I could never write a mystery. I don't have the kind of mind that can sort clues from red herrings, the cute bad guy from the cranky cop with the manly, twice-broken nose or the spooky old house from the modern, crisply white beach-side home that will eventually be covered in blood.
I was raised on John D. McDonald and Ed McBain, because that's what my parents read and what was most often found laying around the house, but I was never interested in writing one. I was more of a Dreiser, Shakespeare, Nancy Drew kind of a gal.
Disclaimer: The Cowboy Way does have a teeny, tiny mystery element to it, but I don't make it hard to solve. I reveal the bad guy's name on the first page...Bradley, if you must know.
So, I'm glad that great writers like T. R. Ragan (Theresa to her Noodler sisters) has taken up the romantic thriller mantle. I just finished Abducted, now available for download on Amazon.com (and others). You don't want to miss this one, folks. It's suspenseful, chilling and un-put-downably good. You'll double lock your doors and put a baseball bat next to your bed, guaranteed.
Abducted is the story of Lizzy Gardner, kidnapped by the totally warped and crazy Spiderman when she was in her teens. He's back now, kidnapping, torturing and murdering other teens, and Lizzy knows she must help capture him. She teams up with Jared Shayne, her boyfriend at the time she was kidnapped, and together they solve the mystery.
The characters in this book are so well-drawn and well-motivated, I couldn't stop reading. Don't you love a book when you can't wait to find out what happens next???
I highly recommend Abducted to everyone who loves a good thriller, and especially to those who don't often read them. It's that good.
Wow, Karen, what a review! Thank you for not only reading ABDUCTED but for saying such nice things about it. When I first started writing this book, I sent the first 100 pages to my agent and she loved it. Before I got to page 200 though, I was having nightmares and I didn't think I would ever be able to finish this book. Nine months later, I came back to ABDUCTED, read what I had written, and suddenly, I was drawn right back into the story. I had no problem finishing the book and I had fun writing it. As you know, when you're a writer, you get attached to certain characters. I really feel for Lizzy and what she's been through. She feels real to me. I can't wait to write the next Lizzy Gardner thriller...Hayley is in book #2 and she's out to get some revenge! Go Hayley!
ReplyDeleteI'm also working on my third romantic time travel for those readers out there who like something a little lighter and fluffier!
Thanks so much, Karen. Love your blog!
Oh, I love Hayley!!! But say no more -- I'm still reading. :) I've hated to put it down, and even have the Kindle read to me in the car on my commute, morning and night. Karen speaks the truth - you'll race through this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to start Abducted. Can't wait!
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