What do you think?
Rate this book
Emma Price #1
The One That Got Away
After being betrayed by her husband, former investigator for the Capital Defender's Office and mother-to-be Emma Price is forced to go back to work and must discover the reasons behind a teenage girl's murderous rampage with the help of a streetwise detective. Reprint.
- GenresMystery
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2001
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 25, 2014
RATING: 3.25
Loretta Picard is one of those apathetic young people that you'd like to shake when you meet her. She's got an attitude, she doesn't care about much and worst of all, she wants to brag about the things that she's done wrong. When two police officers are shot, Loretta freely admits that she was the perpetrator, participates in media events where she basically pleads guilty and doesn't seem to much care about what happens to her in the future.
The State of New York has to defend Loretta, as hopeless as that may seem. The lead defense attorney hires an investigator who has proven her worth in the past, a woman by the name of Emma Price, to see if there is anything that she can dig up to help defend Loretta. Emma has plenty of problems of her own. Her husband, Will, has just dumped her, leaving her to raise their 10-year-old son on her own. And she has just discovered that she is pregnant by Will, definitely not a cause for celebrating.
If all of that weren't enough to make life difficult, there is another murder, one that hits closer to home. The victim is Emma's babysitter, a young woman by the name of Beatriz Castillo who had a magical relationship with Emma's son, Liam. As might be expected, Liam begins to act out, having to handle the break-up of his parents' marriage as well as the loss of Beatriz.
The detective on the case is Laurence Solomon. Although this is not quite an amateur sleuth book, since Emma is an investigator, it often feels that way as she parcels out information to the police and gets into things that would better have been handled by the professionals. Solomon and Emma are attracted to one another, although Emma is naturally wary of any involvement. Although Rand tried to depict the relationship as something deep and meaningful, it much came across as sexual and shallow. The first time that Solomon touches Emma, he is grabbing her breast, not quite the usual approach of someone who is thinking that this is a person that they may love.
Rand fell down on some of the little things that make a book rise above average for the reader by doing things such as forcing the love relationship and allowing Emma to go beyond her limits in investigating the murders. There were some other murders that were supposed to be linked to the main ones in the book, but I felt that was a stretch, one that resulted in a resolution that made me feel manipulated. This is Rand's first book, and she definitely shows a lot of promise. The book was well paced and readable. The workings of the various relationships were presented believably. Rand is definitely a writer to watch in the future.
Loretta Picard is one of those apathetic young people that you'd like to shake when you meet her. She's got an attitude, she doesn't care about much and worst of all, she wants to brag about the things that she's done wrong. When two police officers are shot, Loretta freely admits that she was the perpetrator, participates in media events where she basically pleads guilty and doesn't seem to much care about what happens to her in the future.
The State of New York has to defend Loretta, as hopeless as that may seem. The lead defense attorney hires an investigator who has proven her worth in the past, a woman by the name of Emma Price, to see if there is anything that she can dig up to help defend Loretta. Emma has plenty of problems of her own. Her husband, Will, has just dumped her, leaving her to raise their 10-year-old son on her own. And she has just discovered that she is pregnant by Will, definitely not a cause for celebrating.
If all of that weren't enough to make life difficult, there is another murder, one that hits closer to home. The victim is Emma's babysitter, a young woman by the name of Beatriz Castillo who had a magical relationship with Emma's son, Liam. As might be expected, Liam begins to act out, having to handle the break-up of his parents' marriage as well as the loss of Beatriz.
The detective on the case is Laurence Solomon. Although this is not quite an amateur sleuth book, since Emma is an investigator, it often feels that way as she parcels out information to the police and gets into things that would better have been handled by the professionals. Solomon and Emma are attracted to one another, although Emma is naturally wary of any involvement. Although Rand tried to depict the relationship as something deep and meaningful, it much came across as sexual and shallow. The first time that Solomon touches Emma, he is grabbing her breast, not quite the usual approach of someone who is thinking that this is a person that they may love.
Rand fell down on some of the little things that make a book rise above average for the reader by doing things such as forcing the love relationship and allowing Emma to go beyond her limits in investigating the murders. There were some other murders that were supposed to be linked to the main ones in the book, but I felt that was a stretch, one that resulted in a resolution that made me feel manipulated. This is Rand's first book, and she definitely shows a lot of promise. The book was well paced and readable. The workings of the various relationships were presented believably. Rand is definitely a writer to watch in the future.
October 14, 2009
I would actually give this 3.5 stars but I'll round up.
Despite a clunky (in my opinion) beginning this was a very good read. The mystery is interesting, the characters are complex & well drawn, and the writing is well done. The main character, Emma Price, could be the woman next door. She's an everyday woman- an ex criminal investigator who finds herself back doing criminal investigating due to the failure of her marriage. I found her and the story to be very realistic and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Despite a clunky (in my opinion) beginning this was a very good read. The mystery is interesting, the characters are complex & well drawn, and the writing is well done. The main character, Emma Price, could be the woman next door. She's an everyday woman- an ex criminal investigator who finds herself back doing criminal investigating due to the failure of her marriage. I found her and the story to be very realistic and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
September 5, 2011
While unpacking, I found this stack of books that I have been putting off reading for a while. I thought I would get started on them. If only so I can read them and then Give them away to DI when done.
This was the first one. Meh. It was written in 2001, and it was like a long episode of some generic cop drama.
Glad I can check it off my list.
This was the first one. Meh. It was written in 2001, and it was like a long episode of some generic cop drama.
Glad I can check it off my list.
March 29, 2011
unsatisfying ending, a bit disjointed at times
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews