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: |
Отличный сервис, который реально выручает. Даже поздно вечером всё работает, заказ оформляется за минуту. Алкоголь приходит охлаждённый и целый. Теперь если нужна ночная доставка спиртного, беру здесь: https://dostavka-alcohol.ru/
createinspirelead – Motivating design and smooth layout, really captures a positive energy.
Cildinizi s?martmak icin haz?r olun!
“Kad?n Modas?nda Stil ve Fonksiyonel Oneriler” konusuyla ilgili olarak oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://giyimtarzi.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
Dogal guzelliginizin s?rlar?n? ortaya c?karmaya var m?s?n?z?
Yeri gelmisken, eger Turk Mutfag?n?n Geleneksel ve Modern Lezzetleri ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Burada okuyabilirsiniz:
https://turklezzeti.com
Cildinizin dogall?g?n? ve sagl?g?n? korumak sizin elinizde.
Je suis emerveille par Posido Casino, ca invite a plonger dans le fun. La gamme est variee et attrayante, comprenant des titres adaptes aux cryptomonnaies. Il offre un coup de pouce allechant. Le service client est excellent. Le processus est simple et transparent, bien que des bonus plus frequents seraient un hit. Pour finir, Posido Casino garantit un plaisir constant. De plus l’interface est simple et engageante, ajoute une touche de dynamisme. Egalement genial le programme VIP avec des avantages uniques, cree une communaute soudee.
VГ©rifier le site|
Je suis epate par Vbet Casino, c’est un lieu ou l’adrenaline coule a flots. Le catalogue de titres est vaste, proposant des jeux de table classiques. 100% jusqu’a 500 € avec des spins gratuits. Les agents sont toujours la pour aider. Les paiements sont securises et rapides, cependant des offres plus importantes seraient super. Pour conclure, Vbet Casino offre une experience hors du commun. Pour couronner le tout la navigation est claire et rapide, facilite une experience immersive. Un avantage les options de paris sportifs variees, propose des privileges personnalises.
Plongez-y|
yourmomentstarts – The design feels modern and inspiring, very easy to browse around.
Sizi gecmisten ilham alan guzellik ipuclar?yla dolu bu nostaljik yolculuga davet ediyoruz. 90’lar modas?n?n s?rlar?na goz atal?m m??
Между прочим, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?, загляните сюда.
Ссылка ниже:
https://guzellikturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Особенно понравился материал про Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://evimturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
Je suis totalement conquis par Vbet Casino, c’est un lieu ou l’adrenaline coule a flots. Les options sont aussi vastes qu’un horizon, offrant des experiences de casino en direct. Il amplifie le plaisir des l’entree. Le suivi est d’une precision remarquable. Les retraits sont fluides et rapides, de temps en temps des bonus diversifies seraient un atout. Pour conclure, Vbet Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. En bonus le site est rapide et immersif, booste le fun du jeu. Particulierement attrayant les tournois reguliers pour s’amuser, offre des recompenses continues.
DГ©couvrir le web|
Cilt bak?m?n?n puf noktalar?na dair bilmeniz gereken her sey burada!
Bu arada, eger Modern Moda: Zarafet ve Stil Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://modaevreni.com
Sagl?kl? ve dogal bir cilt icin duzenli bak?m sart.
Je ne me lasse pas de Betzino Casino, on y trouve une energie contagieuse. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, comprenant des jeux optimises pour Bitcoin. 100% jusqu’a 500 € avec des free spins. Le service d’assistance est au point. Les gains sont transferes rapidement, rarement plus de promotions variees ajouteraient du fun. En somme, Betzino Casino garantit un amusement continu. Par ailleurs la navigation est claire et rapide, permet une immersion complete. Particulierement fun les evenements communautaires dynamiques, offre des bonus constants.
http://www.casinobetzinofr.com|
yourmomentstarts – Feels energetic and hopeful, definitely stands out among similar sites.
Мир переходит в онлайн kraken актуальные ссылки kraken рабочая ссылка onion сайт kraken onion kraken darknet
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Guzellik ve Bak?mda Yenilikci Yaklas?mlar hakk?ndaki bolum dikkatimi cekti.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://zariften.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
yourmomentstarts – Really love the message behind this, feels fresh and motivating.
Je suis completement seduit par Posido Casino, ca transporte dans un monde d’excitation. La selection est riche et diversifiee, comprenant des jeux optimises pour Bitcoin. 100% jusqu’a 500 € plus des tours gratuits. Les agents repondent avec rapidite. Le processus est clair et efficace, de temps a autre plus de promos regulieres dynamiseraient le jeu. Pour conclure, Posido Casino merite une visite dynamique. Notons egalement le design est moderne et attrayant, facilite une experience immersive. Egalement genial les evenements communautaires dynamiques, qui stimule l’engagement.
Explorer la page|
findyourpathnow – Love the message here, makes you reflect and feel inspired instantly.
жалюзи для пластиковых окон с электроприводом https://www.elektricheskie-zhalyuzi97.ru .
yourmomentstarts – Clean layout and positive energy, great vibe throughout the site.
голосовое управление жалюзи https://elektricheskie-zhalyuzi97.ru/ .
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla gunumuzun trendlerine meydan okumaya ne dersiniz?
Между прочим, если вас интересует Ev Dekorasyonunda Modern ve Estetik Cozumler, загляните сюда.
Смотрите сами:
https://evimturk.com
Guzellik, gecmisle gunumuz aras?nda bir kopru kurmakt?r. 90’lar?n moda s?rlar?, bu koprunun onemli parcalar?ndan.
дистанционное управление жалюзи дистанционное управление жалюзи .
ranklift.click – Overall, professional vibe here; trustworthy, polished, and pleasantly minimal throughout.
findyourmoments – Smooth experience overall, perfect mix of simplicity and inspiration.
Ко ланта Koh Lanta чат
1хБет промокод на сегодня Введя на https://veber-geo.ru/wp-content/pgs/1xbet_promokod_besplatno_2.html и получите бонус 100% на депозит до 32 500 рублей, чтобы получить максимальный стартовый бонус.
бамбуковые электрожалюзи http://elektricheskie-zhalyuzi97.ru .
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Кстати, если вас интересует Guzellik ve Kozmetik: Trendler ve Ipuclar?, посмотрите сюда.
Вот, можете почитать:
https://guzellikturk.com
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmek, tarz?n?za farkl? bir boyut kazand?rabilir. Denemeye deger degil mi?
90’lar modas?n? hat?rlayanlar burada m?? Sizlere gecmisin moda ikonu olan donemden ilhamla ipuclar? sundugumuz bu yaz?ya davetlisiniz.
Для тех, кто ищет информацию по теме “Guzellik ve Kozmetik: 90’lar Modas?ndan Ipuclar?”, нашел много полезного.
Ссылка ниже:
https://aynakirildi.com
90’lar?n buyusunu modern dunyaya tas?mak hic bu kadar kolay olmam?st?. Unutulmayan bu donemin guzellik s?rlar?n? unutmay?n!
freshfashioncorner – Trendy, bright, and easy to use, really fun to scroll through.
Cildinizi s?martmak icin haz?r olun!
“Modern Mobilya Tasar?mlar? ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar?” konusunda bilgi arayanlar icin oras? tam bir bilgi hazinesi.
Iste, linki paylas?yorum:
https://modernsturk.com
Guzelliginizin ve sagl?g?n?z?n anahtar? dogru cilt bak?m?nda sakl?.
Dogal ve etkili cilt bak?m yontemlerine dair tuyolar? kesfedin.
Yeri gelmisken, eger Modern Mobilya Trendleri ve Dekorasyon Ipuclar? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya goz at?n.
Asag?daki linke bakabilirsiniz:
https://evimtarzi.com
Cilt bak?m?n? hayat?n?z?n bir parcas? haline getirin ve fark? gorun.
freshfashioncorner – Great selection and easy layout, browsing here feels smooth and fun.
Je suis completement seduit par Betzino Casino, ca donne une vibe electrisante. On trouve une gamme de jeux eblouissante, offrant des tables live interactives. Il donne un avantage immediat. Le suivi est toujours au top. Le processus est transparent et rapide, par contre des bonus plus frequents seraient un hit. Pour finir, Betzino Casino assure un divertissement non-stop. Pour couronner le tout la plateforme est visuellement dynamique, ce qui rend chaque session plus palpitante. Egalement top les competitions regulieres pour plus de fun, qui dynamise l’engagement.
DГ©couvrir davantage|
Cilt bak?m?n?z? bir ust seviyeye c?karman?n zaman? geldi, siz ne dersiniz?
Bu arada, eger Estetik ve Fonksiyonellik: Ideal Mekan Tasar?m? ile ilgileniyorsan?z, buraya bir bak?n.
Kendiniz bak?n:
https://evsahnesi.com
Cilt bak?m?n?n buyusu ile tan?s?n ve hayat?n?za kazand?r?n.
J’ai un veritable coup de c?ur pour Viggoslots Casino, ca transporte dans un monde d’excitation. Le catalogue de titres est vaste, proposant des jeux de cartes elegants. Il rend le debut de l’aventure palpitant. Le support est fiable et reactif. Les retraits sont lisses comme jamais, occasionnellement plus de promotions variees ajouteraient du fun. En conclusion, Viggoslots Casino vaut une exploration vibrante. A mentionner la navigation est fluide et facile, ce qui rend chaque moment plus vibrant. Particulierement interessant les options variees pour les paris sportifs, offre des recompenses continues.
Continuer Г lire|
bigdive.eu/ promotions actuelles et conseils pour les activer
findyourpathnow – Great motivational tone and smooth user experience, really enjoyed it.
Eski ama asla eskimeyen 90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?yla dolu bu yaz?da bulusal?m.
По теме “Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler”, есть отличная статья.
Ссылка ниже:
https://anadolustil.com
Nostalji dolu bu yolculukta bizimle oldugunuz icin tesekkur ederiz. 90’lar modas? ve guzelliginin ruhunu hissedin.
Je suis fascine par Vbet Casino, on y trouve une energie contagieuse. Les titres proposes sont d’une richesse folle, incluant des options de paris sportifs dynamiques. Il donne un avantage immediat. Le service d’assistance est au point. Les transactions sont toujours securisees, malgre tout plus de promotions frequentes boosteraient l’experience. En bref, Vbet Casino est une plateforme qui fait vibrer. Par ailleurs le design est style et moderne, permet une plongee totale dans le jeu. Un bonus les transactions crypto ultra-securisees, assure des transactions fiables.
Essayer maintenant|
findyourmoments – Love how peaceful and balanced this feels, great browsing experience.
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Кстати, если вас интересует Evinizde Estetik ve Fonksiyonu Birlestirin: Ipuclar? ve Trendler, загляните сюда.
Вот, делюсь ссылкой:
https://anadolustil.com
90’lar modas?n?n guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmek, tarz?n?za farkl? bir boyut kazand?rabilir. Denemeye deger degil mi?
электрокарнизы для штор купить электрокарнизы для штор купить .
автоматические карнизы автоматические карнизы .
Good day I am so delighted I found your weblog, I really
found you by mistake, while I was looking on Digg for something else, Anyways I
am here now and would just like to say thank you for a marvelous
post and a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design),
I don’t have time to browse it all at the moment but I have book-marked it and
also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep
up the awesome work.
Guzellik ve kozmetikte her zaman gecmisten al?nacak dersler bulunur. 90’lar?n modas?ndan guzellik s?rlar?n? kesfetmeye haz?r olun.
Для тех, кто ищет информацию по теме “Guzellik ve Kozmetik: 90’lar Modas?ndan Ipuclar?”, есть отличная статья.
Ссылка ниже:
https://aynakirildi.com
90’lar?n buyusunu modern dunyaya tas?mak hic bu kadar kolay olmam?st?. Unutulmayan bu donemin guzellik s?rlar?n? unutmay?n!
freshfashioncorner – Love how organized everything feels, simple yet fashionable experience.
findyourpathnow – Encouraging theme and soft visuals, love how peaceful it feels.
shopwithstylehub – Fashionable, neat, and fast-loading — everything works just right.