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: |
I am not certain the place you’re getting your information, but great topic. I must spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thank you for wonderful information I was searching for this information for my mission.
Mossy Trail Market Store – Loved browsing here, natural textures and a clean layout make it very inviting.
кракен вход
https://whimsical.com/code-promo-1win-burkina-faso-2026-1w2026vip-500-6UEGLyJiJGb2mmpLKhf8A2
sites https://toast-wallet.net/
learn this here now https://jaxxwallet-web.org
Trailside Finds Market – Pleasant, grounded design and smooth browsing make it feel welcoming.
кракен обход блокировки
read here https://jaxxwallet-web.org
Wow, this paragraph is pleasant, my younger sister is analyzing these
kinds of things, thus I am going to let know her.
my site https://jaxxwallet-web.org
navigate to this web-site https://jaxxwallet-web.org/
directory https://jaxxwallet-web.org/
Компания Сакура на протяжении 23 лет занимается созданием эксклюзивных ландшафтных решений в Северной столице, обеспечивая комплексный подход от разработки проекта до постоянного ухода за садом. Ищете проекты озеленения загородного участка? Компания sakura.spb.ru специализируется на разработке индивидуальных проектов, которые отражают стиль жизни заказчика, включая парадные зоны, места отдыха, детские и спортивные площадки, зоны барбекю. Собственный садовый центр выращивает более 1000 видов растений, что гарантирует качественное озеленение участка.
I am now not sure where you are getting your information, however great topic. I must spend some time learning more or working out more. Thanks for excellent information I was in search of this information for my mission.
I am not sure where you are getting your info, however good topic. I needs to spend a while finding out much more or figuring out more. Thank you for excellent information I used to be on the lookout for this information for my mission.
TrailMarket Finds – Relaxing and natural presentation, easy to browse through.
this contact form https://lumi-wallet.io
TrailFinds Market – Loved the earthy presentation and smooth navigation throughout.
This gave me chills — absolutely incredible writing!
Homepage https://lumi-wallet.io/
I am no longer positive where you’re getting your info, however great topic. I must spend a while studying much more or working out more. Thanks for fantastic info I was searching for this information for my mission.
Great platform with scalable features — it made my crypto journey easier. Charts are accurate and load instantly.
https://gitea.com/codepromo/code-promo/issues/192
п»їTo be honest, I stumbled upon a useful resource regarding generic pills from India. It covers the manufacturing standards when buying antibiotics. If you are looking for factory prices, read this: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Worth a read.
blog link https://lumi-wallet.io/
Trail Market Online – Enjoyed the natural aesthetic and effortless browsing flow.
Mossy Trail Goods – The shop feels grounded and organized, very pleasant to explore.
Mossy Path Finds – Loved the soft, natural feel and intuitive navigation.
important site https://toast-wallet.net/
Recommended Site https://jaxxwallet-web.org/
MossyTrail Shop – Earthy and inviting, products are well-arranged for a pleasant experience.
I’ve been active for a week, mostly for fiat on-ramp, and it’s always stable performance.
This platform exceeded my expectations with fast transactions and quick deposits. My withdrawals were always smooth.
index https://jaxxwallet-web.org/
I’m not certain the place you’re getting your information, however good topic. I must spend a while finding out much more or working out more. Thank you for excellent info I used to be in search of this info for my mission.
как зайти на kraken даркнет
our website https://toast-wallet.net
have a peek at this website https://lumi-wallet.io/
MossyTrail Online – Pleasant experience with earthy tones and an easy-to-navigate interface.
See the latest update here — https://laminat-aquafloor.ru/
Mossy Trail Hub – Clean design with earthy touches makes navigation simple and enjoyable.
https://slideslive.com/uyvdl6bs8vq8?tab=about
http://www.kraizman.com/index.php?subaction=userinfo&user=erectdecoy30
You absolutely nailed the tone — energetic and sharp!
Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that
would be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward
to new posts.
I’ve been browsing on-line more than 3 hours lately, yet I by no means
found any attention-grabbing article like yours.
It is pretty price sufficient for me. In my view, if all web owners and bloggers made just right content as you
probably did, the net shall be a lot more helpful than ever before.
go to my site https://toast-wallet.net/
https://amber-girl-6de.notion.site/1xBet-2026-1X200MIX-2da08d447c9480eaae49fdbab13e1d63?source=copy_link
I appreciate how practical and helpful this post is.