Bishop’s Run by BD Gates is the first book in the Bishop’s Run Series. It is also a story about reinventing yourself, learning from past mistakes and learning to accept others just the way they are.
Some people avoid trouble at all costs and some people just seem to attract trouble everywhere they go. This is certainly true for Bishop, a young woman with a cocky attitude who either has an irate boss or a very pissed off girlfriend who doesn’t know whether to kiss or kill her. Bishop always manages to find a way out of any sticky situation she gets herself into but her luck runs out when she gets into a deadly situation that nearly claims her life.
The Witness Protection Program steps in to protect Bishop and they whisk her off to a lovely rural, small town community in Tenley, Virginia. She has been given the gift of a clean slate, a brand new life where she can be anyone she wants to be.
Detective Tess Hayes has so many things on her plate because she has to oversee Bishop’s case, however, she has a traumatic past and enough troubles of her own to deal with.
Can Bishop put her troubled past behind her and create the life she has always wanted?
The Characters
Bishop, also known as Lisa Baxter is starting her life over from scratch. She is in the care of the Witness Protection Program in a small town called Tenley. She grudgingly accepts her new identity while she tries to make new friends and find employment doing something she enjoys. To be honest, I was a bit annoyed at Bishop’s childish and self-centered behavior but after I got to know more about her and her painful past, I realized that she is so strong and amazing even though she can be very flippant at times.
Tess Hayes is the detective who is charged with keeping Bishop safe. Tess goes out of her way to make sure that Bishop has everything that she needs and she also helps Bishop to fit in and be a part of the Tenley community. I adore everything about Tess! She has a heart of gold because she will do everything in her power to keep those who are dear to her heart safe. Have I mentioned that she is an animal lover as well? That’s a huge deal for me and I love her unwavering focus and ‘doing things by the book’ attitude (Okay, I know I am fangirling here but I just can’t help myself!)
The Writing Style
This story made me laugh, get close to tears and I rolled my eyes over the blunders that Tess and Bishop made as they tried to strike a balance between friendship and duty. The author did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life for me and she gave me such a beautiful and vivid description of the rural community called Tenley.
The Pros
I love the fact that I got to live vicariously through these awesome women! I enjoyed this story so much because there’s a woman in uniform in it (and you know how much I love women in uniform!) and softball players (even more imaginary eye candy for me because I adore athletic women.)
The Cons
I have zero complaints!
The Conclusion
This story blew me away with its down to earth portrayal of the lives of these phenomenal women. I loved this story for its raw, realistic and flawed characters. It also highlights the fact that fiction can be just like life in general, not every ending will be a happy one or have the outcome that everyone desires.
I have always had a soft spot for stories that can bring all of my emotions to the surface and this novel did that and more.
If you enjoy realistic and emotional stories coupled with a town filled with sassy and feisty women, then this is definitely the story for you!
Excerpt from Bishop’s Run by BD Gates
“So, Bert and Ernie have the day off,” I said, around a fair mouthful of food. “Oh, my god, this bacon really is delicious,” I added, holding out a piece to study it.
“Detectives Whyte and Fowler have been reassigned. I’ll be overseeing your case from now on. Since you’ve been here over a month, and your recovery from your injuries is nearly complete, it was decided that full police presence was no longer required.”
Tess was back to being all business.
“You mean, since no one has hunted me down and tried to kill me in the past four weeks.”
“Well, now, Miss Baxter, that was not a factor in the decision-making process.”
“It’s Bishop… just… Bishop, okay? Nothing more.” I unrolled a piece from the sweet roll on my plate and jammed it in my mouth.
“Now, look, Bishop, the whole purpose of witness protection involves taking on a new identity and moving to a new place, assuming a new life, where the ‘bad guys’ won’t find you and kill you, and anyone you may be associating with. Your new name is Lisa Baxter and you need to get used to it.”
“Detective, I understand the purpose of witness protection, I’m not stupid, but I have to tell you that I do not feel like, nor do I look like a ‘Sarah,’ a ‘Sally,’ or a ‘Betty,’ or, for that matter, a ‘Lisa’!”
Detective Hayes sat back in her chair, and briefly, her softer side appeared, the version of her I’d spent so many evenings with, the woman who was attentive and kind and had the sweetest laugh, in those beautiful, now widened green eyes. But only briefly. Those green eyes narrowed, practically became weapons as Detective Hayes leaned across the table, keeping her voice low but direct.
“There is a reason you have to change your name, and that is, first and foremost, the reason you are in Witness Protection—so that the people who wanted you dead can’t find you. Now, obviously, you’re having issues with the name given to you by the U.S. Marshalls…”
“I suspect someone in the Marshall’s office thought it would be a hoot to change my name to Lisa,” I fired back at her, realizing how childish that probably sounded after it shot out of my mouth.
“Lisa, you have to go with it, it’s going to keep you safe, you’ll get used to it.” She sat upright, her back straight against the chair.
“Detective, look at me. Really look at me… do I look like a ‘Lisa’ to you? Really?”
The detective scanned me up and down, taking in all of my five-foot-eight-inches, from my light brown hair to my t-shirt accentuating my somewhat stocky build, then back to my face, where her eyes locked onto mine. We had spent hours together over the weeks past, but neither of us had apparently ever really looked at the person we were spending time with, considering my earlier surprise. And, god knows, we hadn’t talked much. At least, until recently.
“No, Bishop,” she sighed, “You don’t. You don’t look anything like a Lisa, but that is beside the point. You are in a small town below the Mason-Dixon line. You will be called Lisa or, more likely, ‘Miz Lisa,’ by young and old, and you will have to answer to it. And… I’m sorry that you have to live with that, but whatever you were into in Baltimore put you here, so I really hope that having to go by a name that you don’t like is the worst thing that happens to you.”
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Series
Bishop’s Run Series
Bishop’s Run
Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781521396605
BD Gates Online
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