Unknown Threat (Defend and Protect Book #1)

Lynn H. Blackburn

Mar 2021 · Defend and Protect Book 1 · Revell

About this ebook

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is lucky to be alive. Three of his fellow agents have died in unusual circumstances in the past ten weeks. Luke is devastated by the loss of his friends and colleagues, and his inability to locate the killer feels like a personal failure. He's an expert at shielding others, but now the protectors are in need of protection.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven to succeed and confident in her ability to solve every case she's assigned. She's been put in charge of the investigation into the unprecedented attacks, and with Luke's life in danger, the stakes have never been higher. But it's hard to know how to fight back when you don't know who the enemy is.

As more agents are targeted, Luke and Faith will have to work together to bring a killer to justice and prevent any more names from joining their fallen brothers and sisters on the Secret Service Wall of Honor.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn pulls out all the stops in this brand-new romantic suspense series that will have you holding your breath one minute and swooning the next.

Ratings and reviews

Lynn Blackburn's new series Defend and Protect has an explosive new start with Unknown Threat. Secret Service agents are being attacked and killed from an unknown assailant. Since they don't investigate their own the FBI is brought in. These two agencies do not always play nice together. Luke Powell is with the Secret Service and Faith Malone is with the FBI. They both have their own issues that complicate working together but there is a definite draw to the other. As the danger heats up so does their personal relationship. Lynn Blackburn's ability to paint a moving picture through words is on full display in this story. You can smell the explosives, feel the tension rising, taste the Cherry Coke, and hear the whisper of footsteps by an intruder. She has given us an interesting variety of characters that I personally look forward to reading more about in the coming books. She has done a masterful job of portraying our defenders. Her in-depth research into these fields makes the story believable and allows the reader to become totally engrossed in the tale. If you are a fan of crime dramas I think you will enjoy this novel and series. At the end of this book there is a sneak peek of book two and it has me eagerly anticipating it's release. I highly recommend you check this book out. I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

SERIOUS. SCINTILLATING. SIZZLING. SUSPENSE. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn has just penned UNKNOWN THREAT (Book #1 Defend and Protect Series) and she does not waste one word on any frivolity. What she does bring is SERIOUS. SCINTILLATING. SIZZLING. SUSPENSE. I am an avid reader of Romantic Suspense and this is one of the Top 5 Novels I have ever read in that genre! Blackburn has created characters are that are complex, relatable and intense. She writes them so you get to know them individually as though they they are your close friends (more like family). Because they work in high risk professions (Special Agents in FBI and Secret Service) they must truly know, respect and trust each other. When an unknown threat begins taking out Secret Service Agents, FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is tasked with solving the crime and keeping the remaining Secret Service Agents alive, including Special Agent Luke Powell. She is a consummate professional and while the two entities are not known for “playing well together” the SS Agents all are in agreement that Faith can handle the task. From start to finish, Blackburn cranks the intensity of the plot so that you will be tempted to read this novel in one sitting. Faith and Luke have worked together on some other cases as well as having served together on some volunteer committees. Now they are thrown together in intense life or death situations that will either draw them together or tear them apart. Neither of them is interested in a relationship but sometimes sparks fly in more ways than one! Blackburn has managed to write a smoking love story but in the most completely pure way possible! This novel has it ALL — life and death heart-stopping SUSPENSE as well as take-your-breath-away ROMANCE! I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Revell and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

The first book in a new series is always exciting, but this book was far beyond that. It was an explosive, gut-wrenching thrill ride from beginning to end! The Secret Service agents in Raleigh, NC are being targeted and killed one by one by an unknown assailant. Faith is sent in from the FBI office to investigate and protect them, but she has more than an unknown perpetrator to deal with. She has to get past the shell-shocked agents who may or may not feel like being cooperative when their own members are being picked off. I really enjoyed the repartee between Faith and Luke, a secret service agent who has a real hang up against the FBI. I think my favorite thing about the book is that the protagonist is a strong female with unbelievable intuition and skills but also a soft side who needs to be loved just like everyone else. My favorite character was Hope, Faith’s sister, who offers timely and wise advice from her wheelchair. She does not pity herself because of her damaged body; she just moves on with life and is wiser for her choice to accept and continue in her faith in God. Faith is also dealing with a lack of belief in God, so there is that underlying theme. Damaged characters are realistic, since everyone is damaged in some way and we all have to overcome whatever obstacles life has thrown our way. That could be a theme of the book, but I think the real theme is forgiveness and hope and also finding one’s way back to God. The plot was well-developed with a lot of twists and red herrings and it winded its way to a nice conclusion. I look forward to seeing more of these characters in future books. Fans of Christian fiction and romantic suspense will want to read this book. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

About the author

Lynn H. Blackburn is the author of Beneath the Surface, In Too Deep, One Final Breath, Hidden Legacy, and Covert Justice. Winner of the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel, Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She's passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don't make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children.