Take It To the Limit


Fiction - Suspense
Kindle Edition
Reviewed on 06/21/2025
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    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Take It to the Limit by Linda Opdyke hurls readers into a gritty, high-stakes world of human trafficking and undercover danger. We're with married PIs Ethan and Mickey Jenks when a young woman vanishes in Nashville, and this duo is pulled into a harrowing case on opposite ends and unaware of each other’s involvement. Ethan infiltrates the biker-run syndicate behind the abduction, while Mickey’s own investigation leads her straight into its trap. The tension ratchets up as Mickey’s inexperience and empathy make her vulnerable to a brutal trafficking pipeline, culminating in a high-stakes auction and a desperate race against time. With layers of corruption ranging from the dirty cops to complicit journalists, this is a suspense novel that pulls no punches and grips readers from start to finish.

Author Linda Opdyke has a talent for suspenseful pacing and confident clue-dropping, and that makes for a fast-paced action novel with raw emotional undercurrents, especially in the dynamic between Ethan and Mickey. I loved how their personal stakes were at the forefront of the story, which made the procedural aspects feel urgent and real because they fit so convincingly into the characters' motivations. The depiction of trafficking is unflinching but never gratuitous. Opdyke clearly did her research, and it shows in both the procedural detail and the emotional nuances. Mickey emerges as a particularly compelling lead: flawed, courageous, and resilient in a world stacked against her. Overall, Take It to the Limit is a propulsive, hard-hitting thriller that combines emotional complexity with relentless suspense, and I'd recommend it as a timely story of danger, courage, and survival.

Keith Mbuya

Seasoned, highly reputable, and sought-after PI Ethan Jenks and his wife, rookie PI Michelle ‘Mickey’ Jenks, own two separate investigative agencies in Nashville. Mickey wants to venture into undercover investigative work, but Ethan believes she is not ready. When a case about finding a missing girl knocks at her door, Mickey jumps at it. However, perhaps her husband is right. Inexperienced, Mickey partners with a sleazy reporter who promises to help her quickly wrap up the case. Before she knows it, a key informant is murdered, and to her horror, her life may be in danger. The investigation had led her to Hellbound, a notorious biker bar, the last place the missing girl had been seen. The owner of the bar is rumored to be running a trafficking ring, which, unknown to Mickey, Ethan was investigating. The closer the pair gets to uncovering the truth behind their cases, the more dangerous it gets. With their lives on the line, can the pair survive the storm of trouble ahead? Find out in Linda Opdyke’s Take It To the Limit.

Once this white-knuckle page-turner grabs you, it is relentless, never loosening its grip until the final word. Linda Opdyke’s Take It To the Limit is a must-read for aficionados of gripping mystery and sleuth novels blended with crime, thrills, high-stakes drama, and more. With an introduction that sets the stage for an ingenious plot, the novel features an exciting, dynamic cast. The subtle tone of the storyline had me on the edge of my seat. Whenever I thought I knew where the story was going, I would be slapped with a cliffhanger or jaw-dropping plot twist, leaving me turning page after page. The cinematic descriptions brought the scenes to life, dropping me smack into the middle of the action. I was swept up in a whirlwind of blackmail, deceit, secrets, murder, abduction, crime, and more. I relished the sharp, lively conversations entwined with wit, tension, and urgency. These gave depth to the characters’ conflicts, emotions, and complex traits. I loved this book.

Alma Boucher

In Take it to the Limit by Linda Opdyke, Mickey had been working as a private investigator for less than a year, and her husband, Ethan, provided her with an office on his floor. While Mickey was conducting her latest investigation, she was attacked and ended up in the hospital, where Kathy Morgan approached her. Kathy sought Mickey's help in finding her sister Mia, who had been missing for three years. Danny Miller reached out to Mickey, pretending to want an exclusive on her investigative agency, but his true intention was to use her information for a headline story. Claiming to possess information regarding Mia’s disappearance, Mickey, eager to succeed in her investigation, disregards all warnings about Danny. As a result, Mickey soon finds herself targeted by a dangerous criminal involved in human trafficking.

Take It to the Limit by Linda Opdyke was exhilarating and captivating. The pace was brisk and filled with excitement right from the opening page. I was riveted from the start until the conclusion, and the tension kept me on the edge of my seat. Many unexpected twists and turns made it hard to predict what would happen next. I struggled to put the book down, eagerly turning the pages as quickly as possible. The writing was compelling, allowing me to dive into the investigation fully. The characters appeared authentic and relatable. The plot was masterfully crafted and contained all the essential elements to make it stand out. I really enjoyed reading this book and will remember it for a long time.