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    The Mountains Bow Down
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    The Mountains Bow Down
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    The Mountains Bow Down
    Ebook466 pages8 hours

    The Mountains Bow Down

    By Sibella Giorello

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon novels always bring edge-of-your-seat suspense. Raleigh is sure everything's going to work out. Time away always makes things better.

    That's what FBI Special Agent Raleigh Harmon believes as she boards a cruise to Alaska. A land of mountains and gems and minerals, the Last Frontier is a dream destination for this forensic geologist who's hoping to leave behind a hectic work schedule and an engagement drained of romance.

    But when a passenger goes missing and winds up dead, Raleigh's vacation suddenly gets lost at sea. The ship's security chief tries to rule the death a suicide, but Raleigh's forensics background points to a much darker conclusion: Somewhere onboard, a ruthless murderer walks free.

    Engulfed by one of her toughest cases yet, Raleigh requests assistance from the FBI and receives her nemesis—handsome Special Agent Jack Stephanson. As the cruise ship sails through the Inside Passage, Raleigh has five days to solve a high-profile murder, provide consultation for a movie filming onboard, and figure out her increasingly complicated feelings for Jack—who might not be as arrogant as she originally thought.

    And that's only her work life. Family offers even more challenges. Joined on the cruise by her mother and aunt, Raleigh watches helplessly as disturbing rifts splinter her family.

    Like the scenery that surrounds the cruise ship, Raleigh discovers a mystery so daunting that even the mountains might bow down before it.

    • Gripping suspense
    • The Raleigh Harmon novels are best enjoyed in order, but can also be read as standalones:
      • Book 1: The Stones Cry Out
      • Book 2: The Rivers Run Dry
      • Book 3: The Clouds Roll Away
      • Book 4: The Mountains Bow Down
      • Book 5: The Stars Shine Bright
    • Book length: approximately 110,000 words
    • Includes discussion questions for book clubs
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateFeb 28, 2011
    ISBN9781401685485
    Unavailable
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    Reviews for The Mountains Bow Down

