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Boldt & Matthews #5
The Pied Piper
A wave of 'babynappings' has terrified parents from San Diego to Portland. And when the Pied Piper - named for the penny flute he leaves in the cribs of his victims - claims his first Seattle infant, the investigation draws in homicide detective Lou Boldt. Assigned temporarily to Intelligence, Boldt's role is to keep the FBI out of the Seattle Police Department's way. Then the Pied Piper snatches Boldt's own daughter, promising that unless Boldt throws both the Feds and the SPD off his trail he'll never see his child again. Caught between his professional obligations and his fear for his daughter's life, Boldt launches his own private manhunt - and discovers how the Piper has managed to stay a step ahead of the police, elude capture, and find his small victims...
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
62 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
About the author
Ridley Pearson
187 books2,109 followersRidley Pearson is the author of more than fifty novels, including the New York Times bestseller Killer Weekend; the Lou Boldt crime series; and many books for young readers, including the award-winning children's novels Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, which he cowrote with Dave Barry. Pearson lives with his wife and two daughters, dividing their time between Missouri and Idaho.
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.
Also writes Chris Klick mysteries as Wendell McCall.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 7, 2021
Solid 3.5 stars. Old paperback from my bookshelf.
In this book from 1999, Lt Lou Boldt transferred out of homicide to a desk job to spend more time with his wife Liz during her fight with lymphoma. Lou's replacement, John LaMoia, asks Lou to get out in the field and consult on the case of a kidnapped child. Nine other children have been previously kidnapped by a suspect called The Pied Piper. The FBI is in on the cases and police psychologist Daphne Matthews assists.
This book is a complex police investigative thriller, which I love. Sometimes it moves a little slowly due to its complex nature with all the people and agencies involved. Readers also see personal issue Lou's wife's cancer and LaMoia's illicit affair. Lout is a good cop, very human. This book can be read without any of the previous books but I feel like I've missed some background on Boldt and the team. I'll probably feel more connected to the characters after reading others in the series. I have more books by this author on the bookshelves but I'm so far behind on new releases that it may be quite a while before I get back to Boldt & Matthews.
In this book from 1999, Lt Lou Boldt transferred out of homicide to a desk job to spend more time with his wife Liz during her fight with lymphoma. Lou's replacement, John LaMoia, asks Lou to get out in the field and consult on the case of a kidnapped child. Nine other children have been previously kidnapped by a suspect called The Pied Piper. The FBI is in on the cases and police psychologist Daphne Matthews assists.
This book is a complex police investigative thriller, which I love. Sometimes it moves a little slowly due to its complex nature with all the people and agencies involved. Readers also see personal issue Lou's wife's cancer and LaMoia's illicit affair. Lout is a good cop, very human. This book can be read without any of the previous books but I feel like I've missed some background on Boldt and the team. I'll probably feel more connected to the characters after reading others in the series. I have more books by this author on the bookshelves but I'm so far behind on new releases that it may be quite a while before I get back to Boldt & Matthews.
February 22, 2017
I bought this book a couple of years ago having sought recommendations from a couple of fellow readers on Shelfari, having asked about American crime authors I might like to try.
I had slightly mixed feelings about it overall. On the plus side, it was a good meaty story, plenty of action, and (once I had adjusted to the unfamiliarity of the experience - US cop thrillers of this ilk are a different kettle of fish from the British, Irish and Nordic crime I read a lot more of) made for a pretty absorbing read. The plot concerns the abduction of children in Seattle, and the complicated internal politics which hinder the investigation of the crime.
It just felt a bit alien in places, a bit unnatural, as if me being unaccustomed to the setting and the sub-genre it all came across strange. The dialogue seemed very hard-boiled and wise-cracky, and I found this hard to get used to. I know black humour etc. goes on in all jobs, this just felt a bit too sharp and snarky as if in a prime-time drama. I also found it odd that everyone seemed to mistrust everyone else as opposed to co-operating (esp. with regards local vrs federal agents). Perhaps there isn't the same kind of level of suspicion of authorities in the UK, but here is just seemed ridiculous how few people, whether they were a 'goodie' or 'baddie', could be taken as being trustworthy/genuine.
