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: |
important site https://etherealtrade.rest/
Creative Discovery Shop – Lots of artistic finds and the pages load effortlessly from start to finish.
This article bursts with life and inspiration — beautiful!
advice https://dexrp.buzz
trendymarketcentral – TrendyMarketCentral features curated items presented in a clean and user-friendly layout.
read the article https://plasma.credit/
you can look here https://gluex.io/
Authentic Living Hub – Smooth browsing with a thoughtfully curated global assortment.
https://saraytandirkokorec.com/index.php?route=journal3/blog/post&journal_blog_post_id=9
site web https://royco.cc
look at here https://hypperswap.cloud
see this page https://liquity.cfd
аренда мебели для выставки Экспозиционное оборудование в временное использование. Универсальные решения для разных выставок.
UrbanRidge Creative – Modern store layout with a diverse product mix, very enjoyable.
best erectile dysfunction pills Ed Pills Easy Buy ed pills for men
ClassyGlowShop – Easy-to-browse layout, trendy pieces, and quick page loads.
over here https://avalonfinance.cc
our website https://avalonfinance.cv
Futurecrest Goods – Appealing layout with a creative touch; browsing felt natural and enjoyable.
TrendCornerShop – Stylish selections, easy navigation, and a pleasant shopping experience.
FDS Online Picks – Fashion selections look appealing, exploring categories feels smooth.
Curated Global Finds – Easy navigation highlights authentic products from diverse locations.
Your attention to detail really shines through.
This was such an energizing read — loved it!
Wonderful website. Lots of helpful information here. I’m sending it to some buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you to your sweat!
Urban Ridge Collection – Clean, modern aesthetic with a good mix of products, enjoyable experience.
visit this site right here https://usdai.cloud
click for source https://arch.credit/
my site https://etherealtrade.xyz/
content https://palladiumlabs.net
Crest Studio Finds – Impressive selections throughout, paired with a layout that feels intuitive and modern.
basics https://ethereal.credit/
try this https://g8keep.org/
Deal Store Fashion – Store features appealing collections, exploring feels intuitive and fast.
navigate here https://etherealtrade.rest/
look at this now https://etherealtrade.rest
more info here https://kinetiq.lat/
her comment is here https://prjx.online/
dailydealshub – DailyDealsHub showcases a thoughtful selection that makes shopping smooth and satisfying.
visit this page https://navigator-exchange.org/
click over here now https://navigator-exchange.org
these details https://boros.cfd/
a href=”https://discoveryourpurpose.click/” />Path to Purpose – Well-spaced pages and uplifting themes create a user-friendly experience.
visit the site https://boros.cfd/
Find Out More https://hyperliquid-wiki.cc
straight from the source https://theo.sbs
Recommended Reading https://hyperliquid-wiki.cv
Magnificent site. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks on your effort!
reference https://navigator-exchange.org/
visit the website https://kinetiq.lat/