J. Chris Richard’s debut novel, Shattered Trust is everything a suspense novel should be. Written for the inspirational market the journey to redemption by a police officer could not be more timely given the current events in our nation.

Officer Logan Taul realizes that he’s become a monster. Not a police officer out to protect the public but more to assert his authority. Confronting the evil within him is painful enough without the need to confront it from without and his transformation comes with a cost. Logan embraces this journey in spite of the pain and sacrifice to become the kind of police officer he intended to be when he started on the force. But his journey also reveals other areas in his life desperately needing reform.

A group of rag-tag teenagers adopt him and begin to show him what life and friendship are really all about. Although he’s tutoring some of them, he’s the one learning the real-life lessons he’d lost along the way. And when physical attacks come, and his reputation is torn to shreds, it is the faith of these young people who keep him moving forward to redemption.

He also confronts his real identity as a dead-beat father and strives to reconcile with his estranged ex-wife and children. This too is not easily done.

In our country, police are often maligned and while this story shows a corrupt officer, it is one of redemption, growth and earning the right to wear the badge. Officer Logan Taul shows how difficult and dangerous that struggle can be and his change and its ripple effect impact the lives of many around him.

This story grabs you and doesn’t let go. We all have monsters as part of ourselves and while this is a novel filled with suspense it is also one of hope and a story of healing and growth that is heartwarming. Kudos to J. Chris Richards for her rich characters and storytelling. Blue lives matter and she honors that beautifully.