Hoag, Tami
Average customer rating:
- Deadly slow
- The return of Estes, one of Hoag's most complicated, difficult and intriguing characters
- MAN, THIS BOOK WAS GOOD!
- Just when you think it is safe to put the book down.
- My first Tami Hoag novel
|
The Alibi Man
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Obsession (Alex Delaware Novels)
- The 6th Target
- Hide
- Invisible Prey
- The Overlook (Harry Bosch)
ASIN: 0553802011
Release Date: 2007-03-27 |
Book Description
She was a vision. She was a siren. She was a nightmare. She was dead. Now he needed her to disappear. And he knew just how to make it happen. The Palm Beach elite go to great lengths to protect their own—and their own no longer includes Elena Estes. Once upon a time a child of wealth and privilege, Elena turned her back on that life. Betrayed and disillusioned by those closest to her, she chose the life of an undercover cop, the hunt for justice her own personal passion. Then a tragic, haunting mistake ended her career. Now Elena exists on the fringes of her old life, training horses for a living. But a shocking event is about to draw her back into the painful vortex she’s fought so hard to leave behind.
First she finds the body—a young woman used, murdered, and dumped in a canal. Not just a victim, but a friend. As Elena delves into her dead friend’s secret life, she discovers ties not only to the Russian mob but also to a group of powerful and wealthy Palm Beach bad boys known for giving each other alibis to cover a multitude of sins. A group that includes a man Elena once knew very well—her former fiancé, Bennett Walker, a man she knows has already escaped justice at least once in his life.
Finding her friend’s killer will put Elena at odds with her old life, with her new lover, and with herself. But she is determined to reveal the truth—a truth that will shock Palm Beach society to its core, and could very well get her killed.
Customer Reviews:
Deadly slow.......2007-06-21
Did I just FINALLY finish reading the same book as the reviews who gave it five stars? REALLY? It took me a week and I had to force myself to the page. I usually read a book in a day or two. True to her romance writing roots, this book was WAY too long. I scanned a lot of the second half of the book to see if I'd guessed the killer correctly - I had. I thought it was pretty obvious. Part of my problem is I really do not like Elena. Oy, the angst, the guilt. I giggled everytime someone elluded to her beauty - isn't she the same 40-something woman who was dragged under a truck???? Yes, she had plastic surgery but even they can only do so much. I just got tired of her whinning because she grew up rich, and felt rejected by her adoptive parents. Get over it already, move on or move away from mommy and daddy if you hate them so much. I've always believed that money doesn't buy happiness, but I'd rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus. Never again a Tami Hoag book - there are too many good, fast-paced intrequing mysteries out there.
The return of Estes, one of Hoag's most complicated, difficult and intriguing characters.......2007-05-30
Tami Hoag's faithful readers will remember Elena Estes, who played a heroic and tragic role in the 2002 novel DARK HORSE. THE ALIBI MAN marks the return of Estes, one of Hoag's most complicated, difficult and intriguing characters.
THE ALIBI MAN finds Estes retired from the Palm Beach County police force and employed on a horse farm in Wellington, Florida, enjoying the relative solitude and quiet that the job brings as she continues to recuperate from the injuries to her body and soul. Her peace is shattered when she discovers the mauled and murdered body of Irina Markova, another groomer at the farm. While Estes did not know the woman well, she feels an odd kinship toward her and decides that Markova's death shall not go unpunished.
This would be complicated enough, given that Estes no longer has any official standing to interject herself into the matter, but it is made more so by her romantic entanglement with James Landry, who is in charge of the investigation and with whom Estes broke up the evening before Markova's death. However, this does not prevent Estes from tracing Markova's whereabouts in the hours leading up to her brutal murder.
It turns out that Markova was a party girl by night, hobnobbing with the wealthy and enjoying the nightlife of West Palm Beach. Among those she crossed paths with was Bennett Walker, a high roller in the area who has a dark past that intimately involved Estes, and the powerful and dangerous Russian Mafia --- or, more specifically, Alexi Kulak, a violent and psychotic mob chieftain who in his own way loved Markova and will stop at nothing to obtain vengeance for her death.
Estes finds that Walker and Markova appear to have been involved with each other, at least on some level, and that Walker was with Markova on the night of her death. But Walker is part of a wealthy and influential circle of Palm Beach men who call themselves The Alibi Club, providing support for each other when one of their members needs an alibi for a jealous spouse --- or more. As Estes begins to close in on the truth, however, she herself is in danger of becoming the next victim of a killer whose identity she never suspects.
Hoag enhances a tight mystery plot with an over-the-shoulder view of the Palm Beach polo scene, giving her readers an up-close-and-personal look at the rich and famous. It is Hoag's ability to incorporate real-world elements such as this into her novels that has made her work exponentially more popular with each new release --- and THE ALIBI MAN her best work to date.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
MAN, THIS BOOK WAS GOOD!.......2007-05-23
Havent read Tami Hoag in a long while but I am glad I picked up this book!
Acerbic and tersely written, Elena Estes is one interesting lady. Her past was sufficiently brought up to date in this book. It is written around the Horse set in Palm Beach and Wellington, Florida.
A corpse is found by Elena in a deserted marsh (deserted except for the alligators who tried to clean it up). Fascinatingly gory but appropos to the story.
Descriptions of the horse set rich people were interesting and probably accurate since Ms Hoag is an equestrian and lives in that area herself.
Could not put the book down and it was well worth my time.
Just when you think it is safe to put the book down........2007-05-17
Boom! It takes another twist.
I loved Dark Horse with Elena Estes as a messed up ex-cop, who was struggling to find a new life for her self. Well in Alibi Man I think she has found it! When Elena goes out for a morning ride to clear her head, she by mistake finds the body of a woman murdered than dumped like trash and left for the alligators. She was not supposed to be found. Unfortunately the victim turns out to be a friend and a co-worker. Elena being an ex-cop and friend feels it is her job to help find the killer, in the process she learns that her friend had another life. She seemed to have the life of a Russian socialite rather than the life of an illegal alien from Russia who groomed horses for a living.
This book will keep you wondering what is going to happen next and who is going to do it! Will it be the wealthy Party boys who always have an alibi? Could it be a lover from Elena's past who is not a stranger to this kind of trouble? Would it, could it be the Russian Mob?
All I can say is once you start this book it is very hard to put down, this book has so many good "bad guys" that it keeps you guessing until the end. This is not a read before bed book this is a read and not go to bed till its finished book. Tami Hoag has done it once again just when you think you have figured out who it is something else happens to toss you off track. She keeps you guessing till the end!
I read this book in 2 days.
I Loved it!
Emilie in California
My first Tami Hoag novel.......2007-05-15
This was my first Tami Hoag novel, but won't be my last. After starting many other books, only to be bored and quit, I quite enjoyed this one from the beginning. I also enjoyed Ms. Hoag's style of writing, with both first and third person. Kept the story moving along and interesting.
Average customer rating:
- Becoming a fan of the author
- Disappointing
- Good to the End
- Bad Cop, Bad Cop
- If you love her...
|
Prior Bad Acts
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Legal
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Legal
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Gone (Alex Delaware Novels)
- The Alibi Man
- The 5th Horseman
- Dead Watch
- Gone
ASIN: 055358359X
Release Date: 2007-02-27 |
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with a thriller that begins with a shocking crime scene you’ll never forget and follows two relentless detectives on a manhunt that ends in a chilling confrontation with the essence of human evil.
PRIOR BAD ACTS
It was a crime so brutal, it changed the lives of even the most hardened homicide cops. The Haas family murders left a scar on the community nothing can erase, but everyone agrees that convicting the killer, Karl Dahl, is a start. Only Judge Carey Moore seems to be standing in the way. Her ruling that Dahl’s prior criminal record is inadmissible raises a public outcry–and puts the judge in grave danger.
When an unknown assailant attacks Judge Moore in a parking garage, two of Minneapolis’s top cops are called upon to solve the crime and keep the judge from further harm. Detective Sam Kovac is as hard-boiled as they come, and his wisecracking partner, Nikki Liska, isn’t far behind. Neither one wants to be on this case, but when Karl Dahl escapes from custody, everything changes, and a seemingly straightforward case cartwheels out of control.
The stakes go even higher when the judge is kidnapped–snatched out of her own bed even as the police sit outside, watching her house. Now Kovac and Liska must navigate through a maze of suspects that includes the stepson of a murder victim, a husband with a secret life, and a rogue cop looking for revenge where the justice system failed.
With no time to spare, the detectives are pulled down a strange dark trail of smoke and mirrors, where no one is who they seem and everyone is guilty of Prior Bad Acts.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag returns with a thriller that begins with a shocking crime scene you’ll never forget and follows two relentless detectives on a manhunt that ends in a chilling confrontation with the essence of human evil.
PRIOR BAD ACTS
It was a crime so brutal, it changed the lives of even the most hardened homicide cops. The Haas family murders left a scar on the community nothing can erase, but everyone agrees that convicting the killer, Karl Dahl, is a start. Only Judge Carey Moore seems to be standing in the way. Her ruling that Dahl’s prior criminal record is inadmissible raises a public outcry–and puts the judge in grave danger.
When an unknown assailant attacks Judge Moore in a parking garage, two of Minneapolis’s top cops are called upon to solve the crime and keep the judge from further harm. Detective Sam Kovac is as hard-boiled as they come, and his wisecracking partner, Nikki Liska, isn’t far behind. Neither one wants to be on this case, but when Karl Dahl escapes from custody, everything changes, and a seemingly straightforward case cartwheels out of control.
The stakes go even higher when the judge is kidnapped–snatched out of her own bed even as the police sit outside, watching her house. Now Kovac and Liska must navigate through a maze of suspects that includes the stepson of a murder victim, a husband with a secret life, and a rogue cop looking for revenge where the justice system failed.
With no time to spare, the detectives are pulled down a strange dark trail of smoke and mirrors, where no one is who they seem and everyone is guilty of Prior Bad Acts.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Becoming a fan of the author.......2007-06-24
I've been pleasantly surprised by Tami Hoag. I picked up Alibi Man a few weeks ago and thought it was a well written, entertaining read. Recently I picked up Prior Bad Acts and consider it a much stronger novel than Alibi Man. I'm becoming a fan.
Some of the complaints written about this novel - I actually consider strengths. I often find female authors in this genre a little too `soft' for my tastes, but Hoag is grittier than most. The language and violence may be off-putting to some readers but it gives the novel an authentic feel.
One of the most refreshing things about this novel is that it deviates from the plot-line that other`hunt for a serial killer novels' take. Prior Bad Acts has multiple overlapping story lines. The original mystery of who brutally murdered a woman and her two foster children appears to have been solved early in the novel, but then a judge is attacked, a convict escapes, and a disillusioned rogue cop decides to take justice into his own hands. The body count rises as foul mouthed detectives contend with a missing vigilante cop, an escaped psychopath, and a judge that someone wants to kill - possibly her husband.
I like that Hoag is willing to give her lead character, Sam Kovac, some unflattering traits. Kovac is a fully realized character - rough around the edges, obnoxious at times and tenacious to a fault - but these flaws make him real.
One small criticism: The twist at the end wasn't much of a surprise. I don't think it was even necessary. In fact, I think the novel would have been stronger without it.
Disappointing.......2007-06-12
After reading virtually everything that Connelly, Crais and Block have written, I cast about for some additional mystery authors that I might enjoy. Because a number of Hoag's books were highly rated on amazon and other sites, I tried out Prior Bad Acts. Unfortunately, I found it quite unappealing. The language was overwrought and the plot was silly and unbeleivable. Peter Robinson, Ian Rankin, T. Jefferson Parker and (on the somewhat lighter side) Harlen Coben are all better suited to my tastes.
Good to the End.......2007-06-08
This book kept me interested! Not a boring book at all!
Highly recommend reading it!
Bad Cop, Bad Cop.......2007-06-07
Tami Hoag's characters have a fondness for profanity. So, if you have a problem with text laced with tough street talk best set this one aside. I'm not a prude but I found the salty language a little over-seasoned for my taste.
Ms. Hoag's tough homicide detective, Kovac and his foul-mouthed sidekick, Tinks, are on the trail of a sexual sadist. Kovac knows who did the awful deed right from the start, giving us an insight into the tunnel vision that often seems to affect non-fictional cops. Go after the suspect with everything you've got - due process is for wimpy liberals.
Plot was a bit telegraphed.
If you love her..........2007-05-22
If you are a Tami Hoag fan then you will love this book. I personally really enjoy her style and this was one of her best books yet. I was so engrossed in the plot that I read it in 2 days, which is pretty good for me. If you like mystery and suspense, and a fantastic writing style, then you should pick up this book. This one really made me think about how we judge other people right away even if the only information we have is hearsay. It will really challenge your train of thought.
Average customer rating:
- Bring back Elena Estes!
- Tami Hoag canters into the limelight with her suspense thriller, Dark Horse.
- The opposite reaction Jana had...
- Thank god...a real horsewoman writing about horses!
- I couldn't put this book down
|
Dark Horse
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Dust to Dust
- Dark Paradise
- Cry Wolf
- Ashes to Ashes
- A Thin Dark Line
ASIN: 0553583573
Release Date: 2004-06-01 |
Book Description
In her latest thriller, New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag takes readers on a suspense-filled ride of shocks and twists leading to an explosive finish. It is the story of an ex-cop, a missing girl, and a killer locked in a race where there can be only one winner--and the losers die trying.
In a trailer in a Florida swamp, time is running out for eighteen year-old Erin Seabright. A pawn in a kidnapper's terrifying game for a ransom no one can pay, her last hope is a washed-up ex-cop who has already lost it all-not once, but twice.
The wealthy world of the Palm Beach horse set seems a long way from a cop's world in the narcotics division. A lifetime ago, undercover sheriff's detective Elena Estes worked the mean streets and BackTop alleys, living by her wits and playing the long odds until she took one risk too many. Now Estes lives on the ragged edge of lost hope and self-hatred, hiding from the past and believing she doesn't deserve to have a future. But the past is about to come back with a vengeance, and the future is about to become a race between life and death.
A young woman is missing and her twelve year-old stepsister comes to Estes for help. No one but serious, studious Molly Seabright seems concerned about what's happened to her troubled older sister. But Molly is convinced Erin is in danger. Estes has no P.I. license, no interest in a new career, and no desire to break her self-imposed exile. But the more she learns about the people Erin Seabright was involved with, the more her long-dormant cop instincts come back to life.
One trip to the show grounds where Erin worked as a groom, and Estes is quickly pulled to the dark side of a glamorous sport. Behind the glittering, ultra-rich facade is an ultra-ruthless world of drugs, payoffs, and dirty deals. A world of dissolute playboys and crooked horse-dealers, of royalty and rabble, of rivals and enemies. An obscenely wealthy world where anything can be had for a price--including a life.
And in that world stalks a killer who will lead Estes down a dark, twisted trail of decadence and deceit, mayhem and murder--from the gilded life of Palm Beach to the darkest corners of the Florida swamps, to a final show-down that could cost her everything. A race against time and evil. A race in which Estes is the dark horse--and no one is betting on her to win.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
In her latest thriller, New York Times bestselling author Tami Hoag takes readers on a suspense-filled ride of shocks and twists leading to an explosive finish. It is the story of an ex-cop, a missing girl, and a killer locked in a race where there can be only one winner—and the losers die trying.
In a trailer in a Florida swamp, time is running out for eighteen year-old Erin Seabright. A pawn in a kidnapper's terrifying game for a ransom no one can pay, her last hope is a washed-up ex-cop who has already lost it all—not once, but twice.
The wealthy world of the Palm Beach horse set seems a long way from a cop's world in the narcotics division. A lifetime ago, undercover sheriff's detective Elena Estes worked the mean streets and back alleys, living by her wits and playing the long odds until she took one risk too many. Now Estes lives on the ragged edge of lost hope and self-hatred, hiding from the past and believing she doesn't deserve to have a future. But the past is about to come back with a vengeance, and the future is about to become a race between life and death.
A young woman is missing and her twelve year-old stepsister comes to Estes for help. No one but serious, studious Molly Seabright seems concerned about what's happened to her troubled older sister. But Molly is convinced Erin is in danger. Estes has no P.I. license, no interest in a new career, and no desire to break her self-imposed exile. But the more she learns about the people Erin Seabright was involved with, the more her long-dormant cop instincts come back to life.
One trip to the show grounds where Erin worked as a groom, and Estes is quickly pulled to the dark side of a glamorous sport. Behind the glittering, ultra-rich facade is an ultra-ruthless world of drugs, payoffs, and dirty deals. A world of dissolute playboys and crooked horse-dealers, of royalty and rabble, of rivals and enemies. An obscenely wealthy world where anything can be had for a price—including a life.
And in that world stalks a killer who will lead Estes down a dark, twisted trail of decadence and deceit, mayhem and murder—from the gilded life of Palm Beach to the darkest corners of the Florida swamps, to a final show-down that could cost her everything. A race against time and evil. A race in which Estes is the dark horse—and no one is betting on her to win.
<hr>
"With its hard-boiled view of equine society, Dark Horse helps fill the gap made in crime fiction by the retirement of jockey-turned-author Dick Francis."
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL</p><hr>
Customer Reviews:
Bring back Elena Estes!.......2006-10-05
Cleaver story and writing! Elena Estes is a wonderful witty character, I hope Tami Hoag brings her back--maybe as a PI officially? From what I've heard, Tami Hoag is an accomplished rider and I loved her descriptions of horses and the circle that follows them. A very quick read and you will fall in love with her client Molly.
Tami Hoag canters into the limelight with her suspense thriller, Dark Horse. .......2006-09-13
The title itself both refers to the main character, ex-cop Elena Estes, and the main plot that revolves around the exciting and sometimes deadly world of equestrian dressage--a sport of precision, skill and mastery.
Drawing from Hoag's own skills and training as a competitive equestrian, and occasionally using the names of real people and horses, Hoag manages to propel you into the dark and often deadly world of professional equestrian sports. Step into a world of the ''ultra rich and the very poor'', where horses are exploited, misused, abused, drugged and even killed--all for the 'love' of the sport.
Protagonist Elena Estes is a 'dark horse', herself. Living in self-imposed exile after a life-shattering decision ruins her career, Elena finds herself drawn to the plight of a young girl, Molly Seabright. Molly's older sister, Erin, is missing, and the twelve-year-old has come to hire Elena as a private investigator to find Erin and bring her home.
Masquerading as a spoiled socialite, Elena enters the lavish, decadent world of equestrian sport and encounters deception and murder along the way. Filled with rich, powerful men this novel will throw you into Elena's past and present at a galloping speed...and if you don't hold on for the ride, you may just be thrown off.
Tami Hoag has consistently and persistently come up with unique storylines, fast-paced plots and intriguing characters. She is one of the most talented female suspense thriller writers there is, and once you read one of her novels, you'll be begging to read more.
This is perhaps one of my favorites! I found it truly interesting and very unique in plot.
Tami Hoag's Dark Horse is an intense read...one you won't WANT to put down!
~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song (2007 Kunati Books)
The opposite reaction Jana had..........2006-08-26
Curiously, as another long time reader of Tami Hoag, including Night Sins, Guilty as Sin, Cry Wolf, and Still Waters, I had the exact opposite reaction from Jana Perskie to this book.
Jana said the plot plods, but compared to Hoag's other works, the plot actually moved more quickly. Compare this to Night Sins, for example, where the middle 70% of the novel could have been cut out entirely. Although Hoag can't resist some useless filler in Act 2, both Act 1 and 3 move at normal, linear paces of plot development, which is much more than I would usually expect from this author.
Instead of the kidnapper periodically sending meaningless and repetitive notes with the words SIN capitalized, here each new contact from the kidnapper is at least somewhat revelatory, and the resolution more complicated.
In most Hoag works, the so-called mystery or suspense plot is often just a cover or ends up being dressing for the central story of romance-- always predictable, always with similiar lines. Here, the romance didn't begin to develop until approximately page 250, and it was kept definitively in the background.
In most Hoag works, the romance is central to breaking down the characters' emotional barriers as they fundamentally struggle with failure. In Dark Horse, the budding relationship between the protagonist and the police officer is representative of redemption, not breakdown.
This is the only Hoag novel as far as I know told in the first person. It's the only one with a preface from the author where she speaks to us directly (I believe she did mention that she believed the equestrian world to be no worse than the real one). It's the only one where the title is set up to actually mean something symbolic. It's the only one where she shows specialized knowledge of something which is neither law enforcement nor a locale (Minnesota/Louisiana).
Of course, it is certainly recognizable as a Hoag work, and there are many of the same formulaic personalities involved. Nonetheless, I thought it was somewhat more personal, complex, and gratifying than I'd been led to expect, from what is essentially a guilty pleasure author. That was refreshing.
Thank god...a real horsewoman writing about horses!.......2006-08-26
I don't enjoy mysteries, but this book was passed on to me by a fellow boarder at my barn, so I gave it a go. While the plot was slow, (*cough* all mysteries *cough*) I loved the many references to my home State and home equestrian turf. She based a couple of these characters on real people, too, which gave it added grit in my book- good for you, Ms. Hoag.
Its refreshing to have a real horse person write a horse related novel; if you're seriously involved in the equestrian world, I recommend it if only for the horse action. Now, if only more people would write realistically about horses, and the horse world!
I couldn't put this book down.......2006-07-25
Short and sweet - I simply loved this book.
Average customer rating:
- 4 and 1/2 Stars
- Lack of suspence ... boring
- Not what I expected...better
- so, so
- Underwhelming...
|
Dust to Dust
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Police Procedurals
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Police Procedurals
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Ashes to Ashes
- Guilty as Sin
- Cry Wolf
- Dark Horse
- Dark Paradise
ASIN: 0553582526
Release Date: 2002-03-26 |
Amazon.com
Minneapolis has more than its share of interesting cops (Lucas Davenport of the John Sandford thrillers, for one), and Tami Hoag's homicide dicks, Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, join the club in this thoughtful and surprisingly moving novel of dirty cops and cover-ups. Internal Affairs investigator Andy Fallon is a suicide--or is he? The word around the department is that Andy, son of Iron Mike Fallon, an old hero of Sam's, killed himself because Mike turned his back on him when Andy told him he was gay. Or maybe it was because a lover dumped him, or even (snicker, snicker) a perverted sexual practice gone wrong. That's the gossip, but Sam feels he owes it to Mike to investigate.
Sam is a familiar type in this genre, and his self-awareness is almost painful at times. "You're a stereotype. The tragic hero," he's told by Amanda Savard, the strong-but-vulnerable Internal Affairs lieutenant whose determination to keep the Fallon case closed foreshadows her personal history. "The twice-divorced, smoking, drinking workaholic," Sam agrees. "I don't know what's heroic about that. It reeks of failure to me, but maybe I have unrealistic standards." But Sam's droll sense of humor is matched by his deeply ingrained crap detector. When Iron Mike apparently kills himself too, you can almost feel its needle vibrate. Then Sam and Nikki open another closed case, this one almost two decades old, and find the connections that threaten to unravel past crimes and future promises. Hoag is a writer very much in command of her craft: the pacing excels, the characters are complex and interesting, and the details well worked out. Readers will look forward to another Kovac and Liska adventure. --Jane Adams
Book Description
Sorry. The single word was written on a mirror. In front of it hung the Minneapolis Internal Affairs cop. Was it suicide? Or a kinky act turned tragic?
Either way, it wasn’t murder. At least not according to the powers that be. But veteran homicide detective Sam Kovac and his wisecracking, ambitious partner Nikki Liska think differently. Together they begin to dig at the too-neat edges of the young cop’s death, uncovering one motive and one suspect after another. The shadows of suspicion fall not only on the city’s elite, but into the very heart of the police department.
Someone wants the case closed–quickly and forever. But neither Kovac nor Liska will give up. Now both their careers and their lives are on the line. From a murder case two months old to another case closed for twenty years, Kovac and Liska must unearth a connection the killer wants dead and buried. A killer who will stop at absolutely nothing to keep a dark and shattering secret . . .
Customer Reviews:
4 and 1/2 Stars.......2007-03-29
Tami Hoag has evolved into a writer that doesn't feel obligated to give you a a fuzzy warm ending. She writes for the sake of the story.
The characters in Dust to Dust are believable and likeable whether they're the good or bad guys. In fact, some of her bad guys are so well crafted that becomes the hook to keep the pages turning. This book delivers smart detectives that don't go doing stupid things that frustrates readers. These characters behave consistent to how they are developed and overall the story unfolds logically, piece by piece. Since many have synopsized the story before me I'll just add that the book built nicely to its end.
Lack of suspence ... boring .......2007-03-28
This was my first reading of Ms Hoags and she was recommended by my son . To me the book didn't hold my interest and was boring from start but I gave it fair chance by forcing myself to read to page 130 , To me there was no suspence and her details were just to drawn out and detective Kovac reminded me of the old columbo (Peter Faulk ) detective on TV .
Not what I expected...better.......2007-01-03
Okay, I like Tami Hoag so I expected a good book, but I thought I was in for an adventure tracking down a serial killer. What I got was a real investigation into what may or may not have been a crime to begin with. The two prime characters, Kovac and Liska were terrific characters. smart and competent. No serial killers, but some serious bad guys. And then there was Amanda Savard. As I was reading this novel I was wondering about a sequel and what part she would play as the main investigating officer. I loved her and her demons and the way she dealt (if you can call that dealing) with them. I also liked the way her relationship with Kovac developed. This was an excellent read, one that held my interest throughout. It was a little slower than some of Tami Hoag's other works, but that was only for a lack of violence not a lack of intelligence. All in all, I would say this is one of the finest mystery/thriller books I have ever read. A better than average Tami Hoag book, and an average Tami Hoag book is usually very good. An easy 5 stars.
so, so.......2005-09-29
I didn't think the book had very much suspense to it. It seemed like the she tried to focus your attention on other characters to avoid discovering the truth but she wasn't very good at doing so. I figured what was going on before the end of the book.
Underwhelming..........2005-06-20
This is my first Tami Hoag novel so perhaps my perspective is skewed, but this one just somehow felt unfocused. The pacing is wildly uneven, as is the style. I tend to prefer the more stripped-down narratives so to me the by-play between Liska and Kovac seemed completely superfluous. Also, for a police mystery that hinges on cause and manner of death there is virtually no forensic element, which strikes me as odd...
Average customer rating:
- I enjoyed this book
- Dire
- I loved this story!
- Just OK
- Not even a guilty pleasure ...
|
Magic
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Fanfare
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Henley, Virginia
| Howard, Linda
| Howell, Hannah
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Sarah's Sin
- Cry Wolf
- Dark Paradise
- Still Waters
- The Last White Knight
ASIN: 0553290533
Release Date: 1991-05-01 |
Book Description
Strange things were happening in Drake House: A perfect rose appearing on a pillow...an antique dress materializing out of nowhere...a mysterious spirit roaming the halls...
Five years after Rachel Lindquist had left California to chase her dreams, she returned home to care for her aging mother, only to find herself chasing a ghost! Addie Lindquist insisted a presence haunted Drake House and had hired noted parapsychologist Bryan Hennessy to investigate, but Rachel knew better than to believe in what she couldn't see—or to surrender to the strong current of desire pulling her towards Bryan.
Bryan had dealt with skeptics before, but convincing Rachel was the biggest challenge of his life. The enchanting beauty had lost faith in everything that wasn't practical, and that included matters of the heart. As Bryan fought her reluctance to succumb to feelings she couldn't control, a second, more sinister force began to stalk them, threatening to drive them from Drake House and from each other—a force that could be banished only by a man who believed in the power of love and...Magic.
Customer Reviews:
I enjoyed this book.......2007-01-05
I really enjoyed this book. Tami Hoag put a little different twist in this one, and I found it amusing.
Dire.......2006-08-02
I've been a fan of Tami Hoag for a while now and I'm steadily working my way through her generally excellent back catalogue. I stumbled across this book in a secondhand store and I hate to say it, but it wasn't worth the money. The storyline is ridiculously cliched and contrived. It reminded me of Mills & Boon: the beautiful but wounded heroine and handsome hero with a tragic past falling in love yet stubbornly resisting. The ghosts are as believable and scary as the ones from an episode of Scooby Doo.
I had to force myself to finish it and it's hard to believe the same author wrote Ashes To Ashes, A Thin Dark Line, Cry Wolf, Still Waters, etc. Your time and money would be far better spent buying those books than this one.
I loved this story!.......2006-05-17
I thought this was a terrific book. I have read it a few times and each time that I do, the storyline gets more and more enjoyable. Like I said before, I love this writer, she's such a talent!
Just OK.......2005-06-21
I loved Keeping Company, Heart of Gold and Reilly's Return, so when I found this book, and saw it was Bryan, I thought it'd be just as great as the others. Not so. This book was sort of boring, and there was no spark between the main characters. I only finished this book to see what the other characters were up to and what happened to them. I do adore Tami Hoag's books but this one, ahh, well we'll leave it at that.
Not even a guilty pleasure ..........2005-05-10
I rather enjoyed 'Night Sins' so when I found this book on sale for £1 at a local discount store I thought 'how bad can it be?' The answer is very very bad. It combines the worst Mills & Boons cliches - beautiful stubbornly independent heroine, ruggedly handsome hero, who, needless to say, fight constantly before falling into each other's arms, with a plot borrowed from the cartoon 'Scooby Doo' - ghosts - hidden gold - mysterious characters wanting to buy property - sound familar from Saturday morning TV? She should definitely stick to writing thrillers. On a more happy note the brief preview of 'Ashes to ashes' at the back of this book looked good. Bet I don't get it for a pound though!
Average customer rating:
- Another good one from TAMI
- The White Knight
- Be Warned
- not so good
- More romance than thriller
|
The Last White Knight
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- The Alibi Man
- Prior Bad Acts
- Sarah's Sin
- An Unexpected Song
- Magic
ASIN: 0553805002
Release Date: 2006-08-08 |
Book Description
With her frayed jeans and cascade of tousled dark hair, Lynn Shaw looks more like one of the teenage residents of Horizon House than their counselor. So it’s no wonder State Senator Erik Gunther mistakes her for one. Not that he exactly fits the description of a politician, with his movie-star looks and athletic build. Even Lynn, cynical, stubborn, and decidedly not looking for a relationship, can’t ignore her body’s response to the man.
Allegedly, he’s come to defend Lynn from angry locals who don’t want her home for delinquent girls in their neighborhood. But as far as Lynn is concerned, he’s looking for a photo op, a chance to play the hero–the last thing either she or her troubled girls need.
What they need is understanding. Lynn knows teenage rebellion all too well. And she knows firsthand its heartbreaking price. She won’t touch the good senator with a ten-foot pole only to watch him disappear once he gets what he wants. Unfortunately, Erik refuses to go away.
The moment Erik looks into her emerald eyes, his interest in work falls into serious competition with his interest in Lynn Shaw. Her rejection of his assistance only intrigues him further. He is determined to know her–and to help her. If that means practically moving into Horizon House, so be it.
But as the two engage in a battle of hearts, it becomes clear that Lynn is waging a private war of her own, against demons of the past–and against her overwhelming desire for the one man who may be worth fighting for.
Customer Reviews:
Another good one from TAMI.......2007-05-16
This is really a great book. I read it on my trip to New Orleans!!!!
The White Knight.......2006-11-17
I enjoyed The White Knight by Tami Hoag. It was well written, yet totally different from her other books. This book dealt with a home for troubled girls fitting into a neighbor, where the neighbors did not want them there; especially one individual. A politician steps in to help. The story twists and turns around events that start to happen around the neighbor once the girls move into the neighborhood. As time goes on the politician and the counselor become involved with each other and who is doing the all the vandelism. Will good conquer evil? Will love prevail? What do you think? It was a light reading book that I enjoyed. Lynn Sharrott did an excellent job reading the book. I had not ever listened to her before but I enjoyed her reading tremendously.
Be Warned.......2006-10-26
Once upon a time Tami Hoag wrote romances. This is a rather simplistic romance and not one of the mystery/suspense novels that she now writes.
She is better at the latter than the former.
not so good.......2006-10-08
I wasn't as fond of this book as I was others by Hoag. In my opinion the mystery part of it was soft, and the love story wasn't that great either.
The basic story is the heroine is a counselor for runaway girls. They move to a new 'house' and one of the residents in the neighborhood organizes a group to protest. The neighbors feel that the home will ruin their nice safe neighborhood. Things start going wrong in the neighborhood and, of course, the teens are blamed. Mixed in along with this is the 'romance' between the counselor and the senator who is there in an attempt to save the home. The counselor, Lynn, thinks that the senator is there just to get camera time and the senator is frustrated by Lynn's repeated efforts to push him away because of her past experiences.
I guess my main problem with the book is it lacked the spark that most of Hoag's other books have. It wasn't horrible, but it was by no means my favorite by Hoag. I would definitely recommend some of her newer books over this, try Mercy for example. Whichever book you end up picking, I hope you enjoy it :)
More romance than thriller.......2006-02-27
I own this in the original Loveswept edition. It is a good story, but if you are familar with Tami Hoag's later works which are thrillers, this may not be for you. It is a romance with the mystery definitely running secondary.
Lynn Shaw works as a counselor for at a house for troubled teenagers, but has a troubled past. Erik is a local politician who falls for Lynn, but Lynn is unable to commit. Of course she is beautiful, he is handsome as was mandatory for all Loveswept editions. Set this against a background of local hostility of having the teenagers in their neighborhood, property damage, troubled teens, it has more depth than a typical Loveswept novel.
I don't know if the republished edition will have been updated, or changed in any way, but as a Loveswept book it one of the better ones. Not too much sex, more about the story and learning to trust and ultimately be vulnerable enough again to accept and give love. Elena in Dark Horse goes through a similar transition to Lynn Shaw. It is an easy read and probably a third of the length of her later books. Compared to Tami Hoag's later works, it is not as strong and lacks some of tension. Buy it for what it is, not for what it isn't.
Average customer rating:
- An oldie but a goodie,
- Please!!!!!!!!!!
- reader review
- Amish?
- It's a love story !
|
Sarah's Sin
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Fanfare
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Henley, Virginia
| Howard, Linda
| Howell, Hannah
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Magic
- Cry Wolf
- Dark Paradise
- Prior Bad Acts
- Still Waters
ASIN: 0553560506
Release Date: 1992-11-01 |
Book Description
From award-winning author Tami Hoag comes a warm, moving story of two cultures in conflict and two hearts in love.
Matt Thorne had come to his sister's rural inn to recover from an injury far from the city and his fast-paced life as an emergency room physician. Drifting between sleep and waking, Matt didn't trust his eyes when he saw the young woman who sat at his bedside in her plain cotton dress and apron, her chestnut hair tucked demurely beneath a white bonnet, like a beautiful vision from the past century.
Sarah Troyer had been warned about the womanizing Dr. Throne, but nothing prepared her for the shiver of desire that shook her to her core when she gazed at him. Though her life was bound by the simple Amish way, Sarah had always longed for the world outside. Her job at the inn already branded her as a rebel in her community, and falling in love with a stranger would mean the loss of her family and the only life she knew. Yet something sparked within her with every touch of his hand, each glance from his dark eyes.
Sarah was willing to allow herself a brief, secret adventure in the arms of a forbidden man. But she hadn't counted on Matt's passionate love--a love that would not let go, a love that could cost them both everything they knew....
Customer Reviews:
An oldie but a goodie,.......2006-05-17
I have read this book over and over and over so many times you wouldn't believe it, it is that good! I enjoy stories in this fun genre and Ms. Hoag is one of the reasons why. I just love her!
Please!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-01-08
I was really disappointed in this book. I read Cry Wolf, and I loved it so I ordered more of her books. But I think this one was a mistake. I should have went to the library instead of spending my money.
The story of Sarah and Matt was cute, but please it drug on and on. I couldn't wait to finish it. I actually skipped paragraphs to get to the end.
The only caracter that I really thought brought anything to the book was Sarah's brother Jacob. And also Mrs. Parker that stayed at the inn for a day.
I gave this book one star, but I wish I could have given it a half a star.
Don't waist your money on this one.
reader review.......2003-06-24
this is a story of Sarah who was a worker at an inn, out in the country, and she was amish. she was taking care of Matt, a doctor from the city and he had been beat up pretty badly. Sarah was told to take care of him while the keepers of the inn were out of bussiness. while Matt's sister-in-law was away, Sarah and Matt were instantly attracted to each other and were totaly in love. they shared some long nights together....When Matt's sister-in-law came back from her business trip she saw that Matt and Sarah were in love and took it apon herself to tell him of the Amish bond that said that she could not love or marrie a non-amish person. torn at heart, Matt returned home to the city and to the hospitl, the rest u will have to read and find out this was a really good book and i think that anyone up for a good romance should read it
Amish?.......2001-10-03
Sarah Troyer is an Amish women working in an inn. When her employer brings home her battered Doctor brother to recover, Sarah is instantly drawn to him, as he is to her. But their different backgrounds and beliefs may keep them apart, despite the love growing between them.
Think the movie "Witness" with a happy ending. Though the romance is unique, I couldn't help but think... Amish? Sometimes the hero tended to be very insensitive to the heroine, but all in all the writing is solid. I just had a hard time immersing myself in the plot.
It's a love story !.......2001-01-17
I have enjoyed all of Tami Hoag's murder/suspense novels. Sarah's Sin from 1992 was figured to be a romance novel from the title, and sure enough it was. While it didn't seem like Tami Hoag, or at least the one I had grown to look forward to, it was a sweet story about a cocky ER doctor from Minneapolis who had been wounded in a gun fight and ends up recuperating in a small town in Minnesota nearl an Armish settlement. A young Amish widow is working at the bread and breakfast run by the doctor's sister and is assigned the job of taking care of him as he recovers his strength. Of course the two of them are attracted to each other. Having grown up with the Armish of Central Illinois, I found Sarah's character believable and true to the Armish culture. The story is about Sarah's longing to leave her "plain" life and accept her love and move on to the world at large with all its opportunities and challenges. It's a fast read and a sweet story. The sex is a little idealistic, but it's good fuel for a night of fantasy. Stick it in your beach bag and enjoy.
Average customer rating:
- A Great Sleep Aid
- Just plain good
- Kept me guessing - and that's a rare treat.
- Time to die, birthday bitch
- Great plot, too much romance and not enough detection
|
Guilty As Sin
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Legal
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Night Sins
- Dust to Dust
- Cry Wolf
- Ashes to Ashes
- Dark Paradise
ASIN: 0553099590
Release Date: 1996-02-01 |
Amazon.com
If her knuckle-whitening thriller Night Sins made you lock your doors, bolt your windows and turn on all the lights - keep them that way. Tami Hoag's latest bestseller will make you glad you did.
Book Description
A cold-blooded kidnapper has been playing a twisted game with a terrified Minnesota town. Now a respected member of the community sits in jail, accused of a chilling act of evil. But then another boy disappears, triggering panic in tiny Deer Lake. Have the police caught the wrong man? Or is there an even more sinister mind calculating each perverse move?
Prosecutor Ellen North believes she's building a case against the right man—and that he has an accomplice in the shadows. Suddenly she's swept into their dark game, her role changed from hunter to prey. And soon she wonders if she's a match for her opponent...an evil mind as guilty as sin.
Download Description
A cold-blooded kidnapper has been playing a twisted game with a terrified Minnesota town. Now a respected member of the community sits in jail, accused of a chilling act of evil. But then another boy disappears, triggering panic in tiny Deer Lake. Have the police caught the wrong man? Or is there an even more sinister mind calculating each perverse move?
Prosecutor Ellen North believes she's building a case against the right man -- and that he has an accomplice in the shadows. Suddenly she's swept into their dark game, her role changed from hunter to prey. And soon she wonders if she's a match for her opponent... an evil mind as guilty as sin.
<HR>
"A chilling study of evil that holds the reader until the shocking surprise ending."<BR> PHILLIP MARGOLIN, AUTHOR OF AFTER DARK
"Accomplished and scary."<BR> COSMOPOLITAN
"Guilty as Sin is a page-turner."<BR> CHICAGO TRIBUNE
<HR>
Customer Reviews:
A Great Sleep Aid.......2007-06-10
I have never read anything by Tami Hoag before and I doubt that I will again.
This story starts off slow and gets worse quickly. It is very rare that I don't finish a book once I have started it. I only made it 60 pages into this and it took me four days. It is really very boring. It might be good if one is having some problems with insomnia.
Just plain good.......2007-03-12
If you're hooked on Hoag and have read Night Sins, you've got to read Guilty as Sin. I actually liked this one better than Night Sins. The familiar style of Tami Hoag is ever present and her characters are just plain good.
Kept me guessing - and that's a rare treat........2007-01-26
I rarely get to enjoy a whodunnit without guessing whodunnit too soon, and spoiling the suspense. In this case, I wouldn't have minded - I'd have kept reading just for the heat generated between the ice-queen district attorney and the thorn in her side, a sexy cynic who writes best-selling true crime books. He tries to charm, then bully his way into her confidence, and is met with scathing insults, delivered with such cool dignity that I couldn't help thinking of all the times I'd thought of the perfect thing to say - after the fact. It's refreshing to see how Tami Hoag's heroines have grown stronger and more admirable as her writing has matured. I've read a couple of her early romance novels since discovering the author; when weak-willed heroines were the norm, nobody wrote them weaker or wimpier than Ms. Hoag. Heroines like Ellen are gratifying to read, from beginning to end; their vulnerability is heartfelt, but doesn't make them crumble. So it's all the more satisfying when they're matched with heros who learn to deserve them.
Guilty as Sin is great fun; I wished I had read Night Sins first, but Hoag provided enough background to clue me in and made this book work well as a stand-alone read. The ending surprises from a suspense standpoint, and satisfies as a romance. There are a few loose ends left (intentionally, I hope, because I'd love to see a sequel) but for the two lead characters, the story is complete and fulfilling.
Time to die, birthday bitch.......2006-08-27
It's a great first sentence, I admit, but let's look at the rest of the book.
I read the prologue and the first two chapters. Only 35 of its 606 pages, which violates my informal "10% rule." Did I read enough? Actually, I read too much. I was treated to overfamiliar cardboard characters, equally overfamiliar cliches, awkward language, cutesy language, wordy language, the telling of scenes that should be shown, and the showing of scenes that should be told. Hoag has been a regular on the best seller lists since 1988, but not because of anything I bought. I'm returning this to the book swap at the Jazz Pub here in Hangzhou and bringing home something else.
Great plot, too much romance and not enough detection.......2006-05-12
I'd like to give it 3 and 1/2 stars. The plot is good, the characters are interesting and I enjoyed the book- it definitely had me guessing up to the end. BUT- I would have liked the loose ends tied up at the end. Was Christopher Priest involved, what exactly was Wright up to with the Sci-Fi boys- did he play mind games with them too? What about Childs, how involved was he? Also, what about the lawyer, Costello? I had a theory that he was actually one of the "we" but I'll never know for sure now. Also, I am not a romance novel person and Hoag is a former romance novelist and can't seem to give it up. I don't mind a little love interest or sexual intrigue, but there was just too much of it in these books. I skipped over pages and pages of sex scenes and romantic interludes, because that is not what I read a thriller for. She should have spent more time writing about the actual detective work and less with all the googly eyes. All in all, though, the story itself was original enough and since I skipped pages that didn't involve the plotline, I was able to keep up a suspenseful pace. I haven't read any of the authors other books except for these two Sin books, so hopefully she has a better editor now.
Average customer rating:
- Tami, Tami, Tami...sigh
- Not my favorite Hoag book
- Engrossing Southern romantic thriller
- not my favourite
- Wonderfully Balanced
|
Cry Wolf
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Legal
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Legal
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Henley, Virginia
| Howard, Linda
| Howell, Hannah
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Romantic Suspense
| Romance
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Dark Paradise
- Still Waters
- Guilty as Sin
- Dust to Dust
- A Thin Dark Line
ASIN: 055356160X
Release Date: 1993-07-01 |
Book Description
The scream heard by no one is the deadliest.
In the rural parishes of Louisiana's French Triangle, young women are disappearing one by one, only to turn up on the banks of the bayou, strangled and cast aside where they are sure to be found. But there is one trophy the killer prizes above all others, one woman who must be silenced forever....
Attorney Laurel Chandler did not come back to Bayou Breaux to seek justice. That once-burning obsession had destroyed her credibility, her career, her marriage—and nearly her sanity. But when a ruthless predator strikes too close to home, she's lured into a perverse game from which there may be no escape. Once before, Laurel's cries against a monstrous evil went unanswered. Who will listen now?
Download Description
The scream heard by no one is the deadliest!
In the rural parishes of Louisiana's French Triangle, young women are disappearing one by one, only to turn up on the banks of the bayou, strangled and cast aside where they are sure to be found. But there is one trophy the killer prizes above all others, one woman who must be silenced forever....
Attorney Laurel Chandler did not come back to Bayou Breaux to seek justice. That once-burning obsession had destroyed her credibility, her career, her marriage—and nearly her sanity. But when a ruthless predator strikes too close to home, she's lured into a perverse game from which there may be no escape. Once before, Laurel's cries against a monstrous evil went unanswered. Who will listen now?
Customer Reviews:
Tami, Tami, Tami...sigh.......2007-05-01
I have read a number of books by Tami Hoag and have pretty much enjoyed them all. Some I have enjoyed more than others, but generally, it is pretty safe to pick up one of her books and expect a good work with interesting characters and heroes and heroines you might actually care about. Laurel and Jack are difficult to care about. Since when are charm and obnoxious the same thing? Jack (es-corporate lawyer - what a hoot) and Laurel (Wallowing in self pity and self martyrdom-Get over it! Watch Law & Order. Even Jack McCoy loses a case now and then) Savannah? Let us not go there. She was so completely unlikable...I think the only mystery is why someone hadn't killed her earlier. I kept going in this book only because of Hoag's other works. This one was the earliest work by her that I have read. You know what this means, right? This is one of her Prior Bad Acts. Sorry. Anyway, this is not her best work. Had this been the first Tami Hoag book I had read, I would have not tried another. Fortunately it was not the first for me.
Not my favorite Hoag book.......2007-03-12
Cry Wolf involves the unlikely relationship between two characters because of their "baggage." This wasn't my favorite Hoag book because I found the lead characters hard to really like. Now there have been other books with bad boys that slowly draw you in, but in this one, Jack is different. Laurel was okay and Savannah was a great character that I could visualize as well as many of the other lesser characters. Trademark Hoag style threads itself throughout the book which makes it worth finishing, but to recommend a Hoag book, this would not be it.
Engrossing Southern romantic thriller.......2006-08-03
Cry Wolf is the first Tami Hoag book I've ever read. The story takes place in the wonderfully evocative setting of small-town Louisiana. Attorney Laurel Chandler returns home to lick her wounds after her divorce and the loss of a case involving abused children which led to her being dubbed the prosecutor who cried wolf. She moves in with her aunt and man-loving sister Savannah and meets Jack, best-selling horror writer and all-round cad. The story starts slowly focusing on Jack and Laurel's budding romance, including an incident where Jack, who's a little too fond of his bourbon and a manslut, almost crashes a car nearly killing both of them. Laurel seems a little too fond of whining and playing the victim.
Fortunately the pace speeds up after tragedy strikes close to home and Jack and Laura team up to bring the murderer to justice. A suspenseful ending and a plethora of interesting characters make up for the deficiencies of the main characters.
not my favourite.......2006-07-20
it was a slow start to this book, i keep expecting hoag to grab my attention from the first sentence like her other books but it did not happened here...
the mystery part came late in this book and when it came, i was excited..here was laurel trying to get a fresh start but was drawn into the murder case involving women who "deserved to die because they slept around" which aso involved her sister..
the plot was interesting, the killer was playing a game with her, letting know who he was and when laurel knew who it was, she could not do anything not only due to lack of evidence but also lack of credibility as she was previously labelled as "the lawyer who cried wolf"
i was really excited to know how laurel's going to pull it off but it was dissapointing on how it all ends...i expected more from hoag...
it could've been better
Wonderfully Balanced.......2005-11-29
I loved this book. It had the great suspense that you would expect from Tami Hoag and romance thrown in. Personally, I do not like romance novels, but I might change my mind now! She balances the suspense and romance perfectly. I love the books setting in the Louisiana Bayou.
Average customer rating:
- Worst Book ever
- not worth the money
- Great mystery!
- By-the-numbers romantic suspense
- you think you know someone, but you don't
|
Dark Paradise
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Hoag, Tami
| ( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
( H )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
- Cry Wolf
- Still Waters
- Guilty as Sin
- Dust to Dust
- Night Sins
ASIN: 0553561618
Release Date: 1994-03-01 |
Book Description
New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it's up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend's death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for—and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a...
Dark Paradise.
And as Mari digs deeper beneath New Eden's picture-perfect exterior, finding the truth is suddenly no longer a matter of justice.
It's her only hope of staying alive.
Download Description
In the place she feels safest, terror lies waiting...
New Eden, Montana, is a piece of heaven on earth where one woman died in her own private hell. Now it's up to ex-court reporter Marilee Jennings to decipher the puzzle of her best friend's death. But someone has a stake in silencing her suspicion. Someone with secrets worth killing for -- and the power to turn this beautiful haven into a dark paradise.
And as Mari digs deeper beneath New Eden's picture-perfect exterior, finding the truth is suddenly no longer a matter of justice.
It's her only hope of staying alive.
Customer Reviews:
Worst Book ever.......2007-06-02
This has to be the worst book that I have ever read. I can read a book in a day or 2, but with this one I spent 4 days on it, and then I was only half way through it. I finally skimmed the rest of the book because it was so boring.
I hated the character of J. D. Rafferty. If a man talked that bad to a woman in real life he would have a busted lip. Why in the world would Marilee Jennings want anything to do with his sort is beyond me.
I didn't even like the other charters of the book, they were boring and the story just seemed to go nowhere.
I have read all of Tami Hoag's books, this is the only one that was missing from my collection of her books. I am glad I got it at a yard sale for .50 cents. That is about all this book was worth.
Other people may like this book, but this is just my opinion.
not worth the money.......2007-01-06
This book would have been good had the author not inserted the raunchy sex. I would not recommend this book.
Great mystery!.......2006-09-10
This book was definitely worth the time. The pace was unerringly well-timed and the author should get an award for this piece!
By-the-numbers romantic suspense.......2006-08-05
Marilee Jennings quits her stifling job, disapproving family and cheating boyfriend in Sacramento and drives to the picturesque small town of New Eden, Montana to visit her old friend Lucy. Upon arriving she meets J.D Fletcher, an ornery rancher straight from central casting. Fletcher sneaks up on her from behind, gropes her and rudely informs her that Lucy's dead and has been for a week. Charming. Marilee proceeds to fall in love with him, which stretches the limits of credibility even allowing for her quirkiness. She goes sleuthing in an effort to discover more about Lucy's death and uncovers some nasty truths about her friend. Along the way Marilee meets up with a cast of stereotyped characters: the heart-of-gold waitress, the sleazy Hollywood mogul, the bumbling small-town sheriff, J.D's gambling, womanising brother and his emotionally fragile, long-suffering wife. To her credit, Hoag portrays Montana so exquisitely I wanted to pack my bags and move there. Despite Marilee's tolerance of J.D's sometimes appalling treatment of her, I found myself liking her nonetheless. It's not a bad novel, per se, it's just that Hoag can - and has - done so much better.
you think you know someone, but you don't.......2006-07-15
tami hoag has a gift of grabbing your attention from the first sentence. the theme of this book in my opinion is "you think you know someone but you don't".. who wouldn't be devastated when you came to surprise your bestfriend, you ended up finding her murdered, brutally. on top of that, you later found out that the person you called a bestfriend was not the person you had knew all along and had to deal with all the allegations while trying to find your true self...
there's a lot of emotions and anger in this book and hoag portrayed it very well that you just can't help but to feel for marilee eventhough she's just a character..
i enjoyed every minute of it
Authors:
- Hoban, Russell
- Hobb, Robin
- Hoddis, Jakob Van
- Hodgins, Jack
- Hoffman, Alice
- Hoffman, Daniel
- Hoffmann, E. T. A.
- Hofmannsthal, Hugo Von
- Hogan, James P.
- Hogg, James
Authors
Authors