I hope you’ve been enjoying the entire Without a Trace series. This is book five in the series, and there’s one more to go! Series like this are a wonderful chance for readers to read their favorite authors and have a great introduction to some others as well. I sure will miss this town, and the characters who appear throughout these books!
I love hearing from readers. You can contact me through www.roxannerustand.com, www.shoutlife.com/roxannerustand or via regular mail at P.O. Box 2550, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406.
Wishing you blessings and peace,
P.S. Mandy has fled her former situation, seeking safety and anonymity in a new life far away. If you or someone you know is in a similar situation, please consider contacting the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or at www.ndvh.org.
Help is available by phone nationwide (also in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) for victims, or people calling on their behalf, 365 days a year, twenty-four hours a day, in English and more than 170 different languages.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Mandy is an intelligent woman who fell into a bad relationship, and who is now on the run to escape. Many women in this situation become too fearful to leave. Do you know anyone in a similar situation? What advice would you give her? How could you help?
Dean is abusing his experience as a police officer in his quest to track Mandy down. His widespread contacts in law enforcement give him even greater power. Could Mandy have chosen options other than fleeing? Would she have been successful, or was flight her safest option?
Charla and Lenore are two powerful women who have nurtured their mutual dislike for decades until it erupts in a truly dangerous act. How about you—is there someone in your own past with whom you have a rocky relationship? Is there any way that situation could be resolved? What does the Bible say about forgiveness?
Clint prays for help in a variety of situations. Are his prayers answered? Do you pray for assistance or guidance? List some ways that your prayers have been answered.
Charla and Lenore are conniving women who make a point of attending church, yet they hardly exemplify true Christian behavior. What would you say to someone who might use such people to criticize the Christian community as a whole?
Clint initially didn’t want the paternity tests done. What were his reasons, and was he right or wrong?
Little Sarah has suffered the terrible loss of both parents. Do children grieve differently than adults? How would you help a child like her?
Clint and Sarah love Leah and believe in her innocence. The gossip in Loomis is painful for them, and is also influencing the sheriff. What damage does gossip do? Is it ever harmless? When was the last time you helped spread gossip, and what harm might it have done? Can you ever take back your words?
If Leah ever does return, what struggles will she face back in her hometown?
Clint and Mandy receive some anonymous hang-up calls. Has that ever happened to you? What can you do?
When the DNA results come back, they point to a situation in Leah’s past. How would you deal with the emotions surrounding that incident, if you were her?
By the end of the book, Leah and Clint have expressed their feelings about faith. How important is it for a couple to share a similar faith in God? Can a relationship work if one member has no faith at all?
ISBN: 978-1-4268-3315-1
DEADLY COMPETITION
Copyright © 2009 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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*Snow Canyon Ranch
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Deadly Competition (Without a Trace) Page 19
