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Hard Whispers #1
Hard Whispers
Pamela Graham, heir to the Graham publishing empire sets off to fulfill a humanitarian goal by volunteering at a Russian orphanage as the story unfolds - she meets a biologist from Maryland who reveals a sinister government plot.
The knowledge of the plot not only implicates her but takes her on a time-sensitive race to survive long enough to expose the truth about a vaccine that is being distributed to a vast number of unsuspecting victims. Graham realizes the danger has just hit home in a way she never expected…
The sinister story explodes in Madrid Spain where Graham meets Joseph Pierce a biologist who shares troubling information about vaccines and an unsuspecting population. Persuaded, Graham agrees to help the biologist deliver information to a man that would expose the CDC for their corruption. Graham and Pierce fully know the incredible truth about what the outcome could be if they are too late.
With CIA agents hiding in the shadows, Ms. Graham must stay on a dangerous course long enough to deliver a hard drive containing proof of the plot to a global leak organization.
Right now- all you can hear are the Hard Whispers...
The knowledge of the plot not only implicates her but takes her on a time-sensitive race to survive long enough to expose the truth about a vaccine that is being distributed to a vast number of unsuspecting victims. Graham realizes the danger has just hit home in a way she never expected…
The sinister story explodes in Madrid Spain where Graham meets Joseph Pierce a biologist who shares troubling information about vaccines and an unsuspecting population. Persuaded, Graham agrees to help the biologist deliver information to a man that would expose the CDC for their corruption. Graham and Pierce fully know the incredible truth about what the outcome could be if they are too late.
With CIA agents hiding in the shadows, Ms. Graham must stay on a dangerous course long enough to deliver a hard drive containing proof of the plot to a global leak organization.
Right now- all you can hear are the Hard Whispers...
- GenresFiction
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
321 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 21, 2017
Warning! SPOILERS!!
I received this book as a free download from the author through the Book Promotions group here on Goodreads.
This book started with the promise to be a great, exciting thriller, but in my opinion, fell short on fulfilling that promise. As hard as I tried to make it all the way through, I increasingly struggled with the believability of both the story and the characters as I got deeper into the book.
Somehow a recent college grad with little life experience stumbles across Europe while flying commercially and avoids getting nabbed by both the CIA (which has successfully toppled entire governments) and an unnamed Russian agency that ostensibly morphed from the KGB (which ruled the Soviet Union with a fearful, murderous iron fist for decades), all the while repeatedly sailing through customs even though she's wanted for kidnapping a child in Russia and smuggling him out of the country. Both agencies want her either dead or silenced because they think she's discovered a nefarious joint plot by both agencies to kill thousands of people in both the U.S. and Russia with tainted vaccines. Problem is, the vaccines haven't even been produced yet because they tried to use the normal manufacturing and distribution network of the CDC. But the head doctor ran a few tests, discovered something hinky was up, and bounced out of the country to hide out in Spain.
I had to give this book one star because I just couldn't bring myself to finish reading the story. If I'm reading fiction, and I have to talk myself into picking a book back up because I find it painfully unbelievable, I have to relegate it to the DNF (Did Not Finish) shelf and move on to something else. I was fairly disappointed Hard Whispers had to end in such a demise. I had so looked forward to a great story. However, I was sadly unable to find it here. :-(
This review is also posted on Amazon.
Until next time, stay safe, and above all, be true to yourself.
That Aaron Guy
I received this book as a free download from the author through the Book Promotions group here on Goodreads.
This book started with the promise to be a great, exciting thriller, but in my opinion, fell short on fulfilling that promise. As hard as I tried to make it all the way through, I increasingly struggled with the believability of both the story and the characters as I got deeper into the book.
Somehow a recent college grad with little life experience stumbles across Europe while flying commercially and avoids getting nabbed by both the CIA (which has successfully toppled entire governments) and an unnamed Russian agency that ostensibly morphed from the KGB (which ruled the Soviet Union with a fearful, murderous iron fist for decades), all the while repeatedly sailing through customs even though she's wanted for kidnapping a child in Russia and smuggling him out of the country. Both agencies want her either dead or silenced because they think she's discovered a nefarious joint plot by both agencies to kill thousands of people in both the U.S. and Russia with tainted vaccines. Problem is, the vaccines haven't even been produced yet because they tried to use the normal manufacturing and distribution network of the CDC. But the head doctor ran a few tests, discovered something hinky was up, and bounced out of the country to hide out in Spain.
I had to give this book one star because I just couldn't bring myself to finish reading the story. If I'm reading fiction, and I have to talk myself into picking a book back up because I find it painfully unbelievable, I have to relegate it to the DNF (Did Not Finish) shelf and move on to something else. I was fairly disappointed Hard Whispers had to end in such a demise. I had so looked forward to a great story. However, I was sadly unable to find it here. :-(
This review is also posted on Amazon.
Until next time, stay safe, and above all, be true to yourself.
That Aaron Guy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2011
A complete page turner! One moment i was sad to be laughing the next. This books takes you in an emotional roller coaster filled with suspense and turns you did not expect. I can wait for the second book! Very Dan Brownesque. Movie next?
September 24, 2013
HARD WHISPERS by Pamela Martin and Carl Henegan poses mysteries right away, in the Prologue. The stories of a few different people, each story contributing to the mystery, eventually meld. And then the thrills begin.
After the Prologue is Pamela’s story, the most detailed and, therefore, the main story. Before we get to the mystery/thrills with her, there are some chapters about her background, her friend Roxy, her night out drinking at bars, lots of text that would make this book seem to be written for young adults.
Once we get through that, Pam goes to Russia to do volunteer work at an orphanage. For some reason, she has waited until now to finish her research. She investigates various orphanages before she decides to volunteer her services at the one she had originally contacted. This is another part of the book that sounded YA.
When Pam does begin her volunteer work, she immediately falls in love with one of the children. So, of course, she takes him. ( I say “of course” because that was so predictable.) I don’t know how she thought this could possibly work out. But, because of her sex appeal, she’s always able to enlist the help of fast drivers and men who can get her the right papers and ID. And she always has loads of cash to use in whichever country she’s in. Thank goodness for the euro! I was still feeling like this book was YA.
Other people have stories, too. Each story seems separate at first, but it is soon apparent that all these people are involved in a story about a “vaccine” that the federal government is having produced. There’s the cab driver in Russia who warns against a vaccine. There’s the doctor at the CDC who isn’t as concerned with whether this “vaccine” will help or harm as he is with following orders. There’s the CEO of the company the government has contracted to produce the “vaccine” and his concerns after testing it. There’s the newspaper reporter who wants to expose the story of the “vaccine” because the only thing the government is afraid of, he says, is public knowledge of what they are doing. And there are others who contribute to the story of the governments of Russia and the U.S. conspiring to do harm to their citizens.
Then Pamela gets involved in the vaccine story. She has information about the “vaccine” on a flash drive that she needs to give to the reporter.
HARD WHISPERS has plenty of mysteries and thrills and is geared toward YA readers. That is not a negative comment. I just know I would have liked this book more when I was a young adult.
After the Prologue is Pamela’s story, the most detailed and, therefore, the main story. Before we get to the mystery/thrills with her, there are some chapters about her background, her friend Roxy, her night out drinking at bars, lots of text that would make this book seem to be written for young adults.
Once we get through that, Pam goes to Russia to do volunteer work at an orphanage. For some reason, she has waited until now to finish her research. She investigates various orphanages before she decides to volunteer her services at the one she had originally contacted. This is another part of the book that sounded YA.
When Pam does begin her volunteer work, she immediately falls in love with one of the children. So, of course, she takes him. ( I say “of course” because that was so predictable.) I don’t know how she thought this could possibly work out. But, because of her sex appeal, she’s always able to enlist the help of fast drivers and men who can get her the right papers and ID. And she always has loads of cash to use in whichever country she’s in. Thank goodness for the euro! I was still feeling like this book was YA.
Other people have stories, too. Each story seems separate at first, but it is soon apparent that all these people are involved in a story about a “vaccine” that the federal government is having produced. There’s the cab driver in Russia who warns against a vaccine. There’s the doctor at the CDC who isn’t as concerned with whether this “vaccine” will help or harm as he is with following orders. There’s the CEO of the company the government has contracted to produce the “vaccine” and his concerns after testing it. There’s the newspaper reporter who wants to expose the story of the “vaccine” because the only thing the government is afraid of, he says, is public knowledge of what they are doing. And there are others who contribute to the story of the governments of Russia and the U.S. conspiring to do harm to their citizens.
Then Pamela gets involved in the vaccine story. She has information about the “vaccine” on a flash drive that she needs to give to the reporter.
HARD WHISPERS has plenty of mysteries and thrills and is geared toward YA readers. That is not a negative comment. I just know I would have liked this book more when I was a young adult.
