I have three confessions to make:

1. I've got the scar of gunshot on my forehead.

2. I don't remember an entire year of my life.

3. My name is Kellen Adams...and that's half a lie.

Girl running...from a year she can't remember, from a husband she prays is dead, from homelessness and fear. Tough, capable Kellen Adams takes a job as assistant manager of a remote vacation resort on the North Pacific Coast. There amid the towering storms and the lashing waves, she hopes to find sanctuary. But when she discovers a woman's dead and mutilated body, she's soon trying to keep her own secrets while investigating first one murder...then another. 

Now every guest and employee is a suspect. Every friendly face a mask. Every kind word a lie. Kellen's driven to defend her job, her friends and the place she's come to call home. Yet she wonders--with the scar of a gunshot on her forehead and amnesia that leaves her unsure of her own past--could the killer be staring her in the face?

Trigger warnings: graphic violence, domestic abuse and murder. 

The first lines of the synopsis! 

I have three confessions to make:

Let me say it again for those in the back...THOSE LINES! 

Do I have your attention? Yes? Good! I don't want you to miss out on a great read. Christine Dodd nailed this book. From the moment I read the synopsis, I knew I needed this. I'm a long time fan of Dodd, but haven't picked up one of her books in a while. No better time to dive back in. So, I sent up some book prayers that those lines weren't going to be the best part of the book, and thankfully, they weren't. They were far from the best part! Kellan Adams most definitely stole the show! 

I'm wicked hard on my female protagonists, but I seriously adored the hell out of Kellen, especially as more and more of her history was revealed, which the author provided through flashbacks of triggered memories. Ms. Dodd gave us two completely different character personalities when it came to Kellen, validating her development and progress: pre-military and post military. Pre-military, she’s a victim of domestic abuse. Post military, she's a strong, kick ass survivor, with balls of steel (figuratively). An admirable character full of inspiration. 

I want more Kellan Adam heroines. The book world could definitely use more of her strength, no games and contrived drama, take no shit, loyal personality. No more door mats for heroines, please!! 

As Kellan races against the clock to find out who the enemies are, Dead Girl Running will have your mind whirling with assumptions and conclusions, trying to put all the pieces together. Nothing is ever as it seems. Once you think you have it all figured out, think again! You’ll encounter secrets and lies, twisty turns, a haunting past, characters who may or may not be who they say they are, and a ride that will take you on a roller coaster of feelings.

The suspense was on point, everything I would look for. Complex and completely gripping. I'm excited to say it caught me by surprise in a few places, especially that ending. I was NOT even close to figuring that out. In fact, I had to stop and reread. Not expected-at all. Nowhere in the story was there even a hint. Great job, Ms. Dodd, you kept this seasoned reader on her toes, figuring out the pieces right along with Kellen. Thank you for such a unique story line and unpredictable ending!! 

While I loved this book I did struggle here and there. The pacing caused some issues for me. The beginning and end-great pacing. Fast, intriguing, kept me coming back for more. The middle-not so much. I found it was an information dump and I was often distracted by other things. I even skimmed it a bit. But don't let that deter you from reading; this truly is a great book. Also, some of the action scenes were a tad bit far-fetched, but I think it helped lighten up the topics, and added some oomph to the pacing. 

I'd say overall, Dead Girl Running was perfectly imperfect. Exactly what I needed and I can't wait to dive into book two. I need to know where the author plans on taking Kellan and that ending. Bring on What Doesn't Kill Her!

Thank you, Netgalley, for gifting me a copy of Dead Girl Running by Christine Dodd. 

Readers become writers, and Christina Dodd has always been a reader. She reads everything, but because she loves humor, she likes romance best.

A woman wants things like world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants things like a Craftsman router with attachments, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will miraculously make his bald spot disappear. So when Christina's first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to quit work and write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?

Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before her first novel, CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, was published. In the twenty-six years since, her novels have been translated into 25 languages, won Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards and been called the year's best by Library Journal. Christina Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle (11/18/05, # 13 Down: Romance Novelist named Christina — her mother was very impressed.) With more than 15 million of her books in print, Publishers Weekly praises her style that 'showcases Dodd's easy, addictive charm and steamy storytelling.'

Christina Dodd is married to a man with all his hair and no Corvette, but many Craftsman tools.