If you’ve kept up with our blog this summer, you probably have seen Terri Blackstock’s name come up at least once or twice. After a lull of not finding anything I wanted to read, Meredith encouraged me to try one of Blackstock’s series: If I Run. So I did, and I finished the trilogy in less than three days. I can see why she wanted me to read it!
If I Run (and sequels If I’m Found and If I Live) follows the story of Casey Cox, a young woman accused of brutally murdering a close friend of hers. In an act of desperation – not to mention some sheer panic – Casey flees the murder scene, consequently turning herself into a fugitive from the law. Introduce to the stage Dylan Roberts, a recently discharged army vet who is hired by the victim’s parents to track the alleged murderess down.
While on the run, as she changes identities and hops from location to location, Casey encounters unique individuals and builds extremely impacting relationships. And, while Dylan seeks to get into Casey’s head in order to predict her next moves, he starts to recognize that maybe not everything is as it seems, both with Casey and also with the police involved in her case.
Blackstock weaves together an intriguing, fast-paced thriller trilogy. The action is constant but not overwhelming. The characters are likeable and intelligent but still flawed and realistic. Throughout the three books, we really get to dive into who Casey and Dylan are and how they made it to this point. I really loved how accurate and detail-oriented Blackstock was, especially in Casey’s running from the law (things like changing her identity, exchanging license plates with other cars, not using personal devices, and so on. Things I’d never think of myself for sure!). It’s evident Blackstock put a lot of thought and effort into making Casey’s evasion realistic and not just based on luck.
If I Run deals with some difficult topics – murder, for one. But we also see PTSD, suicide, drugs, sexual abuse, kidnapping, extortion, blackmail, affairs, and more. Blackstock handles each of these things with extreme care and good taste. She is detailed but not graphic. I always appreciate authors who actually deal with the hard topics without using a bunch of cliches, bad language, or offensive terms.
I would love to say more about these books, but I definitely don’t want to spoil the plot for you. So, I’ll just leave it with these concluding thoughts: The If I Run trilogy is not only easy to read but is also a quick read at about 250-300 pages per book. The writing is excellent, the plot is airtight, and the action is always moving forward. It’s a tale of seeking justice, determining right and wrong, pursuing redemption and faith, and finding love and freedom. Definitely check this series out when you have a weekend to devote to reading! You won’t want to put it down.
Jessica
Copyright Terri Blackstock and Zondervan. Image from Amazon.com.
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