Dared to Run by J. J. Clarke

Dared to Run was not the novel I thought it would be, but it was still a fun read. I had expected Kate Anderson to be a law enforcement officer and the story to be about her tracking down criminals. Kate is part of the legal system, but rather than an officer, she is a “bond investigator from Missouri Probation and Parole.” In Kate's case, this means she often represents people accused of crimes. She meets with judges and negotiates the level of their bonds. This is an interesting position, one I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this novel. But Kate's career isn't where she gets into trouble. She is involved with a man who is abusive. This situation is difficult because he is a well connected deputy sheriff who will not leave her alone. As the book progresses, Kate's situation gets worse and she is forced to go underground, hence the title – Dared to Run.

There are many tense moments in the story, but what I liked the most in the book were the characters Kate encountered as she ran. There are people who help abused women hide from their abusers, sometimes using illegal, but necessary means. There are also fun country people, who are warm and kind. There are also quirky characters, such as Dolly Parton impersonators at a funeral. I found her relationships with these side characters to be fascinating.

There are a number of plot issues that remain unresolved when this novel ends, because this is the first book in J. J. Clarke's Kate Anderson series. I look forward to reading the next one.