Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal

Last Saturday, I stopped by the local Christian book store. My original plan was simply to browse, maybe look for the non-fiction book one of the ladies from my Bible study group back in Oklahoma recommend to me. When my eyes landed on Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal, I froze in my tracks. This was the book I’d been waiting to read then completely forgot about in the craziness that was my wedding and move to Nebraska. Needless to say, I snatched it off the shelf, bought it, and began reading it right away. 

One of the things I really love about Hannibal’s books are his colorful characters, and Elysium Tide did not disappoint in that area. All of his characters are so different and true-to-life without crossing that fine line into the realm where you think to yourself ‘the author worked way too hard to try and make his/her characters interesting.’ I think the thing I enjoyed most–especially about the male main character–was that he wasn’t nice as a human. Truly, he was arrogant and rude and not in that charming Mr. Darcy kind of way, although his British accent did help me give him a bit of a pass, but he was so determined to do the right thing that I liked him in spite of his way of being in the world. By the end of the story, he’d undergone some change. Enough to make him a Mr. Darcy type but not enough to remove all the rough edges, and I really like that. Because how many of us will reach perfection here on earth? Pretty sure the answer is zero of us, so I felt like his growth in the book was realistic. 

The setting of Maui was amazing, and Hannibal can paint a beautiful word picture. I felt like I was amid the volcanoes. You’ll probably think I’m a weirdo, but Hawaii has never been on my list of vacation destinations. However, after reading Elysium Tide, I may have to reevaluate my travel wish list. 

Not only were the characters relatable and the setting breathtaking, but the action kept me guessing until the end. Without giving anything away, I only had half of the ending figured out before the truth was revealed at the end, and it felt good not having all the answers before I was supposed to. 

My favorite part was in the last few pages when it became apparent that there is more to the story. Unfortunately, that also means that I’ll have to endure an excruciating wait for book two in the series. 

This is my favorite suspense read of 2022 so far, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes fun characters and nail-biting suspense. 

Which vacation destination is at the top of your list? Mine’s England. Answer below for a chance to win a copy of Elysium Tide by James R. Hannibal. 

Linda is the winner of Buried Cold Case Secrets by Sami Abrams! I’ll send you a copy of the book through the email you provided.