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Desperate
Brimming with suspense and unrelenting twists, acclaimed author Daniel Palmer's latest thriller delves into the waking nightmare of a well meaning couple whose biggest--and most ordinary--dream has gone terrifyingly awry. . .Gage Dekker still blames himself for the car accident that claimed the lives of his first wife and young son. Then he meets Anna, who understands grief all too well. Within a year, Gage and Anna are married, his career is thriving, and both feel ready to become parents once more.
After a heartbreaking miscarriage, they begin the long adoption process, until fate brings Lily into their lives. Young, pregnant, and homeless, Lily agrees to give her baby to Gage and Anna in exchange for financial support. It's the perfect arrangement for everyone. Seeing his wife's happiness and optimism for their new life and child, Gage begins to feel a sense of hope he thought he'd lost forever.
But something isn't right once Lily enters their lives. At work and at home, Gage is being sabotaged, first in subtle ways, then things take a more sinister turn. Every attempt he makes to uncover the truth only drives a wedge between him and Anna. Even as he's propelled toward an unthinkable choice to save his marriage and his job, Gage discovers that the most chilling revelations are still to come. . .
330 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2014
251 people are currently reading
1918 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Palmer
15 books548 followersDANIEL PALMER is the author of four critically-acclaimed suspense novels. After receiving his master’s degree from Boston University, he spent a decade as an e-commerce pioneer. A recording artist, accomplished blues harmonica player, and lifelong Red Sox fan, Daniel lives in New Hampshire with his wife and two children where he is currently at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 274 reviews
July 3, 2014
Totally disappointing!
This book started out great as a very quick read but then the plot became so convoluted that it became almost ridiculous which led to a definite drop in interest level. It is very hard to enjoy a story that is so blatantly unbelievable. Extremely unlikeable characters combined with a bizarre and unrealistic story line add up to a waste of time.
This book started out great as a very quick read but then the plot became so convoluted that it became almost ridiculous which led to a definite drop in interest level. It is very hard to enjoy a story that is so blatantly unbelievable. Extremely unlikeable characters combined with a bizarre and unrealistic story line add up to a waste of time.
June 7, 2014
Palmer really knocked one out of the park with this one. A couple looking to adopt take in a homeless young lady, who happens to be pregnant, with hopes of adopting her baby. Can you see anything that may go wrong here? I really won't say anymore about the story. It would be like describing a wonderful scenic route with lots of curves and twists in the road. And I feel that perhaps if you are interested you should just take the drive yourself to experience the ride. I love the way that Palmer cracks at about page 150 and gives the reader that moment when they think they just may have figured it out. This could not be a more wrong assumption. And Palmer keeps twisting and turning things right to the end. Great read for those looking to loose a few hours of sleep with a book that just makes time dissolve.
February 12, 2022
I was rereading some of Daniel Palmer's earlier books, and my Goodreads friend, Jayne, suggested that I read Desperate, one of her favorites (thanks, Jayne!) Although far-fetched at times, there were so many thrills and twists and turns, I really didn't mind, and got caught up in the story right away. The last third of the book was a roller coaster ride-just when I thought I had it figured out, the author hit me with one shocker after another. The book also deals with the emotional issues of grief, adoption, and drug dependence. A suspenseful, complicated page-turner that was worth a second read.
June 29, 2014
Audiobook Review
1 Star
In 12 hours and 11 minutes of Peter Berkrot's moaning, breathless narration of "Desperate," you'll experience a 2 hour B-Minus LifeTime movie. 12 hours of my life wasted. Palmer has successfully lifted every lame plot from bad Compulsive Wannabe Mom Needs a Baby stories, knits it together (with a lot of dropped stitches) with a long con job, and comes out with a horrible mess of story.
Gage and Anna Dekker are newly weds with tragic pasts: both had children die under horrid circumstances. They want another child, but Anna miscarries. They decide to adopt. They find a pregnant homeless girl on a bus stop crying because her boyfriend threw her out. They decide to give her a home and adopt her baby, with little if any background investigation. Smart, right?
