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Vanessa Michael Munroe #4
The Catch: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
“Stevens excels at depicting pulse-pounding danger… Her writing places her heads above most authors working in the thriller genre. Only Dan Brown and Lee Child come close.” — Dallas Morning News
Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and information hunter, has a reputation for getting things done—often dangerous and not quite legal things.
With blood on her hands and a soul stained with guilt, Munroe has fled to Djibouti, Africa. There, with no responsibility except a gig at a small maritime security company, Munroe finds stillness—until she’s pressured to work as an armed guard on a ship bound for Kenya. On board, Munroe discovers the contract is merely cover for gunrunning; when the ship is invaded off the Somali coast, she fights her way out—dragging the unconscious captain with her.
But nothing about the hijacking is what it seems. The pirates had come for the captain, and continuing their pursuit, they unwittingly raise the killer’s instinct Munroe has tried so hard to bury. Wounded and on the run, Vanessa Michael Munroe will use the life of her catch as bait and bartering chip to manipulate every player, and wash her conscience clean.
Vanessa Michael Munroe, chameleon and information hunter, has a reputation for getting things done—often dangerous and not quite legal things.
With blood on her hands and a soul stained with guilt, Munroe has fled to Djibouti, Africa. There, with no responsibility except a gig at a small maritime security company, Munroe finds stillness—until she’s pressured to work as an armed guard on a ship bound for Kenya. On board, Munroe discovers the contract is merely cover for gunrunning; when the ship is invaded off the Somali coast, she fights her way out—dragging the unconscious captain with her.
But nothing about the hijacking is what it seems. The pirates had come for the captain, and continuing their pursuit, they unwittingly raise the killer’s instinct Munroe has tried so hard to bury. Wounded and on the run, Vanessa Michael Munroe will use the life of her catch as bait and bartering chip to manipulate every player, and wash her conscience clean.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2014
109 people are currently reading
2132 people want to read
About the author
Taylor Stevens
50 books823 followersTAYLOR STEVENS is a critically acclaimed, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. Her books, known for high-octane plots populated with fascinating characters in vivid boots-on-the-ground settings, have been published in over twenty languages. THE INFORMATIONIST, first in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series has also been optioned for film by James Cameron’s production company, Lightstorm Entertainment.
Stevens came to writing fiction late. Born into an apocalyptic cult, separated from her family at age twelve and denied an education beyond sixth grade, she lived on three continents and in a dozen countries before she turned fourteen. In place of schooling, the majority of her adolescence was spent begging on city streets at the behest of cult leaders, or as a worker bee child caring for the many younger commune children, washing laundry, and cooking meals for hundreds at a time. In her twenties, Stevens broke free in order to follow hope and a vague idea of what possibilities lay beyond.
In addition to writing novels, Stevens shares extensively about the mechanics of storytelling, writing, overcoming adversity, and the details of her journey into publishing through email, podcast, and video tutorials.
You can find her at:
* taylorstevensbooks.com/connect.php
* taylorstevensshow.com
* patreon.com/taylorstevens
* facebook.com/taylorstevens
* twitter @taylorstevens
Stevens came to writing fiction late. Born into an apocalyptic cult, separated from her family at age twelve and denied an education beyond sixth grade, she lived on three continents and in a dozen countries before she turned fourteen. In place of schooling, the majority of her adolescence was spent begging on city streets at the behest of cult leaders, or as a worker bee child caring for the many younger commune children, washing laundry, and cooking meals for hundreds at a time. In her twenties, Stevens broke free in order to follow hope and a vague idea of what possibilities lay beyond.
In addition to writing novels, Stevens shares extensively about the mechanics of storytelling, writing, overcoming adversity, and the details of her journey into publishing through email, podcast, and video tutorials.
You can find her at:
* taylorstevensbooks.com/connect.php
* taylorstevensshow.com
* patreon.com/taylorstevens
* facebook.com/taylorstevens
* twitter @taylorstevens
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
August 30, 2014
First things first, I'm on the fence with this novel and the rating. I'm torn between giving it 3-stars or 4-stars. On one hand, traversing the the dangerous underworld of Africa's maritime scene with danger around every corner was quite invigorating. Yet... I found some parts to be extremely boring and slow.
I was blown away by Vanessa Michael Munroe after winning and reading The Doll. The Doll was my introduction to this badass chick who learns languages with ease, can transform any object into a weapon, and is the go to for any extraction that needs to be off the books. Yes! I'm a fan of Munroe... The Catch just didn't do it for me 100% of the time.
While working as an interpreter for a small security company, Munroe finds her self coaxed into journeying with the crew on a ship. Before long, she discovers the ship is transporting illegal guns and cargo. Before she can even approach her boss Leo, the ship is hijacked by "pirates". Discovering the true treasure is the captain of the ship, Munroe hauls him off to safety in hopes of finding out what it is the "pirates" are after.
First of all, Taylor Stevens still manages to pull readers into Munroe's story by providing a sentimental element. After Munroe's last extraction, she is on a personal journey to rid her life of all the tragedy that seems to follow her. This introduces readers to another side of Munroe outside of the G.I. Jane that she is.
What bothered me about The Catch was that there were moments it was just plain old boring. In my opinion, The Doll was engaging and thrilling from start to finish. There were slow parts when Munroe was digging for information that I thought was tough to stay interested in. I begged for the action I reveled in before. I feel that the action and thrills were few and far between in The Catch.
Long story short, I enjoyed The Catch and although it has its ups and downs in terms of plot progression, I can't express enough how awesome Taylor Stevens writing is. Munroe is a great character and I enjoy following her story. I just hope the next catch doesn't give me reason to throw it overboard at times.
Copy provided by Crown Publishing
I was blown away by Vanessa Michael Munroe after winning and reading The Doll. The Doll was my introduction to this badass chick who learns languages with ease, can transform any object into a weapon, and is the go to for any extraction that needs to be off the books. Yes! I'm a fan of Munroe... The Catch just didn't do it for me 100% of the time.
While working as an interpreter for a small security company, Munroe finds her self coaxed into journeying with the crew on a ship. Before long, she discovers the ship is transporting illegal guns and cargo. Before she can even approach her boss Leo, the ship is hijacked by "pirates". Discovering the true treasure is the captain of the ship, Munroe hauls him off to safety in hopes of finding out what it is the "pirates" are after.
First of all, Taylor Stevens still manages to pull readers into Munroe's story by providing a sentimental element. After Munroe's last extraction, she is on a personal journey to rid her life of all the tragedy that seems to follow her. This introduces readers to another side of Munroe outside of the G.I. Jane that she is.
What bothered me about The Catch was that there were moments it was just plain old boring. In my opinion, The Doll was engaging and thrilling from start to finish. There were slow parts when Munroe was digging for information that I thought was tough to stay interested in. I begged for the action I reveled in before. I feel that the action and thrills were few and far between in The Catch.
Long story short, I enjoyed The Catch and although it has its ups and downs in terms of plot progression, I can't express enough how awesome Taylor Stevens writing is. Munroe is a great character and I enjoy following her story. I just hope the next catch doesn't give me reason to throw it overboard at times.
Copy provided by Crown Publishing
January 21, 2015
I've read all 4 books in this series and have been a HUGE fan. I absolutely LOVE the main character Michael. She's my all-time favorite female character. She can kick some major booty and I love everything about her.
Unfortunately this book wasn't as interesting to me as the previous 3. The other 3 books had me glued to the pages and I was actually interested in the storyline. The whole pirate thing was interesting to me for a tiny bit but didn't hold for long. The whole "at sea" setting got dull to me quickly and even the land setting didn't do much for me either. There were many words that I felt needed translated or explained better as well. I was left guessing what a lot of stuff meant.
The only person I cared about in this book was Michael herself. Pretty much everyone else was unlikable and suspicious. I didn't get why Michael felt the need to put her life on the line and help these crazy people out. I understand that she started out doing it for Amber but it was never really explained why she liked Amber enough to do this. When she talked with Amber or was with her it never seemed like she really cared for her much so it just didn't make sense.
I just felt as though someone or something needed to pull me into the book more. I missed Bradford and desperately wanted him or even Logan to make an appearance but it never happened. The only thing about the book that drew me in was Michael herself. I needed sometime more to keep my attention. The hope of a Bradford appearance or Michael unleashing herself is what kept me going. I was just a bit letdown this book.
Micheal was still wonderful and exciting. She was injured for most of this book though so we didn't see the major butt-kicking woman that we've grown used to. Yeah, she kicked some butt but it was nothing compared to the excitement that the first and second book generated.
I will continue to read more in this series as the become available because I absolutely loved the first 3 books. This book was just okay in my opinion which is what the 2 star represents on GoodReads. I have grown to love Taylor Stevens so it hurts to give such a low rating but I've got to keep it honest and this book just didn't compare to the others.
Unfortunately this book wasn't as interesting to me as the previous 3. The other 3 books had me glued to the pages and I was actually interested in the storyline. The whole pirate thing was interesting to me for a tiny bit but didn't hold for long. The whole "at sea" setting got dull to me quickly and even the land setting didn't do much for me either. There were many words that I felt needed translated or explained better as well. I was left guessing what a lot of stuff meant.
The only person I cared about in this book was Michael herself. Pretty much everyone else was unlikable and suspicious. I didn't get why Michael felt the need to put her life on the line and help these crazy people out. I understand that she started out doing it for Amber but it was never really explained why she liked Amber enough to do this. When she talked with Amber or was with her it never seemed like she really cared for her much so it just didn't make sense.
I just felt as though someone or something needed to pull me into the book more. I missed Bradford and desperately wanted him or even Logan to make an appearance but it never happened. The only thing about the book that drew me in was Michael herself. I needed sometime more to keep my attention. The hope of a Bradford appearance or Michael unleashing herself is what kept me going. I was just a bit letdown this book.
Micheal was still wonderful and exciting. She was injured for most of this book though so we didn't see the major butt-kicking woman that we've grown used to. Yeah, she kicked some butt but it was nothing compared to the excitement that the first and second book generated.
I will continue to read more in this series as the become available because I absolutely loved the first 3 books. This book was just okay in my opinion which is what the 2 star represents on GoodReads. I have grown to love Taylor Stevens so it hurts to give such a low rating but I've got to keep it honest and this book just didn't compare to the others.
October 14, 2020
3 ☆ Even killers need to take a break - a languid pace in between maritime hijinks.
The Catch (#4) was written as a standalone, but the reader experience would be enhanced with prior exposure to this woman with the perplexing moral code and an affinity for knives. Vanessa Michael Munroe (VMM) was psychologically and emotionally exhausted after the heart breaking events in the preceding book The Doll #3. Driven by the need for vengeance, VMM had run her energy levels down to fumes in order to achieve her victory in the novella (#3.5), The Vessel. In this fourth installment, VMM focused on returning to a calmer equilibrium.
Born in Cameroon, VMM found the chaos of Africa to be comforting in its familiarity. Letting other people persist in their assumptions, VMM passed herself off as Michael, a sound strategy in a part of the world in which a white skinned woman would attract dangerous and unwanted attention. But her respite lasted only 6 months.
The GR synopsis is accurate, so I'm directing my remarks to other aspects of The Vessel. In Stevens' acknowledgement, she thanked Max Hardberger for his help with the logistics of hijackings, Somali pirates, and maritime law. I had read about her source in a New York Times journalist's book, The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, and even then I thought that Hardberger would make a fantastic thriller character. My point is that the maritime components of the story rang true.
The maritime maneuvers were infused with both authenticity and tension, but that only partially mitigated the otherwise languid pace of the story. The pace became a bit too reflective of the actual way things got done in Africa. If this had been my first VMM book, I would have abandoned it or given it a 2-star rating. But since it wasn't, I could appreciate the portrayal of life in the east coast of Africa - from the informal transportation system of matatus to the hawala money transferring system to the constant corruption.
It was interesting to note how Stevens incorporated some blatant defenses of her protagonist. I found VMM's motivations in The Vessel puzzling. Even Stevens recognized them as hard to swallow, because there were multiple scenes in which others challenged her motives. Stevens also used the same annoying character to explain VMM's language facility, which is a factor I've occasionally found difficult to accept. Of course polyglots exist. But Stevens' explanation of VMM having funky neurological wiring that lets her learn solely by hearing a foreign language, as if by osmosis, exceeds my ability to suspend disbelief for fiction.
Recommended for existing VMM fans. Don't read this as your introduction to the series.
#1 The Informationist 2.5 ☆
#2 The Innocent 3.5 ☆
#3 The Doll 4 ☆
#3.5 The Vessel 3.5 ☆
#5 The Mask 3.5 ☆
The Catch (#4) was written as a standalone, but the reader experience would be enhanced with prior exposure to this woman with the perplexing moral code and an affinity for knives. Vanessa Michael Munroe (VMM) was psychologically and emotionally exhausted after the heart breaking events in the preceding book The Doll #3. Driven by the need for vengeance, VMM had run her energy levels down to fumes in order to achieve her victory in the novella (#3.5), The Vessel. In this fourth installment, VMM focused on returning to a calmer equilibrium.
Born in Cameroon, VMM found the chaos of Africa to be comforting in its familiarity. Letting other people persist in their assumptions, VMM passed herself off as Michael, a sound strategy in a part of the world in which a white skinned woman would attract dangerous and unwanted attention. But her respite lasted only 6 months.
Death followed her, embraced her, and beckoned her. She'd become one of Pavlov's dogs, salivating for blood when her emotional dinner bell rang.
The GR synopsis is accurate, so I'm directing my remarks to other aspects of The Vessel. In Stevens' acknowledgement, she thanked Max Hardberger for his help with the logistics of hijackings, Somali pirates, and maritime law. I had read about her source in a New York Times journalist's book, The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, and even then I thought that Hardberger would make a fantastic thriller character. My point is that the maritime components of the story rang true.
The maritime maneuvers were infused with both authenticity and tension, but that only partially mitigated the otherwise languid pace of the story. The pace became a bit too reflective of the actual way things got done in Africa. If this had been my first VMM book, I would have abandoned it or given it a 2-star rating. But since it wasn't, I could appreciate the portrayal of life in the east coast of Africa - from the informal transportation system of matatus to the hawala money transferring system to the constant corruption.
It was interesting to note how Stevens incorporated some blatant defenses of her protagonist. I found VMM's motivations in The Vessel puzzling. Even Stevens recognized them as hard to swallow, because there were multiple scenes in which others challenged her motives. Stevens also used the same annoying character to explain VMM's language facility, which is a factor I've occasionally found difficult to accept. Of course polyglots exist. But Stevens' explanation of VMM having funky neurological wiring that lets her learn solely by hearing a foreign language, as if by osmosis, exceeds my ability to suspend disbelief for fiction.
Recommended for existing VMM fans. Don't read this as your introduction to the series.
#1 The Informationist 2.5 ☆
#2 The Innocent 3.5 ☆
#3 The Doll 4 ☆
#3.5 The Vessel 3.5 ☆
#5 The Mask 3.5 ☆
July 10, 2014
3.5. I was a relative late comer to this series, kept reading rave reviews everywhere but nonetheless I was skeptical. So often over hyped books do not deserve the hype, at least this is what I sometimes found after reading the books. In this case, I was wrong, I love the character of Michael, after all there are not many books where it is a woman kicking but, even though she is often disguised as a man. The storylines are always interesting, fast paced ,and the supporting cast, Michaels go to people, at least the few there are have also proved interesting.
This story is a little different in that Michael is alone, trying to run away from the horror of her last case, and trying to cast off the feeling that she brings destruction to everyone she loves. She finds herself on a ship, hijacked by Somalian pirates, or so it appears, but things are never that simple. Once again she is called on to do what she does best.
Fast paced, plenty of action and a complex character with a fascinating back story. Now I await the next installment in a series that I have grown to love.
ARC from Crown publishers.
This story is a little different in that Michael is alone, trying to run away from the horror of her last case, and trying to cast off the feeling that she brings destruction to everyone she loves. She finds herself on a ship, hijacked by Somalian pirates, or so it appears, but things are never that simple. Once again she is called on to do what she does best.
Fast paced, plenty of action and a complex character with a fascinating back story. Now I await the next installment in a series that I have grown to love.
ARC from Crown publishers.
September 13, 2014
This novel continues Taylor Stevens' reign as the best author of female action protagonists today. She is clear-eyed and knowledgeable in her depiction of Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, etc. There's no gauze on her heroine's eyes--she masquerades as male to have the freedom and control she needs for situations in which a female would be ignored at best or raped/tortured/killed at worst.
Stevens is especially thought-provoking and different in showing her heroine's just-below-the-surface bloodlust. (Bloodlust is defined here as the desire to kill, not re vampires.) It would be easy to shy away from using this characteristic, but time and again--except when she doesn't--(Vanessa) Michael Munroe tamps down the fire that makes her a killer ....
Like Stevens' other books, The Catch is fearless, original, and a terrific read.
Stevens is especially thought-provoking and different in showing her heroine's just-below-the-surface bloodlust. (Bloodlust is defined here as the desire to kill, not re vampires.) It would be easy to shy away from using this characteristic, but time and again--except when she doesn't--(Vanessa) Michael Munroe tamps down the fire that makes her a killer ....
Like Stevens' other books, The Catch is fearless, original, and a terrific read.
March 18, 2014
Taylor Stevens' hero, (Vanessa) Michael Munroe, is at it again! Munroe is a woman who typically dresses and behaves like a man to travel and work in a world that doesn't treat women well. Munroe is a troubled person. She grew up in Africa in an abusive and violent environment where she learned survival skills the hard way. Her childhood shaped her and has never left her. Instead, she uses the knowledge and skills she learned growing up to exact information from terrorists, kidnappers, and the like. In THE CATCH, Munroe has traveled back to Africa to keep herself away from the man she loves—because she brings violence and heartache to those she loves the most. She is soon forced to join the crew of a security team aboard a ship traveling through the pirate-infested waters off Somalia. When the ship is indeed taken over by pirates, Munroe is called to action to help good triumph over evil.
I have read all of Stevens' novels, and can say THE CATCH is the most cerebral of her stories. For much of this book, the action takes place in Munroe's head. After being injured in an early fight, she must out-think and out-scheme several nefarious delegations, including Russian, Somalian, and Kenyan. If thriller heroes have "superpowers," Munroe's is her intelligence, with lightning fast reflexes as a close second. She speaks more than a dozen languages and can learn a new language in a matter of days. This is how she can play one team off the next while staying one step ahead of everyone.
Stevens' writing is terse and gritty, just like Munroe. Any flowery or sentimental writing would be out of place here. Stevens, who herself spent much of her childhood in Africa, knows that continent and its ways very well. I referred to a map multiple times to get a better feel for where the action was happening. (I wish the publisher would print a map at the beginning of her novels!) If you like a brainy, thrilling story, you should read THE CATCH.
Four thrilling Stars.
[Note: I won an advanced copy of this novel in a contest, but would absolutely have read it anyway! No fan of Munroe's should miss this book!]
I have read all of Stevens' novels, and can say THE CATCH is the most cerebral of her stories. For much of this book, the action takes place in Munroe's head. After being injured in an early fight, she must out-think and out-scheme several nefarious delegations, including Russian, Somalian, and Kenyan. If thriller heroes have "superpowers," Munroe's is her intelligence, with lightning fast reflexes as a close second. She speaks more than a dozen languages and can learn a new language in a matter of days. This is how she can play one team off the next while staying one step ahead of everyone.
Stevens' writing is terse and gritty, just like Munroe. Any flowery or sentimental writing would be out of place here. Stevens, who herself spent much of her childhood in Africa, knows that continent and its ways very well. I referred to a map multiple times to get a better feel for where the action was happening. (I wish the publisher would print a map at the beginning of her novels!) If you like a brainy, thrilling story, you should read THE CATCH.
Four thrilling Stars.
[Note: I won an advanced copy of this novel in a contest, but would absolutely have read it anyway! No fan of Munroe's should miss this book!]
August 20, 2014
The Catch by Taylor Stevens is the fourth book to feature the unusual character of Vanessa Michael Munroe.
Regrouping after the events of The Doll, Munroe has been biding her time in Djibouti, Africa, working as an interpreter for a small private security company as 'Michael'. When Munroe's boss accepts a job on a freighter bound for Kenya, Leo, jealous of Michael's closeness with his wife Amber and oblivious to Michael's real gender and talents, insists she accompanies the team. Part way through the voyage, the ship is attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia but Munroe escapes with the injured freighter captain in tow. It quickly becomes obvious that the pirate's target was not the cargo, which included a secret cache of weapons, but the captain, and to save the crew Munroe must negotiate the shadowy world of piracy, Hawala and corruption.
Munroe is such an intriguing character, a borderline sociopath capable of lethal violence with finely honed instincts, she is also highly intelligent, resourceful and has a prodigious talent for languages, skills which she makes good use of in The Catch.
The story of The Catch is perhaps more cerebral than in previous installments. Gathering information and planning strategy is more important than Munroe's physical prowess as she scrambles to understand the motives of the pirates while nursing debilitating injuries inflicted by a vicious group of hired thugs.
The weakness for me in this story is in the motive Taylor ascribes to Munroe for saving the ship and its crew. I just wasn't convinced Munroe's attachment to Amber was strong enough to risk so much for her, even given Munroe's unique sense of justice and loyalty.
Though The Catch could be read as a standalone, familiarity with the unique character of Munroe lends a richness that enhances the story. As someone familiar with the series I was satisfied with this installment and I am eager to discover what Munroe's next move will be.
January 19, 2014
Vanessa "Michael" Munroe remains complex, competent and kick-ass in "The Catch", the 4th book in this series. She is the only female character I've ever seen that could hold her own and exceed against the most popular male action figures in fiction today, i.e. Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan, Gabriel Allon and all the others. Ms. Stevens takes Michael back to Africa, this novel beginning shortly after the conclusion of the last book, "The Doll". Surprisingly, Michael has fled to Africa to escape the returning nightmares and seek peace from her demons. Of course, that doesn't last long and she's essentially forced into service on freighter delivering risky cargo through Somali pirate-infested waters. When she escapes from the hijacked ship, the adventure begins, taking the reader into areas of Africa and international politics that we may not know much about. But, this novel is not just about her extraordinary intelligence and survival skills. In this novel the author digs a bit deeper into Michael's psyche, exploring the depth of her feelings for others, her fears and how she's dealt with that in the past and how she may act in the future. This novel builds on the glimpses we've gotten of Vanessa's ability to feel emotion for others, strong emotions that she buries for her and their protection...can that armor and isolation last? While this is a stand alone novel, it's helpful to have read the previous books. Any character similarities to another solitary, female genius featured in a popular trilogy from Sweden are long forgotten. The author has well utilized her painful past to create a character that perseveres past the pain, both physical and psychological; I can only guess that Ms. Stevens has done likewise and I congratulate her on turning her past into present and future successes. Vanessa/Michael is a fully developed, unique protagonist and bears no resemblance to any other female "problem solver" in fiction today. This only leaves the reading wanting more. I, for one am tickled that this book came so soon after the last and hope that I'll be reading the further adventures of Vanessa "Michael" Munroe before years end.
Please note that I was provided an advance copy by the publisher in return for a review. However, my enthusiasm for this book and the series would be exactly the same as written. I would have purchased this book anyway.
Please note that I was provided an advance copy by the publisher in return for a review. However, my enthusiasm for this book and the series would be exactly the same as written. I would have purchased this book anyway.
March 5, 2015
Vanessa Michael Munroe, Stevens' protagonist from "The Informationist" and other books, is a fascinating character, but falls a little too neatly into the Katniss Everdeen model.
So, this isn't my usual Katniss Everdeen complaint, about a girl who who stupidly and stubbornly always makes the wrong decision. No, this is a new Katniss Everdeen complaint, one about the female protagonist that is simply too broken. Maybe I'm not being fair. Maybe this is more of an Amy Dunne complaint.
It's far too easy to give a female character a tragic back story of violence and oppression and make that the reason she's INTERESTING. Munroe grew up the child of white missionaries in deepest darkest Africa. She has a preternatural gift for languages and culture. She dresses in an androgynous fashion to learn everything about third world country and city cultures so as to help clients better navigate these tricky, treacherous waters.
All awesome.
But she was also abused by river pirates, raped and cut nightly. She has internal bloodlust, a siren song for doing damage with knives.
Eh.
I'm hoping that one day I'll open a Munroe novel (and I'll keep reading them) and Munroe will be "over it." She'll just go back to being the goddamn Jason Bourne of Africa without all the baggage.
Ms. Stevens - if you read this (wow!) - your life story seems fascinating. We got a taste of it in the 2nd Munroe novel, but I bet it barely scratched the surface. I'd love to read your autobiography.
So, this isn't my usual Katniss Everdeen complaint, about a girl who who stupidly and stubbornly always makes the wrong decision. No, this is a new Katniss Everdeen complaint, one about the female protagonist that is simply too broken. Maybe I'm not being fair. Maybe this is more of an Amy Dunne complaint.
It's far too easy to give a female character a tragic back story of violence and oppression and make that the reason she's INTERESTING. Munroe grew up the child of white missionaries in deepest darkest Africa. She has a preternatural gift for languages and culture. She dresses in an androgynous fashion to learn everything about third world country and city cultures so as to help clients better navigate these tricky, treacherous waters.
All awesome.
But she was also abused by river pirates, raped and cut nightly. She has internal bloodlust, a siren song for doing damage with knives.
Eh.
I'm hoping that one day I'll open a Munroe novel (and I'll keep reading them) and Munroe will be "over it." She'll just go back to being the goddamn Jason Bourne of Africa without all the baggage.
Ms. Stevens - if you read this (wow!) - your life story seems fascinating. We got a taste of it in the 2nd Munroe novel, but I bet it barely scratched the surface. I'd love to read your autobiography.
October 9, 2014
3.5 Stars.
This is the 4th novel in the 'Vanessa Michael Munroe' series. I have enjoyed all of them for several reasons. I like the author's writing style. And I like the way she writes dialog. This book was a little short on the dialog, but it was so well written. I also love the main character. I don't understand her, but I love her anyway and her instinct for survival. Sometimes in a series, the characters stop progressing and the writing starts to feel formulaic, but that hasn't happened, at least not yet anyway, in this series. Having the characters evolving in each book is always appreciated.
For the most part, things moved right along but there were some slow spots. But I didn't dare skim to move ahead, because I didn't want to miss anything. I found the whole Somalian pirate angle kind of fascinating. It was new to me, but it kind of felt a little tedious when talking about ships.
The two thing that I love the most about this series is first the main character. She is balanced. She is tough and literally kicks butt, but she is also vulnerable. And I like the stories themselves and are different from each other. There is suspense, plot substance, and I don't want to miss a thing. I never know where the story will end up.
Out of her 4 books though, the 3rd one was my favorite.
August 7, 2014
My Thoughts
In this, book four of the series, Vanessa Michael Munroe works to save the lives of her fellow mates after their ship has been hijacked. Vanessa is able to escape with the ship’s captain. It seems the pirates are more interested in the captain than the ship and it’s contents. Vanessa plans to use the captain as a bargaining chip. Will her plan work?
Vanessa has her own demons to struggle with. She uses her street smarts to maneuver thru the murky underworld of pirating. The references to Vanessa’s past only made me want to go back and read the first three books in the series.
I’m jumping into this series at book four, but this in no way hindered my enjoyment of this smartly written novel. The authors writing is sharp and descriptive. I liked that this female lead character can take care of herself. There was a good level of suspense as Vanessa tries to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
I’d like to thank Crown Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
In this, book four of the series, Vanessa Michael Munroe works to save the lives of her fellow mates after their ship has been hijacked. Vanessa is able to escape with the ship’s captain. It seems the pirates are more interested in the captain than the ship and it’s contents. Vanessa plans to use the captain as a bargaining chip. Will her plan work?
Vanessa has her own demons to struggle with. She uses her street smarts to maneuver thru the murky underworld of pirating. The references to Vanessa’s past only made me want to go back and read the first three books in the series.
I’m jumping into this series at book four, but this in no way hindered my enjoyment of this smartly written novel. The authors writing is sharp and descriptive. I liked that this female lead character can take care of herself. There was a good level of suspense as Vanessa tries to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
I’d like to thank Crown Publishing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 13, 2014
Getting to read a book before it gets released, Thank you Taylor, I had higher expectations for this book for some reason. After the first hundred or so pages I was apprehensive because it was a little slow and I wasn't sure where it was going. I should have never doubted Taylor because she came through with another good book to read. I won't throw spoilers in, but I will say this book has a slightly different feel to it and I can't wait to see where she goes with the next one.
April 30, 2019
Love the puzzle pieces
January 21, 2020
While there is lots of action in this book, I am disappointed that the character of Michael Munroe has shown little development. Despite this, fans of this series will enjoy all the twists and turns in this new outing for Munroe.
July 28, 2017
Tak tohle byl vážně dobrý úlovek!
June 15, 2014
Vanessa "Michael" Munroe at her/his best
This is #4 in Taylor Stevens' excellent series about Vanessa "Michael" Munroe, one of the most complex, violent but compelling characters in modern adrenaline-filled action packed adventure fiction. This is probably one of the best in the series and may make it into my list of best reads for 2014.
To understand this book you really need to know more about "Michael". In her early life in east Africa, Vanessa "Michael" Munroe experienced extreme violence which has left her with demons but with violent survival skills second to none. She is a polyglot who speaks many languages and quickly picks up others, is extremely intelligent and has an almost eidetic memory. Michael is tall and slim and can become androgynous, changing her sex to survive in different environments, especially where females are treated as second class citizens.
After the stresses of the "THE DOLL MAKER" when she survives kidnapping by a notorious and viscous sex trafficker, Michael looks for a place for time-out. While others would choose popular holiday destinations, Michael chooses Djibouti near the Horn of Africa, next to war torn Somalia in the south. For six months Djibouti provides her with a comforting chaos that only a person brought up in the Third World would understand. To mould into the local culture Michael lives as a man, learns the local languages and maneuvers himself into a group of white security mercenaries helping them to negotiate the language, customs and intricacies of the local community. When one of the group is injured the leader of the group invites her to join them on guard duty on a ship sailing through Pirate Alley towards Mombasa.
Not long into the voyage Michael discovers that the ship is running guns and shortly afterwards the ship is attacked by pirates off the Somali coast. During the attack her colleagues are captured but Munroe escapes, taking the injured captain with her to Mombasa in one of the attackers' boats. It soon becomes clear to her that while the pirates have captured the boat for ransom, they were really after the Captain. Michael hides him in a small private hospital while she works out her next move.
She decides that the best way forward is to hijack the ship from the pirates to release her colleagues and put pressure on negotiations with the unknown parties who are seeking the Captain. To do this Michael has to merge into the local community, learn Swahili and explore the dark world of investment in piracy and the intricacies of Third World "hawaladar" for investment and money transfers. This becomes harder when she is attacked and seriously injured by local thugs hired to find the Captain.
This time Stevens allows us to see Michael's vulnerability and capacity to operate in an environment when things seem to be out of her control. This is high-octane stuff that is not for the faint hearted. In contrast to many thriller writers Stevens writes long sentences with multiple actions, but they work well to push the action along and keep you in the picture. This time the action may be slightly less over-the-top than her previous books but for once she shows us a more human side to Michael, but also a determination that never wavers.
Taylor Stevens has a very different background to most successful thriller writers. She grew up in a cult commune and forced to beg in the streets for the cult. Her education was deliberately limited. Her success in escaping that background and becoming a successful published author is mindboggling.
Before reading this book I would recommend that you should read a excellent novella THE VESSEL released to promote this book. This will give those who have never read any books in the series an insight into the complex character of Vanessa "Michael" Munroe. It will also give those who read THE DOLL more information about how Michael had took her revenge on the "man with the dog".
While there are a few blips in the plot that concerned me, overall this is top quality high octane stuff and is highly recommended to discerning followers of action adventure thrillers.
My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book.
This is #4 in Taylor Stevens' excellent series about Vanessa "Michael" Munroe, one of the most complex, violent but compelling characters in modern adrenaline-filled action packed adventure fiction. This is probably one of the best in the series and may make it into my list of best reads for 2014.
To understand this book you really need to know more about "Michael". In her early life in east Africa, Vanessa "Michael" Munroe experienced extreme violence which has left her with demons but with violent survival skills second to none. She is a polyglot who speaks many languages and quickly picks up others, is extremely intelligent and has an almost eidetic memory. Michael is tall and slim and can become androgynous, changing her sex to survive in different environments, especially where females are treated as second class citizens.
After the stresses of the "THE DOLL MAKER" when she survives kidnapping by a notorious and viscous sex trafficker, Michael looks for a place for time-out. While others would choose popular holiday destinations, Michael chooses Djibouti near the Horn of Africa, next to war torn Somalia in the south. For six months Djibouti provides her with a comforting chaos that only a person brought up in the Third World would understand. To mould into the local culture Michael lives as a man, learns the local languages and maneuvers himself into a group of white security mercenaries helping them to negotiate the language, customs and intricacies of the local community. When one of the group is injured the leader of the group invites her to join them on guard duty on a ship sailing through Pirate Alley towards Mombasa.
Not long into the voyage Michael discovers that the ship is running guns and shortly afterwards the ship is attacked by pirates off the Somali coast. During the attack her colleagues are captured but Munroe escapes, taking the injured captain with her to Mombasa in one of the attackers' boats. It soon becomes clear to her that while the pirates have captured the boat for ransom, they were really after the Captain. Michael hides him in a small private hospital while she works out her next move.
She decides that the best way forward is to hijack the ship from the pirates to release her colleagues and put pressure on negotiations with the unknown parties who are seeking the Captain. To do this Michael has to merge into the local community, learn Swahili and explore the dark world of investment in piracy and the intricacies of Third World "hawaladar" for investment and money transfers. This becomes harder when she is attacked and seriously injured by local thugs hired to find the Captain.
This time Stevens allows us to see Michael's vulnerability and capacity to operate in an environment when things seem to be out of her control. This is high-octane stuff that is not for the faint hearted. In contrast to many thriller writers Stevens writes long sentences with multiple actions, but they work well to push the action along and keep you in the picture. This time the action may be slightly less over-the-top than her previous books but for once she shows us a more human side to Michael, but also a determination that never wavers.
Taylor Stevens has a very different background to most successful thriller writers. She grew up in a cult commune and forced to beg in the streets for the cult. Her education was deliberately limited. Her success in escaping that background and becoming a successful published author is mindboggling.
Before reading this book I would recommend that you should read a excellent novella THE VESSEL released to promote this book. This will give those who have never read any books in the series an insight into the complex character of Vanessa "Michael" Munroe. It will also give those who read THE DOLL more information about how Michael had took her revenge on the "man with the dog".
While there are a few blips in the plot that concerned me, overall this is top quality high octane stuff and is highly recommended to discerning followers of action adventure thrillers.
My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book.
July 23, 2014
In Taylor Stevens latest Vanessa Munroe thriller, she takes us deep into the treacherous armpit and waters around Africa to save the members of a security team kidnapped by pirates. Munroe, the unconventional heroine of Stevens' dark thrillers, who tried to save an innocent from the international sex trade in the "Doll" , is now working in Djibouti, a tiny country sandwiched between Somalia and Ethiopia, for a specialized security outfit as a document procurer. Munroe, who can shed her gender and appear as both a male or a female, donned the male role when she took the job because she was running from her last job. She now finds herself on the outs with the Leo, the boss, because Munroe is hanging out too much with Amber, his wife and partner. Leo wants Munroe dead or gone, but is unaware of her other, more advanced training as an operator and killer.
