Blind Run

Blind Run #1

by Patricia Lewin

An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.

Ethan Decker was a specialized hunter for a CIA Shadow Organization, working deep undercover to track down and capture ruthless international mercenaries and fugitives. Then a daring mission takes a lethal turn, leaving innocents dead in its wake, and Ethan’s wife a prime target of a ruthless assassin. To save her, and because he can no longer justify his actions, Ethan exiles himself to a remote desert in New Mexico, a prisoner of his own guilt and grief.

Then one searing day, a former member of Decker’s covert team arrives at his door, shepherding two children. She entrusts them to his protection and leaves without explanation.

Suddenly, the race is on: to reach his ex-wife before the deadly assassin finds her, and to unlock the mystery behind the two children—who have become pawns in a dark conspiracy so evil that even this former spy cannot imagine the peril that lies directly in his path.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Amazon, Ebooks, Action

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

This author is also published under Patricia Keelyn.

Reviews

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I approached this book with some trepidation, as I am a fairly sensitive reader and books with graphic violence affect me badly. However, I was drawn into Blind Run in a way that I did not expect. Yes, there is violence, but the book is mainly suspenseful and keeps the reader in anticipation of what could go horribly wrong. When Ethan finds himself the protector of two children without a back door through which to escape, he reverts to form and becomes fiercely protective toward Danny and Callie, as well as his ex-wife Sydney who has inadvertently found herself within the scopes of an assassin. Much against her will, Sydney throws her lot in with Ethan and the children and the four of them go on the run, escaping known and unknown enemies. As the story escalates, I found myself gripping my Kindle in the hopes that they would be able to extricate themselves from the dangers they were facing on all sides. Right up to the last chapter, friends reveal themselves as enemies and enemies do a surprising about turn. An incredibly well written book, with an intricate plot, that keeps the reader on tender hooks.

[MelMon Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed suspense from beginning to end.

Ethan and Sydney are thrown back together after dealing with loss and a divorce. Just when they think that there is no coming back from it all, they are pushed back together in a high risk adventure with Callie and Danny.

Head strong all the way these special children bring light to their lives. All they want to do is help them get as far away from the unfortunate things that they have had to deal with. And now it is not just Callie and Danny they take on.

Forced to face brutal truths and egomaniac villains, let's see where life takes them and what hard choices will have to be made.

[Ian Sarginson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this suspense thriller. It played out in my mind like a well made big budget film.

Ethan Decker was once a tool used by the government to track and capture dangerous people. Due to a seres of tragic incidents he is now a prisoner of his own regrets and simply wants to be left alone. He is making a good job of leaving his old life behind, when one day a figure from that life comes knocking at his door for help. Now he has to face the whole of his past.

The characters were deep, honest and believeable, both in their character and their actions. The story moved at a great pace and there was always the grip of tension throughout.

The thing that I was most impressed by was Patricia Lewin's excellent use of language. It made it so easy to create vivid images in my mind for every aspect of the story. I can't overstate this enough as this isn't always the case. Some times I have to work harder to create the imagery, but here I paused often to appreciate the descriptions that Lewin offered.

A brilliant page turner that kept me constantly engaged and was a pleasure to read.

I look forward to reading more from the author.

[John Machata · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. I cared about the characters. Solid Thriller. Plot elements were well- constructed. At times I did find myself annoyed by language too ornamented for my tastes. All in all, worth reading.

[Shannen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a general rule, thrillers aren't my chosen genre, but I've been working my way through freebies on iBooks and this was the latest on my list. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't perfect and I wouldn't read it again (hence the 3 star rating), but the characters were well written and compelling, and the plot was decent enough to keep me reading (although I mostly kept reading for the characters).

Things I liked:

-The characters: Main characters, Ethan and Sydney, were sympathetic with disinct personalities and motivators. I was invested in their story and rooting for them from the start. Ethan is the kind of character I instantly fall in love with; ambitious, determined, intelligent, pragmatic and confident. The inclusion of child characters brought an innocence and morality to the story which framed the actions of the villains in an even harsher light. The sibling relationship between the children was also a good offset to the chaos and intensity of Ethan and Sydney's relationship.

-The writing style: I really liked Lewin's style. Admittedly, some of the language used was a little bit flowery in parts, but it flowed well, was enjoyable and smooth to read.

-The intensity: There's action from the start and throughout that kept me engaged. In parts the pacing did drag a little, but for the most part the action was evenly distributed and the plot unravelled at a good pace whereby I wasn't losing interest.

-The relationship between Ethan and Sydney: Call me a sucker for romance, but the chemistry between exes Ethan and Sydney added a romantic dimension to the story that was welcome. Their connection was undeniable and the emotions between them - the grief, familiarity, nervousness, passion and love - drips off the page. It helps that both characters are actually likeable which makes it easier to root for them as a couple.

Things I didn't like:

-The plot: It wasn't a bad plot, but it wasn't good either. The anticipation is built but the pay-offs are pretty underwhelming. Although I should've learned from past experiences of thrillers, I still found myself being disappointed by the ending. It felt like there was a lot of potential for a great story and a great build-up and it didn't really go anywhere. The mystery at the beginning leads you into believing the plot is really complex and intruiging, but it's actually rather dull and predictable. Definitley wasn't what I was expecting.

-That there's going to be a book #2: This is becoming more of a common occurence (annoyingly) with books that should be a one-hit wonder being developed into book series. The reason the ending is so underwhelming and feels incomplete is because it's been purposefully left open ended and stretched out for book #2. The problem is, this story doesn't need another book devoted to it. If this story had been contained in one full novel, I think it would've been brilliant. Stretching it out longer than is necessary does it a disservice. I enjoyed reading and really liked the characters, but in my opinion, it's simply not enough of an interesting or gripping plot for me to want to read the second book.

-The lack of development of the villains: Whilst I loved Ethan and Sydney the villains of the story were poorly written. There was little/no time spent exploring their motivations and as a result anything they did, no matter how terrible, didn't really have an impact. I didn't feel anything towards any of them - not even dislike or hate - just indifference.

-Plot points that didn't lead anywhere: Certain aspects of the plot were built up and seemed to be dropped or resolved within the space of a few sentences. It felt like some of the sub-plots were thrown in to create more confusion and mystery but they didn't really serve a purpose or add anything to the plot. One example would be the death of Ethan and Sydney's son.

Overall, I liked Blind Run; the plot was interesting enough to keep me engaged and the characters were great. However, it would've been a much better read if Lewin had contained the story to one novel, polished and refined the plot slightly and developed a complete, satisfying ending instead of hanging on for book #2.

[Anita Rodgers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. A standard tropey thriller. Enjoyable enough - drawback for me was the author often stopped the action to give us the backstory. Kept throwing me out of the story, so I had to skim.

[Manmohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average thriller book. The story started off well but then it become monotonous and I felt story was overstretched at times. But I like the portrayal of the main character by the writer.

[Ann Gandolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It held my interest. I have one nagging question. Who gave birth to the children? I’d hoped the answer would be revealed. Nope!

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read just about half this book and must say that Patricia Lewin’s style has me hooked. As a rule I’m not a fan of thrillers written by women authors because as a rule they just end up being Chic Lit. Blind Run, on the other hand has all the makings of a great story. It has been nonstop action from the very first page, perhaps a little slow and drawn out in places, but still a story that I would recommend to every reader who loves a good thriller with a hero and heroine that you can easily like, love even, and want to see win. The flip side of the coin is the bad guys are just as easy to hate and just as easy for the reader to want to see them suffer painful deaths.
It has a little bit of everything to keep the reader turning the pages; former CIA assassins that are set on killing one another even though they once worked together. Two children who were taken from some secret research center on an island called The Haven by an assassin who was killed after dropping them off to another assassin for safe keeping which leads to that assassins reconnecting with his ex-wife. The story has two intertwined plots. The first plot involves an assassin trying to kill our hero and heroine out of revenge for some wrong done him by the hero, what the wrong was we have no idea at this point. We do know that Decker’s, our hero, and Sydney’s, our heroine, young son was killed by the assassin and Decker left his wife in order to keep her from being killed. This plot is ripe with possibilities and Lewin is doing a masterful job of working them in a way that has me on the edge of my chair. At this point I think I can safely say that I will be reading more of this lady’s books in the future.
I think that one of the things that Patricia might have done that would have made this book more enjoyable for me would have been to use real page numbers than just location numbers. I’m from the old school and books just don’t seem like books unless they have page numbers. Even so, I’ll be keeping this book in my eBook library and will be reading it again from time to time.
At the halfway point this story takes off like a runaway freight train. At this point the reader has many questions. Will Ethan save the children? Will Ethan win his wife back? Will he be killed trying to save them? Well…you will just have to read this book for yourself to find out.
Patricia Lewin did an expert job at telling this thrilling story which surprised me until I discovered that Patricia Lewin was the pseudonym for a very accomplished writer and editor. No, I’m not going to tell you who she is either, you have to get the book to find out.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick easy read

[Tex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. When is the sequel coming out? Blind Run had me hook, line and sinker the moment I read the first page. Once you start reading you can’t stop. There is a compelling necessity to yearn for what is on the next page and then the next chapter, and it goes on. The protagonist, Ethan Decker is dynamic, complex with a soft middle core for those he cares about. The antagonist, Danny, is in betwixt and in between wanting to be the man he’s had to be for his sister and wanting to believe in Ethan Decker. Then his ex-wife, Sydney Decker, also a secondary antagonist is the perfect pairing for both protagonists. In the beginning the author has the reader get settled by introducing what and who will be important to know and why. This is important because knowing is a critical element of the infrastructure, the core of the book. The book kept true to its core, no wandering, no side visits and no ancillary characters. The reader can feel the storyline grow in complexity and character development together with character interactions. And just as you dig a little deeper in that comfy chair you’re reading in, a tsunami of action and adventure, strongly developed characters, complex and simple character interactions, with deep and rich dialogue swept me up into the book, and I was done… Stick a fork in me done. From that point on I couldn't put the book down until I finished reading. I read with a compulsory fervor reading continuously, without a break because it was just soooo good. The book will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a page turner. So, my question is, when is the Sequel? Readers, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND making time to read Blind Run. It’s definitely a 5-star read –Tex

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, the concensus is that this book is average at best and on many levels I should agree, but I actually enjoyed it. I question why I enjoyed it because the plot was far-fetched, in some areas lacked a good development of the story, but I did like the characters and in spite of itself, I enjoyed it.

[Eve Gaddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romantic Suspense done right! Loved this book. I couldn't put it down. I read it at top speed, I was so anxious to know what happened. Ethan is a great wounded hero, far from perfect but trying to do the right thing. If you love heart-pounding suspense, romance, good against evil, you'll love Patricia Lewin's Blind Run.

[Abbas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit monotonous for a suspense novel, and slows down significantly in the middle dragging the relationship between Sydney and Ethan and keeps reminding you of the significance of Nicky, when there really is no reason.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well it started out OK, but became a total comic book. There's another 5 hours of my life I'll never get back...

[Efi · Rating 2 out of 5]

the story started as being interesting but then it got a little overstretched and i think that the main story wasnt developed enough. i also found the ending dissapointing...

[Deb Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a few tears ago and really enjoyed it.

[Penny Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a book I could not put down. just had to finish.
fast, hot story.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a relief. I had gotten a batch of free books (Book Bub, I think) and wanted to try some new authors. The first book was a thriller that was so convoluted and twisted that I stopped caring what was going on with the plot and just plodded to the finish. Then came "Blind Run". This is a good book that aspires to be a good book and accomplishes being a good book. It does not try to impress us with the author's vast knowledge or imagination. It aims to entertain and it definitely entertains, as well as tugs at the reader's emotions.

The book begins with a number of cliches that readers and movie goers have seen over and over again. The main character, Ethan, is drinking heavily due to the loss of his son (see Mel Gibson, Lethal Weapon). He is a secret agent on the outs with his agency (Tom Cruise, Mission Impossible, John LeCarre, etc.). He is forced to work with his wife, who hates him, on a secret mission (Brad and Angelina, Mr. and Mrs. Smith). Rather than being annoying, the story advances in a very charming way, and then branches off into a more complex and original plot.

The plot is well done and interesting. The author takes us from location to location and event to event with a minimum of fuss and keeps things moving. The ending, which takes place on a secret island (James Bond, Dr. No) is really well done. The characters are very good as well. The author is female, but I personally thought she did a better job with the men than the women. Sydney is not very resonant, but the two operatives, Ethan and the Latino agent both have a great deal of flair. I did wish that the author had gone into more depth about the evil plans of the bad guys to manipulate genes, or whatever they were doing. I got that they were up to no good and were hurting kids, but some more detail would have made the plot more compelling to me.

What makes the book special is the presence of children in the plot. Ethan and Sydney have lost a son and find themselves caring for children. Their interactions with the kids are poignant and well done. I particularly liked the scene with the video games. This adds an element that gives the book more depth than most thrillers. Thank you, Patricia Lewin, for a fun, tightly written suspense thriller!

[Amber Foxx · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kept reading because the book is well-crafted in terms of plot, pace, and writing style. It’s the sort of thing that would be good as an audiobook on a long drive, because it would keep you awake and alert. However, I didn’t actually like it. The gender roles lean towards stereotypes, and the events are implausible. Ethan Decker practically has superpowers, ranging from his biologically impossible need for only four or five hours sleep to his skills in a gunfight to his somehow knowing just the right guy with the right boat at the right moment, and having just enough cash to get through the events, not to mention somehow never getting recognized or caught. None of the characters seemed real to me. They came across as plot devices, with traits created for the story, rather than realistic people from whom a story evolves. The boy Danny comes close to believable—he has flaws, makes mistakes, as well having strengths and talents—but the others are one-dimensional good or bad—except Ethan. He’s a stereotype of another sort, the Tough Guy with Heart. The violence was excessive toward the end, and the way the characters reacted unnatural. Death, knifings, shootings—they can handle it, no trauma. All in all, not my kind of book. I gave it three stars because of the author’s skill, but my enjoyment was more like a two-star.

[Terric853 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and engaging. Ethan Decker is a former CIA operative who walked away from the world when his son was killed in revenge for a botched operation. After wallowing in the desert for three years, a former team mate shows up at his door and leaves two young children in his care, much to his horror and chagrin. His colleague leaves and he follows her, only to find her shot dead about 20 minutes from his home. Ethan grabs her cell phone and finds the last call she placed was to his ex-wife, a pediatrician living in Dallas. So, Ethan and the two kids travel to Dallas to save his ex-wife, because he's sure she's next to be killed.

Once Ethan persuades/nearly kidnaps his ex-wife, the four take off on a cross-country trip to find the man the boy claims is his father, whom he's never met. Turns out the boy and his sister have been living on an island with about 20 other children who are studied/cared for by adults they call "The Keepers."

As Ethan investigates further, he finds the four of them are being targeted by forces who don't want them to uncover the secrets of the island and its colony of children and he is forced to pit his wits and skills against those who want the four of them dead.

[Cherry Mischievous · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts:
This is my first Patricia Lewin read and I'm so glad that I found this author!

I like the way that the author built the tension. The plot has just enough twist in it to have a lovely resolution in the end!

At first I thought that this book is some kind of science fiction where we have super-humans running around as superheroes. But no, this book is crime fiction.

Why isn't there any more books in this series? I am hoping to read about the kids and what happened to them afterwards... Because Patricia Lewin is good at character building that I want to read more about them!

This is my first Dick Hill audiobook and I would listen to him again.

Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = 4.5
Plot = 4
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

[Bookworm]

The blurb says it all and there’s really no need to repeat in my own words.

This was definitely a worthy read. The main characters were just enough elaborated, although I definitely wouldn’t have minded a bit more information on them. There were plenty of subcharacters, which was a bit confusing, especially at the beginning. However, soon everything started to become clear and a very interesting plot started to unravel. There were many threads that aimed towards creating depth and suspense. Not very successfully though, as many of these were well developed but then failed to contribute adequately to the plot. Consequently I was sometimes left hanging. I was also a bit disappointed that the lead characters didn’t get a clear closure regarding their 1st marriage. Needless to say that I expected a bit more regarding the HEA.

Hm.... not so sure about this one. However, definitely a worthy read.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obtained this free e-book from Amazon and I am voluntarily writing a review. Ethan has withdrawn from the world after a team member from the agency he worked for murdered his son on the agency's orders. Instead of letting his wife live that nightmare he lets her think their son's death was an accident. To keep his wife safe he walks away and ends the marriage. Now three years later while living in the middle of the desert an ex operative shows up with two kids and asks him to keep them safe until she returns in two days. Except she barely makes it off his property when she gets a bullet to the back of her head. Someone is hunting Ethan, has threatened his ex wife and desperately wants these kids back for evil purposes. Now they are all on the run not knowing who, or why someone is after them and they need answers now.

[Sleepless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adrenaline fueled Jason Borne type tale of intrigue, coverups, termination contracts and children caught in the cross hairs!

Blind Run is a complex thriller about the Agency, revenge, assassins and genetically engineered children! The characters are well developed using backstories which drive the narrative.Elements of the plot, have off the grid Ethan racing to protect ex-wife Sydney from a revenge minded assassin. He also, tries to solve the mystery about the two children thrust upon him by a former covert op teammate! Nothing is quite what seems.
Fast paced, heart wrenching and surprising, this book by Patricia Lewin is a wonderful story of love, trust, redemption and justice! An inspiring novel for readers who enjoy action thrillers with memoriable characters!

[Fritzi Redgrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a story that, at times, moves so fast that I had to give up normal life as I could not stop turning pages. Fortunately there are times when it calms down so that I could resume normality for a few hours. This story is about a returnng ex-husband who reveals secrets unknown to his spouse during their marriage. It is about the death of their young child. It is about betrayal, unlikely allianaces and runaway children who capture their hearts. The runaway children tell stories about the secluded school that they attend, the stories prompt the couple, Ethan and Sydney to get to the bottom of the goings on at that school.
Really, what more could be packed in to a story? I highly recommend this book.

[Kay Benavidez · Rating 3 out of 5]

it started off great, liked the main hero, and was quickly interested in the 'chase' part of the story. I picked this book because of the reference to NM, but most of the action happened in other states. The action was good, and I enjoyed the suspense, but the end just didn't feel right to me. I felt like the story just stopped without giving me all the resolution that I wanted. I wanted to know more about what happened with Ethan and his Sydney his ex-wife. I wanted to know more about what happened to Danny and his sister. I wanted some sort of wrap up about the rest of the children. I was just left feeling un-satisfied with the end. I even googled to see if there are any more books in the series, but no books taking place after this story line have been written.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots and lots of action!

He is a former CIA agent, she is his ex-wife. A few years earlier their son was killed and he, to protect her, disappeared. Three years later another former agent comes to his hideout with two children she had taken from an island near Seattle. The other agent leaves them there and takes off. He chases her and finds her body shortly thereafter. The rest of the novel deals with their attempts to learn the truth about the children and why they had been held on the island. It is well written and well plotted with strong characters, particularly the children. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC for an honest review.

[Will Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lewin has a smooth writing style that doesn't miss a beat. I enjoyed the action scenes, the dialogue between the characters, and the overall character development isn't bad. The editing is clean which combined with Lewin's writing makes for an enjoyable read. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like I really got a conclusion to the story, nor did I get the romance that was bubbling right beneath the surface between the two main characters. They should have hooked up, adopted the two kids, and had an HEA! But that's just my opinion.

[Maureen Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exciting book! From the beginning, the story moved by leaps and bounds! At first I felt sorry for Decker as he mourned the loss of his son, in anger and alcohol. But when he had two unusual kids dropped at his desert home, the pace accelerated, from his former partner, killed mercilessly, to his exwife, in danger, to the kids searching for their father. The intrigue of the island, creating and raising special children, the search for reasons and meaning and the saving of these children, entwine the reader in this story, hoping for positive results.