About the Book
Title: Danger in the Wildernes
Series: National Park Protectors, Bk #1
Author: Darlene L. Turner
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Released: August 26, 2025
A search for a kidnapped camper
could cost them their lives.
Park warden Dekker Hoyt’s father-son camping trip turns into a nightmare when a serial killer abducts his father. With just seventy-two hours to find him, Dekker turns to criminal investigative analyst Blaire Tremblay to identify the Park Campfire Killer. As they follow his taunting clues and face increasingly violent threats, Dekker and Blaire know that one wrong step could be fatal. With the ruthless criminal following their every move, can they stop a killer in hiding…waiting to complete his deadly plan?
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
National Park Protectors
Book 1: Danger in the Wilderness
Get your copy here!
About the Author
Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning 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 http://www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
My Impressions
“I hope the rest of our trip together is more peaceful. I’d like to see the Frank that Jayla and Hazel see. Not the one I’m used to.”
Wow, I really loved this constant action, very tense romantic suspense story from Darlene L. Turner!! So many reasons to love Danger in the Wilderness! First, while enough backstory is given it could be a standalone, I loved the ties to other Turner books. We have met all three key players before, and some of their family members.
Frank Hoyt is a big name in the national parks world, and has trained all of his children well in the wilderness, but has also been a tyrant and unprofessional in the way he treats his own adult children who are subordinates. We also have met Dekker, his sister Jayla, and Hazel, if I remember right. Dekker finally explodes at his father on a camping trip when Frank, supposedly present to make amends for his beyond-overbearing ways, offers way too much “helpful” advice. And then, the Park Campfire Killer abducts Frank, with no way for Dekker to make his own apologies.
We also see Blaire Tremblay, a serial killer profiler for police, whose own backstory we have read in another book. So between Blaire, Dekker, and Frank, I felt like I was among old friends.
Turner weaves a tight tale in this novel, with nature being an adverse force in many ways. Weather, terrain, and wild animals, all conspire to aid the PCK along with time, also Blaire and Dekker’s enemy.
Turner has just enough side characters to provide a good selection of possible culprits. Can Blaire and Dekker separate the true friends from those with ulterior motives, and possibly the worst motive of all?
The faith element is very well woven throughout the story in short snippets, and placed exactly where needed. Blaire often can be found encouraging Dekker to choose to fan his faith back into flame. “‘I know trusting in God’s provisions can be hard, but it’s true. And I think deep down you know it too. It just has to go from here…’ she touched his heart ‘…to here.’ She tapped his right temple.” Faith is the reason I choose Erica Hoyt as my fave secondary character. With every reason to be afraid and be a hot mess, Erica declares, “‘God will direct your paths.’ Her voice hitched. ’I have to believe that. No, I will believe that.’” I want to exhibit that kind of faith!
I believe this is one of Darlene L. Turner’s best yet! If you read romantic suspense, you will want to add Danger in the Wilderness to your must-read pile!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via BookFunnel. I also pre-ordered my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Use the gifts God gave you.”– Dekker
“Hope…It was all she could offer Dekker right now. Hope, and her profiling skills.”
-Blaire
“‘I’ve failed God many times throughout my life.’ ‘Haven’t we all?’ ‘Absolutely. It’s knowing when to acknowledge that and vow to give God your all that counts. He understands.’”– Frank, Blaire
“God’s timing is always perfect, son. Even when you think He’s wrong. He’s not.”- Erica Hoyt
“…it’s hard sometimes trusting in someone you can’t see or touch. But that’s what faith is all about. Believing without seeing.”– Blaire
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of Darlene L. Turner’s best yet! I can’t wait for the rest of this series!!
Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband, Norman, and her very active puggle, Watson. First published in 2001, she has now authored nine books, including an omnibus mystery collection, Cozy in Kansas, which contains three of her previously published Ivy Towers mysteries. Book three in the series, For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls, won the American Christian Fiction Writers Mystery Book of the Year award. Nancy’s main writing interests lie in mystery although her new Harmony Series leans more toward the romantic suspense genre. Nancy runs a HUD program for the city of Wichita and is president of a volunteer organization, Wichita Homebound Outreach. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Kansas Authors Club.
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions 