Heart of Ice (A Triple Threat Novel Book 3)

From her introduction, I had the feeling I would come to hate Elizabeth, and that turned true. Unlike the first two books where the perp was revealed at the end, the premise tells you who's behind the problems in this story, and I grew to hate her quickly. Every mental insult she had for anyone she distrusted or thought wasn't worth her time, every plan she had to kill someone that she believed was in her way, every single scathing thought and cruel anti-social action she did, I began to realize this was supposed to be the author's epitome of liberalism at its worst. Only, that wasn't the worst thing I ran into- that would be Cassidy's self-esteem problems and incessantly comparing herself to Elizabeth and cutting herself down on the inside. At first, it made sense with the story, but it eventually got to where I was cringing every time she thought horrible things about herself.
In redemption, this book does ground the Triple Threat Club in their humanity, with their flaws and strengths, and though at times their emotional connection to me was very strong, at other times it simply got bothersome with everyone's trust issues.
Thematically, I think this mystery was inspired by how the Book of Proverbs teaches that a woman's charms are fleeting and very deceitful, to not be trusted.
It's not only Elizabeth who was being deceitful. The good news is I did make it to the end, though it did feel like a struggle at times.

Cassidy Shaw has met a new friend and soon introduces her to her two other best friends, Nicole Hedges and Allison Pierce. Cassidy will do anything for a story for her job as crime reporter. Elizabeth Avery is Cassidy’s new friend and is a master manipulator. She cons Cassidy into buying her new clothes and lies fly out of her mouth as easily as air. Cassidy has no idea her new friend is a sociopath, an expert liar, as well as a murderer. Cassidy feels empty inside and thinks maybe Elizabeth’s friendship can help fill that void.
Nicole discovers something that will change her life forever. She pushes away Leif Larson, who she had begun to think of as her boyfriend. She tells no one about what is stressing her out initially. She thinks she can handle it on her own. She dives in to work, trying to find out who killed a young intern reporter at Cassidy’s TV station. She is also helping Allison gather evidence to convict another murderer, who is also a medical student.
Allison is faced with a decision regarding her down-and-out sister, who has reappeared in her life and begins to live with Allison and her husband as she has nowhere else to go. Lindsay promises she is clean and sober and has left her loser boyfriend behind. Allison also knows something is wrong with Nicole, but can’t get a straight answer from her. Once she finally learns what is going on with Nicole, she decides to pray for her and show her Christ by loving her and supporting her with mercy and compassion. Allison is also intent on catching two criminals and putting them in jail for a very long time.
While there is a ton of action and lots of thrills, an interesting and entertaining plot, I really wish there were no sexual situations in the story. The plot moves along quickly and I couldn’t put the book down. I have really come to enjoy these three female characters and almost feel like they are friends of my own. I hope the next book can maintain the high energy, but without the sexual situations. The next book in the series is titled, Eyes of Justice. I look forward to reading about the Triple Threat Club’s latest adventure in fighting crime.

Heart Of Ice ( Book 3 Triple Threat Series)
Lis Wiehl- April Henry
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Christian Suspense
Release Date : 4/5/11
5 Stars

In the third book of the Triple Threat Series, Crime Reporter, Cassidy Shaw and her best friends Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedge are about ready to be involved in another thriller that keeps the reader involved even though they know from the beginning who the killer is.

When Cassidy starts going to the local gym she meets up with Elizabeth Avery who runs the Boot Camp class. Urging Allison and Nicole to join up also Cassidy has nothing but praise for Elizabeth. Unbeknownst to the three , especially Cassidy who has become quite friendly with Elizabeth, that deep within lies the murderous heart of a cold blooded killer and lying socialistic psychopath. Elizabeth has a way of becoming friendly with others and then manipulating others to do her killings for her, so as not to get caught herself.

As the lives of others are weaved throughout the pages, Allison who lost her baby and is trying to get her sister Lindsey back on the right track along with Nicole who is fighting her own demons, the main story line focuses on Elizabeth who in her younger days was better known as Sissy. When another body is found and the death of a rookie news reporter ,they finally find the evidence they need to capture Elizabeth before she can kill again.

I have not read the first two books in the series but after reading Heart of Ice I now have them on my wish list. I read this book in two days .It is so very hard to put down. One can just feel the murderous rage that escapes through the pores of Elizabeth as they read. Along with the suspense the threads of faith are also present throughout the pages without being a preachy book. Recommended for all who enjoy reading suspense with a Christian underscore or even for those who do not feel a Christian book is for them they will still enjoy it.

I received this book free from the publisher through their blogging program at Book Sneeze. I received no compensation for reviewing this book and a positive review was not required. All opinions expressed here are my thoughts on the book.

I have read several other reviews of this book and most of them compare this series to James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series. That's a mistake....because this series is so much better!

This book (2nd in the series; the first was Hand of Fate) involves three best friends: (1) Allison, a prosecuting attorney who is happily married but suffering from a recent miscarriage; (2) Nicole, an FBI agent single mother who just found out she has breast cancer; and (3) Cassidy, a crime reporter. These three women serve as a kind of every woman--in each of them there is a little bit of every woman I know: women who struggle with the balancing act of career and love and friendship and health and responsibility. I can see a little bit of myself in each of these women and seeing their struggles with their own personal devils makes me feel a little bit better, a little bit less lonely. This book is first about the relationships and then the plot seems to grow from that--just like a book should! In these times, that almost seems like a lost craft. Too many books are heavy on plot, special 'effects' and glamour, but light on the part that matters-connecting the reader to the people we are reading about. There was never any doubt these women were real people and it was easy to lose myself in the story.

On top of everything else (just like real life!), there is also a serial killer in their midst. Elizabeth is a coldly calculating femme fatale who is able to manipulate everyone around her. The part of the story told from Elizabeth's point of view is chilling. To see how she thinks and looks at life is like looking at a dangerous panther through a thin pain of cracked glass. Sexy, but deadly. When she stumbles into the midst of the best friends, her days are numbered and unraveling the mystery is pure fun.

In essence, the strength of the story lies in these 3 women who try to overcome their demons, physical and emotional, with their faith while unraveling a murder mystery at the same time. It is so unique-the only book like it that I've ever read. Which just makes me that much more eager to go back for more!

Cassidy has joined a gym and is attending Boot Camp led by Elizabeth. Cassidy is desperately trying to keep a young figure in order to not be passed up by the new young intern at Channel 4. She is enamored with Elizabeth from the beginning. Elizabeth has such exciting stories to tell. Cassidy is anxious to count Elizabeth among her friends.

Allison's sister Lyndsay shows up desperate for a place to stay. Their mother is practicing "tough love" and refuses to allow Lyndsay back into the house. Allison and Marshall allow Lyndsay to stay with them. Lyndsay is working on staying clean and sober. She takes up baking which causes Allison to start having a bit of a stomach. Encouraged by Cassidy she attends the Boot Camp at the gym.

Nicole has been tentative about dating fellow FBI agent Lief, but they have been exploring a relationship between them. When devastating news hits Nicole she breaks off with Lief and refuses to share any reason with him. Nicole is a private person, but finds that she needs to share her news with her best friends Allison and Cassidy.

The Triple Threat Club once again comes through for each other when their lives are touched by the evil of one woman.

This 3rd installment in the Triple Threat series was a bit different than the other 2 novels. In those we didn't know who the killer was until the end. In this one we know who the killer is and how she orchestrates everyone in her life. It was interesting to read how all of the clues were finally brought together and the mystery solved when we already knew who the killer was. I think this was my favorite one so far. I have the next book Eyes of Justice sitting here ready for me to pick up.

Lis Wiehl has written a third "Triple Threat Club" novel (with April Henry) and is getting ready to release a new series, too! I just finished reading "Heart of Ice" and will be watching for more books by this talented team.

In "Heart of Ice," the "Triple Threat Club" is trying to convict one sociopath for a series of murders while trying to solve various other crimes that, unknown to them, are also being instigated by a sociopath--one whom they personally know but have no reason to suspect. Throughout the story, Wiehl takes the reader deep into the mind of this disturbed personality; it's a scary (and sometimes a bit graphic) journey.

As in her other books, Wiehl touches on an assortment of social and political issues and concerns through the story as well: cancer, troubled teens, our prison system, rehabilitation programs, drug addiction, single-parenting, arson, and codependency--to name a few. Questions in the reader's guide at the back of the book help the reader further consider opinions on how society should deal with some of these.

Though I enjoyed reading "Heart of Ice" (and look forward to reading future books by Wiehl and Henry), I wouldn't classify this as a Christian novel. One of the characters happens to be a Christian, but the focus is on secular society dealing with cultural issues. Prayer is mentioned, but only as something Christians talk about when they don't know what else to do. There is one miracle event that causes one of the non-Christian characters to wonder if maybe there is a God. Perhaps Wiehl and Henry will build on that in the next book.

Thank you, Thomas Nelson Publishers, for sending "Heart of Ice" for my review.

From her introduction, I had the feeling I would come to hate Elizabeth, and that turned true. Unlike the first two books where the perp was revealed at the end, the premise tells you who's behind the problems in this story, and I grew to hate her quickly. Every mental insult she had for anyone she distrusted or thought wasn't worth her time, every plan she had to kill someone that she believed was in her way, every single scathing thought and cruel anti-social action she did, I began to realize this was supposed to be the author's epitome of liberalism at its worst. Only, that wasn't the worst thing I ran into- that would be Cassidy's self-esteem problems and incessantly comparing herself to Elizabeth and cutting herself down on the inside. At first, it made sense with the story, but it eventually got to where I was cringing every time she thought horrible things about herself.
In redemption, this book does ground the Triple Threat Club in their humanity, with their flaws and strengths, and though at times their emotional connection to me was very strong, at other times it simply got bothersome with everyone's trust issues.
Thematically, I think this mystery was inspired by how the Book of Proverbs teaches that a woman's charms are fleeting and very deceitful, to not be trusted.
It's not only Elizabeth who was being deceitful. The good news is I did make it to the end, though it did feel like a struggle at times.

Cassidy Shaw has met a new friend and soon introduces her to her two other best friends, Nicole Hedges and Allison Pierce. Cassidy will do anything for a story for her job as crime reporter. Elizabeth Avery is Cassidy’s new friend and is a master manipulator. She cons Cassidy into buying her new clothes and lies fly out of her mouth as easily as air. Cassidy has no idea her new friend is a sociopath, an expert liar, as well as a murderer. Cassidy feels empty inside and thinks maybe Elizabeth’s friendship can help fill that void.
Nicole discovers something that will change her life forever. She pushes away Leif Larson, who she had begun to think of as her boyfriend. She tells no one about what is stressing her out initially. She thinks she can handle it on her own. She dives in to work, trying to find out who killed a young intern reporter at Cassidy’s TV station. She is also helping Allison gather evidence to convict another murderer, who is also a medical student.
Allison is faced with a decision regarding her down-and-out sister, who has reappeared in her life and begins to live with Allison and her husband as she has nowhere else to go. Lindsay promises she is clean and sober and has left her loser boyfriend behind. Allison also knows something is wrong with Nicole, but can’t get a straight answer from her. Once she finally learns what is going on with Nicole, she decides to pray for her and show her Christ by loving her and supporting her with mercy and compassion. Allison is also intent on catching two criminals and putting them in jail for a very long time.
While there is a ton of action and lots of thrills, an interesting and entertaining plot, I really wish there were no sexual situations in the story. The plot moves along quickly and I couldn’t put the book down. I have really come to enjoy these three female characters and almost feel like they are friends of my own. I hope the next book can maintain the high energy, but without the sexual situations. The next book in the series is titled, Eyes of Justice. I look forward to reading about the Triple Threat Club’s latest adventure in fighting crime.

Heart Of Ice ( Book 3 Triple Threat Series)
Lis Wiehl- April Henry
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Christian Suspense
Release Date : 4/5/11
5 Stars

In the third book of the Triple Threat Series, Crime Reporter, Cassidy Shaw and her best friends Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedge are about ready to be involved in another thriller that keeps the reader involved even though they know from the beginning who the killer is.

When Cassidy starts going to the local gym she meets up with Elizabeth Avery who runs the Boot Camp class. Urging Allison and Nicole to join up also Cassidy has nothing but praise for Elizabeth. Unbeknownst to the three , especially Cassidy who has become quite friendly with Elizabeth, that deep within lies the murderous heart of a cold blooded killer and lying socialistic psychopath. Elizabeth has a way of becoming friendly with others and then manipulating others to do her killings for her, so as not to get caught herself.

As the lives of others are weaved throughout the pages, Allison who lost her baby and is trying to get her sister Lindsey back on the right track along with Nicole who is fighting her own demons, the main story line focuses on Elizabeth who in her younger days was better known as Sissy. When another body is found and the death of a rookie news reporter ,they finally find the evidence they need to capture Elizabeth before she can kill again.

I have not read the first two books in the series but after reading Heart of Ice I now have them on my wish list. I read this book in two days .It is so very hard to put down. One can just feel the murderous rage that escapes through the pores of Elizabeth as they read. Along with the suspense the threads of faith are also present throughout the pages without being a preachy book. Recommended for all who enjoy reading suspense with a Christian underscore or even for those who do not feel a Christian book is for them they will still enjoy it.

I received this book free from the publisher through their blogging program at Book Sneeze. I received no compensation for reviewing this book and a positive review was not required. All opinions expressed here are my thoughts on the book.

I have read several other reviews of this book and most of them compare this series to James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series. That's a mistake....because this series is so much better!

This book (2nd in the series; the first was Hand of Fate) involves three best friends: (1) Allison, a prosecuting attorney who is happily married but suffering from a recent miscarriage; (2) Nicole, an FBI agent single mother who just found out she has breast cancer; and (3) Cassidy, a crime reporter. These three women serve as a kind of every woman--in each of them there is a little bit of every woman I know: women who struggle with the balancing act of career and love and friendship and health and responsibility. I can see a little bit of myself in each of these women and seeing their struggles with their own personal devils makes me feel a little bit better, a little bit less lonely. This book is first about the relationships and then the plot seems to grow from that--just like a book should! In these times, that almost seems like a lost craft. Too many books are heavy on plot, special 'effects' and glamour, but light on the part that matters-connecting the reader to the people we are reading about. There was never any doubt these women were real people and it was easy to lose myself in the story.

On top of everything else (just like real life!), there is also a serial killer in their midst. Elizabeth is a coldly calculating femme fatale who is able to manipulate everyone around her. The part of the story told from Elizabeth's point of view is chilling. To see how she thinks and looks at life is like looking at a dangerous panther through a thin pain of cracked glass. Sexy, but deadly. When she stumbles into the midst of the best friends, her days are numbered and unraveling the mystery is pure fun.

In essence, the strength of the story lies in these 3 women who try to overcome their demons, physical and emotional, with their faith while unraveling a murder mystery at the same time. It is so unique-the only book like it that I've ever read. Which just makes me that much more eager to go back for more!

Cassidy has joined a gym and is attending Boot Camp led by Elizabeth. Cassidy is desperately trying to keep a young figure in order to not be passed up by the new young intern at Channel 4. She is enamored with Elizabeth from the beginning. Elizabeth has such exciting stories to tell. Cassidy is anxious to count Elizabeth among her friends.

Allison's sister Lyndsay shows up desperate for a place to stay. Their mother is practicing "tough love" and refuses to allow Lyndsay back into the house. Allison and Marshall allow Lyndsay to stay with them. Lyndsay is working on staying clean and sober. She takes up baking which causes Allison to start having a bit of a stomach. Encouraged by Cassidy she attends the Boot Camp at the gym.

Nicole has been tentative about dating fellow FBI agent Lief, but they have been exploring a relationship between them. When devastating news hits Nicole she breaks off with Lief and refuses to share any reason with him. Nicole is a private person, but finds that she needs to share her news with her best friends Allison and Cassidy.

The Triple Threat Club once again comes through for each other when their lives are touched by the evil of one woman.

This 3rd installment in the Triple Threat series was a bit different than the other 2 novels. In those we didn't know who the killer was until the end. In this one we know who the killer is and how she orchestrates everyone in her life. It was interesting to read how all of the clues were finally brought together and the mystery solved when we already knew who the killer was. I think this was my favorite one so far. I have the next book Eyes of Justice sitting here ready for me to pick up.

Lis Wiehl has written a third "Triple Threat Club" novel (with April Henry) and is getting ready to release a new series, too! I just finished reading "Heart of Ice" and will be watching for more books by this talented team.

In "Heart of Ice," the "Triple Threat Club" is trying to convict one sociopath for a series of murders while trying to solve various other crimes that, unknown to them, are also being instigated by a sociopath--one whom they personally know but have no reason to suspect. Throughout the story, Wiehl takes the reader deep into the mind of this disturbed personality; it's a scary (and sometimes a bit graphic) journey.

As in her other books, Wiehl touches on an assortment of social and political issues and concerns through the story as well: cancer, troubled teens, our prison system, rehabilitation programs, drug addiction, single-parenting, arson, and codependency--to name a few. Questions in the reader's guide at the back of the book help the reader further consider opinions on how society should deal with some of these.

Though I enjoyed reading "Heart of Ice" (and look forward to reading future books by Wiehl and Henry), I wouldn't classify this as a Christian novel. One of the characters happens to be a Christian, but the focus is on secular society dealing with cultural issues. Prayer is mentioned, but only as something Christians talk about when they don't know what else to do. There is one miracle event that causes one of the non-Christian characters to wonder if maybe there is a God. Perhaps Wiehl and Henry will build on that in the next book.

Thank you, Thomas Nelson Publishers, for sending "Heart of Ice" for my review.

Elizabeth Avery appeared to be a friend that truly understood Cassidy. She was beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, sympathetic, and by appearance had her life completely together. However, lurking beneath her perfected exterior was the heart of a cold blooded, manipulative, sociopathic killer. Able to dupe even Cassidy's two best friends, Allison and Nicole, Elizabeth expertly played her elaborate game, leaving a wake of destruction and death in her path. In a chillingly suspenseful thriller, Heart of Ice is easily the best book to date in the Triple Threat series.

While the first two books in this series were good, I was seriously contemplating whether I should continue to read future releases. I liked Face of Betrayal and Hand of Fate, but there were so many issues and the friendship between the three main characters felt forced. While the mystery plots were good, they were often overshadowed by poorly developed personal crises and numerous social issues. Heart of Ice is a refreshing change from the first two books. It's more suspense and psychological thriller than straight crime drama/mystery. The character development for Elizabeth and those she manipulated were superb. Additionally, the number of issues were nicely balanced and better developed. Overall, this was a great improvement and has convinced me to keep reading the series.

This novel is well thought out, with tons of suspense. It was difficult to find a good stopping point. There is a constant shift between locations and characters that made each scene a must read. With multiple people controlled and manipulated by Elizabeth, being allowed to follow each one was a great treat. However, the highlight was watching a sociopath at work. Reading the chilling inner workings of her mind and the lack of regard for life outside her own was well presented and added an excellent depth to the story. Also set up nicely was a spiritual theme that while mentioned in passing, was tantalizingly left for the reader pick up--the duality inside each one of us.

I wish a little bit more time was spent with Nicole and her discovery of breast cancer. A good amount of page count was given to it, but it still felt rushed and abrupt. The reader is told Nicole's emotions, but not really allowed to feel them. This is a great part of the story and placed with the character that would struggle the most from this diagnosis. It didn't feel real though, which distracted from an otherwise great book.

I enjoyed reading Heart of Ice. It seems as though Lis Wiehl and April Henry are becoming more comfortable with their characters and their story telling style. The plot in this one surpassed their previous books and the fluidity with which it was executed made the pages fly by. A word of caution, though, before picking it up, might want to clear all scheduled events. It's a page turner that's difficult to put down.

Review title provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson

Fictional sociopaths are always fascinating to follow because of the dual life they often lead. There's the face they show the world, then there's the face that only we, the reader, see. That's also why they make such delicious villains in the thriller genre. Lis Wiehl's third Triple Threat novel, Heart of Ice, is yet another version of this story. Watching the characters dance around each other, even when some of them don't realize they're actually being choreographed, makes for a great novel.

The "triple threat" team - federal prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI agent Nicole Hedges, and TV reporter Cassidy Shaw - is up against a menace in their midst. Elizabeth Avery is a beautiful woman with issues. She manipulates everyone around her, causing some to commit crimes and others to lavish her with affection - and one man to kill for her. She befriends Cassidy and worms her way into the trio's lives, trying to set one friend against another in an attempt to keep them away from her dark secre, as she leaves a number of bodies in her wake.

Heart of Ice is the first Wiehl novel to show us the villain right from the start, and it's an effective tool. It allows us to see behind the mask, to witness Elizabeth's sociopathic tendencies in all their glory. We see how she manipulates people with her body or by appealing to their own vanity. It makes you want to reach through the pages and hit her upside the head, but it also makes you want to continue reading.

All of this is told in parallel with a case that Nicole and Allison are working on, one right out of today's headlines. Colton Foley, the rather unimaginatively named "Want Ad Killer," is almost a carbon copy of the real-life "Craigslist Killer," even down to his being a medical student, with wrist restraints among the evidence found in his house (it would have been nice if Wiehl had changed a few more details).

That being said, the attempt to pin him to the murders, especially with all of his friends and family maintaining his innocence, does make a great counterpoint to the Elizabeth Avery story. They're both sociopaths; it's just that only Foley has been caught so far. We don't get inside Foley's head, but the attempts to convict him give the book a more standard thriller feel that contrasts deliciously with Elizabeth.

Character development of the three regulars has often involved massive chunks of the narrative devoted to just that, sidelining the main plot at times. Wiehl thankfully avoids that pitfall this time by having Elizabeth play a big part in that development. She preys on Cassidy's insecurities about her friends, especially the feeling that the other two look down on her sometimes. Conflict among the three doesn't really have time to gestate, though.

Allison and Nicole are interesting to read about, especially the painful issue that Nicole has to deal with. Cassidy is still much too flighty and annoying, missing the obvious way too often. This can make the inevitable dinners or lunches between the three of them hard to read, especially when Cassidy pipes up with something so silly that readers roll their eyes.

Wiehl's plotting and prose are very good, however. She ties the stories together brilliantly, giving just enough airtime to each one before moving on to the next. She never lingers too long on one aspect of the plot. Even when she's explaining something about the legal system, or giving some behind-the-scenes information about how television news works, she manages to make it reasonably fresh. Readers of previous books may start snoozing when Wiehl explains how the grand jury system works yet again, but it is important for those readers whose first Wiehl book is Heart of Ice, so allowances have to be made.

While the conclusion of Heart of Ice isn't as pulse-pounding as probably intended, it does make the book hard to put down. The last fifty pages or so, as things begin to unravel, keep the reader riveted. (There's even a nice Mythbusters reference for fans of that show.)

All in all, Heart of Ice demonstrates marked improvement over Hand of Fate and almost equals the strength of the first book in the series. If Wiehl continues this upward curve, she'll have readers coming back begging for more.

Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book. © Dave Roy, 2011

After reading this book, I almost felt like killing someone. No, not because the book was bad. From from it in fact. I loved the story. It's a really good suspense book. Sometimes all the different story lines got a bit confusing but overall I found all of them intriguing. I especially connected most with Allison's story and her sister who is a recovering addict. That storyline felt very close to home.

No, the reason why I felt a bit murderous was because I absolutely hated Elizabeth's character. I honestly cannot stand reading about psychopath and sociopath killers in books so it was very hard to continue reading about her. The callousness and the lack of sympathy for human life was just dreadful. Ironically, I kept wanting to slap her in the face. This sounds horrible of me, but I had no sympathy for her at all. Even after finding out what happened to her when she was a child didn't produce any emotional feelings for her from me at all. This is not saying that she's a badly written character. Wiehl and Henry have created a perfect monster. I just hated her and was quite glad for the outcome.

As usual, I enjoyed the use of real life headlines and television news knowledge in the story.
It's very obvious that the real life Craigslist killer is the model for the secondary killer in the book. Everything about him is just like the CL killer but for those who completely missed out on knowing about it won't feel lost. It's an interesting way to tie in current events into the story without feeling dated. I only regret that we are left hanging about his fate at the end.

Faith elements seemed to be randomly sprinkled throughout the book. I honestly feel like the story was written and then either the writers or the editors went back and added the Christian bits to cater to a certain crowd. It just never seemed natural for me for any of the main characters to talk or live their faith throughout the story. Any mention of it felt tacked on. This was a problem I had with the previous books in the series as well. I honestly thought it could be left out and the strong would become stronger then.

Other than this, I really enjoyed the book. There's a lot of suspense and the story line is very tightly written. It's very much something that could be reported on CNN (or in this case Fox News) at any given point of the day. I think there are going to be more books in the Triple Threat series and I say bring it on! I really enjoy these books and I cannot wait for more.

Heart of Ice was my very first Triple Threat Novel and I can honestly say I don't intend for it to be my last. While I do tend toward young adult books more often than not lately (as my TBR pile can attest), I love a good thriller, horror, or suspense novel as well, and Heart of Ice fit the suspense novel bill nicely.

Lis Wiehl and April Henry hit the nail on the head with this novel - the Triple Threat Club, Cassidy, Allison, and Nicole are perfect characters and a great way to rival another famous group of women crime solvers - the famed Women's Murder Club created by James Patterson. With Federal prosecutor Allison, FBI Agent Nicole, and crime reporter Cassidy, the only thing missing is the coroner, but I found that the lack of the fourth member of the club didn't make a bit of difference and truthfully, while I love James Patterson, I've never been able to read any of the Women's Murder Club novels in their entirety like I was this novel.

I have a favorite character already - Nicole. She is tough on the outside because that is expected of her as an FBI agent. But she's still a human being and when it comes right down to it, she is just like you and me. She gets scared, she cries, she is a human being. When she gets some life-altering news, you get a taste of just how real she is.

I also love Allison and her interactions with her sister Lindsay. There is another story within a story there and it is wonderful.

Cassidy and her problems are another matter entirely and frankly, I love that while they are not focused on in this novel, enough background is given to let the reader know that Cassidy is definitely not without her faults.

Add to the mix a charismatic villain and you have the makings of a great novel. The stories within the story are ones that can be carried on to other novels in the series and do not detract from the general story itself. I can't wait to read another Triple Threat novel.

Wow what a book! Elizabeth Avery, better known as Sissy when she was younger, is a sociopath but no one would ever guess because she plays her part in life so well. That is why she manipulates everyone like she does, no matter who they are. But Elizabeth's life has been everything but good. Her family never really wanted her, she watched her dad kill her mom, then turn the gun on himself, she lived with a grandmother who never wanted her, couldn't stay out of trouble and ended up in a reform school until she was old enough to leave.

But with all of the murders and fires in the area, Elizabeth is able to stay behind the scenes, no one ever suspecting her, including friends, or thought so friends Nicole, Cassidy and Allison. This book continues with these three friends from High School as they work together to find out who is capable of doing these horrible crimes. And little did they know that they were on first name basis with the guilty one.

This was my first book by Lis Wiehl and I am happy that I now have a new author to follow. I really enjoyed this well written book with the unique characters that played their parts so well in this story. If suspense and thrillers are your genre, you will love this book! I was captured from the very first page, and couldn't put the book down, I read it in a day! I highly recommend this book for you to read, so grab a copy and see for yourself what an awesome book it is!

I received this book free from Booksneeze.com blogging for books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55.

In this third Triple Threat novel, FBI special agent Nicole Hedges, federal prosecutor Allison Pierce, and TV crime reporter Cassidy Shaw return to again join forces to fight crime. While seeking to uncover evidence to successfully prosecute an unlikely murderer, the trio also gets caught up in a case of arson and the disappearance of a rival co-worker of Cassidy's. Unbeknownst to the group, a female sociopath ensnares Cassidy, Nicole, and Allison into her schemes, placing the women and their families at risk in an ever-escalating game where she will do whatever it takes to get her way.

Heart of Ice was an engaging, highly enjoyable read. Although the suspense was not of the sort where the reader is trying to figure out who the perpetrators are, I enjoyed watching the characters unravel the truth. The authors exceeded at creating drama in that you are rooting for the heroines to figure out who the sociopath is, before it is too late. Numerous subplot lines are deftly handled, and the daily struggles the characters deal with worked effectively to create well-rounded characters. Some of the conversations regarding the character's faith journeys did appear somewhat rushed and thrown into the plot, but I did not find that this took away from my enjoyment of the novel. Fans of crime thrillers will definitely enjoy Heart of Ice. I give it a solid recommendation of 4 out of 5 stars.

This review is based on an electronic copy provided by the publisher via netgalley for the purpose of completing this review.

This crime novel features Allison, a Federal Prosecutor, FBU Agent Nicole and crime reporter Cassidy. It is the third book in the Triple Threat series but can definitely be read as a stand alone novel.
At the Portland Fitness Center, Cassidy joins the boot camp class run by the seemingly flawless instructor Elizabeth Avery. Elizabeth is a master as manipulating people. The icy sociopath has already had her fellow former inmate, Joey Decicco, committing arson for her. Now she has her sites set on getting rid of her boyfriend's ex-wife and son. However, when Elizabeth ruthlessly disposes of an inquisitive young reporter, her crime catches the attention of Cassidy, Nicole and Allison. What they don't know is that they are already on a first name basis with the killer.
I thought this was a terrific read. It was interesting from the first page. This was my first Triple Threat novel, but I would read more in this series. There was plenty of suspense and mystery. Elizabeth was one of those evil characters who you just love to hate.The other characters were all women with pretty powerful jobs trying to balance work, families, friendship and even a life threatening sickness, as we see in Nicole's situation. A fast paced thriller that I would recommend to anyone who loves to read crime novels. Looks like there will be more in this series as well as a new supernatural series coming from this author.

Lis Wiehl co-wrote with April Henry The Triple Threat Club novels, which follow three fiercely intelligent women--a TV reporter, a Federal prosecutor and an FBI agent. At first sight, theft and arson seem to be the trick of a man, Joe. His youth was devoted to setting fire and discovery the powers of ignition. Now he's bound by the commands of the gorgeous, but psychopathic Elizabeth Avery ("Sissy"). She orders to murder several people in what appears to be random killings. When Elizabeth kills a young young tv reporter, and let her dead body dump, her crime catches the attention of Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges, and crime reporter Cassidy Shaw.
Several storylines, and additional male and female actors enter this whodunnit. Who's next on Elizabeth's list and will everyone be able to cover up what he or she's done? Like a true crime novel private and business context are interrelated and give the characters their human traits in Heart of Ice. Can they stop Elizabeth before she reaches her unthinkable, ultimate end-goal? I enjoyed reading it, though the tension's is never that high, that you can't put away the book. Written with some Christian and supernatural elements in it, you won't find explicit language or indecencies. I think some more real-life details like anger, lust and jealousy are certainly missing to make Heart of Ice a real thriller.

This past month I read a really intriguing book called Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl. The book is the third book in a series called The Triple Threat. In Heart of Ice the reader is immediately introduced to a pyschopathic killer who lives under the alias Elizabeth Avery. Elizabeth seems to the rest of the world to simply be a normal, fit and active woman who works and lives just like the rest of the world. She is, however, a manipulative person who uses other people to further her own goals. When Elizabeth murders a young intern, the case is quickly brought to the attention of the Triple Threat Club: Special FBI agent Nicole Hedges, crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, and Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce. These three women are unaware of who the killer is, and they have no idea the proximity this woman has to their own lives and feelings.

I found the Heart of Ice to be a very suspenseful novel. Since the reader already was aware of who the killer was, there was not that sense of mystery and suspense. However, I was gripped throughout the book wondering with bated breath whether the Triple Threat Club would figure out who the killer was before it was too late. The author also did a good job creating events in the story that one did not realize were interconnected until far later in the book. The plot moved well, and I enjoyed watching the members of the Triple Threat Club grow and overcome their own problems at the same time as the overall plot was laid out. There was some description, but it did not overwhelm the overall story.

One message I received from the novel was to be careful of the people you allow to influence your life. Make sure you know the person before you give them control over some aspect of your life. Another message I gleaned from Heart of Ice was to trust God when circumstances occur in your life which you cannot control. I saw this message not because a certain character followed that advice, but because they did not trust God and instead tried to survive trusting only in themselves. I thought the book had some good messages, but I did feel when I completed the novel that more mention of God and His workings through life would have made the story feel more whole and complete. The only Christian character in the book does pray for the problems her friends face, but I feel there was opportunity for her to have been more open with her faith and that witnessing would have fit well the mood of the scene at that time. Overall, I felt the Heart of Ice was very entertaining, was written well, and contained some beneficial themes.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy by Book Sneeze in exchange for writing an honest review on the novel once I completed it.

Elizabeth is a sociopath who likes to lie, steal and manipulate others. It makes her feel strong and powerful, like she felt when she had Sara's house burnt down. Sara deserved to be punished. Joey Decicco loves lighting fires, so when Elizabeth pays him to light a fire at a house, he is happy to oblige. After all, he'd do it for free. Unfortunately, Joey isn't as clever as Elizabeth, which means that Elizabeth has to do some of the hard work herself... and the body count begins.

Heart of Ice is the third Triple Threat novel, following Face of Betrayal and Hand of Fate. The Triple Threat Club consists of Cassidy Shaw, TV crime reporter; Allison Pierce, federal prosecutor; and Nicole Hedges, FBI agent; all now working in their hometown of Portland, Oregon, often on different sides of the same case.

The action shifts between Elizabeth and the three Triple Threat women, who are all convincingly portrayed with a refreshing realism - none are too perfect. All have their own personal issues that occasionally interfere with their personal lives, and with their ability to connect the dots regarding Cassidy's new friend, Alison's sister and the missing TV intern.

While certain plot elements make it clear that Heart of Ice is part of an ongoing series focussing on the three women, their cases and their personal lives, this is not intrusive nor does it assume any prior knowledge - I read the book without having read the first two, and didn't feel I was missing any vital information. The plot is underpinned by the case of the so-called Want Ad Killer, but it is immediately apparent that this is the ongoing sub-plot, not the main focus of this novel.

Heart of Ice is an excellent read. Although published by a Christian publishing house, there is no overt preachiness (although as a Christian reader I did note some Christian themes at certain points), and I am sure anyone who likes their thriller or suspense novels without strong language or any gratuitous sex scenes will enjoy Heart of Ice. Liz Wiehl and the Triple Threat Club are a welcome new addition to my reading list. I've already bought Face of Betrayal, and will be looking out for the release of the next book.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Booksneeze for providing a free ebook for review.

Heart of Ice
By Lis Wiehl with April Henry
Published by Thomas Nelson

Elizabeth Avery has a Heart of Ice. All sociopaths do; and the scary thing is, they could be your coworker, your neighbor or your friend, and you'd never even know. Elizabeth is very good at "the game", manipulating others to do anything she wants. Such is the case with Cassidy Shaw, Channel 4 crime reporter.

When Cassidy signs up for a fat burning boot camp at her local fitness center, she's instantly in awe of the amazing instructor. After meeting over coffee, Cassidy feels as though she and Elizabeth have been friends forever, and is eager to introduce her to her two best friends.

Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges begrudgingly agree to take the boot camp class with Cassidy, never imagining they were in the presence of a psychopathic killer. And that was exactly what thrilled Elizabeth. She could fool anyone. She was at the top of her game, and all she needed now was to get her boyfriends ex-wife and kid out of the way. Once they were out of the picture, Ian would be all hers. They would be the perfect power couple.

It is with this ending in mind that Elizabeth spins her web of deceit and destruction. Intimidating an old friend into arson and then murder, emotionally manipulating a young lover into doing away with said friend, and cleaning up all the loose ends without guilt or remorse. No one would ever be the wiser.

Lis Wiehl's Heart of Ice is a chilling look into the psyche of a sociopath. Bringing together the Triple Threat Club of Cassidy, Allison and Nicole to solve another crime, you don't need to have read any of the other books in the series to follow this exciting case.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The evil, sociopathic Elizabeth Avery, aka Sissy, was the focus of this suspense novel, the third of the Triple Threat series. Elizabeth didn't care who she manipulated or eliminated in order to satisfy her goal and her goal was to marry the handsome and wealthy Ian, a prominent attorney. When her ambition led her to the decision to kill Ian's ex-wife, Sara, and son, Noah, events began to tumble against her.
The Triple Threat in these novels are friends, Cassidy, a Channel Four crime reporter; Nicole, an FBI agent; and Allison, a federal prosecutor. Each of the women struggled with issues in their personal lives, as a sidenote to the crimes they were investigating. Cassidy worried about keeping her status at Channel Four when a young, pretty intern, Jenna, entered the scene. Allison had just had a miscarriage and her wayward sister, Lindsay, had moved in to Allison and her husband's home. Nicole found a lump in her breast and the big "C" word entered her life. All of the women came to know Elizabeth through a fitness class, not suspecting that she had a very dark side.
The author did an excellent job in creating characters, especially Elizabeth. The reader almost immediately senses that this woman is so wicked and completely cold, and I was disgusted by her approach to others and her criminal past. She grew increasingly conscienceless as the story progressed. We are also drawn into the lives of the Triple Threat girls and led to care very much about the personal issues they must cope with, while at the same time focusing on solving crimes.
I felt sometimes the scenes/chapters changed too abruptly and it took awhile to reset the mind to another event and story line. The pursuit of the "Want Ad" killer was a diversion that was not really developed or resolved, and it did at times interrupt the other plot line.
I gave the book a 4 star rating because it was a fun read, but really I knew who was behind all the crimes described in the book, so the suspense level was lower than I expected. I have not read the other two Triple Threat novels, but I would be interested now to follow the three women on some of their other adventures.

*This novel was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers for my review. The review is totally my own opinion.

This is an intense, page-turning book. While the FBI and Federal prosecutor try to figure out the murder of a want to be TV reporter and the bringing of a local house. Another TV reporter digs deeper into the case. Little do they know how much they will find in common on these instances or how close they are to the actual murder.
I love the parts where we see the unconditional love Allison has for her drug addict sister and how she isn't afraid to open up her house for her. Even after Allison's carriage.
A few things I didn't like. Was being left hanging on whether or not Allison and her husband will finally be blessed with a child. What happens with Lindsay, Allison's sister? Does Nicole find God? Will Nicole open her heart to a Man, Leif? What happens with Cassidy's career after she "makes the news"? These were all questions I was looking forward to having answered as I read and didn't.
I did love that everything can together in solving all the murders. And how they worked together in different way. And how Allison trusted God in a lot of what she was doing.
I just felt like I was left hanging for a lot of it. Maybe there will be another book? I hope so. I really fell in love with these characters and want to see them more.
This was a great, Christian, women, crime book. If you love a good clean crime book I would totally recommend it to you.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I haven't read many thrillers that are Christian, actually I don't think I've read any. I was a little concerned about how interested I would be since I'm not too huge on the crime thriller genre in the first place. Anyways, I would say this is on par with other secular books I've read in the genre, and it held my attention well enough throughout it.
I thought there were too many stories going on to really connect with any of the characters. The most interesting person was Elizabeth, but she's a bad guy and shouldn't be the person I most look forward to reading. As for the premise the story is supposed to revolve around three women, so we get looks into each other their lives. I feel like the story would have been stronger had it been focused more so on one woman.
This book is also a part of the series, but I got along fine reading this one without having the rest of the series. I did think I would be more strongly connected to the characters had I built a connection with them in the other books that led up to this one, but since I was jumping in midway I sort of missed the important moments that would have built my attachment to them. The book was also heavy on narrative, and I felt most of everything was being told to me instead of shown. It would have made it better to have more of the characters interacting with each other.
If you're into the genre of crime-thriller then you'll probably like this book. It reminds me of a lot of books in the same genre. I found it interesting enough to continue reading, though I didn't feel as involved as I probably would have reading the novels before this one.

This book was provided by Booksneeze in exchange for a review.

This is a story about three women, working in criminal investigative jobs in Portland, Oregon. Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce, FBI Agent Nicole Hedges, and television crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, long-time friends from school, team up to find a cold-hearted killer before more lives are lost. Time becomes more critical when the killer threatens to harm them and their loved ones.

This is the third book in a series called Triple Threat, named for the three main characters. In my opinion it is the best yet. As usual, it is suspenseful, full of action, and about interesting characters. I like the way the reader is given insights the three women don't have yet. This adds to the suspense.

Although each book in the series stands alone, I felt the characters in this one had grown emotionally since the last book. Each had gone through life events that would make anyone stop and evaluate their situation. Or, perhaps the authors have grown. I say that because I also felt the other characters, the criminal ones, were more real to me than in past books.

There is a subtle message about how different people react to God, but it does not take away from an enjoyable read. I strongly recommend Heart of Ice!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." After reading the book, I donated it to a church library.

In the third book of this series, the triple threat ladies, Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce, Crime Reporter Cassidy Shaw and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges are on the case of . . .

I'm not really sure if this is their case or not. It starts out as an arson case which evolves into murder.

Elizabeth Avery is master manipulator and uses these skills to get what she wants, and right now she wants to marry her boyfriend, Ian, only trouble was the ex-wife and child that he insisted on supporting. Elizabeth didn't think his money should be spent on anything other than herself and she plans to make sure that it's stopped.

Highlights:

I really like the three main characters, although they all seem especially needy in this book and don't really seem all that involved in the mystery.

Elizabeth Avery, I found this villain to be very interesting, everything about her seems very real and makes me wonder if Lis Wiehl had ever come across some one like her in her job as a former prosecutor, as she is so well drawn and scary.

The story - Very strong plot, but the Triple Threat Ladies were unnecessary. You could have had any law enforcement person investigating and it would have still been a great mystery. I think at least half of the book is narrative from the villain, leaving little time to flesh out the three ladies, but did give a very sharp image of a nut.

Nicole's issue is very informative, although it seemed drawn out a too long. I went through the same thing 2 years ago and I went to my own doctor on a Thursday morning and was at the hospital an hour later getting the tests and had the diagnosis on Friday and surgery the next Thursday - If I had to wait around for days for each step to be taken, I would have been a lot more nuttier than she is.

Lowlights:

Allison and her sister. Boring. I found the interaction between Allison and her husband in the last book much more interesting and would have liked to have seen more of that here, but he was almost absent from the book.

Cassidy seemed slightly dumber than normal and a lot of things that happen, joining health spas, becoming close friends after a few minutes seem to be only plot devices to move the story and not how real people would act.

I see that Lis Wiehl is starting a new series with her next book. I like these books enough that I'm definitely going to try it out as well.

"Heart of Ice" is the third "Triple Threat" novel. It features three main characters: Allison Pierce, a Federal prosecutor, Cassidy Shaw, a TV news reporter, and Nicole Hedges, an FBI agent. In this installment, Cassidy encourages her friends to go to a "boot camp" class at the local fitness center. Cassidy thinks the beautiful Elizabeth Avery is a wonderful instructor and potential friend. However, the reader knows from the beginning that Elizabeth or "Sissy" is evil. The question is how far is she willing to go to get what she wants?

Different chapters of the book focus on one of three friends or the villain. The reader gets the point of view of all four characters which is an interesting way to get all sides of the story. After reading the chapters told from Elizabeth's point of few, there is no question she is guilty of several terrible crimes. She matter-of-factly describes each new scheme without a pang of conscience, but the book is still very suspenseful because you don't know what she is going to do next. She manipulates everyone around her, but most people don't see through her because she is beautiful, charming, and says what people want to hear.

Of the three friends in the "Triple Threat Club", all are likeable, but I like Allison and Nicole a little more than Cassidy, who sometimes comes across as a bit shallow. The most fun scenes in the book are those in which the three women get together to talk about their cases/assignments and their personal lives.

The publisher of the book is Thomas Nelson, a company that publishes many Christian books. However, "Heart of Ice" reads like a typical mainstream suspense novel, although there are fewer scenes with graphic violence, which is fine with me. Allison often prays to help deal with several problems in her personal life and occasionally mentions her faith, but it is done naturally and fits with the story. It isn't distracting and doesn't come across as fake or preachy as in some Christian fiction.

While this is the third book in this series, the storyline stands on its own. There are references to events that happened in the two prior books, but new readers are given enough information to be able to enjoy this installment even if they are new to the series. Readers who like James Patterson's "Women's Murder Club" series will want to give "Heart of Ice" a try.

I really enjoyed the woven web the author created between the serial killer, her past, and her manipulation of people in the present. This was a quick read that kept me engrossed. The parts that lost me were with the three friends (Nicole, Allison, and Cassidy). I liked their friendship and for the most part I really liked how they were woven into the story. What I didn't like was:

1) I did not enjoy Nicole's bout with breast cancer. I thought that was a side story in and of itself and distracted from the whole serial killer aspect instead of complimenting it.

2) I didn't like how many relationships were introduced and then left hanging at the end of the book. For example, Leif and Nicole and Lindsay and Allison.

3) Another story line I just didn't think fit in was Allison's miscarriage at the beginning of the book. I thought the book could have completely left this out, as it really didn't add to the whole serial killer story line.

I enjoyed the book and it did keep me reading. I just couldn't decide if the author wanted to write a mystery/suspense novel or a girls gossip novel.

Heart of Ice by Lis Weihl and April Henry

Heart of Ice is the third book by Lis and April in their Triple Threat series. The Triple Threat is a group of three woman, Allison (a federal prosecutor), Nicole (FBI agent), and Cassidy (crime news reporter) who are extremely close friends. Previously I had read Face of Betrayal, which is the first book in the series, and which I did not care for. However, I won a copy of Heart of Ice through an online giveaway, and decided to give it a chance (and yes, I realize I'm not the intended audience for this novel, though I hope you still find my review helpful).

Elizabeth Avery is a new exercise instructor with a dark past and dating an extremely rich man. However, her lover is divorced, and his wife seems to constantly want more money. So Elizabeth devises a way to silence her, with the help of a childhood friend who has a criminal record associated with arson. Can Triple Threat catch Elizabeth before it's too late?

I had mixed feelings on Heart of Ice. I liked that even though I skipped the second book, I could jump right into this one. Aside from perhaps a few bits of character development, I didn't really miss anything. The plot is self contained within this novel, and I didn't get the sense of an overarching storyline.

The story was also a lot stronger as well, and the pacing kept the story moving briskly along (which was one of my complaints about the first novel). The climax (another weak element of the first novel) was also satisfying, and one of the strongest parts of the story because I really wanted to know what happened next.

The rest of the book, wasn't quite as exciting as the climax was. We are introduced rather quickly to the `killer,' or in this case, the person planning the murder. This takes away some of the element of surprise and intrigue. Most books of this genre seem to be driven by the desire to locate the killer, a desire held not only by the characters but by the readers. To be introduced to the killer in the first few chapters was a surprise. And I don't think it was a good one.

There was also a large abundance of themes found in this story, though they were handled better than the first novel. One of the themes was that of breast cancer. It seems an extremely relevant theme, not only because the characters and women slowly approaching middle age, but also because the main audience for this story seems to be women of the same age. It is a theme dealt with honestly, though sometimes the descriptions are a bit too detailed and clinical for my taste.

One of the subplots in this novel started out extremely interesting. Nicole is investigating possible crimes committed by a young doctor. It served as a good balance to the story with Elizabeth, since there were a lot more questions regarding the outcome of it. However, half way through the novel it dropped out completely. There didn't seem to be any sort of solid resolution to it, and I never found out how in ended. A small part of me thinks it will return in a fourth novel, but given that most of these stories seem rather self contained, I'm doubtful.

Some of the descriptions seem either unnecessary or long winded. During one scene at the gym, one of the characters bemoans that her chin got `stuck' in her cleavage while doing a particular exercise. Really? Did I need to know that? It jarred me out of the story. It added nothing to the story, and though I assume it was an attempt at character building, I didn't think it helped at all.

Finally, some of the characters seemed flat. Outside of the main three characters, the cast of this novel felt very shallow. There were many times where we were told things about a character, but we weren't shown very much. Supporting characters often felt stale and I got the impression that they were merely props so that a more important character could rattle on about things pertaining to the plot.

Still, if you were a fan of the first two books, I think you'll find plenty you'll like about Heart of Ice. And as I said earlier, the climax is truly one of the most thrilling parts of the book and actually had me at the edge of my seat while reading it, and which made me enjoy this book more that than the first. And if you're a first time reader interested, I'd still recommend the first book, merely to be introduced the characters, and then it probably won't matter as much which book you read next.

3/5 stars

Heart of Ice has the subtitle of "A Triple Threat Novel", which should clue you in immediately that it is a series installment. I believe that if you have not read any of the previous Triple Threat books you won't feel overly lost. There were some behind the scenes details on the relationships of the 3 main characters that felt like they'd probably been explained in a previous book, but not having them didn't hinder the enjoyment of this book. The three main characters, Allison, Nicole, and Cassidy are a prosecutor, an FBI agent, and a reporter respectively. In addition to being former high school classmates and current friends, the three pool their resources to solve crimes. If this sounds like the basis behind Patterson's Women's Murder Club to you, you'd be right. The formula is very much the same and the book has the same feel to it as the books in that series, with the exception of this including some minor mention of God and prayer (it being published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher - however, the Christian themes are not overt, nor are they preachy - so if that type of thing would turn you off, it's unlikely to raise a flag in this case.) My only major issue with this book is that they spend the first half discussing a case in great detail and then as the "main" events of the book finally get started, the other just disappears with a passing mention at the end, but no resolution. I'm not sure if that's intended to tie the books together and it'll crop up again later on in future books (or if it started in previous ones and this was a continuation) but from the "stand alone" perspective, it was frustrating to get all this detail and then have the case just drop off the map. Otherwise, this was a fun, fast read with a reasonably predictable ending. If you like James Patterson's Women's Murder Club books and are looking for more in that genre, this would be a good choice (though I'd probably go ahead and start with the first novel so you can see how the women reunited.)

Lis Wiehl is a New York Times best selling author of mysteries and thrillers. She is a Harvard School graduate and former federal prosecutor. She has written several Triple Threat Novels.
In this novel Elizabeth Avery could very well be the girl next door. She is has an award winning smile and a flattering figure but on the inside a heart of ice. What she has planned, no one would expect. At first the crimes appear random, but they are more than that and they have one element in common - A Woman! Elizabeth is the master at manipulating and using the people around her to accomplish her scheme. She is a sociopath. It takes a Prosecutor, Special Agent, and Crime Reporter who are much closer to the killer than they know to solve this mystery.

If you love mysteries, this book will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. It is full of suspense, action, and mystery. At the end there are some discussion questions that offer great food for thought about the things in our society, such as the justice system, how should you deal with a sociopath, addictions and much more. What does God say about these issues and dealing with them? How does He want us involved in helping?

Authors website: Lis Weihl

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers via their Book Sneeze Program for bloggers. I am not required to give a positive review.

Nicole (an FBI agent), Cassidy (a TV reporter), and Allison (a prosecutor) are best friends and a triple threat to crime. When the Want Ad Killer attacks several ladies in the area, the three are on the case. While they investigate the murders, they become unaware of a psychopath Elizabeth who has wormed her way into their lives, pretending to be a friend while orchestrating events to get what she wants. Will the three friends be able to discover Elizabeth's plan before another person dies?

My thoughts: This is the first book I've read in the series, so I felt a little disconnected from the characters, who were probably developed through the first two books. (I am a character-driven reader.) I love the idea of their friendship and their careers intermingling, but I felt like I didn't really know them. However, the character of Elizabeth was well-developed and quite interesting....her manipulation to have others do her dirty work was fascinating. The action was face-paced and full of twists and turns. This fast read is sure to keep your attention from the first to the last page.

Fans of action packed suspense will love this book, but I do suggest reading the books in order. I do plan to go back and read Face of Betrayal and Hand of Fate.

I received this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the series, something I didn't know when I chose it. I think it would benefit readers to read the others in the series first - not for the story but so you can better "bond" with the characters.

Elizabeth is fascinating and very well written. I disliked her immensely, but I couldn't take my eyes off my Kindle when she was there. I wanted to see what she would do next.

The "triple threat" all did their jobs well and were pretty realistic. Their friendship didn't get in the way of the case (I've known some books that have done that - and it becomes more about the friendship than the mystery). The problem was that I hadn't read the other novels so the relationship felt somewhat shallow to me.

Although this is put out by a Christian publisher, one of the three is very anti-religion and one is a Christian who mentions she prays every now and then. There is no Christian themes or people accepting Christ, no prayers, sermons or anything like that in the book. This could just as easily have been published by a secular publisher.

It was an interesting story the pacing was good throughout. I want to thank Thomas Nelson for providing my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Heart of Ice
By Lis W. Wiehl and April Henry

Elizabeth Avery is bent on vengeance - do it her way, or she'll take you out of the way. She operates flawlessly when she commits crimes, covering her tracks, or using someone else to do her dirty work. But, when she kills a young investigative reporter, she draws the attention of crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, and her friends Federal Prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI Special Agent Nicole Hedges. As the "Triple Threat Club" works to put the clues together, will they realize they are in close contact with the culprit, before Elizabeth knows they're on to her?

This book had me from the first chapter. The authors did a great job of making the characters real and believable - drawing the reader into the story. I love how the authors mix faith into the equation, while not making the Christian's life out to be always rosy, and never troublesome. The storyline is well written and engaging. Makes you wonder what the people around you are REALLY like behind their "perfect" façade. I give this book an A - great read! You'll love it!

The publisher provided a free e-book copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Review by Jill Williamson

Elizabeth Avery is a sociopath. She wants what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. The Triple Threat ladies--Allison-federal prosecutor, Nicole-FBI agent, and Cassidy-news reporter--have no idea who Elizabeth really is and how she is playing everyone in her deadly "game."

I loved the first two mysteries in this series. But this one was totally different. It read like a suspense novel, not a mystery. The Triple Threat ladies are there, and it was fun to read what was going on in their lives. But there was no mystery in this story for the reader. We knew who the criminal was from the start. And it was really tough to read her point of view scenes. They were powerfully written, but I just didn't want to. I guess I'm not so comfortable being inside the mind of a sociopath. I wanted to skim her parts but couldn't, because her scenes were the ones with the story in them, if that makes sense. So while I'm glad I read this book, because I love the Triple Threat ladies, it was a tough read and not my favorite way of telling a mystery.

Imagine pitting your wits against a killer who kills without a second thought.

Imagine that this killer is a sociopath skilled at presenting herself as a model citizen.

Now, imagine that this killer is your new best friend.

You've now put yourself in the shoes of Cassidy Shaw, television crime reporter and one of the three protagonists in this new work by Wiehl. Cassidy's two friends-FBI agent Nicole Hedges and federal prosecutor Allison Pierce-round out the trio. After reuniting at a high school reunion, the three friends realize their common interest in crime and justice and pool their talents and resources.

The book isn't so much a whodunit as a howendit. We know who the killer is from the beginning (before she kills anyone, actually). Problem is, we know Cassidy has began a friendship with her, and that Nicole's nine-year-old takes private swim lessons from her. So therein lies the tension: when will the sociopath begin to threaten our heroines?

I quite enjoyed Heart of Ice. It has its thrills and suspense, but it's also heavy on drama, always leaning more on the dynamics between the three friends and their personal struggles than the body count.

In accordance with Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, I am disclosing that I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My opinions are my own, and I am not required to write a positive review.

This is the third novel in the Triple Threat series by Lis Wiehl, and I have to say, that for me, each one gets better. This is called a Fast-paced thriller, and it did indeed move along quickly and kept me reading and interested. Heart of Ice has as its villain a woman who is a sociopath, and like most sociopath, could be the person living next door. They fit in easily with others, and don't look at all like the murderers they are. Although, what does a murderer look like? In Heart of Ice, Cassidy befriends Elizabeth, a lady teaching a fitness class, and becomes involved with her as a friend. She also invites Nicole and Allison to join her in the fitness class and they too meet Elizabeth but are not as enamored of her as Cassidy is. When Elizabeth kills a young crime reporter who works with Cassidy, Nicole and Allison get involved with Cassidy in trying to find her killer. The way Elizabeth uses and manipulates people to do her bidding is frightening, and she does so with no conscience. She has no intention of getting caught and is quite good at being able to hide in plain sight. A scary thought when you consider the fact that someone you know could be just like her. A very good book and a fast paced read. I believe if you read this novel you will not be sorry.

This is a fiction suspense/thriller novel, book number three in a series called "The Triple Threat Club". I have not read a fictional suspense crime novel in such a long time and am so happy that I picked this one up, it was SO GOOD! The story is based in Portland, Oregon, and centers around a sociopath female killer (Sissy, aka Elizabeth) and the Triple Threat Club members (all female): a newscaster, an FBI agent, and a prosecutor. Elizabeth doesn't let anyone stand in the way of her goals and aspirations, and is malicious to the extreme of murder to maintain her lifestyle. Elizabeth's life becomes enter twined with that of the women of the triple threat club as she spins her web and entices the reporter to be her best friend, all the while committing and masterminding crimes that the FBI agent is investigating. Although there are Christian undertones, I would not characterize this as a Christian novel, and the book has very mature and graphic topics. I personally loved this book and thought that the author did a great job keeping me totally captivated and would recommend that if you like crime or suspense novels to read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of Lis Wiehl's Heart of Ice throught the Thomas Nelson Publishing Booksneeze blogger program in exchange for a review. I am not required to provide a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Heart of Ice is a book that will leave you wanting to know what happens next with every turn of the page. It is a Christian based crime novel that shows the story from many different persepectives at one time. The reader knows "who done it" all along, yet determining how the crime experts will put the pieces together is a mystery. In addition to the sometimes mind boggling crimes that are being committed, one of the main characters goes through a tragic life experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, storyline, and style of writing of Heart of Ice. The author kept the story going really well, and came to a satisfying conclusion. There are enough strings left untied to make the reader want to grab the next book in the series as soon as it is available, yet there are also enough strings tied up to not cause the reader to feel left in the cold at the conclusion of the book. I give it 4 stars out of 5

Who knew that knowing from the beginning who done it, would be so suspenseful? I never would have thought so until I read Heart of Ice by Lis Whiehl and April Henry. The Triple Threat Club ladies are drawn into a new suspense in Heart of Ice, that literally will give you chill bumps as you read their story. I have always been a fan of Allison, Nicole, and Cassidy, and the way they work together in their respected fields of Prosecutor, FBI agent and News reporter to take on some of the worse crimes they have ever seen. These ladies put Charlie's Angels to shame!

Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl and April Henry take their rope of words and masterfully wrap them around you, and tie you up in tale to where you cannot put this book down until you know just exactly how Elizabeth Avery is caught. Reading how she manipulates those around her into doing what she wants, without ever really asking them to, strikes a chord of terror that reaches all the way to the bone. I found myself with my heart racing turning page after page even though I knew I should be sleeping, because I had work the next day!

This is the third book in the Triple Threat series by new author Lis Weihl. I read her first book when it came out and was pleasantly surprised. Since then, I have been looking forward to each new book she writes.

In Heart of Ice, we read about Nicole, Cassidy, and Allison and their quest to get the bad guy, or in this story, the bad girl, Elizabeth. This bad girl is a character that we love to hate. She is manipulative, selfish, greedy, and downright mean.

What I like about these books is that the drama and suspense is not mired by excessive violence and smut. There is some violence as there is a murder to solve but even then it is not gruesome. There were some unexpected twists which I liked. All too often, I can predict the end of the book but not this one.

This book will not stay on my bookshelf long as I have friends who have been wanting to read it, too. Maybe I should just make them buy their own copy?

To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, I must post that Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. I also must say that the opinions are all mine.

I recently ordered a book from BookSneeze.com called Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl. I was so excited to be getting this book after reading the info about it.

This book is the third in a series called Triple Threat Novels by Lis Wiehl. It follows the lives of three women: Nicole, an FBI agent; Allison, a federal prosecuter; and Cassidy, a reporter at the local news station, as they hunt for the truth and catch the bad guys.

Unfortunately, I personally found it hard to follow the trails of the three main characters and the psychopath killer they are trying to stop.

Each chapter is about a different person and it goes back and forth between the characters. This caused me to have trouble seeing a fluid picture in my mind of what was taking place.

Heart of Ice seems to focus too much on the psychopath and not enough on the three women charged with catching her. I did not even finish this book because I was already so untouched by the characters that I did not even feel the need to know if the perpetrator was caught.

Every author wants to be able to reach out and grab the reader and keep his or her interest so that the reader is anxious to turn the page and find out what happens next. This book did not do that to me. The beginning grabbed me and made me want to turn the page and find out what happens next but by the time I got halfway through the book, I had slowly lost interest.

I like the idea for this book. I love reading about women that work in powerful positions and use that power for good.