Hall Ways Blog: Concrete Evidence ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Audio Book Review, Book Trailer, & Giveaway!

CONCRETE EVIDENCE
by
DiANN MILLS

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Pages: 416 pages

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

Categories: Christian Fiction / Mystery & Thrillers

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Bestselling and award-winning author DiAnn Mills delivers a heart-stopping story of a faulty construction job, the discovery of a dead body, and a sinister plot.

On the family’s Brazos River Ranch in Texas, Avery Elliott helps run her grandfather’s commercial construction business. Raised by Senator Elliott, Avery has never doubted her grandfather is the man of integrity and faith she’s always believed him to be …. until the day she finds him standing with a gun over the body of a dead man. To make matters worse, Avery’ just discovered a billing discrepancy for materials supposedly purchased for construction of the Lago de Cobre Dam.

Desperate for answers, Avery contacts FBI Special Agent Marc Wilkins for help. As Marc works to identify the dead man Avery saw, threats toward Avery create a fresh sense of urgency to pinpoint why someone wants to silence her. With a hurricane approaching the Texas coast and the structural integrity of the Lago de Cobre Dam called into question, time is running out to get to the bottom of a sinister plot that could be endangering the lives of not only Avery and her loved ones but the entire community.

Praise For CONCRETE EVIDENCE

“* VERDICT Mills . . . delivers another action-packed novel that offers intrigue and an adventurous ride. Recommend to fans of Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason, and Carrie Stuart Parks.”

– LIBRARY JOURNAL, Shondra Brown

“The confident plotting keeps the mysteries coming, and red herrings will have readers guessing the culprit through to the satisfying conclusion. Fans of Colleen Coble and Susan Sleeman will savor this thrilling standalone.” – PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

PURCHASE LINKS FOUND AT:

https://diannmills.com/books/concrete-evidence/

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HALL WAYS BLOG: WOW. DiAnn Mills has written an excellent suspense novel with an intricate plot where everyone's a suspect and danger is around every turn. I had no inkling of whodunit and was embarrassingly off the mark.

The premise of CONCRETE EVIDENCE really intrigued me as I have been a dam widow when my husband was a project manager for a reservoir and dam build in south Texas. He frequently traveled there as it was built and then inspected (and reinspected and reinspected) to finally open years after ground was broken. I remember when Hurricane Harvey hit how dams and reservoirs in the Houston area failed (not my husband's! I swear!). Serious business.

There are a plethora of characters, plots, and sub-plots to keep readers engaged, but fear not! Mills does a great job looping readers back in with reminders of who's who and what's what and plenty of red herrings that keep us enthralled and guessing.

"God doesn't cause a demolition unless He's planned a renovation."

But CONCRETE EVIDENCE is not all mystery and suspense; threaded between the murders and mayhem are tender moments of love and a steady stream of messages of faith. I appreciate that several characters actively pray when things get rough -- and that it's not always an easy thing for them to put their worries in God's hands. Also, throughout the story, characters often mention the benefit and importance of seeking professional counseling when life's burdens get too heavy. These pieces are organically included in the story and never feel false or preachy.

Parallel to the hurricane that is developing and threatening to unleash itself over Texas are the events unfolding and building tension for readers. The action-packed final chapters left this reader satisfied and relieved as I was able to let go of that breath I'd been holding. Terrific! I’ll eagerly await the next Christian fiction adventure Mills has in store.

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AUDIO BOOK REVIEW: ABOUT THE NARRATION: (1 STAR) This narration didn't work for me at all. Barbara McCulloh's delivery felt stilted with odd gaps and pauses that didn't fit natural speech patterns -- and there's not a trace of a Texas accent in this very-Texas book. I could never find a comfortable speed for listening. 1x was painfully slow and unnatural; 1.3x was better but still off with those gaps. Additionally, there was very little change in voices, and without the visual cues of dialogue, it was very difficult to determine who was speaking. Fortunately, I had an eBook copy I frequently referred to (thank you, WhisperSync), but I would have preferred to have read this in print and honestly feel like the audio version does a disservice to the novel. Disappointing when CONCRETE EVIDENCE is such a stellar story.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. You can download a list of her published titles by clicking here.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a former director of Blue Ridge Christian Writers, and a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She shares her passion for helping other writers be successful by teaching writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. Learn more and connect with DiAnn on her website.