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A Point Thriller #2
Shatter Point
Certi incubi non hanno mai fine!
“Un thriller che afferra i lettori e non li lascia andare. Manipola, contorce, trasforma la trama con efficacia per ottenere il massimo impatto.” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
Quando suo figlio Jack di diciannove anni si riprende miracolosamente da un grave trauma cranico, Maggie è certa che la sua fortuna sia cambiata. Ma quando viene rapita da un'ombra del suo passato – uno spettro dai pericolosi occhi zaffiro - spetterà a Jack e a suo fratello minore Tom svelare il mistero e salvare la loro madre da una mortale battaglia psicologica.
I due fratelli chiedono aiuto alla loro vivace zia che li espone a un mondo di segreti di famiglia nefasti, cospirazioni governative esplosive e una serie di terribili omicidi. Insieme dovranno esplorare gli oscuri bassifondi colmi di sotterfugi politici e lotte di classe, prima che lo psicopatico che ha catturato la loro madre possa raggiungere il suo Shatter Point.
Premi &
• VINCITORE : Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2014 - Best Thriller
• FINALISTA GRAN PREMIO : Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Awards 2015
• MENZIONE D’ONORE : Eric Hoffer Book Awards 2015 -- Best Commercial Fiction
EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTA uno sguardo intrigante all'imminente futuro, dove un perverso serial killer trova il potere in una cultura politica corrotta.
“Shatter Point è un allettante romanzo con suspense, azione, dramma e anche un po' di horror... Certamente uno dei migliori romanzi attualmente in circolazione.” ~ Next Page Reviews
“Quando raggiunsi le ultime 100 pagine, nessuno fu in grado di fermarmi nella lettura, dovevo sapere come finiva!” ~ Olivia’s Catastrophe
“Un thriller che afferra i lettori e non li lascia andare. Manipola, contorce, trasforma la trama con efficacia per ottenere il massimo impatto.” ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
Quando suo figlio Jack di diciannove anni si riprende miracolosamente da un grave trauma cranico, Maggie è certa che la sua fortuna sia cambiata. Ma quando viene rapita da un'ombra del suo passato – uno spettro dai pericolosi occhi zaffiro - spetterà a Jack e a suo fratello minore Tom svelare il mistero e salvare la loro madre da una mortale battaglia psicologica.
I due fratelli chiedono aiuto alla loro vivace zia che li espone a un mondo di segreti di famiglia nefasti, cospirazioni governative esplosive e una serie di terribili omicidi. Insieme dovranno esplorare gli oscuri bassifondi colmi di sotterfugi politici e lotte di classe, prima che lo psicopatico che ha catturato la loro madre possa raggiungere il suo Shatter Point.
Premi &
• VINCITORE : Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2014 - Best Thriller
• FINALISTA GRAN PREMIO : Eric Hoffer da Vinci Eye Awards 2015
• MENZIONE D’ONORE : Eric Hoffer Book Awards 2015 -- Best Commercial Fiction
EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTA uno sguardo intrigante all'imminente futuro, dove un perverso serial killer trova il potere in una cultura politica corrotta.
“Shatter Point è un allettante romanzo con suspense, azione, dramma e anche un po' di horror... Certamente uno dei migliori romanzi attualmente in circolazione.” ~ Next Page Reviews
“Quando raggiunsi le ultime 100 pagine, nessuno fu in grado di fermarmi nella lettura, dovevo sapere come finiva!” ~ Olivia’s Catastrophe
- GenresThrillerScience Fiction
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 4, 2014
30 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Altabef
34 books264 followersJeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of "telling stories," he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller, is his debut novel. Jeff has a blog designed to encourage writing by those that like telling stories. You can find his blog, The Accidental Writers Workshop, on The Patch. Jeff also rights a column for The Examiner under the byline - The Accidental Writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
September 27, 2014
I had read the author's first book - The 14th Colony a year or so ago, and was curious where he would take the original future take with his next offering. Shatter Point, while a sequel, with some of the characters from book one, it really is a unique story that stands on it's own. Unlike most successor books, you could actually read this without having even reading to have read first book, which to me is a talent in itself.
Shatter Point is more of a psychological thriller with different sub plot elements that build and grow until they weave together with cohesive precision. You have the overarching take set on America's future, which set both book one and this book apart from most thrillers, and what I love most about what Altabef has created. His focus on the future is not gadget driven tech speak, but rather on the changes forced upon America's citizens and society, that I will not delve into as spoilers, but mention because it is brilliant.
Within this future world the story itself - with perhaps the most focus on a deranged character, who the author does a good job giving insights to a past that will come back to haunt the future, but the character grows until, well, he is someone more than you may expect. There is an experimental drug, that for me had two main angles, the creator of it and the controlling corporate structure in control and then the fate of a treasured character from book one. One that ties him, his brother and other central characters to what the is the 14th Colony, a resistance to the what America has become.
The character themselves, and there is decent sized cast,come to life on paper, some you will love, others you will loathe. The writing is clean and crisp - the kind of reading that is not a chore, but pleasure. Some books I love I say to myself - this would not make a good movie, while others I say this would be perfect for film, and with Shatter Point it was the later. I kept saying this is the perfect movie. I kept visualizing things, seeing an Aunt Jackie as some Ruth Gordon type from those Things are Tough all Over Clint Eastwood movies. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is, Shatter Point delivers on many levels.
I look forward to the next instalment in this series.
Shatter Point is more of a psychological thriller with different sub plot elements that build and grow until they weave together with cohesive precision. You have the overarching take set on America's future, which set both book one and this book apart from most thrillers, and what I love most about what Altabef has created. His focus on the future is not gadget driven tech speak, but rather on the changes forced upon America's citizens and society, that I will not delve into as spoilers, but mention because it is brilliant.
Within this future world the story itself - with perhaps the most focus on a deranged character, who the author does a good job giving insights to a past that will come back to haunt the future, but the character grows until, well, he is someone more than you may expect. There is an experimental drug, that for me had two main angles, the creator of it and the controlling corporate structure in control and then the fate of a treasured character from book one. One that ties him, his brother and other central characters to what the is the 14th Colony, a resistance to the what America has become.
The character themselves, and there is decent sized cast,come to life on paper, some you will love, others you will loathe. The writing is clean and crisp - the kind of reading that is not a chore, but pleasure. Some books I love I say to myself - this would not make a good movie, while others I say this would be perfect for film, and with Shatter Point it was the later. I kept saying this is the perfect movie. I kept visualizing things, seeing an Aunt Jackie as some Ruth Gordon type from those Things are Tough all Over Clint Eastwood movies. I could go on and on, but the bottom line is, Shatter Point delivers on many levels.
I look forward to the next instalment in this series.
November 4, 2014
Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef is a gripping psychological thriller set a little in the future. Maggie was only young when she first met Cooper. At first friends, she soon found out that there was a darker side to him. She rejects him and moves away with her family, marrying and having two sons, Jack and Tom. Cooper doesn’t forget her though, and every year he writes to her, sending her a photo of a woman he has tortured and murdered in her name. Jack is involved in an accident and, to save him, he is given an experimental drug without his knowledge. Unfortunately, testing is not complete on it and the results so far are not good. One day, things change. Cooper takes Maggie and it is up to her sons and friends at the Fourteenth Colony to find her. Can they locate her before it’s too late? How many more people have to die before the nightmare ends? Can Jack be saved before the drug takes his life?
Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef was an amazing read. There were two separate stories here fully entwined together. The story started on a high note and never dropped a beat the whole way through. Excellent thriller, a scary one because the experimental drug side of it is something that could possibly happen, or may even be happening today. This is one of those books that no reader will be able to part with until they reach the end, I guarantee it.
—Anne-Marie Reynolds, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Awards Five Stars
A serial killer is nothing new to the mystery genre. A woman kidnapped by one who has been watching and stalking her for years is nothing special, either. But take these ingredients and add a near-future setting (2041), more than a dose of political intrigue, and the efforts of sons to retrieve their mother (only to uncover a snake’s pit of family secrets entwined with deadly political and social conflict) and you have an original, gripping saga in Shatter Point.
Everything comes together with a bang, here; from decades of a killer’s careful plots to a future America vastly changed, but firmly grounded on logical outcomes of actions in modern times.
One would expect the story to open with its protagonist Maggie, or perhaps her stalker Cooper: instead, it all begins in a lab where scientists are experimenting with a drug that regenerates brain tissue – a drug about to be used on a young patient, which holds the potential to end Alzheimer’s and improve cognitive function – or kill.
From genetic manipulation and twists of fate to cold-blooded murder, scenarios change with a snap but succeed in bringing readers along for what evolves into a wild ride of not just murder and mayhem, but social inspection: “Without extraordinary vines, truly superior wine cannot flourish. The same is true with humans. Only those with the proper genetic code can truly be exceptional.”
As events evolve from lab to real world and spill over into 2041 interactions and political possibilities, the focus on a dangerous drug’s development and use centers Shatter Point and keeps it a turbulent story with a powerful focal point. And one of the points is: the drug has its pros and cons. Like everything else in Shatter Point, nothing is simple or cut-and-dried.
It’s when you add the social issues, however, that the story really gets interesting and departs from anticipated routes: “That’s the best part.” Wickersham laughed. “‘We can brainwash the ghettos and transform them into hard-working citizens at the same time. Some will even work themselves to death without realizing what they’re doing.”
The promise of a cancer vaccine, the secret Project Qing that involves the highest levels of government, a Vice President of the U.S. who believes his superior genes gives him the right to not only manipulate but kill – all this coalesces in a thriller that grabs readers and doesn’t let go, skillfully twisting, turning, and manipulating its plot for maximum impact.
Now, readers of the prior Fourteenth Colony (of which this reviewer is not) will likely be satisfied with a sequel which further adds social and political perspectives to the futuristic setting; but newcomers will find absolutely no prior familiarity is necessary to enjoy Shatter Point as the stand-alone thriller that it is – and that’s saying a lot in a publishing world where too many books that should ideally be singular volumes are broken down into cliff-hanging trilogies and beyond.
The dystopian world posited by Shatter Point, in which wealth and privilege is concentrated in a relatively small pool and everyone else struggles with marginal lives in tightly regulated circles, is more than believable. Issues of poverty are taken to new levels here, while characters share often-cloudy degrees of responsibility to themselves and each other. At the heart of many issues is the ideal of superiority and the ‘right’ of some individuals to decide for others; even in life-or-death situations.
In such a scenario, individual actions and responsibility become equally murky, and even the strongest protagonist (such as Maggie) can find herself confused about the points where a little knowledge translates to social responsibility and when it should be limited to protecting one’s turf.
From the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by drug testing to the control of violence in a society dominated by privilege, Shatter Point reveals much food for thought. Add the overlap of romance, murder mystery, and political thriller and you have a truly multifaceted read that grabs a hold with powerful protagonists and issues and won’t let go till its logical, satisfyingly unexpected conclusion: a neat wrap-up perfect for a precisely-evolving thriller.
—Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef is a thriller that does not stop. Maggie and Cooper met when they were young, but even when she was young Maggie could sense that something was wrong with Cooper. He had charm, good looks and wealth, but also there was a deep sense of danger that loomed around him and in his eyes. Cooper haunts Maggie from a distance until everything changes. When Jack and Tom find out their mother has been taken, they will stop at nothing to rescue her. Along the way, they uncover family secrets and government conspiracies … not to mention murders.
This book has myriad twists and turns that will keep you holding on and wondering what is coming next. I truly enjoyed this thriller even in its gruesome aspects; murder is never nice. I personally had a little trouble connecting with some characters but that tends to be something that happens for me in thrillers. It did not keep me from enjoying every page of this engaging story. I found the flow of the book to be fast paced and perfect for this kind of story. Jeff Altabef has truly created a gripping story that is full of suspense, thrills and drama. If you enjoy this genre, Shatter Point will tick all of your boxes and give you even more than that. I had trouble setting this one down and I think you will do too. I give this book two thumbs up and suggest it for a fantastic read.
—Kathryn Bennett, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Awards Five stars
Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef was an amazing read. There were two separate stories here fully entwined together. The story started on a high note and never dropped a beat the whole way through. Excellent thriller, a scary one because the experimental drug side of it is something that could possibly happen, or may even be happening today. This is one of those books that no reader will be able to part with until they reach the end, I guarantee it.
—Anne-Marie Reynolds, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Awards Five Stars
A serial killer is nothing new to the mystery genre. A woman kidnapped by one who has been watching and stalking her for years is nothing special, either. But take these ingredients and add a near-future setting (2041), more than a dose of political intrigue, and the efforts of sons to retrieve their mother (only to uncover a snake’s pit of family secrets entwined with deadly political and social conflict) and you have an original, gripping saga in Shatter Point.
Everything comes together with a bang, here; from decades of a killer’s careful plots to a future America vastly changed, but firmly grounded on logical outcomes of actions in modern times.
One would expect the story to open with its protagonist Maggie, or perhaps her stalker Cooper: instead, it all begins in a lab where scientists are experimenting with a drug that regenerates brain tissue – a drug about to be used on a young patient, which holds the potential to end Alzheimer’s and improve cognitive function – or kill.
From genetic manipulation and twists of fate to cold-blooded murder, scenarios change with a snap but succeed in bringing readers along for what evolves into a wild ride of not just murder and mayhem, but social inspection: “Without extraordinary vines, truly superior wine cannot flourish. The same is true with humans. Only those with the proper genetic code can truly be exceptional.”
As events evolve from lab to real world and spill over into 2041 interactions and political possibilities, the focus on a dangerous drug’s development and use centers Shatter Point and keeps it a turbulent story with a powerful focal point. And one of the points is: the drug has its pros and cons. Like everything else in Shatter Point, nothing is simple or cut-and-dried.
It’s when you add the social issues, however, that the story really gets interesting and departs from anticipated routes: “That’s the best part.” Wickersham laughed. “‘We can brainwash the ghettos and transform them into hard-working citizens at the same time. Some will even work themselves to death without realizing what they’re doing.”
The promise of a cancer vaccine, the secret Project Qing that involves the highest levels of government, a Vice President of the U.S. who believes his superior genes gives him the right to not only manipulate but kill – all this coalesces in a thriller that grabs readers and doesn’t let go, skillfully twisting, turning, and manipulating its plot for maximum impact.
Now, readers of the prior Fourteenth Colony (of which this reviewer is not) will likely be satisfied with a sequel which further adds social and political perspectives to the futuristic setting; but newcomers will find absolutely no prior familiarity is necessary to enjoy Shatter Point as the stand-alone thriller that it is – and that’s saying a lot in a publishing world where too many books that should ideally be singular volumes are broken down into cliff-hanging trilogies and beyond.
The dystopian world posited by Shatter Point, in which wealth and privilege is concentrated in a relatively small pool and everyone else struggles with marginal lives in tightly regulated circles, is more than believable. Issues of poverty are taken to new levels here, while characters share often-cloudy degrees of responsibility to themselves and each other. At the heart of many issues is the ideal of superiority and the ‘right’ of some individuals to decide for others; even in life-or-death situations.
In such a scenario, individual actions and responsibility become equally murky, and even the strongest protagonist (such as Maggie) can find herself confused about the points where a little knowledge translates to social responsibility and when it should be limited to protecting one’s turf.
From the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by drug testing to the control of violence in a society dominated by privilege, Shatter Point reveals much food for thought. Add the overlap of romance, murder mystery, and political thriller and you have a truly multifaceted read that grabs a hold with powerful protagonists and issues and won’t let go till its logical, satisfyingly unexpected conclusion: a neat wrap-up perfect for a precisely-evolving thriller.
—Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
Shatter Point by Jeff Altabef is a thriller that does not stop. Maggie and Cooper met when they were young, but even when she was young Maggie could sense that something was wrong with Cooper. He had charm, good looks and wealth, but also there was a deep sense of danger that loomed around him and in his eyes. Cooper haunts Maggie from a distance until everything changes. When Jack and Tom find out their mother has been taken, they will stop at nothing to rescue her. Along the way, they uncover family secrets and government conspiracies … not to mention murders.
This book has myriad twists and turns that will keep you holding on and wondering what is coming next. I truly enjoyed this thriller even in its gruesome aspects; murder is never nice. I personally had a little trouble connecting with some characters but that tends to be something that happens for me in thrillers. It did not keep me from enjoying every page of this engaging story. I found the flow of the book to be fast paced and perfect for this kind of story. Jeff Altabef has truly created a gripping story that is full of suspense, thrills and drama. If you enjoy this genre, Shatter Point will tick all of your boxes and give you even more than that. I had trouble setting this one down and I think you will do too. I give this book two thumbs up and suggest it for a fantastic read.
—Kathryn Bennett, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews and Awards Five stars
October 13, 2014
Neurobiologist Darian Beck was still in testing stages of a new drug that would regenerate brain matter and end Alzheimer’s disease, when his boss ordered him to inject it into a human subject. The subject, Jack, was in a coma from a head trauma and expected to die without the injection. With Jack unaware that he had been injected, Darian kept close watch on him under the guise of a study on brain injuries. The problem with the drug was that it increased the brain to the point of death. Darian worked around the clock with testing, trying to save Jack before his time ran out. In the meantime, a psychopath that has stalked Jack’s mother since childhood has kidnapped her. With Jack out of reach, Darian becomes frantic trying to find him before it’s too late.
I wish I had read the first of this series before reading this one. I think I would have understood it more. There were things mentioned that I would have liked to know about. That being said, this one could stand-alone. It didn’t take much to feel close to Jack and his family, as well as Darian. I could feel Darian’s despair with each trial failure. I really liked the way all the characters came full circle together. This is a good read for anyone who likes thrillers.
I wish I had read the first of this series before reading this one. I think I would have understood it more. There were things mentioned that I would have liked to know about. That being said, this one could stand-alone. It didn’t take much to feel close to Jack and his family, as well as Darian. I could feel Darian’s despair with each trial failure. I really liked the way all the characters came full circle together. This is a good read for anyone who likes thrillers.
October 15, 2014
What if your family was threatened by something and someone so monstrous that it staggered your own sense of reality? Reacting to the news that their mother has been kidnapped, brothers Tom and Jack find themselves sucked into a thriller of ever widening proportions ultimately involving the very foundation of their society. Set in the near future, this fast paced book ( a sequel to author Jeff Altabeff's, The Fourteenth Colony but just fine on it's own) grips you with a large cast of engaging characters from it's opening pages and takes you along with the brothers as they discovery layers of family secrets with national consequences. With themes of good and evil, love and loss, Shatterpoint will keep you fully engaged right through it's final pages and leave you waiting for the next installment from this fine new author.
October 24, 2014
Shatter Point is the sequel to Altabef’s also enjoyable read, The Fourteenth Colony. I recommend them both! Shatter Point takes the reader inside a horrific futuristic America where you need to permission to gain access to affluent neighborhoods in New York City, where you have to be sponsored by a company in order to gain admittance to college, where those born into poverty have virtual no way of ever breaking the cycle. Even amidst these hard conditions, hope survives. Altabef’s main characters are part of The Fourteenth Colony, an underground organization fighting to bring America back to the great country it once was; a country founded on the principal that hard work can lead to upward mobility. This book is far more than just social commentary. It’s a fast-paced thriller with well-constructed characters and a plot that pulls the reader right in.
October 24, 2014
Jeffrey Altabef has done it again, with Shatter Point, his sequel on the haves and have-nots, with a serial killer, an idealistic doctor, a kidnapped mom and a resistance movement thrown in for good measure.
As he did in his debut political thriller, Fourteenth Colony, Altabef weaves an engaging plot around characters trying to fight against an overpowering social system. With unexpected turns and characters you'll root for, Shatter Point is a wild ride, leaving us hoping for another compelling sequel.
I'm also happy to learn of his plans to branch out into the young adult market, with his daughter as co-author, with the upcoming Wind Catcher. Stay tuned for this new talent!
As he did in his debut political thriller, Fourteenth Colony, Altabef weaves an engaging plot around characters trying to fight against an overpowering social system. With unexpected turns and characters you'll root for, Shatter Point is a wild ride, leaving us hoping for another compelling sequel.
I'm also happy to learn of his plans to branch out into the young adult market, with his daughter as co-author, with the upcoming Wind Catcher. Stay tuned for this new talent!
December 22, 2014
A thriller from the start to the end
This was a very exciting thriller. It takes place in the future, the rich control everything however the 14th colony is a group in the ghettos determined to bring freedom back to the people. The story focuses on Maggie and her two sons, Jack and Tom. Jack was in a coma and injected with an experimental drug to help him. He recovers but only has limited time. I don't want to give away everything. It's worth reading and will keep you on the edge if your seat.
This was a very exciting thriller. It takes place in the future, the rich control everything however the 14th colony is a group in the ghettos determined to bring freedom back to the people. The story focuses on Maggie and her two sons, Jack and Tom. Jack was in a coma and injected with an experimental drug to help him. He recovers but only has limited time. I don't want to give away everything. It's worth reading and will keep you on the edge if your seat.
November 9, 2014
I am so glad I was able to read this book!! Very seldom do you read a book that incorporates so many genres and comes out on top! Truely enjoyable. You are taken on a rollercoaster ride full of thrills and spills and kept spellbound through it all.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm glad I did...five stars!!!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I'm glad I did...five stars!!!
February 8, 2015
This was (quite literally) a real page-turner. I had so much trouble putting it down, I read it all in one day. Loved it from (practically) beginning to end. If you're a thriller fan, you won't want to miss this!
November 29, 2014
I received a copy of this book as part of the Novel Publicity Blog Tour.
Shatter Point is actually the sequel to Altabef’s first novel, Fourteenth Colony. There are some references to things that happened in this book… ok so more than references, this underground political group actually plays quite a large role in trying to rescue Maggie and there is mention of Jack’s kidnapping (which we are just told he was kidnapped and injured… which is where this story starts up). You don’t have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, without the references that might seem a little confusing at first, this could be a stand alone. But, now that I know there is one before this… I’m going to have to go and read it!
There are actually about 3 different story lines being told simultaneously and about a third of the way through the book they all intertwine with one another. I won’t lie and say at first I wasn’t confused, because after the first two chapters I was like “where is the kidnapping… where is the crazy serial killer??”; but you get there and once you get there you have one of those “AH HA” moments and everything becomes clear.
