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Cornered

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He’s haunted by the memory of a kidnapping case gone wrong… Not wanting history to repeat itself, Detective Matt Brady struggles to solve the disappearances of seven young women, but he quickly finds himself pitted against a criminal organization that knows as much about police procedure as he does—an organization that will do whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of him. His troubles are compounded when a young veterinarian injects herself into the investigation and is targeted to become victim number eight. When he tries to protect her, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a professional cop killer. Can Brady solve the case in time to save his new love, or will this investigation be the death of both of them?

316 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 2014

26 people are currently reading
45 people want to read

About the author

Alan Brenham

40 books109 followers
Alan Brenham is the pseudonym of Alan Behr, an American author and attorney.
He served as a law enforcement officer before earning a law degree from Baylor University and worked as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney for twenty-two years.
Alan began his writing craft by studying novels by Michael McGarrity, James Hayman, and Michael Connelly.
He has authored ten crime fiction novels. Alan and his wife, Lillian, currently live in the Central Texas area.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Kathi Defranc.
1,182 reviews498 followers
April 21, 2019
Women Gone Missing...Can Detective Matt Brady Put It Together...

Beautiful young women are going missing in Temple, Texas, putting a detective's smarts to the test. He made a mistake in the past, tearing at his gut as a woman was left dead. As he starts this case he makes a promise to himself to get things right and bring everyone home!
An excellent read with all types of characters, all well described and fitting in their parts. Matt Brady is a young detective, finding the women have been kidnapped and disappear. His high strung new girlfriend, Cassandra, has so much more going on than Detective Brady knows..
A very suspenseful story that keeps you gripped to the plot from start to finish!
Profile Image for Yara.
393 reviews6 followers
May 10, 2020
“Cornered” is an interesting thriller that pits a veteran police detective against a criminal gang, who seem to be one step ahead of the police. Brady is up to his eyeballs with work. In his platter, he has a case of too many kidnapped women, with no leads, and his boss is breathing down his neck with results, and constant reminders of his previous mistake where a woman died! As more women go missing, it seems the FBI will take over, but here, Brenham’s detective novel, ‘Cornered’ begins!

The development of characters that usually go unnoticed in other stories adds dimension to this novel. You get to know them. Since we know who the antagonists are, the overriding themes is what the detective would do to get ahead of them. The clock is ticking, so is Brady’s personal life, his ex-girlfriend has got obsessed with him, and anyone involved with the kidnapping of these women, are in the crosshairs!

The switch between characters keeps the excitement ramping up! Moments where you’d want to loathe the antagonists, you will elicit sympathy, whereby in other places, you would wish ill for them for their irredeemable qualities.

Who will be saved, who will die, who will cut the deal, and who will stick it out to the end drives the story, and it keeps the pages rapidly turning.

"Cornered" is definitely a story that moves against the grain! The reader equally spends time with both the protagonist and the antagonists. It definitely keeps your focus more on the characters than their acts. The tension Brenham builds through the switching of viewpoints creates a novel that commands the reader’s interest, along with giving perspectives of the individuals involved.

Needless to say, I read this book in two sittings; I was owed with Brenham’s craftsmanship! I like to be kept in the dark without knowing who the antagonist is/are, but in this scenario, the reader knows him/them well before the protagonist, and it makes the reading journey more exciting.

This is the first of Brenham’s work I’ve read, but not the last. I’ve browsed through some of his works, which have piqued my interest, and will be purchasing my next read from his collection.
Profile Image for Carol.
1,845 reviews21 followers
September 18, 2014
I kept wondering about how the ending would turn out for Cornered by Alan Brennan. Finally, I got up at four in the morning to finish reading. Now I think I have been spoiled for other mysteries. This one was just right.

The characters were well developed, the pace was fast and furious, the amount of action was just right. Detective Matt Brady in Temple Texas was trying the figure why beautiful women were disappearing. He knew that they were not kidnapped for ransom and the snatchers were not interested in robbery because they didn’t take the women’s credit cards or other valuables. There are no bodies left dead or mutilated. As I read, I grew to love Matt Brady, warts and all. I kept imaging Kevin Costner as Matt! He is smart, compassionate and has a weakness for discussing his cases with his girlfriend Cassandra. There is so much more but I will leave that for you to find out.

Not only is this book a very well written mystery, but we the readers learn so much about human trafficking. I had read an article in a San Francisco newspaper a few years ago that brought several questions about that horrible underworld activity. This book offers plausible answers to my questions.

I love that the characters are not all one dimensional. The good guy, Matt has a weakness that causes his great shame later in the book. One of the bad guys, Chiles has a very soft spot for his nephew while at the same time cannot control his anger, several of the other characters seem like certified sociopaths.

I think that the reason that this book succeeds so well is that the background of the author is in law and law enforcement. When I was reading this book, everything seemed realistic and believable. I have added his previous book, Price of Justice to my wish list.
I highly recommend this exciting thriller to all mystery readers. You have got to read this one!

I received an Advance Review Copy of Cornered from the publishers after I selected it from a list from Partners In Crime. But that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in this review.

Profile Image for Divya Mahajan.
277 reviews22 followers
November 30, 2019
Cornered by Alan Brenham is a thriller ,cop novel that binds the reader from the first page. Seven young women are kidnapped at different intervals with link between them without a ransom demand. It is upto the young detective matt Brady to find them before they are lost forever or at least catch the criminals before more women are kidnapped. A vet Tracy also involved herself in the case as the latest victim is her assistant and thus angering the kidnappers and Brady has to race against time to save his love interest from becoming the next victim So it becomes a personal mission for him due to Tracy and a botched kidnapping rescue in the past.
This race to find the kidnappers and the motive behind moves the plot forward. Are the women saved or lost forever? Is Tracy saved and the perpetrators caught ?
The book is gripping, with twists . Though the pace is not very fast but still thrilling. Though there are many characters ; each one has his own p;ace to move the plot forward and justifies his/her place.
A must read for all thrill readers. Thanks @BookTasters for this book

Profile Image for Ashley.
86 reviews
November 9, 2019
Detective Brady takes you long with him into his everyday life in Temple Texas, which quickly you find out it's not normal at all. Brenham delivers a top notch crime thriller that keeps you wondering who is crooked, who is good and keeps you enthralled to the very last page. It's also a very relevant subject in today's world of crime! A Must Read for Crime lovers!
Profile Image for Yolisa.
244 reviews15 followers
October 20, 2019
Detective Matt Brady is under serious pressure to solve cases of abducted women.Nothing seems to be going right with the case,he can't catch a break.He made one big mistake that is delaying him the answers he needs to break the case.He unknowingly makes the right move and everything starts going right.His right move also became a nightmare because it almost cost him two lives,his and his love interest.
Profile Image for Julie .
4,250 reviews38k followers
December 20, 2014
Corned by Alan Brenham is a 2014 Black Opal Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Temple, Texas and Detective Matt Brady are going through a very bad time. Seven young women have gone missing and no matter how hard Matt works on this perplexing case, it seems like he is always one step behind.
Brady's relationships are also complicated and when a young veterinarian, Tracy, a woman Matt has begun to care about is targeted as the potential victim number eight, the investigation takes on a very different tone.

If you like gritty crime thrillers with a smart plot and plenty of action and suspense you will want read this book.
The bad guys are really and truly evil, the Matt Brady character is someone we would really like to see in law enforcement, and the crime is one more attention could be drawn to in real life. Who knows how often this type of thing really happens and how long it goes on before it's even looked into.
The FBI will also get involved and help Matt get to bottom of this organization, hopefully in time to keep Matt and Tracy from being killed.
I liked Matt, he was human, had made mistakes and errors in judgment, perhaps trusted people he shouldn't have, but he is basically a stand up guy determined to solve this case.
Occasionally the writing and dialogue was a bit too dry. There is action and suspense as I mentioned earlier, but the characters sort of lacked excitement in their personalities or maybe a little penache. Other than that this is a very solid crime thriller, which places the spotlight on human trafficking. The storyline is one that makes time a key element in the pacing of the story and this is done quite well. In some instances the reader is privy to information the characters are not, so I found myself wishing I could shout out a word of warning to them. Sometimes when this method of writing is used, it sort of falls flat because the reader loses knows who is behind the crime. In this case, it has the opposite effect and brings an added layer of suspense to the story.
So overall this is a solid crime novel and I recommend it those who enjoy thrillers and suspense novels. This one gets 4 stars
Profile Image for Michael.
Author 2 books94 followers
August 22, 2014
In "Cornered," Detective Matt Brady is attempting to solve the mystery of what happened to seven attractive women who have disappeared from Temple, Texas. The women have all disappeared in a short time span.

He's frustrated because every time he thinks he's making progress, something gets in the way. It's as if someone was looking over his shoulder.

As the story continues, we watch three of the women being abducted. The kidnappers are adept at their job and just when the reader wants to shout, "WATCH OUT!" the women are caught, tied up and placed in the back of a van.

Matt travels of a veterinary clinic where one of the women worked as an assistant veterinarian. The owner, Tracy Rogers, wants to be of help but doesn't know anything that could help. In the midst of a tense time, these two characters become attracted to each other. Tracy tries to help, not only to find her lost employee, but to help Matt.

This upsets someone involved with the kidnappings and soon, both Tracy and Matt become targets.

I consider "Cornered," to be one of the best thrillers I've read this year. I'm very impressed with the author's story telling ability.

I wished for an electrifying conclusion and while it was satisfactory, I was expecting greatness from this awesome author.

I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Susan Keefe.
Author 11 books58 followers
July 15, 2014
In Temple, Texas, Police Detective Matt Brady, assisted by FBI Special Agent Steve Casani, is investigating the disappearances of five beautiful women. Desperate, with no leads and the number of missing women growing at an alarming pace, Matt is desperate for answers.

Everyone knows that the person we become in life can be affected in a moment, by a word, or circumstance. The paths we take as a result and their consequences are sometimes, only discovered after the passing of time. These life-changing moments or words, for some people are stamped in their mind forever, silently festering and waiting to emerge, bringing back memories, which cloud the present.

This book is even more enjoyable because, whilst writing it, the author has been able to draw from his wealth and variety of personal experience in police and law, among which is his time as a Temple patrol officer and, Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

A brilliantly written compelling thriller, action packed, clever and with twists and turns which are guaranteed to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Profile Image for Carol Piner.
103 reviews9 followers
November 2, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars Brenham spins an excellent tale as the kidnappings continue, July 25, 2014

Cornered by Alan Brenham is a hard study in trying to put together the kidnapping and disappearance of many women. Detective Matt Brady, who is not really sure of his competence due to a past mistake, is relentless in his pursuit of the kidnappers. One of his biggest problems is the women are hooked on heroin and being sold all over the world.

As this book comes together, Brady learns you really can't trust everyone because you think they are a friend, thus repeating his former mistake all over again. However, he also learns you make new friends. In his case, this was a woman who would not be conquered by Weaver and Chiles, the kidnappers. Brady unfortunately puts her right into their focus and the focus of the woman he found unfaithful.

Brenham spins an excellent tale as the kidnappings continue. Small threads are gathered as he fights his way through the puzzle. It's very well done and is a book well worth reading.
Profile Image for Linda Strong.
3,878 reviews1,708 followers
July 25, 2014
Seven young women have been abducted, leaving no ransom notes, no bodies, and no clues. Detective Matt Brady is determined to find who or what is behind these abductions before another woman goes missing.... especially his new girlfriend, a veterinarian who is determined to help find her assistant, one of the missing women.

This storyline concept is terrific and extremely well-written. The author's experience in law enforcement is showcased here. The characters are fleshed out and just plain likeable ... well, there may be one or two that I wouldn't invite to the dinner table. But the good guys are really good and the bad guys are really, really bad.

The action starts on page 1 and just doesn't let up. My book was sticky - I just couldn't put it down until the very last page. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery and/or a precise and accurate police procedural. Now I'm on to get Price of Justice by the same author.
Profile Image for Rebecca Waranch.
21 reviews
August 2, 2014
Another exciting page-turner from Alan Brenham! I loved Price of Justice, and Cornered did not disappoint. Detective Matt Brady is working on a kidnapping case, which is part of a suspected human trafficking ring. All of the victims are beautiful, middle class women with no apparent ties to each other. Brady is determined to solve this case in order to prove himself to his colleagues and catch the kidnapper before he can take his next victim.

Cornered is an exciting and well-written crime thriller. It is obvious that the author is familiar with the ins and outs of law enforcement. This novel is fast-paced and to the point, making it a quick read that is impossible to put down! I, for one, cannot wait to see what else Alan Brenham has in store for readers.
Profile Image for Marjorie.
835 reviews68 followers
September 26, 2014
Given To Me For An Honest Review


Cornered by Alan Brenham has another fantastic book out. This one is about the disappearance of seven women. Detective Matt Brady is trying to solve this case before any more disappearances happen. He ends up against an organization that keeps one step ahead of him. A young veterinarian decides she is going to get involved also but she just may be setting herself to become victim number eight. This book is a real page turner. Once you begin reading it you won't stop until you finish it. You will be on the edge of your seat while you go through the twists and turns. I gave this book 5 stars but it deserves many more. I highly recommend it to all.
Profile Image for Donna Warner.
Author 2 books11 followers
February 16, 2015
This is a well-written, suspenseful novel about a human trafficking ring. Matt Brady, a detective with the Temple County police department, strives to locate and arrest members of a heinous group that have kidnapped and sold seven women into sexual bondage. He struggles with demons from a past case, fearing failure, and a tight deadline to find these women before they are immersed into sex trades in other countries. The plot is action packed and seductive to readers who enjoy the suspense genre. Kudos to Black Opal Books’ author, Alan Behr who writes under the pseudonym, Alan Brenham.

Donna J. Warner, mystery author and freelance editor
www.djwarnerconsulting.blogspot.ca
Profile Image for Sandra L. Harms.
2 reviews10 followers
October 8, 2017
Edge of your seat suspense

This is one of those rare books that lets you know everything as it happens and shows you how the detective uses deduction and logic to garner clues and leads in the criminal case as it unfolds. You find yourself rooting for the detective hoping he learns what you already know because the author tells you everything as you read. Brenham is an excellent criminal suspense writer that develops strong characters and tight plots. This is a page turner you won't be able to put down. Enjoy!
8 reviews
April 23, 2019
In his second book. Alan Brenham introduces Temple Police Detective, Matt Brady, who is trying to solve the disappearance of 7 women. While leading the investigation, it feels like someone knows every move the department is making. Little does Matt know that the mastermind behind the disappearances, is being updated on the progress of the investigation by Matt, himself. Once again it's riveting tale with lots of twists and turns. I loved it.
Profile Image for Chris Yorgason.
257 reviews3 followers
August 16, 2014
A pretty good, well-written thriller. The main characters were likable and the story moved along pretty well. I would have given it four stars, but only gave it three because parts of the book had what I consider to be a lot of strong language (not necessarily a surprise based on the characters using the language, but more language than I like to read).
Profile Image for Mary .
108 reviews1 follower
July 12, 2018
I'm never quite sure about reading this type of murder-mystery but I could not put this book down. I was hooked from the start. Late nights reading bc I had to keep going. I had to make myself put this book to do things other than read! Every spare moment was spent reading this. Thank goodness everyone knows what to expect if mom/grandma can't put it down. Enjoy! This is a good read for all!
Profile Image for Pat Eroh.
2,618 reviews32 followers
May 6, 2019
I enjoyed this thriller immensely. I connected well with both of the main characters, especially Grady. I felt a connection with the storyline as well. It is so believable and connected to reality. An action-packed and very compelling read.
Profile Image for Ed Terry.
68 reviews
December 28, 2017
Good to keep a page to turn

Somewhat typical, but then interesting to read. Some of the names got a bit confusing, but don't read after a party night.
110 reviews
July 14, 2019
Great. Characters. Great thrilling story. Couldn't put it down

I think I said WOW more times than I wondered if Santa Clause was real when I was a child. Wonderful story
Profile Image for Jill Rey.
1,225 reviews49 followers
April 11, 2024
Temple Police Detective Matt Brady is thrown headfirst into a make-or-break case of his career as time is quickly running out. Women are going missing, at a rapid rate, as the town of Temple, TX is being rocked by a serial kidnapper. But the leads are as dry as the Texas heat and the FBI is itching to take over if Detective Brady can’t solve this case soon.

Readers will have their heads on a swivel as women are disappearing right under the police’s nose. With the bad guys always seemingly a step ahead, Detective Brady is struggling to bring the women home safely. Is something more nefarious afoot, and who is the ringleader?

As a female, being on the constant look out for danger seems to come with the territory, but the snatchers and organization behind the kidnapping in “Cornered” bring a whole new sense of fear. The interconnectedness of the criminal organization and plotting behind author Alan Brenham’s “Cornered” are as tight as they are shocking. Brenham is an expert at creating an ending you won’t see coming, keeping you on the edge until the very last pages.

As the plot thickens, Matt Brady’s determination to keep those around him safe and bring the victims home safe remains paramount. Readers consistently feel dropped squarely in the lives of Brenham’s characters and Brady is no different. In signature Brenham fashion, the lead up to the finale takes a personal toll as the boundaries between work and life begin to blur and the safety of those around weighs heavily.
58 reviews
April 29, 2020
I was given a copy to make this review. What I say is just my opinion based on what I read.

4/5 stars. Nice and quick story that I liked from the start. The writer, Alan Brenham, doesn´t use a difficult and elaborated plot. Sometimes, simple and easy is better. This is one of those times. I enjoyed following the case along with the main character, Matt Brady, who is a detective and has a very busy life. I like that we see him both his work and personal lives. I like how the case evolves. I like the romantic side of the hero.

Matt Brady is a Detective who has a new case: women have been kidnapped in daylight. He suspects it could be for a reason nobody wants to think about. While he is looking for the women and the kidnappers, he has a private life that isn´t either quiet or easy, and it is interfering with the investigation. Many women have gone missing. Too few clues about them, or the people behind the kidnapping.

I didn´t expect to enjoy this book so much, but I did. I found the plot to be predictable, but it doesn´t mean the book isn´t Good, or that the writer doesn´t know how to write. On the contrary, Alan Brenham delivers a very entertaining story with excelent characters. I would have loved a bit more information about Matt Brody, more background.

Don´t miss the chanc to read "Cornered". It won´t be a mistake. I Will read more of him, that´s for sure.
Profile Image for Deyae.
41 reviews10 followers
December 17, 2019
This is the first time I read something from author Alan Brenham and I'm quite sure it won't be the last time.
The story is extremely well written, things are getting more interesting and more anticipating as the story develops.
Seven young women are kidnapped at different intervals with link between them ,with no left notes,no ransom demand, nothing. It is up to the young detective Matt Brady to find them before they are lost forever or,at least, catch the criminals before more women are kidnapped.
There's a lot of kinds of characters here; the bad, the good, the one you haven't decided on yet. It keeps the reader's attention from the first chapter, the action is on going throughout the whole book!
Would recommend it to thriller and crime readers!!
Profile Image for Klassyklawz.
4 reviews
January 17, 2020
This book was gifted to me for an honest review.

Temple Texas seven young women have gone missing, no bodies, no ransom notes, no clues!. Assigned to the case is detective Matt Brady who is bound and determined to find what’s behind the disappearances. Early in the investigation he discovers he’s also combating a criminal organization that seems to know as much regarding police tactics and procedure as he does, an organization adept at staying a step ahead. A young attractive veterinarian injects herself into the investigation and Brady’s personal life, might she be victim number 8?. Brady finds himself The target of a vicious killer as he desperately Fights to solve the case in time to save them both!. Very well written easily visualization throughout the read.
Profile Image for Pallabi Sarkar.
25 reviews
February 20, 2020
Cornerd written by Alan Brenham is a very exciting and thrilling detective novel. Well written with to the point content which makes it a quick read. One of the main characters of this book is Matt Brady, a Texas police detective who is trying to solve a kidnapping case - the mystery of disappearance of seven women one after another at different intervals with link among them from Temple, Texas within a short time span, which is a part of suspected human trafficking ring.
The detective is under serious pressure to solve the mystery in order to prove himself and also to catch the kidnapper before he can snatch his next victim.
I am rating this novel with 4 out of 5 stars. Over all it's a good book to read. Thanks to the author for sharing a pdf copy of this book with me.
18 reviews
December 11, 2019
A very interesting story. I loved the suspense maintained here. The characters and the plots are so well defined. Here seven women are kidnapped and the detective Brady has to find the criminals before they kidnap any more. The criminals are way more clever and knows exactly how to play tricks and proved to be much smarter than the police. The story is very well written by maintaining the interest of the reader to the fullest. I really loved it and would definitely recommend it to those whose are interested in reading thrillers.
Profile Image for Emz G.
20 reviews
September 22, 2020
Cornered was an absolute thrill to read. It had suspense, romance and the lead had a believable past. I at times got mad, wanted to scream when certain things happened, or when I thought he was being a little dumb though human. I was sad on certain things happening. It was a long since I read a book this enjoyable. It ended up interfering with my work. I will be looking and recommending Books from this author. I hope they will be as enjoyable as this one was.
2 reviews
September 29, 2020
it is hard to focus in anything when you think about cornered because you can't leave this book when you go so deep into it and concentrate on every single detail that make you want to read more and don't stop it is very suspenseful and thriller book it worth to read
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