Yvette - Bookworlder

I never thought I would want to gush about a thriller, but this hit an unknown sweet spot for me. Action, suspense, a child in jeopardy, evil bad guys with many minions, heroes and a heroine that you want to root for.

As much as I want to gush, I don't want to be the one to spoil any of the suspense, so I will simply share a few of the things that are not too plot related.

The story is told from three points of view, with only Annabel's being in first person. Annabel lives on a farm in Peachtree, Alabama. She is months away from her twelfth birthday, and has been home schooled by her uncle. When she is left in the bunker with the guard dog, she does not understand why. We experience this through her eyes.

Trudi Coffey has a degree in English lit but now works as a private investigator. Her part of the narrative is told in third person, and it is in her sections that we get to know Samuel Lee, her ex-husband (a descriptor that she generally follows up mentally with "the pig.") and former business partner.

The third perspective is that of an Iraq veteran known as The Mute. Also told in third person, it is primarily in his sections that we learn more about Leonard Truckson's past. Having his perspective was a surprise to me, and I am so glad that the author chose to let us into his head.

If this had been an action movie rather than a book, I think that the portrayal of the villains might have gone over the top - as they often seem to do when the characters are of Middle Eastern or German origins. Here, while they are extreme characters, the author seems to have used enough restraint that they are not overblown.

The characters are interesting, the storyline compelling, and the action is riveting. I read this straight through with a few necessary breaks to eat and sleep. The resolution is satisfying and everything is wrapped up nicely, including a much appreciated epilogue.
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This is an edited version of the review originally published on bookworlder.wordpress.com at http://wp.me/p5Tcfi-1iz

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”