Reviewed for Rebeccasreads.com
"Takeover" is the first in a new thriller series by author Lisa Black. Lisa is a forensic scientist so the topic of this book is very familiar to her. She previously worked in Cleveland where the story is set but now resides in Florida. The second in this series, "Evidence of Murder" will be published in August 2009.
Theresa MacLean is a forensic scientist living in Cleveland with her daughter, Rachel, and is engaged to a Paul Cleary, a local policeman. She is called investigate the murder of Mark Ludlow who was found dead in front of his own home. It is a curious murder because it doesn't seem logical how he was murdered or even why.
Later that morning she finds out that her fiance is being held hostage in the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland in what appears to be a bank robbery, but at the Federal Reserve? Enter Chris Cavanaugh, the local negotiator that has a seemingly clean track record and hasn't lost a hostage yet. Chris doesn't want Theresa involved or around the scene, but her fiance is in that bank and she can't just stand around and do nothing. So will she help matters or make them worse? And what will happen to her fiance, Paul? Will he make it out of the situation?
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. The first being the time frame of the book. The story takes place over eight hours and it is a very intense eight hours. The second is the shorter chapters; it made it easier to find a stopping place even though I didn't want to put the book down!
There were times where I wanted to shake the main character, Theresa, and ask her if she was crazy?! Only someone not in their right mind would change places and become a hostage in an already volatile situation.
As I was reading the book I could help wondering why someone would try and rob a Federal Reserve Bank when they really don't have cash on hand like a normal bank. Was there another motive of the robbers? Was there an inside man helping them? What was their plan to get out of there alive, or did they even have one? I did become suspicious of a character or two and wondered what it was that I did not know yet about this person. And I liked that I was on target with one of the characters, although it was a slightly different twist than I expected.
All in all I give "Takeover" two thumbs up and recommend it to anyone that likes mysteries and thrillers. While the main character is a forensic scientist, don't expect CSI. The amount of forensic science is smaller than I would have expected but it didn't hurt the story at all.
"Takeover" is the first in a new thriller series by author Lisa Black. Lisa is a forensic scientist so the topic of this book is very familiar to her. She previously worked in Cleveland where the story is set but now resides in Florida. The second in this series, "Evidence of Murder" will be published in August 2009.
Theresa MacLean is a forensic scientist living in Cleveland with her daughter, Rachel, and is engaged to a Paul Cleary, a local policeman. She is called investigate the murder of Mark Ludlow who was found dead in front of his own home. It is a curious murder because it doesn't seem logical how he was murdered or even why.
Later that morning she finds out that her fiance is being held hostage in the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland in what appears to be a bank robbery, but at the Federal Reserve? Enter Chris Cavanaugh, the local negotiator that has a seemingly clean track record and hasn't lost a hostage yet. Chris doesn't want Theresa involved or around the scene, but her fiance is in that bank and she can't just stand around and do nothing. So will she help matters or make them worse? And what will happen to her fiance, Paul? Will he make it out of the situation?
I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. The first being the time frame of the book. The story takes place over eight hours and it is a very intense eight hours. The second is the shorter chapters; it made it easier to find a stopping place even though I didn't want to put the book down!
There were times where I wanted to shake the main character, Theresa, and ask her if she was crazy?! Only someone not in their right mind would change places and become a hostage in an already volatile situation.
As I was reading the book I could help wondering why someone would try and rob a Federal Reserve Bank when they really don't have cash on hand like a normal bank. Was there another motive of the robbers? Was there an inside man helping them? What was their plan to get out of there alive, or did they even have one? I did become suspicious of a character or two and wondered what it was that I did not know yet about this person. And I liked that I was on target with one of the characters, although it was a slightly different twist than I expected.
All in all I give "Takeover" two thumbs up and recommend it to anyone that likes mysteries and thrillers. While the main character is a forensic scientist, don't expect CSI. The amount of forensic science is smaller than I would have expected but it didn't hurt the story at all.
Author Lisa Black draws upon her forensic science background in Takeover, her first novel. Theresa MacLean is forensic scientist with Cleveland's police department. She is a single-mother to a teenage daughter, and engaged to a detective on the force. When her fiance is taken hostage by two armed back robbers, Theresa suspects that the robbery is related to a murder she was investigating earlier that day. What follows is a very suspenseful story - Theresa works with hostage negotiator Chris Cavanaugh to secure the safe release of her fiance and the other bank workers held captive.
The hostage negotiation scenes are particularly tense, and clearly the author did extensive research into this area. The mystery aspect of the story is well done also: I was guessing until (almost) the end. My only complaint is that throughout the middle of the book Theresa is irritating - she seems to mess things up more than help. (I can't say more than that without giving away too much of the plot).
The ending of the book suggests a sequel - hopefully there will be one.
The hostage negotiation scenes are particularly tense, and clearly the author did extensive research into this area. The mystery aspect of the story is well done also: I was guessing until (almost) the end. My only complaint is that throughout the middle of the book Theresa is irritating - she seems to mess things up more than help. (I can't say more than that without giving away too much of the plot).
The ending of the book suggests a sequel - hopefully there will be one.
I found another great author that I can't wait to read more of! This is an intense thriller. The ending is amazing and in my opinion (without spoiling it) a shocker! I cannot wait to read the next one in the series.
Having grown up in Cleveland area, I like the Lisa Black books since they are set in Cleveland. This one is a great story about a bank robbery, hostage situation. And her plots are never predictable.
The suspense doesn't let up. There are constant twists in the plot. This is the beginning of a new series.
Starts out kind of slow and I almost put it down but then I stuck with it and it gets better, being a hostage situation it consists of lots of talk talk talk, I didn't consider it very suspenseful but it was interesting enough to finish.
great book. About a hostage situation in a federal reserve bank with lots of twists and turns you would not expect.
Started out a little slow, but then became more enjoyable to read.
Enjoyed the book very much. This is also an autographed copy.
