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Sun Coast Chronicles #4
Presumption of Guilt
Just one person can save the children from a terrifying future. But to do so, she must master her past. Beth Wright, a newspaper reporter, is hot on the trail of a story that could expose something very ugly at the St. Clair Children’s Home. Someone else is hot on Beth Wright’s trail—someone who wants to make sure her story never sees the press.
Between them stands Nick Hutchins, a social worker who finds his own gut hunches about the children’s home increasingly confirmed, first by Beth’s investigation . . . then by a high-speed attempt on her life . . . and finally, by an intruder’s startling confession.
As the drama unfolds, a horrifying picture emerges of helpless children under the sway of a modern-day Fagin. Just one person holds the key that can save them: Beth herself. But using that key could cost Beth her reputation . . . if it doesn’t first cost her life. Presumption of Guilt is a gripping portrayal of the depths of human evil, the soul-twisting influence of lies . . . and of the liberating power of truth and the far-reaching freedom of God’s mercy and grace.
Presumption of Guilt is book four in the Sun Coast Chronicles by award-winning author Terri Blackstock. From absorbing legal drama to lightning-paced action, the Sun Coast Chronicles offers suspense at its finest, tempered with remarkable realism and penetrating insights into the human heart.
Between them stands Nick Hutchins, a social worker who finds his own gut hunches about the children’s home increasingly confirmed, first by Beth’s investigation . . . then by a high-speed attempt on her life . . . and finally, by an intruder’s startling confession.
As the drama unfolds, a horrifying picture emerges of helpless children under the sway of a modern-day Fagin. Just one person holds the key that can save them: Beth herself. But using that key could cost Beth her reputation . . . if it doesn’t first cost her life. Presumption of Guilt is a gripping portrayal of the depths of human evil, the soul-twisting influence of lies . . . and of the liberating power of truth and the far-reaching freedom of God’s mercy and grace.
Presumption of Guilt is book four in the Sun Coast Chronicles by award-winning author Terri Blackstock. From absorbing legal drama to lightning-paced action, the Sun Coast Chronicles offers suspense at its finest, tempered with remarkable realism and penetrating insights into the human heart.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 22, 1997
93 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
Terri Blackstock
91 books5,593 followersTerri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over seven million books sold worldwide.. She has had over thirty years of success as a novelist.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re valued by God and that their trials have a purpose.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.
In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re valued by God and that their trials have a purpose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
December 31, 2016
This was another great suspense from Terri. I got pulled into this story from the start and struggled to set the book down. I wanted to see what will happen.
The story with Bill Brandon and the foster kids was sad and made the ending just so much greater. Also enjoyed seeing all the other characters from the hole series coming together in this book.
A great read for fans of Christian suspense/mystery.
The story with Bill Brandon and the foster kids was sad and made the ending just so much greater. Also enjoyed seeing all the other characters from the hole series coming together in this book.
A great read for fans of Christian suspense/mystery.
November 9, 2021
The final book in this series. I especially liked this one, it shows that a person can do anything, even if they have a hard childhood, if the want it bad enough and are willing to work hard to get it.
April 5, 2018
Beth Wright, a newspaper reporter, is on the verge of exposing St. Clair Children's Home ugly secret. If she fails, children could have a terrifying future.
Evil against children has to be the worse. That theme made this a gut-wrenching story. I'm glad it's fiction.
The action started right from the start and continued throughout the book. God's mercy and grace are demonstrated. Truth liberates.
I enjoyed every book in the Sun Coast Chronicles. Only sad thing - this is the last book.
Evil against children has to be the worse. That theme made this a gut-wrenching story. I'm glad it's fiction.
The action started right from the start and continued throughout the book. God's mercy and grace are demonstrated. Truth liberates.
I enjoyed every book in the Sun Coast Chronicles. Only sad thing - this is the last book.
May 7, 2021
This was my first Terri Blackstock series. It was written in the '90s so some of the references were a little dated, but it made it fun. Each book could have been read alone, but each book did add details to characters from the previous book.
Presumption of Guilt was a good mix of suspense and predictable. I was happy how it all wrapped up in the end.
Presumption of Guilt was a good mix of suspense and predictable. I was happy how it all wrapped up in the end.
June 16, 2011
Not very good==
April 24, 2025
Awesome conclusion to this great series
March 5, 2014
I enjoyed the book. I found the quick proposals at the end of the book, just that quick. With all the build up, I would have liked more about this part of the plot.
January 25, 2024
A little too improbable and far-fetched (3 stars)
In this final book in the Sun Coast Chronicles series, journalist Beth Wright finds herself uncovering a crime ring with an unlikely cast: the manager of a children's home, with the neglected/abused children (presented as innocents who are entirely victims of circumstance) who wind up there being his accomplices.
