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Killing Pace
Laura Pace is a woman on the run—struggling to reconstruct her past, to rebuild her memories, to retrace her steps... and to identify the people who tried to erase her from existence.
Everglade City, Florida, March 2015. It’s been two months since Lisa Green crawled barefoot and bleeding out of a terrible car accident with three important questions: Where am I?... How did I get here?... and most importantly… Who am I? Her boyfriend Roland has been nursing her back to health under close watch.
Lisa has amnesia. They both know that, but only Lisa knows that she hasn’t lost her ability to reason. And reason tells her that she is not Roland’s girlfriend. She is his prisoner. Gradually, Lisa remembers training and skills that she didn’t know she had and is able to make her escape. When a sheriff’s deputy finds her, she tells him she wants to report a missing person: herself.
What follows is a high-octane international chase, which involves US Border Control, the Sicilian mafia, and a shadowy organization specializing in trafficking infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples. Lisa, whose real name is Laura Pace, must figure out who she can trust and how to stay alive...
Everglade City, Florida, March 2015. It’s been two months since Lisa Green crawled barefoot and bleeding out of a terrible car accident with three important questions: Where am I?... How did I get here?... and most importantly… Who am I? Her boyfriend Roland has been nursing her back to health under close watch.
Lisa has amnesia. They both know that, but only Lisa knows that she hasn’t lost her ability to reason. And reason tells her that she is not Roland’s girlfriend. She is his prisoner. Gradually, Lisa remembers training and skills that she didn’t know she had and is able to make her escape. When a sheriff’s deputy finds her, she tells him she wants to report a missing person: herself.
What follows is a high-octane international chase, which involves US Border Control, the Sicilian mafia, and a shadowy organization specializing in trafficking infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples. Lisa, whose real name is Laura Pace, must figure out who she can trust and how to stay alive...
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 21, 2017
9 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Schofield
11 books51 followersDouglas Schofield was raised and educated in British Columbia, where he earned degrees in History and Law. He has worked as a trial lawyer in Canada, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, prosecuting and defending hundreds of cases of serious crime and, more recently, conducting complex cross-border litigation. Douglas and his wife Melody live on Grand Cayman, along with their highly intelligent talking cat, Juno, who kindly permits them to share his home.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 26, 2018
Thank you Smith Publicity and Minotaur Books for providing my copy of KILLING PACE by Douglas Schofield - all opinions are my own.
This is a fast paced thriller about Lisa Green, who finds her way out of a wrecked car. She’s injured with a needle in her arm and has lost her memory. A man by the name of Roland Lewis claims to be her boyfriend. However, Roland kidnaps her and keeps her prisoner in his home. Somehow she manages to escape, and when her memories return, she learns her true identity is Laura Pace and the story takes off from there.
I love that Laura is a strong female character and I really enjoyed the backstory about her grandmother. This is a very action packed story with a lot of details. It took me a bit to fit the all pieces together but once I did, I really enjoyed. KILLING PACE has a deadly car accident, amnesia, crime, espionage, and historical elements from World War II. It’s not exactly what I expected, but I thought it was great fun!
This is a fast paced thriller about Lisa Green, who finds her way out of a wrecked car. She’s injured with a needle in her arm and has lost her memory. A man by the name of Roland Lewis claims to be her boyfriend. However, Roland kidnaps her and keeps her prisoner in his home. Somehow she manages to escape, and when her memories return, she learns her true identity is Laura Pace and the story takes off from there.
I love that Laura is a strong female character and I really enjoyed the backstory about her grandmother. This is a very action packed story with a lot of details. It took me a bit to fit the all pieces together but once I did, I really enjoyed. KILLING PACE has a deadly car accident, amnesia, crime, espionage, and historical elements from World War II. It’s not exactly what I expected, but I thought it was great fun!
February 17, 2018
3.5 stars
February 1, 2018
“Never trust a coincidence,” her grandmother had always lectured, “Look behind it.”
Chosen as the book club pick at my local library, it was the first book by autho Douglas Shofield that I’d read.
Likes about this book, was that it was fast paced, started out really good when a woman mysteriously awakened in pain. Barefoot and running on crushed rocks. I enjoyed this aspect of trying to piece together the different women and their stories throughout.
Dislikes: I didn’t feel like the story flowed well. Too many undeveloped characters and plots to tie together. Too much time spent on the ins and outs of the organizations rather than enjoying the plots that had already been introduced. Overall a meh type straight down the middle rating of 3 stars. Not terrible, not the best ever, but enough that I would enjoy reading another book by this author.
(Also making this the ATY Book Club pick for the prompt “Earth setting” from Goodreads Around the Year in 52 Weeks.)
Chosen as the book club pick at my local library, it was the first book by autho Douglas Shofield that I’d read.
Likes about this book, was that it was fast paced, started out really good when a woman mysteriously awakened in pain. Barefoot and running on crushed rocks. I enjoyed this aspect of trying to piece together the different women and their stories throughout.
Dislikes: I didn’t feel like the story flowed well. Too many undeveloped characters and plots to tie together. Too much time spent on the ins and outs of the organizations rather than enjoying the plots that had already been introduced. Overall a meh type straight down the middle rating of 3 stars. Not terrible, not the best ever, but enough that I would enjoy reading another book by this author.
(Also making this the ATY Book Club pick for the prompt “Earth setting” from Goodreads Around the Year in 52 Weeks.)
October 24, 2017
Review to follow.
May 4, 2018
A great read that kept me up until 2:30! It did sometimes feel as if I had come in in the middle of a series - I am still perplexed as to whether the main character appeared in an earlier book by Schofield but I guess I will have to try them all to see!
January 29, 2018
Lots of twists and turns, but the story was a little jumbled and confusing at times. It didn't flow as well as I'd like. The ending was choppy and fast, but the overall story I liked.
November 14, 2017
Back in 2015, I read and reviewed Time of Departure by Douglas Schofield, so when (thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley) I had the opportunity to read Schofield’s new novel, Killing Pace, in return for my honest review, I leapt at it.
Like Time of Departure, Killing Pace also features a female protagonist facing some crime-related challenges. Time of Departure was set in Florida, and while Killing Pace begins in Florida, it then moves back and forth between Sicily and Florida.
The first chapter is straightforward, and provided me with a good hook, as it described a woman named Lisa Green crawling bleeding and barefoot out of a car accident, completely confused. Not only does she not know where she is or how she got there, she doesn’t even remember who she is. In the next chapter, the woman begins to regain memory with flashes of remembrance related to Flight 103 (crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland), conversations with an older woman, and eating Nutella. She beats the crap out of the man who had been holding her captive and reports herself missing to the police. The next section, titled Sarah, describes the activities of a female Customs and Border Protection Office named Sarah Lockhart, and just as I was wondering if she was the woman in the car accident (despite the different name), the next section was back to Lisa. Because my reading was interrupted by a couple of weeks of personal chaos, I was a bit disoriented by the shifts among Lisa, Sarah, and yet another female character, Laura Pace – but in looking back over the book, I realize this was just me – Schofield did a great job weaving the sections together, and it all made sense.
The story becomes an international chase, involving not just Sarah’s efforts in Italy and Miami on behalf of the US Border Control, but expanding to include the Sicilian mafia, human trafficking (infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples, also known as “baby laundering”), and smuggling. There is also a tiny bit of romantic interest, which I would expect will be explored in the next Laura Pace novel (and I hope there will be one!). And I JUST realized the title is a play on words -- DUH!!
There are several issues explored, including questions of trust, ethical behavior of government officials, and loyalty. Like Time of Departure, this novel requires some willing suspension of disbelief, but I read with the attitude of “just go along for the ride,” and I am glad I did. Following the two-week hiatus between when I started this book and yesterday when I picked it up again, I was hooked and spent the majority of the day yesterday reading it. I love mystery-thrillers than take over my whole day, and give this one four stars. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Schofield, whose experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney contributes to his ability to tell a story that hooks the reader.
Like Time of Departure, Killing Pace also features a female protagonist facing some crime-related challenges. Time of Departure was set in Florida, and while Killing Pace begins in Florida, it then moves back and forth between Sicily and Florida.
The first chapter is straightforward, and provided me with a good hook, as it described a woman named Lisa Green crawling bleeding and barefoot out of a car accident, completely confused. Not only does she not know where she is or how she got there, she doesn’t even remember who she is. In the next chapter, the woman begins to regain memory with flashes of remembrance related to Flight 103 (crashed over Lockerbie, Scotland), conversations with an older woman, and eating Nutella. She beats the crap out of the man who had been holding her captive and reports herself missing to the police. The next section, titled Sarah, describes the activities of a female Customs and Border Protection Office named Sarah Lockhart, and just as I was wondering if she was the woman in the car accident (despite the different name), the next section was back to Lisa. Because my reading was interrupted by a couple of weeks of personal chaos, I was a bit disoriented by the shifts among Lisa, Sarah, and yet another female character, Laura Pace – but in looking back over the book, I realize this was just me – Schofield did a great job weaving the sections together, and it all made sense.
The story becomes an international chase, involving not just Sarah’s efforts in Italy and Miami on behalf of the US Border Control, but expanding to include the Sicilian mafia, human trafficking (infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples, also known as “baby laundering”), and smuggling. There is also a tiny bit of romantic interest, which I would expect will be explored in the next Laura Pace novel (and I hope there will be one!). And I JUST realized the title is a play on words -- DUH!!
There are several issues explored, including questions of trust, ethical behavior of government officials, and loyalty. Like Time of Departure, this novel requires some willing suspension of disbelief, but I read with the attitude of “just go along for the ride,” and I am glad I did. Following the two-week hiatus between when I started this book and yesterday when I picked it up again, I was hooked and spent the majority of the day yesterday reading it. I love mystery-thrillers than take over my whole day, and give this one four stars. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Schofield, whose experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney contributes to his ability to tell a story that hooks the reader.
January 12, 2018
As young as she was, she had already learned one of life's most bitter and important lessons: that law and justice can be diametrically opposed. Long before she joined the brigade, she had seen her enemy up close. She had seen them for what they were- cruel men claiming "lawful" orders. Monsters who did what they were commanded to do, ruthlessly and meticulously, and took deep satisfaction in their evil. In fighting against men like this, she had chosen justice over law. That was all she needed.
I loved how this book read, a strong woman Laura Pace who had a strong tie to her Nonna who taught her many life lessons who lived thru the atrocious of World War II, her grandmother warned her never to trust coincidences and never forget the treachery of human beings. As an customs agent working in Italy, she comes across a crime that plays against the refugees of Syria. A crime that becomes so personal that her life becomes in danger. This story reminded me of a female version of Jason Bourne. Laura is intuitive and knows to solve this crime and bring it to justice she must go rogue.
There are twists and turns and with the beginning that starts with the intensity that stays all the way to the end. A woman who has survived a deadly car accident that can't remember who she is and why she was there to a woman who never gives up. With many characters and going back in forth in time, it all comes together with clarity as you catch up.
A Special Thank You to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
I loved how this book read, a strong woman Laura Pace who had a strong tie to her Nonna who taught her many life lessons who lived thru the atrocious of World War II, her grandmother warned her never to trust coincidences and never forget the treachery of human beings. As an customs agent working in Italy, she comes across a crime that plays against the refugees of Syria. A crime that becomes so personal that her life becomes in danger. This story reminded me of a female version of Jason Bourne. Laura is intuitive and knows to solve this crime and bring it to justice she must go rogue.
There are twists and turns and with the beginning that starts with the intensity that stays all the way to the end. A woman who has survived a deadly car accident that can't remember who she is and why she was there to a woman who never gives up. With many characters and going back in forth in time, it all comes together with clarity as you catch up.
A Special Thank You to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
July 12, 2018
Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Smith Publicity for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 3.5 stars
KILLING PACE is a riveting, edge of your seat thrill ride. It ramps up the action, packs a punch, and doesn’t stop. There is a lot of information packed onto every page. This may bog the reader down if not immersed fully in the story. It is touted as a #metoo, post-Weinstein era read. I didn’t realize how eerily apropos it was for today’s social clime. Especially with the news coming out of the U.S. over the last several weeks.
Laura Pace is an impetuous and fearless main character. I like her pluck, and she has no qualms with getting to the bottom of things. She has suffered through so much, but still rises to the occasion, and pushes to get what she wants.
All in all, a fast paced read. You will need to keep your wits about you with this one, as it packs in so much information. I’m looking forward to finding out what is next for Laura. Douglas Schofield is an author to watch.
My rating: 3.5 stars
KILLING PACE is a riveting, edge of your seat thrill ride. It ramps up the action, packs a punch, and doesn’t stop. There is a lot of information packed onto every page. This may bog the reader down if not immersed fully in the story. It is touted as a #metoo, post-Weinstein era read. I didn’t realize how eerily apropos it was for today’s social clime. Especially with the news coming out of the U.S. over the last several weeks.
Laura Pace is an impetuous and fearless main character. I like her pluck, and she has no qualms with getting to the bottom of things. She has suffered through so much, but still rises to the occasion, and pushes to get what she wants.
All in all, a fast paced read. You will need to keep your wits about you with this one, as it packs in so much information. I’m looking forward to finding out what is next for Laura. Douglas Schofield is an author to watch.
November 26, 2017
2.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens with a woman (Laura Pace) that has amnesia and is being held captive by a man that claims to be her boyfriend. She eventually regains her memories and escapes her captor, only to discover she is a wanted fugitive that has been set up for a double homicide. Laura goes on the run to clear her name and solve the international mystery that started her problems in the first place.
The story includes stolen babies from Syrian refugees, rich families trying to adopt babies, international smuggling, the Mafia, the U.N., U.S. Border Control and the Justice Department. HUH? Just.Too.Much. Rather than letting the story develop and add a few twists and turns, the author crammed too many elements, concepts and side stories into the book. The result is a rambling story that I lost interest in half way through. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the frantic pace of the book, but I just found it annoying. Plus, the main story simply didn't interest me.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens with a woman (Laura Pace) that has amnesia and is being held captive by a man that claims to be her boyfriend. She eventually regains her memories and escapes her captor, only to discover she is a wanted fugitive that has been set up for a double homicide. Laura goes on the run to clear her name and solve the international mystery that started her problems in the first place.
The story includes stolen babies from Syrian refugees, rich families trying to adopt babies, international smuggling, the Mafia, the U.N., U.S. Border Control and the Justice Department. HUH? Just.Too.Much. Rather than letting the story develop and add a few twists and turns, the author crammed too many elements, concepts and side stories into the book. The result is a rambling story that I lost interest in half way through. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the frantic pace of the book, but I just found it annoying. Plus, the main story simply didn't interest me.
March 1, 2018
St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Killing Pace. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.
Killing Pace starts slowly, but gains a thrilling pace towards the middle of the book. Involving criminal enterprises that reach from Miami to Italy, it is a story of a young woman's desire to do her job to the best of her abilities. When she uncovers a deplorable human trafficking ring involving babies, will Laura find herself trusting the wrong people to aid her in capturing the perpetrators?
The beginning of Killing Pace is so slow that I contemplated not finishing the book. I was glad that I stuck with it, as the latter half of the book is quite good. Although I did figure out some of what transpired, there were some surprises during the reveal. I was not a fan of the constant flashbacks, as they make the story disjointed to a large extent. Laura Pace is an interesting main character, though, and I would be interested in reading more about her in the future.
Killing Pace starts slowly, but gains a thrilling pace towards the middle of the book. Involving criminal enterprises that reach from Miami to Italy, it is a story of a young woman's desire to do her job to the best of her abilities. When she uncovers a deplorable human trafficking ring involving babies, will Laura find herself trusting the wrong people to aid her in capturing the perpetrators?
The beginning of Killing Pace is so slow that I contemplated not finishing the book. I was glad that I stuck with it, as the latter half of the book is quite good. Although I did figure out some of what transpired, there were some surprises during the reveal. I was not a fan of the constant flashbacks, as they make the story disjointed to a large extent. Laura Pace is an interesting main character, though, and I would be interested in reading more about her in the future.
August 31, 2017
"Killing Pace" requires its readers to pay attention. There's a lot of detail in this book, and some of it occasionally feels overwrought even though it comes together in the end. One of my favourite elements of the book is the strong female characters. There isn't a wallflower among them. I had a couple of issues with the book, mainly that there's never any explanation for Laura's infamous history and that the heroine is almost too good to be true (very much like a Jason Bourne but she has more of a superwoman quality). All in all, a good book for readers looking for some action-adventure with a bit of intrigue and espionage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2018
Lots of action. Starts with main character being involved in an accident. Lisa Green doesn't know who she is, where she is and who her so boyfriend is. Is she a prisoner and if so how did she get there. After persuading Roland to allow her to accompany him to the story she starts remembering things and after incapacitating him she reports herself as a missing person to the police. When the police run her prints it turns out she is wanted for two counts of murder and kidnapping, crimes she knows she didn't commit. The story involves human trafficking, smuggling, corruption and multiple identities. I hope there are more Laura Pace stories out there.
July 10, 2021
the main reason i rate 1 star is because of how misleading the description is. i expected the main mystery in the book to be finding Lauras true identity, as the description seems to insight. but it turns out to only be 1/3 of the book, with the remaining chapters being about bringing justice to some past case about baby laundering. so once i got to the end of what i came here to figure out i lost interest quickly. on top of that it was very jumpy from scene to scene, and not so clear at transitioning. also distinguishing the connection of small problems to the main conflict was hard to understand. just wasnt for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2017
Killing Pace is coded as a mystery, but it is so much more!! Douglas Schofield has given us a kick ass female lead, surrounded her with intriguing friends and foes, and set them all off into the international world of trafficking infants stolen from Syrian refugees. She dodges US Border Control, the Sicilian Mafia,and shadowy elements to figure out who she can trust and how to keep herself alive. This is a book, that once started, will keep you reading into the night. It is coming out in Hardcover November,2017 and should be a must read for Christmas!!
November 22, 2017
Wow! What a book. Yes, Killing Pace is a mystery, but it is also a twisty, involving action/suspense novel. And for once, the hero is a strong and more-than-capable woman. When you start Killing Pace, make sure that you have nothing else on your calendar. Then be prepared for a gut - wrenching adventure dealing with stolen kids, the Mafia, and the U.S. Justice Department. The question is, who can our hero trust? And the answer lies between the pages of Killing Pace, a snaking and thrilling novel by a talented writer.
January 12, 2018
This book had too much of everything. The main character changed her identity more often than most of us change TV channels. It was as if the author was trying to get everything he could think of into one book: baby laundering, the mafia, refugees, smuggling -- there was no end to the crimes committed within these pages. I struggled through it, but the last 150 pages was tough sledding. I SO looked forward to the final gasp. No more Schofield for me!!
May 31, 2018
This was an excellent book. Imagine being targeted for death on numerous occasions. Imagine being framed for a double murder that you had nothing to do with. Also, imagine trying to deal with internal corruption at the highest levels. International unlawful adoptions bought out the worst in a number of crime families and officials. I love the back story of the Italian resistance and the stories passed down from generation to generation.
July 11, 2020
An intriguing novel that had me hooked from the start. This was different enough to other books in the genre that it kept me engaged. So much so that it was read in *almost* one sitting.
Whilst the story is very hard to believe, the pace and characters kept me turning the pages.
Fans of Schofield will recognise some of the characters but 'Killing Page' is a stand-alone novel that is perfect for a rainy day when there is nothing good on television.
Whilst the story is very hard to believe, the pace and characters kept me turning the pages.
Fans of Schofield will recognise some of the characters but 'Killing Page' is a stand-alone novel that is perfect for a rainy day when there is nothing good on television.
August 7, 2017
Wow !! What a thrilling book. So much suspense!! I was captivated from the very first chapter when Laura/Sarah was kidnapped and got away from her derelict perverted kidnapper. This book took you on so many ups and downs and you kept you suspicious of every person in this book. I loved it! Perfect suspenseful read that kept you on the edge of you seat!!!!!
August 8, 2018
This book was all over the place! It kept alluding to the main character’s past in a way that made me feel there were other books before this one. Pieces of her family’s history that had no relevance to this story were included. It jumped around with no cohesion.
What could’ve been a great book was ruined by a seriously lack of flow. It should’ve been back to the editor.
What could’ve been a great book was ruined by a seriously lack of flow. It should’ve been back to the editor.
September 21, 2018
I enjoyed this author’s first two books so it was quite surprising how painfully bad this one was. The cast of characters were so flat and one dimensional it was hard to remember who was who and which side they were on. The dialogue was amateurish and the “love interest” just plain embarrassing. Gutted it out to the end, why I don’t know.
August 28, 2017
the beginning of the book was really interesting and then i got confused between the two "people". To be honest... the first part sounded better than the second one and i kept hoping that i would go back to the first story line. It was well written but i found there was a lot of "police characters" and different names and got a bit confused (that might just be me thought). Her memory did not come back gradually i found.. one minute she is doing something then BAM... she remembers everything and has no issues doing all the things that she used to do (work wise).
February 14, 2018
My first book by Douglas Schofield. Happy to have another author to look for.
June 17, 2018
I’m hoping the ending is the beginning of another Laura Pace adventure...
Hope to hear from you soon Mr Schofield.....
Hope to hear from you soon Mr Schofield.....
August 26, 2023
Alias abound. After she is no longer on the run, it gets dull.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2018
This was a Goodreads giveaway win!
The book started off really good then got confusing then got good again.
The book summary on the jacket was a good description.
It was hard to follow at times because of the character having two names and two perspectives and the places the story took place in.
Killing Pace definitely had a great and unique plot but got slow in certain times in the book.
I am sending around on a facebook book club I am on so others can read and review it as well.
The book started off really good then got confusing then got good again.
The book summary on the jacket was a good description.
It was hard to follow at times because of the character having two names and two perspectives and the places the story took place in.
Killing Pace definitely had a great and unique plot but got slow in certain times in the book.
I am sending around on a facebook book club I am on so others can read and review it as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews