REVIEW: "Secondary Targets" by Sandra Edwards

What if everything you held true and dear turned out to be a farce? What if you were forced to face up to the biggest regret of your life? Would you be able to leave your past behind in order to enter your future?

When a visit to her father's grave turns up the gravestone of a stranger, Grace is involuntarily thrown into the middle of a military cover-up that goes further than she could ever imagine. With surprises at every turn, this story contains mystery, suspense, and even a little romance. As Grace struggles to find answers to the questions that plague her, she finds herself reunited with a few close friends from her past. Together, they go on a journey that takes them across the country and back again, delving into their shared past and trying to change the future.

Sandra Edwards has created an engaging, suspenseful thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end. You'll want to read straight through to find out what happened to the General, and what this means for Grace and her friends. The characters, and their relationships with one another, are entertaining, and the secrets between them just may surprise you. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and the way it ends is very satisfying; just enough closure, with just enough left open for us to think about.

Although I really liked this story, there were a few things that impeded my enjoyment a bit. In my epub version, the font changed sizes in several sections. I only noticed this change about three or four times and it is a minor complaint, but it was a bit confusing, nevertheless. With regards to the writing, I felt some of the descriptions were extraneous and detracted from, rather than added to, the story. At times, it almost felt like the same sentence was written two different ways, when one way would have been more effective. Less is sometimes more. These minor issues, along with a few grammar errors, were not distracting enough to keep me from enjoying the story, but they did catch my attention.

Overall, a very fun read that is as entertaining as it is thrilling. I'm looking forward to exploring more of Sandra Edwards' books!

4/ 5 stars

Added 10/26/10: The author is attempting to change the font size discrepancy I noted, but can't see what I see, and neither can several of her acquaintances. I (still) see it on my Sony PRS-505 and also on my Sony "Reader Library" software. This is the only book in which I've noticed such size disparity, but perhaps it is a glitch that only affects my book. In any case, your mileage may vary with that point, but it's quite commendable that the author is working to correct this minor issue. Attention to detail is what makes a good author "great," in my opinion!