It was a big complex novel, thankfully many of the twists weren't eye-rollingly unbelievable (many were achieved through hard work and insight) but the plot was a bit lacking in credibility at times. I also found the female characters to be refreshingly normal in that they mainly behaved like the male characters - there wasn't all the 'constantly thinking about relationships' trope that sometimes is true of female characters in this kind of book. The descriptiveness was sometimes a bit cheesy, but sometimes hit the mark and created an atmosphere.
So yes, all in all, a good solid US police thriller, and though I'm glad to have tried Ridley Pearson I won't be rushing to read all his others.
I had slightly mixed feelings about it overall. On the plus side, it was a good meaty story, plenty of action, and (once I had adjusted to the unfamiliarity of the experience - US cop thrillers of this ilk are a different kettle of fish from the British, Irish and Nordic crime I read a lot more of) made for a pretty absorbing read. The plot concerns the abduction of children in Seattle, and the complicated internal politics which hinder the investigation of the crime.
It just felt a bit alien in places, a bit unnatural, as if me being unaccustomed to the setting and the sub-genre it all came across strange. The dialogue seemed very hard-boiled and wise-cracky, and I found this hard to get used to. I know black humour etc. goes on in all jobs, this just felt a bit too sharp and snarky as if in a prime-time drama. I also found it odd that everyone seemed to mistrust everyone else as opposed to co-operating (esp. with regards local vrs federal agents). Perhaps there isn't the same kind of level of suspicion of authorities in the UK, but here is just seemed ridiculous how few people, whether they were a 'goodie' or 'baddie', could be taken as being trustworthy/genuine.
It was a big complex novel, thankfully many of the twists weren't eye-rollingly unbelievable (many were achieved through hard work and insight) but the plot was a bit lacking in credibility at times. I also found the female characters to be refreshingly normal in that they mainly behaved like the male characters - there wasn't all the 'constantly thinking about relationships' trope that sometimes is true of female characters in this kind of book. The descriptiveness was sometimes a bit cheesy, but sometimes hit the mark and created an atmosphere.
So yes, all in all, a good solid US police thriller, and though I'm glad to have tried Ridley Pearson I won't be rushing to read all his others.
October 4, 2021
3.5* because the book just kept going on and on! Pearson is a good writer and this is the fifth book of his that I've read but he could have left some of the repetition out!🙄 I realize that the police and their detectives must engage in a long and painstaking effort in order to capture the smart evil doers. The mystery is intense. This quote from the book interested me as it was written in 1999. "They teach computer skills in prison."😝🤓
October 1, 2014
In this genre, for me, there is John Sandford and there is everybody else. Ridley Pearson's Lou Boldt/Daphne Matthews series is really the only one that truly stands along side the Prey books.
I've recently given the series a re-read and if you have the chance, I highly recommend them.
Pearson creates a very human, very likable cop in his main character Lou Boldt. He's not the badass hero who always saves the day. He's the tireless worker who plugs away at a case until it submits to him. The interplay between him and Daphne Matthews is flawless. Add in some other great characters like LaMoia, Bobbie Gaynes and Showswitz and you've always got some fun in store.
The best part of these books is the combination of the case in conjunction with the humanity of the characters. They are real, flawed and doing their best in a world and setting where that's not always enough.
I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series and reading it though. The series starts in the days when a fax machine was a big deal and cell phones were unheard of and advances along with the times. Once you put that aside, it's great reading though. Check them out.
I've recently given the series a re-read and if you have the chance, I highly recommend them.
Pearson creates a very human, very likable cop in his main character Lou Boldt. He's not the badass hero who always saves the day. He's the tireless worker who plugs away at a case until it submits to him. The interplay between him and Daphne Matthews is flawless. Add in some other great characters like LaMoia, Bobbie Gaynes and Showswitz and you've always got some fun in store.