Leo's latest venture is as armed security guards on the freighter Favorita, which is traversing the Sea of Aden. Leo's outfit is there to prevent Somali pirates from hijacking the vessel and stealing its cargo. Munroe, however, finds that ship is hauling an illegal cache of weapons, making it a much more prized catch. Nary a night passes before the gunrunning ship is ambushed and attacked on the high seas. Munroe is the only one of Leo's crew able to escape the gunfight in a pirate boat, but she too takes a prize, the injured captain of the Favorita, who betrayed the ship to the pirates. It seems that the pirates wanted the captain unhurt.
In the ensuing pages, Munroe must somehow survive the harrowing trip back to safety in the captured pirate craft. But navigating the Sea of Aden in a stolen pirate boat will be the least of Munroe's challenges if she wants to save Leo and her old crew mates from their fate. She will have to find a way to get Amber to trust in her real expertise as a fixer, mercenary and skilled operator. She will have work the system, plan an approach of capturing the Favorita and the captain. Who wants the ship, who wants the captain?
Stevens will introduce us to the steamy side of Mombasa, how ships are insured on the high seas, the hawala system that is used as an anonymous banking system in Muslim countries, Russian operators, the financing and logistics of piracy and the omnipresent graft and corruption. Munroe will have to don and discard different genders, moving among the elites as a man and a woman, the foreign influencers and operators in order to save Leo and his crew.
Reading a Taylor Stevens novel is a voyage into a new world. The setting is part of the allure of these tightly woven books. This is an intricately plotted thriller, with a decisive, if unusual thriller heroine, who has guts, skills and the intelligence to manipulate, cajole, and ultimately conceive of a way to obtain the goal of freeing the crew.
Leo's latest venture is as armed security guards on the freighter Favorita, which is traversing the Sea of Aden. Leo's outfit is there to prevent Somali pirates from hijacking the vessel and stealing its cargo. Munroe, however, finds that ship is hauling an illegal cache of weapons, making it a much more prized catch. Nary a night passes before the gunrunning ship is ambushed and attacked on the high seas. Munroe is the only one of Leo's crew able to escape the gunfight in a pirate boat, but she too takes a prize, the injured captain of the Favorita, who betrayed the ship to the pirates. It seems that the pirates wanted the captain unhurt.
In the ensuing pages, Munroe must somehow survive the harrowing trip back to safety in the captured pirate craft. But navigating the Sea of Aden in a stolen pirate boat will be the least of Munroe's challenges if she wants to save Leo and her old crew mates from their fate. She will have to find a way to get Amber to trust in her real expertise as a fixer, mercenary and skilled operator. She will have work the system, plan an approach of capturing the Favorita and the captain. Who wants the ship, who wants the captain?
Stevens will introduce us to the steamy side of Mombasa, how ships are insured on the high seas, the hawala system that is used as an anonymous banking system in Muslim countries, Russian operators, the financing and logistics of piracy and the omnipresent graft and corruption. Munroe will have to don and discard different genders, moving among the elites as a man and a woman, the foreign influencers and operators in order to save Leo and his crew.
Reading a Taylor Stevens novel is a voyage into a new world. The setting is part of the allure of these tightly woven books. This is an intricately plotted thriller, with a decisive, if unusual thriller heroine, who has guts, skills and the intelligence to manipulate, cajole, and ultimately conceive of a way to obtain the goal of freeing the crew.
June 9, 2014
Often, writers of serial thrillers lose steam by the third or fourth book. Taylor Stevens, on the other hand, keeps getting better and better. Following the stunning "The Doll," the fourth installment of the Vanessa "Michael" Monroe series, "The Catch," finds Michael back in Africa, a continent that she doesn't want to be on but can't seem to get away from. She grew up in Africa, came of age in Africa, and learned to kill there. She vows to finish her new job and never return, but with her new conflict, there is no guarantee that she will make it off the continent this time.
There are plenty of synopsis' of "The Catch," so I won't waste your time here. Rather, I'll talk about the story and the writing. Oh, the writing. Stevens is getting better and better with each book. She is not afraid of the long sentence, but isn't writing to show off. She engages all of your senses when describing her characters and the setting. Having never been in Africa, I can't assume knowledge of the local dialects, the sights, sounds, and smells of cities mired in unspeakable poverty. But Stevens gives the reader all of that in "The Catch." In fact, the smells were so vivid that I felt as if I needed to take a shower after each reading.
No doubt, this is a different book from the other three in the installment. It isn't non-stop action, non-stop killing. But please don't mistake this for boring. It's anything but. We really get inside Michael's mind this time, and the struggles that she faces. We see what killing is doing to her psychologically. It must have an impact, and in "The Catch," we realize that she isn't just a mindless killing machine.
I really hope this book is a success, because I am totally invested in this series, and it would be a crime if we don't get many more years of Michael Monroe installments.
NOTE: Taylor has released an eBook to cover the time between the end of "The Doll" and the beginning of "The Catch." It is called "The Vessel" and it is available on June 10, 2014. At the time of this writing, it is only $.99 on Amazon.
There are plenty of synopsis' of "The Catch," so I won't waste your time here. Rather, I'll talk about the story and the writing. Oh, the writing. Stevens is getting better and better with each book. She is not afraid of the long sentence, but isn't writing to show off. She engages all of your senses when describing her characters and the setting. Having never been in Africa, I can't assume knowledge of the local dialects, the sights, sounds, and smells of cities mired in unspeakable poverty. But Stevens gives the reader all of that in "The Catch." In fact, the smells were so vivid that I felt as if I needed to take a shower after each reading.
No doubt, this is a different book from the other three in the installment. It isn't non-stop action, non-stop killing. But please don't mistake this for boring. It's anything but. We really get inside Michael's mind this time, and the struggles that she faces. We see what killing is doing to her psychologically. It must have an impact, and in "The Catch," we realize that she isn't just a mindless killing machine.
I really hope this book is a success, because I am totally invested in this series, and it would be a crime if we don't get many more years of Michael Monroe installments.
NOTE: Taylor has released an eBook to cover the time between the end of "The Doll" and the beginning of "The Catch." It is called "The Vessel" and it is available on June 10, 2014. At the time of this writing, it is only $.99 on Amazon.
August 5, 2014
The Catch is Taylor Stevens' fourth entry in her Vanessa Michael Munroe series.
Vanessa Michael Munroe is....well, she's deadly, with incredible physical skills and she's brilliant - she speaks many languages and easily assimilates into the situation or culture she finds herself in. She can read people and situations and think three moves ahead. For a living, she hunts people, finds information and fixes things. After her last case resulted in a horrific personal loss, Michael has retreated to the continent that seems to draw her back time and time again - Africa.
She's laying low, having taken a job with a small company that provides security for ships travelling the waters that Somalian pirates troll, providing information and greasing palms. When the owner pressures her to join the latest security job as a guard, she finds herself in the middle of a mess. The owner is lying, the hold is full of Russian guns, but it seems to be the captain that the pirates are after. And Michael's quiet retreat is no more.
Stevens has again crafted another intricately plotted thriller. Munroe is on her own this time, with no back-up. The action slowly builds through the first few chapters and then hits high gear for the rest of the book. The details of the settings and culture are vivid and detailed.
