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Tessa Leoni #2
Touch & Go: A Novel
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2013)#1 New York Times bestseller Lisa Gardner, author of Catch Me and Love You More, returns with a heart-thumping thriller about what lurks behind the facade of a perfect family.
This is my family: Vanished without a trace…
Justin and Libby Denbe have the kind of life that looks good in the pages of a glossy magazine. A beautiful fifteen-year old daughter, Ashlyn. A gorgeous brownstone on a tree-lined street in Boston’s elite Back Bay neighborhood. A great marriage, admired by friends and family. A perfect life.
This is what I know: Pain has a flavor…
When investigator Tessa Leoni arrives at the crime scene in the Denbes’ home, she finds scuff marks on the floor and Taser confetti in the foyer. The family appears to have been abducted, with only a pile of their most personal possessions remaining behind. No witnesses, no ransom demands, no motive. Just an entire family, vanished without a trace.
This is what I fear: The worst is yet to come…
Tessa knows better than anyone that even the most perfect façades can hide the darkest secrets. Now she must race against the clock to uncover the Denbes’ innermost dealings, a complex tangle of friendships and betrayal, big business and small sacrifices. Who would want to kidnap such a perfect little family? And how far would such a person be willing to go?
This is the truth: Love, safety, family…it is all touch and go.
This is my family: Vanished without a trace…
Justin and Libby Denbe have the kind of life that looks good in the pages of a glossy magazine. A beautiful fifteen-year old daughter, Ashlyn. A gorgeous brownstone on a tree-lined street in Boston’s elite Back Bay neighborhood. A great marriage, admired by friends and family. A perfect life.
This is what I know: Pain has a flavor…
When investigator Tessa Leoni arrives at the crime scene in the Denbes’ home, she finds scuff marks on the floor and Taser confetti in the foyer. The family appears to have been abducted, with only a pile of their most personal possessions remaining behind. No witnesses, no ransom demands, no motive. Just an entire family, vanished without a trace.
This is what I fear: The worst is yet to come…
Tessa knows better than anyone that even the most perfect façades can hide the darkest secrets. Now she must race against the clock to uncover the Denbes’ innermost dealings, a complex tangle of friendships and betrayal, big business and small sacrifices. Who would want to kidnap such a perfect little family? And how far would such a person be willing to go?
This is the truth: Love, safety, family…it is all touch and go.
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First published February 1, 2013
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About the author
Lisa Gardner
81 books20.5k followersLisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,331 reviews
September 29, 2019
I've read quite a few books by Lisa Gardner and have really enjoyed them. As I read a lot of books from this genre I sometimes get the authors and the books they have written mixed up. I am forever getting Lisa Gardner and Lisa Jackson confused. In fact I think I was talking about this book the other day and gave the correct title but wrong author. Oops!
Many of Justin and Libby Denbe's friends and family think the Denbe's have the perfect life. Happy marriage, a beautiful teenage daughter, a beautiful house, and financial stability.
However, not everything is what it seems, and the entire family disappears without a trace.
Investigator Tessa Leoni is hired by Justin's company to find the Denbe family, to work along with the local police and the FBI. With virtually no evidence, no witnesses, and no ransom demands it seems like an impossible task. As Tessa investigates, the facade of the perfect family begins to crumble.
So many secrets....
Tessa Leoni is determined to find out what has happened to them. She knows that they don't have a lot of time...will they find them before it's too late?
Told in both first person and third person it took a little bit to get used to, but I got into the groove of it quite quickly. The story started out with a lot of action but I did find a few parts were a bit dragged out. However, I was still interested and fully invested in the characters and the story. This was a good thriller with many twists and turns that kept me guessing.
This is book #2 in the Tessa Leoni series. I also liked the first book in the series, "Love You More". As there is quite a bit of back story in regards to Tessa Leoni's life, readers may want to read "Love you More" first. However, the main story itself is new and very interesting so in my opinion it could still work as a stand-alone.
"This is the truth: Love, safety, family…it is all touch and go."
Many of Justin and Libby Denbe's friends and family think the Denbe's have the perfect life. Happy marriage, a beautiful teenage daughter, a beautiful house, and financial stability.
However, not everything is what it seems, and the entire family disappears without a trace.
Investigator Tessa Leoni is hired by Justin's company to find the Denbe family, to work along with the local police and the FBI. With virtually no evidence, no witnesses, and no ransom demands it seems like an impossible task. As Tessa investigates, the facade of the perfect family begins to crumble.
So many secrets....
Tessa Leoni is determined to find out what has happened to them. She knows that they don't have a lot of time...will they find them before it's too late?
Told in both first person and third person it took a little bit to get used to, but I got into the groove of it quite quickly. The story started out with a lot of action but I did find a few parts were a bit dragged out. However, I was still interested and fully invested in the characters and the story. This was a good thriller with many twists and turns that kept me guessing.
This is book #2 in the Tessa Leoni series. I also liked the first book in the series, "Love You More". As there is quite a bit of back story in regards to Tessa Leoni's life, readers may want to read "Love you More" first. However, the main story itself is new and very interesting so in my opinion it could still work as a stand-alone.
"This is the truth: Love, safety, family…it is all touch and go."
October 16, 2022
Mam za sobą już 11 książek Gardner i ta z pewnością najbardziej odstaje na tle innych. Nie do końca podobała mi się zagadka, a Tessa Leoni w roli pani detektyw nie do końca mnie przekonała. Ogólnie zakończenie było dobre, ale coś było nie tak.
June 29, 2023
Writing: meh for Lisa Gardner | Plot: cool but weighed down by meh storytelling/writing | Ending: LE DUH
Phat ass trigger warning: miscarriage, drug abuse
SYNOPSIS
The Denbes have it all... or do they? Tessa Leoni is hired to investigate the disappearance of this seemingly perfect Boston family.
MY OPINION
Yep. That's three Lisa Gardner's in a row. Me thinks I need to read a different author now 😂 Unfortunately, this was my least favourite of the trio. It wasn't the predictability that bothered me (I've read TOO many thrillers) but the length and repetitiveness had me wishing Z and his goons would kidnap me instead.
I'm shocked that this book was published in 2013 because it read like it was written in 1992. At one point, Doormat Libby wonders how Radar sent a video to the insurance company. She thinks it's email, but she's not a techie. Girl, did you just climb out of your time portal from 1852? Get a grip.
Honestly this read like Gardner was on a personal mission to 'humanize' chauvinist pigs. How many times did I need to be subjected to the phrase 'modern caveman' and 'alpha male' used with a positive connotation?? And the worst offense: Libby thinking OK YES, my husband cheated on me REPEATEDLY BUT he said he wouldn't let anyone hurt his family soooo #relationshipgoals am I right? No Libby, you're not. Now get your ass to the nearest rehab and set a good example for your daughter before she ends up like you, a downtrodden housewife with the spine AND common sense of a wet Great Value spaghetti noodle.
Oh and don't get me started about the pages and pages and pages of Libby getting her Martha Stewart on in the prison kitchen. The whole cinnamon bun scene was actually a crime against the art of cooking. NORMAL flour? No knead? No rise time? I know those bad boys came out looking like frisbees. And they took as long to prepare and bake as the pan-fried bacon? Were you using your own body heat to cook the bacon because that's the only way this could possibly work. Also, Libby, you're literally a drug addict, I don't think you need to be talking about how much sodium canned veggies have. This is literally the least of your worries. Your stomach has basically been burned to a crisp by the 10 Vicodins a day you've been taking. Again, I'm begging you to get a grip.
And last stop on the Tour de Repetitiveness we have Libby lamenting about the state of her marriage, how her father couldn't wear a helmet, how she felt bad for taking pills, and somehow still fawning over Justin. Dude had the ladies dickmatized. I guess money talks because no way a regular guy could smash after wearing construction boots on a date that involved a high-end restaurant and multiple courses. Multiple red cards. Lifetime coochie ban.
Anyways, this plot could've been GREAT but it was too damn long and too damn repetitive. Swap out Libby with godforsaken DD and it would've made for a more intense read. Libby's "it's so tough being rich" vibes really watered down the plot. La poo. Oh well, as they say (not Libby though, she's a ride or die): all good things come to an end.
PS. Idk why this is tagged as being part of the DD Warren series. She makes a small cameo at the very beginning and it's not even from her pov.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: great mystery
Cons: poor execution, subpar writing, way too long, too much time spent on insignificant details and Wyatt's love for wood, Tessa Leoni was flat, Libby was lame
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
Phat ass trigger warning: miscarriage, drug abuse
SYNOPSIS
The Denbes have it all... or do they? Tessa Leoni is hired to investigate the disappearance of this seemingly perfect Boston family.
MY OPINION
Yep. That's three Lisa Gardner's in a row. Me thinks I need to read a different author now 😂 Unfortunately, this was my least favourite of the trio. It wasn't the predictability that bothered me (I've read TOO many thrillers) but the length and repetitiveness had me wishing Z and his goons would kidnap me instead.
I'm shocked that this book was published in 2013 because it read like it was written in 1992. At one point,
Honestly this read like Gardner was on a personal mission to 'humanize' chauvinist pigs. How many times did I need to be subjected to the phrase 'modern caveman' and 'alpha male' used with a positive connotation?? And the worst offense: Libby thinking OK YES, my husband cheated on me REPEATEDLY BUT he said he wouldn't let anyone hurt his family soooo #relationshipgoals am I right? No Libby, you're not. Now get your ass to the nearest rehab and set a good example for your daughter before she ends up like you, a downtrodden housewife with the spine AND common sense of a wet Great Value spaghetti noodle.
Oh and don't get me started about the pages and pages and pages of Libby getting her Martha Stewart on in the prison kitchen. The whole cinnamon bun scene was actually a crime against the art of cooking. NORMAL flour? No knead? No rise time? I know those bad boys came out looking like frisbees. And they took as long to prepare and bake as the pan-fried bacon? Were you using your own body heat to cook the bacon because that's the only way this could possibly work. Also, Libby, you're literally a drug addict, I don't think you need to be talking about how much sodium canned veggies have. This is literally the least of your worries. Your stomach has basically been burned to a crisp by the 10 Vicodins a day you've been taking. Again, I'm begging you to get a grip.
And last stop on the Tour de Repetitiveness we have Libby lamenting about the state of her marriage, how her father couldn't wear a helmet, how she felt bad for taking pills, and somehow still fawning over Justin. Dude had the ladies dickmatized. I guess money talks because no way a regular guy could smash after wearing construction boots on a date that involved a high-end restaurant and multiple courses. Multiple red cards. Lifetime coochie ban.
Anyways, this plot could've been GREAT but it was too damn long and too damn repetitive. Swap out Libby with godforsaken DD and it would've made for a more intense read. Libby's "it's so tough being rich" vibes really watered down the plot. La poo. Oh well, as they say (not Libby though, she's a ride or die): all good things come to an end.
PS. Idk why this is tagged as being part of the DD Warren series. She makes a small cameo at the very beginning and it's not even from her pov.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: great mystery
Cons: poor execution, subpar writing, way too long, too much time spent on insignificant details and Wyatt's love for wood, Tessa Leoni was flat, Libby was lame
____________________________
For some sick reason, do you want to hear more of my nonsense? Check out my podcast: Novels & Nonsense streaming everywhere.
July 20, 2016
An absolutely satisfying continuance of this series. Tessa is a likeable brave lady to have as our protagonist, and it was a pleasure to watch as she has picked up the pieces of her life from the previous life shattering experiences that she and her daughter faced in book number one. She's not a show off, quietly and methodically getting on with her job. Sophie (Tessa's daughter) has some wise and heart-warming advice for the kidnapping victims that Tessa is searching for in her new role as private security for a multi-million-dollar firm. She’ll never be a trooper again, but the new hours are conducive to her family situation, and the lovely lady that looked after Sophie as a baby continues to do so.
Tessa isn’t the main focus here, the entire family that has been kidnapped is, and this was a good storyline. The family was an interesting one and it was entertaining watching their terrifying ordeal and the reasons behind this. I did a lot of guessing and to-ing and fro-ing which I enjoyed. Lisa Gardner is a talented author which I enjoy very much and will quickly look forward to the next chapter of this exciting series.
Wyatt was the very capable and possible love interest, who was an enjoyable character and the chemistry and easy working nature between these two made me look forward for more. This series is a very easy to read and captivating in equal measure. Highly recommended. Love this series so far, almost as much as Detective D.D. Warren, and that’s a big call!
Tessa isn’t the main focus here, the entire family that has been kidnapped is, and this was a good storyline. The family was an interesting one and it was entertaining watching their terrifying ordeal and the reasons behind this. I did a lot of guessing and to-ing and fro-ing which I enjoyed. Lisa Gardner is a talented author which I enjoy very much and will quickly look forward to the next chapter of this exciting series.
Wyatt was the very capable and possible love interest, who was an enjoyable character and the chemistry and easy working nature between these two made me look forward for more. This series is a very easy to read and captivating in equal measure. Highly recommended. Love this series so far, almost as much as Detective D.D. Warren, and that’s a big call!
January 2, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy from Netgalley & Dutton Publisher
Lisa Gardner cements her title as the queen of suspense this is another edge of your seat, keep you guessing, oh why didn’t I see that coming, kind of book.
It was great to see Tessa Leone again (I would highly recommend reading Love You More before this book so you understand Tessa’s background) it was a nice follow up so we we’re able to see how her and her daughter are doing since the events in Love You More. Tessa is now working for a private security firm and one of their top clients seems to be missing and not just him, his whole family.
As always with Lisa Gardner’s books it is very hard to review without giving anything away, but I will try…I really enjoyed Tessa in this one and her interaction with Wyatt a small town sheriff whom I also really liked and hope to see more of the two of them in future. We get a little touch of DD but that was all that was needed, I will admit to hoping when the FBI swooped in it might be one of the Quincy’s but no such luck! Then there is the kidnapped family who we get to know intimately flaws and all and you can’t help but hope everything works out for them. The kidnappers are interesting too she doesn’t give us cardboard cutouts but fleshed-out characters who we also get to know. As I said Lisa Gardner knows how to write a great suspense filled novel, I was up until 2 am for a few nights in a row and had to force myself to go to bed because I didn’t want to stop reading!
Another hit for Lisa Gardner highly recommend!
4 ½ stars
Lisa Gardner cements her title as the queen of suspense this is another edge of your seat, keep you guessing, oh why didn’t I see that coming, kind of book.
It was great to see Tessa Leone again (I would highly recommend reading Love You More before this book so you understand Tessa’s background) it was a nice follow up so we we’re able to see how her and her daughter are doing since the events in Love You More. Tessa is now working for a private security firm and one of their top clients seems to be missing and not just him, his whole family.
As always with Lisa Gardner’s books it is very hard to review without giving anything away, but I will try…I really enjoyed Tessa in this one and her interaction with Wyatt a small town sheriff whom I also really liked and hope to see more of the two of them in future. We get a little touch of DD but that was all that was needed, I will admit to hoping when the FBI swooped in it might be one of the Quincy’s but no such luck! Then there is the kidnapped family who we get to know intimately flaws and all and you can’t help but hope everything works out for them. The kidnappers are interesting too she doesn’t give us cardboard cutouts but fleshed-out characters who we also get to know. As I said Lisa Gardner knows how to write a great suspense filled novel, I was up until 2 am for a few nights in a row and had to force myself to go to bed because I didn’t want to stop reading!
Another hit for Lisa Gardner highly recommend!
4 ½ stars
August 4, 2021
Touch & Go is an excellent suspense novel from Lisa Gardner and the second to feature Tessa Leoni. At the center of the book, though, is Libby Denbe, the wife of Justin Denbe who owns a large construction company. The Denbes are very wealthy and live in a glamorous home in the toniest section of Boston. They have a beautiful daughter and, to all outward appearances, the Denbes are living the American dream.
Beneath the surface though, the Denbes are in fact a very troubled family. Libby has recently discovered that Justin has been cheating on her. She has banished him to a room in the basement of their mansion and is seeking solace by abusing prescription drugs. Both Libby and Justin basically lose track of their daughter, Ashlyn, who is devastated by the problems that are tearing her family apart and who soon develops serious problems of their own.
As the book opens, Libby and Justin are on a date night at a swanky restaurant, tentatively beginning the process of attempting to rebuild their relationship. They return home to find a gang of thugs in the house, and the entire family, Ashlyn included, is kidnapped and swept away without a trace.
Several law enforcement agencies, the F.B.I. included, are quickly on the case. Tessa Leoni is now working for a private security firm that is employed by Denbe's construction company and, at the company's insistence, is detailed to assist in and monitor the investigation.
As the novel progresses, the point of view shifts back and forth between Tessa and the other investigators and Libby Denbe who tracks the kidnapping from the inside. The story takes a number of surprising twists and turns and moves at a rapid pace from the first page to the last. Tessa Leoni is a very compelling protagonist and Libby Denbe, for all her faults and problems, is an extremely sympathetic character. All in all, this is a really great read.
Beneath the surface though, the Denbes are in fact a very troubled family. Libby has recently discovered that Justin has been cheating on her. She has banished him to a room in the basement of their mansion and is seeking solace by abusing prescription drugs. Both Libby and Justin basically lose track of their daughter, Ashlyn, who is devastated by the problems that are tearing her family apart and who soon develops serious problems of their own.
As the book opens, Libby and Justin are on a date night at a swanky restaurant, tentatively beginning the process of attempting to rebuild their relationship. They return home to find a gang of thugs in the house, and the entire family, Ashlyn included, is kidnapped and swept away without a trace.
Several law enforcement agencies, the F.B.I. included, are quickly on the case. Tessa Leoni is now working for a private security firm that is employed by Denbe's construction company and, at the company's insistence, is detailed to assist in and monitor the investigation.
As the novel progresses, the point of view shifts back and forth between Tessa and the other investigators and Libby Denbe who tracks the kidnapping from the inside. The story takes a number of surprising twists and turns and moves at a rapid pace from the first page to the last. Tessa Leoni is a very compelling protagonist and Libby Denbe, for all her faults and problems, is an extremely sympathetic character. All in all, this is a really great read.
April 2, 2020
Here is something I learned when I was eleven years old: Pain has a flavor. The question is, what does it taste like to you? - Libby Denbe in Touch & Go
To all outward appearances, Libby Denbe has a perfect life. She has a perfect husband, a perfect daughter. She lives in a beautiful home. They have money. What would she know about pain?
Lisa Gardner’s Touch & Go , the second book in her Tessa Leoni series, begins with Libby and Justin, owner of a multi-million dollar construction business that he inherited from his father, are in a fancy restaurant for date night. We immediately know that for Libby, something is not perfect.
Nor will it be perfect for Justin or their fifteen-year-old daughter Ashlyn, for who knows how long. Because, when the couple arrives home, they get the surprise of their lives. Or I should say, “Shock.” Three men with Tasers have disarmed the alarm system, greeted Ashlyn, and are taking the entire family hostage.
Tessa Leoni is called in as a private investigator to locate the abducted Denbes, As D.D. Warren makes a cameo appearance, I was a bit baffled as obscure references were made to the death of Tessa’s husband, since it has been three years since I read the first book in that series. I wish Ms. Gardner had recapped that instead of beating around the bush with vague remarks. Tessa is a former cop, but does she have what it takes to take on a case of this magnitude? I think my favorite cop in this saga is Wyatt Foster, the detective sergeant from northern New Hampshire who gets involved in the case early on. He’s understands people – the good, the bad, and the ugly. We also get the FBI, which gives us another female, Special Agent Nicole Adams, aka Nicky. Seems she and Wyatt had a “thing” in the past. Sigh – Wyatt’s, not mine.
The point-of-view switches between Tessa and Libby. In Tessa, we see a woman who has been through some things, a tough-luck childhood, a woman who lost her parents, her husband, her job, and almost lost her child. Libby had a hard childhood too. Her perfect marriage was dealt a terrible blow six months before, and she has been coping in an unhealthy way. Now, she might lose everything, including her life.
The entire story is like a tennis match, or maybe more like a chess match. Back and forth, one side trying to outplay and outthink the other. Only the stakes are much, much higher than any game. Through it all, the reader wonders who could be so cruel? Who set this up? Why? I went back and forth thinking I knew. Then I changed my mind. No one was really totally unlikeable or totally likable (except Wyatt), although I did like Ashlyn’s spunk. Oh, wait, one of the kidnappers is pure evil Eventually, I quit trying to figure it out and just kept on reading. Ms. Gardner saved a few heart-stopping moments for the end!
4.5 stars
To all outward appearances, Libby Denbe has a perfect life. She has a perfect husband, a perfect daughter. She lives in a beautiful home. They have money. What would she know about pain?
Lisa Gardner’s Touch & Go , the second book in her Tessa Leoni series, begins with Libby and Justin, owner of a multi-million dollar construction business that he inherited from his father, are in a fancy restaurant for date night. We immediately know that for Libby, something is not perfect.
Nor will it be perfect for Justin or their fifteen-year-old daughter Ashlyn, for who knows how long. Because, when the couple arrives home, they get the surprise of their lives. Or I should say, “Shock.” Three men with Tasers have disarmed the alarm system, greeted Ashlyn, and are taking the entire family hostage.
Tessa Leoni is called in as a private investigator to locate the abducted Denbes, As D.D. Warren makes a cameo appearance, I was a bit baffled as obscure references were made to the death of Tessa’s husband, since it has been three years since I read the first book in that series. I wish Ms. Gardner had recapped that instead of beating around the bush with vague remarks. Tessa is a former cop, but does she have what it takes to take on a case of this magnitude? I think my favorite cop in this saga is Wyatt Foster, the detective sergeant from northern New Hampshire who gets involved in the case early on. He’s understands people – the good, the bad, and the ugly. We also get the FBI, which gives us another female, Special Agent Nicole Adams, aka Nicky. Seems she and Wyatt had a “thing” in the past. Sigh – Wyatt’s, not mine.
The point-of-view switches between Tessa and Libby. In Tessa, we see a woman who has been through some things, a tough-luck childhood, a woman who lost her parents, her husband, her job, and almost lost her child. Libby had a hard childhood too. Her perfect marriage was dealt a terrible blow six months before, and she has been coping in an unhealthy way. Now, she might lose everything, including her life.
The entire story is like a tennis match, or maybe more like a chess match. Back and forth, one side trying to outplay and outthink the other. Only the stakes are much, much higher than any game. Through it all, the reader wonders who could be so cruel? Who set this up? Why? I went back and forth thinking I knew. Then I changed my mind. No one was really totally unlikeable or totally likable (except Wyatt), although I did like Ashlyn’s spunk. Oh, wait, one of the kidnappers is pure evil Eventually, I quit trying to figure it out and just kept on reading. Ms. Gardner saved a few heart-stopping moments for the end!
4.5 stars
February 26, 2025
Whodunit is WAY too obvious!
At best, TOUCH & GO would be ranked (IMO, of course) as a workmanlike psychological thriller about a family abduction and ransom attempt. But it fails on the grounds that it’s too long, too repetitive and the identity of the obvious bad guy is lit up in neon lights at not much past the half-way mark. Anyone who isn’t miles ahead of the constabulary on this one simply isn’t paying attention.
That said, it should be noted that Gardner’s characters are first-rate and very well developed. The two leading characters are different, quirky, interesting, amusing and, (odd to say this in the setting of a thriller about kidnapping and murder) quite heartwarming. Even though I thought TOUCH & GO was a bit of a bust, it was saved to a limited extent by these characters and I’ll admit that I’d read another novel to find out if their acquaintance blossomed into a deeper relationship of some kind.
Paul Weiss
At best, TOUCH & GO would be ranked (IMO, of course) as a workmanlike psychological thriller about a family abduction and ransom attempt. But it fails on the grounds that it’s too long, too repetitive and the identity of the obvious bad guy is lit up in neon lights at not much past the half-way mark. Anyone who isn’t miles ahead of the constabulary on this one simply isn’t paying attention.
That said, it should be noted that Gardner’s characters are first-rate and very well developed. The two leading characters are different, quirky, interesting, amusing and, (odd to say this in the setting of a thriller about kidnapping and murder) quite heartwarming. Even though I thought TOUCH & GO was a bit of a bust, it was saved to a limited extent by these characters and I’ll admit that I’d read another novel to find out if their acquaintance blossomed into a deeper relationship of some kind.
Paul Weiss
May 19, 2017
Touch & Go haunted me for several days after I finished. It took me well over two weeks to get through this audio book, with it being over fourteen hours long and listening to it only on my commutes. But every time I started again I was consumed and listened with rapt attention wishing my commute was much longer! The time in between “readings” didn’t diminish this story at all, and part of that was due to the excellent performance of the narrator, Elisabeth Rodgers.
This story was told in Libby Denbe’s voice in first person but also alternating in the perspective of Tessa Leoni, a corporate private investigator, and Wyatt Foster, a County Sheriff. I “met” Tessa a while back in another book where she was actually a murder suspect and State Trooper; one of the reasons Tessa is now in the private sector. That was a suspenseful read and amazing read!
The story opens up in Libby’s voice. She’s a wife and mother, married for the last eighteen years to Justin Denbe, the love of her life. Justin is every woman’s dream: gorgeous, owner of a multimillion dollar company, doting father and take charge sort of man. His family is his whole world, or so Libby thought until she found out he was cheating on her, six months ago. This is when Libby’s life slowly started coming apart and her little perfect family is barely keeping it together. Never did she suspect that things were going to get a thousand times worse when she’s abducted with Justin and their fifteen year old daughter out of their family home.
I went through a range of emotions and feelings throughout this story. My stomach was in knots, my heart alternately breaking, and then filling with hope, and then I’d be enraged and indignant! I have to say most of my anger was directed towards Justin Denbe! No good, rotten cheating %&*$ (insert many angry curse words here)!! But then he was all about keeping his family safe, he was remorseful, and I’d have hope in him and their family’s future all over again. Libby reveals their history to us in flashbacks and the love and passion they shared makes you want to scream “Why, Justin?!! Why?” I finished this almost two weeks ago and my heart still aches over them!
Let’s not forget the horror of being a hostage. I think I worried more over what could happen than what actually did. This is where the investigation came in with Tessa and Wyatt main players here. I kept guessing and trying to figure out who was guilty. There were many red herrings and just when I thought I had it figured out, Lisa Gardner bitch-slapped me something good with the truth!! Oh man!!
There was a romance/attraction brewing between Tessa and Wyatt throughout, but it was very subtle. This is the way with Lisa Gardner’s novels. She gives us a set of characters that solve various mysteries in each story but there’s a continuing story arc in regards to the main character’s personal lives. Tessa and Wyatt’s story took a backseat to Libby Denbe and her story, but I would’ve liked it more evenly divided between them; although, this may not have had the same emotional impact on me if it went that way. I can’t wait for the next Tessa and Wyatt mystery.
I’ve been a huge fan of Lisa Gardner for some time. She’s writes some very dark mysteries usually with a little bit of romance thrown in. If you love a well plotted mystery and are not scared off from some darker topics, I highly recommend picking up one of her books! This audio book was amazing and the narrator did an excellent job inflecting a subtle Boston accent when called for. Libby’s POV was haunting and emotional! There were only two secondary character voices that made me cringe a little. Both were male and didn’t have lengthy talking parts.
I did originally receive this from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! I also bought it in audio-book version after Audible was having a sale, so I ended up “reading” it that way.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
October 19, 2021
Three members of a wealthy family - Justin and Libby Denbe and their teenage daughter Ashlyn - are kidnapped and an assortment of law enforcement personnel, including state police, FBI, and a private security agent work day and night to try to locate them.
Justin has been unfaithful; the Denbe's have marital problems; and Ashlyn has secrets. The book's POV alternates between the wife Libby.....and Tessa, the private security agent. I didn't enjoy the book much and had to push myself to finish it.
Kidnapping themes are my least favorite suspense theme and a lot of the characters in the story were unsympathetic or downright unlikeable. The ending is probably supposed to be a shocker but it doesn't totally pan out that way. Just not my kind of story.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
November 25, 2018
It’s official: I am OBSESSED with Lisa Gardner’s work. She writes movies, for crying out loud!! I mean, her stories literally jump off the pages. Not to mention THE WAY SHE WRITES ... good God! Her characters are perfection. Flawed. Real. Just the kind of characters I love to read about. And the way she keeps you guessing!! You don’t know whodunnit till the last few pages ... these kinds of books, to me, are worth every penny.
P.S. As one of THE pickiest people when it comes to leading ladies, I am THRILLED to discover an author who gave me two kickass females leads to add to my very short list of ultimate favourite heroines: D.D. Warren and Tessa Leoni. I can’t get enough of these ladies and want to read every available book featuring them. IMMEDIATELY!!
P.S. As one of THE pickiest people when it comes to leading ladies, I am THRILLED to discover an author who gave me two kickass females leads to add to my very short list of ultimate favourite heroines: D.D. Warren and Tessa Leoni. I can’t get enough of these ladies and want to read every available book featuring them. IMMEDIATELY!!
February 20, 2023
3.5 Stars
February 12, 2013
4.5 stars really. Although I figured certain things out, Gardner created bad guys that were professionals rather than just bad guys. They had a job. They were good at their job. They were getting paid for a job. That meant that the barrier that you normally have with bad guys is different. They aren't' personally invested, they just want to be paid. As for the perfect family, the Denbe's, perfection is overrated. Even in art what you think is perfect is rarely perfect when you look up close. Justin and Libby are living a first class life but behind the curtain he's sleeping around and she's addicted to pain pills. Their 15 year old daughter hasn't been innocent since she discovered her prince had feet of clay. So when they are abducted they have to decide if old hurts trump the new threat to their lives. On their side is Tessa Leoni. We met Tessa when she was the suspect in a DD Warren case. She was accused of killing her husband. Tessa is no longer a cop, she's a private investigator and her firm has been hired to find the Denbes. She's flanked by the FBI, they're running the case, and a NH Sheriff who looks and acts like he knows what he's doing. Tessa's no fool, she works with people who get results. It's a fascinating psychological ride until the very end. One of her best except that it took a while to figure out the point of view in some of the early chapters. But once the roller coaster starts, it's impossible to want to get off.
April 4, 2024
For me this was the worst in the series so far, D.D was barely in this and I felt like I could have skipped it really. It didn't develop any characters it didn't have a very interesting plot in and I was bored very quickly with it.
The main plot with the kidnapping was bland, the bad guys were mediocre and the family taken were so frustrating. It was mostly about family drama and what's going on behind closed doors, but it was very basic and all been done before. The more the story went on the less I cared.
I only have a few left in this series so I will be continuing but I will leave it for a little while so this one has gone out of my mind (shouldn't take long).
The main plot with the kidnapping was bland, the bad guys were mediocre and the family taken were so frustrating. It was mostly about family drama and what's going on behind closed doors, but it was very basic and all been done before. The more the story went on the less I cared.
I only have a few left in this series so I will be continuing but I will leave it for a little while so this one has gone out of my mind (shouldn't take long).
February 16, 2021
Pretty darn good! I like how steadily Lisa Gardner kept pulling bones out of the ol' family closet, enough to make three skeletons.
Justin, Libby and Ashlyn seem like the perfect family (99% of all mysteries start out this way). Justin owns and runs one of the biggest construction companies in the country, and Libby and Ashlyn want for nothing. When the entire family is kidnapped and tucked away at a very secluded (but pretty obvious) location, everybody tries to figure out what the bad guys are after: the family, the cops, the company... the readers. It isn't until Libby brings up the opportunity for a fortune in ransom money that things go south for everybody involved. And I do mean everybody.
Okay, I suspected what was really going on around the time the family arrived at the hideout. It wasn't too hard to see the why/how. But the nicely spaced, regularly occurring reveals kept the plot interesting and moving forward. There were a couple of lesser but associated twists that snuck up on me.
I had a lot of fun with Touch & Go, and I'm looking forward to reading Crash & Burn.
Justin, Libby and Ashlyn seem like the perfect family (99% of all mysteries start out this way). Justin owns and runs one of the biggest construction companies in the country, and Libby and Ashlyn want for nothing. When the entire family is kidnapped and tucked away at a very secluded (but pretty obvious) location, everybody tries to figure out what the bad guys are after: the family, the cops, the company... the readers. It isn't until Libby brings up the opportunity for a fortune in ransom money that things go south for everybody involved. And I do mean everybody.
Okay, I suspected what was really going on around the time the family arrived at the hideout. It wasn't too hard to see the why/how. But the nicely spaced, regularly occurring reveals kept the plot interesting and moving forward. There were a couple of lesser but associated twists that snuck up on me.
I had a lot of fun with Touch & Go, and I'm looking forward to reading Crash & Burn.
February 1, 2013
Another solid entry by Gardner, definitely kept me reading. Many twists and turns, liked the new character Wyatt, hope we see him again, though I did miss D. D. Warren, who only made a token appearance. Liked the character of Libby also, she showed tremendous strength when it was needed. Would have given this a 4 but some of the action scenes were a bit far fetched, but as always await the next book by Gardner.
August 10, 2013
Loved it!
One night, parents come home from their date, open the door to their house and walk into a nightmare. Three armed men kidnaps the parents and their 15 year old daughter. When the police starts the investigation, some things doesn't add up :-).
The main parts of the story is told from Libby's (she is the wife and the mother), one of the private detectives, and a policemen's point of views. PD's and policemen's point of views gives you the insight into how investigation is going, and Libby's point of view gives you the truth about her family and who they really are behind closed doors. On the outside they appear to be your regular suburban family, hard working father and a good husband, beautiful and smart wife and a mother, and a 15 year old who almost never talks to her parents, texts a lot and hangs out with her friends. Norma, right? But as you get to read more of Libby's monologues, you see how f@cked up they all really are. It turns out that their marriage is falling apart, parents are sleeping in separate rooms, doesn't talk much, haven't had sex in ages, Libby is popping pills like candies, Justin (the husband) works long hours, almost never home, cheated on his wife with some skank, and they know absolutely nothing about their daughters life outside the house.
On the night that they got kidnaped, they were coming back from a date, they haven't had date in a long time, they both have had enough and wanted to work things out and make it right. But that is not even a half of the story.
After questioning some witnesses, Justin's coworkers and even his mistress, police, detectives and FBI suspects that it was an inside job. It is pretty clear for the readers as well. But the one thing they can't figure it out is if they are doing it for the money or is it something personal and someone wants a revenge. Kidnappers know absolutely everything about the family, their history, which includes some pretty personal information, and their financial situation. And the weirdest thing of all is that kidnappers tell to Libby and Justin that they don't want the money. Hours and days go by, and there is no ransom demand. According to the police is not a good sign.
While Libby's family is being held captive, they are finally forced to talk, put their own bull sh!t aside and come up with the plan how to get out of there. But it's not easy, because they find out that it's Justin's company who build a security system for the place their are kept in, and to their misfortune, he is the best in the country at what he does. Escape is impossible. They need to come up with another plan, and they do. But before that, all kinds of f@cked up things happen to them in there. It was pretty difficult to read through it. Then it turned out that their plan wasn't as brilliant as they thought it would be.
In the mean while, police, detectives and FBI discover all kinds of weird things about their family, and at this point, anyone and everyone is a suspect. Not only I suspected a lot of his coworkers and board members, I thought that at times, both Libby, Justin and their daughter, were being full of sh!t. But every time I was sure I knew who did it, there was a small part that was told from one of the kidnappers point of view, that completely threw me off track :).
The ending was brilliant, very f@cked up, but brilliant. I wouldn't say it was a happy ending for anyone who was involved. Maybe for few people, but that depends on who's side a reader is on ;-).
Good writing, fast paced and a very interesting story. Can't wait for L. Gardner's next book.
One night, parents come home from their date, open the door to their house and walk into a nightmare. Three armed men kidnaps the parents and their 15 year old daughter. When the police starts the investigation, some things doesn't add up :-).
The main parts of the story is told from Libby's (she is the wife and the mother), one of the private detectives, and a policemen's point of views. PD's and policemen's point of views gives you the insight into how investigation is going, and Libby's point of view gives you the truth about her family and who they really are behind closed doors. On the outside they appear to be your regular suburban family, hard working father and a good husband, beautiful and smart wife and a mother, and a 15 year old who almost never talks to her parents, texts a lot and hangs out with her friends. Norma, right? But as you get to read more of Libby's monologues, you see how f@cked up they all really are. It turns out that their marriage is falling apart, parents are sleeping in separate rooms, doesn't talk much, haven't had sex in ages, Libby is popping pills like candies, Justin (the husband) works long hours, almost never home, cheated on his wife with some skank, and they know absolutely nothing about their daughters life outside the house.
On the night that they got kidnaped, they were coming back from a date, they haven't had date in a long time, they both have had enough and wanted to work things out and make it right. But that is not even a half of the story.
After questioning some witnesses, Justin's coworkers and even his mistress, police, detectives and FBI suspects that it was an inside job. It is pretty clear for the readers as well. But the one thing they can't figure it out is if they are doing it for the money or is it something personal and someone wants a revenge. Kidnappers know absolutely everything about the family, their history, which includes some pretty personal information, and their financial situation. And the weirdest thing of all is that kidnappers tell to Libby and Justin that they don't want the money. Hours and days go by, and there is no ransom demand. According to the police is not a good sign.
