American movie star Scarlett Cox and her husband, hotel tycoon Salvador Brazza, head to Africa to get away and resuscitate their ailing marriage. When robbed of their money and passports, they seek help from the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam on the very day Al Qaeda chooses to bomb it. In an eyeblink they are taken hostage and whisked across the border deep into the Congo, one of the last truly wild places left on earth.
Battling terrorists, deadly wildlife, and cannibalistic rebels, Scarlett and Sal must find a way to survive in a violent, primeval world. And the only person who may be able to save them is the assassin sent to kill them.
USA TODAY and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates has written over twenty novels and novellas, selling more than one million copies worldwide. His work has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television by major studios. Midwest Book Review has likened his storytelling to that of Stephen King and Joe Lansdale, calling him a "master of the art." Bates is a KDP Select All-Star and the recipient of the Australian Shadows Award and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book honors chosen by readers.
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
News like the following ones are regularly broadcast these days: Tourists kidnapped by Al-Qaeda devotees. Al-Qaeda-related massacre, tourists involved. Hotel attacked by Al-Qaeda gunmen. The list can be extended continually. We all have heard of those tragic events, whether the tourists were of US-American, English, German or another nationality. And we all hope and pray we and our closest will never be entangled in such an occurence. But do we know how it actually feels like for the people concerned? Do we know how the situation in captivity might be like?
The Taste of Fear provides stunning insight into such a dreaded incident. Not all of it might be accurate in terms of the plot's credibility or a realistic portrayal, but it is questionable whether or not the feelings a person has to bear while in danger of being murdered brutally by terrorists could even be accurately depicted. And if you bear in mind that this is one of Jeremy Bates' first novels he has published so far, with him still being a newcomer to the world of writing, then it can be admired that he was able to come up with a gripping and relatively believable story.
(Little side-note: Small spoilers are included, but nothing essential. You will still enjoy the story and be surprised by its twists even if you read this review.)
The Plot: The story focuses on Scarlett Cox and Salvadore Brazza, a married couple who want to overcome their marriage problems by travelling to Africa. Sharing wonderful and distressing experiences alike during their stay in Tanzania, they have no idea that on the very day they intend to return to the United States, they will be robbed and taken hostage by Al-Qaeda terrorists. The story is constructed on a constantly increasing level, suspense and thrilling moments being piled up until the turning point occurs with Scarlett, Sal and some other innocents being kidnapped and taken into the deep forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the least investigated regions of the planet. The author never allows the story to bore its reader, a new twist lurking around every corner and being accompanied by a new cliffhanger. The story itself never feels rushed, however - Jeremy Bates carefully explores all the plot points he established at the beginning of the story and still leaves enough room for the characters to breath and develop. Which leads directly to the next point ...
The Characters: One might imagine that with a story as complex and socially relevant as this one, the author decides to introduce likeable characters the reader can't help but root for. You're way off the mark. Scarlett Cox is a spoiled, unsuspicious Hollywood movie star and considers herself to be one of the most well-known prominents of the United States of America. Her husband, Salvadore Brazza, called Sal, is a hotel tycoon with more money than he could ever actually spend and a list of enemies he has lost track of - and, more importantly, Sal behaves like an asshole. During the course of the story, the true of colours of Scarlett's character emerge and allow her to see behind Sal's facade, behind the masks of a rich, powerful man she has spent four years of her life with, only to realize that she really does not know the man she has fallen in love with. Both of them undergo massive character development during the course of the story, but while Scarlett attempts to do so, Sal never shows any interest in bringing their lives into agreement with each other. Jeremy Bates also introduces several minor characters, for example Damien Fitzgerald, one of Sal's enemies who is unplannedly involved into the entire mess, or Thunder, an expatriant who enjoys his adventurous life in Africa and who will cause further uproar in Scarlett and Sal's marriage. Jeremy Bates focuses on his two main characters, thus not really spending time on developing the minor characters or making his readers care for those - which is sadly the most significant point of criticism in this novel.
The Setting: Set on four different continents (America, Europe, Asia and Africa) and in seven different countries, the author explores a huge variety of setting options, leading from the luxury hotel in Dubai via the holiday guidance in Tanzania through to the depths of the Congolesean jungle. He isn't scared of presenting very differing cultures as well as the differences between civilized people and military groups like the Mai-Mai, but he also doesn't shrink back from confronting his characters with the true dangers of the African forests: they have to escape lions and leopards, spiders and snakes, hippos and crocodiles. Some of those encounters will end deathly. In fact, the author doesn't shrink back from killing in general. There is a lot of death, blood and devastation in this story, as might be expected from a story dealing with terrorists. It's a socially relevant subject depicted with a certain realism attached to it, yet the way Jeremy Bates implemented it is probably not suited for those who are more sensitive than others - mainly because he doesn't tell, he shows. And if there is someone who is attacked by a feline predatore (and eaten alive) ... then it will be shown explicitly. I'm just saying.
Jeremy Bates is one of those authors who isn't very well-known these days, but who certainly has the talent to evolve into someone with more recognized stories and literary achievements, especially in the thriller/mystery genre. His writing style might be reminiscient of authors like Jo Nesbø, Jussi Adler-Olsen, Stephen King or Tana French who unproblematically succeed at allowing their readers to root for unlikeable protagonists. And let's not forgot that The Taste of Fear is a Kindle freebie, so it can be legally downloaded for free. This will definitely not be the last Bates novel I've read, and if you are interested in the very complex plotline, then you should not hesitate to pick it up.
At times I did find this one gripping. When Bates gets to the suspense of the story there is very gripping middle section full of horror and tension. The problem is the lengthy preamble of unegaging setup that made this a real slog for a long period of time. I'm not sure I would reccommend this to be honest :/.
A celebrity couple are kidnapped and held to ransom. Whilst the whole world watches to see the fate of the Hollywood starlets, an assassin who has been hired to kill the husband is trying to get grips with how he can assassinate a captured world wide celebrity.
The Taste of Fear is a story of survival. American actress, Scarlett Cox, and her billionaire husband, Salvador Brazza, go on Safari in Africa to revive their failing marriage. A robbery leaves them stranded and in need of assistance from the US Embassy. Almost immediately, Cox and Brazza get caught up in an attack on the Embassy in Dar es Salaam and are captured and taken hostage, along with a couple of Embassy workers and an Australian tourist, by a group of Al Qaeda terrorists.
AQ takes them deep into the African jungle and away from all known civilization. Assured of a certain death, especially once their identities are discovered, Brazza and Cox must find a way to escape and survive the perils of the Congo - wildlife, terrorists, and cannibals. If they make it through, Brazza must also survive the hired assassin who has tracked him to the Congo.
The story is gripping from the start. The author captures the delicate balance of a fragile marriage and throws in the essential elements to test the partners, their commitment to each other, and the durability of the relationship. The story shows how one careless decision, made in a heated moment, can have disastrous effects. One such decision made by Sal Brazza changes their lives in an instant.
The characters are well developed, flawed, and believable; their relationships are complex and simple at the same time. The author takes us on an intense trip into the jungle, and fills the reader's senses with exotic and horrifying sounds, smells, and tastes. The story is packed with suspense and action and fraught with danger.
From beginning to end, the story is exciting, challenging, realistic and touching.
I was so fortunate to receive a free download of "The Taste of Fear" by Jeremy Bates to read on my Kindle.I was so impressed when I read his previous novel,"White Lies",that I jumped at the chance.I was not disappointed.This was an amazing novel by such a skillful author.What a rollercoaster of a ride.
American actress Scarlett Cox and husband billionaire Sal Brazza, had taken a one month separation after discovering her husband's affair. But on the eve of Scarlett's 30th birthday party, she would see him again.But the party was not meant to be. She was out speeding in her Vantage sports car and was in a car accident that left her unconscious in the hospital.
Sal was in the hotel business,operating out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and was in the process of opening up another hotel, the Prince Hotel.But one month ago, there was a fire at the Prince Hotel, and the police had reassessed their original conclusion of faulty wiring to arson.Sal had been the only one person staying in the hotel at the time, the fire had been directly below his room.Sal had been rescued by his security chief.Had someone wanted to kill Sal...but why?
Sal decides to take Scarlett to Africa,for an adventure...and the book takes off.The novel moves at a fast pace, involving terrorist attacks on the American Embassy, hostages,and Al Qaeda connections.
This book is well written,and if you enjoy reading mystery-suspense-thrillers, don't miss out on this book. A definate 5 Star rating.
When I first saw this, right away I assumed this was gonna be a horror novel involving wildlife, some types of creatures based on African mythology, or maybe a tribe of Kamala like cannibalistic head hunters.. But what I got instead was a novel themed more towards political suspense or thriller.
An American actress and her billionaire hotel tycoon husband go on a safari to southern Africa to attempt to fix their failing marriage. it's a disaster right from the start as they get in a huge argument, get robbed, separate, then get kidnapped andare w.isked away to the darkest part of the dark continent .
Personally I found the female main character to be highly unlikeable. At first it's made to seems that the husband is at fault for their marriage being in shambles. when in all actuality, she practically throws herself at the first man she sees, minutes after asking for a divorce. I have never rooted more for a villain more than I did this book
The Taste of Fear is a thriller set in Africa, where American movie star Scarlett Cox and her husband, hotel tycoon Salvador Brazza have a short holiday break with many problems.
I have NOT read any of Jeremy Bates novels before and started reading The Taste of Fear with open eyes. What a lovely surprise I got from reading this book. Jeremy creates such great suspense and tension, your alarm bells are constantly ringing with the next threat on Scarlett or Salvador. Not only that but the reader gets the story from the assassin and the terrorist who are on their trail. So you know how the net is tightening around Scarlett and Salvador but they are blissfully enjoying their holiday in Tanzania. Then Scarlett and Salvador become involved in plots against them in this fast paced thriller that chills with suspense and tension.
I found the writing quality in The Taste of Fear to be top class. There is a very wide use of vocabulary and quite often I had to pull up the dictionary on my Kindle to be sure, for example “spelunker”. I loved how it was not just a plot driven novel but had lots of background and explanations about the detail of what was going on in the moment. All this extra information about how things are done, brought so much added value to my enjoyment of this book. Some of the characters were Mai-Mai rebels - and a quick search on the internet proves these people do exist in the Congo and Jeremy has truly done his research and has not made the bad guys up from his imagination. The whole story was told in a very adult way.
I liked the characters that Scarlett and Salvador met along the way. Jeremy knows how to develop colourful characters and no character became a drag. I liked the dialogue between ALL the characters and enjoyed the dark humour said between them. I really liked how this book was not politically correct and that Jeremy felt comfortable including snips that really made me chuckle, for example…
It made her wonder what early man had thought when he came down from the trees and was confronted with this new and alien world full of opportunity and danger.
The baboons watched the Land Rover pass with their sparkling black eyes, unalarmed, likely used to seeing their distant cousins come this way.
But a lot of these well-armed government-backed guerilla groups became consumed with their unbridled power, ultimately raping and pillaging and participating in rampant cannibalism, with a special taste for the local pygmy population.
“Not bad for an old man,” Zamir said, rolling his shoulders to get the feeling back in his arms. “Not bad for a Jew,” Fitzgerald shot back.
… I was really impressed with The Taste of Fear and thought it was an OUTSTANDING read that gets the top score of 5 stars from me. I became engaged, engrossed and entertained by this story. However, I will NOT look at a barbecue the same way again!
This thriller was a little out of my comfort zone, but I couldn’t stop reading it. Kudos to Jeremy Bates who painted such a realistic and gripping tale in “The Taste of Fear” that I had to stop from time to time to catch my breath! Detailed and well-written scenes reveal the dark side of human nature and the even darker side of what lurks in the forests of Africa. Our senses are on alert as the plot unfolds and the pace quickens, and we truly “taste” the fear and horror the characters experience. A must-read for fans of suspense thrillers!
Entertaining, but not my favorite read. I have a real problem with characters making stupid decisions. I understand that, in some books, the whole argument is based on that (namely, Jeremy Bates' books in the World's Scariest Places series), and when the characters are 20-year-old college students, I can let it pass. When, however, a hitman, a retired Israeli Special Forces agent, and a hotel mogul ignore basic precautions that even I would think of, I just keep getting distracted by all their stupid, stupid mistakes. Rule of thumb, if you are abducted by terrorists and you have access to an arsenal, take all the weapons you can carry, just in case. If nothing else you will keep them from the bad guys, or you can put yourself out of your misery.
Well the first half of the book was a drag but then the pace grew and was very gripping. Very well written and all the characters were very well fleshed out at the beginning but it took a long time to get going ! Was a bit far fetched for me in some areas I found it hard to believe a civilian would be able to muster a gun so easily and then the kidnappers were so careless and were overcome so easily. The hit man that was hired to kill the main character was a bit off a weak canon in the book did not pan out as I expected. Enjoyed reading this but not what I was expecting in the end.
Horrific story, that will stay with you, and if you get sick very easily please don't eat or drink while reading this book. Also don't read it at the bedtime. Talented author, unbelievable story of Hollywood actress and her rich husband. Solid characters, but some of them ruthless killers.
I loved Bates Suicide Forest and The Catacombs but this one fell flat for me. Didn’t care for the MCs and the story was very far fetched. Still a decent read but not one I can really recommend.
I reviewed an e-book copy provided by the author in return for my fair and impartial review.
“The Taste of Fear” ranks with bestselling thrillers (name your author, you’ll know to whom I compare author Jeremy Bates). Rife with glorious detail of geography, flora and fauna, culture, society, warfare, terrorism, economics, politics, crime lords, and a cast of characters from the very down-to-earth (as is the pickup driver Scarlett encounters in Laurel Canyon), to celebrities such as screen star Scarlett Cox, and powerful businesspersons such as her husband Salvatore Brazza and Macau crime tsar Don Xi, there is literally not a moment of rest in this book. Action, adventure, thrills, mystery compete with character evolution through adversity and surprise developments to keep the reader riveted. I raced through in one sitting because I refused to put the book down until I “discovered it all.” I truly expect to find this one riding the bestseller wave.
A sensational, breakneck thriller with loads of action, merciless violence and adventure.
Celebrity couple actress Scarlett Cox and her older, tycoon husband Salvatore (Sal) Brazza have hit marital problems just 4 years into their marriage, life together in the constant glare of camera flashes and dogged by the paparazzi provides little time for the pair to reconcile their differences.
So they decide that spending Christmas on a safari holiday in remote Tanzania will give them some time away from the glare of publicity and make a last ditch attempt to rekindle their waning love for each other. But a safari holiday can be a bit too adventurous and dangerous especially when things don't always go as smoothly as planned. It's a hostile world out there in the jungle but its not just the wild animals who are a threat.
Someone wants Sal dead and he's omitted to tell Scarlett about a previous attempt on his life and when the would be assassin follows them to the other side of the world intent on killing Sal he is thwarted in his attempts by the unlucky couples run of bad luck and ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time - placing them in the American embassy at the very moment Al Qaeda terrorists detonate bombs and the hapless couple end up being taken hostage with several others, by a band of violent and ruthless killers.
Taken deeper into the heart of Africa, followed by the ruthless assassin, Scarlett has to rely on her wits to survive and as bloody violence and mayhem erupts, battles to stay alive and keep her sanity.
The Taste of fear is bitter in her mouth as she experiences horror and savagery she has never before imagined.
