Rating: 
Summary: Joy in the midst of adversity, a good read.
Review: The Negotiator is a fine book. It is pretty good in the whodunit category. It also contains elements of romance, but it's not dripping with it. I don't read much fiction, but I really enjoyed this book. My wife and I read it concurrently. It was very nice to be able to sit down together and discuss the story. We both enjoyed sharing quality time, even if it was just to discuss characters in a work of fiction. The story starts out in a very engrossing situation. The pace doesn't slow for quite some time. However, it does slow toward the end. In fact, my wife and I both thought the ending was anti-climactic. Dee Henderson tackles some pretty deep theological issues in this book. I think she handles them well, but doesn't delve too deeply into the mysteries. Personally, I'd love to have seen her flesh them out more, but this is a work of fiction, not a work of theology. She handled them well within her storyline. The O'Malley Family is a great set-up. And, I suspect the rest of the books in the series will be pretty good too. I'm hoping to find time to read the rest of them. Kate O'Malley, the negotiator, is an interesting character. I did find her penchant for eating junk food to be a bit overdone - I would have a hard time believing that the picture on the book's cover would be fitting for someone with those eating habits. Other than that, the character development is very good for Kate. Dave, on the other hand, is a bit less believable. He speaks with a British accent, so we assume he is British. However, the book never tells us how or why a Brit is working for the FBI. Also, he's extremely wealthy (old money). This provides for a couple of sections in the "romantic" development of the book that do little to progress the storyline. They seemed extravagant to me. Perhaps that comes from my realist personality. The story is very readable. I did finally have to go to the dictionary to look up the word "roil." Perhaps my vocabulary is too limited, but her heavy usage of this particular word struck me as odd. I would have thought the editor might have caught the heavy usage and suggested something else. The one thing that struck me, and will stay with me when I read other works of fiction, is the way Henderson developed and showed the sense of joy of being with friends and family. I cannot remember ever reading a story that made me feel the joy and happiness of the characters. In fact, for me, the joy and happiness in the story were far more real that the worry and fear. I wish more people focused on bring out joy in life, even in difficult times, when they write. I wouldn't really classify this as a "feel good" book, but it will provide many occasions that bring this feeling to you. In the end, I really liked the book. I think that most readers, Christian or not, will enjoy reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Close to My Heart
Review: Oh how I loved Kate O'Malley. She was the perfect person for Dave, whom I loved just as much. I read this book over and over, it was my first book by Dee and I fell in love with the story as well as the O'Malley in general. I was on the edge of my seat until I finished this book. This book brings out the best with Love, Faith, Suspense... need I say more. It is a must buy!!! You have got to purchase this book along with Danger in the Shadows. See Dave as a brother. Just plain awesome!! But don't stop there get all of the O'Malley Series, I guarantee, you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: You need a category higher than 5 for this book
Review: This was my first Dee Henderson book, and I bought the second book in the O'Malley series before I finished this one because I knew I'd want to go right into the next one. 5 just isn't high enough for this one. Dee is a gifted writer who can juggle multiple plots, characters and situations without losing the central direction of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: I can't express how much I enjoy this author. Dee Henderson takes you on a ride you won't soon forget. This is the first book in quite a while that had me completely enthralled with everything--plot, characters, the romance. I loved Kate O'Malley and the rest of her crazy family, and Dave Richman is exactly the type of guy every girl sighs over. And you know what? Somewhere along the ride, Dee sneaks in a powerful lesson about faith and Jesus. What more could you ask for? The rest in the series (in fact, everything else by this author) are equally fabulous. Trust me!
Rating:
Summary: The Negotiator will have you in suspense!!
