Off the Chart

Thorn Mystery #8

by James W. Hall

Passion and intrigue heat up the Florida Keys as Thorn and Alexandra Rafferty--returning from Blackwater Sound ---face down a brutal killer who has kidnapped the daughter of Thorn's best friend.

Before Alexandra came into Thorn's live, there had been Anne Joy, a beautiful woman who, after escaping the violence of her past, found something like happiness in the languid life of the Florida Keys. And her past includes her sadistic brother Vic, now a wealthy rogue businessman who specializes in the hijacking of pleasure boats and who delights in cruelly murdering their owners. Vic is obsessed by his sister and will do whatever it takes to drive her lovers away---even murder. When Vic decides that he must possess the land on which Thorn's beloved home is built, nothing will stand in his way---not even the life of a little girl, the daughter of Thorn's closest friend. From the lushness of the Florida Keys to a nightmare climax on the tropical coast of Central America, Off the Chart is vintage Hall.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James W. Hall is an Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages. He has written twenty-one novels, four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two works of non-fiction. He also won a John D. MacDonald Award for Excellence in Florida Fiction, presented by the JDM Bibliophile.

He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in literature from the University of Utah. He was a professor of literature and creative writing at Florida International University for 40 years where he taught such writers as Vicky Hendricks, Christine Kling, Barbara Parker and Dennis Lehane.

Reviews

[Dru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was given this by my Aunt. I may have a new series to collect. Love this book.

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading through all of James W. Hall this summer. I have about six more books to go. This one didn't make as much of an impression on me as others. He responds to an old girlfriend when a new girlfriend is next to him. WHAT?!? Sugarman's ex-wife marries a rich psychic and one of his daughter's his kidnaps (and somehow you feel the bratty one not taken will pop up again in the future.) There's a convoluted Kentucky hillbilly theme running throughout, plus "true" bad guys and high water piracy. It was all a bit too much, even for the author, I think, because the big rescue scene and conclusion at the end just fizzles out. I read an interview with Hall last week in which he declared he never liked his popular protagonist Thorn. I'm wondering with his latest book coming out if he finally kills him off. There isn't much to like about him. Everything his lady love accuses him of is true in terms of throwing himself into trouble. That's fine if you want to grow up and be Tom Swift. He doesn't create an environment of mutual respect and responsibility between two people.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Thorn fell in love with crime-scene photographer Alexandra Rafferty, he was involved with Anne Joy, a beautiful woman who abandoned a violent life to forge a new, happier one in the Florida Keys. But her past includes her sadistic brother Vic, now a wealthy rogue businessman who specializes in the hijacking of pleasure boats and who delights in cruelly murdering their owners. Vic is obsessed by his sister and will do whatever it takes to drive his sister's lovers away-even murder. When Vic decides that he must possess the land on which Thorn's beloved home is built, nothing will stand in his way-not even the life of a little girl, the daughter of Thorn's closest friend.

[Amy Phelps · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not impressed. There was too much going on & too much confusion for me. It all revolves around some kids who grew up believing pirates were worth emulating. A brother who doesn’t like anyone his sister dates so he becomes a pain in the a$$. A convoluted kidnapping and murder scenario. I don’t k ow why he kept everything secret from his girlfriend. If it were me I would have explained things just to have her help.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good cast of characters in a compelling adventure story. Good escape for commute reading...

[Brian Getz · Rating 4 out of 5]

James W. Hall goes back to his eastern Kentucky roots and brings them to the Keys.

[Hubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent thriller, set in South Florida. A guy, Vic Joy, on the lam and his sister end up in South Florida after murdering of some neighbors in Kentucky. Turns out they are wanna-be 20th-21st century pirates, embroiled in some scheme to rob large ships of their cargo. The sister, Anne, was briefly in an affair with main character Thorn, who by the end of the novel ends up getting entangled with Vic Joy, who proves to be a truly evil presence by the end of the novel. In order to get a passcode that will enable his piracy goals, Vic kidnaps Thorn's friend's daughter and transports her to a mysterious island. Using wits and the daughter's knowledge of flora and fauna, Thorn's friend finds out where his daughter is, and Thorn himself takes down a potential burgeoning global pirate cartel.

The novel is fast to read, fun and quick. Some parts are particularly gruesome, and many people get killed. The last 1/4's plot runs too quickly for me but ultimately it's a guilty pleasure to read. I don't know if I'll get to the others in the Thorn series though.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Bit terrified by the prologue but kept reading and now want to read the series.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read a James Hall book and it won't be the last. His characters are well developed and the plot is suspenseful.

[Joy Feazell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really good, then slowed down. Probably won’t read anything else by this author.

[Mary Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, made it to page 106 and had enough, between the excessive use of profanity and difficult story.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 2004. A decent thriller.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this straight after Blackwater Sound. Probably better than Blackwater Sound but this guy can seriously write thrillers!
Another book set in the Florida Keys. I want to visit this place, but some the whacko's in this and Carl Hiassen makes me wonder if it's worth it. But certainly Hall is worth it!! He's special and I must read more of James Hall's books.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 3 out of 5]

James W. Hall was unfamiliar to me when I read this book. It was an interesting read and a little unusual but it is certainly worth reading. The plot is enjoyable and you get caught up in the story and want it to end according to your plan.

Would be happy to read other books by this author because he knows how to write.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

[Doreene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you believe that there are modern day pirates? Well this book talks about pirates in the area of Flordia and what they might be up to. We slide into the world of priates when the author has one of the characters , who is the son of a mafia don, proclaim that he is a pirate. Interesting read. One of those kind of books you bring to the beach with you.

[Jill Manske · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first James Hall book, and it will most likely be my last. I was really disappointed in the convoluted plot and the fractured storyline. I didn't much care for the characters, either; they were superficial and one-dimensional and their relationships with one another didn't make much sense. This is not a book I would recommend to anyone.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#8 in the Thorn series.

Thorn's ex-lover Ann Bonney Joy goes off with her new boyfriend to be a pirate and hijack ships with a high tech computer system. Her brother Vic, a wealthy FL crime lord who covets Thorn's property, kidnaps Sugerman's daughter to force Thorn into line. Vic also plans to form a world-wide pirate consortium with the help of his sister's software knowledge.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

(First Edition)

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this felt all characters unbelievable and could not care what happened very rare for me not to finish book especially as at least half way through

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little slow to start but still enjoyable. part of a series with the same character. not necessary to read in order, but would add depth to the storyline.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about modern piracy.

[Rapidio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too bad of a book. At least I finished it, which is more than I can say for some more highly touted books I have picked up.

[Glennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful!

[Jill Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how he's bringing all of the characters from the different books together. And I Adore Alex' dad Lawton.

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always a good, suspenseful read with Hall, who manages to keep you on the edge of your seat without a "cliffhanger" every 3 pages.

[Andrew Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorn is a great character. It seemed to me that the book started slow but picked up as it went forward.

[Janet Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Thorn is even more annoying than usual, this episode is tightly plotted and absolutely impossible to put down

[pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

three and a half stars. pure fun.

[Jo West]

good Read. actually held my breath for some of the scenes and couldn't get it read fast enough!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good action book. Graphic description, interesting plot twists.