Taxed to Death
Debra Purdy Kong
Mystery/Suspense
[rating: 3/5]
Available in:
• Mobi/Kindle
• ePub/iPad
• PDF
• HTML
… from…
• Amazon
• MobiPocket
• AllRomanceEbooks
• OmniLit
Also in paperback
When Revenue Canada auditor Alex Bellamy discovers that $150,000 is missing from Ice Craft Jewelers inventory, someone from Special Investigations suddenly takes him off the case. But Alex decides to keep investigating anyhow, and before he knows it, his best friend is dead—suicide, if you can believe it. Moreover, someone is chasing Alex himself, and he must turn to Jillian Scott, a woman he’s never met and who is as afraid of him as he is of being caught. Soon, her fears and his search embroil them in a bizarre and disturbing nightmare.
I read Taxed to Death as part of a review-exchange on GoodReads: I read someone’s book, and someone else reviews one of mine. To that end, and short of cash, I purchased a copy of Debra Purdy Kong’s Taxed to Death on the used market. This is the first in the Alex Bellamy series, the second being her more recent release, Fatal Encryption. But I couldn’t find a used copy of the more recent title, and I thought it would probably be best to start with the first in the series, anyhow.
The book started by throwing names and facts at me, as many mysteries do. Unfortunately—maybe because I’m dense—I didn’t get what was happening until later in the story. The story is billed as a mystery, but in some ways, it reads more like a suspense novel… except that I didn’t understand the characters, at all. In fact, the major viewpoint character, Les Silby, who gets the most screen-time, he’s one of the suspects. Him I got, at least as much as I could without knowing his full role until the end. Alex and Jillian, the hero and heroine of the story, I had no idea why they did most of the things they did.
As a side-effect, because the story can’t give away the ending, it frequently gave me a partial view, blanking out obvious things that the viewpoint character could see and was thinking about. Now, I’m not an expert in the mystery genre. As I recall, the mysteries I’ve read have achieved this effect simply by staying in the mind of the detective. Suspense novels, not so much, but in a suspense, it’s more important to maintain the tension between hero and villain, rather than to keep secret who the villain is. I’m not sure I liked the effect in Taxed to Death.
The story did get better near the end, as the situation became clear and the forces of evil began to close around our heroes. Even so, I never understood why Alex and Jillian did most of what they did, or felt what they felt, or thought what they were thinking. This is extremely important to me, because rich, three-dimensional characters are key to a good story. And these characters just fell flat.
This story is also missing a theme, as far as I can tell. I had originally expected something like: financial fraud is about more than money. (And that could be the theme of the story… maybe, kinda.) Or: we all pay when someone embezzles funds. (And I didn’t get that at all from this story.) Much less did I see an uplifting, character-based theme. It simply wasn’t that kind of book.
After all of that, I do hope to read the next book in the series Fatal Encryption. Why? Well, Taxed to Death is Debra Purdy Kong’s first book, published 15 years ago. That means that Debra probably put more into it than any other story she’s written, but also that it reflects her inexperience as an novelist. I’m hoping that Fatal Encryption, which came out just a couple years ago, gave her a chance to address some of the storytelling issues I noticed in Taxed to Death. Most importantly, I’m hoping she has gotten better at characterizing her characters, and I really want to get to know Alex Bellamy.
-TimK
|
Taxed to Death |
Available in: |
shopmaggielindemann – The platform’s design is clean and user-friendly.
colossal-heart – The platform’s design is clean and user-friendly.
linebet online
colossal-heart – The platform’s design is clean and user-friendly.
blegacyfarms – It’s refreshing to see innovation in the art world like this.
купить диплом в дзержинске купить диплом в дзержинске .
