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Day of the Dead
Day of the Dead [Paperback] Lisa Brackman
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
20 people are currently reading
479 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Brackmann
13 books147 followersLisa Brackmann is the New York Times best-selling author of the Ellie McEnroe novels set in China and the thrillers Getaway and Go-Between. The first Ellie book, Rock Paper Tiger (Year of the Tiger) was one of Amazon Top 100 Books of the Year and a Top 10 Mystery/Thriller. Hour Of The Rat, the sequel, was shortlisted for Left Coast Crime's international mystery award and was nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Audio Book. Dragon Day, the third novel in the Ellie McEnroe trilogy, was a Seattle Times Top 10 Mystery of 2015 and was short-listed for a Lefty award. Getaway (Day of the Dead) was an Amazon Best Book of the Month and a finalist for SCIBA's T. Jefferson Parker award. Her latest novel is Go-Between, "a terrific noir tale that channels Richard Stark's stories" and a "Hottest Summer Books" selection from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Black Swan Rising, her new book about misogyny, mass shootings, and polarized politics, launches Sept. 8. Her work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Travel+Leisure, Salon and CNET. She lives in San Diego with a cat, far too many books and a bass ukulele and is playing in a band again after a 17-year break. You can find her online at www.lisabrackmann.com.
That's the official bio. You can find out more about me (if you are so inclined) on my website (www.lisabrackmann.com)
Thanks for visiting!
p.s. In the UK you'll find me as Lisa Brackman (one "n"). "Year of the Tiger" is the UK edition of "Rock Paper Tiger." "Day of the Dead" is the UK edition of "Getaway."
That's the official bio. You can find out more about me (if you are so inclined) on my website (www.lisabrackmann.com)
Thanks for visiting!
p.s. In the UK you'll find me as Lisa Brackman (one "n"). "Year of the Tiger" is the UK edition of "Rock Paper Tiger." "Day of the Dead" is the UK edition of "Getaway."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
April 30, 2012
Getaway is every international traveler's worst nightmare: inadvertently stepping into trouble in a country where you aren't familiar with the legal system and can't trust the local authorities.
Some (if not many) reviews of Getaway are going to accuse the protagonist of being "unsympathetic." What these reviews will actually mean is that the character of Michelle is not fulfilling the hysterical female stereotype. The reality is that some women are entirely capable of containing their emotional responses and acting in a rational, level-headed fashion when confronted with extreme circumstances. Brackmann has succeeded once again in crafting a fully three-dimensional female lead who is neither an emotional wreck nor a kick-ass man with boobs; Michelle is an otherwise average housewife who summons the inner strength to survive an impossible situation without succumbing to a victim mentality. In a word? Refreshing.
As was the case with her first book, Rock Paper Tiger, Brackmann's prose is terse and carefully crafted, excellent without drawing undue attention. Her descriptions are pitch-perfect, and every once in a while I would find myself stopping to admire a line that captured some little detail just perfectly (the smell of the garbage dump, for instance). I don't usually read for setting, so it's rare for me to say that this book absolutely put me on the spot, and I loved it. Be warned: the first few chapters will leave your mouth watering for a margarita.
It's hard not to compare Getaway to Brackmann's first book, Rock Paper Tiger, so... I will. Both books are excellent and I would recommend them without hesitation. Overall, RPT made it onto my list of "best books ever" (ie five star reviews) simply because I'm more drawn to the Chinese setting, and I enjoyed the broad scope of the plot. Getaway is more narrowly focused, set in just one or two locales and concerning a limited cast of characters. So although it earns four stars for my
personal preferences, I think Getaway is the more perfectly crafted narrative. The plot is tight, had me turning pages compulsively, and I felt like I was "clued in" at all the right moments. The characters are all very memorable, and one especially freaked me out in a very visceral way. And the ending? Perfection. Truly.
I loved Rock Paper Tiger, but Getaway has proven that Brackmann is not just a one-hit wonder. Her books are now on my official "automatic-buy" list.
Some (if not many) reviews of Getaway are going to accuse the protagonist of being "unsympathetic." What these reviews will actually mean is that the character of Michelle is not fulfilling the hysterical female stereotype. The reality is that some women are entirely capable of containing their emotional responses and acting in a rational, level-headed fashion when confronted with extreme circumstances. Brackmann has succeeded once again in crafting a fully three-dimensional female lead who is neither an emotional wreck nor a kick-ass man with boobs; Michelle is an otherwise average housewife who summons the inner strength to survive an impossible situation without succumbing to a victim mentality. In a word? Refreshing.
As was the case with her first book, Rock Paper Tiger, Brackmann's prose is terse and carefully crafted, excellent without drawing undue attention. Her descriptions are pitch-perfect, and every once in a while I would find myself stopping to admire a line that captured some little detail just perfectly (the smell of the garbage dump, for instance). I don't usually read for setting, so it's rare for me to say that this book absolutely put me on the spot, and I loved it. Be warned: the first few chapters will leave your mouth watering for a margarita.
It's hard not to compare Getaway to Brackmann's first book, Rock Paper Tiger, so... I will. Both books are excellent and I would recommend them without hesitation. Overall, RPT made it onto my list of "best books ever" (ie five star reviews) simply because I'm more drawn to the Chinese setting, and I enjoyed the broad scope of the plot. Getaway is more narrowly focused, set in just one or two locales and concerning a limited cast of characters. So although it earns four stars for my
personal preferences, I think Getaway is the more perfectly crafted narrative. The plot is tight, had me turning pages compulsively, and I felt like I was "clued in" at all the right moments. The characters are all very memorable, and one especially freaked me out in a very visceral way. And the ending? Perfection. Truly.
I loved Rock Paper Tiger, but Getaway has proven that Brackmann is not just a one-hit wonder. Her books are now on my official "automatic-buy" list.
January 21, 2012
It's no wonder that Lisa Brackmann's second blockbuster of a thriller is my favorite read so far for 2012.
Getaway is set in exotic Puerto Vallarta, and the opening pages find Michelle Mason wallowing in self pity. She's lost and lonely, drunk and maudlin. Michelle is on vacation in Mexico, a vacation planned before her husband was revealed as a bankrupt, lying cheat who conveniently dies of a heart attack. Now Michelle has an unreal past and a confused, confusing future. She's easy prey it turns out, in this popular coastal resort with a veneer that barely conceals the underbelly of police corruption, drug trafficking and threats.
No one is who or what they seem in Puerto Vallarta, and Michelle is at the mercy of any event and person that she comes into contact with. Michelle doesn't know who to trust and in fact, she trusts no one. As Michelle spirals into increasingly complex circumstances, she becomes more focused and more aware of her situation, gradually gaining more control over her life.
The expatriate American community is filled with characters and misfits, and there's just the right sort of interaction with and exposure to the local population that adds authenticity and humility to the writing. The dump scenes are particularly well drawn. I really enjoyed the ending of the book, so ambiguous and fraught with possibility. It's a perfect beginning to the second Michelle Mason thriller.
I can just see author Lisa Brackmann enjoying sunsets and margaritas, lazing on the beach and dreaming up the people and schemes that make up Getaway. She's taking a well-deserved break after the endless excitement that began in 2010 with the success of Rock, Paper, Tiger. I can imagine that later she quickly exchanged her gauzy cotton wrap for shorts and sneakers and makes her way among the hidden alleys of the city. She's scribbling furiously, taking notes, photographing what she finds, seeing conspiracy everywhere and with her keen insight, reveals the chaotic danger that rots just below the surface of beautiful Puerto Vallarta.
Keep it comin', Lisa. I love it!
Getaway is set in exotic Puerto Vallarta, and the opening pages find Michelle Mason wallowing in self pity. She's lost and lonely, drunk and maudlin. Michelle is on vacation in Mexico, a vacation planned before her husband was revealed as a bankrupt, lying cheat who conveniently dies of a heart attack. Now Michelle has an unreal past and a confused, confusing future. She's easy prey it turns out, in this popular coastal resort with a veneer that barely conceals the underbelly of police corruption, drug trafficking and threats.
No one is who or what they seem in Puerto Vallarta, and Michelle is at the mercy of any event and person that she comes into contact with. Michelle doesn't know who to trust and in fact, she trusts no one. As Michelle spirals into increasingly complex circumstances, she becomes more focused and more aware of her situation, gradually gaining more control over her life.
The expatriate American community is filled with characters and misfits, and there's just the right sort of interaction with and exposure to the local population that adds authenticity and humility to the writing. The dump scenes are particularly well drawn. I really enjoyed the ending of the book, so ambiguous and fraught with possibility. It's a perfect beginning to the second Michelle Mason thriller.
I can just see author Lisa Brackmann enjoying sunsets and margaritas, lazing on the beach and dreaming up the people and schemes that make up Getaway. She's taking a well-deserved break after the endless excitement that began in 2010 with the success of Rock, Paper, Tiger. I can imagine that later she quickly exchanged her gauzy cotton wrap for shorts and sneakers and makes her way among the hidden alleys of the city. She's scribbling furiously, taking notes, photographing what she finds, seeing conspiracy everywhere and with her keen insight, reveals the chaotic danger that rots just below the surface of beautiful Puerto Vallarta.
Keep it comin', Lisa. I love it!
May 2, 2012
Sia McKye OVER COFFEE
"WELCOME to gorgeous Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—home of margaritas, sunset beaches, a shady American ex-pat community, and a barely-hidden drug syndicate. This will be the most dangerous vacation of Michelle’s life..."
I have been looking forward to reading Getaway since I first heard about the setting and premise.Getaway didn’t disappoint me. It’s well written and believable. This is the sort of situation that could happen all too easily to an unsuspecting vacationer.Getaway was so absorbing that I finished it a day and thought about long after "the end". If you like thrillers with an authentic setting, realistic characters, and the twists and turns of deadly peril, then Getaway is the book to read this summer.
Case in point, Michelle Mason. Recently widowed, Michelle is facing, thanks to her dearly departed husband, social scandal and financial ruin—the end of the easy life she has become accustomed to. Puerto Vallarta was supposed to be a vacation and a time to reflect upon what she was going to do with the rest of her life. Instead, like Alice in Wonderland, she gets dropped down the rabbit hole into a world where nothing is what it seems to be. Drug wars, the DEA, and where good guys aren’t always good and trusting the wrong people can get you killed.
Michelle’s journey pulls her out of her apathy and into fighting for survival against the odds where she can trust no one but herself.
What follows is an edge of your seat, believable, and tightly woven story of suspense and danger, played out in the steamy underbelly of Mexico—where winning means you live.
Tropical beaches, too many margaritas, add a sexy tempting stranger, and you have an engrossing tale filled with danger and excitement.
"WELCOME to gorgeous Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—home of margaritas, sunset beaches, a shady American ex-pat community, and a barely-hidden drug syndicate. This will be the most dangerous vacation of Michelle’s life..."
I have been looking forward to reading Getaway since I first heard about the setting and premise.Getaway didn’t disappoint me. It’s well written and believable. This is the sort of situation that could happen all too easily to an unsuspecting vacationer.Getaway was so absorbing that I finished it a day and thought about long after "the end". If you like thrillers with an authentic setting, realistic characters, and the twists and turns of deadly peril, then Getaway is the book to read this summer.
Ms. Brackmann has a knack of creating characters that have faced trauma in their lives and as a result have become somewhat indifferent or ambivalent; and placing them in situations that forces them to pull on inner reserves and strengths to deal with it.
Case in point, Michelle Mason. Recently widowed, Michelle is facing, thanks to her dearly departed husband, social scandal and financial ruin—the end of the easy life she has become accustomed to. Puerto Vallarta was supposed to be a vacation and a time to reflect upon what she was going to do with the rest of her life. Instead, like Alice in Wonderland, she gets dropped down the rabbit hole into a world where nothing is what it seems to be. Drug wars, the DEA, and where good guys aren’t always good and trusting the wrong people can get you killed.
Michelle’s journey pulls her out of her apathy and into fighting for survival against the odds where she can trust no one but herself.
What follows is an edge of your seat, believable, and tightly woven story of suspense and danger, played out in the steamy underbelly of Mexico—where winning means you live.
May 6, 2012
How’s this for a nightmare scenario?
You’re a woman alone, on holiday, in a developing country where you don’t speak the language. A crooked cop plants some drugs on you and hauls you off to jail. A countryman comes along to spring you, but it soon turns out that he’s in cahoots with the cop.
You can’t leave, because they’re holding on to your passport. And, unless you agree to spy on a guy you hardly know, but with whom you’ve suffered a violent assault in your very own hotel room, they’re going to fling you right back into the pokey.
Me? I’d play along.
And so does Michelle Mason, the protagonist in Lisa Brackmann’s Getaway.
Getaway is set in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.
Brackmann paints it as a place of luxury hotels and considerable charm, but with an ugly underbelly. Corruption and drug- dealing are rife. Human lives are cheap. And Michelle’s early troubles, the ones I’ve described above, soon pale when she’s confronted by what comes next.
Michelle is an engaging character, and Getaway is a cracking good yarn, a wild-ride that never lets up.
Not even in the last paragraph.
Is that a cryptic statement?
Yeah, I suppose it is.
But you’ll find yourself agreeing with me after you’ve finished the book.
You’re a woman alone, on holiday, in a developing country where you don’t speak the language. A crooked cop plants some drugs on you and hauls you off to jail. A countryman comes along to spring you, but it soon turns out that he’s in cahoots with the cop.
You can’t leave, because they’re holding on to your passport. And, unless you agree to spy on a guy you hardly know, but with whom you’ve suffered a violent assault in your very own hotel room, they’re going to fling you right back into the pokey.
Me? I’d play along.
And so does Michelle Mason, the protagonist in Lisa Brackmann’s Getaway.
Getaway is set in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.
Brackmann paints it as a place of luxury hotels and considerable charm, but with an ugly underbelly. Corruption and drug- dealing are rife. Human lives are cheap. And Michelle’s early troubles, the ones I’ve described above, soon pale when she’s confronted by what comes next.
Michelle is an engaging character, and Getaway is a cracking good yarn, a wild-ride that never lets up.
Not even in the last paragraph.
Is that a cryptic statement?
Yeah, I suppose it is.
But you’ll find yourself agreeing with me after you’ve finished the book.
July 9, 2017
Michelle Mason is just an average white chick from LA, getting over the recent death of her husband and planning the next stage of her life while chilling in Puerto Vallarta. Then she meets a hot guy and totally does the thing she never, ever does (don't they all say that?). Okay, I'm being a little judgmental, but the start of the book paints Michelle as being almost a stereotype of an entitled American tourist hanging out with the brown help down in Me-hi-co. The author, Lisa Brackmann, did this intentionally, I'm sure, but I was kind of waiting for the bad shit to start, and when it did, quickly, it took me a while to really feel sorry for Michelle, even though she was really only guilty of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The dude she slept with turns out to be a private pilot. "Private pilot" working in Mexico pretty much means only one thing, and Michelle, because she is now connected with him, finds herself being dragged into Daniel's affairs. Daniel, it turns out, is not just an occasional delivery boy for drug smugglers, but also has connections with "the Boys" - i.e., spooks, American black ops, the CIA, whoever. Michelle is dragooned into being a double-agent for a scary, charming fellow named Gary who just wants Michelle to report back and take the occasional picture.
Michelle just wants to go home and have nothing more to do with this mess. Gary, the Mexican police, and various other bad hombres have other ideas.
While my initial feelings about Michelle were kind of disdainful, she is just an ordinary woman who proves to be as resourceful and brave as she can be under the circumstances. Maybe she doesn't always make perfect choices, but she tries to do the right thing and she shows loyalty and courage.
The sequel to this book, which I accidentally read out of order, continues the adventures of Michelle, Daniel... and Gary. So know that if the ending seems to leave things a little up in the air, you have the option of finding out what happens next.
The dude she slept with turns out to be a private pilot. "Private pilot" working in Mexico pretty much means only one thing, and Michelle, because she is now connected with him, finds herself being dragged into Daniel's affairs. Daniel, it turns out, is not just an occasional delivery boy for drug smugglers, but also has connections with "the Boys" - i.e., spooks, American black ops, the CIA, whoever. Michelle is dragooned into being a double-agent for a scary, charming fellow named Gary who just wants Michelle to report back and take the occasional picture.
