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Fragmented: A Jack Paris Thriller, Book 1
Convicted felon Alvin Cooper was eventually granted work furlough from prison. While at a local bank, he sees a picture of the manager's family. He becomes obsessed with the manager's teenage daughter and kidnaps her.
- GenresMystery
Audible Audio
First published February 4, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 12, 2017
“Cooper’s on the lam. … Why you looking for him anyway?” “Nothing significant. We just found out that Mr. Cooper may be a serial killer.”
Special Agent Jack* Paris races against the clock to locate an elusive serial killer and rescue a young girl before she becomes his next victim.
*Another “Jack”. If you’ve read my reviews before, you already know how I feel about MC’s named Jack. If not, it’s annoying how many of them there are.
Despite a few minor gripes, I enjoyed this story. It held my attention and I cared about the outcome. It was a quick read – I finished it in less than a day (fast for me). I’d recommend it to fans of fast-paced crime thrillers.
What I liked:
-The action starts right away. There’s no long build up before you get to something interesting.
-The fast pace – The action keeps moving and keeps you invested until the very last page.
-The bad guy makes mistakes! I liked that he’s elusive, but not a complete super-genius.
-This was the second book in a row that I've read where the MC was a Caucasian/Asian, #trending.
What I could have done without:
-All the typos and spelling errors! Editing errors in a book are like turning the lights on in the room during a good movie. They totally disrupt the flow! And there were a few too many for my taste in this otherwise enjoyable book.
-The huge cast. There were so many characters! And some of them had very similar names. That made it hard to keep track of all the moving pieces. At one point I found myself saying, “Colfax, wait, didn’t he just get shot? Oh no, that was the other “C” guy.”
-The horrible cliffhanger ending. The book almost literally ends on one page, and not in a way that left me satisfied.
-The unanswered questions. I know there has to be something to entice you to read the next book in the series, but geez Louise, throw us a bone here!
What I wanted more of:
-MORE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! I wanted to know more about the relationship between Jack and his wife. And more about his children. We meet the son, but what about the daughter? And Lucy Marquez is an interesting character. I wanted more backstory on her, and more wrap-up (she just kind of exits stage left at the end).
-And
-More of a conclusion so that I wasn't left feeling that I was more thrown off a cliff rather than left hanging from one.
This was a free Kindle download via BookBub.
Special Agent Jack* Paris races against the clock to locate an elusive serial killer and rescue a young girl before she becomes his next victim.
*Another “Jack”. If you’ve read my reviews before, you already know how I feel about MC’s named Jack. If not, it’s annoying how many of them there are.
Despite a few minor gripes, I enjoyed this story. It held my attention and I cared about the outcome. It was a quick read – I finished it in less than a day (fast for me). I’d recommend it to fans of fast-paced crime thrillers.
What I liked:
-The action starts right away. There’s no long build up before you get to something interesting.
-The fast pace – The action keeps moving and keeps you invested until the very last page.
-The bad guy makes mistakes! I liked that he’s elusive, but not a complete super-genius.
-This was the second book in a row that I've read where the MC was a Caucasian/Asian, #trending.
What I could have done without:
-All the typos and spelling errors! Editing errors in a book are like turning the lights on in the room during a good movie. They totally disrupt the flow! And there were a few too many for my taste in this otherwise enjoyable book.
-The huge cast. There were so many characters! And some of them had very similar names. That made it hard to keep track of all the moving pieces. At one point I found myself saying, “Colfax, wait, didn’t he just get shot? Oh no, that was the other “C” guy.”
-The horrible cliffhanger ending. The book almost literally ends on one page, and not in a way that left me satisfied.
-The unanswered questions. I know there has to be something to entice you to read the next book in the series, but geez Louise, throw us a bone here!
What I wanted more of:
-MORE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! I wanted to know more about the relationship between Jack and his wife. And more about his children. We meet the son, but what about the daughter? And Lucy Marquez is an interesting character. I wanted more backstory on her, and more wrap-up (she just kind of exits stage left at the end).
-And
-More of a conclusion so that I wasn't left feeling that I was more thrown off a cliff rather than left hanging from one.
This was a free Kindle download via BookBub.
August 5, 2022
A compulsive read. Written with an eye to understatement, the action becomes that much more shocking. I loved the shout outs to the smaller towns in California, both on the coast and inland. The protagonist, Jack Paris, will be able to take his place with the other bloody but unbowed detectives of our time.
September 7, 2017
Believable
Well written and believable. Good pace, neat twist at the end. A sequel? Author background and knowledge of tactics help bring story together.
Well written and believable. Good pace, neat twist at the end. A sequel? Author background and knowledge of tactics help bring story together.
September 18, 2017
Couldn't put this book down
As usual the author doesn't leave things cleaned up at the end to draw you into a sequel. Cops look incompetent in this book.
As usual the author doesn't leave things cleaned up at the end to draw you into a sequel. Cops look incompetent in this book.
February 9, 2015
"Fragmented" is a fast-paced thriller; FBI Agent Jack Paris (and so it would seem, the reader) knows "who did it" at the onset. It is Paris’s pursuit to capture the “suspect” that immerses the reader in the book and makes it hard to put down.
Agent Paris is hunting the man he knows is guilty of kidnapping a young girl and other equally despicable crimes. He is working against the clock because Jessica was taken after her mother was murdered, without a fight, without a ransom demand, and without the insulin that she needs. As the hours tick away, he and his team frantically utilize resources from multiple agencies to follow leads, both new and old. Time after time, just when the team seems to be closing in, their clues change and leads vanish. Then, just when things seem to be falling into place, a conspiracy is exposed that no one expected.
This book is a thrill ride from start to finish. I was captivated from page one. In fact, I bought the book one afternoon and finished it by the next afternoon. I can’t wait for the next book by George Fong.
Agent Paris is hunting the man he knows is guilty of kidnapping a young girl and other equally despicable crimes. He is working against the clock because Jessica was taken after her mother was murdered, without a fight, without a ransom demand, and without the insulin that she needs. As the hours tick away, he and his team frantically utilize resources from multiple agencies to follow leads, both new and old. Time after time, just when the team seems to be closing in, their clues change and leads vanish. Then, just when things seem to be falling into place, a conspiracy is exposed that no one expected.
This book is a thrill ride from start to finish. I was captivated from page one. In fact, I bought the book one afternoon and finished it by the next afternoon. I can’t wait for the next book by George Fong.
January 9, 2022
Was a good read overall, although I listened to the audiobook and was saved from all the editing errors that other reviewers complained about. There were too many characters though and it was hard to keep track of everyone; thought I was going to have to take notes on who was who! The ending was intriguing and I'll likely pick up the next in the series to see what happened to our good friend and villain, but I do have one major gripe: was it really necessary to kill off so many good detectives/cops?
January 14, 2020
I liked the twist at the end but the rest of the novel was rather boring and predictable. Lots of police vehicles rushing around, lots of coffee, lots of police being injured or killed and so on. I finished the novel but didn't enjoy it. Not enough originality and not enough character development.
Review written by author of The Diplomatic Spy from Shawn Callon.
Review written by author of The Diplomatic Spy from Shawn Callon.
October 6, 2017
I started to read this book on a train trip. I'm glad I had plenty of time and nothing to do. It took me the whole trip I was so engrossed with the story I barely moved. It sure didn't end the way I thought it would nor was I expecting the last sentence of the book.
September 14, 2021
I liked the book well enough. I just didn't get to know Jack. He didn't feel like a main character.
Lucy had some personality but could have been any cop from any number of crime mysteries. The ending was a very unexpected twist. I am rounding up just for that.
Lucy had some personality but could have been any cop from any number of crime mysteries. The ending was a very unexpected twist. I am rounding up just for that.
September 29, 2017
Awesome, Thrilling Book
I will definitely read more books by Mr. Fong. Great characters, totally unpredictable plot and surprise ending. Really good writing style.
I will definitely read more books by Mr. Fong. Great characters, totally unpredictable plot and surprise ending. Really good writing style.
March 31, 2022
Good, but too much running around for my liking
November 18, 2020
Fragmented by George Fong
I’d long been meaning to write a review of Fragmented. Some of the top writers in the field have already done it, which is a good thing—because Fong’s thriller deserves that kind of attention.
Fong’s hero, Jack Paris, chases a suspect who embodies the primal stuff of terror: a creature who preys on its own kind, sheds identities like a snake sheds its skin, and flits from one creepy place to another, keeping its talons wrapped around a young woman who is slowly dying in their grasp.
Fong has the technical authority to be writing this kind of stuff because he’s a retired FBI agent, but he’s also a good storyteller. Fragmented is a complex tale of a long chase, so it would be especially vulnerable to faults in its pacing, but Fong has avoided this trap. The good guys are shut down again and again. They work like dogs to catch this suspect. I was with it all the way.
Atmospherically, Fragmented is all about the color of night. Everyone is a prisoner of the events unfolding in it—everyone except the bad guy. Definitely a world where evil is running the show—and it’s believable, possible—and also doable by evil, capable, and lucky creeps, scarce though they may be, who are out there right now.
I think of Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-Hiker. Martin Scorsese wrote: “What is at stake in Lupino's films is the psyche of the victim.” In Fragmented, the psyches of the cops, and even the informants, are at stake as well.
I’d long been meaning to write a review of Fragmented. Some of the top writers in the field have already done it, which is a good thing—because Fong’s thriller deserves that kind of attention.
Fong’s hero, Jack Paris, chases a suspect who embodies the primal stuff of terror: a creature who preys on its own kind, sheds identities like a snake sheds its skin, and flits from one creepy place to another, keeping its talons wrapped around a young woman who is slowly dying in their grasp.
Fong has the technical authority to be writing this kind of stuff because he’s a retired FBI agent, but he’s also a good storyteller. Fragmented is a complex tale of a long chase, so it would be especially vulnerable to faults in its pacing, but Fong has avoided this trap. The good guys are shut down again and again. They work like dogs to catch this suspect. I was with it all the way.
Atmospherically, Fragmented is all about the color of night. Everyone is a prisoner of the events unfolding in it—everyone except the bad guy. Definitely a world where evil is running the show—and it’s believable, possible—and also doable by evil, capable, and lucky creeps, scarce though they may be, who are out there right now.
I think of Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-Hiker. Martin Scorsese wrote: “What is at stake in Lupino's films is the psyche of the victim.” In Fragmented, the psyches of the cops, and even the informants, are at stake as well.
November 16, 2025
I heard George Fong speak in a webinar a while back. His career sounded very interesting and I decided to try one of his books. Unfortunately, I found Fragmented in serious need of a good editing.n. Such a shame. The plot is interesting. The details of FBI methods even more. However, having to backtrack many times spoiled the reading pleasure and I stopped after 25% of the book. I really wanted to like this one, but just slog through it.
September 18, 2017
INCREDIBLE BOOK!!!
I couldn't put this book down from the moment I picked it up! Extremely well written thriller from a former FBI agent and wonderful new author. I recommend this novel highly if you search for OUTSTANDING stories that keep you reading all night long. I'm going to download his next book right NOW ..........
I couldn't put this book down from the moment I picked it up! Extremely well written thriller from a former FBI agent and wonderful new author. I recommend this novel highly if you search for OUTSTANDING stories that keep you reading all night long. I'm going to download his next book right NOW ..........
January 5, 2018
Captivating read
While it took me longer than normal to finish this (real life interrupted) I found myself thinking about it and longed to get back to the story. I enjoyed this book even though it was a unsettling topic.
While it took me longer than normal to finish this (real life interrupted) I found myself thinking about it and longed to get back to the story. I enjoyed this book even though it was a unsettling topic.
September 16, 2017
Fragmented is Right
Clever plot but much better editing required. Incorrect word choices, misspellings, omitted words , and just plain poor writing. Story is not enough by itself.
Clever plot but much better editing required. Incorrect word choices, misspellings, omitted words , and just plain poor writing. Story is not enough by itself.
September 27, 2017
GoodRead!
It was an okay book. Held my interest . I would read more books by this author. Would have liked to learn more about some of the characters
It was an okay book. Held my interest . I would read more books by this author. Would have liked to learn more about some of the characters
February 26, 2018
Great book!!
I would highly recommend this great read to mystery lovers! Great intriguing plot that kept you wanting to hurry to the end!
I would highly recommend this great read to mystery lovers! Great intriguing plot that kept you wanting to hurry to the end!
October 18, 2023
I would give this book 5 stars if not for all the grammatical errors. An excellent read otherwise!
October 15, 2017
The story was decent enough. I will admit that I looked forward to picking up this book at night. That being said, the editing of the book was terrible. I don't recall reading a book with so many grammatical errors. Mr. Fong should look for a new publisher.
May 8, 2014
Can a retired FBI agent write? George Fong's Fragmented answers the question. Mr. Fong brings his twenty-seven year career and experience, as an FBI special agent, to the pages of his first book like it was the field report for a real kidnapping. He weaves a complex story that takes the reader from Sacramento, California to Los Angeles and back as Special Agent Jack Paris chases down prison escapee Alvin Cooper. Cooper, convicted for killing his own family five years earlier, slips out the minimum-security prison and within hours a young girl is kidnapped. Paris is certain that Cooper is behind it but can't prove it. A tenuous connection is made through child pornography but demonstrating the connection is difficult. The clock is ticking because Paris, who has dealt with child kidnappers before, knows that every hour that passes is possibly one less hour to find the child alive. Mr. Fong employs this well-used thematic vehicle to great effect, especially when the child's potentially fatal medical condition becomes known.
The story focuses on the dark and seedy world of pornography, especially those levels that deal with children. The title for the book comes from the fragmented files that remain after someone tries to destroy the evidence left on a computer's hard drive, nothing but fragments of files are left. And like the fragmented case that Jack Paris faces, nothing cohesively comes together until the last pages of the book. The events of the story span just four days, but are built on a strong backstory that developed five years earlier when the Paris helped send Cooper to prison. From day one the reader is slowly emerged into the dark miasma of disturbed men and their perverse and abhorrent behaviors, where people and things aren't what Special Agent Jack Paris believes they are.
Fast paced and sharp, Mr. Fong has succeeded in crafting a tight well written story that leaves you wondering what his follow up book will be like. And, yes, I expect a second book, the characters he has developed are strong and likable and work well together. And other than some minor editing issues the book is well produced. Welcome George Fong to the exciting world of thrillers, killers, kidnappers, and honest cops or as in this case FBI Special Agent Jack Paris.
The story focuses on the dark and seedy world of pornography, especially those levels that deal with children. The title for the book comes from the fragmented files that remain after someone tries to destroy the evidence left on a computer's hard drive, nothing but fragments of files are left. And like the fragmented case that Jack Paris faces, nothing cohesively comes together until the last pages of the book. The events of the story span just four days, but are built on a strong backstory that developed five years earlier when the Paris helped send Cooper to prison. From day one the reader is slowly emerged into the dark miasma of disturbed men and their perverse and abhorrent behaviors, where people and things aren't what Special Agent Jack Paris believes they are.
Fast paced and sharp, Mr. Fong has succeeded in crafting a tight well written story that leaves you wondering what his follow up book will be like. And, yes, I expect a second book, the characters he has developed are strong and likable and work well together. And other than some minor editing issues the book is well produced. Welcome George Fong to the exciting world of thrillers, killers, kidnappers, and honest cops or as in this case FBI Special Agent Jack Paris.
July 21, 2014
Five years ago Alvin Cooper murdered his family. No-one knows why, even FBI Special Agent Jack Paris who investigated the original case.
Then Cooper escapes from a minimum security prison. When a young girl goes missing Cooper is the chief suspect and Paris is on the killer’s trail again, trying to find the girl before the past happens all over again…
I’ll admit to a bias right up front – I struggle with anything, whether it’s film or written word – that has child abuse at its heart. This is not to say that Fragmented is graphic or abusive, it’s not. But the idea of a child being kidnapped and maybe abused sends me cold.
However, putting this to one side as much as possible, Fragmented is a very well written book. It is pacy and peppered with twists and turns throughout. Just as the detectives think they’re getting near their man and the child, he’s gone again in a puff of smoke. Tension is created from pretty much the first page and remains throughout.
Fragmented shines a light on the murky world of abuse. It’s not pretty and the author stops short of a full punch to the gut, but it’s close enough. And I guess that’s where the strength of this story lies. That the author was able to produce this level of reaction within me.
The characters are strong, particularly Jack Paris. After twenty years in the FBI he’s wondering if there’s more to life, with an estranged wife and a job offer on the table he’s on the cusp of change. The author’s own knowledge and experience shines through. Fong also benefitted from the quality editing of Joe Clifford, himself a leading writer.
An excellent debut – it’s clear Fong has a hell of a career ahead of him.
**Originally reviewed for Books & Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
Then Cooper escapes from a minimum security prison. When a young girl goes missing Cooper is the chief suspect and Paris is on the killer’s trail again, trying to find the girl before the past happens all over again…
I’ll admit to a bias right up front – I struggle with anything, whether it’s film or written word – that has child abuse at its heart. This is not to say that Fragmented is graphic or abusive, it’s not. But the idea of a child being kidnapped and maybe abused sends me cold.
However, putting this to one side as much as possible, Fragmented is a very well written book. It is pacy and peppered with twists and turns throughout. Just as the detectives think they’re getting near their man and the child, he’s gone again in a puff of smoke. Tension is created from pretty much the first page and remains throughout.
Fragmented shines a light on the murky world of abuse. It’s not pretty and the author stops short of a full punch to the gut, but it’s close enough. And I guess that’s where the strength of this story lies. That the author was able to produce this level of reaction within me.
The characters are strong, particularly Jack Paris. After twenty years in the FBI he’s wondering if there’s more to life, with an estranged wife and a job offer on the table he’s on the cusp of change. The author’s own knowledge and experience shines through. Fong also benefitted from the quality editing of Joe Clifford, himself a leading writer.
An excellent debut – it’s clear Fong has a hell of a career ahead of him.
**Originally reviewed for Books & Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
December 27, 2014
Taking place mainly over two days in the very hot Central Valley of California, this is the story of a kidnapped young girl and the measures the FBI uses to find her and her killers. A work of fiction, it does give one a very good sense of how the FBI works and is written by a former agent.
The heat in the Valley is a major character in this mystery as is the frustration of the agents who are tracking an unknown person or persons who have multiple identities. It is a very good look inside the investigation.
My only real complaint about this book is that I found three editing errors in the last 72 pages. It was like the editor couldn't keep up once the pace of the action accelerated; or maybe after 224 pages, the editor got tired.
Anyway, this is a first book and I would like to see what the author does next. The ending leaves a lot of questions that could certainly lead to further books.
The heat in the Valley is a major character in this mystery as is the frustration of the agents who are tracking an unknown person or persons who have multiple identities. It is a very good look inside the investigation.
My only real complaint about this book is that I found three editing errors in the last 72 pages. It was like the editor couldn't keep up once the pace of the action accelerated; or maybe after 224 pages, the editor got tired.
Anyway, this is a first book and I would like to see what the author does next. The ending leaves a lot of questions that could certainly lead to further books.
January 8, 2015
I met George Fong at a "speed dating" event for authors and fans at this year's Bouchercon, and then enjoyed a presentation by Fong, who worked for the FBI for 27 years, along with two current FBI crime scene investigators. I was intrigued enough by his presentation and obvious knowledge to buy his book, Fragmented, and enjoyed it very much. The main character is Jack Paris, a troubled but talented FBI agent who is tracking down a serial killer who may have kidnapped a 16-year old diabetic girl. In a race against time, Paris collects evidence, interviews witnesses and follows up on leads with skill and urgency. The end is a major twist although not completely unexpected.
Fragmented is a terrific first book by someone who has been there. I look forward to reading more about Jack Paris.
Fragmented is a terrific first book by someone who has been there. I look forward to reading more about Jack Paris.
April 23, 2014
This book has lightning pace and several surprises up its sleeve. Plus, as far as procedure goes, it's impeccable (which you'd expect from George Fong's background).
The only area where I felt it was a little short was the personality of the central character, Jack. This may be a function of the speedy pace of the story development -- maybe too much personal would have gotten in the way. We do see that Jack is driven, conscientious, and loves his family. But since the door is open for a sequel, we should get to find out more.
The only area where I felt it was a little short was the personality of the central character, Jack. This may be a function of the speedy pace of the story development -- maybe too much personal would have gotten in the way. We do see that Jack is driven, conscientious, and loves his family. But since the door is open for a sequel, we should get to find out more.
June 21, 2014
Hearing about George Fong's experience in the FBI at Left Coast Crime last March I was looking forward to reading his book. I got to talk to him as well after the panel he spoke on. I enjoyed the story and felt how crucial it was to keep working on the case, regardless of days without much rest. I look forward to his future books. Fong explains the jargon of the FBI which is both interesting and annoying. Interesting because he can tell a good story based on his real experiences but annoying because it takes you away from the story itself. That's a small criticism.Liked the fast pace too.
December 11, 2014
George Fong is a retired FBI agent. His fictional agent, Jack Paris, is on an urgent hunt for a serial killer who has abducted his latest child victim, a diabetic girl who will die in a matter of days or hours without her insulin. Fong uses to extensive real life experience to smoothly integrate police procedures into the story. It's a fast read and you'll learn something in the process. Graphic violence
is part of the story.
is part of the story.
September 7, 2015
This was a fascinating peek into the workings of the FBI written by a former agent. The story was impossible to put down, I couldn't wait to get to the final resolution. A real thriller! I hope I can read more from this author soon.
August 27, 2016
This is an exciting and fast-paced adventure throughout. Fong succeeds in giving the reader great insight into the world of the FBI and the criminal minds they are tasked with protecting us from.
I also enjoyed the format of the book with quick hitting chapters that really keep the story rolling.
I also enjoyed the format of the book with quick hitting chapters that really keep the story rolling.
October 29, 2014
Loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews