The Hero (Thunder Point)
Carr continues her Thunder Point series (The Newcomer, 2013) as Devon McAllister escapes from a compound where members of an isolated, cult-like commune are led by charismatic Jacob. He is the father of her three-year-old daughter, Mercy, and seems to be growing ever more paranoid. Devon and Mercy are picked up hitchhiking by Rawley, a crusty old Vietnam War veteran who works in Thunder Point at the bar owned by Carr-regular Cooper. Rawley convinces Devon to stay in town for a while, and she begins to make friends in the community and feel a degree of safety when  she meets Spencer, the new high-school football coach. But she’s not out of danger, as things at the compound start looking more and more like Ruby Ridge or Waco. The tight-knit but welcoming Thunder Point community continues to support and protect each other, and fans will be happy to see how things are going with Cooper; Sarah, who has had to make a decision about her career as a Coast Guard helicopter pilot; and other endearing characters. --Diana Tixier Herald