What do you think?
Rate this book
Catch
Catch Harris is a troubled man. During a powerful winter storm, he witnesses the shocking abduction of his waitress, Hallie Baker, by a group of well trained men in the parking lot of a local diner. Reluctantly, he follows them to an isolated cabin just north of Lake Tahoe , where he discovers that Hallie is the subject of an intense interrogation. After a daring rescue, he and Hallie Baker run for their lives, discovering along the way that the package, recently sent to her by her father is what these men are after, and that they will do anything to retrieve it, because, carefully concealed within it is a power the human race is simply not ready to wield.
Nook
First published July 29, 2011
2 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 18, 2012
What I liked about it:
all that action from the get go-even though, the book wasn't a big one, the action made it feel like an even quicker read.
loved how Catch got involved in the kidnapping.
I liked how the male lead was flawed just like the bad guy and had to deal with his past every day.
Loved how Hallie showed backbone and her inability to let her father go, even when she came to know who he was.
What I didn't like:
the little alien girl- that part was just sprung on us.
I'm so sure Stark isn't dead and am hoping we'll see him again, if there's a sequel.
The govt. lady letting Catch and Hallie go seemed improbable but again, if there will be a sequel..
A fast paced thriller and I liked it!
all that action from the get go-even though, the book wasn't a big one, the action made it feel like an even quicker read.
loved how Catch got involved in the kidnapping.
I liked how the male lead was flawed just like the bad guy and had to deal with his past every day.
Loved how Hallie showed backbone and her inability to let her father go, even when she came to know who he was.
What I didn't like:
the little alien girl- that part was just sprung on us.
I'm so sure Stark isn't dead and am hoping we'll see him again, if there's a sequel.
The govt. lady letting Catch and Hallie go seemed improbable but again, if there will be a sequel..
A fast paced thriller and I liked it!
February 5, 2012
I received this book free from the author in a giveaway at Goodreads.
When I read the first sentence of this book, I was pretty convinced that I would either hate the book or end up not finishing it.
"Having Catch Harris pushed through the wind and snow to his silver Toyota Tundra 4x4, climbed in, and slammed the door shut behind him."
Huh? What? Using incomplete sentences is a device that can work if done right. This wasn't done right. Am I the only one who thinks that sentence makes absolutely no sense? Worse, I can't even figure out what the author meant to say.
It was not an auspicious start. The agony was ongoing. In fact, the list of errors runs pretty long. In addition to confusing incomplete sentences and equally confusing dangling participles, errors included proper nouns that weren't capitalized, hyphenated words that shouldn't be hyphenated (my favorite? no-one), words that should be hyphenated and weren't, confusing sentence structure, sentences that would've read much better with a comma or two, sentences that would've read much better without a comma or two (although the latter case is rare - the author seems to go more for under punctuation), an annoying love affair with em dashes and parentheses, and just a plethora of writing mistakes. The list of errors I highlighted in my Kindle is pretty long and that was a casual read, not an editorial read. Sprinkled throughout are million-dollar words, such as deliquesced, nigrescence, and tenebrous. Unfortunately, use of words that require a dictionary doesn't make up for otherwise crappy writing and apparent absence of professional editing.
It's the kind of writing I expect from a free book, not one that costs $4.99 at Amazon. Quite honestly, if I had paid more than $0.99 for the book, I would've been upset.
Since I didn't pay for the book, I'm not upset.
Happily, the story is better than the writing so it was also not a complete waste of time. It's a good story with good characters, and I enjoyed it when the writing errors weren't otherwise dragging me out of the story and making it difficult to follow.
My conclusion is that with more work (i.e., some really good editing and willingness by the author to take some constructive criticism), this could go from a pretty good story to a really good one and a Catch Harris series would make sense. Unless that happens, it's certainly not worth spending $4.99.
When I read the first sentence of this book, I was pretty convinced that I would either hate the book or end up not finishing it.
"Having Catch Harris pushed through the wind and snow to his silver Toyota Tundra 4x4, climbed in, and slammed the door shut behind him."
Huh? What? Using incomplete sentences is a device that can work if done right. This wasn't done right. Am I the only one who thinks that sentence makes absolutely no sense? Worse, I can't even figure out what the author meant to say.
It was not an auspicious start. The agony was ongoing. In fact, the list of errors runs pretty long. In addition to confusing incomplete sentences and equally confusing dangling participles, errors included proper nouns that weren't capitalized, hyphenated words that shouldn't be hyphenated (my favorite? no-one), words that should be hyphenated and weren't, confusing sentence structure, sentences that would've read much better with a comma or two, sentences that would've read much better without a comma or two (although the latter case is rare - the author seems to go more for under punctuation), an annoying love affair with em dashes and parentheses, and just a plethora of writing mistakes. The list of errors I highlighted in my Kindle is pretty long and that was a casual read, not an editorial read. Sprinkled throughout are million-dollar words, such as deliquesced, nigrescence, and tenebrous. Unfortunately, use of words that require a dictionary doesn't make up for otherwise crappy writing and apparent absence of professional editing.
It's the kind of writing I expect from a free book, not one that costs $4.99 at Amazon. Quite honestly, if I had paid more than $0.99 for the book, I would've been upset.
Since I didn't pay for the book, I'm not upset.
Happily, the story is better than the writing so it was also not a complete waste of time. It's a good story with good characters, and I enjoyed it when the writing errors weren't otherwise dragging me out of the story and making it difficult to follow.
My conclusion is that with more work (i.e., some really good editing and willingness by the author to take some constructive criticism), this could go from a pretty good story to a really good one and a Catch Harris series would make sense. Unless that happens, it's certainly not worth spending $4.99.
February 5, 2013
Catch Harris is an ex-military man having trouble adjusting to civilian life. He has difficulty connecting with human beings, and prefers to move through life alone. When a waitress in his diner, Hallie, tries to strike up a conversation with him he dismisses her, but then he sees Hallie being abducted when she leaves work, and feeling guilty about brushing her off earlier, decides to rescue her. Thus begins a thrilling chase through a brutal winter storm as Catch and Hallie seek to elude their pursuers and keep out of their grasp the item they covet so ardently – a mysterious package sent to Hallie by her father. The package contains an item that could change the world as we know it.
There is a decent story here, but it is let down by some really bad editing. There is an abundance of grammatical errors, including at least three instances of the word “its” containing an erroneous comma. The novel really needs a couple of rounds with a good editor.
On the positive side, however, this is a page turner of a story. The chase is a thrilling ride, and the characters of Catch and Hallie really grow on you. Neither of them starts off as particularly likable – Catch is a man without any apparent redeeming features, and Hallie introduces herself to him by plonking herself down opposite him in his booth after serving him, and trying to talk to him when he clearly wants to be left alone – something I would find intensely irritating, if I were in his position. But the characters grow closer as they find themselves running for their lives, and in doing so they endear themselves to the reader, as well as to each other.
On the face of it, this is a straight crime thriller, but the mysterious artefact that is at the centre of the chase gives the story a distinct SF flavour.
If you can forgive the grammatical errors, there is a story here worth reading.
Rating: 3/5 stars
There is a decent story here, but it is let down by some really bad editing. There is an abundance of grammatical errors, including at least three instances of the word “its” containing an erroneous comma. The novel really needs a couple of rounds with a good editor.
On the positive side, however, this is a page turner of a story. The chase is a thrilling ride, and the characters of Catch and Hallie really grow on you. Neither of them starts off as particularly likable – Catch is a man without any apparent redeeming features, and Hallie introduces herself to him by plonking herself down opposite him in his booth after serving him, and trying to talk to him when he clearly wants to be left alone – something I would find intensely irritating, if I were in his position. But the characters grow closer as they find themselves running for their lives, and in doing so they endear themselves to the reader, as well as to each other.
On the face of it, this is a straight crime thriller, but the mysterious artefact that is at the centre of the chase gives the story a distinct SF flavour.
If you can forgive the grammatical errors, there is a story here worth reading.
Rating: 3/5 stars
August 23, 2011
Awesome book, well researched and technically perfect, as a SWAT instructor I get picky about the fine points in some books, this was perfect. Absolutely gripping story, couldn't put it down.
December 3, 2011
This is Sean Quirk second novel, having read the first; this one is totally different but equally as captivating. I am a fan of thrillers and have read my share, what makes this one stand out is how a tab of supernatural is skilfully mixed into the storyline without losing all sense of realism and readers who are not into hard-core sci-fi . If you realise a thriller novel is not known for its accuracy but rather for action, adventure, hi-tech weaponry, shoot-outs, great heroes and villains (villains that even the reader develops a love to hate), this thriller could be for you.
The story centers on Catch Harris, a loner and ex-military man that has many skeletons in the closet, is riddled with guilt and just wants to be left alone. One day, Hallie Baker, a waitress, at his favourite diner tries to strike up a friendship; however it is not in his nature to be sociable and automatically rebuffs her. Later, he regrets what he has done and on his way out he wants to apologise but Hallie's shift has finished and is already on her way home. In the parking lot, he witnesses some very menacing men who appear to be forcing Hallie against her will, Catch's military training kicks into high gear and his only objective is to save her. This action proves to be the interlude into a suspense filled read...
There is never a dull moment once everything starts. We find ourselves shadowing the protagonist into many tense and highly explosive situations, involving a mingled web of villains with futuristic equipment, and of course there is nothing like good old car chases to bring on the adrenaline. The descriptive writing is so vivid you think you are smack into the action, the twists and turns along the way lead to a nicely tied up ending. The intensity of the story and the complexity of the characters make it a very interesting read.
I am looking forward to following Catch Harris on his next adventure.
The story centers on Catch Harris, a loner and ex-military man that has many skeletons in the closet, is riddled with guilt and just wants to be left alone. One day, Hallie Baker, a waitress, at his favourite diner tries to strike up a friendship; however it is not in his nature to be sociable and automatically rebuffs her. Later, he regrets what he has done and on his way out he wants to apologise but Hallie's shift has finished and is already on her way home. In the parking lot, he witnesses some very menacing men who appear to be forcing Hallie against her will, Catch's military training kicks into high gear and his only objective is to save her. This action proves to be the interlude into a suspense filled read...
There is never a dull moment once everything starts. We find ourselves shadowing the protagonist into many tense and highly explosive situations, involving a mingled web of villains with futuristic equipment, and of course there is nothing like good old car chases to bring on the adrenaline. The descriptive writing is so vivid you think you are smack into the action, the twists and turns along the way lead to a nicely tied up ending. The intensity of the story and the complexity of the characters make it a very interesting read.
I am looking forward to following Catch Harris on his next adventure.
October 18, 2011
"The Chase is better than the Catch?"
Catchy thing is this Catch book :)
I'm reading this "Catch" book and enjoying it mostly, however I'd like to point out some inaccuracies. Nikita is not a girl's name, but on the contrary it's a boy's name! And what about Peter Aleksei Federov? Russian names don't sound like this. It has to be Peter or even Pyotr Alekseevitch Fedorov. There's a misprint(?) in the family name Federov - it must be Fedorov. The name Emil is not common for Russians, it's mostly used by Jews or Tartar. A bunch of "inaccuracies" make the book itself not very realistic. I suppose the author needs someone to look through his future works on "Russian theme" badly, if there any. I mean some native-speaking insider. Just one more thing to say. You won't believe, but most of our people change their underwear on a regular basis and know good enough how to use soap and toothbrush, either they're miners or janitors. And I can't let the author go away with this: we drink vodka from small glasses (yeah, yeah, even those miners and janitors, who misuse alcohol), not from the bottles! :)
Best regards from Russia.
Catchy thing is this Catch book :)
I'm reading this "Catch" book and enjoying it mostly, however I'd like to point out some inaccuracies. Nikita is not a girl's name, but on the contrary it's a boy's name! And what about Peter Aleksei Federov? Russian names don't sound like this. It has to be Peter or even Pyotr Alekseevitch Fedorov. There's a misprint(?) in the family name Federov - it must be Fedorov. The name Emil is not common for Russians, it's mostly used by Jews or Tartar. A bunch of "inaccuracies" make the book itself not very realistic. I suppose the author needs someone to look through his future works on "Russian theme" badly, if there any. I mean some native-speaking insider. Just one more thing to say. You won't believe, but most of our people change their underwear on a regular basis and know good enough how to use soap and toothbrush, either they're miners or janitors. And I can't let the author go away with this: we drink vodka from small glasses (yeah, yeah, even those miners and janitors, who misuse alcohol), not from the bottles! :)
Best regards from Russia.
December 20, 2012
The author had some good ideas with this book but did not think it through properly. There are many inaccuracies and strange words used in strange places.
At one point he talks about "California's forty-two mile long shoreline"! In two places, he talks about "beams", but is clearly referring to columns - beams are usually horizontal. Would the US Port Authorities really allow a vessel, posing as a cargo ship, but with cannons and a helicopter on deck, into harbour, with little or no scrutiny?
The formatting also needs to be looked at. The indents have a mind of their own, there are numerous characters unknown to the Kindle (mainly the em character from what I can gather) and why on earth would you put mutiple br codes at the end of each chapter. If you use the free Mobipocket Creator to create the Kindle file, you can use the mbp:pagebreak code at the end of each chapter. Also, the book ends at 8069 locations, yet br codes carry it on to 8209 locations, giving seven blank pages at the end of the book with the font size I use.
At one point he talks about "California's forty-two mile long shoreline"! In two places, he talks about "beams", but is clearly referring to columns - beams are usually horizontal. Would the US Port Authorities really allow a vessel, posing as a cargo ship, but with cannons and a helicopter on deck, into harbour, with little or no scrutiny?
The formatting also needs to be looked at. The indents have a mind of their own, there are numerous characters unknown to the Kindle (mainly the em character from what I can gather) and why on earth would you put mutiple br codes at the end of each chapter. If you use the free Mobipocket Creator to create the Kindle file, you can use the mbp:pagebreak code at the end of each chapter. Also, the book ends at 8069 locations, yet br codes carry it on to 8209 locations, giving seven blank pages at the end of the book with the font size I use.
October 9, 2011
This is a GR win!
This was a great story about Catch, formerly of Delta Force, and running from a horrible memory. Interested in only his own misery and company, his waitress introduces herself as Hallie and plops down at his table for a little conversation. Catch, in no mood for chatting, rudely blows her off. Back in his truck, he begins to feel guilty and decides to go back in to apologize, but before he gets the chance, he sees Hallie grabbed by some guys that fires at him as he goes to help. Wondering if he should just figure it's her problem and go home to watch tv, he finally goes against better judgement and takes off after them. The dull, boring life he was wishing for then comes to a screeching halt as Catch chases, gets chased and struggles with an inner turmoil.
This was a great story about Catch, formerly of Delta Force, and running from a horrible memory. Interested in only his own misery and company, his waitress introduces herself as Hallie and plops down at his table for a little conversation. Catch, in no mood for chatting, rudely blows her off. Back in his truck, he begins to feel guilty and decides to go back in to apologize, but before he gets the chance, he sees Hallie grabbed by some guys that fires at him as he goes to help. Wondering if he should just figure it's her problem and go home to watch tv, he finally goes against better judgement and takes off after them. The dull, boring life he was wishing for then comes to a screeching halt as Catch chases, gets chased and struggles with an inner turmoil.
September 2, 2011
Fast passed thriller, which starts well. Generally well written, but the Kindle copy needs another edit. Keeps one entertained though the science fiction appearing at half time disturbs the rhythm. I think the book would have benefited from a prologue that gave some background, and hopefully plausibility to the "power ball" idea. Sean is a writer with real potential who may do better by breaking away from the clichéd James Patterson style.
The book is a good airport read, so just about gets my fourth star for a début, but I would be very surprised if there isn't much better to come.
The book is a good airport read, so just about gets my fourth star for a début, but I would be very surprised if there isn't much better to come.
August 24, 2011
I loved reading this book and I can hardly wait for more excitement from this author
September 15, 2011
I hope I can get this for free... I really want to read this...
October 19, 2011
As usual, Sean Quirk demonstrates that he is a novelist of the very highest note- wonderful flow of characters, locations and plot- a true winner by a writer of rare talent.
i-will-get-to-it
August 11, 2014Free from author: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
Thanks!
Thanks!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews