Critical Alliance

Goddard continues her Rocky Mountain Courage series (after Deadly Target) with this thrilling battle of wits between two hackers. Mackenzie Hanson, a reformed hacker with a shady past, returns to the Montana headquarters of her family’s tech company after she gets a warning about a cybersecurity risk. In town, she bumps into Alex Knight, a handsome Diplomatic Security Services special agent she knows. When shots ring out, his quick thinking saves her life. Then, threats to Mackenzie’s sister lead Mackenzie to reconsider the cause of her brother’s recent death, ostensibly by heart attack. She recruits Alex for protection while figuring out who’s trying to hurt her family, suspecting the involvement of a shadowy hacker from her past. She prays for God’s help as she uses her technological skills to track this figure down before they make good on their threats. Ever-escalating tension, well-developed characters, and some clever misdirection will keep readers glued to their seats. This skillfully crafted tale of faith and redemption hits its mark. (July)