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: |
SoftWillow Picks – Gentle visuals and unique products make exploring enjoyable.
казино лучше Чувствуете, что сегодня ваш день? Игровые автоматы готовы подарить вам незабываемые острые ощущения! Каждый спин – это шаг к крупному выигрышу или просто захватывающее приключение. Позвольте себе окунуться в мир азарта и испытать свою фортуну!
курсовые заказ http://kupit-kursovuyu-24.ru .
Excellent site. Lots of helpful info here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you to your sweat!
ссылка на сайт vodka bet
SavingsHub – Site feels fast, and checking out discounts was easy and convenient.
проверить сайт https://krab1cc.at
найти это https://krab1l.at
pin up sport tikish https://pinup5009.ru/
найти это водка бет казино
узнать больше Здесь kraken ссылка тор
Soft Willow Finds Online – Browsing felt smooth and the curated pieces stand out beautifully.
Главные новости https://ukrnews.in.ua сегодня: политика, экономика, международные события, наука, культура и общественные темы. Оперативные сводки, анализ и подробные статьи. Полная картина дня, собранная в одном месте для удобного и быстрого чтения.
Happy Finds Outlet – Affordable products displayed neatly with a smooth user experience.
Все главные https://ua-news.com.ua новости в одном потоке: актуальные события, важные решения, прогнозы, мнения и аналитика. Помогаем понять, что стоит за заголовками, как события связаны между собой и почему они значимы. Обновления в режиме реального времени.
меблі на замовлення
Новостной портал https://ua-today.com.ua с акцентом на достоверность: только проверенные источники, факты, комментарии экспертов и глубокая аналитика. Удобная лента событий, фильтры по темам, архив материалов и быстрый доступ к главному за день.
Современный авто https://cargurus.com.ua портал: свежие новости, премьеры, обзоры новых и подержанных автомобилей, тест-драйвы, советы по эксплуатации и страхованию. Удобный поиск по маркам и моделям, рейтинги, подборки и полезные материалы для автолюбителей любого уровня.
Excellent site. Plenty of useful info here. I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks on your effort!
Unique Gift Online Store – Items displayed nicely, exploring the site was very simple.
бездепозитные бонусы за регистрацию в казино с выводом без пополнения и без вейджера Решили испытать удачу в онлайн-казино, но не знаете, с чего начать? Огромное количество предложений может сбить с толку. Именно поэтому существуют рейтинги казино – удобные списки, которые помогают игрокам сориентироваться и выбрать надежную площадку.
в каком казино дают бездепозитные бонусы за регистрацию Хотите испытать удачу и окунуться в мир азарта? Игровые автоматы – это то, что вам нужно! Яркие картинки, захватывающие звуки и, конечно же, шанс сорвать куш – всё это ждет вас в мире слотов. От классических “одноруких бандитов” до современных видеослотов с невероятными бонусами, каждый найдет автомат по душе. Готовы к вращению барабанов?
Happy Deals Market – Pages load smoothly and the value items are nicely showcased.
Узнать больше казино водка бет
SoftWillow Treasures – Pleasant browsing with a soft, calming aesthetic throughout.
pin up aviator uz https://www.pinup5010.ru
веб-сайт https://krab1cc.at/
веб-сайт кракен ссылка
узнать больше krab cc at
Individuals or collective groups grouped according to common defining traits
burial alive
Style Picks Corner – Clear categories with responsive pages enhanced the overall experience.
Trend & Style Hub – Stylish items presented clearly, with smooth navigation and pleasant browsing.
Soft Willow Hub – Every piece looks thoughtfully curated, easy to navigate.
пин ап настройки профиля пин ап настройки профиля
Источник семаглутид 1мг цена
Amlodipine: Carvedilol – Carvedilol
Seasonal Fresh Market – Neatly showcased items and seamless navigation enhance the shopping experience.
Для долгосрочного результата нужно фокусироваться на качестве трафика, а не на его количестве, и в этом обзоре даются практические советы, как этого достичь: https://midships.ru/jeffektivnoe-prodvizhenie-sajtov-i-razvitie-biznesa-v-internete/
pin up hisobni bloklash https://www.pinup5010.ru
pin up aviator uz pin up aviator uz
ValueDeals – Smooth browsing experience with deals clearly highlighted.
зайти на сайт https://krab1at.cc/
Следующая страница https://krab1cc.at/
inspiring growth shop – Selection appears useful, browsing is fast and intuitive.
Iron Root Shop – Items displayed clearly, exploring the store is quick and pleasant.
Психотерапевтическая помощь для детей: путь к эмоциональному благополучию
daily growth picks – Items are presented nicely, site experience feels smooth today.
Iron Root Hub Online – Well-presented selection, exploring the store is easy and pleasant.
daily power picks – Selection seems uplifting, site layout feels clean and easy.
купить задание для студентов http://www.kupit-kursovuyu-26.ru .