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Alex Sedaka #1
You Think You Know Me Pretty Well
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS "MERCY" - A race against time to save a man on Death Row after he has refused an offer of clemency.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
80 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
David Kessler
19 books39 followersI was born in the UK and grew up on a council estate in central London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 10, 2021
Kurgu iyi, güzeldi de anlatimdan mı yoksa çeviriden mi kaynaklı rahatsız edici bir tuhaflık, tutukluk vardı bazı yerlerde 🤔
Bu arada "ne olduğu" çok çabuk anlaşılıyor.
Bu arada "ne olduğu" çok çabuk anlaşılıyor.
June 15, 2010
My latest - and best - thriller. About a lawyer whose death row client is due to be executed in 15 hours.
June 5, 2016
Uzun zamandır polisiye roman okumuyordum. En geçen sene okumuştum. Neyse kitabı baya sevdim. Kısaca konusundan bahsetmem gerekirse avukat Alex Sedaka müvekkili olan Clayton Burrow'u 15 saat içinde suçsuz olduğunu ispatlayamazsa idam edilecek. Kitap resmen 404 sayfada 2 gün geçiyor saati saatine. Bir ara geçmişe gidiyor ama. Burrow, lise hayatında Dorothy adlı kıza çok zorbalık yapmıştır ve cinayet delilleri de onu göstermektedir. Ama Burrow o kadar delil olmasına karşın hala Dorothy öldürmediğini iddaa eder. Alex bir sürü çok somut olmasa da valiye savcıya delilleri sunsa da bunlar kabul edilmez. Son sayfasına kadar heyecan doluydu. Ama saati saatine olmasaydı daha güzel olurdu. Sonunu çok tahmin ettim ama burnumun dibindekini görememişim. Kitaplığımda baya duran bir kitaptı. Keşke bekletmeseydim. Polisiye roman sevenlere öneririm.
May 12, 2012
Slow to start , but just like the time ticking on the upcoming execution the story seemed to pick up pace . I loved that the chapters were actually the time moving towards the 12:01 A.M deadline and as Clayton Burrows faces death , the characters become more alive . Half way into the book you cannot put it down and the ending ...OMG , the ending ;-)
October 12, 2012
There are novels that have twists and turns, and then there are novels that throw you around so violently that you're not quite sure which end is up. This book falls into the latter category. I always find that I tend to figure out the ending of most books about halfway through. This book left me staring at the computer screen, slack-jawed, when I read the final page. All of my conceived notions about what was going to happen in the book and what had happened in the case presented in the book were only about 25% accurate, which made the reading all the better! I highly recommend this book!
January 20, 2022
Cool!
Mercy is a crime/legal thriller about a client scheduled to be killed in 15 hours. Annoyingly, the case isn't as simple as that.
It's written by small-time author David Kessler, but I'd say the narrative and story are enviable contenders to Grisham and Connelly.
I found myself really gripped by the story, with the chapters split into timeframes of a few minutes at a time. With the chapters being short and ending on cliffhangers, it honestly made it pretty hard to put down, which very few other books have down to me.
And what a twist at the end! I was not expecting that in the slightest.
I'd be really willing to continue with the Alex Sedaka series. But the Goodreads page for Mr. Kessler is sort of a mess, and I've got no idea which ones of his books were physically published, so...
One can hope, right?
Mercy is a crime/legal thriller about a client scheduled to be killed in 15 hours. Annoyingly, the case isn't as simple as that.
It's written by small-time author David Kessler, but I'd say the narrative and story are enviable contenders to Grisham and Connelly.
I found myself really gripped by the story, with the chapters split into timeframes of a few minutes at a time. With the chapters being short and ending on cliffhangers, it honestly made it pretty hard to put down, which very few other books have down to me.
And what a twist at the end! I was not expecting that in the slightest.
I'd be really willing to continue with the Alex Sedaka series. But the Goodreads page for Mr. Kessler is sort of a mess, and I've got no idea which ones of his books were physically published, so...
One can hope, right?
July 16, 2012
This book is so fast-paced and compulsively readable that before you even know it, half your day is gone and you're almost done with it! The writing is smooth and engaging. The pacing is excellent. The twists are non-stop and really original and brilliant. Even veteran thriller readers won't see these plot twists coming and yet when they're revealed, they make perfect sense. That's a difficult thing for a writer to pull off but Kessler does it absolutely effortlessly!
August 20, 2014
I really wanted to like this more, but in the end it was just OK. I never guess the bad guy in thrillers, but in this book I guessed it all so early that I was disappointed when there was no other twist. I liked the minute by minute format, but it seemed that there was quite a lot of recap about what each character was doing which could have been left out.
January 9, 2016
With only 15 hours to save his client from execution on death row this books jumps straight into the action. Trying to gather new evidence to prove his client's innocence takes you on a roller coaster ride. A great bunch of characters you can get behind, writing that carries you along step by step and with a quirky and eye opening twist at the end. Entertaining read.
September 20, 2012
This book was free on my kindle so wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. Let me say I couldn't put it down! Love when I get to the end of a book and what I expect to happen doesn't. Also enjoyed the short chapters which made it easy to read whenever I had time.
June 18, 2013
The accused is on mercy. Several mysteries are unfolding, but the lawyer does not have time on his side. It is like each second counts....and then, its a whirlwind of events that end in something zzzzz....oh yes, even though I was not looking I found copy editing errors :|
August 4, 2015
If I could have given this book a few more stars, I would have gladly done so. A real page turner, fast paced and tightly wrapped, this book kept me enthralled till the very end. I simply could not put it down. One of the few books which stay with you long after the last page has been turned.
July 16, 2011
Enjoyable,fast-paced thriller, easy to read but I could see how it was going to end pretty early on.
May 2, 2014
Enjoyed this book - actually figured it out all the way until the last "revelation".
November 18, 2015
good book, never expected ending
December 9, 2019
Mercy, 15 Hours: an Alex Sedaka #1 Thriller by David Kessler is an intriguing story. I gave it four stars.
"It's hard to sit still when your client is scheduled to die in fifteen hours." This was the hook that caught my attention and kept it.
Alex Sedaka is an attorney contacting the governor for a pardon for his client's life. He points out that the governor has the power to make a difference.
I received a complimentary copy from Amazon. This did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/15-Hours-David...
"It's hard to sit still when your client is scheduled to die in fifteen hours." This was the hook that caught my attention and kept it.
Alex Sedaka is an attorney contacting the governor for a pardon for his client's life. He points out that the governor has the power to make a difference.
I received a complimentary copy from Amazon. This did not change my opinion for this review.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/15-Hours-David...
Read
December 22, 2019What a wild ride
Alex is an attorney who gets a case last minute for a man about to be executed. He, his assistant Juanita and attorney intern, Nat scramble to save the life of Clayton Barrow. This book is intense from the start and doesn't slow down.
Do they manage to save Clayton? Did he murder Dorothy Olsen? What other skeletons fall out of the closet while these legal eagles do their darndest to save their client? Read and find out.
Alex is an attorney who gets a case last minute for a man about to be executed. He, his assistant Juanita and attorney intern, Nat scramble to save the life of Clayton Barrow. This book is intense from the start and doesn't slow down.
Do they manage to save Clayton? Did he murder Dorothy Olsen? What other skeletons fall out of the closet while these legal eagles do their darndest to save their client? Read and find out.
August 7, 2020
No way out
A riveting book with many twist and turns! Kept me in suspense even to the end, as I longed to know if my own assumptions were correct! Enjoyed reading ‘No Way Out’ and truly sometimes there isn’t!
A riveting book with many twist and turns! Kept me in suspense even to the end, as I longed to know if my own assumptions were correct! Enjoyed reading ‘No Way Out’ and truly sometimes there isn’t!
May 13, 2017
heyecanlı bir kitaptı, film izler gibi okudum. okudukça da ali'ye anlattım, o da arkası yarın gibi dinledi. tabii, kitabın çok edebi bir yanı yok.
July 23, 2017
really enjoyed this book. a very gripping story
June 13, 2018
Great Book
Great storyline. Many twists and turns. Would recommend to others. Started out slow but the pace picked up quickly. David Kessler is a great author.
Great storyline. Many twists and turns. Would recommend to others. Started out slow but the pace picked up quickly. David Kessler is a great author.
August 2, 2022
Couldn't put it down!
May 9, 2023
So many twists and turns in this. Didn't see the ending at all.
September 28, 2012
Das Cover der deutschen Ausgabe lässt schon erahnen, dass man gerne Parallelen zur TV Serie “24” ziehen möchte. Der Vergleich ist durchaus berechtigt, denn auch “15 Stunden” spielt sich quasi in Echtzeit ab. Über jedem Abschnitt steht die Uhrzeit, die Handlung wird geradeaus erzählt. Jeder Handlungsstrang wird einzeln erzählt, es gibt nie Zusammenfassungen. Diese Art des Erzählens hat den riesigen Vorteil, dass sich nach und nach eine enorme Spannung aufbaut und man als Leser die Zeitnot geradezu spüren kann. Es gibt allerdings auch einen kleinen Nachteil. Wenn man das Buch zur Seite legt und am nächsten Tag weiterliest, braucht man erst einmal einige Zeit um wieder richtig gefesselt zu sein. Dieser Nachteil löst sich aber zum Ende hin in Luft auf, denn man kommt gar nicht mehr auf die Idee das Buch wegzulegen. So habe ich die letzten 200 Seiten in einem Rutsch gelesen.
Vordergründig geht es bei “15 Stunden” natürlich um die Frage, ob Alex seinen Mandanten vor der Giftspritze retten kann. Aber das ist lang nicht alles. Nach und nach lernt man immer mehr über das Leben von Dorothy kennen und merkt, dass da einiges im argen lag. Ihr jüngerer Bruder Jonathan scheint seine Schwester über Gebühr angehimmelt zu haben, zu ihrer Mutter Dorothy hatte sie ein vollkommen zerrüttetes Verhältnis und der Vater spielte auch keine positive Rolle in ihrem Leben.
Dem Leser beschleicht immer mehr das Gefühl, dass Burrows unschuldig sein könnte. Trotzdem fällt es einem schwer mit ihm zu fiebern und zu leiden, da er früher wirklich ein großes Arschloch war. Man will allerdings wissen was damals wirklich passiert ist und wie es dazu kommen konnte. Daher ist es auch kein Beinbruch, dass man nach einem Drittel des Buches weiß, ob Clayton der Täter war oder nicht.
Mich persönlich hat das Buch gefesselt. Auf Grund der Erzählart gab es mehrere Situationen, in denen ich am liebsten in meinen Kobo Reader gebissen hätte, weil es so spannend wurde. Ein Beispiel dafür ist die Szene in der Juanita, die Mitarbeiterin des Anwalts, auf ein Fax wartet. Der Leser weiß, dass dieses Fax ganz entscheidende Beweise enthält. Wir lesen wie das Fax von der Absenderin ins Faxgerät gesteckt wird, dann wechselt die Handlung zu Juanita, bei der das Faxgerät schellt. Dann fehlt Papier im Faxgerät usw. Kaum zum Aushalten, denn auch der Leser will wissen, was genau denn nun auf dem Fax steht.
Die Auflösung des gesamten Falls ist gut durchdacht und bedeutet für geübte Thriller und Krimi Freunde keine echte Überraschung, denn nach etwa Zweidrittel des Buches kann man sich zumindest ungefähr denken, wie der Hase so läuft.
Nur eine Frage bleibt offen, auch wenn die wahrlich nicht wichtig ist. Aber trotzdem würde ich gerne wissen, warum man aus dem amerikanischen Original-Titel “Mercy” (Gnade) den deutschen Titel “15 Stunden” machte. Wahrscheinlich wirklich um “24” als Anreiz zu nutzen.
Unter dem Strich bleibt ein verdammt spannender und interessant geschriebener Thriller, den ich absolut weiterempfehlen kann (4,5 / 5)
Vordergründig geht es bei “15 Stunden” natürlich um die Frage, ob Alex seinen Mandanten vor der Giftspritze retten kann. Aber das ist lang nicht alles. Nach und nach lernt man immer mehr über das Leben von Dorothy kennen und merkt, dass da einiges im argen lag. Ihr jüngerer Bruder Jonathan scheint seine Schwester über Gebühr angehimmelt zu haben, zu ihrer Mutter Dorothy hatte sie ein vollkommen zerrüttetes Verhältnis und der Vater spielte auch keine positive Rolle in ihrem Leben.
Dem Leser beschleicht immer mehr das Gefühl, dass Burrows unschuldig sein könnte. Trotzdem fällt es einem schwer mit ihm zu fiebern und zu leiden, da er früher wirklich ein großes Arschloch war. Man will allerdings wissen was damals wirklich passiert ist und wie es dazu kommen konnte. Daher ist es auch kein Beinbruch, dass man nach einem Drittel des Buches weiß, ob Clayton der Täter war oder nicht.
Mich persönlich hat das Buch gefesselt. Auf Grund der Erzählart gab es mehrere Situationen, in denen ich am liebsten in meinen Kobo Reader gebissen hätte, weil es so spannend wurde. Ein Beispiel dafür ist die Szene in der Juanita, die Mitarbeiterin des Anwalts, auf ein Fax wartet. Der Leser weiß, dass dieses Fax ganz entscheidende Beweise enthält. Wir lesen wie das Fax von der Absenderin ins Faxgerät gesteckt wird, dann wechselt die Handlung zu Juanita, bei der das Faxgerät schellt. Dann fehlt Papier im Faxgerät usw. Kaum zum Aushalten, denn auch der Leser will wissen, was genau denn nun auf dem Fax steht.
Die Auflösung des gesamten Falls ist gut durchdacht und bedeutet für geübte Thriller und Krimi Freunde keine echte Überraschung, denn nach etwa Zweidrittel des Buches kann man sich zumindest ungefähr denken, wie der Hase so läuft.
Nur eine Frage bleibt offen, auch wenn die wahrlich nicht wichtig ist. Aber trotzdem würde ich gerne wissen, warum man aus dem amerikanischen Original-Titel “Mercy” (Gnade) den deutschen Titel “15 Stunden” machte. Wahrscheinlich wirklich um “24” als Anreiz zu nutzen.
Unter dem Strich bleibt ein verdammt spannender und interessant geschriebener Thriller, den ich absolut weiterempfehlen kann (4,5 / 5)
November 22, 2012
This was the best free Kindle download I've read yet. The story was gripping with one unexpected twist after another. Even though I was able to solve a couple of the mysteries fairly early on, I was still left totally in awe from the surprise on the last page. I really enjoyed this movie and will look up more Alex Sedaka stories. The only disappointment was the inclusion of some foul language. It seemed odd that the author felt the need to throw profanity in to only a chapter or two about a third of the way through the book and then leave it out for the rest of the story. I would have preferred it been left out altogether.
September 28, 2012
A man has been wrongly accused of murdering a girl he tormented during high school. Alex Sedaka, a lawyer, has only become his lawyer in the past few weeks. With the help of his secretary, who is a law student and an intern he is racing the clock to try to raise enough doubts about his client's guilt to delay his execution. As he tries to prove his client's innocence he uncovers new information around every corner. This book is well written and keeps you turning the pages. I didn't figure out what had happened until a few pages before the author disclosed it. A mystery well done.
March 20, 2012
This book was a freebie on Amazon. I mostly get freebies and use my library for books I want to read but arne't willing to shell out the expensive $$ for them.
The book surprised me at how well it was written and how fast-paced it was. I loved the plot even though I sort of figured out some of the mystery to it. I even liked how Kessler used a timeline to move the story forward. My first book by this author, but certainly not my last!
The book surprised me at how well it was written and how fast-paced it was. I loved the plot even though I sort of figured out some of the mystery to it. I even liked how Kessler used a timeline to move the story forward. My first book by this author, but certainly not my last!
September 13, 2012
A man accused of murder, and on death row, of a woman whose body can not be found. Lawyers tirelessly try to beat the clock to unravel the truth that was never previously uncovered. Every chapter reveals new enlightenment. Despite the authors long winded road to get there, one has an urgency to skip drawn out sections of the text to get to the climax in order to not lose the impact of the story.
September 13, 2015
This is a very mediocre book. The storyline had potential and some of the time it was gripping, but the writing is stilted, the grammar just that little bit off and the people unconvincing. It's a book that tries too hard. I gave it 3 stars because the suspense was real and it had me eager to find out what happened even as I was getting more uncomfortable with the writing.
I won't bother to read the other two books in this series.
I won't bother to read the other two books in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews