Oct. 3, 2013, Daniel Wetta

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/733751801

Let me say right off the bat that this gripping tale of investigative reporting of a secessionist Texas gubernatorial candidate with creepy, behind-the-scenes string pullers grabs you from the first sentences and holds you until the end. Nancy Stancill is a thriller author’s author. Her experience in the real world of news reporting shows in her authentic handling of plot and characters.

Stancill’s main protagonist, Annie Price, is a heroine of intelligence and sexiness. She has flaws. She misjudges some people, and she doesn’t always make the best choices. She does, however, learn from her mistakes, and when she is on her mark, she takes no prisoners. Annie Price is a heroine in the league of Kay Scarpetta, and I can easily see Annie investigating cases many novels into the future.

The author knows Texas history, including an ugly episode in 1997 when some secessionist nut cases with an arsenal of weapons grabbed headlines during a stand off with law enforcement.

What makes this novel so credible is not only that secessionist movements are a part of Texas history, but also the fact that once Texas was an independent Republic that avoided being part of Mexico and the United States.

In “Saving Texas,” the gubernatorial candidate who wants to see Texas as an independent nation is a charismatic, credentialed politician who actually makes sense. This is where Stancill has done her homework, and her portrayal of the gubernatorial candidate and his two campaign lieutenants chills to the core.

“Saving Texas” is best seller caliber that delivers to the very end. My hope is that a sequel or another novel centered around Annie Price comes quickly. Grab a copy of this novel. Just make sure you have a clear calendar, because nothing else is going to happen until you finish this book!