“The case grew creepier by the minute, spiraling Aurora deeper into a pit she had vowed to stay out of. A dark dungeon within her mind.”
Wow!! Darlene L. Turner has outdone herself this time, in Coordinates of Death, her second psychological and Inspirational Romantic Suspense book in the Arctic Protectors Series. Having failed to apprehend a sereal ( misspelled on purpose) killer once, Aurora ( Rory) knows that her job, multiple lives, and her own sanity are on the line if she lets the Shadow Box Killer elude her this time in the frozen Yukon wilderness. Unfortunately, the SBK has a sick fascination with Rory and forces her to play a deadly game…in which she is allowed one helper, but it can’t be a Law Enforcement Officer. Aurora chooses Kordell, a former childhood friend whose adoptive family has started their own personal multi-skilled investigation-protection business.
Events of the past cast huge, impregnable shadows over both Aurora and Kordell. Can they work together to solve the mystery, form firmer grounds for faith, and keep themselves and others alive?
Part of the nearly unbearable tension of the book is caused by Turner’s style of writing. Most of the book is in the third person present, while Turner inserts the nefarious thoughts of the killer in first person present. Just creep into my mind, too, SBK!!
When I read a Darlene L. Turner book, I love to pit myself against the author. Can I use the clues to solve the crime before all is revealed? Let me say, I was thrilled with the shocking ending!
I highly recommend this book. There are more members of the Canadian Watcher’s Squad (group Kord is a part of), so I am excited there will be several more books to come!
I received a copy of the book from the author. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“God uses the ashes of life to create beauty.”
“I think we all have some form of darkness within us. Why else would God have sent His Son to save us?”
“…even though we don’t understand why bad things happen, there’s always a reason. The deeper the darkness, the brighter God’s presence shines through.”
“I struggle. There are times I don’t understand what God’s doing and I can’t see His light in all the darkness, but I know He’s there.”
‘‘Son, God doesn’t make junk, only masterpieces, and you are a special boy. I can see that in your eyes.’ … ‘Now you need to believe it.’’
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Coordinates of Death by Darlene L. Turner, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Book Details
Title: Coordinates of Death Series: Arctic Protectors #2 Author: Darlene L. Turner Publisher: Love Inspired Trade Release Date: October 6, 2026 Genre: Romantic Thriller
A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness.
Sweetwood Falls, Yukon, has seen too much terror for one small town. Corporal Aurora Hunt still blames herself for not catching the Shadow Box Killer before five women lost their lives. The killings stopped two years ago, and her colleagues believe the murderer is dead. But Aurora isn’t convinced.
A chilling discovery on a winter’s morning confirms her fears. The crime scene is all too familiar—a woman’s mutilated body, and beneath it, a box containing a gruesome souvenir. But this time, there’s a special message, daring Aurora to play a game that will lead her into the wilderness to try and save the next victim.
Canadian Watcher Squad survivalist Kordell Greene is part of the past that Aurora has tried to put behind her. He’s also the only person equipped to guide her through this deadly terrain. But somehow, the killer knows all their secrets. Solving cryptic clues as they battle the elements, Aurora and Kordell must confront dark truths they’ve withheld, even from each other. And always, the Shadow Box Killer is one step ahead, drawing them deeper into a twisted game where the slightest mistake may be their last.
Darlene L. Turner is a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her high-octane stories and riveting twists. Sparked by Nancy Drew, she’s turned her love of solving mysteries into her writing, believing readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. Dubbed “the plaid queen” for her love of everything plaid, Darlene resides with her husband Jeff in Ontario, Canada. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.
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This has got to be Darlene L. Turner’s best book yet! It’s creepier than ever, the mystery more twisty, the ending packing multiple surprises!! I loved it and highly recommend it!
Why would you like to read Coordinates of Death?
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Wanna Win? (Tour Giveaway)
(2) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon gift card!
The Fine Print…just because Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 6, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 13, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics. Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies. Enter Giveaway
*****************************************Solving a cold case
could rob her of her future.
When skeletal remains are uncovered in the Yukon forest, forensic botanist Keeley Ash is called to the crime scene—and ends up abducted. She never expects her ex, paramedic Brett Ryerson, to come to her rescue, or her gathered evidence to be linked to a cold case. And when their son—who Brett never knew existed—is kidnapped, they’ll stop at nothing to save him and outrun the hunters determined to silence Keeley.
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Crisis Rescue Team
Book 1: Fatal Forensic Investigation Book 2: Explosive Christmas Showdown Book 3: Mountain Abduction Rescue Book 4: Buried Grave Secrets Book 5: Yukon Wilderness Evidence Book 6: K-9 Ranch Protection
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
Darlene L. Turner’s books just get better and better. Turner is now not only writing great romantic suspense, but has found a way to outmatch the best armchair detectives (and no, I don’t claim to be the best, but I sure try) with her twists at the end.
There is a new excitement when I read her books now, and Yukon Wilderness Evidence does not disappoint. We learn about forensic biology, and how people like Dr. Keeley Ash use it to help solve cold cases. So interesting!
Unfortunately, not only is Keeley working a cold case, but it becomes active as those working with Keeley lose their lives trying to deliver evidence. Enter another “cold case,” paramedic Brett Ryerson, whom Keeley dated more than 5 years ago and hasn’t seen since. This relationship left Keeley with a son, MJ, and a heart of steel.
Keeley and Brett share a renewed attraction, but both fight it. Keeley doesn’t want another broken heart, already has huge issues with her nearly-famous judge-mother, and the two are not in the same plane spiritually. When asked how she can endure her world crumbling so quickly and completely around her, Keeley responds, “ I have to trust that God is in the middle of this storm. He’s the only thing that’s keeping me from falling apart. If I don’t have my faith, I don’t have anything.”
You’ll have to read the book to discover all the answers to the different threads woven into this beautiful tapestry. Like why Keeley’s mom is so downright mean and demeaning to her. ( Even Keeley doesn’t know.) Why is Brett’s dad holding on to life against the odds of his cancer? ( I love the answer!)
Most of all, who is the mastermind behind the dangerous Diglo brothers gang? I had my mental whiteboard out. I had clues written, lines drawn, erasures, and it wasn’t a pretty site. And still Ms. Turner’s perpetrator eluded me! Bravo!!
All the while, there is some serious character growth going on!! Double bravo!!
I received a copy of the book from the author, plus I bought an ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“He didn’t know which was worse—facing the Diglo brothers or the wrath of Chief Justice Olivia Ash.”
“Peace washed over her. She knew its source. Her Father. Her life was in His hands.”
“Sometimes God allows us to enter the wilderness to shape us. Mold us.”
When a massive earthquake levels the region, secrets and unknown dangers are exposed…
The ground in still-icy Yosemite National Park isn’t stable, and K-9 handler Von Sharpe fears the worst. But his worries are pushed aside when he sees an SUV viciously forced off the road…with his ex-fiancée at the wheel. It’s only when Stella Rivers steps out of the vehicle that the very ground under their feet cracks and breaks with the onslaught of a terrifying earthquake.
When her meeting with a mysterious client is ambushed, Stella witnesses the man being gunned down by a sniper and becomes a target herself. With the threat of aftershocks triggering landslides and floods, the new mom has no choice but to run to save her baby girl—even if it means teaming up with the man who has no idea he fathered her child.
Trapped in a dangerously unstable wilderness with a killer closing in, Von and Stella are running out of time to get to safety. And every fissure reveals a new secret that will shake them to their foundation…
Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Poisoned Pen Press.
More from Dana
I won’t ever forget October 17th, 1989. I was finished with my student teaching duties, chatting with my mother while we watched the World Series. It was an epic matchup of two Bay Area teams. As we watched, the floor lurched and the entire house began to rattle and pitch. We ran outside and watched the street undulate like ocean waves. We’d later come to learn it was a 6.9 earthquake on the Loma Prieta fault. The shaking only lasted 20 seconds but 63 people were killed, 3,757 were reported injured and 12,053 displaced. The damage estimates reached as high as $10 billion, with 18,306 houses leveled. Approximately 2,575 businesses were impacted and 147 were destroyed. The part I will remember most was the collapse of a section of the freeway in Oakland which trapped people in the pancaked structure. I remember watching the close space rescue teams work night and day to find survivors.
Little did I know that memorable event would someday lead to a book! This novel combines the iconic California setting of Yosemite and the big fear buried deep in every California’s mind…the big one, the massive earthquake we know will be coming someday. Of course you know there will be a happy ending in the novel, but I hope you will feel the edge of your seat suspense that keeps you turning pages. God bless you, dear readers!
My Impressions
“Stella Rivers scoured the dense shrubbery like she’d been doing for the past hour as if the branches might somehow reach out and snatch her van off the mountain road. Ridiculous, but the isolation raked her nerves.”
Yikes!! Dana Mentink knows how to build tension in the first sentence, and in Trapped in Yosemite, that tension only gets more and more taut until the last sentence!
Stella Rivers is an arborist with something to prove and a nine-month-old daughter to support on her own. She becomes a human target while going to an appointment near Yosemite. As Stella flees, her vehicle is destroyed, and she is rescued by her former fiancé, Von Sharpe. Von is ex-military and grudgingly leads tours in Yosemite at his brother’s wilderness survival camp.
Stella is keeping a huge secret from Von and has put up a wall around her heart. She vows to stay away from Von and to never make him as important in her life as he once was. “She wouldn’t and couldn’t make him her everything, the source of her happiness and fulfillment.”
Von doesn’t understand how to deal with a young child, but his precious Malinois is like a child to him. Burned once by Stella, Von finds himself protecting her from incredible natural and human disasters. Von doesn’t believe God gives second chances, and he’s not about to give himself or Stella any grace.
I loved the eventual solution to Stella’s mysterious stalker. I didn’t see it coming until just before the reveal.
If you love high-octane romantic suspense with mystery or secret baby trope, you will enjoy Dana Mentink’s Trapped in Yosemite.
Notable Quotables:
“Why hadn’t he told her the truth? Truth and facts were what kept people alive.”
“If you aren’t tied together by God, the world will tear you apart in short order.”
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I also purchased my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
“‘You weren’t put on this planet to be happy.” ‘Tate’s equanimity only infuriated Von further. ‘Yeah? Then why am I here, oh, wise sage?’ ‘To learn how to love.’”
“‘I try very hard not to dwell in what ifs.’ That would turn into a spiral of intrusive thoughts that would hold her hostage. “
“Love couldn’t be enough without the bedrock of faith.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Magnificent! My fave Dana Mentink romantic suspense yet!
Title by Darlene L Turner, subject of review: Abducted in Alaska
Publisher: Love Inspired Suspense
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Author: Darlene L Turner
Release: January 2023
Saving a boy who has escaped his captors puts Canadian border patrol officer Hannah Morgan right into the path of a ruthless child-smuggling ring. Now with help from police constable Layke Jackson, she must keep the child safe. But can they rescue the other abducted children and bring down the gang…all while protecting a little boy and keeping themselves alive?
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
As with all of Darlene L Turner’s books, Abducted in Alaska, her contribution to Ambushed in Alaska, starts out with a bang! Hannah Morgan is a Canadian border patrol officer who finds a very frightened 8-yr-old boy in a blizzard by her station. Hannah works with her boss, Superintendent Doyle Walsh, who is like a father to her, and police constable Layke Jackson to keep young Gabe safe and discover more about a a child labor ring.
There is plenty of snow and cold in this beautiful setting, and you will both realize the awesomeness and the fearsomeness of the Yukon as Ms Turner depicts it so vividly.
Both Hannah and Layke have sworn off a romantic relationships due to their past. It will take much trauma, prayer, and togetherness before they can consider a relationship with each other.
I loved seeing how God is working in Hannah’s life, to bring about her heart’s desire, when all she can see is that desire has been stolen from her. Why is it always so much easier to see God at work in other people’s lives, than to trust Him with our own?
Layke will have quite the journey before he can trust God. His past has made him bitter and sure that God was absent in the hard times of his life. I must admit, it was hard reading about Layke’s background as well as Gabe’s difficulties because they both involved innocent children.
While I thought I had the mastermind of the ring figured out, the ending pleasantly provided several surprise twists. Bravo!!
Two notes: I am reviewing only the first book of this 2 book compilation. Also, Ms Turner’s book was previously published separately.
I received this book from the author. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magnificent!! All the beauty and fierceness of the Yukon, plus the fierceness of protecting precious young children, mixed with action, romance, and faith.