The best part of these books is the combination of the case in conjunction with the humanity of the characters. They are real, flawed and doing their best in a world and setting where that's not always enough.
I highly recommend starting at the beginning of this series and reading it though. The series starts in the days when a fax machine was a big deal and cell phones were unheard of and advances along with the times. Once you put that aside, it's great reading though. Check them out.
April 2, 2015
I love a good mystery but I'll admit it the murder mystery can wear a bit thin at times. Thankfully, I stumbled across Ridley Pearson's The Pied Piper, which is a solidly crafted mystery that doesn't necessarily rely upon murder as the inciting action.
Instead, the plot follows a team of Seattle detectives who are trying to stop ta serial kidnapper. With short chapters, Pearson not only lets us into the lives of his detective team but also into the lives of the victims' families. It makes for a bit of a slow burn early in the novel but it pays dividends once you reach the mid-point of the novel and frustrations begin to boil over.
If there's a drawback to this novel, it would be that it's the fifth book of a series and I haven't read the four leading up to it. This means that certain storylines don't quite hold as much weight with me early in the story as they might had I read a few of the initial installments. But this one was strong enough that I will seek out other installments of the series and give them a try.
Instead, the plot follows a team of Seattle detectives who are trying to stop ta serial kidnapper. With short chapters, Pearson not only lets us into the lives of his detective team but also into the lives of the victims' families. It makes for a bit of a slow burn early in the novel but it pays dividends once you reach the mid-point of the novel and frustrations begin to boil over.
If there's a drawback to this novel, it would be that it's the fifth book of a series and I haven't read the four leading up to it. This means that certain storylines don't quite hold as much weight with me early in the story as they might had I read a few of the initial installments. But this one was strong enough that I will seek out other installments of the series and give them a try.
June 7, 2010
A serial kidnapper story which re-introduces us to Lou Boldt, a
Seattle police detective. A fairly slow, convoluted yarn.
Seattle police detective. A fairly slow, convoluted yarn.
September 16, 2011
Good mystery, but there was too much explicit, random sex that did nothing to move the story along.
August 8, 2020
Although it’s always nice to discover a new mystery/thriller series, it is bittersweet to discover a delightful novel “mid-series.” The Pied Piper was just that for me, but I acquired an even later novel in the series along with it, before finally getting the original in paperback In Harm’s Way (not to be confused with the Herman Wouk WWII Era novel). But, being halfway through The Pied Piper, I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) stop everything to reboot. There are several reasons why I wish I had rebooted (though not because The Pied Piper doesn’t stand well on its own): a) one of the major, continuing characters undergoes a conversion to Christianity in this novel and I would have liked to have seen the progression of character tendencies and challenges before the event; b) more than one extra-marital affair takes place in this novel and I would have liked to have observed the stress lines which preceded these situations (my fault for reading the series out of order—not the fault of author Ridley Pearson); and c) I would have liked to have known a little more about the protagonist’s co-workers (without which, it was even harder to determine if someone was trustworthy than it would have been for a follower of the series).
One of the great things about the book is that it is more than a murder mystery. One sometimes wonders if many mysteries aren’t simply murder mysteries because that is the only way the author can “up the ante.” Well, believe me! The ante is quite high enough with the serial kidnapping case that forms the backdrop for the case. That doesn’t preclude parallel investigations where murder might be involved and it certainly doesn’t mean that lives aren’t on the line as the case unfolds. Yet, The Pied Piper explores several areas of white-collar crime and corruption which are often overlooked within the mystery genre.
The book also delves into law enforcement ethics. Is it good that an experienced investigator might have a “pet judge” to approve wiretap requests almost as nimbly as the FISA court in the U.S. has only turned down single-digit requests from the Department of Justice and NSA out of more than 10,000 requests for surveillance on U.S. citizens since the Patriot Act? It can certainly be helpful, especially in a case like the one in The Pied Piper where one suspects wrongdoing where an authority or authorities would normally be above suspicion. But should an operative be able to go to the same judge all of the time? In fact, one break in The Pied Piper’s main case occurs when a “pet judge” for a perpetrator is located and exposed (as well as a “pet attorney”). Is it good that a large part of the incentive to control an investigation or task force is more about promotion, reputation, and power than solving the crime? Of course, many modern mysteries explore that angle (most especially Michael Connelly’s Bosch in both the novels and the wonderful mash-up of those novels in the television series). There is also some exploration of what would today, regardless of consent, likely be prosecuted as sexual harassment. So, in terms of ethics, this book seems frighteningly authentic (Of course, it is clear that this author did his homework with the Seattle Police Department as he set the events in Seattle.).
Having lived across the lake in Bellevue, I appreciated many descriptive flourishes and uses of neighborhood designators for Seattle. Yet, they didn’t ring quite as true to me as the Chicago references in the works of Max Alan Collins, Michael Harvey, or Sara Paretsky. Part of this may be faulty memory on my part, but if there are views of the water from the Seattle Four Seasons, they must be from more expensive rooms than those I stayed in back in the ‘90s (before I moved to the area). Naturally, this may be a result of limited access during business travel, but I just don’t remember water views. But that doesn’t really matter as the descriptions of Seattle area traffic, the smell of Elliot Bay (ah, raw oysters with that crushed champagne (probably just sparkling wine, but hey!) ice!), the number of homeless in Pioneer Square (with its ironic proximity to the halls of power), and the crush of crowds in Seattle Center were used well in depicting the vibrant, fascinating city. We’ll see how I stand corrected when I read the other novels set in this locale.
As for now, I can tell potential readers that The Pied Piper was a slow starter for me, but it cost me more than one late night as I pushed toward the finish. Oh, and if you follow your “gut,” you won’t be surprised at the traitor who is revealed—just don’t fall for the same “red herring” as the investigators. (grin)
One of the great things about the book is that it is more than a murder mystery. One sometimes wonders if many mysteries aren’t simply murder mysteries because that is the only way the author can “up the ante.” Well, believe me! The ante is quite high enough with the serial kidnapping case that forms the backdrop for the case. That doesn’t preclude parallel investigations where murder might be involved and it certainly doesn’t mean that lives aren’t on the line as the case unfolds. Yet, The Pied Piper explores several areas of white-collar crime and corruption which are often overlooked within the mystery genre.
The book also delves into law enforcement ethics. Is it good that an experienced investigator might have a “pet judge” to approve wiretap requests almost as nimbly as the FISA court in the U.S. has only turned down single-digit requests from the Department of Justice and NSA out of more than 10,000 requests for surveillance on U.S. citizens since the Patriot Act? It can certainly be helpful, especially in a case like the one in The Pied Piper where one suspects wrongdoing where an authority or authorities would normally be above suspicion. But should an operative be able to go to the same judge all of the time? In fact, one break in The Pied Piper’s main case occurs when a “pet judge” for a perpetrator is located and exposed (as well as a “pet attorney”). Is it good that a large part of the incentive to control an investigation or task force is more about promotion, reputation, and power than solving the crime? Of course, many modern mysteries explore that angle (most especially Michael Connelly’s Bosch in both the novels and the wonderful mash-up of those novels in the television series). There is also some exploration of what would today, regardless of consent, likely be prosecuted as sexual harassment. So, in terms of ethics, this book seems frighteningly authentic (Of course, it is clear that this author did his homework with the Seattle Police Department as he set the events in Seattle.).