June 1, 2014
An evil government plot of staggering magnitude.... the birth of WikiLeaks.... a small boy in mortal peril.... this wonderful book has all the elements of a first-class thriller and is one of the best of its kind that I've read.
The conspiracy that gradually emerges is staggeringly OTT, but it is so skilfully developed that the reader doesn't balk, and the book rips on to a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. This is a traditionally-styled adventure in the tradition of John Buchan and Anthony Hope, and I staid up nearly all night to finish it.
The work is extremely well written and immaculately presented. Of particular note are Martin's characters, each one, even minor characters, beautifully drawn out in loving detail. The characters' different speech styles are wonderfully done, and this is an area where many writers fall down. I especially loved the pungent villains.
The one sex scene was handled with beautiful restraint, for which I award full marks, and the conclusion, an area where many writers nowadays fall down, was properly handled, with loose ends tied off - no dishonest cliffhanger ending to force one to buy another book here. Martin's readers will buy another just because this one was so good.
All in all, a beautiful piece of work, and for a first novel, really extraordinary. I look forward very much to the next book in the series.
The conspiracy that gradually emerges is staggeringly OTT, but it is so skilfully developed that the reader doesn't balk, and the book rips on to a wonderfully satisfying conclusion. This is a traditionally-styled adventure in the tradition of John Buchan and Anthony Hope, and I staid up nearly all night to finish it.
The work is extremely well written and immaculately presented. Of particular note are Martin's characters, each one, even minor characters, beautifully drawn out in loving detail. The characters' different speech styles are wonderfully done, and this is an area where many writers fall down. I especially loved the pungent villains.
The one sex scene was handled with beautiful restraint, for which I award full marks, and the conclusion, an area where many writers nowadays fall down, was properly handled, with loose ends tied off - no dishonest cliffhanger ending to force one to buy another book here. Martin's readers will buy another just because this one was so good.
All in all, a beautiful piece of work, and for a first novel, really extraordinary. I look forward very much to the next book in the series.
April 25, 2011
After graduating from college Pamela Graham – heir to the Graham publishing empire – fulfills a humanitarian goal of volunteering at a Russian orphanage. When Pamela impulsively takes one of the children out of the country to avoid an otherwise grim future, she inadvertently sets in motion a series of dark events. While evading the Russian authorities by flying to Spain, she meets a biologist from Maryland who tells her about a sinister American government conspiracy. This knowledge takes her on a time sensitive race to survive long enough to expose the truth before it is too late for a vast number of unsuspecting victims. A gripping saga of covert government action, classism, and modern espionage, Hard Whispers runs at full speed with a spellbinding intensity that dances on the edge of reality.
December 1, 2015
This was the most unrealistic book I have read. I've been to University studied all manner of subjects English literature, physcology etc. Nothing made sense, it was a tedious read in the end I used the book to kindle the fire. Palema if you are reading this, hopefully the whispers coming from this book won't be too hard that everyone can hear them and therefore end up listening to the sick drag of this disaster.
November 21, 2018
Very well built roller coaster!
August 31, 2018
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway - thank you. It was a quick read with a story that moved along at a good pace. However, I did not connect with the characters and found their actions somewhat unrealistic. But I was entertained and liked the ending so worth reading, but I would not recommend it to others.
March 7, 2018
This book had an interesting plot, with a lot of interwoven story lines and characters. My only criticism was that some of the dialog did not seem appropriate for the character (dropped gs and too many 'hons'). It held my interest and I liked the twist at the end.
April 22, 2018
A political thriller that could we ripped from today's headlines. It kept me reading and wondering which side the characters were on in the plot. It was fast paced
April 2, 2023
Hard Whispers, by Carl Henegan, is a fast moving suspense thriller. With elements of espionage, conspiracy and murder you are always on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. I enjoy how the book starts out as two seemingly different story lines that I can not imagine coming together and then watching them merge into one. As with Carl Henegan’s first book, Yesterday’s Darkness, I arrived at the end exhausted by and elated with the experience I was able to be a part of and wanting more.
July 11, 2016
Very good thriller wasn't expecting to be swept away by the heroine in the book Pamela Graham.
The book moves fast and there are many pieces to keep up with. The woman has a crazy father that is involved in a secret society and is also involved with the government. I recommend this book.
The book moves fast and there are many pieces to keep up with. The woman has a crazy father that is involved in a secret society and is also involved with the government. I recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews