Book Title: If I’m Found (If I Run #2)
Author: Terri Blackstock
Series: If I Run
Genres: Christian Fiction, Suspense, Mystery
Published: March 21st 2017 by Zondervan
Synopsis:
Is Dylan hunting Casey to prosecute her or protect her?
Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn’t commit. Dylan Roberts—her most relentless pursuer—is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He’s let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn’t come easily.
As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who’s also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture—and if she’s captured, she has no doubt she’ll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.
In this riveting sequel to the USA Today bestseller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows . . . but there is light shining in the darkness. Is Dylan a provision from the God who loves her, or another heartache yet to happen?
Again, we are taken along for Casey Cox’s ride as a fugitive and only suspect in an alleged crime she did not commit, the murder of her friend Brent. Casey along with Dylan Roberts, the private investigator hired to find her and who ultimately becomes her best ally, make attempts to out crooked cops, Keegan and Rollins, who have blood on their hands for the staged death of her father and most likely Brent’s life as well.
It did take a little bit for this installment to take off, but there is plenty of suspense and intensity throughout. For an individual who is going to great lengths to remain undercover, Casey tends to do some pretty foolish things. Why her sister recognized this before she did baffled me. The author again paints the picture of Casey’s intense need to care for others and do what is morally right being a great hindrance on her survival. Without spoilers, some of the occurrences throughout the book are easily predictable and the side-plots seem a bit far fetched, but I suppose it’s needed in the story line. There were also potions of the book that made me feel uneasy. I always have a large discomfort when child molestation is brought up in a book, or any harm towards a child for that matter. Thankfully the author does not go into great detail on this horrific topic, but it still made me feel uncomfortable each time it was brought up.
Although it was quite obvious this was bond to happen, I am a sucker for love and love that Casey and Dylan found something meaningful in one another. It’s made me eager to see the lengths he will go to clear her name. I felt that the author also revealed that they brought a sense of comfort to each other, almost in the way that their union will help them to heal from their tragic pasts. Terri Blackstock did a wonderful job of creating two characters that you cannot help but route for. I also appreciated that she has entangled a few chapters from Keegan’s point of view in this installment to stir up more hatred emotions towards this villain with an “untouchable” complex.
I initially wanted to turn away from reading this series upon noting this literature is considered Christian Fiction. I most definitely am not one who practices or preaches. In my opinion the inclusion of Christianity is minimal and its teachings are not something that is personified throughout If I Run. Thus, I pressed on with the If I Run series. However, If I’m Found is a bit more Christian-preachy as you get toward the latter half of the book. This kind of turned me off, but I will press on with the continuation of this series as I am interested to see how the story continues to unfold. I am hopefully that Casey will have her freedom back at the conclusion of book #3, If I Live (expected in March 2018.)
P.S.: I think it’s important to make light of something that Terri Blackstock subliminally brings up within the book, our obsessions with our phones and social media. Every time Lydia’s neglect of her son was mentioned I felt such intense hated for her. Lydia does not play a substantial role in the book, and to be honest I felt the author merely wrote her in not only to show the emotional longing Casey has to be reunited with her family, but to make a point on yet another misfortunate characteristic in society.
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