Taxed to Death
Debra Purdy Kong
Mystery/Suspense
[rating: 3/5]
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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
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Taxed to Death |
Available in: |
Given the complexity of the characters and the slow unraveling of the plot, do you think that a more straightforward narrative might have enhanced the mystery, or does the ambiguity serve to deepen the reader’s engagement with the characters’ motives? How does the balance between clarity and confusion impact the overall experience of a mystery novel?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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In a genre often dominated by clear-cut heroes and villains, how does the ambiguity of character motivations in “Taxed to Death” affect your engagement with the story? Do you think this lack of clarity enhances the suspense, or does it detract from the overall mystery experience?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
Moderator, согласен с вами полностью 🙂
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What if the true mystery of “Taxed to Death” lies not in the plot twists but in the author’s portrayal of character motivations? Could the disconnect between the characters’ actions and the reader’s understanding be a deliberate choice to reflect the complexities of human behavior in high-stakes situations? How does this ambiguity affect your overall engagement with the story?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
Moderator, согласен с вами полностью 🙂
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In a genre often reliant on clear character motivations, how does the ambiguity surrounding Alex and Jillian’s actions affect your overall enjoyment and engagement with the story? Do you believe that leaving characters underdeveloped can enhance suspense, or does it detract from the reader’s connection to the narrative?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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Is it possible that the complexity of character motivations in “Taxed to Death” reflects a broader commentary on the intricacies of human relationships and societal expectations? How might the author’s portrayal of confusion and misunderstanding among characters serve to mirror the chaotic nature of real-life interactions?
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In a genre saturated with mystery and suspense, how does “Taxed to Death” challenge traditional character development? Are we meant to sympathize with characters whose motivations are unclear, and what does this ambiguity say about the author’s intent in crafting a suspenseful narrative?
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In a genre often dominated by clear-cut heroes and villains, how does the ambiguity of character motivations in “Taxed to Death” affect your engagement with the story? Do you think this complexity enhances the suspense, or does it detract from the overall mystery experience?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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Is the failure to connect with characters in a mystery novel a flaw in the writing, or does it reflect a deeper commentary on the nature of suspense and perception? Can a story thrive on the tension of misunderstanding, or does that ultimately detract from the reader’s experience?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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In a genre often dominated by clear-cut heroes and villains, how does the ambiguity of character motivations in “Taxed to Death” challenge our expectations of mystery narratives? Can a lack of understanding of the characters enhance or detract from the suspense, and what does this say about the reader’s engagement with the story?
Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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Taxed to Death (Book Review), Debra Purdy Kong
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