This is one real roller coaster ride of terror which begins with a romance being rekindled then builds throughout the book to bloodthirsty violence.
I have to admit that having read and loved this authors excellent debut novel the psychological thriller White Lies I was very keen to see what he'd come up with next. When I read the blurb I wasn't quite so sure that this one would be my cup of tea at all.
I needn't have worried - the authors excellent style of writing, very real characters and superb handling of multiple very complex situations, backed up by thorough background research and detail make this story effortless to get into and easy to relish.
Let me start by saying that The Taste Of Fear is completely out of my normal review genre. I usually tend to read & review erotic paranormal romances, so I wasn't entirely sure how much I was going to like this book but I grew up reading Stephen King, Dean Koontz & Clive Barker, so I was more than willing to give this a try... I will now be the first to admit that Jeremy Bates easily belongs on the list of my beloved horror, thriller & drama authors.. The Taste Of Fear started out with a glimpse into the world of an assassin and kept my attention until the very end. I literally could NOT put this book down. Mr. Bates is incredibly detailed & allows the reader to easily visualize the actual world as he sees it thru his characters eyes. I went thru so many emotions reading this novel. Anger, disgust, hatred, laughter, love, suspicion and then outright fear... It shocked me & kept me enthralled to the last page. He brought all of his characters into harsh, cold, real life, describing the true problems many people face with affairs, emotions, business, money & co-workers... As Scarlett & Salvador decide to try one last time to save their marriage, real life terror, in the form of a bombing & kidnapping invades their worlds..Not to mention, an assassin nipping at their heels.. One moment, I despised Scarlett & Sal and the next moment, I was wishing the best for them, feeling their hope, their love for each other and finally their fear... I kept imagining a happy ending, as all my books normally have... I was utterly shocked by the ending in this one.. And yet, I found it entirely suiting and incredibly satisfying.. This is one book you definitely need to read so you can fully immerse yourself into this very real, terrifying & fear filled world, brought to life by the amazingly talented Jeremy Bates... Mr. Bates is now on my favorite author list & I can't wait to check out more of his work. As I found out, even if a thriller book is out of your usual comfort zone, don't let that stop you from finding new worlds. Grab this book & dive into The Taste Of Fear... ~Vicki Rose Bitten By Love Reviews www.bittenbylovereviews.com
Maybe 2.5 stars. This is a totally unbelievable story about a Hollywood actress and her hotel mogul husband and their terrifying ordeal in Africa.
Sal Brazza is a wealthy, slightly shady, hotel developer who has somehow earned the ire of some other slightly shady rich dude rival. This other dude has hired a hitman to kill Brazza but he fails. So the other rich dude hires another hitman (as you do), Damien Fitzgerald, whose dedication to the job at hand is astounding. He follows Brazza and movie star wife, Scarlett Cox, to Africa where they are having a short safari to try and heal their ailing marriage. Only things go wrong and they find themselves kidnapped by terrorists and taken deep into the jungle. Fitzgerald is on their tail. It might have made more sense if we were privy to why they were kidnapped. You have no idea who the kidnappers are other than some radical (duh) Islamic dudes but we don't know what their mission or plan is.
Things get increasingly and implausibly dire for Sal and Scarlett, and later Fitzgerald. The book is supposed to be very tense and scary but while I thought it was a just OK but very light read, it came across as a bit too slapstick to be taken too seriously.
I think what helps to lift this story above the rest is the way in which the tension and the terror grows. Things start slowly as we meet Scarlett the actress and her husband and entrepreneur Sal. The fire that destroyed part of the luxury hotel his firm were building in Dubai might have been an accident after all, surely someone wouldn't have a reason to want him dead? The couple take a safari trip to attempt to repair their marriage; for a while Mr. Bates lulls us into a false sense of security. It's like a travelogue, descriptive passages of the breathtaking beauty of the African countryside, two very rich, pampered Westerners hoping to tick off the Big Five on their holiday. Fitzgerald, a hard nosed assassin is in pursuit. As each chapter unfolds, the tension builds and the terror ramps up to fever pitch. You think you've reached the limit, but no, there are several levels to go yet! It's impossible to put this down.
