Sleuths and Suspects: Christy Barritt: Desperate Measures

By K. L. Bridgewater

If I had to list my favorite suspense authors who I enjoy reading, Christy Barritt would fit on that list with Steven James, Terri Blackstock, Lynette Eason, Brandilyn Collins, Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, DiAnn Mills, Janice Cantore, Kathy Herman, Dani Pettrey, and Dee Henderson are among the top ones. Anytime a new book comes out by these authors, I rush to the store and purchase it.

If you haven’t heard of any of these authors, I suggest going out and trying a book by them. Great writers! I study them and try to see how they write, so I can apply it to my personal writing.

Christy Barritt’s most popular Kindle series is called the “Squeaky Clean Mysteries,” beginning with Hazardous Duty. Currently, there are nine books in the series with a spin-off series featuring the protagonist, Gabby St. Claire’s, best friend, Sierra, appropriately titled “Sierra Files.” Gabby is a crime scene clearner with hidden desires to actually be a crime scene investigator. Barritt, also, writes for the Love Inspired Suspense line for Harlequin where she has written eight suspense novels.

Her latest book, Desperate Measures, came out in the beginning of September. The story features Samantha Rogers, a runaway mother, trying to escape her damaged past with her eight-year-old son Conner, and John Wagner, an ex-Coast Guard member, trying to fix up cottages on Smuggler’s Cove. One evening after Samantha was pretty roughed up by a big man in a grocery parking lot, she runs into John and tries to flee with her life and her son. Wagner offers her a place of solitude in exchange for a helping hand on his cottages.

The story thickens as someone breaks into her cabin, not once, but twice. Graffiti shines on the cabin’s wall. There are bullets flying. Chases through the woods. An abduction. To add to the drama, a hurricane or huge storm is brewing in the ocean, headed straight toward Smuggler’s Cove.

Even though the action is flying across every word of Barritt’s expertly crafted plot, the emotions explode like fireworks between Samantha and John. Both of them have been hurt and let down in the past with relationships, so they do not want to start anything new, but they are attracted to each other anyways. Even though Samantha is trying to save her and Conner’s life, she does not want anything to happen to John because she starts to allow him to creep into her heart.

Barritt’s characters are realistic and will grab you from the first page. As you ride the storm of the plot, you will become invested in the lives of Samantha, Conner, and John. As a reader, I prayed that John would protect Samantha and Conner from their past and allow Samantha to move on with no fear for her life anymore. Barritt does a good job at bringing out the flaws in her characters. They are not two-dimensional who have no emotions. Barritt explores their emotions to make the reader experience what the character feels.