Having lived across the lake in Bellevue, I appreciated many descriptive flourishes and uses of neighborhood designators for Seattle. Yet, they didn’t ring quite as true to me as the Chicago references in the works of Max Alan Collins, Michael Harvey, or Sara Paretsky. Part of this may be faulty memory on my part, but if there are views of the water from the Seattle Four Seasons, they must be from more expensive rooms than those I stayed in back in the ‘90s (before I moved to the area). Naturally, this may be a result of limited access during business travel, but I just don’t remember water views. But that doesn’t really matter as the descriptions of Seattle area traffic, the smell of Elliot Bay (ah, raw oysters with that crushed champagne (probably just sparkling wine, but hey!) ice!), the number of homeless in Pioneer Square (with its ironic proximity to the halls of power), and the crush of crowds in Seattle Center were used well in depicting the vibrant, fascinating city. We’ll see how I stand corrected when I read the other novels set in this locale.
As for now, I can tell potential readers that The Pied Piper was a slow starter for me, but it cost me more than one late night as I pushed toward the finish. Oh, and if you follow your “gut,” you won’t be surprised at the traitor who is revealed—just don’t fall for the same “red herring” as the investigators. (grin)
October 14, 2017
I read one of the earlier books in Pearson's Boldt/Matthews series, The Angel Maker, earlier this year, and had higher hopes for this book than it delivered. Coincidentally, I started another book, Rick Mofina's 'The Panic Zone' around the same time, which dealt with a similar premise as 'The Pied Piper', and found that book more intriguing and easier to get into.
In this book, Pearson's Lou Boldt gets involved in the Seattle investigation of the serial kidnapper known as The Pied Piper, nicknamed such because of the penny whistles found in the cribs of the missing babies. Having already struck up and down the West Coast, The Pied Piper has drawn the attention of the FBI too, and much of the book deals with the competition between the local police and the Feds to be the agency that captures the kidnapper before more children are stolen. However, with the latest kidnapping in Seattle, The Pied Piper sends a message to Boldt that if, and only if, he derails the investigation into the kidnappings, the child will be returned safely to her parents. Having a personal connection to the child, Boldt is tempted, but also realizes that the other families whose children were abducted will have no hope of getting their children back if The Pied Piper is not caught. So Boldt becomes an independent investigator, knowing he may be the only one who can get ALL the children home safely, provided the FBI and Seattle Police Department don't solve the case first.
There was nothing outwardly wrong with the book, it just took a while for the action to get going and followed a predictable plot. Other than continuing the stories of the main and supporting characters in the series, I don't know that the book will be otherwise memorable in the long run. Admittedly, I haven't read the books in between 'The Angel Maker' and this one, so perhaps I would have enjoyed it more with greater knowledge of the backstories and events that happened thus far. Plus, reading 'The Panic Zone' at the same time left me sometimes longing for the drama of that one, which also deals with child abductions but for a different purpose than The Pied Piper has.
In this book, Pearson's Lou Boldt gets involved in the Seattle investigation of the serial kidnapper known as The Pied Piper, nicknamed such because of the penny whistles found in the cribs of the missing babies. Having already struck up and down the West Coast, The Pied Piper has drawn the attention of the FBI too, and much of the book deals with the competition between the local police and the Feds to be the agency that captures the kidnapper before more children are stolen. However, with the latest kidnapping in Seattle, The Pied Piper sends a message to Boldt that if, and only if, he derails the investigation into the kidnappings, the child will be returned safely to her parents. Having a personal connection to the child, Boldt is tempted, but also realizes that the other families whose children were abducted will have no hope of getting their children back if The Pied Piper is not caught. So Boldt becomes an independent investigator, knowing he may be the only one who can get ALL the children home safely, provided the FBI and Seattle Police Department don't solve the case first.
There was nothing outwardly wrong with the book, it just took a while for the action to get going and followed a predictable plot. Other than continuing the stories of the main and supporting characters in the series, I don't know that the book will be otherwise memorable in the long run. Admittedly, I haven't read the books in between 'The Angel Maker' and this one, so perhaps I would have enjoyed it more with greater knowledge of the backstories and events that happened thus far. Plus, reading 'The Panic Zone' at the same time left me sometimes longing for the drama of that one, which also deals with child abductions but for a different purpose than The Pied Piper has.