But, it is the character of Michael that is the real draw of this series. It's so much fun to have such a kick*** female character. The action scenes are great, but there's a deeper level to this character as well. She is the walking wounded and Stevens does a fantastic job depicting Munroe's inner emotional turmoil and her physical struggle to control herself. Each book out, we learn a little bit more about Munroe and her background. Having read of Stevens' background, I wonder how much of her own life has been woven into her books.
The Catch has a satisfying ending, but the door is open for the next entry is this series....one I'll pick up for sure
Vanessa Michael Munroe is....well, she's deadly, with incredible physical skills and she's brilliant - she speaks many languages and easily assimilates into the situation or culture she finds herself in. She can read people and situations and think three moves ahead. For a living, she hunts people, finds information and fixes things. After her last case resulted in a horrific personal loss, Michael has retreated to the continent that seems to draw her back time and time again - Africa.
She's laying low, having taken a job with a small company that provides security for ships travelling the waters that Somalian pirates troll, providing information and greasing palms. When the owner pressures her to join the latest security job as a guard, she finds herself in the middle of a mess. The owner is lying, the hold is full of Russian guns, but it seems to be the captain that the pirates are after. And Michael's quiet retreat is no more.
Stevens has again crafted another intricately plotted thriller. Munroe is on her own this time, with no back-up. The action slowly builds through the first few chapters and then hits high gear for the rest of the book. The details of the settings and culture are vivid and detailed.
But, it is the character of Michael that is the real draw of this series. It's so much fun to have such a kick*** female character. The action scenes are great, but there's a deeper level to this character as well. She is the walking wounded and Stevens does a fantastic job depicting Munroe's inner emotional turmoil and her physical struggle to control herself. Each book out, we learn a little bit more about Munroe and her background. Having read of Stevens' background, I wonder how much of her own life has been woven into her books.
The Catch has a satisfying ending, but the door is open for the next entry is this series....one I'll pick up for sure
September 7, 2015
Midway through "The Catch," Munroe (Vanessa "Mike" Munroe) explains her job to a client: "I'm a spy for hire . . . I travel to developing countries, dictatorships, banana republics. I analyze strategic threats to get a feel for what's going on on the ground—the stuff that news outlets don't report and governments try to cover up. Then I figure out who holds the true political clout, who to bribe and who to avoid, and if I'm paid well enough, I do the bribing and make sure my employer's name never sees print. It's dangerous. It's taxing. I've made enemies. You get the idea. And those are the jobs I've done on the record. (p. 176)" In this case, what Munroe does is off the record. Working for a security outfit in Djibouti (as much to get away from her prior life as for the job itself) that provides protection crews for merchant vessels off the Somali and Kenyan coasts, her off-the-record job involves retrieving a ship and crew taken by Somali pirates, finding out who financed the priracy and why, staying alive on the run from the forces behind the piracy, and wreaking vengeance on her pursuers. Munroe, a cultural and linguistic savant who is also a very dangerous person, passes for male much of the time for cultural reasons as much as anything. Her ability to understand new cultures (and Stevens' ability to describe cultures we don't normally read about in thrillers) is highly developed. Her ability to be both the hunted and the hunter is both disturbing and breathtaking.
"The Catch" is the fourth in what is about to be a series of five novels I'm on the hunt for the others.
"The Catch" is the fourth in what is about to be a series of five novels I'm on the hunt for the others.
July 19, 2014
I have been waiting for the further exploits of Vanessa Michael Munroe with great anticipation, and I am here to report that Taylor Stevens fourth Munroe novel didn't just meet but exceeded my great anticipation! The millstone around Michael's neck is the anguish she suffers believing (not totally without foundation) that her karma is going to get everyone near and dear to her killed if she remains around them, and consequently she is in self-enforced exile as The Catch begins. She has domiciled herself in the tiny East African republic of Djibouti, on the Red Sea, and here she has contracted her talents as a fixer to a small maritime security firm. It is make-work for her, but it has served to start healing some of the psychic wounds that haunt her and give her a chance to be useful, not fatal. The fates are not through with her, however, and she finds herself swept up into a shipboard security detail, heading out through the pirate-infested waters of coastal Somalia. It only gets worse from there...
Without giving away the story, Michael finds herself in a situation that taxes her considerable tactical skills, her physical and emotional health, and her sense of self, to the point of...sorry, that would be telling.
Once again, Taylor Stevens takes her top-level story telling skills and ratchets the complexity, the drama, the stakes, up another notch in another riveting thriller featuring the uniquely talented Michael Munroe! Highly recommended!!!
Without giving away the story, Michael finds herself in a situation that taxes her considerable tactical skills, her physical and emotional health, and her sense of self, to the point of...sorry, that would be telling.
Once again, Taylor Stevens takes her top-level story telling skills and ratchets the complexity, the drama, the stakes, up another notch in another riveting thriller featuring the uniquely talented Michael Munroe! Highly recommended!!!
January 5, 2019
Around page 250, I finally had had enough. It seemed like you couldn't go a page without the story being put on hold to reminisce about either how the main character is a blood thirsty psychopath "addicted" to murder, or how helpless she had been all those years ago. It in no way adds to the story, and sort of feels like the literary version of being randomly slapped in the face with a fish, over and over and over and over (see , it isn't any fun) and over again.
So I started tracking it, every time the author decided to break out of the story or narrative, bring everything to a crashing halt, and fa la la her way down a gore-drenched memory lane (with no benefit to the story line, and no action on the part of the character).
I was wrong.
It averages to about every 5 pages.
I was on the fence concerning this series, and I think I've had enough. The repeated detours into '
poor little girl bleeding in the jungle all those years ago' and every sharp implement within 10 feet 'urging for blood' has become too distracting and make the story tedious. The series was an interesting concept, but if the story is so weak that the author can't manage to stick with it for more then 5 pages without getting distracted, why should I?
Writing style aside, the Plot is 'meh', tactics are 'OK', character development is 'meandering', villains are cliche, and motivations are 'vague'.
Enjoy.
So I started tracking it, every time the author decided to break out of the story or narrative, bring everything to a crashing halt, and fa la la her way down a gore-drenched memory lane (with no benefit to the story line, and no action on the part of the character).
I was wrong.
It averages to about every 5 pages.
I was on the fence concerning this series, and I think I've had enough. The repeated detours into '
poor little girl bleeding in the jungle all those years ago' and every sharp implement within 10 feet 'urging for blood' has become too distracting and make the story tedious. The series was an interesting concept, but if the story is so weak that the author can't manage to stick with it for more then 5 pages without getting distracted, why should I?
Writing style aside, the Plot is 'meh', tactics are 'OK', character development is 'meandering', villains are cliche, and motivations are 'vague'.
Enjoy.
Want to read
November 21, 2018The Catch (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #4) review coming soon....
Special thanks yet again to Murder By The Book in Houston, TX for hosting Taylor Stevens! Got my signed first edition/first printing hardcover in the mail.
[My favorite The Catch quotes]
My review of The Informationist (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #1)
My review of The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #2)
My review of The Doll (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #3)
Guest Post: Taylor Stevens – Why Not Just Create a Male Character?
My review of The Vessel (Vanessa Michael Munroe #3.5)
My review of The Catch (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #4)
My review of The Mask (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #5)
Special thanks yet again to Murder By The Book in Houston, TX for hosting Taylor Stevens! Got my signed first edition/first printing hardcover in the mail.
