Giveaway & Review: Double Blind by Brandilyn Collins

by:  Brandilyn Collins
published by:  B + H Books
publish date:  October 15, 2012

Twenty-nine-year-old Lisa Newberry can barely make it through the day. Suddenly widowed and a survivor of a near-fatal attack, she is wracked with grief and despair. Then she hears of a medical trial for a tiny brain chip that emits electrical pulses to heal severe depression. At rope’s end, Lisa offers herself as a candidate.

When she receives her letter of acceptance for the trial, Lisa is at first hopeful. But—brain surgery. Can she really go through with that? What if she receives only the placebo?

What if something far worse goes wrong?
It's safe to say, the far worse goes wrong for Lisa Newberry in Double Blind.  Immediately upon receiving her chip implant her crushing depression is alleviated.  For Lisa, this is a miracle.  However, shortly after she also begins seeing visions of a murder.

Lisa witnesses the murder as though she is the murderer.  These terrify her and naturally make her want to get the chip removed even if it means putting up with the depression again.  However, the company behind the medical trial isn't interested in ending it and won't let Lisa get out of her obligation easily.  Lisa out of desperation tries to figure out whose murder she keeps seeing over and over again.  To her horror, the murder is a lot closer than she would anticipate.

Double Blind itself was a really good story.  I thought the premise was intriguing.  The idea of memory transference is kinda scary.  I didn't like Lisa Newberry though.  I felt like she was hysterical the whole book.  I just wanted her to relax.  I know she was going through a lot and I probably would have been a little crazy too, but she was making me crazy too.  Brandilyn Collins' work is categorized under Christian Fiction, but this book, like her last book I read by her, Gone to Ground, the spiritual references are few and not overbearing.  I think that was one of the things that made me annoyed with Lisa, I was sitting there thinking "You're in a Christian Fiction book, go to church, you'll feel better!"

Think you're ready to take on Lisa Newberry?  Want to win a copy of Brandilyn Collins' Double Blind?  You are in the right place!

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Gone to Ground by Brandilyn Collins

by:  Brandilyn Collins

published by:  B&H Publishing Group
publish date:  March 1, 2012

Amaryllis, Mississippi is a scrappy little town of strong backbone and southern hospitality. A brick-paved Main Street, a park, and a legendary ghost in the local cemetery are all part of its heritage. Everybody knows everybody in Amaryllis, and gossip wafts on the breeze. Its people are friendly, its families tight. On the surface Amaryllis seems much like the flower for which it’s named—bright and fragrant. But the Amaryllis flower is poison.In the past three years five unsolved murders have occurred within the town. All the victims were women, and all were killed in similar fashion in their own homes. And just two nights ago—a sixth murder.Clearly a killer lives among the good citizens of Amaryllis. And now three terrified women are sure they know who he is—someone they love. None is aware of the others’ suspicions. And each must make the heartrending choice to bring the killer down. But each woman suspects a different man.

This was my first Brandilyn Collins book.  I have a bunch in my Kindle because they're always coming up as freebie, but this is the first one I've read start to finish.  I though it was a great Southern murder mystery.

The story revolves around three women.  Tully is a pregnant housewife with an abusive, cheating husband.  Cherry Mae is a cleaning lady with access to the homes of the most elite in Amaryllis.  Deena is the owner of the most successful hair salon in town and she's also dating the reporter that wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning article about the murders in Amaryllis.  All three women have unique access to information about the killer and motive.  The women team up to share information and see if they can do what the police haven't been able to do.

I  enjoyed each woman's story and how they call came together.  The way they worked together was interesting.  It made me think it was kinda like if Steel Magnolias turned into a serious murder mystery, this book might be what came out of it. 

This one is a recommend for me.  I was impressed with the writing.  I'll definitely be going through my Kindle looking for the other books I've gotten in the past.