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: |
It is appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting things or suggestions. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more things about it!
My usual response to new bookmarks is to forget them but this one I have already returned to twice, and a look at orbitbase pulled me back a third time, the actual return rate to bookmarked sites is the real measure of value and this one is clearing that measure at a notable rate already.
Back on Lucky Neko. Why.
https://www.motejlekskocdopole.com/wp-content/uploads/?sdaty_kvartiru_posutochno_ili_dolgosrochno.html
Fortune Rabbit de novo. Brutal.
Good quality through and through, no rough edges and no signs of being rushed, and a quick look at synaplab kept the same polish going, the kind of site that respects its own brand by maintaining consistency across pages which is something I always appreciate as a reader looking for trustworthy information online today.
her latest blog https://tokvideodownloader.click/ar/
Обзор посвящён процессу восстановления после зависимостей. Мы расскажем о различных этапах реабилитации, поддерживающих ресурсах и важности мотивации в достижении устойчивого выздоровления.
Ознакомиться с теоретической базой – стоп алко севастополь
Alguém do chat só joga Heist Stakes no domingo. Diz que paga melhor. A gente riu, os dados concordam.
Hello there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when viewing from my iphone4. I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to fix this problem. If you have any recommendations, please share. Cheers!
find out https://tokvideodownloader.click/bn/
Mahjong Ways 2 carried me tonight.
Define o alvo antes de abrir Bikini Paradise. Bateu, sai. Não tem negociação.
Glad to find a site whose links lead somewhere worth going rather than back to itself for SEO juice, and a stop at ohmlab kept that generous outbound feel, citing other peoples work with real respect rather than just for ranking signals is a sign of an honest operation worth supporting going forward.
The very crux of your writing while appearing agreeable originally, did not settle perfectly with me after some time. Someplace throughout the paragraphs you managed to make me a believer but just for a while. I nevertheless have a problem with your leaps in assumptions and one might do well to fill in all those gaps. In the event you actually can accomplish that, I would surely be amazed.
I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re amazing! Thanks!
мостбет правила вывода http://mostbet20581.help
Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the internet the easiest factor to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get irked even as other folks think about worries that they just do not realize about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest as smartly as outlined out the whole thing without having side-effects , other people can take a signal. Will probably be again to get more. Thanks
How long do you give Leprechaun Riches before rotating out?
Por que o bônus do Fortune Rabbit sempre cai quando eu tô prestes a sair? kkkkk
The law student stopped playing Ninja vs Samurai after the Q1 patch. Came back last week. Different game now, he says.
Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back often!
В данной статье мы акцентируем внимание на важности поддержки в процессе выздоровления. Мы обсудим, как друзья, семья и профессионалы могут помочь тем, кто сталкивается с зависимостями. Читатели получат практические советы, как поддерживать близких на пути к новой жизни.
Ознакомиться с теоретической базой – Похмельная служба в Севастополе
Hi there, You have done an excellent job. I?ll certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this web site.
The reddit thread pinned the bankroll-rules thread. Finally.
Этот обзор содержит информацию о передовых достижениях в области медицины. Мы разберем инновационные технологии, которые меняют подход к лечению и диагностике, а также их влияние на эффективность оказания медицинской помощи.
Уточнить детали – «Похмельная служба» в Самаре
Is Wild Wild Riches actually paying better than Leprechaun Riches this week or am I tilted?
“tursu ne zaman kurulur” konusu icin cok faydal? bir yaz? buldum. Kendiniz gorun: https://yappendik.com/articles/tursu-kac-gun-sonra-acilir-ipuclari-ve-surec/
R$180 on Fortune Mouse, then nothing for an hour. Classic.
O veterano calado só joga Crypto Gold no domingo. Diz que paga melhor. A gente riu, os dados concordam.
navigate to this web-site https://tokvideodownloader.click/hi/
The chat got quieter after the Q1 patch. Less noise, better signal.
доставка алкоголя в москве — это удобный сервис для тех, кто ценит комфорт и оперативность.
Современный ритм жизни диктует свои правила, и часто возникает необходимость в быстром и удобном получении различных товаров. Услуга доставки алкогольных напитков на дом в последнее время набирает обороты. Это идеальное решение для тех, кто планирует вечеринку, спонтанно решил отметить событие или просто не хочет тратить время на поход в магазин. У нас вы найдете все: от крепких спиртных напитков до утонченных вин и разнообразного пива.
Наша главная задача – гарантировать удобство и быструю доставку. Развитая логистическая система гарантирует своевременную доставку вашего заказа. Мы работаем круглосуточно, чтобы вы могли наслаждаться любимыми напитками в любое удобное для вас время. Каждый курьер проходит тщательный отбор и обучение, что гарантирует высокий стандарт обслуживания.
Разнообразие и безупречное качество продукции. В нашем каталоге вы найдете разнообразные алкогольные напитки: от престижного коньяка и виски до легких коктейлей и сидров. Каждая позиция тщательно отбирается, чтобы гарантировать высочайшее качество и соответствие всем стандартам. Мы регулярно обновляем ассортимент, добавляя новинки и эксклюзивные предложения.
Мы понимаем, что каждый клиент имеет свои предпочтения, поэтому стараемся удовлетворить любые запросы. Квалифицированные консультанты всегда готовы помочь с выбором, предоставить рекомендации и дать подробную информацию о любом напитке. Мы ценим ваше доверие и стремимся сделать процесс выбора максимально приятным и информативным. Помимо алкоголя, вы можете заказать закуски и безалкогольные напитки, чтобы ваш стол был полностью укомплектован.
Легкость оформления и моментальная доставка. Вы можете сделать это через наш удобный веб-сайт, мобильное приложение или по телефону. Интуитивный интерфейс помогает быстро найти и добавить в корзину нужный товар, а затем оформить заказ. У нас предусмотрены различные варианты оплаты: онлайн-платежи и оплата наличными при доставке.
Наша служба доставки функционирует максимально оперативно. После подтверждения заказа, ваш алкоголь будет доставлен в кратчайшие сроки, в зависимости от вашего местоположения. Мы гарантируем конфиденциальность и безопасность всех данных. Для сохранения оптимальной температуры напитков, все заказы доставляются в специально разработанных термосумках.
Наши преимущества. Мы понимаем, что быстрое и беспроблемное получение заказа является приоритетом. Мы постоянно улучшаем сервис, внедряем инновации и проводим обучение персонала. Наша репутация – это сотни довольных клиентов, которые доверяют нам свои вечера и праздники.
Мы неукоснительно соблюдаем все законодательные требования к продаже и доставке алкоголя. Только совершеннолетним, при предъявлении удостоверения личности, осуществляется доставка. Мы заботимся о вашей безопасности и соблюдаем все необходимые меры предосторожности. Доверьте нам заботу о напитках, и мы гарантируем ваше полное удовлетворение нашим сервисом.
In the middle of an otherwise scattered day this post landed as a moment of focus, and a stop at simplebuyzone extended that focused feeling across more pages, content that anchors a fragmented day rather than contributing to the fragmentation is content with real centring effect and this site is providing that anchoring function for me.
Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this site? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at alternatives for another platform. I would be fantastic if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
Статья посвящена анализу текущих трендов в медицине и их влиянию на жизнь людей. Мы рассмотрим новые технологии, методы лечения и значение профилактики в обеспечении долголетия и здоровья.
Читать дальше – «Похмельная служба» в Химках
Lucky Neko acordou.
I have learned newer and more effective things from the blog post. One more thing to I have recognized is that normally, FSBO sellers will reject people. Remember, they would prefer not to ever use your services. But if an individual maintain a stable, professional romance, offering aid and remaining in contact for around four to five weeks, you will usually be capable of win a conversation. From there, a listing follows. Many thanks
Alguém tá mesmo tracking taxa de bônus do Heist Stakes numa planilha real, sem ser feeling?
find out here https://tokvideodownloader.click/ar/
look at these guys
accept crypto on openCart
A streamer com 80 viewers perdeu R$30 fazendo chasing no Caishen Wins, postou o comprovante, assumiu. Respeito.
view https://tokvideodownloader.click/zh/
There are some fascinating points in time in this article but I don?t know if I see all of them center to heart. There is some validity but I’ll take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we wish more! Added to FeedBurner as properly
Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and appearance. I must say you’ve done a great job with this. In addition, the blog loads super fast for me on Safari. Superb Blog!
Vale a pena comprar bônus no Fortune Rabbit ou espera natural compensa mais?
В данном обзоре представлены основные направления и тренды в области медицины. Мы обсудим актуальные проблемы здравоохранения, свежие открытия и новые подходы, которые меняют представление о лечении и профилактике заболеваний. Эта информация будет полезна как специалистам, так и широкой публике.
Перейти к полной версии – Похмельная служба Москва
check https://tokvideodownloader.click/ar/
В этой медицинской статье мы погрузимся в актуальные вопросы здравоохранения и лечения заболеваний. Читатели узнают о современных подходах, методах диагностики и новых открытий в научных исследованиях. Наша цель — донести важную информацию и повысить уровень осведомленности о здоровье.
Углубить понимание вопроса – «Похмельная служба» в Самаре
free hd porn videos