Toe The Line

by Dick Hannah

In Toe the Line, small business owner and triathlete, Wynn Johnston, finds his ordered, predictable life thrown into turmoil when his training and business partner, Wheeler, is murdered in the seemingly safe confines of the Seattle airport. As Wynn begins to dig into Wheeler’s past he finds out that his best friend was involved in a racing conspiracy that puts Wynn’s business and his life in danger. Wheeler’s murder forces Wynn to confront deceptive fellow racers, the potential bankruptcy of his business, and past loves he thought long dead, all while avoiding the murderer who is hunting him across Seattle.Filled with deep and engaging characters, scenic descriptions of the Pacific Northwest, and a female main character who is the impetus behind the action, this novel provides both male and female readers with an intriguing, well-rounded, fast-paced mystery and a glimpse into the world of triathlon racing.

258 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2012

About the author

Imagine Dick Francis listing toward adventure races instead of horse racing, or Diane Mott Davidson writing about triathlons in lieu of catering. With a background in adventure races including competing in the Army Best Ranger Competition Dick Hannah provides a fresh voice and real world glimpse into the world of adventure racing and fitness in his thriller novels.

Prior to starting his writing career he spent four years as a Ranger team leader and continues to stay sharp by working as a fitness consultant at a fitness boot camp. When not racing or writing, Dick works full-time as technical writer, business analyst and trainer.

Dick followed up Toe the Line, his first full-length novel, in 2013 with On the Edge. He has already started on his third thriller, Vapor Trail, which he plans to release in 2014.

Reviews

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The review was posted originally on my blog {Dive} Under the Cover.

Ok, I'll be honest here, since that's what this blog is all about. This wasn't my type of book. I wasn't sure when I started reading it, but I plowed through it regardless. While I didn't care for the story, I still wanted to know "who done it", if you will.

I will start with this, I am a total "judge the book by it's cover" kind of girl. I always have been, and this, to me, just isn't a great cover. Sure, the bright green is eye catching, but that's about all it does for me. The cover is just the beginning of the book, and even bad ones can hold great stories and vice versa. My point is this, if I hadn't been contacted by the author to review it I wouldn't have looked twice at this book because of the lackluster cover.

Here are some things that I did like about the book. I loved that it's set in Seattle. I love that city, so I will read just about anything set there, because I just enjoy the description of it so much. I was not let down in this regard at all, the setting and descriptions were done very well. I think that the story had great potential and the mystery of it did intrigue me, but it seemed to just fall flat at some point.

I didn't care for Wynn as the main character, he was missing something. He was really flat and emotionless to me. At first I thought it was just his character, but I didn't really connect to any of the characters in the book. I did like Harvey, but that was somewhat diminished by the fact that Wynn was always questioning him and his motives. I didn't think that Madison was particularly likable either. She was flaky, like she didn't know what she wanted most of the time. She was hot and cold throughout the book, she never seemed to be on middle ground. As sad as this is to say, I think I liked the dogs more than most of the people in the book and I am NOT an animal person!

There were inconsistencies that bothered me too. I never did really figure out whether Wheeler was shot or stabbed. I am positive that they mention getting a gun past airport security, then later say he was stabbed. There are several other instances where one or the other is mentioned. There were also a lot of typo's and errors, so it's possible that was one of the errors that wasn't corrected. Regardless, there is nothing that will take me out of a story faster than continual inconsistencies.

I get that this was a story with a triathlon theme, but there seemed to be WAY more focus on the intricacies of the sport and not enough focus on the actual plot. There was a lot of story and character building left undone in my opinion. I didn't care that Wynn was unemotional about Wheeler's death, because not enough was put into either character to make me care about them. I wanted to know who killed him, but only for the sake of knowing, if that makes any sense. It wasn't because I cared about him.

There was a lot going on in the book that, with more planning and development, could have resulted in a really great story. This is where it all just fell short for me. I didn't care about the sport they promoted, it really would have been better as part of the back story. The main focus, in my opinion, should have been on Wheeler's cooked books, mob like connections, money laundering, etc... and using this to find his murderer. I was lost in the details of a sport that didn't really interest me at all.

[Leah (White Sky Project) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not really leave a big impression, but it was entertaining enough. Although there was enough suspense and mystery in the story, the book lacked something. For some reason I did not love any of the characters (except for the two golden retrievers squee!). Wynn was frustrating, Madison the ex-fiancee was a tad bit pushy and annoying, the two detectives were weak and rude. I don't know, maybe I just wasn't in the right mood when I read this book. However, I did like that the real bad dudes weren't revealed until the end. At least there was a bit of excitement even with the characters I couldn't like. I also appreciated the bits about marathons and triathlons. Wynn's business included organizing runs and a bit was mentioned about the things needed to set up a race such as race shirts, sponsors, printing of stuff like route maps and what not. There were also a few scenes where Wynn and Madison worked out by running, biking or swimming. At least I appreciated those bits in the book.

If you're a true fan of whodunnit novels or if you just want a quick and easy mystery, you might enjoy this book.

I received a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligations. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Blog post here.

[Sage Adderley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wynn Johnston is a small business owner who actively participates in triathlons. He finds himself caught up in a homicide investigation after his best friend and business partner, Brian Wheeler, is murdered at the Sea-Tac Airport. As Wynn attempts to prove his innocence, a story unravels about his best friend and business that leaves Wynn feeling trapped, confused, and helpless. In the midst of all the madness, Wynn finds himself rekindling a romance with his ex-fiancé, Madison, that he felt was lost long ago. While Wynn slowly uncovers the truth behind Wheeler’s murder, his life is put into jeopardy.

For someone who has no interest in sports, I found myself completely wrapped up in this mystery that surrounded various triathletes. Dick Hannah has an inviting writer's voice that captures your attention with his description of the characters and Pacific Northwest setting. Toe The Line is a suspenseful story that had me wondering who the guilty party was the entire time. I was fond of the main character, Wynn Johnston who juggled a plethora of nightmares and reacted to each one in a way that I found believable. I feel Hannah included just enough romance, thrills, murder, and athletic talk to make this novel a great read.

[Laura Besley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pacy novel is a modern day whodunnit starring Wynn Johnston and his ex-fiancée, Madison, who are trying to find out who killed Wynn's friend and business partner, Wheeler. Along with trying to track down Wheeler's killer, there are business complications due to having to stay in Seattle (when his business is in Austin) and added to that are the feelings Wynn has for Madison.