Gage is a Quality Assurance Manager for a high-tech battery firm. Anna is a Business Consultant to Retail. Both should be very diligent about checking into the woman's and father's background, genetics, etc., but they behave incredibly stupidly. Until Lilly's deadbeat criminal boyfriend moves in. Then things get really dicey. Gage gets conned into pulling off a job with 'Roy' and is sucked into a criminal enterprise.
At any given point in this story where a homeless pregnant girl was considered as a direct-adoption candidate, a full medical and background check would have been done. At any given point in this story where things became possibly criminal, any normal human would have called the police. But noooo - two successful business people who have jobs in industries that require detail and diligence in facts - none is done, so the idiotic story can continue.
Much of the dialogue is Gage bemoaning the loss of his son, and giving moment by moment narrative of his innermost feelings, then repeating it. This wasted about 50% of the story.
I gave Palmer the benefit of the doubt and listened to the entire disaster. Believe it or not, the last few chapters were actually like an action/thriller, but even those were poorly thought through.
Daniel Palmer must have watched too much bad television as a kid. It should been a 2-hour seen once and forgotten made-for-TV movie. And now, the coup de grâce -- If Michael Palmer, Author of repute, was not his father, he'd never get his name in ink on anything.
Re The Narrator: Peter Berkrot should stick to horror. He's great in that genre. The only thing horror about this story is this story.
1 Star
In 12 hours and 11 minutes of Peter Berkrot's moaning, breathless narration of "Desperate," you'll experience a 2 hour B-Minus LifeTime movie. 12 hours of my life wasted. Palmer has successfully lifted every lame plot from bad Compulsive Wannabe Mom Needs a Baby stories, knits it together (with a lot of dropped stitches) with a long con job, and comes out with a horrible mess of story.
Gage and Anna Dekker are newly weds with tragic pasts: both had children die under horrid circumstances. They want another child, but Anna miscarries. They decide to adopt. They find a pregnant homeless girl on a bus stop crying because her boyfriend threw her out. They decide to give her a home and adopt her baby, with little if any background investigation. Smart, right?
Gage is a Quality Assurance Manager for a high-tech battery firm. Anna is a Business Consultant to Retail. Both should be very diligent about checking into the woman's and father's background, genetics, etc., but they behave incredibly stupidly. Until Lilly's deadbeat criminal boyfriend moves in. Then things get really dicey. Gage gets conned into pulling off a job with 'Roy' and is sucked into a criminal enterprise.
At any given point in this story where a homeless pregnant girl was considered as a direct-adoption candidate, a full medical and background check would have been done. At any given point in this story where things became possibly criminal, any normal human would have called the police. But noooo - two successful business people who have jobs in industries that require detail and diligence in facts - none is done, so the idiotic story can continue.
Much of the dialogue is Gage bemoaning the loss of his son, and giving moment by moment narrative of his innermost feelings, then repeating it. This wasted about 50% of the story.
I gave Palmer the benefit of the doubt and listened to the entire disaster. Believe it or not, the last few chapters were actually like an action/thriller, but even those were poorly thought through.
Daniel Palmer must have watched too much bad television as a kid. It should been a 2-hour seen once and forgotten made-for-TV movie. And now, the coup de grâce -- If Michael Palmer, Author of repute, was not his father, he'd never get his name in ink on anything.
Re The Narrator: Peter Berkrot should stick to horror. He's great in that genre. The only thing horror about this story is this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2014
I literally couldn't put this book down. I thought the concept may have been over played, but then the twists came in. Highly enjoyed. The only downfall I can really mention is that the only character I really liked was the husband.
not-for-me
August 29, 2022I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting - a psychological thriller of sorts. I have to say, I wasn't completely drawn in right from the start, but I did enjoy trying to figure out if the main character was just losing his grip on reality or if something more sinister was at play.
