A FAR WAY TO RUN

In this Christian thriller, a woman faces her grim past while menacing figures threaten her and her hometown.

Shayne Wright returns to Turnaround, Texas, for a funeral. Something happened in this town a decade ago that caused her to flee without explanation. But this time she’s in no hurry to leave, as she’s wants to evade giving an answer to her pastor boyfriend’s proposal back in Austin. Still, there’s a bad element in Turnaround; someone shoots and wounds Shayne in the shoulder when she stops to investigate a car accident. This may be the same armed assailant who chased down Shayne’s estranged twin brother, Levi, after he saw something he wasn’t supposed to. The siblings have a lot to talk about when they reunite at their family farm, as Levi has a tie to the reason his sister left town. They may earn an ally in Ethan McGregor, a former Army sniper whom their mother hired for construction on the family home. Ethan and Shayne futilely resist their mutual attraction, while dangerous people seem convinced the twins know too much. Notwithstanding the villains’ presence, suspense in Altebaumer’s novel fluctuates. Shayne and Levi, for example, rarely seem worried about potential killers who make few attempts on their lives. Things, however, pick up in the final act. The story, too, entertains with its consistently swift pace and dynamic characters. Even the inevitable romance between Shayne and Ethan pops, as the standoffish duo spend their early scenes arguing. They lead a solid cast, from ex-addict Levi fighting to stay clean to a charming local woman, the protagonist in Altebaumer’s debut novel, A Firm Place to Stand (2020) and Shayne’s surprisingly unlikable boyfriend. An understated Christian theme runs throughout, as Shayne finds solace and inspiration in Bible passages. Similarly, the narrative lacks profanity and, despite vicious lawbreakers and a bit of gunfire, implies the violence.

A tenacious female leads a crime story that’s both gripping and romantic.