Paying the Piper by Simon Wood

Mass Market Paperback: 386 pages - Publisher: Leisure Books (October 30, 2007) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 0843959800 - ISBN-13: 978-0843959802

 

Paying the Piper

by Simon Wood

He was known as the Piper – a coldhearted kidnapper who terrified the city. Crime reporter Scott Fleetwood built his career on the Piper. The kidnapper even taunted the FBI through Scott’s column. But Scott had been duped. The person he’d been speaking to wasn’t really the Piper. By the time the FBI exposed the hoaxer, time ran out … and the real Piper killed the child. Then he vanished. But now he’s back, with very specific targets in mind – Scott’s children.

Review: Suspenseful and intense!

Eight years ago, a kidnapper dubbed the “Piper” began kidnapping children. Once the ransoms were paid, the children were returned, unharmed. During the last kidnapping, the Piper contacted Scott Fleetwood, a reporter with the San Fransisco Independent. Only, the man Scott was talking to wasn’t the real Piper. To teach the public, Scott, and the FBI a lesson, the real Piper murdered Nicholas Rooker and left the body in a park. Not a day goes by that Scott doesn’t think about Nicholas Rooker. And now the unthinkable has happened… Scott’s own son, Sammy, has been kidnapped right in front of the school. It’s the Piper – and it’s payback time.

A ransom is demanded, and Scott and his wife Jane, don’t have the funds. But Charles Rooker, Nicholas’s father, pops up at the most unexpected time and saves the day, putting up the ransom; he swears he harbors no ill will toward Scott and his family; he wants the Piper caught, once and for all.

And now the Piper has Scott running in circles and through hoops – for Scott has a lot to answer for. Scott has to do what the Piper wants him to do or the Piper will hurt Sammy. And if things couldn’t get any worse, in the middle of the night, their other son, Peter, is taken right from his own bed, with Jane unable to stop it. And a new ransom is demanded; Charles Rooker swoops in once again. He doesn’t care about the money – he wants the Piper caught. And now the Piper has made a new demand: Scott is given a deadline – he has to find the Piper.

But FBI Agent Tom Sheils is on the case. He still holds contempt towards Scott, but regardless, he’s determined to take down the Piper and bring the boys home. But he knows that Scott is keeping secrets, and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it. The question is: will Scott and Sheils figure it out – before it’s too late?

**Incredible suspense, the tension is palpable. There’s no putting this book down. Just when you think you’re starting to get a handle on what’s going on, who’s involved, a twist occurs that blows your theory out of the water, time and time again.

The characters are complex and full of emotion, especially guilt. The main character, Scott, feels it daily; not one day has gone by in eight years that he doesn’t think of what happened to Nicholas Rooker. All the main men characters feel some form of guilt, and because the FBI had been made fools of, Sheils still harbors anger toward Scott, making for some very, very tense scenes.

On the back cover of the book, there’s a quote from Book Browser: “Simon Wood knows how to create tension, he knows how to build three-dimensional characters, and he has proven he can tie everything together in a high-octane climax.” I couldn’t agree more. An excellent novel and highly recommended!

Rating:

Eyes of Fire by Heather Graham

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages – Publisher: Mira (January 1, 2005) – Language: English – ISBN-10: 0778321312 – ISBN-13: 978-0778321316

Back of the Book reads:

Buried under the ocean, deep within the Bermuda Triangle, lies a treasure worth killing for.

Having already lost two men in her life to the lure of the bounty beneath the sea, Samantha Carlyle wants nothing to do with treasure hunts. She wants to be left in peace to run her dive resort on Seafire Isle.

But unexplained events continue to happen. Adam O’Connor – Samantha’s ex-lover – arrives unannounced on the tiny island. Samantha becomes the target of an attempted kidnapping. And she’s beginning to realize that none of the resort’s guests are who they claim to be.

Caught in an undertow of lies and murder, Samantha confronts the secrets that have, for centuries, been drawing men to their water graves. And she realizes that the little she knows about the lost treasure is more than enough to get her killed.

Eyes of Fire at Amazon.com

Eyes of Fire at Chapters.ca

Eyes of Fire at Amazon.ca

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3-Oct-08 to 4-Oct-08

Review: Too many characters, plot not that exciting.

Samantha returns from taking her guests out diving to see the mail boat arrive with an unannounced guest on board. A guest that she knows and wishes he’d never returned. Adam O’Connor remembers clearly what Sam had been like years before and his heart still stops when he sees her. He introduces himself to some of her guests and to Sam like he’s never met her before, which throws her off and has her fleeing from his presence in haste.

Once back in her cabin, she decides to soak in the tub and debate with herself on what to do about Adam. But she doesn’t get to debate long. Someone has broken into her cabin, dressed all in black with a black mask, intent on drugging and kidnapping her right from her tub. Who should come to her rescue but Adam. Adam refuses to tell her why he’s suddenly showed up, why he couldn’t come to her aid when her father had disappeared, when her friend, Hank Jennings, disappeared.

Then he begins to point out that her guests aren’t who they say they are. Suddenly Sam is suspicious of every single one of them. But one thing is clear; one or more of her guests are after something, a treasure under the sea that caused the disappearance of two men she cared about, the possible murder of same friends. Who can Sam trust?

Oh, where do I begin? I usually really enjoy Graham’s novels, but I found this one fell almost flat compared to the others I’ve read. First: Too many characters and too many disconnections. It was getting hard to remember which character was which. Thoughts never completed. And while you get the story of the treasure aboard the Beldona, it’s not as exciting as you’re made to think.

I did like the tension between Sam and Adam. You find out what happened in the past between them and why it fell apart and you get a greater picture of how naive Sam was – and sort of still is. And while there are a couple of action scenes well worth reading, the rest of the story seems to fall flat, like there’s no substance to it. A couple of little twists are a bit of a surprise, but seem to feel downplayed. I really believe that if there had been less characters in play and more substance to the story, the book would have been much better.

Rating:

The Stolen by Jason Pinter (‘Henry Parker’ series Book #3)

  The Stolen by Jason Pinter

‘Henry Parker’ series Book #3

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages – Publisher: Mira (August 1, 2008 ) – Language: English – ISBN-10: 0778325725 – ISBN-13: 978-0778325727

Back of the Book reads:

Five years ago the boy vanished with a trace. Today he came back.

Five years after he disappeared, young Daniel Linwood returned to his suburban home for dinner as though he’d never left. It’s a blessing for both his family and their community. And I’ve snagged the exclusive interview.

But it turns out Daniel is just one of a string of abducted children who have mysteriously returned to their families with no memory of their lost years. Some people want me to leave it be. Some want me to simply let the healing process begin. But these wounds are deeper than anyone realizes.

To get the story on these bizarre kidnappings, I need the help of the one woman who owes me nothing. I’ve got to find answers before another life is snatched away from sight and time and memory. But doing so means we could be the next ones to go…

The Stolen at Amazon.com

The Stolen at Chapters.ca

The Stolen at Amazon.ca

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29-Sep-08 to 1-Oct-08

Review: Kidnapped and returned with no memory in between…

Six months have passed since Henry and Amanda broke up. His job as a reporter for the New York Gazette has taken dangerous roads and he broke up with her, just to keep her safe. And yet, painful as it is, he still loves her and thinks about her every day. But no matter how much he loves her, he doesn’t want to see her harmed…

Daniel Linwood knocks on the door of his family’s home, five years after he disappears without a trace. It’s a miracle he’s home. And out of all the newspapers and magazine fighting for an interview, they choose Henry Parker out of the stack. They’ve read his stories and believe that he’ll be delicate enough to write the story. Upon arriving to the home, Senator Gray Talbot pulls Henry aside, indirectly telling him to report the story, then leave them be, to be delicate with Daniel and respect his family’s wishes to just move on. And yet, while interviewing Danny (as he now likes to be called), one word is said in plural, and while Henry picks up on it, he doesn’t understand what it means.

And as a relentless investigative reporter, Henry digs and digs, just to find a similar case a few years before. Michelle Oliviera had disappeared without a trace and simply returned, years later, with no memory. Henry doesn’t believe in coincidence and digs for the truth. But to get any information on Michelle, he needs to speak to the one person who he didn’t think would ever talk to him again… Amanda.

With her help, they dig and find clues, and yet they never thought of what it would amount to – until it was almost too late.

Pinter wanted to be a writer, and began as an intern in a publishing company. He loved it and became an editorial assistant when he was done school. That’s when he set to work on his first book. This one’s the third and I can’t wait for more.

Henry Parker is a fine character. Strong, he’s relentless. After interviewing Danny, the word ‘brothers’ kept popping up in his mind. Why the plural? He only has one brother. So Henry digs and digs, not liking what he finds. Not a believer of coincidence, he swallows his unease and calls Amanda, begging for help. She works with kids everyday, and doesn’t like the sound of what Henry found. She helps by giving him a file and together, the story goes from there. As they piece together the story, they too end up in danger. Kidnapped, Henry tortured, both end up on the run yet again, hiding from two men that want them dead, believing they know too much and are getting too close to the truth.

But I wasn’t anywhere close to what was actually going on and why it was going on. It was damn near frightening and I pray it doesn’t happen in the real world. Pinter’s characters seem so real to me, their feelings and reactions spur the reader to continue. Between mystery and suspense, there’s actions and questions, searches for the truth behind it all. Pinter writes so convincingly, and his novels are ‘unputdownable’. High recommendations, and I can’t wait for more Henry Parker.

Rating:

No One Lives Forever by Jordan Dane

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages – Publisher: Avon (May 27, 2008 ) – Language: English – ISBN-10: 0061253766 – ISBN-13: 978-0061253768

Back of the Book reads:

Nothing Is What It Seems

Born to a childhood pitted by violence, Christian Delacorte is desperate for peace when he embarks on a new life with the woman he loves, Detective Raven Mackenzie. But soon his old life comes calling – in the tempting form of a mysterious woman assassin.

When a Deadly Seductress Comes Calling

Jasmine Lee is determined to collect an old marker from Christian. He owed her – big time – and she needs his help freeing her kidnapped lover, Nicholas Charboneau – a powerful mogul linked to Chicago’s underworld. Christian doesn’t trust her, but Jasmine entices him to leave Raven behind when she reveals his shocking connection to Charboneau.

And a Lethal Race Against Time Begins

Christian has seven days to attempt an impossible rescue of the father he never knew. And when a woman assassin with ulterior motives makes a lousy ally, Christian is alone to face the stark reality that no one lives forever … and he might be the next to die.

No One Lives Forever at Amazon.com

No One Lives Forever at Chapters.ca

No One Lives Forever at Amazon.com

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5-Sep-08 to 8-Sep-08

Review: Dealing with the past, praying for the future.

While in Cuiaba, Brazil, Nicholas Charboneau (first met him in No One Left To Tell), is kidnapped from his hotel room. His bodyguard, Jasmine Lee knocked unconscious. A note is left behind – deposit 1 Million in an account by a certain date, or else.

With no one else to turn to, nowhere else to go, her search exhausted and brought to a halt, Jasmine flies back to the U.S., determined to call on Christian Delacorte, who owes her a favor (she had helped Delacorte get Raven back in No One Left To Tell). Raven is not thrilled and Christian has no choice. The shocker – Charboneau is Christian’s biological father, the father Fiona wouldn’t admit to, believing that it was for his own good. Regardless about how he or Raven feels, he does owe Jasmine, and flies back to Brazil with her, leaving Raven behind.

Things escalate; first, Christian is indirectly threatened by police Captain Luis Duarte, an attempted hit-and-run misses him by a hair, a Macumba ritual is left on their hotel suite’s balcony along with a deadly snake. A meeting with the Military police Chief Ricardo Zharan, doesn’t seem to help ease the worry and tension for Christian or Jasmine. A meeting at Genotech Labs on raises their suspisions and Christian wonders even more if his father is involved in the despicable goings on. And just when things get worse, Raven appears at the hotel room door, unable to stay home and wait for Christian. And while together alone, Jasmine is kidnapped herself.

According to Zharan, Captain Duarte is now a wanted man, Jasmine still hasn’t been found, but they believe Nicholas has been located. Desperate, Christian convinces Zharan to let Raven and himself accompany Zharan and his men in the rescue.

Then things turn ugly. Between accusations and firefightes, Jasmine arrives to save Nicholas. But can anyone save her?

Originally, I thought there would be more to this, but I didn’t find that much to the mystery at all. I actually found it uninspired. I think there should have been more suspense, more action during their search for Nicholas. The characters come across as worried about the same things over an over again, the same thoughts over and over again, and it was getting to be a little too much – almost two-dimensional. The sexual innuendoes also should have stopped near the beginning – for someone in love with Nicholas, why would she antagonize Christian like that is beyond me. His son, for crying out loud? Once Nicholas is found, what happens after I thought very predictable. Almost too predictable. I’d have loved to see something else – maybe before they were handcuffed! Maybe a diversion and an escape into the forest…

I thought Raven showing up predictable, the villan almost predictable, the whole Genotech Labs and testing was predictable. I found that there wasn’t enough in the explanation from Dr. Tyson Phillips to satisfy a reader who really likes the forensics side of a mystery of any kind, and the whole ‘threatened to hurt my family if I didn’t cooperate’ from Phillips was, again, predictable.

And while the predictability is plain to see, the action scenes are good, love scenes could have used a little more intensity, the characters could have used a little more work. And while there are descriptions of the characters’ surroundings, they are all basic – they seem to just be thrown in for the reader’s sake. They give you this detached feeling. I’m not one to like that at all, but I think the descriptions might play off of Christian well, if you think of it as him giving you the descriptions – they would go well with his attitude of not wanting to be in Brazil in the first place.

You still don’t know enough of Jasmine to comprehend what she’s done for Charboneau. And if it doesn’t beat all, Christian proposes to Raven on the way home? He promised himself he’d talk with Raven, explain everything and swear to never leave her in the dark, no pun intended. Sorry, but for me, a marriage proposal doesn’t take care of that end. He should have told her everything – start to finish – feelings and all. The proposal would have been all that much more sweeter.

In my opinion, the novel wasn’t a waste of money but not the highest marks either.

Rating: .5