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: |
That is very attention-grabbing, You are a very skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look forward to in quest of extra of your fantastic post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks
https://kra42c.com
pepplish – Overall, I’d say this is a promising site for unique hot sauces—it just needs a bit more transparency for full trust.
dearsparrows – I appreciate the variety of topics covered, from racing to casino trends and more.
keepgrowingforward – The tone is positive, and I found several insights I can apply right away.
nomnomnomfordogs – Would be helpful to see more transparency on ingredient sourcing for added credibility.
brightnightpdx – Overall: interesting find and likely safe to monitor further before full commitment.
connectdiscovergrow – Found some interesting resources but I’d love to see more case studies or success stories.
Вызов дезинфекция квартиры после умершего на выходные возможен?
дезинфекция после потопа
pepplish – If buying internationally, check shipping, customs fees and how fresh the product remains on arrival.
flourandoak – Check their hours and availability though—artisan shops often have limited stock.
Profitez d’une offre 1xBet : beneficiez un bonus de 100% pour l’inscription jusqu’a 130€. Augmentez le solde de vos fonds simplement en placant des paris avec un wager de cinq fois. Le code bonus est valide tout au long de l’annee 2026. Pour activer ce code, rechargez votre compte a partir de 1€. Decouvrez cette offre exclusive sur ce lien — https://www.atrium-patrimoine.com/wp-content/artcls/?code_promo_196.html.
shopwithconfidence – The name is catchy and gives a strong first impression of trust and ease.
наркологическая клиника trezviy vibor narkologicheskaya-klinika-28.ru .
staycuriousalways – Love the domain’s vibe — seems like a place you’d go to expand your mind and try something new.
наркологическая клиника город narkologicheskaya-klinika-28.ru .
платная наркологическая клиника в москве платная наркологическая клиника в москве .
платная наркологическая клиника в москве платная наркологическая клиника в москве .
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Bu arada, eger Zamans?z S?kl?k ve Klasik Giyim Onerileri ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://klasikstil.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
pepplish – I like the branding here, the name is catchy and the site design looks clean.
theperfectgiftshop – If you’re shopping for something special, this could be a good place to browse—just check details.
nomnomnomfordogs – Reviews on Etsy show strong praise: “Our dog loves their treats!!” :contentReference[oaicite:0]index=0
наркологические клиники в москве частные https://narkologicheskaya-klinika-28.ru/ .
exploreopportunitiesnow – Clean layout and intuitive-looking site, which gives a good first impression.
connectdiscovergrow – Overall, a positive first impression—just need to dig a little deeper to understand the full value.
flourandoak – Would appreciate seeing more detail about ingredient sourcing or sustainable practices.
pepplish – I like the branding here, the name is catchy and the site design looks clean.
shopwithconfidence – Website design is clean and simple which helps build a sense of reliability.
Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an very long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyway, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
официальный сайт kra42 cc
Hi there, You’ve done a great job. I will certainly digg it and personally recommend to my friends. I’m confident they’ll be benefited from this web site.
https://kra42c.com
bestdealsforlife – I recommend verifying domain age and ownership details for more trust-worthiness.
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
En Iyi Mobilya ve Dekorasyon Trendleri 2023 hakk?ndaki bolum dikkate degerdi.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://anadoludekor.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
Je suis captive par Olympe Casino, il procure une experience harmonieuse. Il y a une profusion de jeux captivants, offrant des sessions live immortelles. Avec des depots rapides. Les agents repondent comme des muses, joignable a toute heure. Les retraits sont rapides comme une melodie, neanmoins des bonus plus varies seraient un nectar. Dans l’ensemble, Olympe Casino offre une experience legendaire pour ceux qui aiment parier en crypto ! En bonus l’interface est fluide comme un nectar, amplifie le plaisir de jouer. Egalement remarquable les paiements securises en crypto, assure des transactions fiables.
olympefr.com|
brightnightpdx – Overall: interesting find and likely safe to monitor further before full commitment.
Just want to say your article is as astounding. The clarity for your put up is just spectacular and i could assume you’re a professional in this subject. Fine with your permission allow me to take hold of your RSS feed to stay up to date with impending post. Thanks one million and please carry on the enjoyable work.
вход через зеркало kra42 at
keepgrowingforward – The domain name really matches the message—growth and forward motion all the way.
наркологические клиники наркологические клиники .
nomnomnomfordogs – If purchasing, check shipping conditions (freshness, packaging) especially if you’re out of state.
connectdiscovergrow – The call to action is clear, though it’s not fully obvious what the core offer is at first glance.
центр наркологической помощи центр наркологической помощи .
createandgrow – I like the “Create & Grow” vibe — suggests development and forward movement.
анонимная наркологическая клиника анонимная наркологическая клиника .
flourandoak – The branding “Flour & Oak” suggests craftsmanship and wood-fired or rustic baking, which is appealing.
shopwithconfidence – I like the promise implied by the domain—shopping without stress sounds good.
адреса наркологических клиник адреса наркологических клиник .
nomnomnomfordogs – Packaging and product descriptions look detailed which suggests care in making the treats.
гидроизоляция подвала гидроизоляция подвала .
connectdiscovergrow – The call to action is clear, though it’s not fully obvious what the core offer is at first glance.
частная наркологическая клиника москва частная наркологическая клиника москва .
flourandoak – The bakery’s aesthetic looks attractive and inviting, great for a casual visit.
анонимная наркологическая помощь в москве анонимная наркологическая помощь в москве .