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The Rented Mule
Cooper Dixon should have it made, with a beautiful wife, Kelly, two great kids, and a thriving business, the Tower Agency. But for Cooper, things aren't turning out how he expected. He and Kelly are caught in a never-ending cycle of arguments; Cooper can't remember the last time they had sex. And Cooper's troubled business partner, Gates Ballenger, is scheming to sell the Tower Agency out from under him.
When a gang of criminals is hired by a mysterious client to kidnap Kelly and set up Cooper to take the fall, Cooper's life goes completely off the rails. The cops quickly zero in on Cooper as the prime suspect, and the combination of an attractive suburban mother, workaholic husband, and a million-dollar insurance policy makes the case primetime television fodder.
Soon, Cooper's face is plastered on every TV screen in the country. Cooper races against time to find his wife before the gang turns her over to their client, whose plan to take down Cooper is far more sinister than anyone could imagine.
When a gang of criminals is hired by a mysterious client to kidnap Kelly and set up Cooper to take the fall, Cooper's life goes completely off the rails. The cops quickly zero in on Cooper as the prime suspect, and the combination of an attractive suburban mother, workaholic husband, and a million-dollar insurance policy makes the case primetime television fodder.
Soon, Cooper's face is plastered on every TV screen in the country. Cooper races against time to find his wife before the gang turns her over to their client, whose plan to take down Cooper is far more sinister than anyone could imagine.
506 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2014
409 people are currently reading
1137 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Cole
8 books79 followersBorn William Robert Cole, Jr., in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1964, writer Bobby Cole now lives in West Point, Mississippi, where he is President of Mossy Oak® BioLogic®. He and his wife Melissa are the parents of a daughter named Jessi. Cole is an avid wildlife manager, hunter, and supporter of the Catch-A-Dream™ Foundation (a program for terminally-ill children). He began writing his first book, The Dummy Line, after a camping experience with his daughter, and he now regularly enjoys writing in his free time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
February 26, 2014
I have to admit that I didn't finish this book. The plot line seemed interesting ,but the writing style made the characters seem stupid, but not authentic. I just didn't like it and I'm stopping.
February 28, 2014
Huntin'... fishin'... readin'... deletin' from Kindle, typin' a review.
All characters drop the "g" in any word ending in "ing". I'm not sure if this is supposed to represent a regional dialect but it is distracting and tiresome, line after line after line. I don't know anybody older than about age 10 who actually speaks that way.
The dialog is juvenile, the characters so stereotyped as to be nearly comical and the writing is trite, amateurish and so littered with cliches it renders the book unreadable. I quit @ less than 100 pages of torture.
The only way possible that this book could have the reviews it currently has is if there is astroturfing going on.
All characters drop the "g" in any word ending in "ing". I'm not sure if this is supposed to represent a regional dialect but it is distracting and tiresome, line after line after line. I don't know anybody older than about age 10 who actually speaks that way.
The dialog is juvenile, the characters so stereotyped as to be nearly comical and the writing is trite, amateurish and so littered with cliches it renders the book unreadable. I quit @ less than 100 pages of torture.
The only way possible that this book could have the reviews it currently has is if there is astroturfing going on.
March 24, 2014
Cooper Dixon's wife is making him crazy. His work is making him crazy. Little does he know that his troubles have not even begun. Someone is systematically setting him up for a very big fall.
High scores for the pacing of this novel, particularly during the last third of the book. I truly did not want to stop reading as the story accelerated to the denouement. A couple of the secondary characters were standouts. Maynard, one of the kidnappers, lends a bit of humor with his inexplicable fixation on Larry King and his compulsive use of teeth whitening strips. Likewise, the character of Detective Obermeyer is such an oddball and misfit that special permission had to be obtained for him to work without a partner. He carefully and methodically pieces the clues together to solve the crime, all the while uttering the phrase "Stand by".
There were a couple of things with which I take issue. Cooper is the workhorse at the ad agency of which he is a partner, yet he is just this side of being computer illiterate. This makes no sense to me at all, it does not compute, as it were. Other reviewers have mentioned the same quibble, but I'm noting it as well because it seems to me a sizeable gaff. Something else that did not ring true to me was the 180 degree turnaround of feelings between Cooper and his wife. It made for rather too pat of an ending. Even so, I enjoyed the book, and liked how the title worked into the story in several aspects.
This was a Kindle First offering.
High scores for the pacing of this novel, particularly during the last third of the book. I truly did not want to stop reading as the story accelerated to the denouement. A couple of the secondary characters were standouts. Maynard, one of the kidnappers, lends a bit of humor with his inexplicable fixation on Larry King and his compulsive use of teeth whitening strips. Likewise, the character of Detective Obermeyer is such an oddball and misfit that special permission had to be obtained for him to work without a partner. He carefully and methodically pieces the clues together to solve the crime, all the while uttering the phrase "Stand by".
There were a couple of things with which I take issue. Cooper is the workhorse at the ad agency of which he is a partner, yet he is just this side of being computer illiterate. This makes no sense to me at all, it does not compute, as it were. Other reviewers have mentioned the same quibble, but I'm noting it as well because it seems to me a sizeable gaff. Something else that did not ring true to me was the 180 degree turnaround of feelings between Cooper and his wife. It made for rather too pat of an ending. Even so, I enjoyed the book, and liked how the title worked into the story in several aspects.
This was a Kindle First offering.
February 24, 2014
I couldn't even finish reading this. It was so poorly written that it was difficult to get involved with any of the characters. It was hard to follow the story as the author changes POV within a paragraph, uses the same word or phrase repeatedly and generally persists in telling the reader everything about a character or situation rather than letting it develop through incidents. I'm not sure how this ended up as a recommendation for me but I fell for it.
June 26, 2017
Just okay for me, kind of like a B movie but the characters were good and it did not drag.
March 14, 2014
Absolutely one of the best books I have read in a long time!
Absolutely one of the best books I have read in a long time!
Filled with mystery, drama, and a touch of humor, the book was simply captivating.
Plan to read late into early morning or all weekend long!
Absolutely one of the best books I have read in a long time!
Filled with mystery, drama, and a touch of humor, the book was simply captivating.
Plan to read late into early morning or all weekend long!
September 3, 2017
Wow! A marvelous, complex thriller!
Did not want this one to end but I needed to get my breathing started again after holding it so long and so often. A terrific read. I think I have a new favorite author.
Did not want this one to end but I needed to get my breathing started again after holding it so long and so often. A terrific read. I think I have a new favorite author.
November 15, 2018
Great read!!!
Great read!!! Page Turner. Couldn't put it down. Kept me in suspense the entire time. I'll for sure follow this author.
Great read!!! Page Turner. Couldn't put it down. Kept me in suspense the entire time. I'll for sure follow this author.
March 13, 2014
“The Rented Mule” is a Southern-framed novel by West Point, MS, resident Bobby Cole. It is his third work, following “The Dummy Line” and “Moon Underfoot.”
Cooper Dixon is a 36-year-old frustrated ad agency co-owner who dreams of trading the rat race for the outdoors. The Tower Agency is up for sale, but Cooper’s partner, and majority stockholder, has plans to weasel more than his share of the profits with the help of a local banker and his associate. Cut off from his family’s fortune, Gates Ballenger desperately needs the cash to pay off gambling and drug debts. Cooper, however, is unaware of the string pulling. Instead, he has a strong sense of family, right and wrong – and honesty. Born to hunt and fish, Cooper wants to buy pristine acreage from his family’s longtime housekeeper, Millie Brown, to build a hunter’s paradise retreat. (The novel’s title references one of Millie’s old-time sayings.)
Cooper’s biggest vices are Mexican Coca-Colas and a growing infatuation with a colleague named Brooke Layton. Wife Kelly is all about money and the social status that she thinks dollars can provide.
Their lives go awry when a motley criminal crew, including a former football star, a computer whiz, a female accomplice and a Larry King wannabe addicted to teeth-whitening strips, is hired by “the Client” to kidnap Kelly and implicate Cooper. He is determined to get to the truth of Kelly's disappearance while trying to evade police and arrest. The hunter becomes the hunted.
The person behind the kidnapping comes as a surprise. Just know that he’s insane, possessing a drug-addled false sense of grandeur and the knowledge of his family’s deep and dark past. “Deep” and “dark” are key to the Client’s plans for Kelly and Cooper as well as Brooke and her son.
“The Rented Mule” is not a quick read, coming in at 500 pages. It takes space to flesh out details, little nuggets that keep readers’ attention and let them relate to the characters, the settings and even the criminal mastermind’s back story. In the South, anything is possible.
Cooper Dixon is a 36-year-old frustrated ad agency co-owner who dreams of trading the rat race for the outdoors. The Tower Agency is up for sale, but Cooper’s partner, and majority stockholder, has plans to weasel more than his share of the profits with the help of a local banker and his associate. Cut off from his family’s fortune, Gates Ballenger desperately needs the cash to pay off gambling and drug debts. Cooper, however, is unaware of the string pulling. Instead, he has a strong sense of family, right and wrong – and honesty. Born to hunt and fish, Cooper wants to buy pristine acreage from his family’s longtime housekeeper, Millie Brown, to build a hunter’s paradise retreat. (The novel’s title references one of Millie’s old-time sayings.)
Cooper’s biggest vices are Mexican Coca-Colas and a growing infatuation with a colleague named Brooke Layton. Wife Kelly is all about money and the social status that she thinks dollars can provide.
Their lives go awry when a motley criminal crew, including a former football star, a computer whiz, a female accomplice and a Larry King wannabe addicted to teeth-whitening strips, is hired by “the Client” to kidnap Kelly and implicate Cooper. He is determined to get to the truth of Kelly's disappearance while trying to evade police and arrest. The hunter becomes the hunted.
The person behind the kidnapping comes as a surprise. Just know that he’s insane, possessing a drug-addled false sense of grandeur and the knowledge of his family’s deep and dark past. “Deep” and “dark” are key to the Client’s plans for Kelly and Cooper as well as Brooke and her son.
“The Rented Mule” is not a quick read, coming in at 500 pages. It takes space to flesh out details, little nuggets that keep readers’ attention and let them relate to the characters, the settings and even the criminal mastermind’s back story. In the South, anything is possible.
August 10, 2016
When I got an advanced reading copy of The Rented Mule by Bobby Cole, I was not particularly keen. A mule, and a rented one at that does not look too appealing. But I was intrigued by the author, and started on a new reading journey with this author. Though The Rented Mule is his third novel, it is my first tryst with this writer from Mississippi.
Cooper Dixon is seemingly living the perfect life. With a beautiful wife and kids, and a growing business, he’s the envy of many others. Yet, he is a deeply troubled man. He is unhappy with his life. His beautiful wife, Kelly, is spoiled to boot and he’s even considering an affair with a divorced graphic artist Brooke Layton, who is being stalked by her crazy ex-husband.
On the business front too, Cooper is just a minority owner of Tower Advertising Agency in Montgomery, Alabama. His partner and majority owner Gates Ballenger is struggling with drug and gambling problems. He is desperate to sell the agency to take care of his debts with bookie Mitchell Holmes, and is feverishly pushing a deal with a local bank. Selling the agency would be good enough for Cooper but Gates is also looking for a way to block him from getting his fair share.
Tremendously under pressure, Cooper finds himself at the end of a rope when his wife is kidnapped by a trio of criminals hired by a mysterious figure known only as “the Client.” The kidnappers also planted evidences to link him to the crime. When he is framed for a crime he did not commit, Cooper is left with no choice but to take the matter into his own hands.
After reading The Rented Mule, I’m keen to read Bobby Cole’s two other books. Though he has his weakness, he has managed to build up the tension to keep me hooked right through to the end of the story. The story is simple and straight forward, though he has thrown in various elements at different points. It is a compelling and thrilling novel.
Cooper Dixon is seemingly living the perfect life. With a beautiful wife and kids, and a growing business, he’s the envy of many others. Yet, he is a deeply troubled man. He is unhappy with his life. His beautiful wife, Kelly, is spoiled to boot and he’s even considering an affair with a divorced graphic artist Brooke Layton, who is being stalked by her crazy ex-husband.
On the business front too, Cooper is just a minority owner of Tower Advertising Agency in Montgomery, Alabama. His partner and majority owner Gates Ballenger is struggling with drug and gambling problems. He is desperate to sell the agency to take care of his debts with bookie Mitchell Holmes, and is feverishly pushing a deal with a local bank. Selling the agency would be good enough for Cooper but Gates is also looking for a way to block him from getting his fair share.
Tremendously under pressure, Cooper finds himself at the end of a rope when his wife is kidnapped by a trio of criminals hired by a mysterious figure known only as “the Client.” The kidnappers also planted evidences to link him to the crime. When he is framed for a crime he did not commit, Cooper is left with no choice but to take the matter into his own hands.
After reading The Rented Mule, I’m keen to read Bobby Cole’s two other books. Though he has his weakness, he has managed to build up the tension to keep me hooked right through to the end of the story. The story is simple and straight forward, though he has thrown in various elements at different points. It is a compelling and thrilling novel.
March 25, 2014
While The Rented Mule has an interesting description and enticing plot summary, this was a case where the marketing was better than the product itself. I cannot remember the last time, if ever, that I read a book so campy and poorly drawn. Towards the conclusion of the book, I started to wonder when the main character would be yelling up to Lassie to go get help from the Sheriff at the mill... and then almost on cue... Writing southern dialect takes a deft, steady hand. Instead, this work substitutes a hammer where an airbrush is all that is required. At the end of the day, try as I might to like this book, this one left me feeling like a rented mule.
March 12, 2014
Giving it a 3 star because I did get caught up in the plot line by mid way through. Writing style was barely passable in parts and was either unbelievable or too cliche in others. There were some characters who I just didn't like such as the single mom divorce who plots to draw Cooper into an affair. At times Cooper is the hero and in other spots he is just clueless. It doesn't all gel together as a result. His marriage is so broken but all is fixed in the blink of an eye. Unrealistic....
February 16, 2014
Wow! I won't give away any spoilers but I have to tell you that this book really sucked me in. I usually read in the evenings before bed and I could not put this one down, reading well into the night. I have not read many books in this genre, but I really enjoyed it and want to read more like it. I just need to be prepared for less sleep. :) I won't give away any spoilers
February 15, 2014
Great book!
Great book!
This story has all the right ingredients. Page turning story line, not clear who the real bad guy is, a bit of romance, great characters. I look forward to reading more from g his author.
Great book!
This story has all the right ingredients. Page turning story line, not clear who the real bad guy is, a bit of romance, great characters. I look forward to reading more from g his author.
March 1, 2014
Good storyline with a great twist
I really enjoyed this book.I am looking for new authors and will look for more by Bobby Cole. this had a great storyline, and a very unexpected twist which made it very hard to put down.
I really enjoyed this book.I am looking for new authors and will look for more by Bobby Cole. this had a great storyline, and a very unexpected twist which made it very hard to put down.
July 12, 2016
Good read. Interesting
Not a genre I usually read, and the writing style was not one I was used to. But I read the last half of the book in one night, so I'd have to call it a page turner. There were a lot of characters and the web of mystery was spun well around them.
Not a genre I usually read, and the writing style was not one I was used to. But I read the last half of the book in one night, so I'd have to call it a page turner. There were a lot of characters and the web of mystery was spun well around them.
February 2, 2024
I am going to try to write this without spoilers. This is great book with outrageously funny characters. There is the vindictively angry, high maintenance southern wife with a short temper and a creative mind for pissing her husband off. There is the good hearted, focused, home-wrecking single mom. Don't let me forget the wealthy, entitled, back-stabbing, best friend and business partner. It just get's better and better. It includes, what appears to me, a mentally challenged criminal who identifies as Larry King. I could keep going but I don't want to give anything else away.
The protagonist, Cooper, is a good natured, Christian family man with altruistic intentions for everyone, save his wife. His one safe place is on an abandoned farm 1 hour north of Montgomery, AL to hunt, fish and leave the job and home that seems to be the source of all his stress. The conflict is one we can all relate to. A couple who has been pulled apart by work, society and life. That is until Kelly, his wife, comes up missing and no one can find her. There is no ransom note, no notice to family that Kelly has ran away, and Cooper has no alibi. And then there is evidence that Cooper did it.
It is funny watching all these characters come together and clash. The only thing I hated about this book was having to put it down to do other things.
The protagonist, Cooper, is a good natured, Christian family man with altruistic intentions for everyone, save his wife. His one safe place is on an abandoned farm 1 hour north of Montgomery, AL to hunt, fish and leave the job and home that seems to be the source of all his stress. The conflict is one we can all relate to. A couple who has been pulled apart by work, society and life. That is until Kelly, his wife, comes up missing and no one can find her. There is no ransom note, no notice to family that Kelly has ran away, and Cooper has no alibi. And then there is evidence that Cooper did it.
It is funny watching all these characters come together and clash. The only thing I hated about this book was having to put it down to do other things.
May 29, 2017
Disappointing execution of a good story
Both stars are for the potential of this story, which is the only reason I managed to finish.
The writing is awkward and the author too often uses inane dialogue between characters to describe a scene or alert the reader to important elements of the story. Narration is obtrusive, often times pointedly telling the reader important information rather than painting a scene and allowing the reader the joy of discovering what is important.
The characters were predictable and like the narration, the reader was spoon fed the personality as each character was introduced, rather than having these traits come to light as the story evolved. Even more distracting were the excessive idiosyncrasies, most of which contributed little if anything to the story.
Finally, the book was simply too long. It was a real slog just getting to the midpoint, but once there, the pace picked up. Repetitive dialogue and narration weighed the story down. For instance, the author dedicated significant time to Cooper's penchant for Mexican Coca-Cola. In the end, this entire thread mattered little to the telling of the story.
Both stars are for the potential of this story, which is the only reason I managed to finish.
The writing is awkward and the author too often uses inane dialogue between characters to describe a scene or alert the reader to important elements of the story. Narration is obtrusive, often times pointedly telling the reader important information rather than painting a scene and allowing the reader the joy of discovering what is important.
The characters were predictable and like the narration, the reader was spoon fed the personality as each character was introduced, rather than having these traits come to light as the story evolved. Even more distracting were the excessive idiosyncrasies, most of which contributed little if anything to the story.
Finally, the book was simply too long. It was a real slog just getting to the midpoint, but once there, the pace picked up. Repetitive dialogue and narration weighed the story down. For instance, the author dedicated significant time to Cooper's penchant for Mexican Coca-Cola. In the end, this entire thread mattered little to the telling of the story.
September 29, 2017
Wow! Totally thrilling plot!
You think you know....until the end when you find out you don't. Loved ALMOST everything about this book. There were some incredibly uncomfortable situations that ALMOST made me put the book down (in kindle fashion, i mean), but I survived those sections-- I'm sorry but reading about a woman's lust, totally bent on destroying another man's marriage was really difficult!--but about 2/3rds the way through i was really glad i kept reading this book. I honestly felt like you had no idea what was going to happen next. The twists went completely different directions and truly became a tangled mess....brilliantly sorted out by the author, i might add. Well worth the read.
You think you know....until the end when you find out you don't. Loved ALMOST everything about this book. There were some incredibly uncomfortable situations that ALMOST made me put the book down (in kindle fashion, i mean), but I survived those sections-- I'm sorry but reading about a woman's lust, totally bent on destroying another man's marriage was really difficult!--but about 2/3rds the way through i was really glad i kept reading this book. I honestly felt like you had no idea what was going to happen next. The twists went completely different directions and truly became a tangled mess....brilliantly sorted out by the author, i might add. Well worth the read.
June 18, 2018
Five Stars for My First Bobby Cole Novel, "The Rented Mule"
I didn't know what to expect, but was definitely surprised to find myself glued to this novel. Having spent much of my youth in Alabama, I found many of the characters to be quite believable. The storyline was easy to pick up on and I soon found that it was flying by, with me in tow. I did enjoy trying to guess the many possible plot twists, hoping for certain outcomes and grateful that this wasn't just a 200 page book. I do prefer reading books with at least 500 pages, but only if the content stays exciting. I wasn't disappointed! Thank you, Bobby Cole, for giving me such enjoyment from this first book of yours, that I've had the pleasure of reading. I'm now looking forward to more of your work and hope to catch you on Facebook sometime soon, too.
I didn't know what to expect, but was definitely surprised to find myself glued to this novel. Having spent much of my youth in Alabama, I found many of the characters to be quite believable. The storyline was easy to pick up on and I soon found that it was flying by, with me in tow. I did enjoy trying to guess the many possible plot twists, hoping for certain outcomes and grateful that this wasn't just a 200 page book. I do prefer reading books with at least 500 pages, but only if the content stays exciting. I wasn't disappointed! Thank you, Bobby Cole, for giving me such enjoyment from this first book of yours, that I've had the pleasure of reading. I'm now looking forward to more of your work and hope to catch you on Facebook sometime soon, too.
October 1, 2017
Initially A Slog But Nicely Concluded
It was hard to get started with this one, but the slow beginning certainly was no indication of the harrowing, breakneck, breathless conclusion! Just one quibble, and I don't hunt so I don't understand about the duck tag - how did Cooper Dixon get the tag if he's never shot at anything living??!!
And as a side note - I don't usually rate books more than a three for an author unknown to me (Crais, Baldacci, Gerritsen, Child, Robb, Evanovich, Randy Wayne White, Sandford, even some Patterson are all usually four stars if not five!) but this one was a keeper.
It was hard to get started with this one, but the slow beginning certainly was no indication of the harrowing, breakneck, breathless conclusion! Just one quibble, and I don't hunt so I don't understand about the duck tag - how did Cooper Dixon get the tag if he's never shot at anything living??!!
And as a side note - I don't usually rate books more than a three for an author unknown to me (Crais, Baldacci, Gerritsen, Child, Robb, Evanovich, Randy Wayne White, Sandford, even some Patterson are all usually four stars if not five!) but this one was a keeper.
December 5, 2017
I got this book through Kindle Unlimited back in 2015 but I just read it. Little did I know I was missing out on a good book. I read this book and listened to it on audible.
There were many characters involved in this story. I loved that the book was set in Montgomery Alabama. The southern charm aspects of the book were very familiar to me plus I was familiar with some of the descriptions in the book.
Most of the main characters were flawed in some way. I found many parts of this book to be hilarious. Most of the humor came from the kidnapping crew. This team was mostly competent, seemed to care about each other and seemed like decent folks.
There were many characters involved in this story. I loved that the book was set in Montgomery Alabama. The southern charm aspects of the book were very familiar to me plus I was familiar with some of the descriptions in the book.
Most of the main characters were flawed in some way. I found many parts of this book to be hilarious. Most of the humor came from the kidnapping crew. This team was mostly competent, seemed to care about each other and seemed like decent folks.
September 1, 2022
Cooper is out of love with his wife, fantasizing about another woman, and this all comes exactly at the wrong time. Unfortunately, Cooper has more enemies than one would expect, none of which seem stable. I thought book had great promise, but in the end things seemed way too cliché with the budding romance. The novel tried to give the reader a "trick" ending a couple of times, and while there was one surprise, I didn't find it to be all that intriguing. The author tried a little too hard to keep the reader guessing. The novel just did not run smoothly, and instead felt like a sputtering pickup that you are not sure will make it to the end of the journey.
September 18, 2024
90% great
Sooo, third person narrator with no buffer to who he's narrating. Can go from Cooper to Mark to Kelly in the same paragraph. Makes it a little harder for audible reasons. I both read and listened and even reading I had to go back and see who's person I was in. Would have been better if a chapter was dedicated to each person.
Some scenes played out like a b-rated horror flick.
All that said but I still read through this 500 page beast in a few days because it IS good overall. Really pay attention to the character building the first few chapters and it's easy to keep track of who's who.
Sooo, third person narrator with no buffer to who he's narrating. Can go from Cooper to Mark to Kelly in the same paragraph. Makes it a little harder for audible reasons. I both read and listened and even reading I had to go back and see who's person I was in. Would have been better if a chapter was dedicated to each person.
Some scenes played out like a b-rated horror flick.
All that said but I still read through this 500 page beast in a few days because it IS good overall. Really pay attention to the character building the first few chapters and it's easy to keep track of who's who.
August 17, 2017
Good read
Enjoyable reading. Frequently humorous. I would have easily given 4 or even 5 stars except for frequently used words inserted to give a good ol boy, or southern red neck flavor to the characters. They felt awkward to me. Ignoring that major flaw I would highly recommendh this entertaining novel of family, business and crime in the south. The story itself is centered around the kidnapping of a wife and mother who has lost her focus on the importance of her family and marriage. Satisfying ending
Enjoyable reading. Frequently humorous. I would have easily given 4 or even 5 stars except for frequently used words inserted to give a good ol boy, or southern red neck flavor to the characters. They felt awkward to me. Ignoring that major flaw I would highly recommendh this entertaining novel of family, business and crime in the south. The story itself is centered around the kidnapping of a wife and mother who has lost her focus on the importance of her family and marriage. Satisfying ending
August 28, 2017
Not a bad page-turner. It does something I like, which is to make good use of a location you wouldn't ordinarily see (in this case, Alabama). It's an odd mix of Grisham potboiler with some "Silence of the Lambs" hybridization, and yet it's not afraid to get hokey/corny/sappy. The epilogue wasn't necessary either. Nonetheless, I was on a short vacation that included train rides, and this filled the bill pretty well.
October 15, 2017
Ugh, what a bore! It is a mystery that was surprisingly easy to solve. About half way through the book I realized who THE CLIENT was as well as the motive. I didn't like any of the characters at all. The Female POV was written so badly, I wondered about the author's past relationships. They all seemed to be conniving, manipulative liars. Not to mention they all sounded utterly juvenile and rather uneducated with the speech he depicted.
September 18, 2017
Too predictable
Did you ever tread a book and think "I feel like I've read this before?". Everything about this story just seemed too predictable. The end seemed infeasible- seriously, who just happens to have a few beaver traps in their backpack? Just wasn't a book I'd recommend
Did you ever tread a book and think "I feel like I've read this before?". Everything about this story just seemed too predictable. The end seemed infeasible- seriously, who just happens to have a few beaver traps in their backpack? Just wasn't a book I'd recommend
March 5, 2018
This was a free offer from a hotel rewards program. I started reading it with the intention of deleting it if it turned out to be a dud. Surprised by the author’s skill of intertwining several very interesting characters’ storylines, I stayed up late several nights to find out “what happens next?” Recommending this as a quick read, not-your-average who done it mystery.
September 28, 2021
Cooper Dixon is being set up to take the fall for his wife's kidnapping. He knows he didn't do it; how can he prove it? The book was a page turner and the author built up the drama that kept me wanting to know more. My only negative is that the author ended too quickly with everything being tied up.
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