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Solikha Duong lives the carefree life of a village girl in northern Cambodia until her world is torn apart by ‘truck men’ from the south. But Solikha is tough, resourceful, and won’t give up without a fight ...
Alice Kwann is on vacation when she’s set upon by thugs at a stopover in northern Nevada. But Alice too is tough, resourceful, and won’t give up without a fight ...
What binds these women together is a shocking trade – the third-largest criminal activity in the world – but one we’d rather ignore.
Now Solikha and Alice must go deeper than they’ve ever gone before, to fight the demons that haunt them and battle the evil men who would use them and destroy them ... because sometimes your past won’t let you go.
Alice Kwann is on vacation when she’s set upon by thugs at a stopover in northern Nevada. But Alice too is tough, resourceful, and won’t give up without a fight ...
What binds these women together is a shocking trade – the third-largest criminal activity in the world – but one we’d rather ignore.
Now Solikha and Alice must go deeper than they’ve ever gone before, to fight the demons that haunt them and battle the evil men who would use them and destroy them ... because sometimes your past won’t let you go.
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Published December 1, 2021
5 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Palmer
6 books3 followersGeoff Palmer is a writer, which is astonishingly convenient as you appear to be a reader! He’s climbed mountains in Africa, picked grapes in Switzerland, sold cameras in London, programmed computers in Fiji, and spent eight years working as a professional photographer. He’s also quite tall.
Geoff’s first novel, Telling Stories, won the Reed / North & South Fiction Award, and in 20+ years of freelance technical writing he’s won four Qantas Media Awards and been a finalist for Columnist of the Year. His second novel, Too Many Zeros, was published by Penguin in 2011, and a number of other novels have followed since.
He writes, every day if he can, subject to the demands of his cat, Heidi, who regards him as her personal servant, portable cushion and entertainment centre. In return, she kindly allows him to share her house in Wellington, New Zealand.
Geoff’s first novel, Telling Stories, won the Reed / North & South Fiction Award, and in 20+ years of freelance technical writing he’s won four Qantas Media Awards and been a finalist for Columnist of the Year. His second novel, Too Many Zeros, was published by Penguin in 2011, and a number of other novels have followed since.
He writes, every day if he can, subject to the demands of his cat, Heidi, who regards him as her personal servant, portable cushion and entertainment centre. In return, she kindly allows him to share her house in Wellington, New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 2, 2018
A vengeance styled thriller, set in Asia, PAYBACK tackles sex-trafficking and child abuse head on. Opening with the recounting of a young village girl being trucked off to the south of the country, along with many others, to be forced into a child sex ring. The resourcefulness this young girl and the small boy she has befriended show in escaping their intended fate goes on to be reflected in adult life, with the two of them staying in touch, close friends to this day.
The blurb includes the line: "What binds these women together is a shocking trade - the third-largest criminal activity in the world - but one we'd rather ignore." That really should stop anybody dead in their tracks. If the sex-trafficking is that big, and child sex trafficking is included in that figure then what on earth is wrong with us as a species?
Whilst there is much that is shocking in PAYBACK, there is also much that is hopeful - built in main around the central character - a strong, sympathetic and complex female protagonist who is not adverse to a bit of action hero fighting into the bargain. The only slight downside to her is a bit of heavy lifting to create vulnerability in the character which isn't always convincing and didn't feel necessary. On the upside however, the subject matter is handled sensitively, there's layers to the revenge aspects of the story, and the US setting rings true.
Overall PAYBACK is a good action thriller that's well worth reading. If I'm reading Palmer's website correctly it's the first he's written, given his other novels appear to be in the fiction / science fiction / young adult category.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
The blurb includes the line: "What binds these women together is a shocking trade - the third-largest criminal activity in the world - but one we'd rather ignore." That really should stop anybody dead in their tracks. If the sex-trafficking is that big, and child sex trafficking is included in that figure then what on earth is wrong with us as a species?
Whilst there is much that is shocking in PAYBACK, there is also much that is hopeful - built in main around the central character - a strong, sympathetic and complex female protagonist who is not adverse to a bit of action hero fighting into the bargain. The only slight downside to her is a bit of heavy lifting to create vulnerability in the character which isn't always convincing and didn't feel necessary. On the upside however, the subject matter is handled sensitively, there's layers to the revenge aspects of the story, and the US setting rings true.
Overall PAYBACK is a good action thriller that's well worth reading. If I'm reading Palmer's website correctly it's the first he's written, given his other novels appear to be in the fiction / science fiction / young adult category.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
November 12, 2019
Although the story is about a difficult theme - human trafficking and sexual exploitation - Geoff Palmer tells the story in a way that the main characters are not people who deserve pity or who are destroyed by what life had dealt to them. His writing is clear and he keeps on adding layers of information in a way that you just keep on turning the pages and wishing to reach the end to know how the story ends. Loved reading it!!!
May 11, 2019
a very emotional and realistic story about a young Cambodian girl got up in the slave trade in Thailand. Her only thoughts after she was able to escape was revenge when she would be old enough. She got lucky and was adopted by foster parents from America so her intelligence provided her the opportunity to obtain an excellent education as well as a good job with the FBI.An excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews