Double Take: A Short Story

by Alan Jacobson

NYPD detective Ben Dyer awakens from cancer surgery to find his life turned upside down. His fiancée has disappeared and Dyer, determined to find her, embarks on a journey mired with potholes and startling revelations—revelations that have the potential to forever change his life.

Genres: Mystery Thriller

31 pages, ebook

First published June 15, 2012

About the author

ALAN JACOBSON is the USA Today bestselling author of a dozen critically acclaimed, award-winning thrillers. His 20 years of research and training with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, DEA, US Marshals Service, ATF, Scotland Yard, SWAT, and the US military bring unparalleled realism to his stories and characters—prompting the San Francisco Chronicle to write that “Alan Jacobson researches his books like a good newspaper reporter and then pushes the envelope into reality more thoroughly than the typical crime novel could ever allow.”

Jacobson's series protagonist, FBI profiler Karen Vail, has resonated with both female and male readers and inspired Nelson DeMille, James Patterson, and Michael Connelly to call Vail one of the most compelling heroes in suspense fiction. Likewise, his OPSIG Team Black series has been lauded by real-life Navy SEALs.

Jacobson’s thrillers have been published internationally and several have been optioned by Hollywood.

Web: www.AlanJacobson.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/AlanJacobsonFans Instagram: alan.jacobson
Twitter: @JacobsonAlan

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lightening fast to read short story, "Double Take" is an odd mystery thriller to be sure. NYPD detective Ben Dyer is being released from the hospital after surgery to remove a tumor from his heel. Lt. Carmine "Loo" Russo is Ben's boss. Russo takes Ben home to recuperate. However, Ben discovers his finace' Amy is gone. She has totally moved out and left Ben. Ben is shattered. "Loo" Russo explains that she is really in WITSEC. Amy apparently witnessed a mob hit and was going to testify. Ben happens into the conclusion that Amy has relocated to San Francisco. Ben races to California to find her. Low and behold, Amy is dead having been murdered by David Gilbarco. Amy had been having an affair with David for some time. Ben is devastated. The short story races so quickly it's hard to get a read on the characters. You have to rely on the dialog to see how much the characters allow themselves to be exposed. The several twists at the conclusion were pretty wild ! I was truly stunned and never saw the conclusion coming. 5 stars out of 5 possible. I'd highly recommend this short story to any lover of mystery/ thrillers. Pick it up and spend an hour with this excellent story.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story where what you think is happening turns out to be something very different. Loved it.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off good but ended poorly. Just weird.

[Nani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not give this short story five stars just because it was written by Alan Jacobson. The story is worth five stars because it was written by Alan Jacobson.

The story is detailed but fast moving with a bit of a Twilight Zone twist. I hadn't even realized it was at the end of my digital copy of Hard Target and what a treat to read while I'm waiting for his next book!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Double Take

I love Alan Jacobson as an author and this is an interesting story but I don't know how I feel about this. I like that the story is well written and I understand that this is a real possibility and it is being tested as a drug but I'm not happy about it and I don't think I want to read about it.

[Josi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Double bad

The book was s too short. Not enough character development. No reason as to why it went the way it did.