While Libby's family is being held captive, they are finally forced to talk, put their own bull sh!t aside and come up with the plan how to get out of there. But it's not easy, because they find out that it's Justin's company who build a security system for the place their are kept in, and to their misfortune, he is the best in the country at what he does. Escape is impossible. They need to come up with another plan, and they do. But before that, all kinds of f@cked up things happen to them in there. It was pretty difficult to read through it. Then it turned out that their plan wasn't as brilliant as they thought it would be.
In the mean while, police, detectives and FBI discover all kinds of weird things about their family, and at this point, anyone and everyone is a suspect. Not only I suspected a lot of his coworkers and board members, I thought that at times, both Libby, Justin and their daughter, were being full of sh!t. But every time I was sure I knew who did it, there was a small part that was told from one of the kidnappers point of view, that completely threw me off track :).
The ending was brilliant, very f@cked up, but brilliant. I wouldn't say it was a happy ending for anyone who was involved. Maybe for few people, but that depends on who's side a reader is on ;-).
Good writing, fast paced and a very interesting story. Can't wait for L. Gardner's next book.
June 30, 2015
Sometimes I think if I open yet another book in which centers around a disgraced police officer turned private investigator, I'll throw up. Surely, I think to myself, there's got to be a new and different kind of hero (or heroine) out there. So when I opened this one, which is about investigator Tessa Leoni (yes, a former cop with a "background"), almost immediately my stomach felt like I'd eaten a pair of pliers and a couple of sheets of sandpaper.
But there's also something to be said for if it ain't broke, don't fix it; after all, some of my all-time favorite characters fit that description, warts and all - and Lisa Gardner is a favorite author. So I fought back my "I really don't want to go here again" feelings and dove in.
The whole thing starts with the apparent kidnapping of a very wealthy Boston family (dad, mom and a 15-year-old daughter). For all intents and purposes - at least for the first couple of chapters - it appears they lived the perfect life. But soon, Jackson reveals that trouble's been brewing in paradise, both at home and at the husband's extremely successful construction business, for some time. Add that to the fact that there have been no ransom calls or notes, and Tessa - who's been hired by the company to investigate - as well as local police and the FBI - begin to question what's really behind the family's disappearance. They're also keenly aware that, sans ransom demands, it will be much more difficult to find the family and far more likely that even if they are found, it won't be alive.
More than anything, the book is a study in people - how the characters interact with each other, especially as they deal with stress. Tessa, for instance, almost lost her own 8-year-old daughter so has a special reason to relate to the kidnapped family; the three family members, who have at best lost touch with each other over the past few years, must come to terms with those feelings as they fight to stay alive. The chapters shift from the different perspectives, from Tessa and the investigation to the wife's "take" on what her world was like in the past and coping with the reality of her present dire circumstances.
If there's a negative, it's that some of the "action" that takes place is less than totally believable, and most of the characters really aren't that likable all things considered. All the whining by the wife about how awful she's been treated by her dastardly husband and the waffling over what to do about it reminds me of one of my favorite expressions (cleaned up a bit for publication): Hey, lady, either do your business or get off the toilet.
Needless to say, there are some psychological twists and turns as the plot moves along. One of the biggest "surprises" was one I'd guessed quite early on, but I couldn't be sure until near the end. But honestly, it didn't matter; even suspecting the why, I wasn't able to deduce the how. And, just reading about those aforementioned people interactions (now you like a character, now you don't) was more than enough to hold my attention page after page.
But there's also something to be said for if it ain't broke, don't fix it; after all, some of my all-time favorite characters fit that description, warts and all - and Lisa Gardner is a favorite author. So I fought back my "I really don't want to go here again" feelings and dove in.
The whole thing starts with the apparent kidnapping of a very wealthy Boston family (dad, mom and a 15-year-old daughter). For all intents and purposes - at least for the first couple of chapters - it appears they lived the perfect life. But soon, Jackson reveals that trouble's been brewing in paradise, both at home and at the husband's extremely successful construction business, for some time. Add that to the fact that there have been no ransom calls or notes, and Tessa - who's been hired by the company to investigate - as well as local police and the FBI - begin to question what's really behind the family's disappearance. They're also keenly aware that, sans ransom demands, it will be much more difficult to find the family and far more likely that even if they are found, it won't be alive.
More than anything, the book is a study in people - how the characters interact with each other, especially as they deal with stress. Tessa, for instance, almost lost her own 8-year-old daughter so has a special reason to relate to the kidnapped family; the three family members, who have at best lost touch with each other over the past few years, must come to terms with those feelings as they fight to stay alive. The chapters shift from the different perspectives, from Tessa and the investigation to the wife's "take" on what her world was like in the past and coping with the reality of her present dire circumstances.
If there's a negative, it's that some of the "action" that takes place is less than totally believable, and most of the characters really aren't that likable all things considered. All the whining by the wife about how awful she's been treated by her dastardly husband and the waffling over what to do about it reminds me of one of my favorite expressions (cleaned up a bit for publication): Hey, lady, either do your business or get off the toilet.
Needless to say, there are some psychological twists and turns as the plot moves along. One of the biggest "surprises" was one I'd guessed quite early on, but I couldn't be sure until near the end. But honestly, it didn't matter; even suspecting the why, I wasn't able to deduce the how. And, just reading about those aforementioned people interactions (now you like a character, now you don't) was more than enough to hold my attention page after page.
January 16, 2013
I am a pretty big Lisa Gardner fan, especially of her DD Warren series. Her newest release Touch and Go is due for release in February 2012 but I was fortunate to receive an early reader copy. Her latest book features Tessa Leoni (who also appeared in Love You More) who is called in after the Denbe family are abducted. Upon arrival at Justin and Libby Denbe’s home, there are no signs of a break in, and there is no ransom demand. It seems like the couple and their teenage daughter have vanished into thin air. The more Tessa digs, the more it seems a little too perfect. To the outside world they are the perfect couple, with Justin running a very wealthy and successful company and a beautiful home.
As usual the pace is pretty frenetic from the very beginning. Justin and Libby are on date night when then enter their home and are taken by surprise. As the reader we see both sides of the story, both from the family’s perspective and the Detectives as well. As the story progresses we also meet Sergeant Wyatt Foster who participates in the case with Tessa. Having read the book Love You More I was familiar with Tessa’s history, however if you haven’t read it there is certainly enough background for readers to understand her past. I really loved Tessa and Wyatt working together and thought they made a good team
From the very early stages, although we see what is happening to the family (can’t say too much for fear of spoilers) we also see the police trying to solve the puzzle. With no clear cut motive it means examining every person who is close to the family. I found myself constantly changing my mind on who I thought was culpable, and thankfully it only became clear towards the very end (which is always a bonus in my eyes). The family were easy to read about and part of that attraction was seeing them crumble under the immense strain they are put under in their kidnapping situation. Layers are peeled away to reveal a family far from perfect and this makes the story even more interesting than the bog standard murder novel.
When I got to the end I was not entirely shocked at the outcome but thought that the book was another great read by Lisa Gardner. Admittedly I still favour DD Warren, but I think Tessa Leoni could be the star of another series. If she is I can only hope that Wyatt Foster goes along for the ride. Not my favourite Lisa Gardner book, but an awesome read that will keep you guessing until the end.
As usual the pace is pretty frenetic from the very beginning. Justin and Libby are on date night when then enter their home and are taken by surprise. As the reader we see both sides of the story, both from the family’s perspective and the Detectives as well. As the story progresses we also meet Sergeant Wyatt Foster who participates in the case with Tessa. Having read the book Love You More I was familiar with Tessa’s history, however if you haven’t read it there is certainly enough background for readers to understand her past. I really loved Tessa and Wyatt working together and thought they made a good team
From the very early stages, although we see what is happening to the family (can’t say too much for fear of spoilers) we also see the police trying to solve the puzzle. With no clear cut motive it means examining every person who is close to the family. I found myself constantly changing my mind on who I thought was culpable, and thankfully it only became clear towards the very end (which is always a bonus in my eyes). The family were easy to read about and part of that attraction was seeing them crumble under the immense strain they are put under in their kidnapping situation. Layers are peeled away to reveal a family far from perfect and this makes the story even more interesting than the bog standard murder novel.
When I got to the end I was not entirely shocked at the outcome but thought that the book was another great read by Lisa Gardner. Admittedly I still favour DD Warren, but I think Tessa Leoni could be the star of another series. If she is I can only hope that Wyatt Foster goes along for the ride. Not my favourite Lisa Gardner book, but an awesome read that will keep you guessing until the end.
March 21, 2017
After reading the first in this series of Tessa Leoni, I had to get me some more of that mama bear attitude. Nothing is what it seems in this kidnapping of a wealthy construction tycoon and his family. Tons of secrets and finger-pointing who to blame had me reeling there for a bit. Tessa Leoni, who is now a hired assessor, is on this case, along with the FBI and other outside law enforcement agencies. Tessa's role is subtle when it needs to be and then suddenly packs a punch as this mama bear wraps up the solve with a few of her own tactics.
I sure do enjoy Tessa's character. The crime itself seemed like a typical kidnapping and became anything but typical. Loved it!
I sure do enjoy Tessa's character. The crime itself seemed like a typical kidnapping and became anything but typical. Loved it!
September 24, 2017
Me ha gustado mucho. Aunque no tiene nada que ver con la primera entrega de la serie y, creo, hay cosas que se ven venir, mantiene la intriga durante toda la historia hasta el mismísimo final. Muy recomendable.
October 11, 2025
Ça m’a pris vraiment beaucoup de temps avant d’accrocher à l’histoire de cette famille qui se fait kidnapper et enfermer dans une prison. Mais finalement les révélations de la fin ont quand même valu le coup.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Bien aimé
⭐️⭐️⭐️ : Bien aimé
April 29, 2013
Pain has a flavour. What does it taste like to you?
Libby had learned early the pain of loss…loss of her father who refused to wear a helmet and was killed on his motor bike…loss of her mother from smoking and not coping…Libby was determined her life would not end up the same as her parents’ lives. She was determined her child would never know the loss of a parent, would never know the pain of being hungry and alone.
So when Libby fell in love with Justin Denbe, she knew intense happiness. Justin was a man who owned his own construction business, and had built the company up to be very wealthy after his father had died and left it to him. On their marriage they had moved into a gorgeous home in the posh neighbourhood of Back Bay in Boston, and three years later were blessed with a beautiful daughter Ashlyn…their happiness was complete.
Eighteen years after their wedding, the façade was crumbling. When Tessa Leoni was called in the early hours of one morning and met first respondent, Detective DD Warren at the Denbe household, she wasn’t to know this would be her first intense, dangerous and complex investigation after becoming a PI when her police life had fallen apart two years prior. The taser confetti which was scattered in the foyer, the personal items which were stacked on the bench top, the marks of a scuffle; all these told Tessa and the FBI team who joined her that something bad had happened. The Denbe family were missing, no sign of forced entry, no witnesses.
As Tessa began to unravel the lives of Justin, Libby and Ashlyn, she discovered there were layers and layers of secrets. And time was running out if they wanted to find them alive. With Wyatt and his team from New Hampshire assisting, the many arms of the FBI and Tessa all working around the clock, would they find the family alive?
I really enjoyed this latest instalment from Lisa Gardner. She has done it again…the suspense and fast pace of the novel kept me turning the pages, and I liked the two narrators and the different perspectives throughout. It was intense and gripping, a read I would highly recommend.
Libby had learned early the pain of loss…loss of her father who refused to wear a helmet and was killed on his motor bike…loss of her mother from smoking and not coping…Libby was determined her life would not end up the same as her parents’ lives. She was determined her child would never know the loss of a parent, would never know the pain of being hungry and alone.
So when Libby fell in love with Justin Denbe, she knew intense happiness. Justin was a man who owned his own construction business, and had built the company up to be very wealthy after his father had died and left it to him. On their marriage they had moved into a gorgeous home in the posh neighbourhood of Back Bay in Boston, and three years later were blessed with a beautiful daughter Ashlyn…their happiness was complete.
Eighteen years after their wedding, the façade was crumbling. When Tessa Leoni was called in the early hours of one morning and met first respondent, Detective DD Warren at the Denbe household, she wasn’t to know this would be her first intense, dangerous and complex investigation after becoming a PI when her police life had fallen apart two years prior. The taser confetti which was scattered in the foyer, the personal items which were stacked on the bench top, the marks of a scuffle; all these told Tessa and the FBI team who joined her that something bad had happened. The Denbe family were missing, no sign of forced entry, no witnesses.
As Tessa began to unravel the lives of Justin, Libby and Ashlyn, she discovered there were layers and layers of secrets. And time was running out if they wanted to find them alive. With Wyatt and his team from New Hampshire assisting, the many arms of the FBI and Tessa all working around the clock, would they find the family alive?
I really enjoyed this latest instalment from Lisa Gardner. She has done it again…the suspense and fast pace of the novel kept me turning the pages, and I liked the two narrators and the different perspectives throughout. It was intense and gripping, a read I would highly recommend.
August 10, 2020
I did find this book a page turner and enjoyed it. The author knows how to craft a story. However, it read a bit mills and boon for me in places. Libby grew up in the tenements in poverty met Justin a construction millionaire and fell madly in love. They live in a great house with their daughter with on the surface everything wonderful. Dig a bit deeper and we find a Justin having an affair with a woman a few years older than his 15 year old daughter. His wife hooked on painkillers and his daughter also with her own secret.
They are kidnapped, put in a prison recently built by Justins company in a remote area of New Hampshire. Apparently a mothballed prison in America with a prison population of 2 million a mothballed prison?
Tessa enters the scene and meets Wyatt the potential new love of her life and together they solve the case. Essentially follow the money or embezzlement. Justin turns out to be a greedy manipulative man. No real big surprise.
Then it gets far fetched when at the end the bad guys save Libby and Radar gives her bank codes to access her husbands stolen money. I mean why embezzle you’re own money why not just simply set up a secret account and pay in to it rather than the complicated way Justin did it. It makes no sense much like Radar not taking all the money himself!
The FBI is so bad it’s laughable. Saying all that the writing is very readable and I enjoyed the story. Laughing at some of the situations and characters albeit in parts the writing is repetitive.
They are kidnapped, put in a prison recently built by Justins company in a remote area of New Hampshire. Apparently a mothballed prison in America with a prison population of 2 million a mothballed prison?
Tessa enters the scene and meets Wyatt the potential new love of her life and together they solve the case. Essentially follow the money or embezzlement. Justin turns out to be a greedy manipulative man. No real big surprise.
Then it gets far fetched when at the end the bad guys save Libby and Radar gives her bank codes to access her husbands stolen money. I mean why embezzle you’re own money why not just simply set up a secret account and pay in to it rather than the complicated way Justin did it. It makes no sense much like Radar not taking all the money himself!
The FBI is so bad it’s laughable. Saying all that the writing is very readable and I enjoyed the story. Laughing at some of the situations and characters albeit in parts the writing is repetitive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2018
Me ha gustado mucho, aunque menos que el primero de la serie.