The story began to lose me when the main character began to make really strange decisions for a middle-class, suburban, quality assurance manager (chapter 32, to be exact). I hung on until an absolutely absurd scene (Chapter 42, to be exact), and then just skimmed until the end and a totally ridiculous non-conclusion (Chapter 64, to be exact).
While the initial story was interesting, I didn't buy the plot twists and I didn't care or even particularly like any of the characters (except maybe the plumber). I am obviously in the minority of people who didn't like this book, but I am OK with that. I didn't even particularly care for the audio version (too much growl).
I can count on two hands the number of books I've started and never finished. I'm one of THOSE people. I can count on one FINGER the number of books I've invested reading way more than halfway through before giving up. Congratulations, Daniel Palmer!
The story began to lose me when the main character began to make really strange decisions for a middle-class, suburban, quality assurance manager (chapter 32, to be exact). I hung on until an absolutely absurd scene (Chapter 42, to be exact), and then just skimmed until the end and a totally ridiculous non-conclusion (Chapter 64, to be exact).
While the initial story was interesting, I didn't buy the plot twists and I didn't care or even particularly like any of the characters (except maybe the plumber). I am obviously in the minority of people who didn't like this book, but I am OK with that. I didn't even particularly care for the audio version (too much growl).
I can count on two hands the number of books I've started and never finished. I'm one of THOSE people. I can count on one FINGER the number of books I've invested reading way more than halfway through before giving up. Congratulations, Daniel Palmer!
March 29, 2015
WOW! not sure where to start, as DESPERATE has so many twists and turns, you are not prepared for what comes next, and more importantly questioning each person (are they real, fake, an illusion)? What is true and what is a lie? A skillfully crafted mystery filled with suspense and intrigue!
First, Daniel Palmer knows how to create a plot(s). For there to be a story, something has to move or change from point A to B. DESPERATE was A to B and back ten times. An intense page-turner you cannot put down-- utterly unpredictable! One obstacle after another. Readers may think this read another Hand That Rocks the Cradle; however, so much more-drug dealers, murder, and corporate espionage.
Secondly, Peter Berkrot, the narrator of the audiobook was outstanding---his voice was the perfect match for this chilling thriller. Buy the audiobook-you will not be disappointed!
DESPERATE: Feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad, as to be impossible to deal with. An act or attempt— tried in despair, or when everything else has failed; having little hope of success. Extremely bad, serious, or dangerous. (Adjectives describing this entire book).
The main character Gage, blames himself for the car accident that claimed the lives of his first wife and his seven-year-old son, Max. He is on Adderall, and yes, addicted (a drug for ADD) — even though he does not have ADD – it helps him put his grief aside, in order to concentrate. (loved his sarcasm)
Gage Dekker works at Lithio Systems, a maker of lithium-ion batteries in Waltham, Mass., doing quality assurance for a revolutionary new product. The loss of his seven-year-old son and first wife to a drunk driver still haunts him, but he’s tried to move on with a new spouse, Anna, a self employed management consultant.
Gage meets Anna at the grief support group and shortly thereafter they marry, as they both bond over their grief. She yearns for a child as she lost her son, Kevin (from a rare blood disease), and they are not able to have a baby--so they begin a long adoption process.
In walks Lily—young pregnant, and homeless (so convenient). She says her boyfriend does not want the baby, and kicked her out. Gage and Anna offer her an apartment in their home, and take her under their wing, offering financial support. She agrees to let them adopt the baby. The truth behind Lily’s offer is both complex and logical--hold on to your seat, as you get ready for the ride of your life!
However, Lily does not care for Gage, and the set-up begins, making him look bad in front of Anna. He feels there is something wrong with this woman, and begins suspecting her and questioning every move as things go missing. He senses danger; however, his wife is so happy, as she feels fate has brought them their much wanted baby.
Gage brings in his best friend, Brad (plumber)—loved this guy; to check out Lily’s aurora. His friend says he does not see anything. (Brady continues to connect Gage with his son, Max from the great beyond—he possesses powers, sensing someone’s energy, presence and the ability to see possible negative energy).
For some reason Gage is being sabotaged – not only at home, but work. Things go missing, and he knows Lily is behind it. This girl is pure evil; however, Anna likes her. Anna continues to tell him to get a grip, as she does not want him to scare away their means for this baby. It is as though Lily wants to come between Gage and his wife. Even Anna’s crazy mom with dementia, says she knows this girl?
Then her crazy ex-con boyfriend, Roy shows up as the evil plan heats up! Gage thinks he understands what they want – they need money, because Roy says no one will hire him since he is an ex-con (armed robbery). However, Brad does sense the darkness from Roy.
Gage wants to get rid of them, baby or not, at any cost. As Anna and Lily get closer, the more Gage is outraged – the more pills he pops. He wants to protect Anna from this lurking evil. When Lily’s boyfriend Roy demands money for them to leave, Gage does not have this kind of money ---so the blackmail begins with all sorts of planted evidence—a total set up. (these two are soooo bad).
Since he does not have the money, Roy wants Gage to assist with a drug bust. How far will Gage go, to hold on to his marriage and get rid of this nightmare? Murder? Trade secrets?
In the meantime, many weird things start happening at work, as well as home--the battery testing. Adam, Matt, and the entire team note a demo turned bad and they cannot determine what causes the fire.
Finally Gage realizes that someone sabotaged the demo, and when he learned who and why, he would use it to his advantage. What was the motive behind infiltrating into Gage’s life? Gage begins to think he is losing it. What will Anna say if he does manage to get rid of these two, and the baby she desires?
With his company’s financial state on the line, while trying to please his wife, Gage puts his morals and ethics aside to do what he has to do, when he learns Anna has been kidnapped. However, this is only the beginning.
When you think you have solved the mystery, Palmer pulls out another, and another twist, which makes you wonder how criminals seek their victims. How do they find a way into these lives and begin to destroy them piece by piece?
How deep does this go and how far does it expand? Was this a chance meeting or a planned scheme? I have never seen so many turns, continuing to the dramatic conclusion, for an enthralling mystery novel. Readers will be caught up in this devious web of deceit--every character is desperate in one way or another, and this desperation leads to mistakes. Will Gage be able to let go of his grief and addictions?
DESPERATE, told from Gage’s voice, offers readers an inside view into his fear, frustration, thoughts, and desperation. In a beguiling tale of deception and betrayal—where nothing is as straightforward as it appears to be.
Check out Palmer's latest upcoming May 2015 suspense thriller CONSTANT FEAR!
First, Daniel Palmer knows how to create a plot(s). For there to be a story, something has to move or change from point A to B. DESPERATE was A to B and back ten times. An intense page-turner you cannot put down-- utterly unpredictable! One obstacle after another. Readers may think this read another Hand That Rocks the Cradle; however, so much more-drug dealers, murder, and corporate espionage.
Secondly, Peter Berkrot, the narrator of the audiobook was outstanding---his voice was the perfect match for this chilling thriller. Buy the audiobook-you will not be disappointed!
DESPERATE: Feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad, as to be impossible to deal with. An act or attempt— tried in despair, or when everything else has failed; having little hope of success. Extremely bad, serious, or dangerous. (Adjectives describing this entire book).
The main character Gage, blames himself for the car accident that claimed the lives of his first wife and his seven-year-old son, Max. He is on Adderall, and yes, addicted (a drug for ADD) — even though he does not have ADD – it helps him put his grief aside, in order to concentrate. (loved his sarcasm)
Gage Dekker works at Lithio Systems, a maker of lithium-ion batteries in Waltham, Mass., doing quality assurance for a revolutionary new product. The loss of his seven-year-old son and first wife to a drunk driver still haunts him, but he’s tried to move on with a new spouse, Anna, a self employed management consultant.
Gage meets Anna at the grief support group and shortly thereafter they marry, as they both bond over their grief. She yearns for a child as she lost her son, Kevin (from a rare blood disease), and they are not able to have a baby--so they begin a long adoption process.
In walks Lily—young pregnant, and homeless (so convenient). She says her boyfriend does not want the baby, and kicked her out. Gage and Anna offer her an apartment in their home, and take her under their wing, offering financial support. She agrees to let them adopt the baby. The truth behind Lily’s offer is both complex and logical--hold on to your seat, as you get ready for the ride of your life!
However, Lily does not care for Gage, and the set-up begins, making him look bad in front of Anna. He feels there is something wrong with this woman, and begins suspecting her and questioning every move as things go missing. He senses danger; however, his wife is so happy, as she feels fate has brought them their much wanted baby.
Gage brings in his best friend, Brad (plumber)—loved this guy; to check out Lily’s aurora. His friend says he does not see anything. (Brady continues to connect Gage with his son, Max from the great beyond—he possesses powers, sensing someone’s energy, presence and the ability to see possible negative energy).
For some reason Gage is being sabotaged – not only at home, but work. Things go missing, and he knows Lily is behind it. This girl is pure evil; however, Anna likes her. Anna continues to tell him to get a grip, as she does not want him to scare away their means for this baby. It is as though Lily wants to come between Gage and his wife. Even Anna’s crazy mom with dementia, says she knows this girl?
Then her crazy ex-con boyfriend, Roy shows up as the evil plan heats up! Gage thinks he understands what they want – they need money, because Roy says no one will hire him since he is an ex-con (armed robbery). However, Brad does sense the darkness from Roy.
Gage wants to get rid of them, baby or not, at any cost. As Anna and Lily get closer, the more Gage is outraged – the more pills he pops. He wants to protect Anna from this lurking evil. When Lily’s boyfriend Roy demands money for them to leave, Gage does not have this kind of money ---so the blackmail begins with all sorts of planted evidence—a total set up. (these two are soooo bad).
Since he does not have the money, Roy wants Gage to assist with a drug bust. How far will Gage go, to hold on to his marriage and get rid of this nightmare? Murder? Trade secrets?
In the meantime, many weird things start happening at work, as well as home--the battery testing. Adam, Matt, and the entire team note a demo turned bad and they cannot determine what causes the fire.
Finally Gage realizes that someone sabotaged the demo, and when he learned who and why, he would use it to his advantage. What was the motive behind infiltrating into Gage’s life? Gage begins to think he is losing it. What will Anna say if he does manage to get rid of these two, and the baby she desires?
With his company’s financial state on the line, while trying to please his wife, Gage puts his morals and ethics aside to do what he has to do, when he learns Anna has been kidnapped. However, this is only the beginning.
When you think you have solved the mystery, Palmer pulls out another, and another twist, which makes you wonder how criminals seek their victims. How do they find a way into these lives and begin to destroy them piece by piece?
How deep does this go and how far does it expand? Was this a chance meeting or a planned scheme? I have never seen so many turns, continuing to the dramatic conclusion, for an enthralling mystery novel. Readers will be caught up in this devious web of deceit--every character is desperate in one way or another, and this desperation leads to mistakes. Will Gage be able to let go of his grief and addictions?
DESPERATE, told from Gage’s voice, offers readers an inside view into his fear, frustration, thoughts, and desperation. In a beguiling tale of deception and betrayal—where nothing is as straightforward as it appears to be.
Check out Palmer's latest upcoming May 2015 suspense thriller CONSTANT FEAR!
November 19, 2022
Ok, I don't know if it's fair to review a DNF, but lordy my head is about to explode. This audio book was killing me so I checked to see how much was left - I'm at 53% done with almost 6 hours remaining. Nope. If I stay with this book, then I would have no one to blame except myself. It started out good - two people who both suffered losses and found each other in a support group, unsuccessful attempts at having a child, a stray (pregnant) female who will give them her baby, the baby daddy AND AT THIS POINT I REALIZED I WAS LISTENING TO THE EQUIVALENT OF A VERY BAD LIFETIME MOVIE. I'm out.
July 13, 2014
Original review found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I'm not going to re-tell the story because the synopsis does a pretty good job of telling you what the book is about. I will say that this book took me by surprise. It starts with the introduction of Lily into the lives of Gaga and Anna. She seems to be the answer to their problems and a dream come true. It doesn't take long for the reader to realise that there is more to the story and that Lily isn't what she appears. Gage also begins to question the woman that seems to have miraculously appeared in their lives.
I found that I couldn't stop reading because I was dying to know what would happen next. There were so many twists and turns and they seemed to get bigger and gain more momentum as each page was turned. In all honesty, I couldn't see how it could possibly end well. I was nearing the end of the book and it was still gaining momentum to the point that I thought there would have to be a sequel. This book has a "Whoa" moment in it with a shocking twist that I did not see coming.
If I had to critique the story I would have to say that the characters were not as engaging and likeable as I would have liked. Although I wanted to know what happened to him next, I wasn't on the edge of my seat routing for him and the same goes for Anna.
Overall, this is a quick and easy read that will keep you guessing. The chapters are all short and if you are a "one more chapter" kind of person you will have it done in no time.
I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I'm not going to re-tell the story because the synopsis does a pretty good job of telling you what the book is about. I will say that this book took me by surprise. It starts with the introduction of Lily into the lives of Gaga and Anna. She seems to be the answer to their problems and a dream come true. It doesn't take long for the reader to realise that there is more to the story and that Lily isn't what she appears. Gage also begins to question the woman that seems to have miraculously appeared in their lives.
I found that I couldn't stop reading because I was dying to know what would happen next. There were so many twists and turns and they seemed to get bigger and gain more momentum as each page was turned. In all honesty, I couldn't see how it could possibly end well. I was nearing the end of the book and it was still gaining momentum to the point that I thought there would have to be a sequel. This book has a "Whoa" moment in it with a shocking twist that I did not see coming.
If I had to critique the story I would have to say that the characters were not as engaging and likeable as I would have liked. Although I wanted to know what happened to him next, I wasn't on the edge of my seat routing for him and the same goes for Anna.
Overall, this is a quick and easy read that will keep you guessing. The chapters are all short and if you are a "one more chapter" kind of person you will have it done in no time.
December 15, 2014
I hated this book. It was terrible. I felt like the author thought I was an idiot and needed to keep pointing things out for me. Mostly by having the character ask himself a million obvious questions inside his head. There was not one like-able character in the entire book. The main character is running around doing all these things in order to keep his wife, whom seems to be a nagging, horrible bitch. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
April 28, 2014
I received an ARC of this book from the author as a member of his street team. Right from the start I just knew something wasn't right with Lilly. But I never suspected it would end as it did. Another great book to sink into.
July 22, 2014
“Desperate” is riveting psychological thriller that will have your mind spinning from page one. Daniel Palmer has raised the bar for all who follow “Desperate.”
You will meet and become immersed in the lives of Gage and Anna Miller. Lives once fractured yet made whole through each other’s love and devotion. We learn that Gage and Anna met at a support group for people who suffered the loss of a child or spouse. Due to their perspective losses, they decide to adopt a child. As this unfolds, they meet a young woman who is down on her luck. Their outpouring of empathy comes back to them when Lily asks them to adopt her unborn child. For Anna and Gage it’s a dream come true—an answer to a prayer. Events soon occur that have Gage suspicious of Lily’s intention, but Anna thinks he is just having cold feet.
This backdrop to “Desperate” will have you second-guessing yourself throughout the novel as to whose intensions are pure and whose are tainted.