Review: Dee Henderson is probably... no, not probably but she IS my favorite Christian writer!! "The Negotiator" is probably my favorite of the books she has written (though I still haven't read "The Truth-Seeker" or "The Protector" yet so I'll have to see!). This book is the first of the O'Malley series. The O'Malley family consists of seven brothers and sister, three boys and four girls. Since they were little they had been in the same orphanage and when they got out of the orphanage, they decided to 'adopt' each other, taking the name O'Malley as their family name. They all have very important jobs, Marcus is a U.S. Marshal, Kate a negotiator for hostage situations, botched-up robberies, etc., Jennifer is a doctor, Jack a fireman, Rachel a trauma psychologist, and Lisa is a forensic pathologist. This story is about Kate O'Malley, the negotiator. The story begins when while Kate O'Malley negotiates with a man at a bank, she meets FBI agent Dave Richman. Dave Richman is interested with her and Kate also finds him attractive, but Dave is a Christian while Kate is not. Kate has grown up trusting no one except the O'Malley family. She has seen too much violence and injustice and can't believe that there is a God if He lets such things happen. In the Bible, it says that God is merciful and just, so she thinks "then why do I even have this job"? Before Dave can really talk to her about it disaster strikes. Someone sends Kate black roses. Black roses which stand for death. A few days after, an airliner blows up, and somehow Kate is involved in it when the bomber calls up and says, "tell Kate O'Malley that I haven't forgotten the past." But Kate O'Malley does not want to remember the past. She tries to shut it out but then she is faced with shocking and terrifying evidence that the bomber may be someone she know, someone from her past! Dave discovers that he is in love with Kate and vows to protect her but will she be able to trust in Dave and the God he trusts so much in? "The Negotiator" is very well-written. I just fell in love with the characters of Kate O'Malley and Dave Richman. It's also so suspenseful that I suggest you read it on a day when you have plenty of free time because you won't be able to put the book down! It was terrible when I had only the last few chapters to read when I had to go to school! What agony! But it's not only the suspense, action, mystery, and the excitement I had when reading it that I liked, I also loved the humor and romance in it. The humor in it very much reminds me of my sister and I when we talk to each other. This book also talks about trust and faith in not only our friends and family, but in God. God is always with us and though we don't know why He does this or why He doesn't do that, we must always have faith in Him and to pray. The next in the O'Malley series is "The Guardian" in which the main character is Marcus O'Malley, the oldest of the O'Malley's. This is also another great book! Then after that there is "The Truth-Seeker" with Lisa O'Malley then "The Protector" with Jack O'Malley. Can't wait to read those, too! Other books by Dee Henderson is "Danger in the Shadows" (written before "The Negotiator" whose main character is Dave Richman's sister, Sara) and "True Devotion", the first in the Uncommon Heroes Series. Don't miss any of these books!
Rating:
Summary: Not Your Typical Romance
Review: I love to read Christian romance, but had tired of the same old plot and ending. The "spice" of this book, i.e. suspense, humor, innovative dialog and a most unusual family, makes for a great read. The first chapter had me laughing out loud. The romance takes a different twist in the last chapter. I also learned some interesting info about criminal investigation. This is really serveral types of genre rolled into one fantastic book.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting and satisfying read
Review: I first read about this book when looking through an Amazon list of "sleepers." I was surprised when I checked into this one to find it listed in Christian fiction. I hadn't tried to read Christian fiction in several years, and had been disappointed with my last attempt. I had no idea that this subgenre of Christian fiction even existed. I prefer fast paced action-suspense-thriller novels, and this has all of those elements, plus a sweet romance. I have since devoured all of the author's books and found them each very satisfying, but this one holds a special place in my heart. I think I particularly identify with Kate's feistiness.
Here are some of the things that I think make Ms. Henderson's writing especially enjoyable: she researches her subject situations well and provides enough small details to give a clear and credible picture of what is happening, yet manages to do so in a way that does not bog down the plot. She injects humor into the characters. They have strong personalities and both strengths and flaws. Thus, they seem very real. As another writer has noted, the references to faith flow as a natural part of the thoughts and dialog of the characters. Ms. Henderson also does a great job developing courtship between the main characters.
I find myself recommending this series to everyone I know, then having difficulty lending copies of the books for them to read. The books feel like friends that I don't want to part with. I am so pleased to have found them. Thank you, Ms. Henderson for writing them!
Rating:
Summary: This is the BEST book!
Review: This book is a wonderful book. Dee Henderson is a wonderful and talented writter. She tied in romance, christianity, and action in one book. My whole family has read this book, and some of my friends are right now. I couldn't put this book down. I'd stay up til 1 in the morning reading. I read it in two days! Every book that I've read by Dee Henderson has been good. I haven't speant over a week reading ONE of her books! All of them are good and she's again a WONDERFUL writter.
Rating:
Summary: Romancejunkie
Review: I am hooked! This was an incredible book of suspense with a touch of romance. The search for criminals that coincided with the search for THE TRUTH was awesome. I would recommend this to anyone!
Rating:
Summary: GREAT! book
Review: Absolutely AWESOME book! By the 2nd chapter I was hooked! I LOVE the way this started out, the way she met Dave was great! Make sure you read all the 'O Malley books in order! You won't be disappointed!!
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