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: |
смотреть здесь казино водка бет
ссылка на сайт Kra43.cc
bs2bestat
веб-сайт кракен сайт магазин
Игорь Лаптинский — адвокат с непрерывной практикой 17 лет, член АП МО, системно сопровождает гражданские, семейные, жилищные, трудовые, арбитражные и уголовные споры, предлагая варианты стратегии и разумную стоимость услуг. Прием ведется на Рязанском проспекте, д. 30/15, оф. 413 в Москве; доступна удаленная работа и быстрые консультации. Доверители ценят продуманную тактику, строгую конфиденциальность и соблюдение сроков. Скачайте актуальный прайс, задайте вопрос и получите ответ в 5–10 минут: https://advokat-laptinskiy.ru/
Смотреть здесь кракен официальный сайт
This was really informative. https://gptai-18.icu/
промокод 1хставка https://1win12020.ru
служба поддержки мелбет https://melbet5007.ru
каталог водка бет
Eco Cleaning Company was founded to provide top-tier, eco-friendly cleaning services focused on windows cleaning and exterior home care. As specialists in Dublin, we deliver comprehensive solutions that make your windows sparkle and your home s exterior shine: windows cleaning
веб-сайте vodka bet
1вин официальный вход с компьютера https://1win12020.ru
купить аттестаты за 9 класс с оценками в ростове на дону купить аттестаты за 9 класс с оценками в ростове на дону .
подробнее Кракин
нажмите здесь kraken com
This clarified so much for me. https://n2y7q.icu/liverpool-keeping-close-tabs-on-birminghams-george-hall/
содержание кракен актуальная ссылка
What i do not realize is in fact how you are no longer really a
lot more smartly-appreciated than you might be right now. You’re very intelligent.
You know thus significantly in relation to this topic, produced me individually consider it from numerous numerous angles.
Its like women and men are not involved until it is something to accomplish with Lady gaga!
Your individual stuffs great. Always handle it up!
I’ll definitely try this out. https://q3v6s.icu/luis-enrique-could-be-chelseas-saf/
как зайти на кракен
кракен ссылка
нажмите кракен переходник
Fully Insured for Both Commercial and Residential Properties: https://ecocleaningcompany.ie/
один вин https://www.1win12020.ru
Подробнее здесь водка бет
Great insights, thanks for sharing! https://zbshijbn.com/
читать кракен магазин
stayselection – Clean layout, products are easy to find, and navigating was simple.
мелбет официальный сайт https://melbet5007.ru/
motivatedworld – Smooth interface, intuitive navigation, and items are easy to explore.
как зайти на кракен
как зайти на кракен
выберите ресурсы кракен ссылка
В стационаре мы добавляем расширенную диагностику и круглосуточное наблюдение: это выбор для пациентов с «красными флагами» (галлюцинации, выраженные кардиосимптомы, судороги, рецидивирующая рвота с примесью крови) или тяжёлыми соматическими заболеваниями. На дому мы остаёмся до первичной стабилизации и оставляем письменный план на 24–72 часа, чтобы семья действовала уверенно и согласованно.
Ознакомиться с деталями – http://vyvod-iz-zapoya-pushkino7.ru/
1win приложение ios https://www.1win12020.ru
подробнее Кракин
выберите ресурсы [url=https://kra43.app/]кракен ссылка[/url]
этот контент https://kra48a.at/
1вин вход 1вин вход
Khao555 Online
в этом разделе кракен зеркало
I’m curious to find out what blog platform
you’re using? I’m having some minor security issues with my
latest site and I would like to find something more secure.
Do you have any recommendations?
взгляните на сайте здесь кракен официальный
скачать мелбет официальный сайт http://melbet5007.ru/
Узнать больше кракен ссылка
http://www.pk25.ru/forum/item/19149_kak_maksimalno_poluchit_bonus_novichku_v_1xbet.html
сайт Kra43.cc
сайт https://kra48a.at/
UnionSquare Boutique – Loved the easy navigation and clean product layout.
нажмите кракен актуальная ссылка на сегодня
Подробнее здесь kraken