In Their Footsteps / Stolen

by Tess Gerritsen

STOLEN

When the bullets finally ceased, the bodies lay in a coiled embrace on the lifeboat.

The sinking of a cargo ship and the slaughter of its crew seemed a senseless act of violence. But Clea Rice knows the truth and is determined to expose the culprits. When Jordan Tavistock is asked to steal the indiscreet letters of a friend, he reluctantly obliges, only to be caught red-handed by another burglar. The burglar is Clea, who is looking for something else entirely.

As Jordan finds himself caught up in a web of mystery and intrigue, he wonders how he can trust Clea when she will not tell him who she is working for, or even what her real name is. Only together, can they find the answers to the sinister questions surrounding the sinking of the ship. Answers that some are prepared to kill for to keep buried.

IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS

The quiet scandal surrounding her parents' deaths 20 years ago sends Beryl Tavistock on a search for the truth from Paris to Greece.

As she enters a world of international espionage, Beryl discovers she needs help and turns to a suave ex-CIA agent. But in a world where trust is a double-edged sword, friends become enemies and enemies become killers.

544 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2011

About the author

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.

As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".

Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.

Reviews

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read many Tess Gerritsen books – both her older romantic suspense books and her newer mystery books – and I can safely say she is one of my favourite authors. However, the Tavistock books failed to entertain me in the way I had hoped. Truthfully, they are my least favourite of all the Gerritsen books I have read.

Both had the promise of being wonderful reads. Both suggest at all Gerritsen has to offer in her romantic suspense books, yet neither story really pulled me in. There was the odd bit of action, but nothing much ever really happened. In fact, both books seemed to make promises without giving any real delivery.

If you’ve yet to read a Gerritsen book, I certainly recommend starting somewhere else. She really can do – and has repeatedly done – better than this. Were it not for the fact I brought the omnibus, I would not have read both stories. I will admit to the second book being better than the first, yet neither were up to the usual high Gerritsen standard.

Overall, a disappointing read from one of my favourite authors. You’re always going to find them – the books where your favourite authors didn’t quite reach their usual high – I’m just disappointed two books with so much promised turned out to be the Gerritsen books I didn’t enjoy.

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would actually give four stars for the main storyline but the subplot of the romance between two of the main characters was so overpowering and read like a harlequin romance that it dragged the rating down a start. Jordan and Beryl are brother and sister whose parents died about twenty years before. Suddenly by a drunken family friend it was revealed that their parents had died in a murder-suicide situation and may have been treasonous spies. A mysterious stranger, Richard Wolf, who knew their parents when they died, enters the picture around the same time and vows to protect them as they go to Paris to investigate their parents’ deaths. Of course Beryl and Richard have chemistry from the moment they meet and fall in love. The investigation into their parents’ demise though is a good story.

[Kim67 Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tess does mills and boon !

[Sue Keunen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two stories in one. Loved the Tavistock family, the espionage. Quite different for Tess Gerritson

[Digby · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do certainly prefer her thrillers.

[Alysia Peacock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a real page Turner from start to finish . Highly recommend reading this book.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taking Stock: in their footsteps / stolen is about a family who is haunted by the past. Beryl Tavistock never understands the way her parents died and wanted answers. Beryl Tavistock and her brother Jordon decided to go to Paris and investigate her parent's death. Someone wants the truth to stay hidden, and things started to happen to Beryl and Jordon. However, things became complicated when Jordon meets Clea Rice. The readers of Taking Stock will continue to follow Beryl and Jordon Tavistock to find out what happens.

Taking Stock is an enjoyable book to read, and I did engage with the plot of this book. I like how Tess Gerritsen split the book into two parts to engage the reader with the story. I love Tess Gerritsen portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Taking Stock: in their footsteps / stolen is well written and research by Tess Gerritsen. I like Tess Gerritsen description of the settings of Taking Stock: in their footsteps / stolen that complement the plot of this book.

The readers of Taking Stock will understand the lengths people go through to keep a secret hidden. Also, the readers of Taking Stock will learn about what happens to English homes when families go into financial difficulties.

I recommend this book.

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have always really enjoyed Tess Gerritsen's medical thrillers and started this book with anticipation of her similiar enthralling read. Was really disappointed as this didn't include any medical themes and instead was her interpreation of a spy/espionage/romance novel complete with Lords and Ladies of the manor! Struggled to finish it.

[Heidi Hisrich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love her thrillers, but when she mixes in romance it's just awful!

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable thriller.