Accused

December 12, 2011
Det. Carly Edwards juggles a high-profile murder case and a rocky romance in Cantore’s suspenseful first of a three-book series. When Los Angeles mayor Teresa Burke is gunned down, Carly is shocked that anyone would want to hurt the well-liked politician. Carly faces intense pressure from the media and from inside the force to wrap up the case, but she believes one of the prime suspects, a juvenile delinquent Carly’s mother mentored, is innocent. With the help of her ex-husband, also a cop, she tries to exonerate the young man. But once her life becomes threatened, along with the lives of people she loves, Carly must decide whether to persevere or fold under the pressure. Cantore provides a detailed and intimate account of a homicide investigation in an enjoyable read that’s more crime than Christian. Agent: D.C. Jacobson & Associates.

November 15, 2011

Following a shooting in which she was involved, detective Carly Edwards is put on desk duty in the juvenile section, and she hates it. Then she is called to a murder scene. The victim is Long Beach's mayor, and the top brass suspect teenager Londy Atkins. But after investigating the case, Carly believes not only that Londy is innocent but that he is the victim of a cover-up. Enter Carly's ex-husband and fellow officer, Nick. Nick wants to convince Carly that he's a changed man, but can she trust him? Can she trust anyone? VERDICT Cantore is a former cop, and her experience shows in this wonderful series debut. The characters are well-drawn and believable, and the suspenseful plot is thick with tension. Fans of Lynette Eason, Dee Henderson, or DiAnn Mills and readers who like crime fiction without gratuitous violence and sex will appreciate discovering a new writer.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
Police officer turned inspirational crime novelist Cantore delivers another round of crime and intrigue to readers in Accused, the first in her Pacific Coast Justice series. Carly Edwards has been a cop for 10 years, divorced for 1, and stuck behind a desk in juvenile for six months. When a suspect requests Carly by name, she jumps at the chance to get back in the action. But the case is not the simple open-and-shut homicide case it appears to be, leading Carly, instead, into a web of political scandals and police corruption. Who can she trust as she tries to get to the truth? Her ex-husband Nick proves to be an unexpected ally, and his new Christian faith has changed him, making it harder to hate him. As she goes deeper into the murky details of this dangerous investigation, Carly also feels a deeper pull toward God, shared by so many around her. Forced to trust people she has been wary of, Carly begins to see the benefit in trusting faith as well.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)