Heroes in Suspense: Do They Have to Be in Law Enforcement?

 

Heroes in Suspense: Do They Have to Be in Law Enforcement?

Let me guess.

When you picture a suspense hero, you probably see a badge, a weapon, and a man who hasn’t slept well since chapter three.

Or a heroine that’s independent, tough as nails, and doesn’t need a man to save her.

I love a good FBI agent or small-town cop as much as the next suspense reader. Christian romantic suspense is full of them. Law enforcement heroes are popular for a reason. Because they feature built-in access, authority, and a believable reason to run straight toward danger while everyone else is running away.

But here’s the question we’re asking today.

Do suspense heroes have to be in law enforcement?

Short answer?
Nope. Not even close.

Why do authors like our Suspense Sisters so often put their heroes in law enforcement or military roles?

Those professions naturally intersect with crime, justice, and protecting the innocent—core themes in Christian suspense. A badge gives a hero training, legal authority, access to pertinent information, and a built-in sense of duty.

From a storytelling perspective, it’s efficient and familiar. Readers know what to expect, and the stakes are clear from page one. These heroes naturally sit at the intersection of crime and conflict. They carry weapons (so we can have shoot-outs), they understand criminal behavior, and they believably face danger every day. 

It’s not strange for them to come face to face with the world’s worst.

Something that most of us, at least hope, will never be a part of our repertoire. Unless you’re my husband who has been known to chase down or at least tail a bad guy or two. Including, but not limited to, “kidnappers” who turned out to be parents letting their kids run off an overload of holiday sugar before bedtime. (Long story. In the end, the parents thanked us for looking out for their kids.)

Here’s the truth that unlocks the genre:

A suspense hero doesn’t need a badge. They need a reason to act.

A great Christian romantic suspense hero or heroine needs:

• A reason they can’t walk away
• Something precious to lose
• The courage to act even when they’re afraid
• A moral compass grounded in faith
• Believable proximity to danger or mystery

That’s it.

A badge can support those things, but it doesn’t create them.

Some of the Most Compelling Heroes Don’t Wear Badges

One thing I love most about Christian romantic suspense is how often the hero and/or heroine is an ordinary person placed in extraordinary danger.

When a civilian faces danger:

• They don’t have backup on speed dial
• They don’t always know the rules
• They can make mistakes that cost dearly

Think about:

• A journalist uncovering corruption and realizing the truth could cost her life
• A pastor or missionary protecting someone targeted for their faith
• A search-and-rescue volunteer racing against time in the wilderness
• A cybersecurity expert who stumbles onto something dark and powerful
• A former soldier who’s laid down his weapon—until God asks him to pick it back up

These characters don’t chase danger because it’s their job.
They step into it because walking away isn’t an option.

And honestly? That kind of hero hits harder.

They have to rely on God—and on each other.

That vulnerability deepens both the suspense and the romance. When two people are clinging to faith while everything around them feels unsafe, love grows faster, deeper, and more sacrificial.

Which feels pretty spot-on for Christian fiction, doesn’t it?

A law enforcement hero may feel called to serve through duty.
A civilian hero often feels called to serve through sacrifice.

Both matter. Both are powerful. But that second one? It carries a quiet, soul-deep kind of courage that lingers with readers long after the last page.

All that said—law enforcement heroes absolutely still belong in suspense.

Whether that hero wears a badge, carries a camera, pulls a fire hose, or kneels in prayer before stepping into danger—that’s up to the story. Sometimes the most powerful heroes are the ones who never expected God to call them into the fight. Sometimes the most unforgettable heroes are the ones who never expected to be heroes at all.

My upcoming novel, The Escape Game, is a Christian romantic suspense story about ordinary people facing extraordinary danger.

I didn’t want a hero who stepped into danger because it was his job.

I wanted characters who were pulled into a fight they never asked for. People whose faith is tested not in safe spaces, but in moments where trust in God is the only way forward.

In The Escape Game, the danger isn’t theoretical. The stakes are personal. Choices cost something. And the heroes—both Liam and Demi—must rely on faith, courage, and each other to survive.

They’re forced into a situation where every decision matters, every mistake tightens the trap, and escape isn’t guaranteed. There are no badges to flash, no authority to fall back on—only faith, grit, and a growing trust between two people who don’t have anyone to rely on but a God who sees the whole board when all they can see is the next move.

Because sometimes the most gripping suspense isn’t about catching the villain.

It’s about whether you’ll trust God enough to take the next step—when escape feels impossible. When the pressure is on and the stakes are life and death, faith becomes the only way forward.

The Escape Game releases May 5th, and the cover reveal is coming soon. I can’t wait to share more with you. For now, here’s the blurb.

When puzzle shop owner Demi Kayne cracks the code her father left behind before he vanished twenty years ago, it leads her to a secluded mansion— and into a deadly trap. Teaming up with Liam Shepherd, a missionary searching for his missing sister, they must navigate a maze of twisted puzzles and buried secrets. But the sinister mastermind who designed the game is always one step ahead… and escaping may cost more than their lives.

Giveaway: I'm giving away an eBook copy of The Puzzle Within to one commenter. To enter, answer this question: Which do you enjoy more? Law Enforcement Heroes? Or Civilian Heroes?  

Gina Holder is a Christian award-winning author of romantic suspense and cozy mysteries filled with faith, intrigue, danger, romance, and epic twists you'll never see coming.

She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. 

She loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Wyoming with her husband and daughter. 

https://linktr.ee/storiesbygina