You will be spellbound by the tension that Daniel Palmer brings to life with the written word. You will flip-flop your allegiance between characters as you turn the page, and you will be astonished to see how things unfold. Not until the last page, will you fully grasp the depth of the characters and plot.
How well do you really know the people in your life? How far will you go for someone you love? How blurry is the line between right and wrong and how far will you push when push comes to shove?
These are just a few of the questions you will ask yourself as you read “Desperate.”
Grab a beverage and a comfortable chair because once you start reading, you will be desperate to continue. Daniel Palmer is the new king of the psychological thriller. Buckle up for a roller coaster of a ride!
Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, author of “Sin” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine
You will meet and become immersed in the lives of Gage and Anna Miller. Lives once fractured yet made whole through each other’s love and devotion. We learn that Gage and Anna met at a support group for people who suffered the loss of a child or spouse. Due to their perspective losses, they decide to adopt a child. As this unfolds, they meet a young woman who is down on her luck. Their outpouring of empathy comes back to them when Lily asks them to adopt her unborn child. For Anna and Gage it’s a dream come true—an answer to a prayer. Events soon occur that have Gage suspicious of Lily’s intention, but Anna thinks he is just having cold feet.
This backdrop to “Desperate” will have you second-guessing yourself throughout the novel as to whose intensions are pure and whose are tainted.
You will be spellbound by the tension that Daniel Palmer brings to life with the written word. You will flip-flop your allegiance between characters as you turn the page, and you will be astonished to see how things unfold. Not until the last page, will you fully grasp the depth of the characters and plot.
How well do you really know the people in your life? How far will you go for someone you love? How blurry is the line between right and wrong and how far will you push when push comes to shove?
These are just a few of the questions you will ask yourself as you read “Desperate.”
Grab a beverage and a comfortable chair because once you start reading, you will be desperate to continue. Daniel Palmer is the new king of the psychological thriller. Buckle up for a roller coaster of a ride!
Reviewed by J.M. LeDuc, author of “Sin” published by Suspense Publishing, an imprint of Suspense Magazine
May 23, 2014
This book had more twists and turns than a roller coaster. Something was off, though, not quite sure what. The editing? Something wasn't as polished as it should have been and about a zillion surprises towards the end. It speeded up like a coaster, too.
I'll read another book by this author to give him a fair shot. It had my attention at first and then it spun out...
I'll read another book by this author to give him a fair shot. It had my attention at first and then it spun out...
March 18, 2014
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. The plot had so many twists and turns that I got dizzy while reading this book. The characters are so complex as people yet you can relate to them.
July 5, 2014
Fantastic, fast-paced thrill ride. I read this book in the course of one day, and did not want to put it down. His writing style reminds me of Harlan Coben (another author I really love).
Definitely getting his other books right now!
Must-read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.
Definitely getting his other books right now!
Must-read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.
November 6, 2014
Having a willing suspension of disbelief helped here because Desperate went to Crazytown pretty fast and I found myself rolling my eyes over a lot of the events in this book. But, Palmer knows how to tell a story and the ending did surprise me, so that's why I'm going with three stars here.
Read
May 15, 2018Ty kokooos...od zaciatku som mala pocit ze ano, toto ma bude bavit. Nemylila som sa. Uz pocas citania som vedela ze k tejto knihe par slov napisem. A zvazovala som co. A ako. Citacia: "jsem borec!" Tuto citaciu som planovala pouzit.A napisat k nej ze Gage bol vsetko mozne len nie borec. Skor blbec. A ze by som ho fackala. A potom som zacala zapajat mozgove bunky a rozmyslat ako by som sa z toho jeho pruseru vyhrabala ja. Ano ja viem ze je to kniha, fikcia ale zazrala som sa do nej a tym padom som si i ja lamala hlavu nad vychodiskom. Asi by som sa priznala a dufala ze mi Anna uveri... Haha...😂
Haha a este raz haha 😂 blbec som spolu s Gagom aj ja. To som si uvedomila na konci.
Lebo to, ten zaver..ja neviem ci som fakt blba alebo nedomyslava alebo som to nechcela vidiet popredu ale citala soms otvorenymi ustami. Pre mna totalne prekvapko. Zmohla som sa len na horeuvedene ty kokso..
Tak skuste 😉
Haha a este raz haha 😂 blbec som spolu s Gagom aj ja. To som si uvedomila na konci.
Lebo to, ten zaver..ja neviem ci som fakt blba alebo nedomyslava alebo som to nechcela vidiet popredu ale citala soms otvorenymi ustami. Pre mna totalne prekvapko. Zmohla som sa len na horeuvedene ty kokso..
Tak skuste 😉
June 24, 2020
It was a quick and easy read. I knew really quickly into it that Anna was involved in the con. There were too many things wrong with the way they met, and the wedding without friends or family, and her lack of family or friends. It was cemented for me when her supposed mother with Alzheimers recognized Lily. It was also very obvious Lily wasn't pregnant. The whole thing was too perfect, but it was cemented in my mind as soon as she went for an ultrasound and made Anna sit in the car. I stayed in to see how it all ultimately fit together in the end. I wish it was a little more clear who exactly was going after Roy, Lily and Anna at the end: police or his disappointed client? It was highly suggestive it was the client, but then why leave Gage alone?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2017
I liked this book, but I wanted to like it more than I did. It's such a unique idea for a plot, and I thought it was executed well. However, I found a lot of characters so unlikeable that it turned me off to the book at times.
In literature, my favourite characters are the ones that aren't black and white. When you absolutely adore a character or absolutely despise them, it makes it an emotionally exhausting book. Personally, I don't enjoy that. Since there were so many characters that drove me nuts, it was hard for me to fully enjoy this book.
The plot is really interesting though and once it picks up (about halfway through the novel), it's quite exciting. The last half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending was great.
It was a solid thriller and I'd be interested in reading more from Daniel Palmer.
I received this book through the Goodreads FirstReads program.
In literature, my favourite characters are the ones that aren't black and white. When you absolutely adore a character or absolutely despise them, it makes it an emotionally exhausting book. Personally, I don't enjoy that. Since there were so many characters that drove me nuts, it was hard for me to fully enjoy this book.
The plot is really interesting though and once it picks up (about halfway through the novel), it's quite exciting. The last half of the book kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending was great.
It was a solid thriller and I'd be interested in reading more from Daniel Palmer.
I received this book through the Goodreads FirstReads program.
June 8, 2014
I saw this book referred to as the "man's Gone Girl". I don't think that's an accurate description, but it was good. Flowed well with suspense. I'll definitely read others by this author. Recommended.
September 28, 2015
Wow... excellent book! Lots of surprises here. It was tense and then I thought it was heading to predictability... but noooo... it was twisty and turns and I didn't realize what was happening until it happened! Highly recommend this book!
September 26, 2017
The first half of the book was really annoying me...it seemed way too far-fetched and the main character was a wuss. And how many times does the author have to mention Roy chewing his toothpick?? The second half of the book redeemed itself when the twists came in.
October 30, 2014
This book is a movie waiting to be made. Well-written, articulate and with a dose of real-life humor, Dan Palmer has pulled off a great book. Can't wait for the next one!
November 28, 2015
Really enjoyed this book! Couldn't put it down!
February 3, 2017
I didn't really enjoy reading this book. I read it so quickly so I could finish it.
May 22, 2017
If you love thrillers, you must read this! It's so twisty!
February 23, 2018
Great book. I didn’t want to put it down. Loved the twist. I think the characters were well developed and have added Daniel Palmer to my favorites list!
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October 3, 2018Wow, who are you? I can’t say more or I’ll give it all away.......great book. I was unsure until the end who I was in bed with!!!
November 6, 2019
I never saw that ending coming!
July 26, 2023
if it wasnt for the insane ending this wouldve been 2.5 stars
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