    4/5

    21 ratings5 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The Mountains Bow Down by Sibella Giorello is the 4th book in the Raleigh Harmon series. I recently reviewed the third book in the series, The Clouds Roll Away, so I was very interested to see what Raleigh Harmon was up to now.Raleigh Harmon is taking an Alaskan cruise with her mother and aunt. A movie is being filmed onboard the ship and seems to be going as well as can be expected until the star's wife is found dead of apparent suicide. Although Raleigh should be on vacation, she jumps into the mystery by pointing out prevailing evidence against suicide and finds herself deep into another mystery, all while still trying to hide her true career from her mother.I have to say right off the bat that I enjoyed The Mountains Bow Down much more than the book I reviewed in December. I was instantly engrossed and found it hard to put down the book. While once again I did get some characters mixed up at times, it really wasn't that hard to keep track of who was who. I do have to owe some of that to Giorello's writing skills - the numerous characters, while necessary to the plot, were unique enough that I was really never confused.I also appreciate Giorello's subtle Christianity. It seemed even more subtle in this installment of the series than in the third book. I would say that I find it hard to even really classify this book as Christian fiction as Raleigh seems to be looking more internally than heaven-wards.Finally, I greatly enjoyed the description of the cruise ship's workings. I have never been on a cruise and this book just fascinated more as to how a cruise would be. I don't know how accurate the story was to true facts, but the readers are treated to many "behind the scenes" stories about how different things like laundry and debarkment are handled on a large cruise ship.
    • 5/5
      read The Clouds Roll Away last month when my friend, Katy, let me borrow it. I enjoyed the story and while it didn't make it onto my favorites list it was good enough to where I got the next book - The Mountains Bow Down. WOW! What an AMAZING book that was! I couldn't put it down - the mystery was so great and I absolutely loved joining Raleigh on her investigations. I enjoy how Giorello doesn't simply incorporate the mystery, but also Raleigh's own life. It gives the book a little more personal feel. I usually don't like books narrated from the first person's view point, but Giorello did an excellent job pulling it off and I loved reading this book from Raleigh's perspective.Raleigh was awesome. I loved her in The Clouds Roll Away and even more in The Mountains Bow Down. She loves her job and does it to the best of her ability, often sacrificing her own relax time to do her job, which she actually loved. Few people could understand Raleigh's willingness to do her job even during her vacation in the book, but I sure did! If I had a job as enticing as Raleigh's, I wouldn't want to rest - resting could mean that someone guilty was on the loose! :-)Raleigh was a very realistic character. She loved her job and desired strongly to get to the bottom of each case. Her mother, who is unstable, is under the assumption that Raleigh is a geologist and Raleigh feels bad about not telling her mother she is an FBI agent and deceiving her. I know I would feel the exact same way! Raleigh thinks that this is the best way to protect her mother and learns some great lessons in the book. I loved her kind and caring nature, and felt as if I were there with her as she endured hardships.In The Clouds Roll Away I met Demott, who is now Raleigh's fiancée. I'll be honest and say I never really liked Demott. I don't know why really, but I just didn't like him that much at all. Something didn't settle right with me about the guy. In The Mountains Bow Down...I won't lie and say that after the first chapter the voice inside of my head wasn't going "Yes yes YES!". LOL. I'm not sure where the whole Demott thing is going, but suffice to say, I wasn't disappointed at all by the end of the book.Jack Stephanson. If I was to use one word to describe him it would probably be...SUPERB. ;) Oh my, as soon as Jack walked onto the scene I knew he was going to be my favorite character. He was very funny and annoying and everything awesome. I loved his personality and couldn't help but smile every time he entered the story. His and Raleigh's relationship was so funny and I found myself chuckling at some of the conversations they have. Jack is impossible to not like!There are a few things to point out as to the content: Porn is involved in a mild amount. There is nothing descriptive in the least - they just find some pictures that it says disgust Raleigh and some of the bad guys are pornographers. Nothing is described at all - but it is something to be pointed out. Also, there is a man who commits adultery with a bunch of women and when his wife finds out she takes him to a therapist to help with sexual addiction. It is just mentioned briefly and it doesn't go into any further. The last think I have to mention is there are a few alcoholics and a man who is always drunk. Nothing bad happens, and it didn't bother me, but I thought I'd point it out.All in all, this was an amazing book that I highly recommend you pick up. While I do suggest you read the previous books in the series first for a little background, it is not necessary and you could read these as stand alones if you desired. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great mystery! Purchase it HERE and don't forget to participate is Sibella's giveaway above!
    • 4/5
      I just loved this book! The book is 369 pages long and I enjoyed every page. I was hooked in the first few pages. This book was the first book I had read by Sibella Giorello. It is the fourth book in the Raleigh Harmon series. I have to say I wish I would have read the first four books prior to this one but the author does not leave you completely in the dark on past crimes form other books. You can read this book out of the order of the series. Raleigh Harmon is the main character in this book. She is on a vacation, well sort of as much of a vacation any FBI agent could be on when murder happens. Raleigh is a highly educated character. She is a geologist and FBI agent however her southern belle mother does not know this. The place of the crime is a cruise ship and one that she is on with her mother so this makes it tricky. The cast of characters is this that a cast because they are filming a movie so this makes it more challenging for Raleigh and then there is her aunt’s friend Claire the clairvoyant that has a past who makes it even more challenging. Now this story would not be complete with out a handsome leading man enter Jack Stephanson pilot and fellow FBI agent. I will be getting the rest of the series by this author. She is such a good story teller. I highly recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      I sort of put off reading this book. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s just my natural tendency towards procrastination, but I think it was more than that. I’m always a little nervous when picking up title from an author whose work is new to me, as this was. I’m kind of a sucker for female FBI agents in suspense, but I've seen it done enchantingly and well... not so well. I was holding my breath, and tensed a bit as I started this book, not sure which category it would fall into, and literally felt my body relax with relief as I read the first few pages and realized almost instantly this was a book I was going to enjoy reading. The Writing Much of my instant connection with the book, had nothing to do with the plot. It was the writing. Sibella Giorello is quite simply a fabulous writer. She is the kind of writer who loves words. She writes tight and smart and imbues her narrative character with the kind of voice that I could have mistaken for my own. There is zero clunkiness to this novel. Nothing to trip you up or take you out of the story, it simply flows. And her writing is original. The book is peppered with authentic descriptions and dialogue that give color to a picture so flawless you feel a part of the action. She never resorts to tired cliche’s or sloppy portraiture and I loved her for that. It’s not that her style is poetic, as much as disarmingly fresh. “The nubile Mrs. Sparks climbed the four steps to the edge of ht hot tub, then made a slow descent into the water. Perhaps it was the pile of vanilla hair on her sticklike body, but she reminded me of an ice-cream cone dipping itself in melted chocolate” - {Ch. 6}She also won bonus point in my geeky book for including words that I actually had to look up. Yes in a suspense novel. Unapologetically, one of the surest ways to my nerdy little heart is to surprise me by letting me learn something! And Giorello did not disappoint on many fronts here. She not only taught me a few words, she taught me about the beauty of Alaska and the working class underbelly of the cruise industry, and she somehow even managed to hold me fascinated by mini lessons in geology. I was not at all surprised to finish the book and realize that her writing has been nominated for two Pulitzers. The Concept FBI Agent Raleigh Harmon from Giorello’s earlier novels steps back up for a suspense thriller set aboard an Alaskan cruise. I’m wouldn’t call the murder on the high seas concept entirely unique, but it was a story I hadn’t read before. In fact, it was one of the things that made me fall in love with the story. I suppose wanted to experience the world of a luxury cruiseliner for a while, and in this the The Mountains Bow Down is a breathtaking getaway, even if the trip turns out to be anything but a vacation for our heroine. The Plot When the wife of a famous Hollywood action-star filming his latest sequel on the cruise turns up dead, Raleigh’s vacation dissolves into a race to find the killer and recover evidence before the cruise ends and all her suspects walk off free. She is reunited with Jack Stephanson, another agent who she thought she couldn’t stand. The plot threw quite a few twisty surprises at me. Everything that could possibly go wrong for poor Raleigh including many things I couldn’t have anticipated going wrong, did. Again, this was a tight mystery plot that surprised me in its ability to keep one step ahead of me in my quest for whodunnit. The Characters This book is worth a read for the characters alone. Especially Raleigh and Jack, but also her wacky extended family and many of the cruise line employees. There is a lot of originality here. The characters are well-developed and unique for the most part. A few of the Hollywood types came off a little clichéd to me, especially compared to the excellent complex characterization of almost every other character in the book. They had a few quirks, yes, but it still felt a bit like typecasting to me. That said, her mother and the story line there was well done and compelling, and I felt like the ships employees including Geert, head of security were well done. I have to say also, in my mind I kept reverting to characters from Bones as I was reading this. Jack was Agent Booth in my mind and while Raleigh wasn’t quite a Temperance, she was more feisty and innocent, I saw her as Hannah. A few other characters slipped in as well, and in fact it kind of felt like I was reading one long episode of the show. Let me make it clear this is not a bad thing in my mind, folks. Bones is one of the best shows on television in my not so humble opinion and has by far the most interesting characters you are likely to come across in prime time. Giorello’s characters gave me that super cool, quirky and fascinating vibe I love from the show. Christian Suspense I did just want to mention that this is considered a Christian suspense work. It’s not something I am usually drawn to, but Giorello is not at all blatant in making this a Christian work. It is a clean read, certainly, with a character in possession of a strong moral compass, and a set of beliefs through which she views the world. But, it is first and foremost an excellent mystery. Second, perhaps a character drama. As we get closer to the end she drops in a few narratives from Raleigh that make her beliefs more overt, but you also get the sense that while our heroine is unwavering in her faith, she is struggling, human. It struck a nice balance for me. I know that some have come to this book looking for it to be an affirmation of faith and find it sparse on the “God is Great” front. It was the right choice for this story. Even the times that she does subtly push the character’s spiritual thoughts to the forefront feel a little out-of-place against all the action here. I felt a touch uncomfortable with it, as I did with the ever so slight characterization of those who had other belief systems, or were more human in their frailties as either crackpots or morally bankrupt, while her beliefs were certainly never challenged. It was true faith, less rational than most FBI agents portrayed in fiction, but I’m decidedly not the target Christian demographic and I could easily accept it as part of Raleigh’s character. I was certainly nowhere close to feeling pushed away from finishing the book, which is another testament to the writing. Ultimately this is not a story about faith. It is a mystery, and adding too much of the character's opinions on the subject might have made her come across as self-righteous and preachy. I appreciated the subtlety. The Wrap Up Overall, this is an engaging read and a satisfying mystery. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a world I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend suspense lovers lose themselves in for a little while. It’s also worth a read for the strongly developed quirky characters, and the simply fabulous, smart writing style. I’ll definitely be looking for Giorello’s next book in the series, The Stars Shine On due early next year. Review Copy Courtesy of Litfuse Publicity This may be partial text of the review originally appearing on Aurelia {Lit}
    • 5/5
      This is a FANTASTIC addition to the Raleigh Harmon novels. Sibella Giorello's talent shines through her works of fiction as she creates yet another suspenseful mystery for her readers. Her work is masterful, as she adds bits and pieces of humor to keep the reader hooked, lots of tense moments to keep the reader on the edge of their seats and guessing what's next. Newly engaged FBI Agent Raleigh Harmon needs to get away to make sure things will be all right, and she's making the right choice. But, once she boards the boat, she's not quite as "away" as she thinks....a MOB turns up and it's a suicide attempt....of is it? From page one, Sibella Giorello pulls the reader in when the suspense begins. You're following Raleigh on her cruise, you're helping her rely on God to work the case out and her life questions, and you're helping with the clues-what ones that Raleigh can find! From the first page to the last page, Raleigh's work and FBI talents shine through.If you love mysteries, then you'll LOVE the Raleigh Harmon novels. This one is worthy of 5 stars and doesn't let the reader down. While each can easily be read as a stand alone, it's best to read them in order. Sibella Giorello and her complex character, Raleigh Harmon, are here to stay and I'm anxious for the fourth addition, The Stars Shine On- due March 2012!