Michelle just wants to go home and have nothing more to do with this mess. Gary, the Mexican police, and various other bad hombres have other ideas.
While my initial feelings about Michelle were kind of disdainful, she is just an ordinary woman who proves to be as resourceful and brave as she can be under the circumstances. Maybe she doesn't always make perfect choices, but she tries to do the right thing and she shows loyalty and courage.
The sequel to this book, which I accidentally read out of order, continues the adventures of Michelle, Daniel... and Gary. So know that if the ending seems to leave things a little up in the air, you have the option of finding out what happens next.
May 2, 2012
Lisa Brackmann's first novel, Rock Paper Tiger, captivated me with its exotic location in modern China and its damaged but resourceful heroine, Ellie Cooper. Getaway, though a perfectly acceptable beach read (literally) just doesn't have the same amount of kick. It felt to me like the author was under the pressure inherent in writing a second book; as though she had an editor and a marketing director hovering behind each shoulder.
Michelle Mason, the heroine in Getaway, is her own problem as well as the weakest link in the story. She is using a vacation paid for by her recently deceased husband as a respite from her troubles. That's about all he left her except for a mountain of debt after his financial house of cards collapsed in the economic meltdown of recent years.
Though Michelle numbers among females who live off a man's money without asking questions, she is unconvincingly clueless for a mid-thirties 21st century Los Angeles native. After she lands in a highly treacherous situation between sexy but mysterious Daniel and slimy Gary, she dithers for so long and makes so many bad decisions, I found myself hoping right along with her for the one who is good in bed to rescue her. How could she not know that a guy with deep pockets who brags about having secret government connections might be able to track her through her cell phone?
Now I've waited way too long to tell you that the story takes place in a Mexican resort town and involves that country's brutal drug cartels and their investment capital bedfellows. It's a tense thriller and Michelle's future appears to be doomed. To her credit, she is pretty good at gut-level instincts and she gets tougher and smarter. She went to Mexico to work out how to live a more authentic life but I'm afraid she just might be one of those women who has to rely on luck.
And why am I getting all moralistic and snarky with Lisa Brackmann? Because she proved she has got a lot more to offer in Rock Paper Tiger. I understand she is writing a sequel, so perhaps she just tossed off Getaway in order to stay in touch. That cool. It was fun to read. But I want Ellie Cooper back.
Michelle Mason, the heroine in Getaway, is her own problem as well as the weakest link in the story. She is using a vacation paid for by her recently deceased husband as a respite from her troubles. That's about all he left her except for a mountain of debt after his financial house of cards collapsed in the economic meltdown of recent years.
Though Michelle numbers among females who live off a man's money without asking questions, she is unconvincingly clueless for a mid-thirties 21st century Los Angeles native. After she lands in a highly treacherous situation between sexy but mysterious Daniel and slimy Gary, she dithers for so long and makes so many bad decisions, I found myself hoping right along with her for the one who is good in bed to rescue her. How could she not know that a guy with deep pockets who brags about having secret government connections might be able to track her through her cell phone?
Now I've waited way too long to tell you that the story takes place in a Mexican resort town and involves that country's brutal drug cartels and their investment capital bedfellows. It's a tense thriller and Michelle's future appears to be doomed. To her credit, she is pretty good at gut-level instincts and she gets tougher and smarter. She went to Mexico to work out how to live a more authentic life but I'm afraid she just might be one of those women who has to rely on luck.
And why am I getting all moralistic and snarky with Lisa Brackmann? Because she proved she has got a lot more to offer in Rock Paper Tiger. I understand she is writing a sequel, so perhaps she just tossed off Getaway in order to stay in touch. That cool. It was fun to read. But I want Ellie Cooper back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2019
This book is really 2 1/2 stars. This book got great reviews and the storyline had so much potential
Tourist get mixed up with cartels, the CIA, and other organizations while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, how can it not be good?
I’ll tell you how
Lack of Talent in telling a story.
There was zero depth to any of the main characters in this book. They were usually stereotyped and always bland and boring. This reader had no sympathy for the main character Michelle who spends most of the book drinking wine, Margaritas, or tequila shots and can’t figure her way out of a paper bag. Or why crazy bad shit keeps happening to her. Because there was zero character development, when bad things happen to her I didn’t care.
The portrayal of the drug cartels and their behavior and business practices was totally laughable.
This book is a perfect: “I’m stuck in an airport for 6 hours with nothing to do” or a mindless beach read that requires zero concentration.
Tourist get mixed up with cartels, the CIA, and other organizations while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, how can it not be good?
I’ll tell you how
Lack of Talent in telling a story.
There was zero depth to any of the main characters in this book. They were usually stereotyped and always bland and boring. This reader had no sympathy for the main character Michelle who spends most of the book drinking wine, Margaritas, or tequila shots and can’t figure her way out of a paper bag. Or why crazy bad shit keeps happening to her. Because there was zero character development, when bad things happen to her I didn’t care.
The portrayal of the drug cartels and their behavior and business practices was totally laughable.
This book is a perfect: “I’m stuck in an airport for 6 hours with nothing to do” or a mindless beach read that requires zero concentration.
April 16, 2012
Yet another reason to not have a one-night stand: recent widow Michelle is on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, where she meets Daniel and, well, one thing leads to another. Which leads to a midnight robbery in which Daniel is hurt and their cell phones being accidentally switched, and suddenly Michelle is drawn into a situation about which she has no idea who is safe, who is lying, who she can trust and what is going on.
The level of suspense plateaus quickly and doesn't abate, but at no point does Michelle seem to find the nous to figure out what's going on and how to deal with it. She's more of a ping pong ball, bouncing between event and event, betrayal and betrayal - some character growth would have been nice.
ARC provided by publisher.
The level of suspense plateaus quickly and doesn't abate, but at no point does Michelle seem to find the nous to figure out what's going on and how to deal with it. She's more of a ping pong ball, bouncing between event and event, betrayal and betrayal - some character growth would have been nice.
ARC provided by publisher.
October 30, 2018
I purchased this book from the author at a book signing event and just recently read it. “Getaway” is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Brackmann, but I’m definitely a new fan. I loved the spare writing—just enough detail to put me in the scene and picture the characters—but never too much exposition.
Back when it was safer to travel in Mexico, I spent enough time there to recognize the authenticity of Brackmann’s writing for location. And as for culture, even back then I remember night driving trips that had my heart racing as we passed armed Federales with automatic weapons alongside the road. I’ll never forget my almost frantic eagerness to reach the USA border again.
Now picture a vacation trip that starts out sad to begin with, and not only never recovers, but falls into a nightmare that some might find unbelievable. But the author pulled me into that rabbit hole by making the character believable. She has flaws, she makes mistakes. She’s human. The author did a great job of laying out how the events could fall into place in a logical way, one tiny misplaced step at a time. An easy 5-Stars for me.
Back when it was safer to travel in Mexico, I spent enough time there to recognize the authenticity of Brackmann’s writing for location. And as for culture, even back then I remember night driving trips that had my heart racing as we passed armed Federales with automatic weapons alongside the road. I’ll never forget my almost frantic eagerness to reach the USA border again.
Now picture a vacation trip that starts out sad to begin with, and not only never recovers, but falls into a nightmare that some might find unbelievable. But the author pulled me into that rabbit hole by making the character believable. She has flaws, she makes mistakes. She’s human. The author did a great job of laying out how the events could fall into place in a logical way, one tiny misplaced step at a time. An easy 5-Stars for me.
May 26, 2012
Lots of folks go a little loco in Puerto Vallarta, land of sun, sand, tequila, and (if you’re a lucky woman in need of some self-esteem building), a one-night stand with a handsome, dangerous man.
Michelle Mason is that lucky woman. A new widow left disillusioned and penniless by her rat of a husband, she’s having one last fling on a vacation that had already been paid for before the SOB died and left her world in chaos. Or what she thought of as “chaos”, because she’s about to learn the REAL meaning of that word.
An accidental switch of cell phones with handsome ex-pat Daniel and suddenly Michelle is seeing the darker side of this vacation paradise. The side with quasi-official government men with guns, drug cartels, Mexican jails, bodies piling up around her, and secrets that can turn her into one of those dead bodies. Where do you turn when your passport has been confiscated, your family has been threatened, you’ve been thrown into jail, and the only man you can remotely trust is the one who got you into this in the first place?
I’ve been waiting anxiously for Ms. Brackmann’s newest book, after being so blown away by her debut, Rock Paper Tiger. GETAWAY is every bit as intense, real, and thrilling. Her real talent is in so realistically portraying a setting and then dropping a character that might just be you or me into this place. Then she twists the kaleidoscope and changes everything. She writes beautifully about the loveliness of a place, then unflinchingly turns over the rocks and shows us the horror that lies beneath. In this book, Michelle visits the dump in Puerto Vallarta (note: I believe this place is now closed and folks can no longer go there, but while writing the book, Ms. Brackmann visited the place. The sounds, the sites, the gut-wrenching odors, and the horror of children living in the squalor she writes so eloquently about are real).
My stomach churned as I followed the heroine into this nightmare. I kept asking myself what I—an ordinary middle class woman like Michelle—would do. I’d have been just as lost and horrified as Michelle. And I would hope that—like Michelle—I’d find the inner strength and gut instinct to claw my way out of the morass and survive.
In my review of her debut novel I called Ms. Brackmann “fierce”. She continues to prove me right.
Michelle Mason is that lucky woman. A new widow left disillusioned and penniless by her rat of a husband, she’s having one last fling on a vacation that had already been paid for before the SOB died and left her world in chaos. Or what she thought of as “chaos”, because she’s about to learn the REAL meaning of that word.
An accidental switch of cell phones with handsome ex-pat Daniel and suddenly Michelle is seeing the darker side of this vacation paradise. The side with quasi-official government men with guns, drug cartels, Mexican jails, bodies piling up around her, and secrets that can turn her into one of those dead bodies. Where do you turn when your passport has been confiscated, your family has been threatened, you’ve been thrown into jail, and the only man you can remotely trust is the one who got you into this in the first place?
I’ve been waiting anxiously for Ms. Brackmann’s newest book, after being so blown away by her debut, Rock Paper Tiger. GETAWAY is every bit as intense, real, and thrilling. Her real talent is in so realistically portraying a setting and then dropping a character that might just be you or me into this place. Then she twists the kaleidoscope and changes everything. She writes beautifully about the loveliness of a place, then unflinchingly turns over the rocks and shows us the horror that lies beneath. In this book, Michelle visits the dump in Puerto Vallarta (note: I believe this place is now closed and folks can no longer go there, but while writing the book, Ms. Brackmann visited the place. The sounds, the sites, the gut-wrenching odors, and the horror of children living in the squalor she writes so eloquently about are real).
My stomach churned as I followed the heroine into this nightmare. I kept asking myself what I—an ordinary middle class woman like Michelle—would do. I’d have been just as lost and horrified as Michelle. And I would hope that—like Michelle—I’d find the inner strength and gut instinct to claw my way out of the morass and survive.
In my review of her debut novel I called Ms. Brackmann “fierce”. She continues to prove me right.
May 18, 2012
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/05/...
Michelle is in sunny Puerto Vallarta, attempting to escape from her troubles, including the mound of debt her recently deceased husband left her (hey, the vacation was already paid for), and wondering what kind of life will be waiting for her upon returning to LA. Unfortunately, escape isn’t in the cards, since trouble manages to find Michelle in the form of handsome, mysterious Daniel. He’s everything her late husband wasn’t: lithe, sexy and definitely mysterious. Their first night together is a disaster, though, after armed men burst in on them in the middle of the night. Danny is injured, Michelle is scared, and when she goes to his apartment to return his belongings, a gruesome discovery leads Michelle to think that Danny may be part of something sinister. When an acquaintance of Danny’s threatens her unless she spies on him, she knows she’s in over her head.
If you’re looking for a fast paced and diverting thriller, look no further than Getaway. Michelle is very likeable, and the author manages to capture exactly how it feels to be on vacation, at least in the beginning. You know what I’m talking about: the I’m-on-vacation-so-nothing-bad-can-possibly-happen-to-me feeling? Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t last for Michelle, as she spends time with Danny, becoming increasingly sure that he’s into some pretty nasty stuff. I’ve been to Mexico, and it’s a beautiful place to vacation. While I haven’t been to Puerto Vallarta, the author seems to know her way around and perfectly illustrates the devil-may-care feeling of a coastal tourist town. What she also shows is the darker underbelly of drug and cartel violence that has been ubiquitous lately. You can’t read the news without coming across an article on the cartel wars that have claimed thousands of lives, in increasingly gruesome ways. Her timing is perfect with this book, making it very relevant to current events and adding an additional layer of menace. Rapid pacing and tight plotting will keep you turning pages and even though it never manages a real romance between Michelle and the enigmatic Danny, the ending will leave you wanting more of this talented author. Lisa Brackmann is most definitely an author to watch!
Michelle is in sunny Puerto Vallarta, attempting to escape from her troubles, including the mound of debt her recently deceased husband left her (hey, the vacation was already paid for), and wondering what kind of life will be waiting for her upon returning to LA. Unfortunately, escape isn’t in the cards, since trouble manages to find Michelle in the form of handsome, mysterious Daniel. He’s everything her late husband wasn’t: lithe, sexy and definitely mysterious. Their first night together is a disaster, though, after armed men burst in on them in the middle of the night. Danny is injured, Michelle is scared, and when she goes to his apartment to return his belongings, a gruesome discovery leads Michelle to think that Danny may be part of something sinister. When an acquaintance of Danny’s threatens her unless she spies on him, she knows she’s in over her head.
If you’re looking for a fast paced and diverting thriller, look no further than Getaway. Michelle is very likeable, and the author manages to capture exactly how it feels to be on vacation, at least in the beginning. You know what I’m talking about: the I’m-on-vacation-so-nothing-bad-can-possibly-happen-to-me feeling? Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t last for Michelle, as she spends time with Danny, becoming increasingly sure that he’s into some pretty nasty stuff. I’ve been to Mexico, and it’s a beautiful place to vacation. While I haven’t been to Puerto Vallarta, the author seems to know her way around and perfectly illustrates the devil-may-care feeling of a coastal tourist town. What she also shows is the darker underbelly of drug and cartel violence that has been ubiquitous lately. You can’t read the news without coming across an article on the cartel wars that have claimed thousands of lives, in increasingly gruesome ways. Her timing is perfect with this book, making it very relevant to current events and adding an additional layer of menace. Rapid pacing and tight plotting will keep you turning pages and even though it never manages a real romance between Michelle and the enigmatic Danny, the ending will leave you wanting more of this talented author. Lisa Brackmann is most definitely an author to watch!
January 31, 2012
Lisa Brackmann has chosen a well known, but unusual, vacation area to set her mystery: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her protagonist, Michelle, is a bit unlikely too, a newly widowed, rather spoiled and shallow woman from Los Angeles. She is broke and deeply in debt, yet spends money she doesn't have on this trip to Mexico. Sounds ludicrous, when you say it this way, but Brackmann makes it plausable with her excellent story-telling.
Michelle is in Vallarta (as it is called through most of the book),when she meets an attractive and interesting man on the beach, Daniel. He invites Michele to go to a restaurant with him and while they are eating, a friend of his approaches them. Daniel seems uncomfortable with the fellow, and Michelle thinks no more about it. Daniel walks her to her room and after a bit of a false start, they both drop off to sleep only to be awakened by two masked men entering her room from the balcony. Daniel is attacked with a gun butt, and Michelle narrowly avoids being raped.
After that, it seems that Michelle and Daniel run into each other, or Michelle runs into his friends without intention or plan. She also meets one of his friends, Gary, who approaches her and asks her to keep an eye on Daniel and report back to him. When she refuses, he threatens her. He also sweetens the pie with an offer to pay off her maxed out credit cards and gives her $5000 in cash. Against her better judgment, Michelle follows Gary’s orders.
The plot moves along quickly and solidly and is wonderful escapism story-telling. The characters are believable and just mysterious enough to keep both Michelle and the reader guessing. Ms Brackmann feeds out the plot and the character’s identities at the right pace. The final chapter is vague enough to allow the main characters to return, and it will be interesting to see if the author brings them back in another situation, and if so, where will it be? Vallarta is just the right background for a great mystery story!
