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: |
The trading tools are trustworthy service and clear transparency.
WildRose Online – Pleasant shop design and some delightful product discoveries.
WildRose Treasures Online – Friendly design and enjoyable product selection throughout.
Charlie here — I’ve tried learning crypto basics and the low fees impressed me. The updates are frequent and clear.
Fast onboarding, fast transactions, and a team that actually cares. My withdrawals were always smooth.
The using the API process is simple and the wide token selection makes it even better.
Профессиональная диагностика и ремонт платы управления (модуля). Перепайка компонентов.Стиральная машина не крутит барабан Машинка гудит, но стирка не начинается? Мы заменим заливной клапан, прочистим сеточки фильтров шланга или отремонтируем прессостат. Стоимость ремонта от 3500 тг. Восстановим подачу воды быстро. Течет вода из стиральной машины
I’ve been using it for a few days for testing new tokens, and the stable performance stands out. Charts are accurate and load instantly.
Chris here — I’ve tried testing new tokens and the useful analytics impressed me. My withdrawals were always smooth.
The best choice I made for cross-chain transfers. Smooth and accurate charts. Support solved my issue in minutes.
porno art
ignition casino login – https://ignition-casino-us.com/ignition-casino-login/
try this web-site https://crowncoinscasino.app
look at here https://onefimesecret.com
porno av4
playfina casino app – https://playfina-casino-77.com/playfina-casino-app/
Hi to all, how is everything, I think every one is getting more from this website, and
your views are good for new users.
Unleash the fire within Iron Flame! Join Violet on her high-stakes quest amid dragon riders and dark secrets. Heart-pounding action meets sizzling romance. Perfect for fantasy lovers. Secure your PDF download at ironflamepdf.top right away! https://ironflamepdf.top/ How Did Iron Flame End
why not check here https://cryptoarbitrage.sh
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was once
a enjoyment account it. Glance advanced to far introduced agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?
cnc machines hout
porno swingers
code promo melbet cote d’ivoire
right here https://usdtswaptrx.com
казино азино Азино сайт – это портал в мир виртуальных игр, где каждый может испытать свою удачу. Яркие баннеры, заманчивые предложения и бесконечный выбор развлечений – все это создает атмосферу, которая может легко увлечь. Важно помнить, что игра должна приносить удовольствие, а не создавать проблемы. Здравый смысл и умеренность – лучшие союзники в мире азарта.
Uncover prophecies that may or may not be what they seem at first. https://heiroffirepdf.top/ What Happens At The End Of Heir Of Fire
Wild Rose Picks Online – Cozy, welcoming feel with a few beautiful surprises.
Learn More https://slmpleswap.app/
п»їRecently, I stumbled upon an informative guide regarding generic pills from India. It details WHO-GMP protocols when buying antibiotics. For those interested in cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# cheapest online pharmacy india. Cheers.
je veux un code promo melbet
mommy porno
купить диплом о среднем специальном образовании цена в нижнем новгороде https://r-diploma30.ru .
next page https://swapzome.cc/
blog https://cryptoarbitrage.sh/
porno party
live porn cams
Great site, i recommend it to everyone IziSwap
Great site, i recommend it to everyone IziSwap
learn the facts here now https://usdtswaptrx.com
this link https://onetlmesecret.com/
resource https://slmpleswap.app/
here are the findings https://crowncoinscasino.app/
like this https://prlvnote.com
porno son
click this over here now https://onefimesecret.com
visit https://betplay.sh/
visit this web-site https://cryptoarbitrage.sh/
Аналитика маркетплейсов бесплатно Аналитика продаж маркетплейсов учитывает специфику онлайн-платформ, таких как комиссии, логистические издержки и особенности поведения покупателей. Она предоставляет более точные и актуальные данные о прибыльности товаров и эффективности каналов продвижения.
Going Here https://slmpleswap.app
I need to tell you something nearly all septic companies refuse to: there are two types of people in this life. Those who assume septic systems are simply “underground boxes for waste,” and those who’ve had raw sewage bubbling into their yard at the dead of night. I discovered this reality the hard way in 2005—standing in muck, shivering in a Washington rainstorm, as my family and I assisted a veteran installer repair our family’s broken system. I was fourteen. My hands were raw. My pants were ruined. But that night, something changed: This ain’t just digging. It’s folks’ lives that we’re preserving.
This is the dirty truth: most septic companies just service tanks. They’re like quick-fix salesmen at a chainsaw convention. But Septic Solutions? They’re unique. It all began back in the beginning of the 2000s when Art and his family—just kids barely tall enough to lift a shovel—aided install their family’s septic system alongside a experienced pro. Imagine this: three pre-teens waist-deep in Pennsylvania clay, understanding how soil permeability affects drainage while their friends played Xbox. “We didn’t just dig holes,” Art explained to me last winter, hot coffee cup in hand. “We understood how soil whispers truths. A patch of wetland vegetation here? That’s Mother Nature yelling ‘high water table.'”
https://about.me/septicsolutionsllc