Maybe the beginning of The Taste of Fear wasn’t as capturing as in his other books I’ve read, but Jeremy Bates proved his worth soon. He continues to thrill, shock, and scare in this dark, bloody, and violent African story. The smell of death and mutilated bodies lingers on his pages. Jeremy Bates can’t miss.
Hollywood actress Scarlett Cox and her husband, Salvador Brazza, are trying to salvage their troubled marriage. Following Scarlett's auto accident, both agree that they need some downtime, so Sal arranges an African safari. (This is already moving too fast for me, from hospital bed to jungle trek with barely time to pack.)
Unbeknownst to Scarlett, someone has hired a hit-man to kill Sal. While Sal's right-hand man tries to learn who wants Sal dead, Sal tries to dodge the hit-man, believing he will be safe in the depths of Africa.
From that point, the action is wall to wall with no let-up. If this had been a movie, I would have staggered out of the theater totally exhausted. The story was well-written and exciting. I would recommend it to readers who like a lot of action.
I found myself quite drawn into this book, which didn't surprise me as I have read several books by this author and all have been great. It kept me wanting to read more, the characters were well written and the storyline was well paced.
Movie star, her less than honest husband and a trip to Africa result in kidnappings and murders. Fast moving but couldn't really get into the characters. I rate this a 4.4
Scarlett Cox, a renown American Actress and billionaire Salvatore Brazza, husband and wife, were on the edge of divorce. Scarlett had caught Sal in adultery, but after her car wreck, Scarlett and Sal decided to take a trip together and see if they couldn’t find enough still between them to make their marriage work. Sal had businesses in Africa and they would go to Dubai and check out his new hotel businesses and then take a safari and see the many sights of Africa. Sal had a personal security guard, a well trained former Israeli Mossad, Danny Zamir, who was at Sal’s beck and call every minute. After Sal’s act of adultery, Scarlett felt that Sal had to prove himself to her so she could trust him and she became immensely irritated every time Sal was on the phone talking to Danny because he was so secretive about those calls. Shortly after they started their trip, Scarlett learned that Sal almost died in a fire in one of his new, as yet, unoccupied hotels because he was sleeping in the room above the one that caught fire. Danny saved his life and by torturing the suspected assassin, Macau crime tsar Don XI, who confirmed that he was the one who had the fire set. What Sal didn’t know was that an Irishman, Damien Fitzgerald, was also interested in him.
Sal and Scarlett’s relationship on this trip was off and on again and Fitzgerald rigged the car they hired with faulty parts, thereby causing it to stop. They then hired a car and when they were isolated, the driver robbed both of them at gun point, taking all of their money and passports. After he drove off, Sal started walking back to the nearest town, but Scarlett was sulking and let him get far ahead of her. As a hitchhiker she was picked up by a handsome, masculine, most pleasant Australian named Thunder and an immediate attraction flared between them. Thunder took her to the American embassy but before she could enter the embassy to get a new passport, terrorists came marching out with embassy hostages. Among that group was Sal who had been there to get a new passport plus two American embassy women.
From then on, each moment is one big nightmare from the continual threats of these terrorists headed by Jahja who hated Americans with a passion, the animals in the jungle, to the pythons and crocs in the Congo river as they travel miles into the depths of Africa. They are beset by raging rivers, wild African youths who live to take and kill, and the continual threat and actions of these terrorists. And last but not least, is Fitzgerald. This story is a true page turner, with one wild action after another unexpected one, full of blood and guts. It is a good story and I truly enjoyed it.
This ebook was given to me free for an honest review.
I was thrilled when Author Jeremy Bates contacted me to ask me to read his new book The Taste of Fear. So he sent me The Taste of Fear and I wondered if he could possibly top his book White Lies.
America Actress, Scarlett Cox has been married for four years to bilionaire Hotel Tycoon Salvador Brazza who has ties to the mob. Sal and Scarlett's marriage has hit many bumps along the way, the latest one when Sal had a brief affair. Sal suggests a vacation in Africa to help repair their life. Sal's 1.5 billion Prince Hotel was pruposely set on fire, made to look like an electrical fire but in actuality was a murder attempt on his life as he was in the penthouse above the fire. Sal's security chief, Danny Zamir is on the hunt to find out who the hitman is. Once in Africa, Sal and Scarlett's vacation is turning into a nightmare, between arguments and Sal's constant phone calls from Danny Zamir has Scarlett on edge. Then they are robbied and must get to the American Embassy but once there, three vans approach and there are explosions and gunfire and several terrorists are taking hostages, along with Sal and Scarlett.
This story was fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. The unexpected twists and turns just kept coming at me and I found myself gasping aloud. Author Jeremy Bates is pure genius and one hell of a mystery-thriller writer. 5++++ stars!!!!! Waiting patiently for his next book!
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I'll admit I was a little dubious about this book from the start. It focuses on two members of Hollywood's elite, and includes Al Qaeda and assassins. None of the things that really rock my boat. But I endured, and I'm so very glad I did.
While the Al Qaeda do play a big part in the story unfolding, the story doesn't focus them to a fault. It's more that it happens and we're taken along for the ride. The no political nonsense, no war zones, and interestingly enough no bias. In fact, one of the characters from this faction is show in quite a sympathetic light, which doesn't excuse his behaviour of course, but rather paints a truly realistic villain.
The assassin is also quite likable, with a terrible past that makes you feel quite sorry for him. Actually, the only character I didn't like was Brazza, the target. Funny how things work out, isn't it?
Well written, fast paced, fraught with danger on every page, it's a real roller coaster to the end, and in typical Bates style, who knows who'll be left alive at the end?
Like his other books, this one is well researched, easy to read and I highly recommend it. Even to those of you who wouldn't ordinarily pick up a book in this style.
Although it's been about a week since I finished this book, I have one unique memory of it.
We've all read suspense books that before the story ends, the reader has formed an opinion has to how the story will actually end. That is relatively normal. After rapidly flipping pages, it then appeared that the story was about to end & I briefly set the book aside. But it didn't. Near the end of the story, the talented author repeated this again and again with surprising twists and turns, arousing my curiosity. No longer was I able to set the book aside. Even as an avid reader, I now had no idea how the story was going to culminate.
Referring to an old cliche, perhaps the author should've added words to the numbered heading for the final chapter - 'The Fat Lady is Singing.'
I highly recommend this suspenseful book. It's been a while since I've been able to give 5 stars to a book, but this one certainly deserves it.
I just downloaded "The Taste of Fear" to my Kindle. First of all, I typically won't read another book while I'm in the middle of series but I'm making an exception today. To be perfectly honest, I bought his last book White Lies & loved it! I just couldn't wait to read his newest work. Cheers!
Alright! Jermey Bates is an awesome thriller/drama author. If you haven't read The Taste of Fear you should do so. Trust me guys, he's done another amazing job. I've found for JB's writing style to be incredibly detailed... It's like your're watching the events unfold before your eyes. Taste of Fear is what I like to call a (NSR) a non stop read. You won't wanna put the book down till you've finished it, even then you'll still be thinking about it. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of action packed adventure. You're gonna love it!
Scarlett and Sal are on safari -- will the adventure lead to a reconciliation? When the couple is stalked by an assassin life gets complicated and dangerous. Most of the events seem possible except near the end of the story. I didn't like the two main characters: Scarlett is self-centered and spoiled and Sal is ruthless.
I've never read a book with so much "brand placements" -- high tech (iPhone, MacBook), automobiles (Land Rover, Mercedes, Toyota), guns (Glock, AK-47), even cigarettes (Kent).