Michelle is in Vallarta (as it is called through most of the book),when she meets an attractive and interesting man on the beach, Daniel. He invites Michele to go to a restaurant with him and while they are eating, a friend of his approaches them. Daniel seems uncomfortable with the fellow, and Michelle thinks no more about it. Daniel walks her to her room and after a bit of a false start, they both drop off to sleep only to be awakened by two masked men entering her room from the balcony. Daniel is attacked with a gun butt, and Michelle narrowly avoids being raped.
After that, it seems that Michelle and Daniel run into each other, or Michelle runs into his friends without intention or plan. She also meets one of his friends, Gary, who approaches her and asks her to keep an eye on Daniel and report back to him. When she refuses, he threatens her. He also sweetens the pie with an offer to pay off her maxed out credit cards and gives her $5000 in cash. Against her better judgment, Michelle follows Gary’s orders.
The plot moves along quickly and solidly and is wonderful escapism story-telling. The characters are believable and just mysterious enough to keep both Michelle and the reader guessing. Ms Brackmann feeds out the plot and the character’s identities at the right pace. The final chapter is vague enough to allow the main characters to return, and it will be interesting to see if the author brings them back in another situation, and if so, where will it be? Vallarta is just the right background for a great mystery story!
June 4, 2012
Add to the mix a tightly woven plot, believable and unique characters, and one of my favorite villains of all times, and you have an excellent second novel by the author of Rock, Paper, Tiger. I like Brackmann's heroines because they aren't action heroines. They're normal people thrust into abnormal and dangerous situations and behave accordingly. To quote another review here because it so perfectly encapsulates my feelings:
"Ms. Brackmann has a knack of creating characters that have faced trauma in their lives and as a result have become somewhat indifferent or ambivalent; and placing them in situations that forces them to pull on inner reserves and strengths to deal with it."
Michelle, the heroine in Getaway, doesn't start kicking ass and figuring out everything like some sort of Nancy Drew on steroids. Instead she behaves the way most people would when suddenly faced with having to make choices that could end up getting her -- or other people -- killed. She's confused, ambivalent about what she should do and who, if anyone, she can trust,and (very sensibly) scared. Nothing in her life to date has prepared her for the situation she finds herself in and I enjoyed -- and believed -- Michelle's internal monologue/thought process as she tries to figure out what to do next.
The ending is, for me, highly satisfying (no spoilers), very believable, and leaves plenty of room for a sequel without feeling like it was designed to insure one. It does, however, instill a subliminal desire for margaritas.
"Ms. Brackmann has a knack of creating characters that have faced trauma in their lives and as a result have become somewhat indifferent or ambivalent; and placing them in situations that forces them to pull on inner reserves and strengths to deal with it."
Michelle, the heroine in Getaway, doesn't start kicking ass and figuring out everything like some sort of Nancy Drew on steroids. Instead she behaves the way most people would when suddenly faced with having to make choices that could end up getting her -- or other people -- killed. She's confused, ambivalent about what she should do and who, if anyone, she can trust,and (very sensibly) scared. Nothing in her life to date has prepared her for the situation she finds herself in and I enjoyed -- and believed -- Michelle's internal monologue/thought process as she tries to figure out what to do next.
The ending is, for me, highly satisfying (no spoilers), very believable, and leaves plenty of room for a sequel without feeling like it was designed to insure one. It does, however, instill a subliminal desire for margaritas.
April 24, 2012
I won this book as a Goodreads First Reads.
I have to say, this book was not my thing. The main female character was much too passive for my taste. I understood she was dealing with people in the drug trade in another country that she was not sure what they were capable of. Yes, that would be scary when you come from a life that has no prior experience with such people and situations...and not used to people turning up dead. My issue with Michelle (the main character) is she just let things happen to her and whined about it. Plus she was attracted to the shady guy that pulled her into this world. She ends up in Mexican jail, gets her life threatened, is forced to help a shady character spy on the shady guy she is attracted to, and she seemed more worried about if she should enter a relationship with said shady guy she had to spy on? That is her number one priority? Give me a break!
Because Michelle is passive the story drags despite the action to. I like my mystery/action stories to have active main characters that shape the plot even if outside things are forcing them to make decisions. The main character in this book just lets things happen to her and doesn't actively decide for herself when a situation occurs. She sits backs, whines, and lets it happen. Definitely not my favorite style of storytelling.
Though the book may not be for me, I am sure it will suit other people's tastes of action/mystery novels set in exotic locales. I suggest that if you like the blurb about what happens in the book that you give it a try and see if it is the book for you.
I have to say, this book was not my thing. The main female character was much too passive for my taste. I understood she was dealing with people in the drug trade in another country that she was not sure what they were capable of. Yes, that would be scary when you come from a life that has no prior experience with such people and situations...and not used to people turning up dead. My issue with Michelle (the main character) is she just let things happen to her and whined about it. Plus she was attracted to the shady guy that pulled her into this world. She ends up in Mexican jail, gets her life threatened, is forced to help a shady character spy on the shady guy she is attracted to, and she seemed more worried about if she should enter a relationship with said shady guy she had to spy on? That is her number one priority? Give me a break!
Because Michelle is passive the story drags despite the action to. I like my mystery/action stories to have active main characters that shape the plot even if outside things are forcing them to make decisions. The main character in this book just lets things happen to her and doesn't actively decide for herself when a situation occurs. She sits backs, whines, and lets it happen. Definitely not my favorite style of storytelling.
Though the book may not be for me, I am sure it will suit other people's tastes of action/mystery novels set in exotic locales. I suggest that if you like the blurb about what happens in the book that you give it a try and see if it is the book for you.
May 3, 2012
Michelle is widowed unexpectedly, amid the discovery that her husband lost all their money and she is left penniless. As a sort of last hurrah and the need to escape from her depressing reality, she decides to go to Vallarta, a trip already booked and paid for when he was alive, a vacation they were planning together.
Almost as soon as she arrives Michelle is embroiled in suspense and danger, careening from one awful experience to another at the hands of what appears to be the criminal underbelly of Vallarta's tourist scene. Fueled by margaritas she tries to understand what is happening to her, but Michelle really cannot tell who to trust and how to get out of a situation that is fast unravelling. Even the man she slept with on that first night, the victim of a mugging in their room, is starting to look like one of the bad guys, and the police who set her up are no help at all. They may even be at the bottom of all this.
There are those who would say, "this couldn't happen to me; I wouldn't be this passive", but I saw the main character as a reasonably intelligent, somewhat sheltered middle-class woman who is thrust into a nightmare that was conceivable and well constructed. The author answered each question that arose with a plausible explanation. Just when you thought she should be able to escape you could understand why not. Just when you thought she should be able to tell who she could trust, another curve ball was thrown. I found this second book from Lisa Brackmann to be a fast paced thriller I couldn't put down until the end.
Almost as soon as she arrives Michelle is embroiled in suspense and danger, careening from one awful experience to another at the hands of what appears to be the criminal underbelly of Vallarta's tourist scene. Fueled by margaritas she tries to understand what is happening to her, but Michelle really cannot tell who to trust and how to get out of a situation that is fast unravelling. Even the man she slept with on that first night, the victim of a mugging in their room, is starting to look like one of the bad guys, and the police who set her up are no help at all. They may even be at the bottom of all this.
There are those who would say, "this couldn't happen to me; I wouldn't be this passive", but I saw the main character as a reasonably intelligent, somewhat sheltered middle-class woman who is thrust into a nightmare that was conceivable and well constructed. The author answered each question that arose with a plausible explanation. Just when you thought she should be able to escape you could understand why not. Just when you thought she should be able to tell who she could trust, another curve ball was thrown. I found this second book from Lisa Brackmann to be a fast paced thriller I couldn't put down until the end.
April 19, 2012
After rocking us with Rock Paper Tiger, Lisa Brackmann has done it again, this time taking us to Puerta Vallarta, where our heroine Michelle finds herself trapped by forces beyond her control. It's a tourist's worse nightmare, being pulled over by the local police and thrown in jail for no reason. Things only get worse after that, as she is sucked into Mexico's world of drug trafficking and crime, including murder. The scene where she sees for herself what these criminals are capable of was delightfully scary. As with Rock Paper Tiger, the book takes unexpected twists and turns and introduces a host of colorful characters, most of them not very likable. At first Michelle comes across as rather self-absorbed and not entirely lovable, but we soon feel sympathetic to her plight, which actually began before she arrived in Puerta Vallarta.
Sometimes I wanted to yell at Michelle, because she wasn't doing what I would have done in a similar situation. But then, people in desperate situations do desperate things. In her eyes she had little choice (you'll have to read the book to know what I mean). All in all a terrific thriller, especially relevant at a time when the crimes of Mexican drug cartels are so much in the news.
Sometimes I wanted to yell at Michelle, because she wasn't doing what I would have done in a similar situation. But then, people in desperate situations do desperate things. In her eyes she had little choice (you'll have to read the book to know what I mean). All in all a terrific thriller, especially relevant at a time when the crimes of Mexican drug cartels are so much in the news.
March 3, 2013
This book was exciting until about page one hundred, when it became increasingly apparent that there was absolutely no plot for the poorly-developed characters to work with. My biggest frustration was with the main character, Michelle. Her character was barely-developed and whiny. There are a couple flashbacks thrown in that begin to explain Michelle's backstory, but you never get a true picture of who she is. I am not even convinced that the helpless Michelle would even take a vacation by herself in the first place, much less get herself embroiled in some threadbare drug smuggling plot. The plot spirals in on itself over and over; if you really want to read this book, read the first hundred pages and maybe the last twenty-- because nothing happens in between. This was a struggle to finish, and the ending was not worth the extra couple hours that I put into it. Two stars because this book had a lot of potential but fell flat for me.
February 8, 2012
The beginning was a little slow for me. I was afraid I wouldn't get into the book but I kept on going. I hated being being drug into the story and not given any information - like Michelle, but i totally understand the Author's point - Brilliant! My heart did not "race" until the trunk and beating at the dump to which I was thoroughly excited to see who it was, why it happened, and what was to come next. The last few pages put me back on my toes as I was expecting a relaxing ending that Michelle was getting back to her old life only to be spun around and waiting again! The ending wasn't what i was expecting exactly, but I do like how its left to the reader to make everything alright or get all crazy that something else happened in/to that plane! I would still recommend the story to anyone who likes adventures.
October 20, 2016
Compelling thriller of an average upper middle LA "housewife" pulled through the looking glass into the world of thrillers that one normally sees on a TV screen. Brackmann did a good of conveying Michelle's predicament and how hard it was to know what to believe and who to trust. Only negative was that it ended so abruptly that I was expecting a new chapter rather than the acknowledgments. Guess that means there'll be another book to pick up where it stopped?
January 2, 2012
This is a mystery which both women and men will definitely enjoy. The Mexican setting is fascinating and the author captures it perfectly. The plot revolving around the drug trade is timely. Plus I loved the everywoman heroine. I could really relate to her struggles and how she might find herself in such a situation.
July 15, 2012
This book is equivalent to a hung-over Sunday spent on the couch watching the latest thriller on lifetime. It's not exactly horrible and it's not exactly great. You keep on hoping for it to get better and you wait for a crazy, plot twist. Neither happens and before you know it...it's over.
April 12, 2023
Not a romance, not a thriller, a lukewarm
April 27, 2012
First Line: Michelle dropped the sarong she'd started to tie around her waist onto her lounge chair.
Michelle Mason needed to get away from her troubles for a while. Widowed a few months ago, she's been discovering just how secretive and inept a business person her late husband had been. The trip was already paid for, so a few days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico seemed in order. She'd relax, calm down, get her head on straight, and then return to Los Angeles to finish dealing with the mess.
Trouble is, a handsome man named Daniel approaches her on the beach, they hit it off, have a few margaritas, and Michelle thinks, "Why not?" That one little decision has the power to change the entire course of her life.
Later that night, someone breaks into Michelle's hotel room and assaults Daniel. Her cell phone and Daniel's get switched, and someone named Gary forces Michelle to spy on Daniel. From what little Michelle is able to piece together, this all involves drugs, the people who get rich from selling drugs, and their hired hands who think nothing of torturing and killing to get what they want. She knows she's in danger but quickly learns that running isn't an option-- or she's going to wind up in the Puerto Vallarta garbage dump.
This book is fast-paced and pulled me right in although I did have a difficult time warming up to Michelle. During the first part of the book, she's a typical consumer housewife, used to spending her days having lunch with the girls and buying the latest fashions. When I talk about sunglasses, I refer to them as sunglasses. When I talk about my purse, I call it a purse, and when I step into a pair of shoes, I have this annoying tendency to call them shoes. Michelle refers to them by their designer labels. She and I don't inhabit the same planet.
Besides her designer leanings, Michelle is used to the protection normally accorded to a woman married to a man of means and living in a big house in a large affluent American city. It's almost as if she's forgotten how to think for herself or how to survive without all the labels. When she first comes into contact with a corrupt Mexican police officer, she's completely unprepared, and she has absolutely no chance of getting past a villain like Gary.
And can she trust Daniel-- someone who seems to be involved in all this drug stuff up to his pearly white teeth? It takes her a while to realize that she is really fighting for her very life, and once she knows the real score, and begins to reason things out and to try to fight back, Getaway really takes off. Michelle doesn't turn into Lara Croft or Wonder Woman or Mrs. Peel, but she finds her backbone, and it's a glorious thing to watch. (I think I even cheered a time or two.)
Getaway may be listed as a thriller, and it does have all the action and fast pace of one. What's unexpected and completely refreshing is the fact that it is also an in-depth character study of a woman caught up in bizarre circumstances who's forced to fight for her survival when there's no one else she can trust.
Michelle Mason needed to get away from her troubles for a while. Widowed a few months ago, she's been discovering just how secretive and inept a business person her late husband had been. The trip was already paid for, so a few days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico seemed in order. She'd relax, calm down, get her head on straight, and then return to Los Angeles to finish dealing with the mess.
Trouble is, a handsome man named Daniel approaches her on the beach, they hit it off, have a few margaritas, and Michelle thinks, "Why not?" That one little decision has the power to change the entire course of her life.
Later that night, someone breaks into Michelle's hotel room and assaults Daniel. Her cell phone and Daniel's get switched, and someone named Gary forces Michelle to spy on Daniel. From what little Michelle is able to piece together, this all involves drugs, the people who get rich from selling drugs, and their hired hands who think nothing of torturing and killing to get what they want. She knows she's in danger but quickly learns that running isn't an option-- or she's going to wind up in the Puerto Vallarta garbage dump.
This book is fast-paced and pulled me right in although I did have a difficult time warming up to Michelle. During the first part of the book, she's a typical consumer housewife, used to spending her days having lunch with the girls and buying the latest fashions. When I talk about sunglasses, I refer to them as sunglasses. When I talk about my purse, I call it a purse, and when I step into a pair of shoes, I have this annoying tendency to call them shoes. Michelle refers to them by their designer labels. She and I don't inhabit the same planet.
Besides her designer leanings, Michelle is used to the protection normally accorded to a woman married to a man of means and living in a big house in a large affluent American city. It's almost as if she's forgotten how to think for herself or how to survive without all the labels. When she first comes into contact with a corrupt Mexican police officer, she's completely unprepared, and she has absolutely no chance of getting past a villain like Gary.
And can she trust Daniel-- someone who seems to be involved in all this drug stuff up to his pearly white teeth? It takes her a while to realize that she is really fighting for her very life, and once she knows the real score, and begins to reason things out and to try to fight back, Getaway really takes off. Michelle doesn't turn into Lara Croft or Wonder Woman or Mrs. Peel, but she finds her backbone, and it's a glorious thing to watch. (I think I even cheered a time or two.)
Getaway may be listed as a thriller, and it does have all the action and fast pace of one. What's unexpected and completely refreshing is the fact that it is also an in-depth character study of a woman caught up in bizarre circumstances who's forced to fight for her survival when there's no one else she can trust.
May 26, 2012
This isn’t a bad book, but it’s a potboiler nonetheless, like a meaningless action film with guns, violence, booze, and women, and no storyline whatsoever. Good for a quick read on a commuter train, but not worth spending too much money on.
Michelle Mason is on a holiday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her rich husband has recently passed away, leaving her in debt, and she dreads going back to the US. She meets Daniel on the beach, and they spend a rather awkward night together: she is weepy and he might be annoyed. In the dead of night, their hotel room is broken into and Daniel is beaten up. Michelle thinks it is a mere robbery, but when she is arrested for a tiny packet of cocaine in her bag and she cannot return to the US, she realises she has been caught up in something dangerous. Gary, a baby-faced American resident, asks her to spy on Daniel in return for debt repayment, and Michelle doesn’t have a choice because she cannot leave Mexico. She doesn’t know who is bad: Daniel or Gary, or both.
What makes this book less thrilling is that there are no hooks, except for when Michelle is arrested. There is no gradual revelation or disclosure of new information. It’s just Michelle wondering if she can ever escape, a couple of people getting killed, and Michelle wondering if she can ever escape. She has been told that no one is reliable in Mexico—everyone is involved in drug trade.
The subtle hints at the possibility of CIA involvement in narcotics trade could have been developed better. The characters are not dynamic, not even Michelle. I think Brackmann could have played with her character a lot; there is no backstory, but there are implications that Michelle is a young gold digger who did not quite expect her husband to die so soon or leave her in debt. There is also a possibility that she is not a gold digger because while she was married, she was faithful to her husband. There could have been more stories about cartels; what are the chances that you get caught up in drug trade but don’t run into cartels? But then, Getaway is a thriller, and thrillers are not obliged to talk about characters.
I have heard mixed reviews of Lisa Brackmann’s Rock, Paper, Tiger, and I am willing to give it a shot because Brackmann seems to have the potential to be a dangerously good writer. She attributes a kind of sensuousness to Puerto Vallarta that you can feel, and if it weren’t for the plot, I would have highly recommended this book.
Michelle Mason is on a holiday in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her rich husband has recently passed away, leaving her in debt, and she dreads going back to the US. She meets Daniel on the beach, and they spend a rather awkward night together: she is weepy and he might be annoyed. In the dead of night, their hotel room is broken into and Daniel is beaten up. Michelle thinks it is a mere robbery, but when she is arrested for a tiny packet of cocaine in her bag and she cannot return to the US, she realises she has been caught up in something dangerous. Gary, a baby-faced American resident, asks her to spy on Daniel in return for debt repayment, and Michelle doesn’t have a choice because she cannot leave Mexico. She doesn’t know who is bad: Daniel or Gary, or both.
What makes this book less thrilling is that there are no hooks, except for when Michelle is arrested. There is no gradual revelation or disclosure of new information. It’s just Michelle wondering if she can ever escape, a couple of people getting killed, and Michelle wondering if she can ever escape. She has been told that no one is reliable in Mexico—everyone is involved in drug trade.
The subtle hints at the possibility of CIA involvement in narcotics trade could have been developed better. The characters are not dynamic, not even Michelle. I think Brackmann could have played with her character a lot; there is no backstory, but there are implications that Michelle is a young gold digger who did not quite expect her husband to die so soon or leave her in debt. There is also a possibility that she is not a gold digger because while she was married, she was faithful to her husband. There could have been more stories about cartels; what are the chances that you get caught up in drug trade but don’t run into cartels? But then, Getaway is a thriller, and thrillers are not obliged to talk about characters.
I have heard mixed reviews of Lisa Brackmann’s Rock, Paper, Tiger, and I am willing to give it a shot because Brackmann seems to have the potential to be a dangerously good writer. She attributes a kind of sensuousness to Puerto Vallarta that you can feel, and if it weren’t for the plot, I would have highly recommended this book.
April 1, 2012
This is another great Lisa Brackmann thriller with a strong female lead. I'm not sure what the official name is for books that combine current events with a fast-paced mystery plot, but it's something Brackmann does well. I thought of LeCarre and Graham Greene at times while reading. The difference is that the female character drives the plot-- and she's no femme fatale, super spy, or two-dimensional "type." She's an ordinary woman with a conscience and with believable problems, which is very refreshing.
Brackmann's first, "Rock Paper Tiger," incorporated a lot of diverse themes: Chinese history and politics; the Chinese art scene and censorship thereof; American hypocrisy during the Iraq war; the thorny issue of torture and US involvement in ... well in things it doesn't seem like the US should really be involved in. It was good stuff, and Brackmann created a narrator who was believably naive while also being pretty smart.
By comparison, "Getaway" has a simpler theme (Mexican drug cartels, and the US's involvement with them) and, dare I say it, a simpler heroine! The sole drawback of the book (which is really well-paced and speedy and interesting) is that there were times when I just wanted to sit the main character down and give her some basic safety tips. Don't send the cab away, it's after midnight! Don't get into a stranger's car! If there are an unusual number of flies buzzing around the door to the empty apartment where the door is ajar, don't go in!!! Trust me, something gross is in there!!
That said, if the narrator were as cautious as I'd have been under similar circumstances, the plot would have consisted of a round of margaritas, the application of sunscreen, and a really long argument at the passport office. In short, I liked the book and I enjoy the way Brackmann crafts a good fast-paced plot without trivializing the issues and current events she weaves into it. Brackmann never takes an easy out regarding US involvement in Mexican drug wars, but doesn't come off as preachy or depressing, either. It's a good read.
One last caveat: This book will make you crave margaritas like mad!
Brackmann's first, "Rock Paper Tiger," incorporated a lot of diverse themes: Chinese history and politics; the Chinese art scene and censorship thereof; American hypocrisy during the Iraq war; the thorny issue of torture and US involvement in ... well in things it doesn't seem like the US should really be involved in. It was good stuff, and Brackmann created a narrator who was believably naive while also being pretty smart.
By comparison, "Getaway" has a simpler theme (Mexican drug cartels, and the US's involvement with them) and, dare I say it, a simpler heroine! The sole drawback of the book (which is really well-paced and speedy and interesting) is that there were times when I just wanted to sit the main character down and give her some basic safety tips. Don't send the cab away, it's after midnight! Don't get into a stranger's car! If there are an unusual number of flies buzzing around the door to the empty apartment where the door is ajar, don't go in!!! Trust me, something gross is in there!!
That said, if the narrator were as cautious as I'd have been under similar circumstances, the plot would have consisted of a round of margaritas, the application of sunscreen, and a really long argument at the passport office. In short, I liked the book and I enjoy the way Brackmann crafts a good fast-paced plot without trivializing the issues and current events she weaves into it. Brackmann never takes an easy out regarding US involvement in Mexican drug wars, but doesn't come off as preachy or depressing, either. It's a good read.
One last caveat: This book will make you crave margaritas like mad!
April 1, 2012
Michelle Mason is at a crossroads in her life after the recent death of her husband. In order to recuperate and gain some perspective, she takes a trip to Puerto Vallarta where she soon meets local American Danny and finds herself caught amidst a mystery fraught with danger.
This was an enjoyable story, but something about it fell a little flat. I think it was the character development. This is one of those suspenseful stories that keeps you guessing, and you really have no idea who to trust. Unfortunately this leads to characters that aren't very well developed, in order to assure that you don't really know who they are or whether they can be trusted. This created characters that I found mostly one-dimensional.
And there were moments that were alluded to, but never revealed further, leaving me wondering what was happening behind scenes. Or a minor detail that seemed a focus of attention which I thought would lead to something, but it never did, so I would be left wondering why such focus was put on that little detail? Was it purposeful, to throw me off?
This was very easy to read without bogging down the story with overly descriptive text. However in the first 100 pages there were too many slow moments, which would lead to me losing focus.
My final word: While many of the ancillary characters orbiting around the central storyline seemed a little flat and one-dimensional, I enjoyed the guessing game of "what next?" with this story. I never really connected with Michelle, I wanted Danny to have more charisma, and some characters had so little impact that I almost wondered why they were included at all. Too many storylines were left open-ended, so I was left with too many questions after it was all over. This was a good "light" read that will keep you guessing, even after the story is over. I'd give it about 3 and 3/4 stars!
This was an enjoyable story, but something about it fell a little flat. I think it was the character development. This is one of those suspenseful stories that keeps you guessing, and you really have no idea who to trust. Unfortunately this leads to characters that aren't very well developed, in order to assure that you don't really know who they are or whether they can be trusted. This created characters that I found mostly one-dimensional.
And there were moments that were alluded to, but never revealed further, leaving me wondering what was happening behind scenes. Or a minor detail that seemed a focus of attention which I thought would lead to something, but it never did, so I would be left wondering why such focus was put on that little detail? Was it purposeful, to throw me off?
This was very easy to read without bogging down the story with overly descriptive text. However in the first 100 pages there were too many slow moments, which would lead to me losing focus.
My final word: While many of the ancillary characters orbiting around the central storyline seemed a little flat and one-dimensional, I enjoyed the guessing game of "what next?" with this story. I never really connected with Michelle, I wanted Danny to have more charisma, and some characters had so little impact that I almost wondered why they were included at all. Too many storylines were left open-ended, so I was left with too many questions after it was all over. This was a good "light" read that will keep you guessing, even after the story is over. I'd give it about 3 and 3/4 stars!
February 12, 2012
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was looking forward to reading a new author, new to me anyway. The story had a weird start for me, but after the second or third chapter I was starting to get interested in the characters. This story is set in exotic Puerto Vallarta. The book opens with the main character Michelle Mason on vacation, a vacation that was planned before her lying, cheat of a husband conveniently dies of a heart attack, leaving her bankrupt. Michelle immediately gets in over her head. She meets a man named Daniel and things just head down hill from there. Among the increasing threats, drug trafficking and police corruption the lonely and confused Michelle is an all too easy target when no one is who they seem. The story line moves along at a fast pace and kept getting more intriguing with each person Michelle met. It seemed that no matter what she tried she was trapped and didn't have much control over the direction that her life has taken.
This book is crammed with action and intrigue as Michelle is constantly thrust into impossible situations with no visible way out but to follow along. Her life depends upon her following along.
I really enjoyed this book until the cliff-hanger ending. With all the build up of the book I was hoping for a nice well rounded ending. But it would seem that the author plans on making a sequel, or I hope that's the case and they don't just leave us hanging. The book ended in way that Lisa could make more books with Michelle as the main character, this character is quirky and likable enough to pull off a series I think.
This book is crammed with action and intrigue as Michelle is constantly thrust into impossible situations with no visible way out but to follow along. Her life depends upon her following along.
I really enjoyed this book until the cliff-hanger ending. With all the build up of the book I was hoping for a nice well rounded ending. But it would seem that the author plans on making a sequel, or I hope that's the case and they don't just leave us hanging. The book ended in way that Lisa could make more books with Michelle as the main character, this character is quirky and likable enough to pull off a series I think.
January 29, 2013
What kind of trouble can a single girl on vacation by herself get into? This is the challenge “Getaway” reveals. I found this story to be very engaging, one that kept my imagination in over drive throughout the pages.
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta
After the unexpected death of her husband, Michelle Mason needs a change of pace to reset her outlook on life. A trip to the beautiful Mexican Beach resort of Puerto Vallarta could be the ultimate solution to her grieving process.
One day while walking the beach, she meets a striking young man and consequently falls head over heels for Daniel. Later in her hotel room, her dream date turns into her next nightmare when someone breaks in and beat the living ….out of him right in front of her eyes. Days later her predicament escalates when on her way to visit Daniel she is stopped at a police road- block and is accused of being part of a drug trafficking ring. To further seal her fate, Daniel’s friend Gary comes to her rescue, he is a rescuer with an agenda that will eventually draw her deeper into the underworld of drug trafficking. She quickly realizes her only hope of survival is to play the game and try to outsmart her handlers.
This story is adrenaline packed and a lot of fun to read even with its dark side. It is heavily flavoured with sex, violence, some humour and a lot of drinking and drugs. The mood and the gritty prose go a long way in creating the atmosphere, the suspense and the excitement seems endless as the protagonist tries to claw her way out of one predicament after another. This mystery offers not only an exotic and colourful setting but plenty of intrigue to captivate us throughout. A good read all around.
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta
After the unexpected death of her husband, Michelle Mason needs a change of pace to reset her outlook on life. A trip to the beautiful Mexican Beach resort of Puerto Vallarta could be the ultimate solution to her grieving process.
One day while walking the beach, she meets a striking young man and consequently falls head over heels for Daniel. Later in her hotel room, her dream date turns into her next nightmare when someone breaks in and beat the living ….out of him right in front of her eyes. Days later her predicament escalates when on her way to visit Daniel she is stopped at a police road- block and is accused of being part of a drug trafficking ring. To further seal her fate, Daniel’s friend Gary comes to her rescue, he is a rescuer with an agenda that will eventually draw her deeper into the underworld of drug trafficking. She quickly realizes her only hope of survival is to play the game and try to outsmart her handlers.
This story is adrenaline packed and a lot of fun to read even with its dark side. It is heavily flavoured with sex, violence, some humour and a lot of drinking and drugs. The mood and the gritty prose go a long way in creating the atmosphere, the suspense and the excitement seems endless as the protagonist tries to claw her way out of one predicament after another. This mystery offers not only an exotic and colourful setting but plenty of intrigue to captivate us throughout. A good read all around.
February 15, 2013
Getaway is one of those books that make you more than a little afraid of going on vacation. This is not the sort of thriller where a casual vacationer morphs into a kickass hero by book's end, but one where an average American falls down a drug cartel rabbit hole after a series of poor decisions, and is lucky to escape with her life.
There is an absolute realism to the settings and the people in Getaway that left me feeling sure that if I went to Puerto Vallarta I would find an ex-pats' summit meeting at some beach bar and, if I made friends with the wrong people, I might find myself stuffed in the trunk of a car, about to be made an example of.
If I found myself muttering, "No, Michelle, don't do it!" at certain points, it was only because an aura of menace permeates the whole book. As readers, we so often like to think we're smarter or would have a better response than the characters we read about. Getaway is a reminder that reasonably intelligent people regularly plummet out of their depth into dangerous situations. Just watch the news.
The ending is deliciously noir, with enough uncertainty to guarantee that anything could happen on the way into that sunset. Sequel in the making?
There is an absolute realism to the settings and the people in Getaway that left me feeling sure that if I went to Puerto Vallarta I would find an ex-pats' summit meeting at some beach bar and, if I made friends with the wrong people, I might find myself stuffed in the trunk of a car, about to be made an example of.
If I found myself muttering, "No, Michelle, don't do it!" at certain points, it was only because an aura of menace permeates the whole book. As readers, we so often like to think we're smarter or would have a better response than the characters we read about. Getaway is a reminder that reasonably intelligent people regularly plummet out of their depth into dangerous situations. Just watch the news.
The ending is deliciously noir, with enough uncertainty to guarantee that anything could happen on the way into that sunset. Sequel in the making?
May 9, 2012
Okay, I've decided that I really like this author. I gave Rock Paper Tiger three stars but was leaning heavily towards four. On this book I have no doubts. It's a page turner all the way.
Like in Rock Paper Tiger, the female protagonist often makes me want to reach into the pages and shake her. Put down that drink and THINK, for cryin' out loud! It was that feeling of frustration that caused me to hand out the three stars for the first book. The protagonist in Getaway is a little better, to my thinking.
Both books have marvelous locales, the first in China, this one in Mexico. Both books end in a way that had me turning the page to read more before realizing that I'd come to the end. I rather like that feeling.
Ms. Brackmann writes in her acknowledgments that "Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful, culturally vibrant city, with great restaurants, beaches and scenery, and I would not hesitate to vacation there any time." I'm sure she's right. Still, with everything you hear on the news lately about the warring cartels and now, reading this (fiction) book, I think I'll be staying home for a bit.
Like in Rock Paper Tiger, the female protagonist often makes me want to reach into the pages and shake her. Put down that drink and THINK, for cryin' out loud! It was that feeling of frustration that caused me to hand out the three stars for the first book. The protagonist in Getaway is a little better, to my thinking.
Both books have marvelous locales, the first in China, this one in Mexico. Both books end in a way that had me turning the page to read more before realizing that I'd come to the end. I rather like that feeling.
Ms. Brackmann writes in her acknowledgments that "Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful, culturally vibrant city, with great restaurants, beaches and scenery, and I would not hesitate to vacation there any time." I'm sure she's right. Still, with everything you hear on the news lately about the warring cartels and now, reading this (fiction) book, I think I'll be staying home for a bit.
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