FDA-approved Tadalafil generic: FDA-approved Tadalafil generic – how to order Cialis online legally
aworldofgin – Love how they’re combining technology with art authenticity.
alixrice – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
shopmaggielindemann – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
redhillrepurposing – Just explored this site; the concept of art verification is intriguing.
redhillrepurposing – The platform’s design is clean and user-friendly.
ouretiquette – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
hellgate100nyc – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
hellgate100nyc – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
лечение запоя челябинск
vivod-iz-zapoya-chelyabinsk012.ru
экстренный вывод из запоя
blegacyfarms – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
This piece is packed with good points check it out http://hramada.listbb.ru/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2437
alixrice – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
shopmaggielindemann – I appreciate the transparency this site offers to artists and buyers.
частный пансионат для престарелых
pansionat-tula012.ru
пансионат для пожилых с инсультом
redhillrepurposing – A much-needed solution for artists seeking to prove their work’s authenticity.
low-cost ivermectin for Americans Stromectol ivermectin tablets for humans USA Stromectol ivermectin tablets for humans USA
colossal-heart – The idea of a global art registry feels like a game-changer.
aworldofgin – The idea of a global art registry feels like a game-changer.
blegacyfarms – Just explored this site; the concept of art verification is intriguing.
ouretiquette – The idea of a global art registry feels like a game-changer.
ouretiquette – I appreciate the transparency this site offers to artists and buyers.
redhillrepurposing – It’s refreshing to see innovation in the art world like this.
aworldofgin – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
hellgate100nyc – A much-needed solution for artists seeking to prove their work’s authenticity.
ouretiquette – It’s refreshing to see innovation in the art world like this.
https://www.salesforce.com/trailblazer/og6nu5498ftci0ui05
colossal-heart – I appreciate the transparency this site offers to artists and buyers.
colossal-heart – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
Добро пожаловать в мир плетения корзин из лозы, где каждый сможет найти советы от признанных мастеров!
Между прочим, если вас интересует Как выбрать идеальный набор отверток для дома и работы, загляните сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://fixora.ru/%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%b1%d0%be%d1%80-%d0%be%d1%82%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%82%d0%be%d0%ba/
Следуйте советам профессионалов, и ваши корзины станут настоящими шедеврами.
Добро пожаловать в мир плетения корзин из лозы, где каждый сможет найти советы от признанных мастеров!
Для тех, кто ищет информацию по теме “Эффективный уход за инструментами для резьбы”, нашел много полезного.
Смотрите сами:
https://fixora.ru/%d1%81%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%b5%d1%82%d1%8b-%d0%bf%d0%be-%d1%83%d1%85%d0%be%d0%b4%d1%83-%d0%b7%d0%b0-%d0%b8%d0%bd%d1%81%d1%82%d1%80%d1%83%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%bd%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%bc%d0%b8-%d0%b4%d0%bb%d1%8f-%d1%80/
Спасибо за внимание! Пусть ваше лозоплетение будет успешным и увлекательным!
Увлекательный мир лозоплетения ждёт вас! Присоединяйтесь к обсуждению лучших техник и приёмов.
По теме “Как выбрать швейную машину: советы и тренды 2025”, есть отличная статья.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://fixora.ru/%d1%88%d0%b2%d0%b5%d0%b9%d0%bd%d0%b0%d1%8f-%d0%bc%d0%b0%d1%88%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%b0/
Никогда не прекращайте учиться и совершенствоваться, ведь каждый день — это новый шаг в искусстве плетения!
alixrice – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
shopmaggielindemann – The idea of a global art registry feels like a game-changer.
купить диплом с занесением в реестр украина http://frei-diplom5.ru/ .
купить диплом техникума с реестром купить диплом техникума с реестром .
colossal-heart – Excited to see how this evolves in the art community.
linebet apk
купить диплом в мурманске с занесением в реестр купить диплом в мурманске с занесением в реестр .
легальный диплом купить легальный диплом купить .
ouretiquette – This could really streamline the process of art authentication.
wexfordliteraryartsfestival – It’s refreshing to see innovation in the art world like this.
blegacyfarms – The idea of a global art registry feels like a game-changer.
The site is easy to use and the reliable uptime keeps me coming back. Great for cross-chain swaps with minimal slippage.