The Yellow Packard

In the President's Service #0

by Ace Collins

Buckle up for intrigue and adventure in scenic Depression-era America. George Hall, a draftsman, buys a 1936 Packard sedan from the estate of spinster Abigale Watling in Oakwood, Illinois. At first, the car brings George, his wife Jean, and their daughter Rose an unexpected boon. But tragedy follows when Rose is kidnapped. The auto then comes into the possession of salesman William Landers, FBI agent Helen Meeker, and serviceman James Coffman’s family. As clues to the kidnapping caper come to light, more than one life is in jeopardy. Will Agent Meeker catch the culprit before it’s too late?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

Citing his Arkansas heritage, Christy Award winner Ace Collins defines himself as a storyteller. In that capacity, Collins has authored more than eighty books for 25 different publishers that have sold more than 2.5 million copies. His catalog includes novels, biographies, children’s works as well as books on history, culture and faith. He has also been the featured speaker at the National Archives Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted a television special, been featured on every network morning TV show and does college basketball play-by-play. He is married to Kathy Collins, Chair of the Education Department at Ouachita Baptist University, and the couple has two grown sons. Collins lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a good mystery? The Yellow Packard might be the read for you. It was such an interesting story and so different from what I was expecting. I loved the time in which it was set and the characters were realistic.

I found the mystery to be a real whodunit...I did have a few suspicions early on, but wasn't 100% sure about them until the reveal. I liked how everything wasn't solved easily and it felt like a real case.

All in all, The Yellow Packard was really enjoyable and I recommend it to fans of mystery novels.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, classic ‘whodunnit’ mystery.

[Hyacinth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book 15 stars! My friend won this book in a goodreads giveaway. She gave me the book a few years back and told me the book was so good and I needed to read it. I misplaced the book and found it yesterday so I started reading it. I was home sick so in bed I read. This book has murder, theft, kidnapping and racism. The backdrop is the 20s and 30s. As much as I hate kidnapping and racism, it was fitting for the time period. I loved that little Rose. The feelings of devastation was almost tangible. It was a wonderful story of the struggle with God and faith. The story was just so rich! Because this was an ARC, I am hoping the errors were caught prior to print. I will read this one again.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really glad that I had a chance to read this novel. Such a satisfying story that came together very well at the end. Only one part of the story bothered me. It seemed a little too coincidental but overall a really enjoyable story. I'm going to continue to read about Helen in Ace Collins series In the President's Service.

[Hooskadooo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast paced page turner. Your attention is grabbed right at the first chapter and you are quickly filled with anticipation of the coming events. Each subsequent chapter adds more anticipation, twist, turns and intrigue. There is never a dull moment. Just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist, another angle. Great great read. From the first chapter to the last, this book does not disappoint. If you are reading another book right now, put it down. Pick up “The Yellow Packard”

I received this book free as part of the “first reads” giveaway. Thank you for a wild, exciting and eventful ride in a beautiful classic car.

[Mary Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this, I kept thinking of movies made back in the 40's and 50's and hearing the voices of actors and actresses from those old movies. The author did a good job with evoking the era.
The story takes a lot of twists and turns. It was a bit difficult to keep up with all the different characters, especially when the story switched to a different set of characters for a time. But he did a wonderful job of giving us little pieces of the puzzle and finally tying it all together. I can't imagine what it took to plot this story out.

If you like crime stories from the era of the 1930s and 1940s involving FBI agents, this is your story!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic, fun "whodunit" set in the late 1930's-early 1940's with a surprising and enjoyable ending. Great read for a rainy day or day on the beach!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story mainly centers on the kidnapping of young Rose Hall (I do not remember whether she was 3 or 4) along with the theft of the yellow Packard, and the efforts of agents Helen Meeker and Henry Reese to recover both of them.

I must confess I was surprised when the identity of the kidnap victim was revealed. I was convinced she was going to be Angel.

I look forward to reading more books featuring Helen Meeker.

[Andy2302 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what I was looking for. An anecdotal adventure with a central thread. The characters were real in a nostalgic time. Fast passed action & interest to the last page with a female over achiever. A solid 4 stars ~ Recommended.

[Martic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was frustrating for the first half of it. Several independent threads about owners of the Packard, but Collins nicely brings them all together with a grand finale at the end. Worth my wait to finish the book.

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too slow.

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story with interesting plot twists but it develops slowly. Ties together 3 different mysteries for interesting connections.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Yellow Packard by Ace Collins
4 STARS

This book has so many twists and turns in it. I have to admit to shedding some tears in it. The Yellow Packard some believe its cursed with bad luck. Before it was even all put together it caused a death in the factory. After that it caused havoc and mayham to the owners. Also some good luck to them too.
Its a mystery of who dunit books,kidnapping case,murder mystery all in one book.
Abigale Watling was the owner of the bright yellow Packard when she was murdered. Thier was no proof that she was murdered but she had over 100,000 in cash that disappeared and never showed up.
The car was sold at sale and the money to go to a orphange but nobody wanted the car because death seemed to follow it.
George Hall and his wife have a new baby and his car died. He hears about the car at auction and makes a low bid. People warn him not to get it. That he has a new family to take care of. George is thinking he needs a car to bring Rose home from the hospital. He is the proud owner of the car.
People start to shun the family because they don't want to have anything to do with the car. They were almost killed by a big gravel truck but the brakes were so good they were able to stop in time.
George and family had some good luck for awhile. His daughter even found 5,000 dollars. When they could not find the owners they used it to buy a flower shop.
Then Rose was kidnapped and they wanted 5,000 $ and leave the money in the packard and walk away for 30 where she was told to park the car. Then turn around and walk back and her daughter would be in the car.
The car and money disappeared and then they finally called the police in.
Helen Meeker was a experiment working out of white house to see if women could bring something different to the FBI. Helen and her partner looked into Rose's kidnapping and they were not having much luck with it.
FBI Agent Henry Reese was looking at another case when William Landers backed his car into him. William was driving a blue packard and the accident showed the car was yellow underneath it.
So they had new leads on finding the kidnappers.
This story has so many strings that tie all together to find the kidnappers. Thier was a few places the story lagged but over all I liked the story. I did guess one of the bad guys but not all of it.
I really liked Helen and Henry but Thier boss not so much. Helen wanted to make a difference because of what happened in her younger years. She fought hard to be considered for the FBI where they did not think women belonged thier.
This story brought to me a slice of what life was like before WWII and right after Pearl Harbor was bombed.
I would read more books by Ace Collins in the future. I was given this ebook to read in exchange for honest reviews from Netgalley.
Barbour Publishing, Inc. PUB. 10/01/2012 320 pages

[Beckie Burnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an attempt to whittle down my Kindle TBR list, I randomly choose books to read. Last week I picked The Yellow Packard by Ace Collins. Was it really a random choice (more on that later)? Not sure, but I am glad I did. What a great story. Again a winner from Ace Collins!

The Yellow Packard can be described as an historical mystery. Set in the years leading up to WWII, Collins has done a great job in making his novel feel authentic — from the old cars, to the police work, to the descriptions of people and places. The characters are nicely developed with realistic actions and reactions to the stress the author puts them under. One of my favorites is Helen Meeker, an attorney with a past that drives her to try to break into the FBI, a job not just dominated by men, but at the time reserved only for men. Her intelligence and ambition, plus intuition help her to crack a case that others give up on.

A cursed car, greed, murder and kidnapping — all the elements needed for a twisting, turning mystery that will surely keep you on your toes. As the Packard changes owners blessings abound. But many find the car to be the cause of heartache. And just as you think you know what is going on, Collins takes the story in a whole other direction. Seemingly random events build on each other to bring the final conclusion — one you won’t see coming. It is the randomness of life that Collins explores. Coincidence and happenstance follow the Packard and its owners. But two verses from the Bible kept coming to my mind as I read:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose

Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Characters struggle with a good God in the face of evil. The truth of God’s sovereignty, wisdom and provision are subtly expressed throughout the novel.

If you are looking for a complex mystery as well as a story well-told, definitely check out The Yellow Packard. And if you love Helen Meeker’s character there is good news! Collins has developed an episodic series, In The President’s Service, available in ebook form that features Helen as she takes on criminals and spies during WWII.

Highly Recommended.

Audience: Older teens and adults.

Great for Book Clubs.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 1936 Packard, special ordered in bright yellow, seems to be a curse. People have died in some connection with the car. When its auctioned in 1937, George Hall buys it for $200. The curse is broken when the car's brakes keep George, his wife, and baby daughter Rose from being in a crash. Then Rose is kidnapped. Two days later, the car is stolen.
Helen Meeker wants to be an FBI agent, specifically working on kidnapping cases. The FBI is a boys club, however. FDR gets her in as a Grand Experiment. She wants to find Rose in the worst way. Another kidnapping still haunts her, and she doesn't want that for George and Carole Hall.
Most kidnapped children are killed within the first few days. Hope dims for Rose, but eventually the Packard is found, repainted blue. It yields a few clues, but the search for Rose keeps stalling in dead ends.
The car changes hands a few times. The U.S. is pulled into World War II. And then a chance encounter between the car's new owner and another woman working at a war plant breaks the case wide open.
For me, the novel was a slow starter. The first few chapters focusing on the Hall family didn't entice me to keep reading, but once the story shifted to Helen Meeker, it grabbed me. Cracking the FBI's male bastion proved a harder task for Helen than solving a kidnapping. The ending proved to be unexpectedly poignant.

[Thera Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I probably would have given this book 5 stars if not for one or two things. The first thing is that new characters were introduced in the middle and at the end of the book that had seemingly had nothing to do with the actual plot. We find out that they do have to do with the plot later thought. It was just a little frustrating to be reading and then wham a new family to get to know.

I won this book as a first-reads giveaway. The book seems to be a finished copy. However, there were a lot of errors and on one page they called a character the wrong name and almost gave away the whole plot. Good thing there was another twist and that didnt happen. Not sure if that is an author error or publishing error.

The book was really good though and grabbed you from the beginning with a lot of twists and turns that you never really saw coming! I would definitely recommend this book to my book-loving friends. In fact, I have and she plans to read it as well!

[Charity U · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what an interesting adventure/mystery! The book opens with a death, closes with a solution, and incorporates numerous stories and adventures inbetween. It was packed with surprises. I was always interested by it, but at the same time, I was able to put it down. The last quarter was extra riveting and will definitely keep you (as the reader) reading! My only problems were a few things that struck me personally as strange…the word “teen” used in 1937 (although it wasn’t invented until 1941 – pet peeve [see page 25]) and a two-day baby smiling (rather improbable [page 54]). However, the whole book was seamlessly written despite all the stories in it, and I think it will be enjoyed by male and female readers alike.

**I reviewed this book for the author and publisher. However, I was not obligated to post a positive review, nor was I recompensed in any other way.**

[ME · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read Ace Collins in the past but I don't remember his writing style being this amateurish. I remember loving the Faraday Road series, and would not have stuck with that if it had been at this level of writing. This was a cross between Encyclopedia Brown and Nancy Drew barely for grown-ups. The reading level cannot be above 5th grade. The dialogue is unnatural - embarrassingly so - and there is little to no character development. There was apparently a romance brewing, but who knew? Maybe the problem was that this was a very complicated plot with many (oh so many) characters that could not be fleshed out, and I never enjoy a book that is entirely plot driven. It seems like a gratuitous exercise in showing off how clever the author is, at the reader's expense. Will not be reading on in the series.

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a suspense filled story! There is so much going on in the story that you will not want to put it down till you read the ending! I gave this book 4/5 stars. I liked the plot and thought it was very well written. It flowed from one scene to the next flawlessly. There were some issues with some of the characters. I just could not relate to all of them. Usually you can get a feel for characters and empathize with them but a few of the characters in this story did nothing for me. I think the plot could have done without a few of the extra characters and that would have made this a five star book!

I would like to thank the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of the Yellow Packard through a First Reads giveaway. The premise of the book seemed fantastic, and I was looking forward to reading it. The book started off great and I was able to engage with the characters, despite the odd mix of religion in a non religious book. As the story moved on, however, many coincidences occurred in the plot which pushed the point of believability. I felt like the entire second half of the book could have used some stronger editing as there was some extraneous detail which did not help to develop the plot. Overall, the book was ok.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a mystery/crime novel set in the era before the war. It does a good job of setting the atmosphere. I found the main character likeable but the rest of the characters were not fleshed out and so elicited no real emotional reaction.
It is a good story. It is very intricately plotted, so much so that it becomes quite unbelievable at times. The coincidences become to much, in an effort to make a point. It's a nice point but the story so hits you over the head with it I found it annoying.
All in all a pleasent way to spend an afternoon, but ultimately it is not compelling.

[Judyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Life is a matter of decisions-do I turn right or left, eggs or oatmeal. We never know which of those decisions is the one that will change the direction of your life forever. This is a story about those decisions and how they affected the people connected with the Yellow Packard. There were some minor editing and consistency flaws but they were easily overlooked. I would recommend this book. This was a First Reads book that I received for free.

[Tammy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because of the 1930's setting and the mystery genre, but Helen Meeker, the Nancy Drew-style agent assigned to the case, proved to be a likable character and the plot kept me turning pages. Of course the real main character is the yellow Packard, and quite a story this car has! The last chapter seemed a little too neat and tidy to me, but otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable summer read.

[Joyce Mosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. I had to finish it before sleeping tonight. A yellow Packard has a curse or does it? One owner has been murdered and another has a child kidnapped. Helen Meeker, on loan to the FBI, works day and night to solve the case. Will she, or will memories of her past haunt her and cloud her judgement.
I enjoyed this book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a free book from Goodreads First Reads. This book kept me guessing till the end. I usually like books where I know where their going early on so I can stay with or ahead of the storyline but truly I could not see the twists and turns of this one. Good job. I look forward to reading more of your books. Thanks.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much better in the second half as the pace picks up. Good story, with a second half that was much better than the first. The pace picked up and became much more driven. As more coincidences occurred around the car, the cast grows & weaves a trail of kidnap, deceit and faith in people.

[Sue Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

New author to me, but will definitly be looking for more of his in the future. I enjoyed the unique way in which he wove the story line. The setting in the 30's is a favorite, reminds of Timothy Hutton, Nero Wolfe series from AandE.

[April Suter · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took a while to get my attention but when it did I had to read the whole book to find out if the yellow Packard was a really curse or a beacon of hope.

A line from page 231 that got my attention: "I am going to find a way to teach you how to have fun someday. Life is much more than work."

[Sharla Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful book.
One car 4 owners, how it plays a part in each of their lives, a mystery and a really nice ending.
Truly like the way Ace Collins writes.

[Chockletter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horrible book!