Swope's Ridge

Written by Ace Collins

Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

September 12, 2001. Four members of the Klasser family are found dead outside Dallas, Texas. In the wake of 9/11, the Klassers’ neighbor, Omar Jones—an American citizen of Arab descent—is convicted of their murder.Could a sleepy hillside in Arkansas be the axis of international terror?With only a month before Jones’ execution, attorney Lije Evans searches for evidence that will prove the man innocent. But Evans’ quest goes deeper than solving one crime. He is determined to find the secret behind the dark history of sleepy Swope’s Ridge—and how it ties in with his wife’s murder.Interlocking mysteries lead Evans and his team to the dirt roads of Kansas and a rusty cargo ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, they discover a secret that offers the promise of great power—and the greatest temptation they’ve ever faced.Racism, betrayal, and death-defying escapes compound an adventure that knows no bounds in this harrowing second book in the Lije Evans Mysteries series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Oct 13, 2009
• ISBN: 9780310773023

Ace Collins

Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, He continues to publish several new titles each year, including a series of novels, the first of which is Farraday Road. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.

Reviews for Swope's Ridge

[brknhrt_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From the back of the book:September 12, 2001. Four members of the Klasser family are found dead outside Dallas, Texas. In the wake of 9/11, the Klassers’ neighbor, Omar Jones—an American citizen of Arab descent—is convicted of their murder.A month before Jones’ execution, attorney Lije Evans searches for evidence that will prove the man innocent. But Evans’ quest goes deeper than solving one crime. He is determined to find the secret behind the dark history of sleepy Swope’s Ridge—and how it ties into his wife’s murder.Interlocking mysteries lead Evans and his team to the battlegrounds of former Nazi Germany, the dirt roads of Kansas, and a rusty cargo ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, they discover a secret that offers the promise of great power—and the greatest temptation they’ve ever faced.In the second book of the Lije Evans Mysteries series, bestselling author Ace Collins immerses readers in an intricate and deadly international plot. Racism, betrayal, and death-defying escapes compound an adventure that knows no bounds in this harrowing novel for suspense lovers everywhere.My Review:Swope’s Ridge is a fast-paced mystery loaded with political intrigue. The main characters are likeable and interesting. I do wish I had read Farraday Road, the first of the “Lije Evans Mysteries”, before I read this one. Still, it was an interesting and entertaining mystery, and I will catch up with the first one next. I enjoyed that the characters considered matters of faith openly and with honest feelings that many people experience especially after the loss of a loved one. The mystery behind a piece of property spans all the way to Germany and involve events in the past. It is all brought together to a tidy conclusion. Look for the next Lije Evans Mystery to come.

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ace Collins is at the top of my list for suspense authors. I read Farrraday Road a few years back and loved it. It ended with a BIG cliffhanger and begged me to go on to Swope’s Ridge. Well, I finally dug into book 2 via Audible. Its fast-paced, twisting and turning plot didn’t let me down. So my recommendation to you is get both titles and prepare yourself for some page-turning reading.Swope’s Ridge opens with the closing action of Farraday Road. Lije Evans and his associates are still in danger from those who killed his wife. But the Nazi-era mystery exposed in book 1 gives way to a 9/11 terrorism case. How can a dead SS officer and a death row inmate possibly be connected? With clues pointing to the existence of a legendary Ark of Death, Lije and his team work to solve the case before more innocent lives are lost.Lije Evans is an interesting character. A small-town lawyer still grieving his wife’s death and in way over his head against powerful, unknown forces, he is determined to discover the reasons surrounding the inexplicable events that have impacted his life. With a shaky faith, Lije continues on despite threats and tragedy because the truth is so important. Lije struggles with the hidden plans and purposes of God – don’t we all — making him a relatable character. The ensemble cast in Swope’s Ridge is strong, and the reader may have a hard time discerning just who the good guys are. The plot is complex and certainly suspenseful, leaving this reader just as mystified as Lije. But all comes together in a satisfying ending. The Nazi-era history was interesting and cleverly tied into the modern-day action.I read the audiobook version of Swope’s Ridge. The narrator did a good job with pacing and voices.A great conclusion to the two-book series, Swope’s Ridge is definitely a recommended read.Recommended.Audience: adults.

[sheiladeeth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Swope’s Ridge, by Ace Collins, is second in the Lije Evan Mysteries series, following closely on the end of Farraday Road. It opens, rather like many TV series, with a “Previously in the Lije Evans Mysteries Series” page which sets a scene for what must surely have been a cliff-hanger ending in book one (though, not having read it, I’m uncertain whether the fateful shot rang out before or after the last page was turned). I felt slightly uncomfortable starting to read in the middle of a story, though the first scene, where an Arab American is arrested as a terrorist, certainly grabbed my attention, turning it well away from any thoughts of what I might have missed. Chapter ten brings the reader back to the fate of the erstwhile terrorist, now in jail awaiting execution, and at this point in the book I found myself hooked. While I, and the characters, would have liked to believe in Omar’s innocence, the evidence certainly seemed compelling. But leads are followed and the reader becomes suspicious of the truth just as Lije and his colleagues make their guesses. The racial profiling and easily excited fears of post 9-11 are well-depicted, with citizens and newspapers rallying against the lawyer who might dare “defend” a convicted terrorist. Characters from as far apart as Britain, Germany, Mexico and the Middle East bring their own thoughts to bear, and the story ends in a race against time to save far more lives than one. There’s a thread of faith in this book that’s nicely done, and very wisely not overdone. The reader is invited to question the characters' beliefs and motivations, but the author never threatens to preach. I found the story surprisingly satisfying, and despite my initial misgivings will hope to read Farraday Road as well some day. Lije Evans and friends are an interesting and enterprising group to read about.

[tmtrvlr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From the back of the book:September 12, 2001. Four members of the Klasser family are found dead outside Dallas, Texas. In the wake of 9/11, the Klassers’ neighbor, Omar Jones—an American citizen of Arab descent—is convicted of their murder.A month before Jones’ execution, attorney Lije Evans searches for evidence that will prove the man innocent. But Evans’ quest goes deeper than solving one crime. He is determined to find the secret behind the dark history of sleepy Swope’s Ridge—and how it ties into his wife’s murder.Interlocking mysteries lead Evans and his team to the battlegrounds of former Nazi Germany, the dirt roads of Kansas, and a rusty cargo ship in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, they discover a secret that offers the promise of great power—and the greatest temptation they’ve ever faced.In the second book of the Lije Evans Mysteries series, bestselling author Ace Collins immerses readers in an intricate and deadly international plot. Racism, betrayal, and death-defying escapes compound an adventure that knows no bounds in this harrowing novel for suspense lovers everywhere.My Review:Swope’s Ridge is a fast-paced mystery loaded with political intrigue. The main characters are likeable and interesting. I do wish I had read Farraday Road, the first of the “Lije Evans Mysteries”, before I read this one. Still, it was an interesting and entertaining mystery, and I will catch up with the first one next. I enjoyed that the characters considered matters of faith openly and with honest feelings that many people experience especially after the loss of a loved one. The mystery behind a piece of property spans all the way to Germany and involve events in the past. It is all brought together to a tidy conclusion. Look for the next Lije Evans Mystery to come.