Burden of Proof

Written by DiAnn Mills

Narrated by Cynthia Farrell

Reeling from a negotiation gone wrong, FBI Special Agent April Ramos is caught off guard when a frazzled young woman shoves a crying baby into her arms, then disappears. Worry for the child's safety quickly turns to fear when a man claiming to be the girl's father abducts them at gunpoint. April puts her hostage negotiation skills to use to learn more about who she's dealing with: Jason Snyder, a fugitive accused of murder. As Jason spins a tall tale about being framed for the killing of his business partner, April must sort through his claims to find the truth. A truth that becomes all the more evident after April overhears a conversation between Jason and the local sheriff and realizes something more sinister may be happening in their small town of Sweet Briar, Texas. But aligning herself with a known fugitive to uncover the burden of proof could cost April her job . . . or worse, her life and the lives of other innocent people.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 9, 2018
• ISBN: 9781980012337

DiAnn Mills

Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is the author of Nebraska Legacy, the Texas Legacy series, and many other novels. She is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and lives in Houston, Texas.

Reviews for Burden of Proof

[Bethany Nelson Mabin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great characters and plot. Kept me interested the whole time.

[kburne1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this book and looking forward to the next in the series.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this romantic suspense with so many twists and turns. I had a hard time putting this book down. I loved the characters. I love reading books with FBI agents. It is interesting to see how they might truly work. April and Jason have to go through a lot of adversity before everything ends. I received a copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[nadinec.keels · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In a bizarre and unsettling moment, a frustrated woman shoves a crying baby into the arms of Special Agent April Ramos and then disappears. Right afterwards, a man who says he's the baby's father abducts April and the child at gunpoint. After learning that the man, Jason Snyder, is a fugitive accused of murder, April will have to find out the truth of the situation—fast—in Burden of Proof by author DiAnn Mills.This author has pretty much become my go-to for romantic suspense. While I enjoy suspense with little or no romance just fine, I've yet to read a book by this author that I didn't either like or love.Now, I'll admit this one had a bumpy start for me. Through the first quarter or so, I had some trouble making technical and emotional sense of the story. And because I couldn't get too good of a handle on Jason and his logic for some time, I wasn't feeling him.I'll further admit that I didn't buy into the romance. In most cases, I have a hard time with stories where the hero or heroine is "finding God" for the first time while simultaneously getting romantically involved with someone. Because both of these brand new relationships require such soul-deep connections, adjustments, and commitments, I can't help thinking that if one relationship hits a big bump too soon, the other one (or both) might not stick, especially when both relationships formed over just a few days.Besides that, yes, I know it's fiction, but if desperation drives a man to abduct and proceed to order a woman around by threatening her with a gun (while she's holding his baby, no less), I just don't see the abductor becoming a wise or fitting option for a romantic partner, and certainly not in less than a week's time. Sure, he may not be a bad person at heart, but he's shown what he's capable of in a crisis. What happens the next time a huge crisis blindsides him and he again becomes desperate?If you've not heard of Stockholm syndrome, when hostages form an emotional bond with their captors, you may want to look it up.Anyhow. With all that said, I still enjoyed the suspense storyline in this novel, and I found the heroine relatable in other ways. I'll be keeping my eyes open for the next book in this series.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Once you turn the first page this book is going to pull you in and keep you right to the end, there is non-stop action, and we don’t know who will survive to the end.Blew my mind how this all turned out and I never saw it coming, the book is full of surprises, and not all good ones.A don’t miss mystery with some clean romance, and hope for the future.I received this book throu

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Burden of Proof, DiAnn Mills’ latest romantic suspense novel, begins with action and continues to give the reader a twisting reading ride throughout. A kidnappings lead an unjustly accused businessman and an FBI hostage negotiator to join forces to uncover the truth of corrupt officials in a small eastern Texas town. Likable characters, a puzzling mystery, and fast-paced plotting make this one a recommended read.While I always love the suspenseful stories that Mills creates, with Burden of Proof being no exception, the characterization in this novel is its strongest element. Main characters April Ramos and Jason Snyder are believable in their reactions to the situation they find themselves in and interactions with each other. They make a great team in more ways than one. Secondary characters, both the good guys and bad, are interesting and add depth to the small town feel of the novel. There’s an FBI connection, but April and Jason often find themselves on their own in their quest for truth and justice. The two characters’ relationship develops amidst the car crashes, explosions, and danger that seems to lurk around every corner. As stated, April is a hostage negotiator, and I think Mills got that part of the story spot-on. There’s great insight into the dynamics of managing difficult situations and exploration of the motives and thinking of criminals and victims. The spiritual journeys of both Jason and April are intriguing as well, and I found they unfolded naturally. Jason must come to grips with the anger that has accompanied his life and April discovers relationship rather than religion.For fans of romantic suspense, this novel is a must-read. I really liked Burden of Proof. It kept me guessing and turning the pages!Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)