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: |
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do think that you should publish more about this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people don’t speak about such topics. To the next! Many thanks!!
tim nasional sepak bola qatar – https://tim-nasional-sepak-bola-qatar.com
ta777 – https://ta777-ph.com
An intriguing discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally folks don’t discuss such topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
содержание kra46
bet vitoria app – https://betvitoria-br.com/bet-vitoria-app/
An interesting discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to publish more about this subject, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people don’t speak about these issues. To the next! Best wishes!!
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you need to publish more about this topic, it may not be a taboo matter but generally people do not talk about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you need to publish more on this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but typically people don’t talk about these issues. To the next! Many thanks!!
смотреть здесь kraken krab
веб-сайте krab2.at
Evinizi guzellestirmek ve guzelligi kendi ellerinizle yaratmak ister misiniz? O zaman dogru yerdesiniz!
По теме “Yarat?c? El Sanatlar? ve Ev Dekorasyonu Ipuclar?”, нашел много полезного.
Смотрите сами:
https://kendimacera.com
El emegiyle dekorasyonunuza katt?g?n?z her detay, evinizi daha da degerli k?lacakt?r.
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should publish more on this topic, it may not be a taboo subject but usually folks don’t speak about such subjects. To the next! Kind regards!!
An interesting discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you should write more about this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but typically people don’t discuss these issues. To the next! Cheers!!
An intriguing discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to publish more about this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but typically people do not speak about such subjects. To the next! All the best!!
A motivating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more about this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but usually people don’t speak about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
ta88 – https://ta88-vi.com
интернет кракен сайт
fairgo casino app – https://fairgo-casino-77.com/fairgo-casino-app/
tim nasional sepak bola albania – https://tim-nasional-sepak-bola-albania.com
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I think that you ought to publish more on this topic, it might not be a taboo matter but generally people don’t talk about such subjects. To the next! Many thanks!!
зайти на сайт kra1.cc
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but generally folks don’t discuss such issues. To the next! Kind regards!!
An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you should publish more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but generally people don’t talk about these subjects. To the next! All the best!!
мостбет скачать приложение на андроид https://mostbet2032.help/
Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I definitely enjoyed
reading it, you happen to be a great author.I will be sure
to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back later in life.
I want to encourage you to definitely continue your great
work, have a nice evening!
перенаправляется сюда kraken зайти
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do think that you need to write more about this subject, it might not be a taboo matter but generally people do not discuss these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
chanced casino login – https://chanced-us.com/chanced-casino-login/
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I think that you ought to write more about this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but typically folks don’t speak about such topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should publish more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but typically people don’t speak about such topics. To the next! Cheers!!
slingo – https://slingo-br.com
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do believe that you should write more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people do not speak about such issues. To the next! Kind regards!!
казино играть бесплатно – https://play-casino-free-ru.com
12bet – https://12bet-888.com
Для любителей активного отдыха на природе особую актуальность приобретает складной нож, который легко поместится в рюкзак или карман.
считается необходимым предметом для туристов и путешественников . Это связано с тем, что складной нож является компактным и удобным инструментом. Кроме того, складной нож выделается своей компактностью и легкостью .
Складной нож используется для самообороны в некоторых случаях. Это делает его необходимым элементом в походах и туристических поездках. Кроме того, складной нож должен быть правильно выбран в зависимости от предназначения.
Существует широкий выбор складных ножей с различными характеристиками и предназначениями. Это связано с тем, что складной нож может быть использован в различных условиях и средах . Например, складной нож для самообороны должен быть эффективным и безопасным.
Складной нож может быть оснащен дополнительными функциями. Это делает его необходимым предметом для многих людей . Кроме того, складной нож должен быть правильно выбран в зависимости от цели использования .
Складной нож предоставляет множество преимуществ для пользователя . Это связано с тем, что складной нож является компактным и легким . Кроме того, складной нож должен быть изготовлен из высококачественных материалов .
Складной нож может быть применен в чрезвычайных ситуациях. Это делает его незаменимым предметом для многих профессий . Кроме того, складной нож должен быть правильно выбран в зависимости от цели использования .
В заключении, складной нож предоставляет множество преимуществ для пользователя . Это связано с тем, что складной нож может быть легко transportирован и хранится . Кроме того, складной нож требует правильного ухода и обслуживания .
Складной нож является универсальным инструментом . Это делает его незаменимым предметом для многих профессий . Кроме того, складной нож должен быть правильно выбран в зависимости от цели использования .
An interesting discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you need to publish more about this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but typically folks don’t speak about these topics. To the next! Kind regards!!
A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do think that you need to write more on this subject matter, it may not be a taboo subject but generally people do not speak about such subjects. To the next! Kind regards!!
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you ought to publish more on this subject matter, it might not be a taboo matter but usually people do not speak about these issues. To the next! Cheers!!
A motivating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo matter but generally people don’t discuss such topics. To the next! Cheers!!
зайти на сайт krab2 at
tim nasional sepak bola qatar – https://tim-nasional-sepak-bola-qatar.com
A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. I think that you ought to publish more on this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but typically people do not discuss such topics. To the next! Cheers!!
يلا شوت بلس – https://yalla-shoot-plus-eg.com
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should write more about this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but generally folks don’t speak about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
colorplay – https://colorplay-ph.com
другие krab2at
ozwin casino – https://ozwin-casino-77.com
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo matter but generally folks don’t speak about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!!
A fascinating discussion is worth comment. There’s no doubt that that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people do not discuss such topics. To the next! All the best!!