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: |
visit the site https://yomix.biz/
find this https://bitmix.app
his response https://swaplab.io/
pop over to this site https://bitmix.app
click site https://tornadocash.app
visit this website https://daobase.online/
Современный интерьер невозможно представить без электрокарнизы для штор купить в москве Прокарниз, который обеспечивает максимальный комфорт в управлении шторами.
Возможна установка таймеров, световых датчиков и контроль дистанционно.
helpful resources https://swaplab.io/
hop over to this site https://mixmy.money
look these up https://tornadocash.app
Эта статья погружает вас в увлекательный мир знаний, где каждый факт становится открытием. Мы расскажем о ключевых исторических поворотных моментах и научных прорывах, которые изменили ход цивилизации. Поймите, как прошлое формирует настоящее и как его уроки могут помочь нам строить будущее.
Узнать больше – наркологическая клиника
view website https://daobase.io/
news https://mixmy.money
More hints https://daobase.io/
my company https://bitmix.app/
best site https://anycoindirect.me/
go to this web-site https://yomix.biz
navigate to this website https://tornadocash.app
why not check here https://tornadocash.app
click here now https://daobase.io
click for more https://swaplab.io/
click over here https://swaplab.io/
here are the findings https://letsexchange.cc/
important source https://daobase.online
Bonuses https://daobase.info
click here for more https://daobase.io/
Эта познавательная публикация погружает вас в море интересного контента, который быстро захватит ваше внимание. Мы рассмотрим важные аспекты темы и предоставим вам уникальные Insights и полезные сведения для дальнейшего изучения.
Изучить вопрос глубже – нарколог на дом воронеж
her comment is here https://tornadocash.app/
from this source https://daobase.io
Этот обзор предлагает структурированное изложение информации по актуальным вопросам. Материал подан так, чтобы даже новичок мог быстро освоиться в теме и начать использовать полученные знания в практике.
Углубить понимание вопроса – вывод из запоя самара на дому
check over here https://mixmy.money/
Эта разъяснительная статья содержит простые и доступные разъяснения по актуальным вопросам. Мы стремимся сделать информацию понятной для широкой аудитории, чтобы каждый мог разобраться в предмете и извлечь из него максимум пользы.
Читать полностью – капельница от алкоголя
read the full info here https://daobase.io/
useful content https://daobase.online/
go to the website https://daobase.io
Платная наркологическая клиника «НОВЫЙ НАРКОЛОГ» в Санкт-Петербурге предлагает помощь в комфортных условиях с акцентом на безопасность пациента. Врачи подбирают схему лечения с учётом состояния, анамнеза и сопутствующих рисков, проводят медицинскую стабилизацию и помогают выстроить план дальнейшего восстановления. Анонимность и профессионализм остаются приоритетом.
Подробнее тут – трясутся руки с похмелья что делать
this hyperlink https://daobase.online/
– Извините…. а… вы нас до “Дайва” (ночной клуб) не довезете? https://prosuping.ru Получил посыль,все отлично..будем тестить товарОплатил, жду.
you can find out more https://tornadocash.app
visit the website https://anycoindirect.me/
official statement https://daobase.online
В этой статье представлен занимательный и актуальный контент, который заставит вас задуматься. Мы обсуждаем насущные вопросы и проблемы, а также освещаем истории, которые вдохновляют на действия и изменения. Узнайте, что стоит за событиями нашего времени!
Изучить материалы по теме – капельница от похмелья в воронеже
Home Page https://daobase.io/
i was reading this https://swaplab.io
go to these guys https://tornadocash.app
Source https://daobase.io
Read More Here https://daobase.io/
This week’s PFL Sioux Falls fight night at the Sanford Pentagon provides a top-tier combination of homegrown talents and divisional stalwarts hoping to lock down their place in the 2026 season.
view https://daobase.io/
have a peek at this website https://yomix.biz/