Not a bad first attempt and an enjoyable story. I think if you read it with the mindset that (1) it is very unsubtly a Christian novel and (2) it is aimed at teens, it is not too bad. ( )

Lis Wiehl, the author, is an attorney who was part of the Fox News team on the Bill O'Riley No Spin Zone. She has a second career as an author. This is a first novel in a series about a group of college friends who reignite their friendships after a reunion where they become interested in each other's careers. Cassidy Shaw is an ambitious inspiring reporter, Allison Pierce, a Federal Prosecutor and Nicole Hedges, an FBI Special Agent. They call themselves The Triple Threat Club, from a favorite chocolate dessert. The story centers around the disappearance of a 17 year old girl, Katie, who was part of the elite Senate page program. Home for the Christmas holiday, this very accomplished young lady disappeared after leaving her parents house to walk the dog. After investigation, it is revealed Katie was being mentored by a US Senator who may know more about Katie than he is revealing to the FBI. All three women have other issues in their lives that add to the drama with some intrigue. All three women are interested in the disappearance of Katie but for different reasons: the gripping news story, catching the person responsible for Katie's possible kidnapping and prosecuting any and all persons guilty of a crime....... I would try the 2nd book in the series.
It reads a little like a teen drama. ( )

I really liked the characters in this story. There were really good explanations about how the legal system works. The plot really reminded me of an actual case. I am not sure how I feel about that. I will probably read more in this series. ( )

A nice little mystery ripped from the headlines. Lis Wiehl uses her experiences as a federal prosecutor and television journalist, as well as her father's career as an FBI agent, to create three very different characters all fighting for the same goals.

The book takes place mostly in Portland, Oregon. Three women, who had known each other since high school, are re-united after their career paths once again converge. Allison, federal prosecutor, is the only one not to have left Portland. Married and trying to start a family, she seems the most stable of the trio. Firmly grounded in her Christian faith, Allison will not hesitate to turn to her pastor in times of trouble. Cassidy, the television news reporter, has worked her way up from small market news reporter to the mid market Portland news. Always looking for the angle that will be her big break, Cassidy always has a different take on events. Seeming to latch on to the latest new age fad, Cassidy seems to be struggling for acceptance. Nicole, the third in the triple threat club, is a black female FBI agent. She too had left Portland until her career path had re-united her with her friends. An unwed mother, the identity of her daughters father remains a well kept secret. An agnostic, Nicole thinks that both Allison and Cassidy are foolish for placing their faith in non-existent entities.

The mystery, and it is a very good one, starts when Katie Converse, a senate page home in Portland over the Christmas break, takes her dog out for a walk and never returns. The Converse family contacts Cassidy in order to garner publicity to help find their missing daughter. This publicity soon turns nationwide, and Cassidy thinks she has finally received her big break. Nicole has been assigned FBI liaison to the Converse family. Allison, as federal prosecutor, sets up a grand jury to investigate senator Fairview, Katie's sponsor in the page program and number one suspect in her disappearance.

The three meet regularly, just as friends normally will, and inevitably compare notes. They refer to themselves as "Triple Threat," as much for the dessert they share as for their three prong attack on crime. There are other things going on in their lives as well. Allison has been receiving death threats. Cassidy is involved in an abusive relationship, and Nicole finally has a love interest. But all three have an emotional connection to Katie Converse, and she takes center stage in their respective lives during the time the case remains active.

As I said earlier, the mystery was very good. I was a little surprised by the ending, but the clues were mostly present to solve the case. The problem I had with the book, and thus only 4 stars, were the characters. They seemed too stereotypical. The over-achieving television news woman, the double minority FBI agent who has to be twice as good as the next agent, and the firmly grounded federal prosecutor struggling to start a family. My next observation is that all three women should be big enough to float above the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. They always meet over food - burgers and fries, tacos, pizza, etc. - and always ends with some kind of exotic dessert which they share. These are probably minor discrepancies, however they did bother me enough to make an impact on my rating.

I would recommend this to fans of good mysteries and will read more of Ms. Wiehl's Triple Threat novels in the future.

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A nice little mystery ripped from the headlines. Lis Wiehl uses her experiences as a federal prosecutor and television journalist, as well as her father's career as an FBI agent, to create three very different characters all fighting for the same goals.

The book takes place mostly in Portland, Oregon. Three women, who had known each other since high school, are re-united after their career paths once again converge. Allison, federal prosecutor, is the only one not to have left Portland. Married and trying to start a family, she seems the most stable of the trio. Firmly grounded in her Christian faith, Allison will not hesitate to turn to her pastor in times of trouble. Cassidy, the television news reporter, has worked her way up from small market news reporter to the mid market Portland news. Always looking for the angle that will be her big break, Cassidy always has a different take on events. Seeming to latch on to the latest new age fad, Cassidy seems to be struggling for acceptance. Nicole, the third in the triple threat club, is a black female FBI agent. She too had left Portland until her career path had re-united her with her friends. An unwed mother, the identity of her daughters father remains a well kept secret. An agnostic, Nicole thinks that both Allison and Cassidy are foolish for placing their faith in non-existent entities.

The mystery, and it is a very good one, starts when Katie Converse, a senate page home in Portland over the Christmas break, takes her dog out for a walk and never returns. The Converse family contacts Cassidy in order to garner publicity to help find their missing daughter. This publicity soon turns nationwide, and Cassidy thinks she has finally received her big break. Nicole has been assigned FBI liaison to the Converse family. Allison, as federal prosecutor, sets up a grand jury to investigate senator Fairview, Katie's sponsor in the page program and number one suspect in her disappearance.

The three meet regularly, just as friends normally will, and inevitably compare notes. They refer to themselves as "Triple Threat," as much for the dessert they share as for their three prong attack on crime. There are other things going on in their lives as well. Allison has been receiving death threats. Cassidy is involved in an abusive relationship, and Nicole finally has a love interest. But all three have an emotional connection to Katie Converse, and she takes center stage in their respective lives during the time the case remains active.

As I said earlier, the mystery was very good. I was a little surprised by the ending, but the clues were mostly present to solve the case. The problem I had with the book, and thus only 4 stars, were the characters. They seemed too stereotypical. The over-achieving television news woman, the double minority FBI agent who has to be twice as good as the next agent, and the firmly grounded federal prosecutor struggling to start a family. My next observation is that all three women should be big enough to float above the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. They always meet over food - burgers and fries, tacos, pizza, etc. - and always ends with some kind of exotic dessert which they share. These are probably minor discrepancies, however they did bother me enough to make an impact on my rating.

I would recommend this to fans of good mysteries and will read more of Ms. Wiehl's Triple Threat novels in the future.

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