L. Turner's books!


I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Toth Jo-Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. From the start of the story Darlene grabs your attention with a threat. Then the story continues with a mystery of who JB is. As the story unfolds you meet Olive, Zac and Ziva a special canine. You learn there secrets and the things that hurt them. Darlene does a excellent job of bring this story to life. It is a page turner from start to finish. The biggest mystery is who JB is and what makes him tick. Olive is a profiler and has the job to identify who he is. Can she do it? This book is fascinating for it has many twists and turns that have Zac and Olive on the move. It has lots of of suspense, mystery and in its own way romance. I like this romance for its subtle and it gets tested in away that is surprising. I would recommend this book to anyone that needs a good book that will keep you interested for a while. J

[Debbi Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very exciting read. Can Olive Wells and Zac Turner find the bomber before the gifts go boom! If you want to find out you must read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Carolyn Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Crisis Rescue Team series, Explosive Christmas Showdown also works as a stand alone. Darlene L. Turner has done it again by writing a fast-paced, action-packed, intriguing suspense.
Olive Wells, a criminal investigative analyst, must work with her ex, Zac Turner, and his bomb detector dog to stop the Jingle Bell Bomber. The bomber is leaving notes for Olive and Zac. Can they decipher the messages while learning to fully trust in God before more lives are lost?
I highly recommend this book. I had trouble putting it down because I wanted to finish the story. There were several possible suspects so I was kept guessing and on the edge of my seat. I received an advance copy of the book. The above review is my honest opinion. This is a very good read!

[DeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so intrigued by Darlene L Turner! This story had me on the edge of my seat!

Olive Wells or Olly to her dearest friends and family.
She is a cruel and loving Christian. She has an open and loving heart. She takes in grace to foster her and considers her a daughter right away.

Olly’s heart did get broken by Zac Turner !

Zac Turner loves Olly with all of his heart. But for reasons he cannot explain he has to break up with Olive.

A very important case comes up! Olive a criminal investigative analyst and Zac Turner and his canine Ziva are forced to work on together! This case is personal and explosive!

You need to read this amazing book. How does the case turn out? Can Olly forgive Zac for the secret he kept?

I loved it and know you will also.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC with no expectations of a review. Wow! This is an explosive story about Zac, Olive and Zina. Zac and Olive both have secrets that they each keep from the other. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It is a must read for anyone who loves romantic suspense.

[Carole Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an explosively great read! This one had me totally fooled! Loved the characters, storyline and strong faith!

[Renee Helton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the action and plot twists.
Looking forward to reading more books by this author...

[Ashley Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was hard for me to get into at first but once I started it I found myself loving it even more than book one in this series. I would highly recommend others to read this book and other books by Darlene L. Turner. Great job by the way.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one wild Christmas adventure!

CIA Analyst Olive ‘Olly’ Wells must work with her ex-fiance, Constable Zac Turner, and his K-9 partner, Ziva, to thwart The Jingle Bells Bomber.

My heart was pounding with a pacey story filled with multiple deaths, a race against time, the disarming of bombs, untangling mob ties, and painstakingly profiling unsubs. The question of how close the serial bomber was to the team in Ottawa, Ontario, elevated the plot and kept me guessing. I was intrigued with the work that went into profiling, too.

The tension between Zac and Olly was great, believable, too, but Ziva stole the show!

The tie in with faith and Christmas was wonderful; a flawed character who renewed faith in Jesus and trusted that God could work out the difficult experiences for good.

I’d recommend this great romantic suspense.

[Harlequin Books]

Inspirational Suspense, Wholesome Romance, Animal Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Crisis Rescue Team

[Ethelann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darlene Turner does it again. In this story it starts with a warning and the non-stop action. Olive and Zac trying to catch a serial killer with a unique signature is page turning. You definitely don't want to miss reading this.

[Donna Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The song Jingle Bell's has a new meaning now...this is a quick read for the Christmas season. It's an action packed, page turning book. The characters are intriguing. Olive and Zac have to work together to solve the deranged Jingle Bell Killer's latest plot. Will they solve the clue in time to save the next victim? Love the fact that k-9 Ziva is a bomb sniffing dog. Who doesn't love dogs and Christmas?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced inspirational romance. Loved that the K-9 was a main character.

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Explosive Christmas Showdown in one sitting because my interest was piqued early, and I didn’t want to wait to find out who the Jingle Bell Bomber was!

I believe this is the first story I’ve read by Darlene Turner. I really like her writing style and how this story didn’t bog me down with too much backstory. I love a fast-paced story that grabs me from the get-go.

The characters pulled me in as well. I rooted for Olive and Zac, wanting them to straighten out their relationship among all the twists and turns of the case. And one character in particular stole my heart. Ziva, the loveable K-9. She’s stole the show.

If you enjoy a twisty-turny suspense story with secrets, danger, a light, clean romance, and wonderful elements of faith, this is a perfect choice!

First Lines: “Someone will die in your office today.”
Genre: Christian Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Page Count: 224

Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Jennifer Heckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, Darlene L Turner does not disappoint. Make sure your seat belt is fastened for this one. Explosive Christmas Showdown is a wild ride filled with non stop action. I found myself holding my breath as Olive, Zac, and his K-9 detector dog Ziva race to catch the Jingle Bell Bomber. Can they figure out his identity and stop him before another present explodes?

My thanks to the author/publisher for the ARC of this book. I was only asked to write an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive Christmas showdown by Darlene L. Turner starts off with a bang and you won't be able to put it down until the Jingle Bell Bomber or JB for short is caught. Criminal Investigative analyst Olive "Olly" Wells and her former ex-fiancé Constable Zac Turner are forced to work together on the Jingle Bell serial Bomber case when JB uses them to play his sick Christmas game. As people on his naughty list are eliminated, he writes special notes and clues to them. So the duo along with Zac's k-9 partner Ziva, play the game and try to figure out exactly who JB is and why he is doing it. Of course stakes are high, but they are even higher when both Olly & Zac realize they haven't gotten over each other yet. Unfortunately, they both have secrets that they don't want to get out. Can they trust God and each other enough to get everything out in the open? Maybe, but it might take a small Christmas miracle or two. I really loved this book. It was so easy to get lost in the story & try and follow the clues to find out the whodunit. It takes off and you better be raring to go because the action doesn't stop until the end. I loved the whole Christmas theme despite it being about a serial bomber. I also teared up at the end during THE EPILOGUE! Yes, it has an epilogue I am happy to say. I hope we get more books in this series. Fingers crossed! If you are in the mood for an explosive Christmas suspense then I put in a vote for this one! You'll be singing Jingle Bells for awhile. I can guarantee that!

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a truly exciting read! There is no shortage of on the edge of your seat moments and the way that the Christmas holiday is woven into the mystery made it even more compelling. I definitely enjoyed this one!

I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Darlene Turner has done it again! This book was non-stop action from the beginning chapter. I feel as if I have ran a long race, and can finally sit down to breathe. My heart is still racing. Olive Wells is a Criminal Analyst who is trying to profile a killer known as the Jingle Bell Bomber. He leaves bells with his victims. Things are already tense working this case, and then you add in Constable Zac Turner. Zac abruptly ended their engagement for no apparent reason, and her heart is still aching from this broken engagement. Zac has a secret that he feels he cannot share with Olive. Since they are both professionals, they know they must work together and do so efficiently. Zac's K-9 was probably one of my favorite characters in this book. Her name is Ziva. She stole my heart from the first time she was introduced into the story. Once you start this suspense filled mystery, you will not be able to stop reading until you finish it. The characters were very easy to like even with their personality flaws. I like characters who are more "real" to me as the reader. I can relate to these characters much better than someone who is living a charmed life. The intrigue and mystery was well written and engaging to me as the reader as they raced against time as they tried to get into the mind of a depraved madman. The inspirational message was very touching as well, as these characters learned to lean on their faith again and forgive. This was a twisty tale with a very surprising culprit that I never guessed. I would give this book five stars any day and more stars if I could!

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Harlequin Books]

Inspirational Suspense, Wholesome Romance, Animal Fiction, Romantic Suspense
Miniseries
Crisis Rescue Team

[Inspirationalfictionreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explosive Christmas Showdown by Darlene L. Turner started with a bang - literally! - and didn’t let up until the final page was turned. This story kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading it! I could not figure out who the bomber was or why he was killing what seemed like such random people.
Of course, as I usually do, I thought everyone was guilty at one point or another as I was reading, but I was totally surprised at how things turned out in the end.

I really liked Zac and Olly as a couple and I hated the secrets they had kept from each other, one that actually caused their earlier breakup. I did like that Zac’s secret, his reason for breaking up with Olly, was actually legitimate. Many times when this trope is used the reason for the break up is not really legitimate. In this case I could understand his thinking.

The action in this story is basically nonstop, yet believable. I love how Ms. Turner is able to write so much action without making the detectives look inept, which is a pet peeve of mine. She also doesn’t mind taking out a person or two, which always surprises me. There was one time in the story my jaw literally dropped.

If you like you romantic suspense with nonstop action and likable characters, this story will be right up your alley! In fact, any of Darlene Turner’s stories will be!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. The faith thread is light. 4.5 stars.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story!
Zac, Ziva and Olly race to see who and why this serial bomber kills at Christmas time.
A story that will make you want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next!
Lots of twists and turns that will make you hold your breath along the way too!
I just finished this book and I enjoyed it very much.
I really appreciated that Olly looked to the Lord for guidance through the most intense parts of the story.
It's what really made me enjoy the story that much more!
I love Ziva the most. She's the true heroine in my book lol.