The setting of this book is actually several years in the future and there is an economic divide in the country. The rich have all the power, there is no real middle class or lower class anymore. They have all been subjugated to the ghettos, where drugs and crime run rampant and no one is really inclined to do anything about it. But there is an underground resistance that is gaining momentum; The Fourteenth Colony. There are no advancement opportunities for the poor really. Very few ever get out of the endless cycle of poverty and addiction. Dr. Beck is one of those few exceptions and he is on the verge of a break through with his experimental drug that could cure Alzheimer’s and possibly addiction for good. But the government has other plans for his research.
The story starts with Jack having been injured during his kidnapping and lying in a coma in the hospital. Because the new world order is all about the “haves”… the “have-nots” have no rights. But it seems that someone who holds a lot of power in the political world has taken a special interest in this family, Jack is given an experimental drug that could repair the damage to his brain. Unfortunately, this new drug hasn’t fared well in its testing and is nowhere near ready for human experimentation. But the director of the research hospital deems Jack the best candidate to receive this drug. Dr. Beck is hesitant to administer it, but his hands are tied. His family, his mother Maggie and brother Tom, have no knowledge that Jack is being given this drug. When he awakens from his coma they are just thankful that he is alive.
We follow the story of Dr. Beck trying to figure out why only one of his test subjects has survived the drug and how he can find the secret to slowing down the brain growth that will eventually kill Jack. There are conspiracies galore with this one! At every turn there is a new problem, someone trying to get in the way of progress or push a drug through that shouldn’t be given to the human populace.
But the root of our story is Cooper’s obsession with Maggie. Every year, on the same day, Maggie takes a day off work, known as “Solitary Day”. No one really knows what she does or why she takes this day. Perhaps they think it’s a decompression day for her, but it’s something much more sinister. Every year on this day she receives a letter, accompanied by a picture, from Cooper. Over the last twenty years, the letters and pictures have grown more disturbing. Cooper is kidnapping and killing girls who resemble Maggie. Now that her children are grown and her husband is dead, Cooper sees this as the perfect opportunity to make Maggie his forever.
There are a few parts where one story line starts to override the kidnapping, but eventually it all meshes back together and gets on track. Tom is the brains of the two boys. Science and logic rule his world. Everything must have a logical solution to it. Jack is a little more hot-headed and usually acts before he thinks about the consequences. Maggie is a strong woman who will do anything to keep her family safe from the monster that is Cooper. The only person she has ever confided in is her Aunt Jackie. I have to say that even though Aunt Jackie is really only a supporting character, she was my favorite! She’s crazy and has led quite the interesting life. And her love for Maggie and the boys send her on a path to do anything in order to save them. She’s fiercely protective of her family, and they are all she has left.
There are twists and turns galore in this book and once you think you have it all figured out, another curve ball is thrown at you. Will they find Maggie in time to save her from Cooper’s wrath? If you love a good mystery suspense, this is the book for you.
Shatter Point is actually the sequel to Altabef’s first novel, Fourteenth Colony. There are some references to things that happened in this book… ok so more than references, this underground political group actually plays quite a large role in trying to rescue Maggie and there is mention of Jack’s kidnapping (which we are just told he was kidnapped and injured… which is where this story starts up). You don’t have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, without the references that might seem a little confusing at first, this could be a stand alone. But, now that I know there is one before this… I’m going to have to go and read it!
There are actually about 3 different story lines being told simultaneously and about a third of the way through the book they all intertwine with one another. I won’t lie and say at first I wasn’t confused, because after the first two chapters I was like “where is the kidnapping… where is the crazy serial killer??”; but you get there and once you get there you have one of those “AH HA” moments and everything becomes clear.
The setting of this book is actually several years in the future and there is an economic divide in the country. The rich have all the power, there is no real middle class or lower class anymore. They have all been subjugated to the ghettos, where drugs and crime run rampant and no one is really inclined to do anything about it. But there is an underground resistance that is gaining momentum; The Fourteenth Colony. There are no advancement opportunities for the poor really. Very few ever get out of the endless cycle of poverty and addiction. Dr. Beck is one of those few exceptions and he is on the verge of a break through with his experimental drug that could cure Alzheimer’s and possibly addiction for good. But the government has other plans for his research.
The story starts with Jack having been injured during his kidnapping and lying in a coma in the hospital. Because the new world order is all about the “haves”… the “have-nots” have no rights. But it seems that someone who holds a lot of power in the political world has taken a special interest in this family, Jack is given an experimental drug that could repair the damage to his brain. Unfortunately, this new drug hasn’t fared well in its testing and is nowhere near ready for human experimentation. But the director of the research hospital deems Jack the best candidate to receive this drug. Dr. Beck is hesitant to administer it, but his hands are tied. His family, his mother Maggie and brother Tom, have no knowledge that Jack is being given this drug. When he awakens from his coma they are just thankful that he is alive.
We follow the story of Dr. Beck trying to figure out why only one of his test subjects has survived the drug and how he can find the secret to slowing down the brain growth that will eventually kill Jack. There are conspiracies galore with this one! At every turn there is a new problem, someone trying to get in the way of progress or push a drug through that shouldn’t be given to the human populace.
But the root of our story is Cooper’s obsession with Maggie. Every year, on the same day, Maggie takes a day off work, known as “Solitary Day”. No one really knows what she does or why she takes this day. Perhaps they think it’s a decompression day for her, but it’s something much more sinister. Every year on this day she receives a letter, accompanied by a picture, from Cooper. Over the last twenty years, the letters and pictures have grown more disturbing. Cooper is kidnapping and killing girls who resemble Maggie. Now that her children are grown and her husband is dead, Cooper sees this as the perfect opportunity to make Maggie his forever.
There are a few parts where one story line starts to override the kidnapping, but eventually it all meshes back together and gets on track. Tom is the brains of the two boys. Science and logic rule his world. Everything must have a logical solution to it. Jack is a little more hot-headed and usually acts before he thinks about the consequences. Maggie is a strong woman who will do anything to keep her family safe from the monster that is Cooper. The only person she has ever confided in is her Aunt Jackie. I have to say that even though Aunt Jackie is really only a supporting character, she was my favorite! She’s crazy and has led quite the interesting life. And her love for Maggie and the boys send her on a path to do anything in order to save them. She’s fiercely protective of her family, and they are all she has left.
There are twists and turns galore in this book and once you think you have it all figured out, another curve ball is thrown at you. Will they find Maggie in time to save her from Cooper’s wrath? If you love a good mystery suspense, this is the book for you.
December 31, 2015
Jeff Altabef takes the reader to the future where new drugs are being developed, the city is more of a caste system and there is always someone who wants to rule it all:
Normally I would write a premise here about how I think the book should be portrayed and sometimes it is similar to the author's but other times it is not. With this book I do not know how to write a premise for this book and I guess that would start the beginning of the issues I had with this book...
I think that Altabef tried to put too much into this book, struggled to connect everything together and for me keep me entertained throughout. I personally got bored about half way through, I just kept waiting for something more to happen but it felt like it never was going to, almost like the book and plot had already hit its peak. Altabef could have separated this into two separate books that could have had some commonalities, but had different focuses, on for the government/fourteenth colony and the other one on Cooper. I say this as while the premise sounded interesting (it is what drew me to this book), I almost feel cheated in some instances. I wanted more time with Cooper and his sadistic nature which is what the premise is about but very little about this in the book. I found it was more about EFB-22 and fourteenth colony than it was about Cooper and Maggie.
I'm not sure why the author felt he had to place this plot in the future could have taken place today with very few changes and often I forgot that they were in the future, as there was not much different from today. I personally just read it as taking place today as I do not think that Altabef was very innovative about his world building about the future.
I thought that when Jack was given EFB-22 he would gain some sort of super human powers and while his hearing appears to have improved and he becomes sensative to light (maybe some night vision is kicking in, but we never really get that far), he really is more of a hindrance than help in most of the situations. Really his brother Tom who is a black belt in jiu jitsu is more useful than Jack ever is in the story and I really question introducing EFB-22 into the story as that storyline never really adding anything to the story other that Altebef's attempt to bring the two intersecting storylines together.
I think my main problem with this book is I never felt any type of connection with the characters either good or bad. They were just there and maybe Altabef tried to have too many points of view or too many characters but it has been awhile where I have felt nothing for even one character in the book.
I found out after reading this book that there is one before it called The Fourteenth Colony, maybe if I would have read that one it would have had some of the threads already figured out. However, I read some other reviews who said this one could be read as a stand alone, so I'm not really sure what to think. All I know is that Altabef has some good ideas in this book, but I think that he had too many and it became a challenge to put everything together that I as the reader got bored with what was occurring. I was hoping there would be more about Cooper and his sadistic serial killer ways, as that is how I read the premise. This book was just not for me.
Cheers!!
Normally I would write a premise here about how I think the book should be portrayed and sometimes it is similar to the author's but other times it is not. With this book I do not know how to write a premise for this book and I guess that would start the beginning of the issues I had with this book...
I think that Altabef tried to put too much into this book, struggled to connect everything together and for me keep me entertained throughout. I personally got bored about half way through, I just kept waiting for something more to happen but it felt like it never was going to, almost like the book and plot had already hit its peak. Altabef could have separated this into two separate books that could have had some commonalities, but had different focuses, on for the government/fourteenth colony and the other one on Cooper. I say this as while the premise sounded interesting (it is what drew me to this book), I almost feel cheated in some instances. I wanted more time with Cooper and his sadistic nature which is what the premise is about but very little about this in the book. I found it was more about EFB-22 and fourteenth colony than it was about Cooper and Maggie.
I'm not sure why the author felt he had to place this plot in the future could have taken place today with very few changes and often I forgot that they were in the future, as there was not much different from today. I personally just read it as taking place today as I do not think that Altabef was very innovative about his world building about the future.
I thought that when Jack was given EFB-22 he would gain some sort of super human powers and while his hearing appears to have improved and he becomes sensative to light (maybe some night vision is kicking in, but we never really get that far), he really is more of a hindrance than help in most of the situations. Really his brother Tom who is a black belt in jiu jitsu is more useful than Jack ever is in the story and I really question introducing EFB-22 into the story as that storyline never really adding anything to the story other that Altebef's attempt to bring the two intersecting storylines together.
I think my main problem with this book is I never felt any type of connection with the characters either good or bad. They were just there and maybe Altabef tried to have too many points of view or too many characters but it has been awhile where I have felt nothing for even one character in the book.
I found out after reading this book that there is one before it called The Fourteenth Colony, maybe if I would have read that one it would have had some of the threads already figured out. However, I read some other reviews who said this one could be read as a stand alone, so I'm not really sure what to think. All I know is that Altabef has some good ideas in this book, but I think that he had too many and it became a challenge to put everything together that I as the reader got bored with what was occurring. I was hoping there would be more about Cooper and his sadistic serial killer ways, as that is how I read the premise. This book was just not for me.
Cheers!!
October 28, 2014
The book bounces between a few different stories which converge about two thirds of the way through. I found this to be a little confusing at first. Once I worked through the first several chapters, I began to connect with the characters and everything fell into place.
The story is set several years into the future in a country that is clearly divided. There are the extremely wealthy and the poor. The government is run by the wealthy, so there is very little advancement opportunity for those who are not part of the elite. Dr. Beck is one of the few exceptions. He grew up in an orphanage, but his exceptional test scores earned him the opportunity to attend college. He is on the verge of creating a cure for Alzheimer's, but the government has alternate plans for his research.
Cooper first met Maggie while his family was vacationing at a resort for the summer. Her parents worked at the resort, but Cooper took an interest in her. He quickly became obsessed with her, but she could see past his good looks and charming personality. He had an explosive temper that she couldn't ignore.
When Maggie disappears her two sons, Jack and Tom, turn to the Fourteenth Colony for help. This is an underground resistance to the over powering government that has taken over the country. The organization's goal is to restore democracy and the chance for the American dream. Tom and Jack quickly discover that their great aunt Jackie and mother have been hiding family secrets since well before they were born.
The link between Dr. Beck, Cooper, Maggie, and the underground resistance was intricately woven throughout the story. With surprises around every corner, I found this to be a very fast paced story that I simply could not put down. I would highly recommend this book to any adult who enjoys murder mysteries. (There is some graphic violence, so this is not for younger readers.)
The story is set several years into the future in a country that is clearly divided. There are the extremely wealthy and the poor. The government is run by the wealthy, so there is very little advancement opportunity for those who are not part of the elite. Dr. Beck is one of the few exceptions. He grew up in an orphanage, but his exceptional test scores earned him the opportunity to attend college. He is on the verge of creating a cure for Alzheimer's, but the government has alternate plans for his research.
Cooper first met Maggie while his family was vacationing at a resort for the summer. Her parents worked at the resort, but Cooper took an interest in her. He quickly became obsessed with her, but she could see past his good looks and charming personality. He had an explosive temper that she couldn't ignore.
When Maggie disappears her two sons, Jack and Tom, turn to the Fourteenth Colony for help. This is an underground resistance to the over powering government that has taken over the country. The organization's goal is to restore democracy and the chance for the American dream. Tom and Jack quickly discover that their great aunt Jackie and mother have been hiding family secrets since well before they were born.
The link between Dr. Beck, Cooper, Maggie, and the underground resistance was intricately woven throughout the story. With surprises around every corner, I found this to be a very fast paced story that I simply could not put down. I would highly recommend this book to any adult who enjoys murder mysteries. (There is some graphic violence, so this is not for younger readers.)
November 19, 2014
This book is a must read if you are a fan of psychological thrillers, and don’t mind a little bit of chilling descriptions as well.
This book had it all – action, good characters, a plot that kept me guessing and enough death to keep me screaming at the book so that my favourite characters would survive. Honestly, I almost reached my own Shatter Point while I read this. When I reached the last 100 pages no one was going to be able to stop me reading until I knew the ending!
There are quite a lot of characters in the novel, and they all seemed to be going about and doing their own thing at the beginning, which left me a little bit confused. But after the first few pages this was quickly overcome because we were able to see how everyone’s story so nicely connected. And there weren’t too many characters because I never forgot who was who.
As for the plot, it was amazing. There was a steady build up to the climax point and was littered with action that kept me turning the page every time. Cooper was an amazing villain. He was rich, had power and a reputation to keep, and yet was half crazy at the same time. As the time ticks until he would reach his shatter point and possibly harm Maggie, her family and a group of workers are bent on getting her back. With a time limit on a novel like this my blood was pounding for us to save her – and get Cooper once and for all.
I think my favourite character in this novel had to be Cooper because I have never had a villain written so well as it was done here. We got to see into his mind as well, and the way he thought. Altabef managed to describe everything wonderfully and there was a perfect balance between setting, character development, a bit of romance (it’s not the main focus) and underlying themes of loyalty, friendship, family and bravery. I am definitely going to be rereading this sometime in the future.
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
This book had it all – action, good characters, a plot that kept me guessing and enough death to keep me screaming at the book so that my favourite characters would survive. Honestly, I almost reached my own Shatter Point while I read this. When I reached the last 100 pages no one was going to be able to stop me reading until I knew the ending!
There are quite a lot of characters in the novel, and they all seemed to be going about and doing their own thing at the beginning, which left me a little bit confused. But after the first few pages this was quickly overcome because we were able to see how everyone’s story so nicely connected. And there weren’t too many characters because I never forgot who was who.
As for the plot, it was amazing. There was a steady build up to the climax point and was littered with action that kept me turning the page every time. Cooper was an amazing villain. He was rich, had power and a reputation to keep, and yet was half crazy at the same time. As the time ticks until he would reach his shatter point and possibly harm Maggie, her family and a group of workers are bent on getting her back. With a time limit on a novel like this my blood was pounding for us to save her – and get Cooper once and for all.
I think my favourite character in this novel had to be Cooper because I have never had a villain written so well as it was done here. We got to see into his mind as well, and the way he thought. Altabef managed to describe everything wonderfully and there was a perfect balance between setting, character development, a bit of romance (it’s not the main focus) and underlying themes of loyalty, friendship, family and bravery. I am definitely going to be rereading this sometime in the future.
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...
December 1, 2014
SHATTER POINT
By Jeff Altabef
A chilling thriller spanning 20 years. I found the novel to be Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde meets Jack the Ripper in the 21st century.
Maggie and her parents live a simple life and she is a happy 12-13 year old adolescent learning to draw and enjoying life. Her parents work different jobs at resorts. Mother inside as a housemaid and father in the stables. While working their jobs, Maggie is sent outside to specific spots between her parents to muse and draw and enjoy the ducks on the pond and stray animals she may encounter. She is not to interact with guests however. It is a rule because she is a daughter of the “help”.
Little does Maggie know in her young life that in one day, while sitting beside the pond drawing, her life from here forward will change forever. A young man staying at the resort with his parents comes up and greets her. His name is Cooper and he is approximately 3 years older. Because she is lonely and enjoys his company Maggie keeps their friendship secret from her parents, as she knows it is not allowed for her to befriend one of the guests.
When Maggie and Cooper part he is angry and displays his anger by showing Maggie a collar with blood on it from a stray cat she had come to love. She made that collar. Where is the cat!!! Being a naïve teen by the time of their parting, Maggie never expected the next 20+ years of her life to be changed. She would spend these years constantly looking over her shoulder and protecting her husband, Paul and 2 sons, Jack and Tom.
The shatter point comes when Cooper reaches the boiling point in his mind. Maggie must be saved by that time or lost forever. Jack and Tom don’t have much time to find him and save her before he reaches that point or kills Maggie, whichever may come first.
The novel keeps your interest and is not a gory read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
By Jeff Altabef
A chilling thriller spanning 20 years. I found the novel to be Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde meets Jack the Ripper in the 21st century.
Maggie and her parents live a simple life and she is a happy 12-13 year old adolescent learning to draw and enjoying life. Her parents work different jobs at resorts. Mother inside as a housemaid and father in the stables. While working their jobs, Maggie is sent outside to specific spots between her parents to muse and draw and enjoy the ducks on the pond and stray animals she may encounter. She is not to interact with guests however. It is a rule because she is a daughter of the “help”.
Little does Maggie know in her young life that in one day, while sitting beside the pond drawing, her life from here forward will change forever. A young man staying at the resort with his parents comes up and greets her. His name is Cooper and he is approximately 3 years older. Because she is lonely and enjoys his company Maggie keeps their friendship secret from her parents, as she knows it is not allowed for her to befriend one of the guests.
When Maggie and Cooper part he is angry and displays his anger by showing Maggie a collar with blood on it from a stray cat she had come to love. She made that collar. Where is the cat!!! Being a naïve teen by the time of their parting, Maggie never expected the next 20+ years of her life to be changed. She would spend these years constantly looking over her shoulder and protecting her husband, Paul and 2 sons, Jack and Tom.
The shatter point comes when Cooper reaches the boiling point in his mind. Maggie must be saved by that time or lost forever. Jack and Tom don’t have much time to find him and save her before he reaches that point or kills Maggie, whichever may come first.
The novel keeps your interest and is not a gory read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2015
Review from website Escapology Reviews
escapologyreviews.com
I don't remember if I've ever read a Thriller before. So probably I haven't. Or if I have it wasn't worth remembering. So I wasn't overly excited to read this, but I actually couldn't put it down!
The plot begins with a scientist's ethical dilemma over his boss's money-driven decision to try a new drug on a human subject despite the animal trials ending in fatalities. The drug is administered, Altabef gives us the human subject's back story (fit young man full of promise with his whole life ahead of him blah blah blah) and I'm thinking 'I can see where this is going – the story of the scientist's battle to save the young man against the clock: but will he succeed, dun dun duuuuun.
This is not what the book was. Not even a bit. The plot immediately exploded a cast of intricate characters, an evolving plot that you don't know where it's going to take you from one chapter to the next. Every time a protagonist emerges a stronger character and story is unleashed and the result is an intriguing book that I just loved.
“As a master salesman, Charles had built a wide-ranging empire. The Sheppard Group invested in cutting edge computer technology, biotechnology, military hardware, and a small but popular swimwear collection.” p91.
This quote really tickled me. It also gives you a sample of a richly drawn universe, described and fleshed out with characters and plot from the upper echelons to the lowest ghetto. But mainly it made me giggle.
Rating: 10/10. Take this book to the beach/pool/garden hammock and enjoy!
Reviewed by Vikki Heaven @ Escapology Reviews
escapologyreviews.com
I don't remember if I've ever read a Thriller before. So probably I haven't. Or if I have it wasn't worth remembering. So I wasn't overly excited to read this, but I actually couldn't put it down!
The plot begins with a scientist's ethical dilemma over his boss's money-driven decision to try a new drug on a human subject despite the animal trials ending in fatalities. The drug is administered, Altabef gives us the human subject's back story (fit young man full of promise with his whole life ahead of him blah blah blah) and I'm thinking 'I can see where this is going – the story of the scientist's battle to save the young man against the clock: but will he succeed, dun dun duuuuun.
This is not what the book was. Not even a bit. The plot immediately exploded a cast of intricate characters, an evolving plot that you don't know where it's going to take you from one chapter to the next. Every time a protagonist emerges a stronger character and story is unleashed and the result is an intriguing book that I just loved.
“As a master salesman, Charles had built a wide-ranging empire. The Sheppard Group invested in cutting edge computer technology, biotechnology, military hardware, and a small but popular swimwear collection.” p91.
This quote really tickled me. It also gives you a sample of a richly drawn universe, described and fleshed out with characters and plot from the upper echelons to the lowest ghetto. But mainly it made me giggle.
Rating: 10/10. Take this book to the beach/pool/garden hammock and enjoy!
Reviewed by Vikki Heaven @ Escapology Reviews
November 10, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. It was incredibly engaging, and I didn't want to put it down. One of my favorite elements of this book is that it combines my favorite aspects of my favorite authors into one. James Patterson - the master of the psycho killer who kidnaps girls, Patricia Cornwell - scientific thriller, and Dean Koontz - really spooky plots. Jeff Altabef includes it all in this book.
This book is set in the future, so there's also a bit of psy/fi futuristic technology, which I love. It's full of suspense and mystery - and complicated characters (complicated in a very good way) who draw you in as you try to figure out exactly what their role is in this story and how it's going to play out. The book is well written and really easy to read. Although the story line is kind of complex - not only is it a story about a woman abducted by her psychopathic stalker - there is also a medical mystery and an underground political movement and conspiracy actions going on - but it wasn't so complex that I had a hard time picking back up again if I was distracted by one of my little people.
It's really fast moving, which is good for someone as easily distracted as I am. And, there is even some comedic aspects. I found myself actually laughing out loud in a couple places - particularly a taser incident. There is a great character in Aunt Jackie - a spunky 81 year old who plays a surprisingly vital role in the book.
This is a book for everyone who likes suspense and thrillers!
This book is set in the future, so there's also a bit of psy/fi futuristic technology, which I love. It's full of suspense and mystery - and complicated characters (complicated in a very good way) who draw you in as you try to figure out exactly what their role is in this story and how it's going to play out. The book is well written and really easy to read. Although the story line is kind of complex - not only is it a story about a woman abducted by her psychopathic stalker - there is also a medical mystery and an underground political movement and conspiracy actions going on - but it wasn't so complex that I had a hard time picking back up again if I was distracted by one of my little people.
It's really fast moving, which is good for someone as easily distracted as I am. And, there is even some comedic aspects. I found myself actually laughing out loud in a couple places - particularly a taser incident. There is a great character in Aunt Jackie - a spunky 81 year old who plays a surprisingly vital role in the book.
This is a book for everyone who likes suspense and thrillers!
December 17, 2014
**I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Shatter Point is one of those books that, once you pick it up & start reading, you don't want to put it down until you find out what happens.
There are many characters in this story so, at times, it could get a little confusing, but they all come together about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way in.
While this is a sequel to "Fourteenth Colony," it can definitely stand on it's own - there are only a couple of times someone references something that happened in the first book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great suspense and thriller novel. With all the twists I'm sure you won't figure it out until the end!
Shatter Point is one of those books that, once you pick it up & start reading, you don't want to put it down until you find out what happens.
There are many characters in this story so, at times, it could get a little confusing, but they all come together about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way in.
While this is a sequel to "Fourteenth Colony," it can definitely stand on it's own - there are only a couple of times someone references something that happened in the first book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great suspense and thriller novel. With all the twists I'm sure you won't figure it out until the end!
October 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this fast paced book. It's about a man's 20 year obsession with a woman he knew when she was 12 years old. This obsession leads him to horrible and demented actions against womem who resemble her. The book is also about this woman's love for her children and what lengths she would go to for them. A third theme in this story is about class system - rich versus poor and weird experimentatons. It's a lot crammed into one interlocking story which will keep you interested throughout. I recommend this book to anyone who likes action and a look into a person's psyche.
November 19, 2014
I love psychological thrillers and this one didn't disappoint! The book is very fast paced, so much so that the first few chapters confused me. Once I started to catch on, I couldn't stop. While set in the future, it didn't have a futuristic feel to it for me, which is a plus in my book. This book kept me thinking up until the very end. I highly recommend this to anyone that's a fan of psychological thrillers, action, drama, or even the horror genre. I'm very much looking forward to the next book he writes.
December 27, 2014
Intriguing, "can't wait to find what's around the next corner" sort of book!
I was skeptical for the first chapter, thinking it was just another murder mystery, but as I read on I was very impressed with the depth and development of the characters. As the plot and story unfolded, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This book is an intriguing interpretation of the possible effects of greed and entitlement on our society. I recommend this book to anyone that loves an "on the edge of your seat" read.
I was skeptical for the first chapter, thinking it was just another murder mystery, but as I read on I was very impressed with the depth and development of the characters. As the plot and story unfolded, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This book is an intriguing interpretation of the possible effects of greed and entitlement on our society. I recommend this book to anyone that loves an "on the edge of your seat" read.
December 10, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers or just a good mystery, this is a really good book. It's actually a sequel, but it reads as a stand alone. Many characters are introduced in the first few chapters, but once they are all brought together, it totally fits. Looking forward to reading more of this author.
Read
October 27, 2014No stars as Mr Altabef is a client - but I do definitely recommend the book.
It's an interesting thriller that will keep you guessing, and has lots of action & good character development.
If you're looking for something spooky around Halloween and love thrillers - this is it.
It's an interesting thriller that will keep you guessing, and has lots of action & good character development.
If you're looking for something spooky around Halloween and love thrillers - this is it.
October 24, 2018
The tension in the books ratchets to the shatter point.
The story continues from Fracture Point by introducing a whole new level of evil. Not only is the government corrupt but they also control the pharmaceuticals research facilities and the head staff. And what they have planned for the poor make Hitler's regime seem mild. Jack has recovered from his brain injury from before, but his outcome is still uncertain but he has not been told of the side effects. Maggie, their mom, has been kidnapped by a monster from her past. The boys do all they can to save her.
The writing in this book is as well paced and captivating as the first book, but since the story continues with the same basic players there is more depth of character. It was nice to see Tom grow and mature, and Aunt Jackie is really a hoot! Young people never think of older people having a life before them. It's fun to listen to the boys as they learn of Jackie's past.
Great story which comes alive and grabs you until the very end. Is there more coming? I certainly hope so.
The story continues from Fracture Point by introducing a whole new level of evil. Not only is the government corrupt but they also control the pharmaceuticals research facilities and the head staff. And what they have planned for the poor make Hitler's regime seem mild. Jack has recovered from his brain injury from before, but his outcome is still uncertain but he has not been told of the side effects. Maggie, their mom, has been kidnapped by a monster from her past. The boys do all they can to save her.
The writing in this book is as well paced and captivating as the first book, but since the story continues with the same basic players there is more depth of character. It was nice to see Tom grow and mature, and Aunt Jackie is really a hoot! Young people never think of older people having a life before them. It's fun to listen to the boys as they learn of Jackie's past.
Great story which comes alive and grabs you until the very end. Is there more coming? I certainly hope so.
August 29, 2017
Shatter Point is the second book in the Point Thriller series. The book can be read as a standalone, but it will make more sense if you have read Fracture Point first. There is violence.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The author did a good job of giving readers an overview of what this story is about and the lengths some people will go to for power. Even though the events in this book were over a short timeline, there are a lot of twists, turns, and surprises written in the storyline. I enjoyed reading this book.
The book blurb adequately describes the storyline so I'm not going to repeat all of that info here. The author did a good job of giving readers an overview of what this story is about and the lengths some people will go to for power. Even though the events in this book were over a short timeline, there are a lot of twists, turns, and surprises written in the storyline. I enjoyed reading this book.
July 9, 2017
My third read from author Jeff Altabef in the last week, the first one was the short story ENEMIES OF THE STATE and was so good I had to come back for more! Altabef has done a good job in picking up where the last book left off, getting you so caught up in the story-line that you get caught up in the runaway train that the story is. I really liked it and look forward to his next book.
March 8, 2021
Wow!
Wow, what a ride! Thrilling, action packed, with strong interesting characters. The seeming separate story lines are deftly woven together to create an encompassing finish. A slight HEA, for now anyway
Wow, what a ride! Thrilling, action packed, with strong interesting characters. The seeming separate story lines are deftly woven together to create an encompassing finish. A slight HEA, for now anyway
Read
November 1, 2014Shatter Point is a fast moving psychological thriller which includes political intrigue and a medical conspiracy.
Stalked from a young age by Cooper, lower class Maggie has never been able to free herself him. He has always followed her from afar keeping track of her and her children. Fearing for herself and sons Jack and Tom she has never told the authorities about Cooper
Now with Maggie having disappeared and conspiracies and murders abounding, time is running out.
Shatter Point is extremely fast-paced and a heart-racing adventure. Lightening the adventure the tension however is Tom and Jack’s unique great aunt who is well able to handle herself against the enemy even when she sticks to her old fashioned weaponry against their new technology. Drifting back and forth between past and present in the storytelling, the story is woven of years of stalking and abuse on the part of Cooper on both Maggie and the women that were murdered in her place.
The shatter point comes when the antagonist loses his grip on reality. But Maggie didn’t leave her family many clues to go on. I liked the tenacity of her two sons and of Maggie’s aunt.
I thought the characters were likable and realistic. I did think the solution of the brain development problem was probably solved a little too quickly and easily though. I can even see a possibility for some kind of sequel after this book.
I liked that the book only had mild profanity and the clean romantic theme through the story. It made for a pleasant read without having to think about censorship too much. I enjoyed reading this story and gave it a rating of 4 out of 5.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
Stalked from a young age by Cooper, lower class Maggie has never been able to free herself him. He has always followed her from afar keeping track of her and her children. Fearing for herself and sons Jack and Tom she has never told the authorities about Cooper
Now with Maggie having disappeared and conspiracies and murders abounding, time is running out.
Shatter Point is extremely fast-paced and a heart-racing adventure. Lightening the adventure the tension however is Tom and Jack’s unique great aunt who is well able to handle herself against the enemy even when she sticks to her old fashioned weaponry against their new technology. Drifting back and forth between past and present in the storytelling, the story is woven of years of stalking and abuse on the part of Cooper on both Maggie and the women that were murdered in her place.
The shatter point comes when the antagonist loses his grip on reality. But Maggie didn’t leave her family many clues to go on. I liked the tenacity of her two sons and of Maggie’s aunt.
I thought the characters were likable and realistic. I did think the solution of the brain development problem was probably solved a little too quickly and easily though. I can even see a possibility for some kind of sequel after this book.
I liked that the book only had mild profanity and the clean romantic theme through the story. It made for a pleasant read without having to think about censorship too much. I enjoyed reading this story and gave it a rating of 4 out of 5.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogs...
June 14, 2015
“Shatter Point” should come with a warning that once you pick it up everything else will be abandoned! What makes this different from other thrillers is that it is set in 2041 and the reader is immediately immersed into a different world. It’s not too far in the future to be totally visionary but far enough for medical research to have developed significantly and changes to have been made to society.
There are several threads running throughout the novel which add to the suspense as they fuse together and constantly keeps your attention. There is the class divide and the fight to restore the balance. You are taken into the psyche of a killer. Outwardly he has it all but not all is as it seems as we see a calculating, horrifically cruel psychopath who makes your blood run cold. He met one of the central characters, Maggie, when they were both young and he was unable to let go. As one character tells us “He can’t separate real from unreal”.
Dr Darian Beck, a research scientist, is close to finding a cure for Alzheimer and senility but the drugs also provide heightened cognitive powers. He is forced to give the drugs to Maggie’ s son, who is in a coma after suffering a head injury. The problem is that the drug experiments are not quite there yet…
I liked the human traits the author captured within his characters which brings them to life, such as the mixed feelings Beck has towards his actions; the sibling in-fighting between Jack and Tom and the need of a mother to protect her family.
The style of writing is fast and fluid and when you layer this with a ticking time bomb and action after action, you can’t do anything else but just read on.
There are several threads running throughout the novel which add to the suspense as they fuse together and constantly keeps your attention. There is the class divide and the fight to restore the balance. You are taken into the psyche of a killer. Outwardly he has it all but not all is as it seems as we see a calculating, horrifically cruel psychopath who makes your blood run cold. He met one of the central characters, Maggie, when they were both young and he was unable to let go. As one character tells us “He can’t separate real from unreal”.
Dr Darian Beck, a research scientist, is close to finding a cure for Alzheimer and senility but the drugs also provide heightened cognitive powers. He is forced to give the drugs to Maggie’ s son, who is in a coma after suffering a head injury. The problem is that the drug experiments are not quite there yet…
I liked the human traits the author captured within his characters which brings them to life, such as the mixed feelings Beck has towards his actions; the sibling in-fighting between Jack and Tom and the need of a mother to protect her family.
The style of writing is fast and fluid and when you layer this with a ticking time bomb and action after action, you can’t do anything else but just read on.
November 7, 2014
Sorry Charlie, or should I say Sorry Jeff? ( Will you still get the innuendo if I do?)
I didn't like this book. I tried because the author sent it to me free to read and review, but it's terrible. A ten year old child into science fiction would have hated it. it's a disaster and my disappointment in this author's skills and abilities have gone from ten to zero in one chapter. I am not going to rehash the several plot angles all tied neatly together at the end. Why bother? If yo get through this book to the end and your brain isn't turned to mush, then you'll know the story. Personally, I am warning you in advance. This book is the epitome of stupid. My apologies to the author as I am sure that quite a bit of work, sweat, and tears went into this book/series. But when a professional reader hates your book, well try to understand the great works of literature that I have read, that your story has to measure up to. It might make you less angry and frustrated when you read my review. Just so you know, my scoring system goes like this: one star because I got the book for free, and all writers get one star because they actually wrote a book. It's not just anybody who can do that, I certainly can't and star or no star, I wouldn't want to try.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. In addition, minimal brain cells were harmed during the completion of this read and review process.
I didn't like this book. I tried because the author sent it to me free to read and review, but it's terrible. A ten year old child into science fiction would have hated it. it's a disaster and my disappointment in this author's skills and abilities have gone from ten to zero in one chapter. I am not going to rehash the several plot angles all tied neatly together at the end. Why bother? If yo get through this book to the end and your brain isn't turned to mush, then you'll know the story. Personally, I am warning you in advance. This book is the epitome of stupid. My apologies to the author as I am sure that quite a bit of work, sweat, and tears went into this book/series. But when a professional reader hates your book, well try to understand the great works of literature that I have read, that your story has to measure up to. It might make you less angry and frustrated when you read my review. Just so you know, my scoring system goes like this: one star because I got the book for free, and all writers get one star because they actually wrote a book. It's not just anybody who can do that, I certainly can't and star or no star, I wouldn't want to try.
I was given a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. In addition, minimal brain cells were harmed during the completion of this read and review process.
June 23, 2015
This is my first experience with Jeff Altabef and WOW was I impressed. The storyline was great, the plot was full of twists and turns, the suspense was definitely intense. I read this very quickly as I couldn’t wait any longer to see what was going to happen. Its got bad guys and good guys and they are all complex characters, but Jeff Altabef does a great job of describing them and pulling you into their lives. He also does a great job of inter-connecting the characters, in some ways I didn’t even see coming. I love that it was set in the future, and loved how Jeff feels America has evolved. Even to see Central Park sell out to a sponsor – What Happened??? And I was interested in the medical breakthroughs that Jeff has imagined.
As I found this was a second book in a series, it definitely can stand alone as a great piece of writing. But I will be very happy to read Fourteenth Colony, the first book and see how the characters got to where they are in Shatter Point.
The writing is very good, full of description and meaning. The language was not offensive, and I was prepared for the violence. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat, the suspense and surprises kept me entertained and wanting more.
I don’t like to give away storyline, characters, plots or spoilers in my reviews. It’s up to the Author to give you the characters and story – I hope that’s ok. Please enjoy this book – I recommend it highly for a great suspenseful read, with depth and imagination.
As I found this was a second book in a series, it definitely can stand alone as a great piece of writing. But I will be very happy to read Fourteenth Colony, the first book and see how the characters got to where they are in Shatter Point.
The writing is very good, full of description and meaning. The language was not offensive, and I was prepared for the violence. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat, the suspense and surprises kept me entertained and wanting more.
I don’t like to give away storyline, characters, plots or spoilers in my reviews. It’s up to the Author to give you the characters and story – I hope that’s ok. Please enjoy this book – I recommend it highly for a great suspenseful read, with depth and imagination.
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