What do you think?
Rate this book
Kill Switch
When high school teacher Chris Franzia comes home on the last day of school, he finds two FBI agents waiting for him. A string of seemingly unrelated murders has left them baffled, and they can find only one commonality. All five victims shared a college class with Chris thirty years earlier... and now he may be next.
Struggling with the sheer impossibility of the situation, Chris’s skepticism fades after a series of failed attempts on his life makes things deadly clear. Thus begins a harrowing cross-country race, forcing Chris to put together the pieces of his past while staying one step ahead of his mysterious assailants. Can he make the connection in time? And will the deadly picture of reconstructed memory be worth the price of knowing?
Struggling with the sheer impossibility of the situation, Chris’s skepticism fades after a series of failed attempts on his life makes things deadly clear. Thus begins a harrowing cross-country race, forcing Chris to put together the pieces of his past while staying one step ahead of his mysterious assailants. Can he make the connection in time? And will the deadly picture of reconstructed memory be worth the price of knowing?
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2015
372 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 20, 2017
Paranormal!
Always stayed away from paranormal, conspiracy and vampires type stories. Finally tried to read at least one book, to find out was I really missing something? Know I definitely know this kind of plots don't entertain or teach me something.
Always stayed away from paranormal, conspiracy and vampires type stories. Finally tried to read at least one book, to find out was I really missing something? Know I definitely know this kind of plots don't entertain or teach me something.
September 29, 2017
Going into the story, I wasn't quite sure what it was.
Based on the synopsis, it sounded like a mystery and I like mysteries so I took the plunge and found myself thrust into story in the realm of sci-fi and the paranormal.
The story of Chris Franzia, the high school teacher whose life changes when he’s approached by FBI agents at the end of the school year, was an interesting one. As I’ve stated before, I do enjoy seeing what characters do when out of their element. He’s a pretty average guy who, among other things, finds out that that his some classmates are dead and also ends up getting his house blown up.
If this kind of thing whets your mysterious/paranormal appetite, you might like this work.
While the plot is crafted realistically—despite its category—and developed enough to the point where I could see where the author was going, there were times where it felt a little like rambling and I wanted to know more about these aliens that figured into the story.
Nevertheless, I was gripped enough to keep reading.
If you’re a sci-fi fan or you’re looking for a good mystery or sci-fi story to pass the time, I’d recommend it. It’s a good, solid story.
4 out of 5 stars!
Based on the synopsis, it sounded like a mystery and I like mysteries so I took the plunge and found myself thrust into story in the realm of sci-fi and the paranormal.
The story of Chris Franzia, the high school teacher whose life changes when he’s approached by FBI agents at the end of the school year, was an interesting one. As I’ve stated before, I do enjoy seeing what characters do when out of their element. He’s a pretty average guy who, among other things, finds out that that his some classmates are dead and also ends up getting his house blown up.
If this kind of thing whets your mysterious/paranormal appetite, you might like this work.
While the plot is crafted realistically—despite its category—and developed enough to the point where I could see where the author was going, there were times where it felt a little like rambling and I wanted to know more about these aliens that figured into the story.
Nevertheless, I was gripped enough to keep reading.
If you’re a sci-fi fan or you’re looking for a good mystery or sci-fi story to pass the time, I’d recommend it. It’s a good, solid story.
4 out of 5 stars!
January 11, 2025
2.5 it got good in the middle but the ending was kinda lame
August 19, 2017
Kept waiting for it to get better, but it didn't. Not really. And the ending felt very anti climactic. You have no idea who to trust and everyone is hiding something and you don't really learn why everything that happened happened. Kind of disappointing. But at least the dog lived.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2017
I packed this up at 34%. It started well but then veered off into fantasyland and became too unbelievable for me. The drunk Chris happened across at a motel knowing all his business was that one step too far. What a shame.
It was awful for him not having a clue who he could trust and who was possibly sent after him to kill him but making random strangers suddenly aware of everything happening was too bizarre. I let a couple pass thinking that perhaps there was a way they might know all his business but I couldn't accept it happening yet again.
There were the odd errors. This sentence read all wrong-"...out of a deep, dreamless sleep by the his cell phone ringing" then "had mythological feel" lost a from the sentence, and "to living room" lost the. I wondered too if he was sponsored by Save-A-Lot since he'd mentioned them 3 or 4 times when I gave up on it !!
A pity it just crossed that threshold from black or white into grey areas as it did for me.
It was awful for him not having a clue who he could trust and who was possibly sent after him to kill him but making random strangers suddenly aware of everything happening was too bizarre. I let a couple pass thinking that perhaps there was a way they might know all his business but I couldn't accept it happening yet again.
There were the odd errors. This sentence read all wrong-"...out of a deep, dreamless sleep by the his cell phone ringing" then "had mythological feel" lost a from the sentence, and "to living room" lost the. I wondered too if he was sponsored by Save-A-Lot since he'd mentioned them 3 or 4 times when I gave up on it !!
A pity it just crossed that threshold from black or white into grey areas as it did for me.
November 30, 2018
Lazy or Clever?
I think, whenever I read through to an unfinished ending, that I could write like that every time. In fact at school I could always write a piece of fiction and finish on time for any schedule. The trick was the awakening of the character to realisation of a dream.
The tough part of creating a worthwhile story is not the first page but the last. Anyone can start a story but only only a good author can end one in a satisfying manner. I think about this every time and I calculate whether it is a worthy finality or an irritating enigma.
Occasionally it is a worthy enigma and this just scrapes in under the wire in the last few slightly predictable lines. I greatly enjoyed the pace and the mystery, the central character was slightly dim for a teacher but he's a biology teacher so that's normal (yes I'm a teacher) and he gets there eventually. It's a fun read and kills time beautifully.
I think, whenever I read through to an unfinished ending, that I could write like that every time. In fact at school I could always write a piece of fiction and finish on time for any schedule. The trick was the awakening of the character to realisation of a dream.
The tough part of creating a worthwhile story is not the first page but the last. Anyone can start a story but only only a good author can end one in a satisfying manner. I think about this every time and I calculate whether it is a worthy finality or an irritating enigma.
Occasionally it is a worthy enigma and this just scrapes in under the wire in the last few slightly predictable lines. I greatly enjoyed the pace and the mystery, the central character was slightly dim for a teacher but he's a biology teacher so that's normal (yes I'm a teacher) and he gets there eventually. It's a fun read and kills time beautifully.
July 31, 2018
Another hit by Gordon Bonnet
I’m really enjoying stories by this author. This was the 6th book of his that I’ve read and pretty much enjoyed them all. I’ve noticed that reviews on this book are all over the place. I too noticed a few things in the story that defied logic, like why didn’t Chris ask so-and-so question when he had the chance. But, I’m very forgiving if I really like the story. The ending was kind of neat, merging with the story line from “Signal to noise”. If I hadn’t read that one first, it never would have clicked. Stephen King and several other authors use this writing device as well. All in all, I would recommend this book to those interested in mystery/SciFy.
I’m really enjoying stories by this author. This was the 6th book of his that I’ve read and pretty much enjoyed them all. I’ve noticed that reviews on this book are all over the place. I too noticed a few things in the story that defied logic, like why didn’t Chris ask so-and-so question when he had the chance. But, I’m very forgiving if I really like the story. The ending was kind of neat, merging with the story line from “Signal to noise”. If I hadn’t read that one first, it never would have clicked. Stephen King and several other authors use this writing device as well. All in all, I would recommend this book to those interested in mystery/SciFy.
July 1, 2017
One man finds himself in the center of the bulls eye when two government agencies battle each other as one goes to any length in order to maintain control over a priceless secret discovery, and another one is on a killing spree as it tries to take it for their own.
This is a fast-moving thriller with a likeable main character (and his dog, named Baxter). Chris Franzia is running for his life.
The story also invokes the paranoia that drove the original X-Files (but is much, much better than recent attempts to resurrect the television series).
This is a fast-moving thriller with a likeable main character (and his dog, named Baxter). Chris Franzia is running for his life.
The story also invokes the paranoia that drove the original X-Files (but is much, much better than recent attempts to resurrect the television series).
February 7, 2019
I really enjoyed the first 4/5 of this book. Everything kept moving along and a good pace. The characters are great and very believable especially Reverend Joe and his wife. This is not really a book about aliens, at least not in the usual sense. That part seems just out of reach. The ending was sort of a let down for me, but I like the questions it brings up. I am definitely going to read more of this author.
February 18, 2017
I enjoy this type of book. A suspenseful mystery that pits the "average Joe" against the bad guys, with the good guy staying one step ahead of being killed by his wits and lots of luck. There's a girl thrown in the mix to keep life interesting and to add a bit of a romantic thread while not being over the top. A fun read with some plot twists to keep you guessing.
March 23, 2017
Chris Franzia gets home only to find FBI waiting at his doorstep... Sounds interesting?? Such an explosive start & it got me hooked immediately. But half way through this thriller the narrative looses it steam...It had all aspects mixed from paranormal to FBI to motivational speeches... By the fag end of the book I was as exhausted as the lead character was...The end was a total disappointment & throughout the book there were sub plots that was left unfinished... Overall giving it 3 stars for the racy first half
October 18, 2021
Yes, this book requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but not really any more than most action movies! One "big reveal" was pretty anticlimatic for me, since it seemed super obvious, but otherwise, I really liked the book. I particularly liked the ending, which avoids typical black and white tropes for a much more realistic gray area. I would read more by this author.
February 19, 2017
Unsatisfactory ending
I was drawn in quickly and enjoyed the first three fourths of the book by the believable and strong plot; however, the ending was very weak and disappointing.
I was drawn in quickly and enjoyed the first three fourths of the book by the believable and strong plot; however, the ending was very weak and disappointing.
March 18, 2017
Do you remember what happened thirty years ago in a particular class in college? I'm not sure I remember 30 minutes ago, but then, I don't have two FBI agents meeting me in my driveway to help jog my memory. Thus high school teacher Chris Franzia spends the last day of school before summer break. A string of seemingly unrelated natural deaths has brought the FBI to his door because they were all in the same class. And then things escalate quickly.
The characters were fairly well developed. The story moved along quickly. And the sense of being lost and alone carried through the entire book fairly well. Paranoia plays pretty well.
My favorite part was Chris meeting Reverend Joe and growing to respect him. Religion often gets a bad rap, sometimes deservedly so, but there are people who attempt to be the best example they can be. We're all only human, even if we don't always act like it.
The first half of the book is utterly fantastic. The rest of the book was good, but, understandably, was unable to maintain that ratcheting tension and probably didn't need to. But it was an extreme change.
Well worth reading, though. Very good.
The characters were fairly well developed. The story moved along quickly. And the sense of being lost and alone carried through the entire book fairly well. Paranoia plays pretty well.
My favorite part was Chris meeting Reverend Joe and growing to respect him. Religion often gets a bad rap, sometimes deservedly so, but there are people who attempt to be the best example they can be. We're all only human, even if we don't always act like it.
The first half of the book is utterly fantastic. The rest of the book was good, but, understandably, was unable to maintain that ratcheting tension and probably didn't need to. But it was an extreme change.
Well worth reading, though. Very good.
May 5, 2017
An entertaining mystery,easy to read and a plot that keeps the reader interested. A slightly weak ending, as if the writer wanted to finish up in a hurry and get on to something else but overall well worth the time spent to read it.
June 3, 2017
A strange saga, very hard to figure out the climax.
This book was very slow in the beginning and hard to get a handle on. Then just when you thought you had it figured out the author decided to quit writing.
This book was very slow in the beginning and hard to get a handle on. Then just when you thought you had it figured out the author decided to quit writing.
April 14, 2018
This is not a bad book by any means, but sometimes the plot was confusing and you got lost along the way. The main character is just your average person and gets caught up in his past history and is trying to find his way out.
July 21, 2018
I kind of like Science Fiction but having been avoiding it for many years cause I kind of overdid it when I was younger. This book has an element of Science Fiction at its core but it is also about remembering events from 30 years ago and government interference. Stick them all in a mixing bowl and this book is what arises!
October 2, 2020
On the run from unknown groups about something in his past he can't remember.
This book starts off well, purposes credibility and gains absurdity.I read the last third Northbrook twice and it still has my head reeling.
This book starts off well, purposes credibility and gains absurdity.I read the last third Northbrook twice and it still has my head reeling.
August 7, 2022
Poor effort
Disappointing plot lines, characters and outcome: completely unbelievable. Author could have made so much more of this book. I wish I’d gone with my gut feeling and closed the book for good after only a few chapters.
Disappointing plot lines, characters and outcome: completely unbelievable. Author could have made so much more of this book. I wish I’d gone with my gut feeling and closed the book for good after only a few chapters.
February 19, 2017
Really enjoyed this one. Builds the suspense nicely, and a little bit of mystery still at the end.
February 26, 2017
New author for me
Liked the beginning, fast paced. Then realized it was sci fi. I don't read book blurbs because I don't want to be prejudiced in any way. No expectations.
Liked the beginning, fast paced. Then realized it was sci fi. I don't read book blurbs because I don't want to be prejudiced in any way. No expectations.
March 3, 2017
Disappointing.
March 10, 2017
Nice writing style, but I am not a big fan of the paranormal genre. Worth a try for people who are fans of this genre.
May 19, 2017
Kill Switch
Had me from page 1. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves suspense and hanging endings.
Had me from page 1. I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves suspense and hanging endings.
May 24, 2017
It really grabbed me and I couldn't put it down, waiting for the big finish. The finish was disappointing though. I'm still not sure who or what were behind the chase and the motive was confusing.
July 2, 2017
Good read!
Well written, moves along well, with both action and puzzles and philosophical dilemmas as well. Well done, will look for more from this author.
Well written, moves along well, with both action and puzzles and philosophical dilemmas as well. Well done, will look for more from this author.
July 29, 2017
Enjoy reading thrillers with heroes like you and me. But this one went off the rails when the aliens arrived.
March 19, 2018
Just okay
Too much "road" story and not enough "real " story. Started strong but got tiresome. Change of font for back story was distracting
Too much "road" story and not enough "real " story. Started strong but got tiresome. Change of font for back story was distracting
October 31, 2018
Why Kill Switch?
Oh I know, but just doesn't feel right. Great story. Kept me interested till the very end. Is there more?
Oh I know, but just doesn't feel right. Great story. Kept me interested till the very end. Is there more?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews