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: |
Для Нового года елочные шары в русском стиле
https://imatreshki.ru/
1win akkaunt yaratish 1win akkaunt yaratish
пин ап надёжный сайт http://www.pinup5015.ru
a href=”https://authenticlivinggoods.click/” />honestmarketcentral – HonestMarketCentral offers genuine products with an intuitive, smooth shopping experience.
nextlevelthinking.click – Hub emphasizing fresh ideas and practical strategies to drive innovation.
1win litsenziya https://1win5511.ru
Soft Breeze Outlet – The site has a soothing aesthetic, with a pleasant browsing experience and well-curated products.
ラブドール 他の素晴らしい記事をありがとう。このような完璧な書き方で、他にどこでその種の情報を入手できるでしょうか。
Curated home picks – The layout is gentle and inviting, making the selection of items enjoyable to explore.
Breezy essentials shop – The soft aesthetic and smooth browsing make shopping a pleasant experience.
пин ап отзывы пользователей pinup5015.ru
Intentional progress hub – Encourages making clear, directed moves toward set goals
ко ланте ко ланте
ко ланта отели тайланд ко ланта
Гжельская чашка, синяя с белым, кофе из нее вкуснее сувениры
futureideas.click – Hub guiding users to uncover creative solutions and implement forward-thinking strategies.
Казаковская филигрань — серьги, тончайшая работа, подарок сестре
https://imatreshki.ru/
Strategic momentum platform – Supports moving forward with intentional and purposeful steps
Informative article, just what I was looking for.
1вин uzcard пополнение https://1win5511.ru/
pin up ijobiy sharhlar http://pinup5015.ru
Магниты с видами Москвы, сувенирный отдел огромный
подарки
диплом лечебное дело купить http://r-diploma9.ru/ .
бездепозитные бонусы в казино с выводом
1вин киберспорт ставки http://1win5511.ru/
бездепозитные бонусы в казино онлайн
1win efirda ko‘rish https://1win5511.ru/
Автор предлагает читателю разные взгляды на проблему, что способствует формированию собственного мнения.
goal progress roadmap – Helps organize next steps and maintain momentum toward success.
Deliberate steps guide – Supports taking thoughtful actions with clear focus now
в каком казино дают бездепозитные бонусы
1вин apk скачать узбекистан 1вин apk скачать узбекистан
Электроника из Китая — таможенное оформление электроники москва супер
https://git.jasonxu.dev/dorothywaldock
1win ro‘yxatdan qanday o‘tish http://1win5511.ru
По моему отзыв о “марочках” был явно не про этот магазин О_о https://sensor-pajero.ru Все нормально,6-го заказал,8-го отправили. ОперативноРЕБЯТА КАК ВСЕГДА НА ВЫСОТЕ 5 ИЗ 5!!!! СПАСИБО
1вин мобильная версия http://www.1win5511.ru
Strategic direction hub – Supports acting decisively and purposefully without delay
progress planning guide – Offers practical advice for focused and achievable progress.
1win ilova ishlamayapti http://1win5511.ru/
a href=”https://authenticlivinggoods.click/” />realhomehub – RealHomeHub delivers genuine products with smooth navigation for a pleasant visit.
Check our new web page
Красные цветы — универсальный язык страсти, уважения и торжественности, который понимают без слов. Флористический салон предлагает изысканные композиции в алой гамме для самых разных поводов: от романтических свиданий до деловых презентаций. Профессиональные флористы создают букеты из свежайших роз, гербер, тюльпанов и других благородных цветов, подчеркивая их красоту элегантной упаковкой. Широкий выбор красных композиций на https://www.florion.ru/catalog/buket-krasnyy позволяет найти идеальный вариант для любого получателя. Доставка по Москве работает оперативно, сохраняя свежесть и безупречный вид каждого лепестка до момента вручения.
conceptexplorer.click – Resource guiding discovery of inventive solutions and forward-focused thinking.
pin up akkaunt yaratish https://www.pinup5015.ru
Clear direction hub – Encourages moving forward with intention and structured steps
Focused action platform – Helps users move forward with purpose and clear direction
пин ап бесплатные игры казино https://www.pinup5015.ru
a href=”https://authenticlivinggoods.click/” />authenticdailyhub – AuthenticDailyHub delivers well-chosen products that make exploring and shopping enjoyable.
1win ruletka uz https://1win5511.ru
strategicthinking.click – Hub encouraging users to develop unique ideas and forward-looking plans.