Silent Shadows by Natalie Walters

Pecca Gallegos moved to the tiny town of Walton, Georgia, to protect her son and escape the dangerous lifestyle that once defined her. When a series of strange circumstances evolve into threats, Pecca finds herself confiding in an unlikely ally—her stubborn patient.

Army veteran Colton Crawford is desperate to recover from the undiagnosed disorder that is ruining his life, and his instincts are on high alert when threats against his nurse and her son force him to take action. But Colton’s involvement only ramps up the danger when he uncovers a family secret revealing that whoever is after Pecca is closer—and more deadly—than they realized.

With this suspenseful new story, Natalie Walters welcomes you once more to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name—but no one knows your secret.

The Big Thrill caught up to author Natalie Walters to learn more about the third book in her Harbored Secrets series, SILENT SHADOWS:

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

One of the themes I love in SILENT SHADOWS is trusting and having faith that God is in control no matter what is happening around you or to you. This seems so simple, but when my characters are faced with life-challenging obstacles, the choice isn’t so easy. In the thick of adversity or setbacks, it’s easy to become consumed with “what was” and wanting to go back to the so-called normal. Life doesn’t happen that way. Sometimes there’s a new normal and we have to believe there’s a purpose moving forward—and to do that, we must trust and have faith.

Natalie Walters

What attracts you to this book’s genre?

I love the excitement in romantic suspense. The hold-your-breath moments as the characters discover feelings for each other is as thrilling as the heart-pumping-edge-of-your-seat suspense that won’t let you put the book down until the final page. Twists and turns in the action and emotion of the story make this one of my favorite genres!

Which took shape first: plot, character, or setting?

SILENT SHADOWS began first with its characters. Pecca Gallegos is introduced briefly to readers in my second book, Deadly Deceit, and in those few pages, I could tell she had a story to tell. Colton Crawford’s character took hold of my mind and would not let go. His personal struggles were very real to my family as my daughter suffers from a movement disorder as well. Knowing what each character was facing helped me write a story that would challenge them and make them ask hard questions of themselves. I love their character arcs nearly as much as I love the thrilling plot!

What was the biggest challenge this book presented? What about the biggest opportunity?

I’m really happy that I got the opportunity to home in on my belief that no one is defined by their past. Pecca Gallegos made some unwise decisions in her youth and the consequences of those choices catch up to her, but I love that I was able to weave a message of grace into her storyline through secondary characters.

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Natalie Walters is the author of Living Lies and Deadly Deceit. A military wife of 22 years, she currently resides in Hawaii with her soldier husband and their three kids. She writes full-time and has been published in Proverbs 31 magazine and has blogged for Guideposts online. In addition to balancing life as a military spouse, mom, and writer, she loves connecting on social media, sharing her love of books, cooking, and traveling. Natalie comes from a long line of military and law enforcement veterans and is passionate about supporting them through volunteer work, races, and writing stories that affirm no one is defined by their past.

To learn more about the author and her work, please visit her website.