Dark Ambitions

Written by Irene Hannon

Narrated by Thérèse Plummer

Former Army Night Stalker Rick Jordan usually has his camp for foster children to himself during the winter months. But someone has visited recently--leaving a trail of blood. One of the two clues left behind tips Rick off to the identity of his visitor, who soon turns up dead. The police deem it an accident, but Rick isn't convinced. With the help of private investigator Heather Shields, he sets out to decipher the remaining clue. Except someone doesn't want them to succeed--and will stop at nothing to keep them from finding the truth. With her trademark psychological suspense ratcheting up the tension on every page, bestselling and award-winning author Irene Hannon takes you on a search for a cold-blooded killer with an ambitious goal and deadly intent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980052449

Irene Hannon

Two-time RITA Award winner Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of 40+ romance and romantic suspense novels. She has also won a National Readers’ Choice Award, a Carol Award, a HOLT Medallion, a Daphne du Maurier Award and 2 Reviewers’ Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews. Booklist named one of her novels a “Top 10 Inspirational Fiction” title for 2011. Visit www.irenehannon.com.

Reviews for Dark Ambitions

[peggy.s · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Dark Ambitions is a romantic thriller that grabs the interest of the reader on the first page – and never lets go. The action is fast, the characters are well-developed and extremely likeable, and the mystery is well paced. I especially liked the fact that it kept me guessing – I thought I had figured out the “bad guy” early in the book – but discovered later that I was wrong. I like being surprised by a book – and this did that. Dark Ambitions is the third book in Irene Hannon’s Code of Honor series, but is fine as a standalone novel. I was given this book through the LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars--I probably wouldn't reread it and that's the only reason I wouldn't give it a 5.The story grabbed my interest from the first chapter and didn't let up all the way through. I liked the structure of the PI firm and how all of them interact with each other. I also liked that Heather wasn't looked down on or have assumed that she needed help with the job from her male colleagues--though each member is willing to help the others when called on or needed. The romance part of the story wasn't overdone or belabored, which was nice, though it does utilize the "he's a client and I can't get involved with a client" plot point that I usually find predictable. I think in this case, since the author had them both realize their attraction to each other and didn't make either one too afraid to ask the other if he/she felt the same way, it kind of broke the predictable pattern from other books that have used this idea. Yes, they still kept dating to a minimum while she was doing the investigation. I also liked that Heather was upfront with her colleagues about her feelings for Rick. (I do question whether 4 people from the same small business would each find true love with a client--stranger things have happened, but the probability seems low that it would.)I had the main villain narrowed down to three characters before the halfway point in the book and later correctly eliminated one of them. I guessed the wrong one of the two I had remaining for what happens in the main plot, though none of the three were without skeletons in their closets.

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

This is a wonderful story in a wonderful series. This had a great amount of romance and even more suspense. I love the recurring characters and hope there are more books in this series. I love the twists and turns that made you wonder who the murderer really was. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book has all of the elements of classic suspense fiction! Non-stop action, constant doubts about 'Who dun it?', and an ending that kept my adrenaline at warp speed! Irene Hannon wraps up her Code of Honor series with an outstanding conclusion and it will make you want to go back to read the first two books, if you haven't already. Dark Ambitions is a tale of ambition gone bad and it is filled with kidnapping, sabotage, murder, and obsessive love. There is, however, a reminder that integrity and goodness still prevail in our world today as Army veteran Rick Jordan and private investigator Heather Shields work together to uncover the reason behind the murders of several innocent people. What has been covered up for so long and who needs for it to remain hidden? It is during this case that Rick and Heather realize that they may both want more than just a work collaboration in their futures!This book is filled with good versus evil and obsessive, destructive love versus healthy, unselfish love. I recommend Dark Ambitions to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction and romantic suspense. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell but a positive review was not required. These are my own thoughts.

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Irene Hannon is my go-to author for romantic suspense, and her latest book, Dark Ambitions, vaulted to the top of my favorites by her. In the third book of the Code of Honor series, Hannon adds a hefty dose of sizzle to the suspense. With the perfect blend of romance and mystery, this book was unputdownable. I give it a highly recommended rating.Rick Jordan, ex-Army Night Stalker and the third member of the Treehouse Gang introduced in the first two books of the series, is the focus of Dark Ambitions. Determined to help a missing friend from his service days, Rick employs Heather Shields, a PI with the Phoenix group. (If you are a fan of Hannon’s Private Justice series, you will love seeing those characters again.) The mystery is very complex, and there are a number of suspicious characters to choose from. Various secrets and private agendas add to the twists and turns this novel takes. I loved reading the first person POV of the unnamed bad guy hoping to ferret out clues to just whodunit. Rick and Heather join forces in the case, and their attraction begins right at the start. Kudos on the chemistry that Hannon created. Both characters are believers and place their trust in God’s sovereignty.Dark Ambitions can easily be read as a standalone novel, but the whole series is excellent. I suggest you begin at the beginning — perfect for binge-reading goodness!Highly Recommended.Audience: adults.(Thanks to Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

[hischild_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Let me preface this review by saying that Irene Hannon has become one of my favorite writers of Christian Romantic Suspense. She creates strong plots that are resolved using equally strong characters and always demonstrates a strong Christian theme extolling the virtues of morality and the triumph of good over evil. I am always eagerly awaiting the release of a new book by her and was thrilled to learn that I had won this one on Library Thing. In fact, I was getting ready to pre-order it when I got news that I had won it.That said, I have to say that Dark Ambitions is not one of my favorite books. The plot seemed a bit weaker than is customary and I could not connect with the characters at all. The heroine did not seem to be as well-developed as most of the main characters in Irene Hannon's books. I love the way that characters from her previous books show up in the newer books. It is like reconnecting with an old friend.Even though this is not one of my favorite books by this author, it is still far beyond what can be found on many bookshelves and is still a worthwhile reading experience.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

f you enjoy good clean Christian mystery and suspense, this one is a must! From the first page the author drew me in and didn’t let go, and held me right though the epilogue!There is almost non-stop action here, and I found myself holding my breath, more than a few times. You will find surprises here and as the facts begin to unfold, a bit of sweet romance.I was, tongue in cheek, blown away when the bombshells began falling!I have read many books by Irene Hannon, and this one rates right at the top, and now I can’t wait for the next!I received this book through the Publisher Revell blogger program, and was not required to give a positive review.

[simmmba · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First things first...."Dark Ambitions" by Irene Hannon is book 3 in the "Men of Valor" series. I had not read either of the first two books, and had no problem jumping right in with this one. The author does a fabulous job of catching the reader up on everything you need to know without making you feel overwhelmed or confused.Now, on to the substance of this book itself. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed "Dark Ambitions". This is a Christian Romantic Suspense title, and it lives up to the genre in all three senses of the phrase. The two main characters are clearly Christians, and live their lives as such. However, they never come across as preachy in any way. They are just good people, living out what they believe. As such, both characters provide great role models for living out your faith in your everyday life.Of course, there is a budding romance between the two, and it is written beautifully. I cannot express how much I appreciate the author writing a clean, believable, honest, trope-free romance between two people who are obviously meant for each other. There are no silly misunderstandings, no overhearing-something-and-misinterpreting plotlines, no hate-at-first-sight-leads-to-love unrealistic changes of mind. Two people meet, like each other, get to know each other, and fall in love. So refreshing!As for the suspense part of the story....it's excellent! What starts out as a simple missing persons case quickly grows into so much more. Multiple murders, old overseas crimes, stalking, and more all add to the complexity of the investigation without leaving the reader feeling overwhelmed. I was able to guess part of the end result, but part of it surprised me (which is always a good thing). To me this is optimal...it means the reader has been given enough clues to figure out part of the mystery, but the author still has a couple of surprises up her sleeve.On a final note, the epilogue was lovely! I enjoyed learning more about what happened to Heather and Rick after the main story ended.All in all, I highly recommend "Dark Ambitions". It is the perfect mix of romance and suspense, with just the write tone of Christian undercurrent.Five out of five chunks of nice, creamy Camembert!

[sonped89 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Heather Shields (PI ) was hired by Night Stalker Rick Jordan to investigate what happened to his old friend who went missing. I enjoyed the beginning of the book, Heather was my favorite character only because she was committed to helping the investigation and wanted to find answers. There were some romance and mystery but towards the end of the chapters, I was able to predict the outcome of both Heather and Rick Jordan. No spoilers but I did enjoy the ending.

[kimpotter-309059 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dark Ambitions by Irene Hannon is the third book in her Code of Honor series. Private Investigator, Heather Shields is hired to find Rick Jordan’s missing army buddy. The plot thickens when he is found dead. Rick doesn’t believe it was an accident. As he and Heather dig deeper, their lives are threatened. Someone doesn’t want their secrets exposed and they will stop at nothing to keep them buried. This book was intense. Just when you thought you had it figured out there would be a plot twist! I was kept guessing who the bad guy was until the end. I loved how Rick stuck to his values and his old-fashioned charm. The mixture of suspense and romance was perfect.I received this book from LibraryThing for my honest review.

[aimee713 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very good book. It was fairly quick read but very enjoyable. I enjoyed trying to figure out the who-done-it part. The characters were written well and I likedenjoyed being a part of their story. I've already recommended this book to several people.

[kellygoss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read many of Irene Hannon's books. This is a good thing, because her series definitely follow consecutively and (I think) would be hard to follow as a stand alone. That being said, I enjoyed her latest book in the Code of Honor series. It's a romance/suspense novel - heavier on the romance than the suspense, but a very good read for something quick and light. If you have read any of her other books and have already read the start of this series, I would recommend reading this one.

[lamb521 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Title: Dark Ambitions (Code of Honor #3)Author: Irene HannonPages: 384Year: 2019Publisher: RevellMy rating is 3 out of 5 stars.Rick Jordan is a former military man who runs a camp for foster kids in the summer. In winter, there is little activity usually. However, Rick spots something out of the ordinary and investigates. He finds that someone has visited his property recently and left something behind. This leads him to contact a firm of private investigators. He is assigned an investigator, Heather Shields, who he comes to admire. Will investigating Rick’s case put her in danger, perhaps even leading to her death?Heather Shields is a former cop who now works as a PI. Her newest case teams her with an attractive client named Rick Jordan. Rick knows the identity of his trespasser, but soon learns of that person’s death, which was ruled an accidental death by the police. Rick isn’t so sure, and Heather agrees the death looks suspicious. As the work together on the case, it is obvious to everyone else that these two are attracted to one another as they often seem to meet for coffee or something similar to see each other when a phone call or text would suffice.I was disappointed that there was not more action in this novel. There was too much emphasis on the romantic aspect of the story, which slowed the story down. I also didn’t really connect with either of the two main characters. I wasn’t as involved in what was happening to them as in the first two noels in the series. The opening scene was really good and got me to continue reading. I did appreciate the Christian values that were portrayed, with a line that was not crossed. With that said, there did seem to be more of a focus on the physical aspect of their relationship, which is also something I have noticed trending with some other Christian authors. I look forward to this author’s next series, as I have enjoyed her other writings. This one was just meh, for me.Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.