[My favorite The Catch quotes]
My review of The Informationist (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #1)
My review of The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #2)
My review of The Doll (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #3)
Guest Post: Taylor Stevens – Why Not Just Create a Male Character?
My review of The Vessel (Vanessa Michael Munroe #3.5)
My review of The Catch (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #4)
My review of The Mask (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #5)
August 2, 2014
The Catch
By: Taylor Steven
Pages: 358. Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First Reads
Reviewed by: tk
Vanessa "Michael" Monroe is a linguist, expert in hand-to-hand weapons, strategist, and a woman of passion. Vanessa is part of a team of armed transit guards that are hired to protect , and defend a ship if attacked by pirates. Once aboard the "Favorita" she discovers that she is the only one of the team that information of the cargo, and pay is being withheld.
Cheated, and betrayed by people she trusted is only the beginning of this intense adventure. From pirates, being left for dead, murder, corruption, and a chance she may not live to see home again, Vanessa struggles to avenge all that have betrayed her.
This story has it all. Adventure, thrilling plot twists, intense situations, and a bit of romance to round it out. A must read if one or all interest you. You can feel your heartbeating faster at the intensity, and tears flowing at the betrayal that Michael feels. You can't put it down. A thrilling read. 5/5
By: Taylor Steven
Pages: 358. Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First Reads
Reviewed by: tk
Vanessa "Michael" Monroe is a linguist, expert in hand-to-hand weapons, strategist, and a woman of passion. Vanessa is part of a team of armed transit guards that are hired to protect , and defend a ship if attacked by pirates. Once aboard the "Favorita" she discovers that she is the only one of the team that information of the cargo, and pay is being withheld.
Cheated, and betrayed by people she trusted is only the beginning of this intense adventure. From pirates, being left for dead, murder, corruption, and a chance she may not live to see home again, Vanessa struggles to avenge all that have betrayed her.
This story has it all. Adventure, thrilling plot twists, intense situations, and a bit of romance to round it out. A must read if one or all interest you. You can feel your heartbeating faster at the intensity, and tears flowing at the betrayal that Michael feels. You can't put it down. A thrilling read. 5/5
September 18, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Coming into a series in the middle is always a dicey proposition. I’d never read anything by Taylor Stevens and this is the fourth book in the Vanessa Michael Monroe series. But I could not resist the exotic setting of Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia. Not to mention hijacking and pirates.
The book did not disappoint. Michael is a complex character, nuanced and tough. She is a blend of spy-for-hire and language lyricist. The pace was excellent. And the details of life in East Africa made me feel like I was walking the dirt streets, watching for khat addicts and pickpockets.
But in a thriller, as important as character, pacing, and setting are, the book lives or dies on plot. This book lived, and lived well. Stevens tells a good yarn. There were enough twists, double crosses, and betrayals I found myself picking up the book even when I didn’t have time to read. Well done.
I’ll definitely be reading more of these books.
Coming into a series in the middle is always a dicey proposition. I’d never read anything by Taylor Stevens and this is the fourth book in the Vanessa Michael Monroe series. But I could not resist the exotic setting of Djibouti, Kenya, and Somalia. Not to mention hijacking and pirates.
The book did not disappoint. Michael is a complex character, nuanced and tough. She is a blend of spy-for-hire and language lyricist. The pace was excellent. And the details of life in East Africa made me feel like I was walking the dirt streets, watching for khat addicts and pickpockets.
But in a thriller, as important as character, pacing, and setting are, the book lives or dies on plot. This book lived, and lived well. Stevens tells a good yarn. There were enough twists, double crosses, and betrayals I found myself picking up the book even when I didn’t have time to read. Well done.
I’ll definitely be reading more of these books.
September 21, 2021
I've been a big fan of Stevens for some time (see my inclusion of her among the greats at this genre here: https://stevelarsen.net/page-after-pa...), but...
In this books she deploys a cheap writing tactic - having the protagonist (Munroe) spent most of the book operating sleep deprived and with two cracked ribs. Most readers have been sleep deprived and know its hardly a state in which stellar judgements are made. Few may have had cracked ribs, (I have and so have several friends), and trust me, fighting is not something you're going to be doing for many weeks, as every move results in excruciating pain, even coughing or sneezing.
What is the purpose of hobbling your main character like this? Increase drama? It doesn't work. Having a crippled character only makes her eventual triumph seem unrealistic and phony. I'd been looking forward to the next book, but will now put that on hold for a while. I am disappointing that such a good writer would stoop to such amateurish tactics.
In this books she deploys a cheap writing tactic - having the protagonist (Munroe) spent most of the book operating sleep deprived and with two cracked ribs. Most readers have been sleep deprived and know its hardly a state in which stellar judgements are made. Few may have had cracked ribs, (I have and so have several friends), and trust me, fighting is not something you're going to be doing for many weeks, as every move results in excruciating pain, even coughing or sneezing.
What is the purpose of hobbling your main character like this? Increase drama? It doesn't work. Having a crippled character only makes her eventual triumph seem unrealistic and phony. I'd been looking forward to the next book, but will now put that on hold for a while. I am disappointing that such a good writer would stoop to such amateurish tactics.
July 29, 2014
“The Catch” is Taylor Steven’s 4th Vanessa Michael Munroe book. It’s an intricate, intelligent, international page-turner. Well-written and well-crafted, it’s been said by many that this is Ms. Steven’s “most internal yet” of the series. It certainly is complex, internally and externally, and I was continually amazed as I read at the amount of work that went into its creation. It’s a visual thriller, her best yet, both in the action scenes and in the descriptions of the locations she takes us, be it on land, sea or aboard ship.
We feel Munroe’s pain, both physical and emotional. We are privy to her intelligence, her self-preservation, the scars that show and the ones that don’t. I miss some of the emotional aspects of Ms. Stevens’ previous books, but I applaud the ingenuity and sheer brilliance of “The Catch.”
We feel Munroe’s pain, both physical and emotional. We are privy to her intelligence, her self-preservation, the scars that show and the ones that don’t. I miss some of the emotional aspects of Ms. Stevens’ previous books, but I applaud the ingenuity and sheer brilliance of “The Catch.”
July 14, 2015
Although I like this series by Taylor Stevens, this book seemed long. I was ready to finish this story about 100 pages back. Michael Munroe somehow through her own self-loathing, worked on a ship that was supposed to guard a freighter through Somolian waters. The ship was taken by pirates and for some reason, Munroe makes it her business to "fix" this situation. I don't always understand her psychology, which makes these books sometimes hard to understand. She spends a lot of time in Africa, waiting and running around a lot a la James Bond. Like I said, I like this book, but becoming weary of her self-punishment. In my opinion, which is what reviews are, is that this series is becoming tedious. I am going to pick up the Mask next and see if it gets better.
February 6, 2014
I love this character. Her strength and intelligence is always such a riveting read. However, in this book things seemed to be less intense and the character seemed to be just going through the motions. I felt the book was melancholy and depressing until I realized that that was the way the character was feeling after the events of the previous novel. She was running away from everything that meant something because everyone around her either got hurt or died. She finally realizes that she wants to stop running and go 'home'. And as always, she must fix the mess she is in before she can do that.
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