February 23, 2020
This is another outstanding police procedural featuring Lou Boldt and Daphne Matthews. One of the major pitfalls Pearson keeps falling into in these novels is the need to have a personal connection to one of the team in every story. This is a minor flaw, but keeps getting into the way of Pearson's great storytelling and police procedures. This time, they are chasing a serial kidnapper-- and someone seems to be sabotaging the investigation. Conflict with the FBI on the joint task force, etc. continues to hinder their progress.
And as usual, Boldt bucks the system-- he sets a trap for the kidnappers and attempts to fool the FBI and some of his own people. This is part of the flaw in this one. Pearson gives Boldt valid reasons to do so, but it just seems absurd that an officer as high in rank as he would truly do so. Still, Pearson keeps the reader guessing up to the final page. This is a fine series-- but I do get tired of these crimes hitting so closely to the police department (and Boldt). Yet the actual investigation procedures seem credible and the clues are planted properly along the way. The author manages to create quality characters, and all of them seem filled with the extra weight of self-doubt and confusion.
I'll keep on reading this series-- it really is pretty good.. this one isn't the best-- just something I like..
And as usual, Boldt bucks the system-- he sets a trap for the kidnappers and attempts to fool the FBI and some of his own people. This is part of the flaw in this one. Pearson gives Boldt valid reasons to do so, but it just seems absurd that an officer as high in rank as he would truly do so. Still, Pearson keeps the reader guessing up to the final page. This is a fine series-- but I do get tired of these crimes hitting so closely to the police department (and Boldt). Yet the actual investigation procedures seem credible and the clues are planted properly along the way. The author manages to create quality characters, and all of them seem filled with the extra weight of self-doubt and confusion.
I'll keep on reading this series-- it really is pretty good.. this one isn't the best-- just something I like..
June 9, 2021
This just dragged on too much. As far as police and investigational procedure, it crossed the line from authentic to cumbersome. No offense to those in the investigations business, it just doesn't read as entertaining fiction when every miniscule step is laid bare. There's a balance and this novel did not achieve it for me.
When I say it dragged on too much, that applies doubly to the climax. If any part of the story is going to drag, that can't be it. You can drag in the first 4/5 of the story and get away with it, but you can't go 15 mph for the last 80%. I yawned when this one was done.
It salvages a star since the first half had some moments that got the ticker going. But it failed to sustain the momentum.
When I say it dragged on too much, that applies doubly to the climax. If any part of the story is going to drag, that can't be it. You can drag in the first 4/5 of the story and get away with it, but you can't go 15 mph for the last 80%. I yawned when this one was done.
It salvages a star since the first half had some moments that got the ticker going. But it failed to sustain the momentum.
December 21, 2021
This is the latest in the Lou Boldt series. This book is about children as victims which is a major plot factor recently and one that I find tiresome and cheap. And, this book has several really stupid errors as the plot revolves around computers which really annoys me. I wish novelist would either learn computers or just leave them out of their books until they do. Now having done that bitching , I have to say that even so, this book is great. I was sucked in from the first word. New born babies - home from the hospital only a few weeks are being snatched from their homes. And, Seattle is only the latest in the string of cities where this has happened. And then Lou Boldt's own youngest is snatched….
January 28, 2021
I read this book yonks ago, so I listened to the audiobook this time ‘round and enjoyed the narrator. Ridley Pearson always has good mysteries, although the events/timeline dates this book, cuz it’s now January 2021 during the COVID pandemic. I still like the Lou Boldt-Daphne Matthews crime fiction series, including this one which has a complex and often convoluted storyline with several good subplots. The personal/domestic subplot involves Boldt’s two children, and his wife Liz, who is hospitalized w cancer.
3.5 stars overall
4 stars for the audiobook
3 stars for the book
3.5 stars overall
4 stars for the audiobook
3 stars for the book
June 12, 2025
This one has been on my TBR for several years as I started reading the series in the early 2000s. A reading challenge got me motivated to track down a copy and finally read it. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. The premise was great, hence the reason it stayed on my list for so long, but the writing was lacking. The word "complained" was used way too often to describe how various pieces of dialogue, making it sound like all the characters were a bunch of whiners. I have other issues but it's fine because I no longer feel the need to finish the series!
May 31, 2018
Pearson delivers quite a few red herrings as the reader tries to determine who is doing what within an investigation into a serial kidnapper known as the Pied Piper. The usual interdepartmental rivalry is enhanced with the FBI involved. Everyone wants credit and the clues and evidence seem not to be shared. Is it grandstanding or something else. Then it gets very personal for Lou Boldt. Lots of twists and turns, really held my interest.
July 9, 2018
This was a very sloooooooow starter. I read well over 150 pages before I engaged. Too many characters introduced in detail that didn't play a major role in the book and lingo required a thorough knowledge of police rhetoric to follow many conversations. The latter part of the book really picked up steam but then the ending, while exciting at first, was rather ho-hum in the final moments for me. Overall I enjoyed.
November 19, 2020
Fast paced serial kidnapper known as the Pied Piper is stealing infants. #12 happens under Lou Boltdz watch, and when the kidnapper takes his own child with threats for him to stall out the investigation, all bets are off. Needless to say- He wins! but not without alot of twists and turns and outsmarting the FBI who are close on his heels. Trips to New Orleans really crack the case and begin a hot tamale move to get then Pied Piper. Great read!
November 10, 2019
Very nice well thought trough story. from the page 150 I did not want to let go. I could not let go. I loved the characters Bolt, La Moniea, Powells with all their flaws. However the story in this book concentrate itself much more on the microscopic police investigative work, than on the action.
I will definitely read some more of Ridley Pearsons books.
I will definitely read some more of Ridley Pearsons books.
September 16, 2025
Never a dull moment
I chose this because it was set in Seattle and it was done so well I was surprised he didn't live here. The characters are
are super developed so it's easy to remember who's who. The plot is unlike any I've read and I'm in awe of how well I was able to stay with it. Mr. Pearson is a genius and I wish he'd write more Seattle detective books.
I chose this because it was set in Seattle and it was done so well I was surprised he didn't live here. The characters are
are super developed so it's easy to remember who's who. The plot is unlike any I've read and I'm in awe of how well I was able to stay with it. Mr. Pearson is a genius and I wish he'd write more Seattle detective books.
December 17, 2019
Too Illogical
Sorry,but I think that this one was too illogical. Pearson needs to do a much better job of developing characters and you shouldn't have to read his other novels to figure out what's going on.
Sorry,but I think that this one was too illogical. Pearson needs to do a much better job of developing characters and you shouldn't have to read his other novels to figure out what's going on.
June 9, 2017
Good mystery - takes tension between local cops and FBI to new levels
August 14, 2017
Haven't read Ridley Pearson for a while but listened to two of his books on my trip to Idaho.
June 28, 2018
"June 28, 2018 –
70.0% "Reminds me for Pipe Piper from Silicon Valley TV Series"
June 28, 2018 – Shelved
June 28, 2018 – Started Reading"
- This book is for people who want to kill little time!
70.0% "Reminds me for Pipe Piper from Silicon Valley TV Series"
June 28, 2018 – Shelved
June 28, 2018 – Started Reading"
- This book is for people who want to kill little time!
June 22, 2021
My first Pearson book and I became a fan
July 12, 2021
Could not put it down.
September 1, 2021
Read in 1999. Another solid Boldt mystery.
March 5, 2022
Intense page-turner! I had white knuckles through the whole book. So good.
November 27, 2023
Very involved, multi action, good read.
November 20, 2024
I've been binging Ridley Pearson books for a while now. I love his stories! The man is sooo good. This one was especially interesting and suspenseful. It goes on my All Time Favorite shelf.
Read
December 24, 2024exc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews