A Tour of Counterfeit Hope’s Story World

A Tour of Counterfeit Hope’s Story World

by | Feb 21, 2023 | Bonus Content, Counterfeit Hope, History Facts

Why would I set a counterfeiting romantic suspense story in rural Indiana? As usual, research is the answer.

I discovered an article from 1883 describing the successful arrest of the Honchins (or Houchins, depending on the resource) gang by a joint effort of the Secret Service and US Marshals. The gang was responsible for not only counterfeiting but killing stock, stealing, and terrorizing the citizens with threats, insults, and violence. Even the local police were afraid to stand up against them. Stendal was the original town I was going to use, but I ended up creating a sister town next to Stendal so that I could set up the building locations and population to better suit my needs. While the original undercover Secret Service operatives spent months covering three or more counties, I needed to focus my area a little more confined for the sake of plotting. Below you can find information on two real locations from the story, including pictures of my visit to the real Stendal.

Stendal, IN

Stendal owes its beginnings to the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church which was formed in 1861. Services were held in members’ homes until 1864, when a church was built. In 1867, Reverend William G.C. Bauermeister became the first resident pastor. Land was donated to form the town, and he named it Stendal after his birthplace in Saxony.

As is usually the case with rural locations, modern-day Stendal is a shadow of the town it once was. While it was always small compared to other areas, it was once a booming little town. This was largely due to Stendal being many miles from any railroad or waterway with nearly impassible roads and trails, making it necessary to be a self-contained town.

From: A History of Lockhart Township by McKinley Hagemeyer

“Stendal at one time had a tobacco barn, a cooper’s shop, cobbler’s shop, two furniture and casket factories, two blacksmith shops, a millinery, a wagon works, a brickyard, a livery stable, a gristmill, a sawmill, a creamery, a flour mill, a canning factory, three churches, three doctors, an undertaker, a barber shop, a saddle and harness shop, and, of course, few towns would be self-contained without a saloon and hotel. Stendal had those too. The same causes which brought these industries drove them away: bad roads, poor transportation, plus another, automation. When the need for them passed, they too surrendered to progress.”
Photos of my trip to Stendal and photos of Stendal’s glory days.

Boonville, IN

One of my favorite parts of the Boonville setting was visiting the Boonville Jail. Well, visit it in fiction. I never had the pleasure of visiting it in real life. I know there was a big push to have the building restored in 2019, but there have been no more posts from the group pushing for it since then.

The Boonville Jail

The Warrick County Jail was built in 1876 and was state-of-the-art for its time. I had running water for sinks, toilets, and showers. The cells were made of straight and corrugated iron bars. The building had a large yard surrounding it and large windows with glazed glass. The jail was built in two sections. The main level of the front part held a food pantry, kitchen, parlor, and main hall. The upstairs was used as living quarters for the sheriff and his family and space to hold female prisoners. From my understanding, the kitchen had a steel door barrier to the prisoners, and it was the responsibility of the sheriff and his family to cook and serve meals to the prisoners. Meals were cooked for the prisoners and delivered to their cells.

The back half was one and a half stories tall with 12 prison cells. It had high arched ceilings for airflow and to prevent escape attempts. In each lighted and ventilated cell, there were two bunks, a sink, and a toilet. The walls were 22 inches thick and plated on the inside with boiler iron.  Below are a few pictures of the jail.

Here are some pictures of Boonville back in the 19th century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Lu Thorne from Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill

Meet Lu Thorne from Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill

by | Feb 14, 2023 | Character Interview, Counterfeit Hope

HAPPY RELEASE DAY, ANDREW AND LU!!!!!!

I can think of no better way to celebrate than to give you a personal interview with the main characters. I had the pleasure of interviewing Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington on Reading is My Super Power a couple of Saturdays ago. You can read Andrew’s interview HERE. Then come back here and read my interview with Lu. (Or read Lu first and then jump to Andrew.) I had such a blast getting to talk to these characters. And for those who wonder if our characters really talk to us, their authors? Yes. Yes, they do. In my head, my characters are almost as autonomous as my children. I created them (by God’s power and grace), but they have each taken on lives of their own.

Before I introduce Lu to you properly, let me introduce you to her story. (And don’t forget to check out the giveaway opportunities at the post’s bottom.)

Counterfeit Hope  by Crystal Caudill

Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high–and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team–unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted–much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past–and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  Book Depository  |  Bookshop.org  | Christianbook

Now on to our interview with Lu.

Crystal: This story is quite a bit different from Counterfeit Love, and a lot of that is because of who you are and your very challenging past. So why don’t you start off by telling my readers about yourself?

Lu: I’m not exactly your sweet and innocent little lady. In fact, if you saw me while on the same sidewalk, you’d probably cross the street to avoid me. You can pretend you wouldn’t, but I’ve got twenty years of people looking at me in my bold and revealing dresses to combat the lies you tell yourself. There are lots of names they use for my type. Some are a little nicer than others–lady of the night, soiled dove, harlot . . . you get the picture. Not that I am actively a part of that life anymore. I just let people believe that I am. It’s easier that way. Then they won’t look too closely and discover truths I don’t want them to see. 

Crystal: That isn’t exactly the type of heroine I envisioned for Counterfeit Hope. In fact, ALL I envisioned was you being a pickpocket. The other stuff completely blindsided me when you finally chose to trust me with your story. Why did you choose that path to begin with?

Lu: Choose? You think I chose that life? Ha! There are a few who willingly enter that life, but most of us enter because we have no other choice. I was just like any other girl when I was young. I lived in Tennessee with my Ma and Pa. I even went to school for a year. Then the War hit. Ma died, and Pa took me and fled to Colorado to search for gold and silver. Anything he found, he exchanged for drink. When the gold and silver dried up, he exchanged me instead. Finally, he sold me to a brothel where I lived and worked for over ten years. Ain’t much choice for me on that path.

Even getting out I didn’t have much choice. Clint and Irvine Thorne were regulars, and when they had to hightail it out of Colorado, Irvine offered to marry me and take me with him. I wasn’t getting any offers elsewhere, so it was in my best interest to say yes. The Madam wouldn’t allow it, but Ma Frances paid a price for me, and off I went to join them. Had I known what that life would entail, I’m not sure I would have followed Irvine. But then again, I wouldn’t have my son, Oscar, and Oscar is worth everything I’ve been through.

Crystal: Are you hoping that Oscar will grow up to be just like his dad?

Lu: The only thing I want Oscar to share with his father is his looks. While the sweetest of the Thornes, Irvine was only as sweet as a rattler dipped in honey and poised to strike. Cross him when he was drunk or angry, and there was a price to pay. When he was in a good mood, he was sweet as could be and I generally enjoyed being with him. He was good at protecting me from his brother, Clint, and I had high hopes that if I could get him away from his family, there might be a better future for us.

And that’s what I hope for Oscar. If I can just get him away from the Thorne family, maybe he can grow up to be a good and honorable man. One like Pastor Newcomb. I want a future for him as far from the crime life as I can get him, and I’m willing to do anything to get him away. I just have to bide my time for the right moment. Ma Frances would kill me if she knew I was trying to take Oscar away from her.

CC: Why are you afraid of her? Isn’t she just a sweet, old grandma?

Lu: *Snort* A sweet old grandma with poisoned food, talons for fingers, and a derringer at the ready. All the Thornes are scared of their mother, even Clint. Cross her and you ain’t gonna forget it. She regularly poisons our meals just to keep us in line and remind us how much we need her. She keeps a tight rein on her family and whip at the ready if we even get a thought of rebelling. If she finds out I plan on escaping with Oscar, she’ll either sell me to the local brothel to make her money back and watch me suffer, or she’ll just flat-out murder me and bury me next to Irvine.

Crystal: That sounds like a rough existence.

Lu: You got that right. But it’s not forever. Pastor Newcomb tells me that I can leave my past behind and become one of those new creatures. And that’s what I intend to do. For both Oscar and me. And I was so close to succeeding too. But I’m not giving up yet. I can’t. Oscar deserves a better life with friends, an education, and a safe home. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.

Cyrstal: What if that “whatever it takes” includes Andrew? I mean you haven’t mentioned him yet, but I know you’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately. 

Lu: That so-called “Doc”? Don’t get your hopes up too much. He’s as much a doctor as I am a saint. I’d bet all the money I’ve ever picked that he’s a con man and thief. I ain’t never been caught picking someone, and that man called me out AND picked ME without my notice. I tell you, he’s not what he seems. If it weren’t for the fact that my only ticket out of the Thorne family was stupid enough to eat a poisoned pie from Ma Frances, I wouldn’t care one wit about Doc Andrew. But until I can make a new plan to escape this family with Oscar, he’s a fun distraction. I pick Doc’s wallet every time I see him, and every time he comes to collect it, he sticks his foot so far in his mouth that I give it a shove so he’ll choke on it. Although, the man does have a bit of a hero streak, the poor fool. He thinks he can cross Clint and save me from Clint’s advances. All that is going to do is tick Clint off and put a target on his head. And Clint doesn’t miss a shot. For Doc’s sake, I hope he wises up. I like him too much to see him as a corpse.

Crystal: I suppose that’s a good thing since he’s the hero of the story.

Lu: What do you mean he’s the hero? I may not be able to read, but I know enough about books to know a heroine and hero end up together in the end. I tell you, there is no way I’ll ever willingly marry again.

Crystal: Willingly being the keyword.

Lu: What do you mean by that?

Crystal: And I think that is a good place to end this interview. If you want to find out what–

Lu: This interview is NOT over. What do you mean by willingly?

Crystal: You’ll just have to read the book to find out . . . or rather you’ll get to experience every time someone reads the book. . .  Over and over and over again. This probably shouldn’t make me so happy. Just trust me, Lu. I have your best interest in mind.

Lu: Trust you? I don’t trust you as far as a can throw you.

Crystal: Probably wise, but you have no choice. Readers, I hope you will pick up Counterfeit Hope and give Lu the chance to have her entire life changed. If you have already read Counterfeit Hope, would you mind leaving a review? Below are the direct links to leave a review, just to make it easier. Thanks so much.

Question for Comments: Is there anything about Lu or Andrew that you found surprising? Anything you’d like to know?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  Book Depository  |  Bookshop.org  | Christianbook

Review Links: Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  | Books-A-Million  |  BookBub  |  Christianbook  |  GoodReads

About Crystal Caudill:

Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her award-winning stories are ripe with history, danger, love, and hope. When not writing, Crystal can be found playing board games with her husband and boys, caregiving for loved ones, hiding in a book, drinking copious amounts of hot tea, or connecting with readers. You can connect with her at www.crystalcaudill.com or by joining her newsletter crew at bitly.com/CaudillNews.

 

Connect with Erica: Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Facebook Group  |  Instagram  |  GoodReads  | BookBub  |  Pinterest

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITIES

US RESIDENTS ONLY:
Giveaway: Bookload of Hope (LAST CHANCE)

Runs: January 15 – February 15, 2023, 11:59 pm EST

Prize: 1 winner – 8 paperbacks, 2 ebooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Giveaway: International Readers ONLY Giveaway

Runs: February 1 – February 28

Prize: 2 Winners – A print copy of Counterfeit Love or Counterfeit Hope to one winner outside of the US. Bookmarks and a signed bookplate will be mailed separately.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Launch Party Prizes (LAST CHANCE)

Leave a comment on the posts from the launch party for a chance to win one of these prizes.
Comment at bit/ly/CHLaunchParty

Giveaways Galore!

Giveaways Galore!

by | Feb 7, 2023 | Character Interview, Counterfeit Hope

It is release month for Counterfeit Hope, and to kick it off, I’ve gathered all the giveaways I know of with opportunities to win a copy of Counterfeit Hope or Counterfeit Love. There is even a way for you to email me if you’ve preordered a copy so that you can get some free preorder goodies mailed to you. Looking for a free copy to read if you don’t win? I have a way for you to do that below.

First, what is Counterfeit Hope about?

Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high–and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team–unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted–much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past–and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

Purchase Links: Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Books-A-Million  |  Book Depository  |  Bookshop.org  | Christianbook

Have you preordered a copy?

If you pre-ordered a copy, be sure to email me your mailing address through the contact form so that you can get bookmarks, a signed bookplate, a Secret Service Quiz magnet, and a sticker mailed to you.

Looking for a way to read Counterfeit Hope for free?

Libraries are AMAZING places. I recommend you request your local library purchase the book in print or digital format. Most libraries have access to programs like Hoopla or Libby and are willing to purchase at least an e-copy. You can visit your library’s website or call them to ask how to request a book. My library asks for the following information, so I’m pasting it here to make it easier on you to request a copy. Unless you have a subscription to somewhere that allows access to multiple books, any other free copies you come across digitally are likely to be pirated. Please don’t be a pirate. Let me know if you find one somewhere, so I can report it. Let me also know if you have your library order it! I’d love to be able to put pins on my map to show that my book has traveled to all 50 states and even out of the country. 🙂

  • Title: Counterfeit Love
  • Author: Crystal Caudill
  • Publisher: Kregel Publications
  • ISBN-13: 978-0825447419
  • Yes, the book is purchasable through the venues where libraries purchase books.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITIES

Launch Party Prizes

Runs: February 13, 8 pm – 9 pm EST with commenting open until 11:59 pm EST on February 14.

Prize: 14 winners – One for each book and the “Choose Hope” bracelet

How to be entered: Attend the launch party and leave a comment on the posts.
RSVP at bit/ly/CHLaunchParty

Valentine’s Giveaway – February 1 – 14 *US Residents Only

Grand prize – 14 books, a beautiful bookmark, plus a box of Godiva

2 Runners Up – 14 books and a beautiful bookmark

Books included: A Mark of Grace by Kimberley Woodhouse, What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson, All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes, Counterfeit Hope by Crystal Caudill, Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden, The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy, Engaging Deception by Regina Jennings, Where the Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner, In Love’s Time by Kate Breslin, Pretty Little Pieces by Carmen Schober, The Telegraph Proposal by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham, The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz, The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron, To Believe in You by Emily Conrad

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gilded Age Giveaway – January 30 – February 14 *US Residents Only

WIN Books 1 & 2 Paperback Copies of Crystal Caudill’s Gilded Age SERIES: Counterfeit Love and Counterfeit Hope AND Books 1 & 2 Paperback Copies of Pepper Basham’s Gilded Age Series: The Mistletoe Countess AND The Cairo Curse

ENTER HERE

Bookload of Hope Giveaway – January 15 – February 15 *US Residents Only

8 print books, 2 ebooks, 1 Winner

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We Love Our Readers Celebrate Lit Giveaway – February 12 – February 19

Grand Prize: $500 Amazon card

1st Prize: 45 Books* (Author’s choice of format)

ENTER HERE

International Readers ONLY Giveaway (NO US residents) – February 1 – February 28

Choice of a print copy of Counterfeit Love or Counterfeit Hope, mailed separately signed bookplate, and bookmarks

2 Winners

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Year, New Books – Free Books for Everyone

Check out 20 Titles free for download. Pick out which ones you want, sign up for their newsletter, and then download the book to enjoy.

Good until March 31, 2023

Click Here to check out the titles.

Read Counterfeit Truth for Free

Read Counterfeit Truth for Free

by | Nov 4, 2022 | Counterfeit Hope, Counterfeit Love, Crystal's Books, Writer's Life

There is a lot to be thankful for this month, and one of those things is the fact that Counterfeit Truth, my Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age novella prequel is out in the world. If you like historical romance with a good dose of danger, swoony Secret Service heroes in pursuit of counterfeiters, and feisty independent women who get in the way, you’ll want to check out this series. And you can stick your toes in the water with this novella.
 
While you can buy it on Amazon, you can get it FREE when you sign up for my newsletter. Just sign up on the sidebar or bit.ly/CaudillNews. This is a great way to try my writing without having to spend a penny. My newsletters go out only once a month, and I pray over every subscriber on that list while striving to make them beneficial to you. I hope to see you there and have the opportunity to get to know you better.
 

Hidden Hearts of the Gilded Age Series:

Counterfeit Truth – Novella Prequel

Read for Free by subscribing HERE. Already a subscriber? Click HERE.

Add to “Want to Read List”: BookBub | Goodreads

She wants to prove the Secret Service is corrupt. He just wants to keep her safe.

Felicity Richmond is determined to prove her place at her male-dominated family newspaper. If Father wants a story on the Secret Service’s corruption, then that’s what she’ll get him—at any cost. But Gregory Thompson is willing to kill rather than be exposed. When her plan to catch him goes horribly wrong, her rescue comes in the form of Secret Service operative Hayden Orton. The one man she longs for but can never have.

Hayden Orton nearly had former operative Thompson in his grasp . . . until Felicity interfered. Now it’s his responsibility to keep her out of the way until Thompson is arrested. Disguising her protection as a chance at an exclusive story, he invites her to join him on an investigation of the Philadelphia Mint robbery.

But Felicity isn’t content to just observe. As they work together—and at odds—to discover the culprit, Felicity stirs up trouble and emotions that leave Hayden wondering if finding the truth might cost him more than he’s ready for.

Counterfeit Love – Book 1 – Available Now

*To purchase a signed copy or request a signed bookplate, use the contact form to email me.
Add to “Want to Read List”: BookBub | Goodreads
Can this undercover agent save the woman he loves–or is her heart as counterfeit as the money he’s been sent to track down?

After all that Grandfather has sacrificed to raise her, Theresa Plane owes it to him to save the family name–and that means clearing their debt with creditors before she marries Edward Greystone. But when one of the creditors’ threats leads her to stumble across a midnight meeting, she discovers that the money he owes isn’t all Grandfather was hiding. And the secrets he kept have now trapped Theresa in a life-threatening fight for her home–and the truth.

After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career–but that’s better than failing her twice in one lifetime.

They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there’s no question they’re both still keeping secrets–and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.

Combining rich history, danger, suspense, and romance, Crystal Caudill’s debut novel launches this new historical series with a bang. Fans of Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, and Joanna Davidson Politano will be thrilled to find another author to follow!

Counterfeit Hope – Book 2 – Releases 2/14/2023, Preorder Available Now

*To purchase a signed copy or request a signed bookplate, use the contact form to email me.
Add to “Want to Read List”: BookBub | Goodreads
Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high–and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team–unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted–much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past–and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

On the heels of her smashing debut, this second entry in Crystal Caudill’s historical series maintains the excitement that readers of Michelle Griep, Liz Tolsma, and Elizabeth Camden will love.

We Three Kings Christmas Novella Collection – Tentatively Called “Star of Wonder” – Coming Fall 2023

(Unofficial blurb) Josiah Isaacs’s younger sister, Celestia, knows what she wants for Christmas, a proposal from her friend and fellow astronomy club member, Aldrich Weise. With an entire Christmas-themed voyage from New York to Germany, she has no doubt she can convince him.

News from Germany destroyed Aldrich’s plans for a future with Celestia. Now the two-week voyage he’d long looked forward to sharing with her would be a painful reminder of all he’d soon lose. How was he to protect his heart while still working closely with her brother to discover the counterfeiter lurking aboard his ship?

When exposing the counterfeiter takes a dangerous turn, more than hearts are at risk. Can Aldrich and Celestia survive and hold fast to hope for a Christmas miracle of a future together?

Counterfeit Faith – Book 2 – Coming Early 2024

(Unofficial Blurb)

She’s lost her faith in man. He’s lost his faith in God. Can working together restore their faith?

As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children society has deemed criminal delinquents. When she suspects someone within is using the children for criminal purposes, only one man on the board believes her and is willing to investigate. On the same day he’s murdered, a gallant hero rescues Gwendolyn from being abducted at knifepoint, but not before those involved threaten her family if she continues to investigate. She won’t leave the children defenseless, but who can she trust to help?

Widower and Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs can’t turn his back on a woman in trouble, but neither can he commit to one when his heart remains faithful to his deceased wife. When a green goods game is tied to the house of refuge where Miss Ellison works and his nieces and nephew are housed, he reluctantly agrees to partner with her to expose the criminals before more children are hurt despite his immediate attraction to her.

As they work together and their relationship grows, Josiah wonders if marrying again might be in his future. However, with the ghost of his wife between them, Gwendolyn isn’t convinced. When evil prevails, her faith in God challenges his doubts. But can he really trust the God who didn’t save his wife to save the children and Gwendolyn?

Cover Reveal for Counterfeit Hope

Cover Reveal for Counterfeit Hope

by | Aug 19, 2022 | Counterfeit Hope

The cat is out of the bag as of Wednesday and I didn’t want to steal Grace’s thunder from her interview on Tuesday, so I waited until now to post it but . . . 

LOOK!!!!

I am so excited about this book (and terrified)! I love how you can see Andrew Darlington’s attitude in his stance and Lu’s complex vulnerability and determination. The bright colors lend themselves to the theme of hope and the rural Indiana setting is beautifully illustrated on the cover. It is so incredibly exciting. 

Blurb for Counterfeit Hope

Trapped by their pasts, is there hope for a future?

When Secret Service operative Andrew Darlington is brought in to support a US Marshal case involving counterfeiters in rural Indiana, he thinks it’s simply the next rung on his climb to the top of his career. But liars can only climb so high–and Andrew is keeping a dangerous secret he doesn’t ever want to get out. When he clashes with the criminal family that took over the town of Landkreis and killed the Marshal he was sent to assist, his past life is in danger of being exposed.

Widow “Lightning Lu” Thorne has only one goal: escape the clutches of the Thorne family with her son. Her decision to be an informant and testify against the Thornes looked like the perfect answer. Until the Marshal ended up dead. Now the tether keeping her tied to her felonious family is tightening, and a forced marriage to someone else in the Thornes’ clutches threatens to kill any hope of escape.

Andrew and Lu find themselves on the same team–unwillingly. They each believe the other to be the enemy to their future plans. And even if they could learn to work together, the secrets they hold could shatter all hopes and dreams. Despite the encouragement of the local preacher, they’re not even sure God can be trusted–much less other humans. Can either of them escape their past–and the family that is willing to kill their own when they smell betrayal?

On the heels of her smashing debut, this second entry in Crystal Caudill’s historical series maintains the excitement that readers of Michelle Griep, Liz Tolsma, and Elizabeth Camden will love.

Current Purchase Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Hope-Crystal-Caudill/dp/0825447410

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/counterfeit-hope-crystal-caudill/1141659529

Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Counterfeit-Hope/Caudill-Crystal/L40537871

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Counterfeit-Hope-Crystal-Caudill/9780825447419

Christianbook: https://www.christianbook.com/counterfeit-hope-hidden-hearts-gilded-series/9780825447419/pd/5447419

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61898532-counterfeit-hope (Would you mind adding Counterfeit Hope to your “want to read” list if you are a member of Goodreads?)

 

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