Pero es verdad que en algún momento del libro se sospecha de quién puede ser el culpable, pero es una simple sospecha, no se puede confirmar en ningún momento, y tanto sospechas de uno como de otro al momento siguiente.
Esta mujer escribe muy bien, siempre mantiene la intriga, se documenta muy bien y crea unas tramas difíciles de olvidar.
Pero es verdad que en algún momento del libro se sospecha de quién puede ser el culpable, pero es una simple sospecha, no se puede confirmar en ningún momento, y tanto sospechas de uno como de otro al momento siguiente.
Esta mujer escribe muy bien, siempre mantiene la intriga, se documenta muy bien y crea unas tramas difíciles de olvidar.
December 12, 2021
The CEO and his wife and daughter are taken from their home after getting back from their date night by 3 dangerous and tough looking men. The Boston PD gets called in first and then the insurance company for the CEO's company hires Tessa's investigative company and then the FBI gets involved as it looks as if they have been taken to NH. There are lots of secrets that come out, family and business. The ending was quite a surprise/shocker.
January 30, 2013
Don't let the stars deceive you, this thriller by Lisa Gardner is good! It had me in tears several times as the author went through the private lives of the victims, perpetrators and investigators of a kidnapping in the Boston area.
I really enjoyed the use of first person for Libby Denbe's character. As the wife of Justin Denbe, she gave the reader a very personalized view of the family's home life before the abduction. Gardner's choice of voice was strong throughout, using accounts from private investigator Tessa Leoni, NH Detective Wyatt, and the kidnappers themselves, to wind the story around.
I was utterly ensnared not only by the action and motives of each suspect and character, but also by the relations between them. I really loved Z, his whole character development. The killer with no morals yet high respect for how the game is played and high regard for those who stand up in the face of danger. Radar, too, with his subtle helping, here and there. However, the plot had some major holes for me.
First, the prison in which the family is kept. Really? The state of New Hampshire is going to build a prison and not use it (which I could believe) but then have it completely electrically hooked up and ready to go? The thermostat always set at 77 degrees? Really? That's a lot of money to waste, isn't it? And at first, I thought the lights were always on, but at the end, the kidnappers shut the lights off. The power company isn't going to notice a huge spike in output from that location? I think they just might.
The rest of my problems involve SPOILERS, OMG, SPOILERS, FOR REAL I WILL GIVE AWAY THE WHOLE FREAKING BOOK RIGHT HERE SO STOP READING, JUST KNOW IT HAS HOLES, OKAY?!
I really enjoyed the use of first person for Libby Denbe's character. As the wife of Justin Denbe, she gave the reader a very personalized view of the family's home life before the abduction. Gardner's choice of voice was strong throughout, using accounts from private investigator Tessa Leoni, NH Detective Wyatt, and the kidnappers themselves, to wind the story around.
I was utterly ensnared not only by the action and motives of each suspect and character, but also by the relations between them. I really loved Z, his whole character development. The killer with no morals yet high respect for how the game is played and high regard for those who stand up in the face of danger. Radar, too, with his subtle helping, here and there. However, the plot had some major holes for me.
First, the prison in which the family is kept. Really? The state of New Hampshire is going to build a prison and not use it (which I could believe) but then have it completely electrically hooked up and ready to go? The thermostat always set at 77 degrees? Really? That's a lot of money to waste, isn't it? And at first, I thought the lights were always on, but at the end, the kidnappers shut the lights off. The power company isn't going to notice a huge spike in output from that location? I think they just might.
The rest of my problems involve SPOILERS, OMG, SPOILERS, FOR REAL I WILL GIVE AWAY THE WHOLE FREAKING BOOK RIGHT HERE SO STOP READING, JUST KNOW IT HAS HOLES, OKAY?!
January 25, 2013
Another great book by the infamous Lisa Gardner. It is no secret that I'm a fan of Gardner's. She always manages to keep the suspense at a high level and the unforseen twists coming until the last page. Even though I knew whodunit as I read this book, I was unsure of the motivation and that's what kept me hooked.
Gardner introduces us to the Denbe family. They are the quinessential upper-class family. Living in the part of New Hampshire that most can only dream about. Justin Denbe is an heir to a successful construction company. Libby, the artsy, devoted mother of Ashlyn. They are seemingly the picturesque family but under the facade is the truth. The three are abducted and Tessa Leoni is on the case. Tessa is from one of Gardner's previous D.D. Warren (who also makes a short appearance) novels.
Gardner does a great job at revealing the family dynamic when it is under the most extreme of stress and how they crumble or thrive. This family seemed real enough with their secrets and lies that I found their actions throughout to be pretty believeable. I actually cared about this family. I felt most connected to Libby, who also acts as narrator in some chapters.
If I had to say anything negative about this novel it's that I found the culprit had a huge flag waving the whole time "It's me!" but it did not stop me from reading on. The motivations behind the actions and layers of information given made me guess until the end why this person holding the flag was doing this. I believe Gardner needs no introduction and fans of mysteries and thrillers should already know who she is. For people who haven't yet read any of her books, I'd compare them most to Harlan Coben. In conclusion, another great read by Lisa Gardner.
Gardner introduces us to the Denbe family. They are the quinessential upper-class family. Living in the part of New Hampshire that most can only dream about. Justin Denbe is an heir to a successful construction company. Libby, the artsy, devoted mother of Ashlyn. They are seemingly the picturesque family but under the facade is the truth. The three are abducted and Tessa Leoni is on the case. Tessa is from one of Gardner's previous D.D. Warren (who also makes a short appearance) novels.
Gardner does a great job at revealing the family dynamic when it is under the most extreme of stress and how they crumble or thrive. This family seemed real enough with their secrets and lies that I found their actions throughout to be pretty believeable. I actually cared about this family. I felt most connected to Libby, who also acts as narrator in some chapters.
If I had to say anything negative about this novel it's that I found the culprit had a huge flag waving the whole time "It's me!" but it did not stop me from reading on. The motivations behind the actions and layers of information given made me guess until the end why this person holding the flag was doing this. I believe Gardner needs no introduction and fans of mysteries and thrillers should already know who she is. For people who haven't yet read any of her books, I'd compare them most to Harlan Coben. In conclusion, another great read by Lisa Gardner.
March 20, 2015
I know I'm the odd one out here, by only giving this book 3stars, but Touch & Go just didn't hold my attention as I would have liked it to, unlike the Det.D.D. Warren series.
At times I found it repetitious, and as for those involved in the search for the missing family, I think D.D Warren would have fired the lot of them, aside from perhaps Wyatt.
Unlike her other books, which kept me guessing who the perpetrator was almost until the last page, I'd figured it out fairly early in the story, which could be partly why it wasn’t the page-turner for me.
Aside from this, it was an enjoyable enough read, but not that 'edge of your seat' thriller, which Lisa Gardner usually delivers.
At times I found it repetitious, and as for those involved in the search for the missing family, I think D.D Warren would have fired the lot of them, aside from perhaps Wyatt.
Unlike her other books, which kept me guessing who the perpetrator was almost until the last page, I'd figured it out fairly early in the story, which could be partly why it wasn’t the page-turner for me.
Aside from this, it was an enjoyable enough read, but not that 'edge of your seat' thriller, which Lisa Gardner usually delivers.
December 23, 2012
I was so thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this new thriller by Lisa Gardner. It was spectacular. I'm an avid mystery reader and I tend to be able to figure out many mysteries before they end. With this one, I was on the edge of my seat until the end. I'll be reviewing this book on my blog later in December but let me just say here, this is worth the read!
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