What do you think?
Rate this book
A Legacy Mystery #1
Ransom X
Martin Legace is a former special ops standout, once recognized as the top field interrogator in the American military complex. His study of the human mind was carried out in make-shift tents on the edge of the battlefield; he didn’t write or read the book on how to break a prisoner, he simply followed his instincts, dissecting human behavior in a way that verges on autism. He had a reputation for getting anything out of anyone – “had” being the operative word. Five years ago, a random crime shattered Legace’s world. Withdrawing inside himself, he built his life around the only family he had left, his teenage daughter. He withdrew from operations, and took the most isolated post he could, in the basement of the Alexandria FBI, working the archives. Legace brought consequence to the job. His tactics of getting inside the minds of criminals led to a controversial new form of investigation that came to be known as– shadow projection. It was a term coined by his insufferable regional director, Bailey, and Legace couldn’t begin to count the ways he hated the simplification of his process. Legace threw the deductive model out the window. He didn’t follow the trail of the criminal; he took on criminals who were smart enough to leave no trail. They were fixed objects like sundials casting a unique shadow for every incremental step in their journey. His methods involved knowing the inner workings of the criminal, and projecting forward to the next activity that such a person would engage in. His life was verging on stable when a young female agent from Washington walked into his office with an opportunity, an obligation and a threat. Now, normally Legace would have ignored all three, but there was something about the case and the victim that struck a very personal chord in him. All of his powers were going to be needed for a case that landed on his desk along the agent who now called herself his new partner. There was an abduction ring that was preying upon young women of marginal fame, using them in adult films and ransoming them for the price of pornography. The profit engine became a fad among perverts (the largest single unified economic bloc) and the income was staggering. This great influx of capital precipitated a bold move by the abductors. Their newest acquisition was the daughter of an old friend, the Director of the FBI. All hell was breaking loose over the Web and the world, and with a two-week window to find his quarry, Legace knew that his performance on this case would either cement his reputation as borderline charlatan with blood on his hands, or announce his reinstatement as borderline hero with all of the official responsibilities that entails, and he couldn’t actually say which outcome he feared more.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2009
About the author
I.B. Holder
1 book2 followersI.B. Holder understands the importance of Internet credibility; therefore he is a tri-athlete, multi-lingual black-belt who circumnavigated the globe on a waverunner. He looks much like Daniel Craig.
I have lived in million-dollar homes and been homeless. I think that the balance of life between these two fixed points is more than just a social status. My job has taken me around the world and back. I believe in the nobility of a simple story told well and a complex person hiding in commonplace clothes. James Joyce is a great read. Vonnegut makes people think. I'm not much for poetry, but Ezra Pound has caught my eye lately. Fitzgerald probably should be mixed in there too. Why not?
I have lived in million-dollar homes and been homeless. I think that the balance of life between these two fixed points is more than just a social status. My job has taken me around the world and back. I believe in the nobility of a simple story told well and a complex person hiding in commonplace clothes. James Joyce is a great read. Vonnegut makes people think. I'm not much for poetry, but Ezra Pound has caught my eye lately. Fitzgerald probably should be mixed in there too. Why not?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 21, 2010
I was surprised that I got hooked to the book. The reading is a little long at times but I found that I couldn't put it down anyway. The main character is sort of scatter-brained and wacko so the writing takes on his personality.
Definitely some messed up scenarios of the girls being kidnapped but a very good book. I look forward to the next book in the series coming out.
Definitely some messed up scenarios of the girls being kidnapped but a very good book. I look forward to the next book in the series coming out.
January 27, 2010
Great new book. I thought that mysteries were pretty standard, simple things until I walked into the world of Martin Legacy.
April 29, 2010
This was a very dark book. The begining outlined a very dark road ahead. This book twisted along the path to a very sinister plot.
Although I think it would turn alot of people off by being so vividly cruel and graphic I liked it. It was well written and one of the most dark books I've read.
Although I think it would turn alot of people off by being so vividly cruel and graphic I liked it. It was well written and one of the most dark books I've read.
June 16, 2011
This was a good read, but a little hard to follow at times.
February 17, 2013
I got one word to describe this book - "BRILLIANT" It knocked me off my seat and I didn't even have the strength to get back up
July 4, 2018
If I had one complaint about what was otherwise an enjoyable read was that I think this book is too long and over elaborate at times. It could have done with another draft review to cut it down by 10-15% and I don’t think it would have suffered as a result. That might sound a strange thing to write, but I like books that have both depth and snap!
Character development was good, especially as this is the start of a series so there is a lot of foundation laying and the back story unfolds nicely as the book goes on.
Story line was interesting but I feel it petered out as the back story came more to the fore as the book progressed.
I would recommend it as a good summer fiction read!
Character development was good, especially as this is the start of a series so there is a lot of foundation laying and the back story unfolds nicely as the book goes on.
Story line was interesting but I feel it petered out as the back story came more to the fore as the book progressed.
I would recommend it as a good summer fiction read!
July 29, 2017
Very interesting read writer has a most analytical thoughtful composing storytelling mind
Very good read from start to Finnish look forward to the next legacy book to fill my nights with thoughts .
Very good read from start to Finnish look forward to the next legacy book to fill my nights with thoughts .
December 19, 2023
I've enjoyed reading Ransom X (Legacy Series) by I. B. Holder. Looking forward to next instalment.
April 30, 2018
This is a good story idea but the writing ranges from decent to passable to bad. I would say this is an author who hasn't found his/her voice yet. Also, an author that doesn't do much research.
My first observation: too many adjectives. The descriptive sentences pummel the readers pulling them from suspension of disbelief. Also, the author uses 2 or 3 adjectives in a sentence when one would be sufficient. It makes the whole thing seem amateurish; like something written in junior high or high school.
Secondly, the author frequently "tells it" instead of "showing it." Often, s/he does both; getting the point across in the characters' actions and then stating their motivation.
There are many scenes that I fear are going to end up as "loose threads." One of the drawbacks to writing a review half way through is I don't know definitively yet if the scenes will lead no where and ultimately contribute nothing to the forward motion of the narrative.
The perspective shifts are bulky and not well-defined. Most people are linear thinkers and a story should be presented in a linear manner even if the character is a non-linear thinker. Events can be told out of sequence but transitions must be more obvious. An early example of this is, the junior agent meets the senior agent in chapter one. Chapter two is the junior agent, Wagner, getting assigned to the senior agent. Why are we seeing that now? Is that really germane to the story? Personally, I thought the prologue and first few pages were a solid opening and the character, Directory Bailey, could've easily been introduced without the flashback.
Another example is when the author almost breaks the 4th wall, describing a secretary who brings Legace coffee. "...Let's call her Stephanie because she's of no importance". I assume those are meant to be Legace's random thoughts but its not clear, I think it could be Holder who's saying that.
Earlier I mentioned it seemed as if I.B. Holder didn't do much research. I cannot believe FBI bureaucracy is such that an agent fresh out of the academy, and that's the definite impression I get of Wagner, would speak to a superior the way she does. If the author has experience working within the FBI I'm willing to accept that underlings can get away with talking to bosses like that. Otherwise, I feel like s/he didn't research the FBI culture very well.
For the longest time, I kept thinking agents Legace and Wagner were working out of Richmond. Early on, the city "a few miles outside of Washington" was described as a place that still reveres the Civil War and is very "southern" in nature. Alexandria is so close to Washington DC that there's no real cultural distinction. Also, DC and the surrounding areas are transitory. People transfer in and out of the DC Metro area for work. The common joke is if you've lived in the area at least 10 years you can call yourself a native because no one is actually FROM the area. That's why, when Bailey describes himself as a Southern man, I assume he's from Georgia or someplace farther away from the Mason Dixon line.
The story needs to be updated some. They use the internet to display porn and have the ability to take payment, and display real time progress on the money but the FBI still uses video tape? If the story was written a while ago, it should be updated, unless its set in a specific time period.
Finally, the book is in serious need of editing. Present and past tense verbs in the same sentences confuse the action, poor punctuation, unclear sentences, and misspellings (its massage not message) are a barrier between reader and story derail suspension of disbelief. The occasional mistake can be forgiven but this just smacks of someone who doesn't revise or proofread.
I will allow this as a caveat, in light of all the good reviews: the story has been sitting on my Nook for while and was apparently a free download so I may have gotten an unedited work.
With a little work, I think this story could be come a gripping, psychological thriller along the lines of Preston & Childs or Jeffery Deaver. With enough work, Martin Legace could become the next Lincoln Rhime.
My first observation: too many adjectives. The descriptive sentences pummel the readers pulling them from suspension of disbelief. Also, the author uses 2 or 3 adjectives in a sentence when one would be sufficient. It makes the whole thing seem amateurish; like something written in junior high or high school.
Secondly, the author frequently "tells it" instead of "showing it." Often, s/he does both; getting the point across in the characters' actions and then stating their motivation.
There are many scenes that I fear are going to end up as "loose threads." One of the drawbacks to writing a review half way through is I don't know definitively yet if the scenes will lead no where and ultimately contribute nothing to the forward motion of the narrative.
The perspective shifts are bulky and not well-defined. Most people are linear thinkers and a story should be presented in a linear manner even if the character is a non-linear thinker. Events can be told out of sequence but transitions must be more obvious. An early example of this is, the junior agent meets the senior agent in chapter one. Chapter two is the junior agent, Wagner, getting assigned to the senior agent. Why are we seeing that now? Is that really germane to the story? Personally, I thought the prologue and first few pages were a solid opening and the character, Directory Bailey, could've easily been introduced without the flashback.
Another example is when the author almost breaks the 4th wall, describing a secretary who brings Legace coffee. "...Let's call her Stephanie because she's of no importance". I assume those are meant to be Legace's random thoughts but its not clear, I think it could be Holder who's saying that.
Earlier I mentioned it seemed as if I.B. Holder didn't do much research. I cannot believe FBI bureaucracy is such that an agent fresh out of the academy, and that's the definite impression I get of Wagner, would speak to a superior the way she does. If the author has experience working within the FBI I'm willing to accept that underlings can get away with talking to bosses like that. Otherwise, I feel like s/he didn't research the FBI culture very well.
For the longest time, I kept thinking agents Legace and Wagner were working out of Richmond. Early on, the city "a few miles outside of Washington" was described as a place that still reveres the Civil War and is very "southern" in nature. Alexandria is so close to Washington DC that there's no real cultural distinction. Also, DC and the surrounding areas are transitory. People transfer in and out of the DC Metro area for work. The common joke is if you've lived in the area at least 10 years you can call yourself a native because no one is actually FROM the area. That's why, when Bailey describes himself as a Southern man, I assume he's from Georgia or someplace farther away from the Mason Dixon line.
The story needs to be updated some. They use the internet to display porn and have the ability to take payment, and display real time progress on the money but the FBI still uses video tape? If the story was written a while ago, it should be updated, unless its set in a specific time period.
Finally, the book is in serious need of editing. Present and past tense verbs in the same sentences confuse the action, poor punctuation, unclear sentences, and misspellings (its massage not message) are a barrier between reader and story derail suspension of disbelief. The occasional mistake can be forgiven but this just smacks of someone who doesn't revise or proofread.
I will allow this as a caveat, in light of all the good reviews: the story has been sitting on my Nook for while and was apparently a free download so I may have gotten an unedited work.
With a little work, I think this story could be come a gripping, psychological thriller along the lines of Preston & Childs or Jeffery Deaver. With enough work, Martin Legace could become the next Lincoln Rhime.
November 4, 2012
Definitely a 4-star story but with 1-star editing. My first impression was that there was no way that Agent Legacy would ever continue to hold a position in the FBI with his insubordination and off-the-wall behavior and I almost lost interest early. I got past that quickly as the book drew me in to the (extremely graphic, at times) story line. The plot kept the pages turning quickly, the relationship between the two/three main characters worked and the pacing was good for a story of this genre.
I had 2 issues Ransom X that pulled it down to a 3-star rating. The first is that, at times, the author would allow a flashback or digression to go on seemingly forever - to a point where the reader might get confused where you were in time. The other unfortunate aspect of the book was the editing. I would often roll my eyes when reviewers of other books would complain about some editing errors but, in Ransom X, I had never seen anything like this in a published work. You could frequently tell where the author had rearranged some wording because words were often pasted in the wrong place in relation to the prepositions. Editing errors included leaving words out, misspelling a main character's name and, in one case, I'm convinced that some dialog in a 3-way conversation was assigned to the wrong character. Again, I normally look past some minor issues but it just seemed I was too frequently stopped in my progress to try to figure out what a phrase was really supposed to mean.
Again, great story and well worth the read.
I had 2 issues Ransom X that pulled it down to a 3-star rating. The first is that, at times, the author would allow a flashback or digression to go on seemingly forever - to a point where the reader might get confused where you were in time. The other unfortunate aspect of the book was the editing. I would often roll my eyes when reviewers of other books would complain about some editing errors but, in Ransom X, I had never seen anything like this in a published work. You could frequently tell where the author had rearranged some wording because words were often pasted in the wrong place in relation to the prepositions. Editing errors included leaving words out, misspelling a main character's name and, in one case, I'm convinced that some dialog in a 3-way conversation was assigned to the wrong character. Again, I normally look past some minor issues but it just seemed I was too frequently stopped in my progress to try to figure out what a phrase was really supposed to mean.
Again, great story and well worth the read.
January 27, 2010
The author's sharp attention to character details makes this book a thoroughly satisfying read, coupled with a shocking twist to what would ordinarily be a ransom demand. In fact, there is no demand from the criminal who kidnaps young women for a fate truly horrendous. Martin Legace, an FBI interrogator whose own wife's murder has led him and his teen daughter to a deeply troubled and paranoid existence, is forced to take on a missing person case led by over-achiever Agent Wagner, not by her demands but his own demons. As the plot unfolds, we continue to climb into the characters minds and to understand their every move and thought as they follow a trail that leads to a deadly game. The author succeeds in bringing us down the path to the unspeakable crime, all the while finding ourselves walking with them, be it the two FBI agents or the criminal. And sometimes it takes us to places we'd rather not be, yet we have to go. I sense Legace's character is good for many more stories.
November 19, 2011
An excellent book! Different than most others with a mix of Agent Moulder from X-Files to Spec Ops thrillers. Agent Legacy (FBI) is a different kind of thinker. So different that he is seen as dangerous and strange, yet so effective he has to kept around. Another of the many "Reluctant Hero" types I like so much. I'd call him a loaner, but he has a daughter, Chess, that is the most important thing in his life. He is a social misfit though.
The subject matter of the story is a bit disturbing and "adult" as it centers around an illegal porn ring, but it has little that would be called graphic, but you know what is going on and the psychology of it is made apparent by the author. The clock is ticking when the next unwilling actress appearing on the live web show is the Director's kidnapped daughter. The pace is fast and furious. Loved it and hope the author releases another in the Legacy series soon!
The subject matter of the story is a bit disturbing and "adult" as it centers around an illegal porn ring, but it has little that would be called graphic, but you know what is going on and the psychology of it is made apparent by the author. The clock is ticking when the next unwilling actress appearing on the live web show is the Director's kidnapped daughter. The pace is fast and furious. Loved it and hope the author releases another in the Legacy series soon!
October 25, 2011
This book was a very pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened it on my kindle but I was very quickly absorbed. I just loved the character of Martin Legacy, the brilliant agent who is autistic-like in his thinking. The female agent who is paired up with him has great chemistry with him on paper and I found myself relating to her as she tried to keep up with his train of thought and understand his approach to the case. The book is sexually graphic and while that might offend some I found it made the investigation even more real and put me right on the edge of my seat. The description indicates that this is part of the Legacy Series..... I certainly hope it will be a series and future books will follow so that we can follow these characters some more. I can't wait....
December 28, 2011
I really liked this book, The premise was great and you always wanted to find out what happens next, it was really suspensfull, However I think he needs to give it to an editor because I often had to re-read a sentance to figure out what the author was getting at, as a word was missing or such. This book was free on smashwords.com and I recomend everyone read it
April 19, 2012
This book was instantly violently graphic, so I was leery about whether I would enjoy it. So I felt kind of conflicted right away, and then the main character took me a really long time to warm up to. However, that being said, I ended up really liking the book. It was rather fascinating being inside Legacy's mind once he stopped annoying me. I will probably read the next in the series.
April 23, 2010
Years ago, when I met the elusive I.B. Holder in a laboratory in Oregon, I thought to myself, "This is a chap who's going places". A long time has passed since we laughed together in a kitchen in Portland. Now I've read a novel that he's penned. I hope there will be more to come.
August 4, 2010
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. The plot drew me in despite the desperate need for an editor. I wanted to know what would happen with Agent Legacy, his daughter Chess, and his new partner, Agent Wagner. I look forward to any sequel.
June 5, 2011
Martin Legacy. a damaged man, and FBI agent, tries to pull together an investigation which relies on his skill in placing himself inside the mind of the criminal he is chasing.
A good read, although bleak in places
A good read, although bleak in places
August 22, 2011
I'm still trying to truly figure out how I feel about this book. The subject matter was very dark and I Found myself putting it down for a break. However it was an intriguing book and I can definitely see myself reading the next in the Legacy series.
March 17, 2015
Ransom X was an interesting introduction into the mind of Agent Legacy. At times it was difficult to follow the story. And it is a very dark look into the mind of a genius madman. Overall it was an interesting story.
April 15, 2011
I loved this book and can not wait till the next one comes out. I had to keep asking myself what would happen if I had been put in the victims and the agents situations. Very thought provoking.
May 24, 2011
Great characters, definately looking to read the next in the series. Twists in the story, good pace and made me feel sad and laugh out loud. Great book
May 29, 2011
A very good read.....I would like to read the rest of the series
December 8, 2011
just started reading on page 109. just when I thought it was a waste of time, I inadvertently got caught up with the two main characters. As of this writing I am capitvated.
December 13, 2011
The book was a good read considering it was free. It was a bit all over the place. Which maybe I struggled a bit but over all a pleasant surprise.
December 22, 2011
FREE ON NOOK--GREAT STORY--HAD IT ALL--SEX (A LITTLE GRAPHIC) LOVE (A LITTLE HELD BACK)AND A REALLY GREAT HERO--LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE MARTIN LEGACY BOOKS
June 23, 2013
Really rough reading in the beginning, and it doesn't get much easier to figure out as it goes along.
June 20, 2016
A good read, but i found it hard to follow in parts, glad i kept it
September 12, 2016
Good
the people in the FBI who are trained to find bad people are so evil it takes so much team work.
the people in the FBI who are trained to find bad people are so evil it takes so much team work.
December 3, 2010
Can't decide... I know it was rather warped in the parts of the bad guys. No problem following.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews