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: |
https://heartmedseasybuy.xyz/# buy lisinopril online
clickengineer.click – Mobile version looks perfect; no glitches, fast scrolling, crisp text.
your daily journey – Items are visually appealing, navigation feels smooth and natural.
Modern Trend World – Browsing was effortless with a polished and responsive site layout.
Строительный портал https://garden-story.com для профессионалов и частных мастеров: статьи и инструкции по ремонту, отделке и строительству, обзоры материалов и инструментов, калькуляторы, сметы, фото-примеры и советы экспертов. Всё, чтобы грамотно спланировать и выполнить работы.
на этом сайте кракен онион зеркало
WildRose Finds Online – Boutique has a warm and charming vibe, browsing was enjoyable.
CrestGlobal Market – Well-structured pages with tidy content make browsing intuitive and smooth.
читать водка бет зеркало
Wild Rose Creative – Charming boutique layout, browsing revealed some unique finds.
ссылка на сайт https://progunsupply.com/
Wild Rose Emporium Online – Lovely boutique with a charming feel, discovered several nice surprises.
Wild Rose Picks – Boutique has a lovely atmosphere, found some special items easily.
Главная казино водка бет
заказать курсовую заказать курсовую .
Узнать больше kraken darknet market
22bet
Modern Fashion Online – Fast performance with a clean, stylish layout made exploring effortless.
проверить сайт vodka casino сайт водка бет
Wonderful site. Lots of useful info here. I am sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your sweat!
journey shop online – Selections are enjoyable, navigation is clear and simple.
Excellent website. Plenty of helpful information here. I’m sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you for your effort!
Value Treasures Store – Fast-loading pages and well-organized sections make browsing enjoyable.
Wonderful web site. Lots of useful information here. I’m sending it to several friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you for your sweat!
FreshTrend Picks Hub – Stylish layout and smooth page flow make product exploration easy.
dream grove store – The products give off a creative vibe, and navigating the site feels smooth.
FreshTrend Corner Lane – Stylish product arrangement and simple navigation make exploring effortless.
Wild Rose Treasures – Pleasant browsing experience with delightful surprises along the way.
FashionWorld Hub – Modern design, responsive pages, and a wide variety of trendy fashion.
FashionWorld Trends – Easy navigation and a visually appealing modern design.
PureGiftPicks – Clean structure, smooth browsing, and well-presented items.
Magnificent website. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your effort!
I think this is among the most significant information for me.
And i am glad reading your article. But wanna remark on some general
things, The web site style is ideal, the articles
is really nice : D. Good job, cheers
Fresh Trend Lane Hub – Clear visuals and organized sections provide a seamless shopping experience.
https://www.letuan.edu.vn/2023/07/medical-or-life-sciences-molecular.html?sc=1728054167667#c2349863538163119782
modern fashion hub – Fashion selections are neatly presented, browsing is intuitive and simple.
Таможенная очистка москва — быстро, чётко, недорого
https://homerootsproperties.ng/author/rodrigo28w235/
viralcore.click – Content reads clearly, helpful examples made concepts easy to grasp.
Excellent web site. Plenty of useful information here. I’m sending it to several buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks in your effort!
CrestGlobal Select – Well-spaced sections and clean design ensure a smooth user flow.
Soft Willow Boutique Online – Loved the calming tone and neat arrangement of products.
Magnificent website. A lot of helpful information here. I’m sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks on your effort!
Wonderful web site. Plenty of useful info here. I’m sending it to some buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you in your effort!
DealDepot – Quick and easy browsing, very simple to find offers.
grove hub market – Enjoyed the selection here; everything loads quickly and feels thoughtfully arranged.
Excellent site. Plenty of useful info here. I am sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks to your sweat!
inspiration daily click – Selections are motivating, browsing feels smooth and quick.
Majestic Grover Corner – Beautifully arranged Grover items, browsing feels comfortable and quick.
Современный женский https://womanstyle.com.ua портал для тех, кто хочет успевать всё: стиль и красота, психология и отношения, материнство, дом, путешествия и работа. Практичные лайфхаки, чек-листы, подборки и мотивационные материалы, которые помогают заботиться о себе и жить в балансе.
нажмите здесь водка бет казино