If I Run (If I Run #1) by Terri Blackstock

Cover design by James Iacobelli Original package design ©2016 Zondervan Front Cover photograph © Sarah Ann Loreth/Arcangel

​Casey Cox discovered her friend, murdered in his home. Knowing that her DNA is now all over the crime scene and that the police are very unlikely to believe her, she has to get out of town fast, before she can be arrested. Or worse.
Dylan Roberts is a war veteran, retired from the army police, hoping to land a job as a detective. He suffers from PTSD, however, which makes him a liability on the police force. When his childhood friend is brutally murdered, his friend’s parents hire him as a private investigator, to track down the woman that the police believe to be responsible and bring her back to face justice. Dylan begins to question her guilt, however, when the evidence and details don’t add up. But why did she leave town and disappear if she isn’t the killer? And if she is innocent, then who is the killer?
Why would an innocent woman run from the police after finding one of her best friends brutally murdered? Why wouldn’t she be able to go to the police?
This story begins on page one, jumping right into the mystery. The mystery continues to build from there and the actions of Casey Cox makes you wonder, what would you do if you had to suddenly flee your home town?
The plot line is fast, yet comfortably paced so that you can appreciate all that is happening and the urgency that Casey feels.
As for Dylan, it is understandable that he would have PTSD, and I am glad that the author included the fact that this would have affected his attempt to find a job. I feel that few people realize the effect that PTSD has on the life of the sufferer.
I really liked the character of Dylan Roberts. His investigative skills were realistic and sharp. I also appreciated that though at first he believes Casey to be the murderer, he approaches the case without bias and looks at the facts first.
Casey Cox’s character is very intelligent and her personality is compelling. I enjoyed getting to know her. Some aspects of her personality reminded me of some of my friends and family.
The mystery itself was extremely entertaining. I enjoyed reading about Casey’s escape as well as Dylan’s investigation into Brent’s murder.
My greatest complaint about this novel is that at one point, when Casey has found a place to settle for a little while, one of the friends that she has made calls her by her real name ‘Casey’ and not by the name that she was going by, and the friend had not yet discovered her true identity. I believe that this is simply an error in the text, because I never found any indication that the friend already knew who she was, or that the friend had any reason to know her real name.
This book ended in a bit of a cliffhanger. I am anxious to read the next book in the series, which I believe is a trilogy. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Christian mysteries, or just mysteries in general.
I bought my copy of this novel from a library sale and have permission to use a copy of the cover artwork. 

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