This premise quickly starts feeling very improbable and far-fetched, however, because not only does the criminal mastermind murder anyone who gets in his way, but the our journalist protagonist decides it's a better idea to try to get a media scoop rather than go to the police, and when the police do find out a judge refuses to give an arrest warrant. Then there's the mother who abandoned two of her kids, but now inexplicably decides it's a good idea to risk her life for them. I found it all just a little too unbelievable to enjoy as much as I would have liked.
It doesn't help that the novel gets a little too distracted with theology at times; I don't mind spiritual lessons in my novels, but in this case it wasn't incorporated as well as it could be. In this case, it just detracts from the pace of the novel, and causes things to get bogged down.
That said, Terri Blackstock can be a good writer, and in the last few chapters the pace picks up, and she is back to her page-turning best - even though the ending is a little too much on the idealistic "feel good" side of things. For a better novel in series, I'd recommend #2, "Justifiable Means" as the best of the lot.
In this final book in the Sun Coast Chronicles series, journalist Beth Wright finds herself uncovering a crime ring with an unlikely cast: the manager of a children's home, with the neglected/abused children (presented as innocents who are entirely victims of circumstance) who wind up there being his accomplices.
This premise quickly starts feeling very improbable and far-fetched, however, because not only does the criminal mastermind murder anyone who gets in his way, but the our journalist protagonist decides it's a better idea to try to get a media scoop rather than go to the police, and when the police do find out a judge refuses to give an arrest warrant. Then there's the mother who abandoned two of her kids, but now inexplicably decides it's a good idea to risk her life for them. I found it all just a little too unbelievable to enjoy as much as I would have liked.
It doesn't help that the novel gets a little too distracted with theology at times; I don't mind spiritual lessons in my novels, but in this case it wasn't incorporated as well as it could be. In this case, it just detracts from the pace of the novel, and causes things to get bogged down.
That said, Terri Blackstock can be a good writer, and in the last few chapters the pace picks up, and she is back to her page-turning best - even though the ending is a little too much on the idealistic "feel good" side of things. For a better novel in series, I'd recommend #2, "Justifiable Means" as the best of the lot.
May 8, 2020
Beth Wright wants nothing more than to bring down Bill Brandon. She knows he's up to know good and that hes using the children home he runs as a cover up for the crime ring he runs having the children do all his dirty work for him. When she contacts one of the local social workers who has been having doubts that everything is as good as it seems there, she has an ally in trying to shut down the place and when Bill's sister corroborates everything and she finds one of the little boys hiding in her house, everything seems to be falling into place for her story. When Bill's sister is murdered and nobody seems willing to trust a little boy she knows she needs the final piece of the story, but will she be brave enough to do it?
This was probably the most exciting book in the series. While it wrapped up all the story lines from the series I was a little disappointed you didnt really see Sharon again. Yes her name was mentioned a couple of times and she does get mentioned on the second to last page as being in the area but otherwise nothing. Melissa was even given a bigger part again and they more or less ignored her throughout the whole third book. Larry, Tony, Jake and Lynda are still pretty heavily there so the first book apparently was the book where you meet anyone who matters
This was probably the most exciting book in the series. While it wrapped up all the story lines from the series I was a little disappointed you didnt really see Sharon again. Yes her name was mentioned a couple of times and she does get mentioned on the second to last page as being in the area but otherwise nothing. Melissa was even given a bigger part again and they more or less ignored her throughout the whole third book. Larry, Tony, Jake and Lynda are still pretty heavily there so the first book apparently was the book where you meet anyone who matters
March 2, 2021
Characters: Beth was the most well-developed character in this book. I enjoyed seeing her change from being terrified of the villain to being willing to confront him. Oh, the villain. I despised that Scripture-twisting loser. What a creep! To end this section on a more positive note, I liked seeing the characters from the previous books I've read in this series again.
Language: Clean.
Moral: This book had a great moral about how good works can't save us. As Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Plot: This book had a simple but action-packed plot. Sometimes, suspense plots get unnecessarily confusing. I'm happy to report this one wasn't like that.
Romance: Clean. A few kisses. One thing I like about Terri Blackstock's books is that romance isn't normally a major plot.
Writing: Even though I've got editing brain, I don't have any major complaints about the writing in this book. The omniscient POV from Ulterior Motives had mostly gone on its way. Maybe because there were fewer characters?
Overall: I'd recommend this enjoyable book to anyone who likes Christian fiction and suspense.
Language: Clean.
Moral: This book had a great moral about how good works can't save us. As Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Plot: This book had a simple but action-packed plot. Sometimes, suspense plots get unnecessarily confusing. I'm happy to report this one wasn't like that.
Romance: Clean. A few kisses. One thing I like about Terri Blackstock's books is that romance isn't normally a major plot.
Writing: Even though I've got editing brain, I don't have any major complaints about the writing in this book. The omniscient POV from Ulterior Motives had mostly gone on its way. Maybe because there were fewer characters?
Overall: I'd recommend this enjoyable book to anyone who likes Christian fiction and suspense.
September 1, 2023
Very good book! I love how Blackstock brought to light the problems faced in the foster care system. I'm glad justice was served. The only reason I couldn't give 5 stars is because some chapters were more like...fillers? That's the best word I can come up with. Some chapters could be removed and forgotten.
I do love that all the characters throughout the series made a cameo! Jake and Lynda are still my favorite characters so I'm glad they had a major role in all the books! So glad Lynda got proposed to after my full anticipation since book #1 lol
If you're looking for a fast series, you should definitely check this one out! The Christian aspects give a nice touch to the reasons behind forgiveness, love, and peace when situations don't make sense. I love that Blackstock brought the importance of "when God is silent" lessons. So glad I got to finish my first series!
I do love that all the characters throughout the series made a cameo! Jake and Lynda are still my favorite characters so I'm glad they had a major role in all the books! So glad Lynda got proposed to after my full anticipation since book #1 lol
If you're looking for a fast series, you should definitely check this one out! The Christian aspects give a nice touch to the reasons behind forgiveness, love, and peace when situations don't make sense. I love that Blackstock brought the importance of "when God is silent" lessons. So glad I got to finish my first series!
December 29, 2018
Ben uses scripture to control the children at the orphanage, also to do his bidding for theft and robbery. His sister finally told Beth, the reporter what was going on, at this Home. Murder is done to silence her, meanwhile, Beth is working on a deadline to get it published. With evidence she has is it enough to get the children away, and jail time for him. A story of children being mishandling is always hard to read about. Especially when he did it for his own gain. Compelling story to read, and hopefully a happy ending.
June 17, 2024
Disappointed that the version I got turned out to be abridged. I wish I had found the unabridged version. I found the character names a bit confusing. Antagonist Bill Brandon was alternately referred to as Bill or Brandon; I didn't figure out until the end of the book when I heard his full name that they really were the same person. And Beth's boss was Phil, which was sometimes hard to distinguish from Bill. Still, I enjoyed the story and the insight into how bad actors can use something good like a kids home for orphans for illicit purposes.
August 17, 2020
The author gave a hint on what this book is about by having Beth name her dog Dodger. She then explained that she got that name from the movie "Oliver". This book is more of a present day "Oliver". However the story has been updated to present times and given a Christian emphasis. I really enjoyed the story.
April 26, 2024
About e-books
I really love your books. I bought this one even tho it did not nice things to my budget. I must say I never read one of these books that I bought through Amazon with so many extra letters and stuff. I don't know what you are paid for these contracts but you should take more care.
I really love your books. I bought this one even tho it did not nice things to my budget. I must say I never read one of these books that I bought through Amazon with so many extra letters and stuff. I don't know what you are paid for these contracts but you should take more care.
March 7, 2025
such a hard topic
As usual Terri knocked it out of the park. I have a hard time doing anything else but reading when I pick one of her books up. Well done.. I know someone who was in a situation similar to this. Extraordinary is what I call her for what she has made of herself after such a horrific upbringing.
As usual Terri knocked it out of the park. I have a hard time doing anything else but reading when I pick one of her books up. Well done.. I know someone who was in a situation similar to this. Extraordinary is what I call her for what she has made of herself after such a horrific upbringing.
June 8, 2023
That ending was everything the series needed. While the plot sometimes felt contrived, and the couple wasn't my favorite, it was action packed and God-centered. And, again, it rounded out the series perfectly. Cannot *wait* to start on other books and series by Terri Blackstock.
July 23, 2025
such an incredible ending to a wonderful series! I love that all 4 stories were so entwined with each other and built off one another. even though these books are fiction, they are a great reminder of God's love, mercy, and grace. these books will definitely be comfort reads for me in the future.
January 16, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was very suspenseful, and the characterization was captivating. It was a fantastic end to the series.
August 16, 2018
Another great book
This book not only kept my interest, but made me realise so many children feel hopeless and need someone to pour into the the love Jesus has for them.
This book not only kept my interest, but made me realise so many children feel hopeless and need someone to pour into the the love Jesus has for them.
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August 5, 2019I know I read this but didn't write a review
February 21, 2021
great weekend read !!
August 2, 2021
The audiobook version of this was awful, I don’t know if the print was any different. The performer did a horrible job and the content was just terrible. I do not recommend.
February 8, 2022
The last of the 4 in a series of suspenseful drama. Loved every one in the series. Terri Blackstock is one of my favorite Christian authors.
August 30, 2022
Last book in a series of four and the best one of the series for me. Fast paced and hard to put down.
February 1, 2023
Very enjoyable fast-paced thriller.
May 20, 2023
The boy bugged me.
July 4, 2023
Loved it
October 26, 2023
Love this series, this one was my favorite!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews