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Tunnel Vision
On her way home one evening, Liza has to force her way through a group of men in a train underpass. She doesn’t think anything of it, but when her mom is shot dead moments later, Liza’s world turns upside down. Even worse, Liza was really the target. Only hours after her mother’s death, Liza is nearly killed again and she and her dad are placed in the witness protection program. Leaving everything she's ever known behind, Liza and her dad pick up and move, never staying in one place for long. It's too big of a risk--and Liza's worst fear is realized when she gets recognized. The would-be killer is still on their trail, so all Liza ad her dad can do is keep running. Unsure whom to trust and where to go, they're just trying to stay alive.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2011
5 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Susan Shaw
57 books27 followersI was born in a log cabin in Illinois - no that wasn't me!
I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up outside of Philadelphia with two parents, along with a wild assortment of brothers and sisters and cats and dogs. I did things like take music lessons and play relievo or baseball in the sideyard with the neighborhood kids. Went to school, which I really hated, but somehow managed to get through anyway. I was smart, but, boy, you couldn't tell it by my grades.
Well, maybe I didn't do my homework, but I read. If it didn't move, I read it. Chances are, I wrote about it, too, in the diary I kept all through my childhood. I've heard that that's called taking notes.
Eventually, despite engaging in various activities called play that periodically involved knocking myself out, I grew up. This much amazed my grandmother who said I lived a charmed life.
After graduating from Radnor High School, I attended Temple University, graduating with a music education degree. During my college years, I met my husband, a young man named John with a cute smile and a wonderful sense of humor. I married him quick before he had a chance to get away. Ah, young love! Since that time, we've had one adventure after another together, raising children, one daughter and two sons, and our love is still young. Despite John's gray hair, he still looks twenty years old to me.
What do I do when I'm not writing? Visit friends, ride my bike, sometimes with John, sometimes not. Hiking. I love to attend plays, too. Some of my recent favorites: Doubt, The Drowsy Chaperone, Eggs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 9, 2012
I'd like to give this a zero, but then it would look like I didn't rate it. I'm generally not this harsh or difficult to please, but this book was horrible. I only finished it because I had to. This book was not realistic at all, and if you argue that it wasn't meant to be, I have a hard time believing it. I enjoy unrealistic story lines like fantasy and science fiction, but this was set up as realistic fiction. First, I'd like to believe that the witness protection program is a bit more effective than depicted in this story. Second, where was the grief a husband and daughter would have felt and displayed over the death of their wife/mother? A one sentence statement here and there that mom was missed hardly makes a plausible explanation. Third, would the people running the witness protection program really permit the media to constantly run pictures of the people they are trying to protect? I could go on, but I won't. I tried to look beyond these figure ground problems, but then I found myself simply bored with the story and the author's writing style.
August 31, 2011
Liza is just trying to get home. All she has to do is walk through the train underpass to meet her mom, but there’s a group of men in her way. They make her uncomfortable, but she decides to suck it up and make her way through. But moments later, everything goes wrong, and her mom is shot. And when Liza learns that she may have been the intended target, she knows nothing will ever be the same again. Still reeling from the tragedy of losing her mother, Liza is reluctant to leave everything behind to enter the witness protection program with her father, even though a new identity in a new place may be her only chance for safety. But even with moving from place to place, Liza knows that her mother’s killer is hot on her trail and that it’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes her and all hell breaks loose. How did she get in this mess in the first place? Liza desperately wants to know why she, of all people, is being forced to run, but in order to find out, she’ll need to stay alive.
Tunnel Vision is a story that is just packed full of questions and non-stop action. Now, I do like a healthy dose of action in my books, to keep me excited about reading, as well as questions to keep me interested, but it’s rather unsatisfying when the book is only about action and questions. Unfortunately, in Tunnel Vision, Shaw’s character and plot development left much to be desired. I found it quite difficult to relate to and care about protagonist Liza; there was something off about her that made her feel not very realistic. The fact that readers really only see her immediately before her mother is shot and in the wake of the tragedy doesn’t help either. I was told that Liza’s life was very different, as having to enter the witness protection programs should be, but I couldn’t see those changes in Liza’s character. My interest in this story was further dulled by a plot that was rather uninteresting, despite the constant atmosphere of danger. Liza and her father just keep moving around, spook at the slightest things, and receive help from possibly corrupt government agents. This would have been forgivable had the ending been particularly spectacular or clever, but sadly, the conclusion to this story was frankly lackluster and anticlimactic.
Though I didn’t find this novel a particularly enjoyable read, Tunnel Vision may still be enjoyed by fans of The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan and Severed Ties by Kevin Krohn.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Tunnel Vision is a story that is just packed full of questions and non-stop action. Now, I do like a healthy dose of action in my books, to keep me excited about reading, as well as questions to keep me interested, but it’s rather unsatisfying when the book is only about action and questions. Unfortunately, in Tunnel Vision, Shaw’s character and plot development left much to be desired. I found it quite difficult to relate to and care about protagonist Liza; there was something off about her that made her feel not very realistic. The fact that readers really only see her immediately before her mother is shot and in the wake of the tragedy doesn’t help either. I was told that Liza’s life was very different, as having to enter the witness protection programs should be, but I couldn’t see those changes in Liza’s character. My interest in this story was further dulled by a plot that was rather uninteresting, despite the constant atmosphere of danger. Liza and her father just keep moving around, spook at the slightest things, and receive help from possibly corrupt government agents. This would have been forgivable had the ending been particularly spectacular or clever, but sadly, the conclusion to this story was frankly lackluster and anticlimactic.
Though I didn’t find this novel a particularly enjoyable read, Tunnel Vision may still be enjoyed by fans of The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan and Severed Ties by Kevin Krohn.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
August 18, 2011
Tunnel Vision was an interesting read. There were some really great things about it, but in the end I found the things I didn't like more overpowering than the good things.
I really disliked Liza. I thought she was super whiny and annoying - she was 16, but acted like a 6 year for about the first half of the book. From there on out, while I was still not a huge fan, she got slightly better. I really liked the characters that played a smaller role like Hanna and Cassie, though I really wish they had been developed more. So many of the characters in this book felt very 2D to me.
I absolutely loved the idea of the premise, but I wish Shaw had done more with it. I felt that the book was simply a flat line instead of expanding into bigger and more exciting things. This book was just full of unbelievable circumstances. I found so much of it hard to believe - I mean, I'm willing to bend reality of bit but so much of it was just too coincidental and there was absolutely no explanation.
I really did enjoy Shaw's writing style. Tunnel Vision was a fast paced read, and I did read it all in the same day. This book came to no conclusion. I finished the book, with absolutely nothing happening. The plot ties hadn't been tied up, nothing like that.
While there were some great things about it, I would recommend picking up Tunnel Vision from the library or borrowing from a friend.
I really disliked Liza. I thought she was super whiny and annoying - she was 16, but acted like a 6 year for about the first half of the book. From there on out, while I was still not a huge fan, she got slightly better. I really liked the characters that played a smaller role like Hanna and Cassie, though I really wish they had been developed more. So many of the characters in this book felt very 2D to me.
I absolutely loved the idea of the premise, but I wish Shaw had done more with it. I felt that the book was simply a flat line instead of expanding into bigger and more exciting things. This book was just full of unbelievable circumstances. I found so much of it hard to believe - I mean, I'm willing to bend reality of bit but so much of it was just too coincidental and there was absolutely no explanation.
I really did enjoy Shaw's writing style. Tunnel Vision was a fast paced read, and I did read it all in the same day. This book came to no conclusion. I finished the book, with absolutely nothing happening. The plot ties hadn't been tied up, nothing like that.
While there were some great things about it, I would recommend picking up Tunnel Vision from the library or borrowing from a friend.
June 23, 2011
I couldn't finish this one though I really tried hard. The dialogue is just weird and doesn't make sense. The main girl is supposed to be 16 but she thinks like she is much younger. I thought for sure that this was supposed to be from the perspective of a kid with Aspergers or somewhere on the Autism spectrum (as her thought process reminded me of the girl from Mockingbird), but no, she was supposedly fully-abled. Then after she describes herself walking over a sidewalk, I thought maybe it was from an animals point of view. At the very least I thought it was a dream sequence. No, she really does talk and think like that. It just didn't ring true and I could not get into it. It was all just weird.
Since this is was an ARC, I can't quote from the story. If you read even the first few pages, you'll see what I am talking about.
Still, it's a short book so if it sounds like something you'd like, read it.
Since this is was an ARC, I can't quote from the story. If you read even the first few pages, you'll see what I am talking about.
Still, it's a short book so if it sounds like something you'd like, read it.
July 30, 2011
This one was a DNF for me. Couldn't get into the story at all. The situations were unbelievable, the protagonist whiny and annoying, and the writing was awkward at times. I tried so hard to make it through the whole story, but I gave up a little over half-way through.
May 30, 2025
2.5 stars
This book just didn’t work for me. The beginning dragged and felt painfully slow. Honestly, I kept wondering why I was still reading. I literally had to force myself to finish so I could return it to the library. It did pick up slightly toward the middle, which is the only reason I’m giving it 2.5 stars instead of 2.
But then the ending completely fell flat. It was abrupt and rushed. Like, that’s how it just ends? After reading so much, I expected a proper conclusion, not something that felt hurried and underdeveloped.
Liza’s character didn’t feel realistic or relatable to me. The plot was hard to believe, the character development was weak, and the writing felt awkward at times.
I don’t want to be too harsh, but this book might put you in a reading slump. I wouldn’t recommend it, and honestly, I’m still frustrated I spent time on it.
This book just didn’t work for me. The beginning dragged and felt painfully slow. Honestly, I kept wondering why I was still reading. I literally had to force myself to finish so I could return it to the library. It did pick up slightly toward the middle, which is the only reason I’m giving it 2.5 stars instead of 2.
But then the ending completely fell flat. It was abrupt and rushed. Like, that’s how it just ends? After reading so much, I expected a proper conclusion, not something that felt hurried and underdeveloped.
Liza’s character didn’t feel realistic or relatable to me. The plot was hard to believe, the character development was weak, and the writing felt awkward at times.
I don’t want to be too harsh, but this book might put you in a reading slump. I wouldn’t recommend it, and honestly, I’m still frustrated I spent time on it.
November 7, 2017
A thrilling and action packed mystrery novel that will keep your eyes glued to the pages. the story follows a young girl and her father on the run from a killer who previously killed her mother. very very very mild gore.
September 24, 2022
DNFing at 58 pages. The writing is kind of strange and I’m struggling to connect with the character. At first I thought she was in shock, but now she keeps jumping back and forth in maturity and her understanding of what’s happening. This one just isn’t for me.
October 21, 2016
2.5 stars. I'm used to my books having a beginning, a middle, and an end. That was not the case here. This book felt like just a beginning. All this buildup that never led anywhere. This book kind of just...wasn't good. I didn't like the plot. I didn't like the characters, except for maybe the dad. And really what else is there? It kind of felt like this book could have really been something, but it wasn't. First of all, I had an issue with the whole premise, the reason they were on the run. A girl witnesses a murder and the murderers want to get rid of her and tie up any loose ends. Fine. That makes sense. Except Liza didn't know that she was witnessing a murder. If no one had come after her, she never would have thought twice about that incident. Now obviously the Core doesn't realize that she didn't know what she saw so they feel they need to go after her. That's at least believable, but it's incredibly frustrating. The second thing I really didn't like about this book was the role the media played. It made me so angry how difficult the media made it for them to disappear. And what made me even angrier was that I don't think the reporters would stop if they knew how much they were putting the lives of Liza and her dad in danger. It would have just made it a bigger story for them. And the people reading those news stories are the same. Knowing the truth would just make everything more exciting for them instead of doing what it should, which is making them want to turn a blind eye to help Liza and her dad stay hidden. It really makes me disgusted with the way our world is and it makes me angry, because I could see it playing out the same way in real life. However, I don't think that absolutely everyone would be following the story closely enough to be able to recognize Liza even with a different hair color which seemed to be the case here. Another thing I didn't like was the ending. If Liza had been kind of enjoying being on the run in spite of herself or getting some sick thrill out of it then an ending like that might have been okay. But the whole entire book all she wants is to go back home. So essentially we're leaving our main character miserable and she will presumably stay that way for the rest of her life while she is on the run. I don't like the characters in this book as I already mentioned. Specifically, I hated the main character which is a big problem for a story to have. She was so whiny and annoying. I get that she just lost her mom, which is a big deal and that she's running for her life, also a big deal, but she just never shuts up. I also didn't like the writing style in this book, especially in the beginning. Liza spends the first few chapters dazed and out of it, which is a very annoying thing to have to read through considering we're in her mind. And it never really goes away as we deal with her flashbacks and paranoia. This is one of those books where it's hard to read every word, because the main character spends so much time rambling. I didn't like this book. I'm glad it's over. I wouldn't recommend it.
Currently reading
December 5, 2011 For Liza there are many problems she has to face. Things seem to get harder for as the days pass. One day as Liza is going home, she decides to take a different way, but finds herself walking through a crowd of older men under a bridge. She hurry's to get home where there her mother is waiting for her. As gets to her house her mother suddenly threw herself on top of Liza without relizing what happen, the only thing she sees is blood and no sound from her mother. Everyone around the two them and still not a clue of what happen. They take her mother away and her and her father are left there with tears in their eyes and speechless. But they do get in some trouble and have to leave everything behind and go into the witness protection program not knowing what was going to happen to them.
Days later her and her father are on going place to place to get away from the gang name The Cope who are after them. Liza is the main person who they want and are after. No matter where they go pictures of her and her father are everywhere woundering where they are and people seem to recognize them which leads them to more running. Everywhere they run to they always seem be run into The Cope. When they finally find a place to settle down, they think there safe till they see one of the members from the gang outside their home. With no time to think they leave and are being chased. No phone, nowhere to go, and scared they don't know what to do but drive to get away.
Setting: Current times, Where ever they go to get away from danger.
Protagonist: Liza is a girl who has to run for her life after she becomes a main target.
She is being chased by dangerous people who want her dead and will not stop till she is.She is a strong person and is very brave for what she has to do. At first she want things her way and is selfish but later finally relizing its not only about her but her father too.
Antagonist: Gary Carmichael is very dangerous and does not like anyone to get in his way or else bad things are to come. I do not like him at all hes all about killing and getting away with it. He brings misery to Liza and her father. Without letting them have a normal life hes after them ti kill Liza.
Conflict:Liza is a girl who is in danger and has to run in order to survive. She She cant live a normal life and and can trust no one. She feels as if if shes never safe and never will be.
Other Characters: Mr.Swense is a man from the witness protection program and is trying to help them. Hanna is a young girl whom she met when she was in Ohio. Mr.Oberman is a man who is helping them while there were in Philadelphia. Cassie is a girl who is two years older then her that lives next to them in Kansas.Seth a boy she met in Sea Isle City who turns out to be Casie's boyfriend.Jellyfish was a boy who she a crush on back home. Mr. Barber was the principal to where she was going to attend home schooling.
Days later her and her father are on going place to place to get away from the gang name The Cope who are after them. Liza is the main person who they want and are after. No matter where they go pictures of her and her father are everywhere woundering where they are and people seem to recognize them which leads them to more running. Everywhere they run to they always seem be run into The Cope. When they finally find a place to settle down, they think there safe till they see one of the members from the gang outside their home. With no time to think they leave and are being chased. No phone, nowhere to go, and scared they don't know what to do but drive to get away.
Setting: Current times, Where ever they go to get away from danger.
Protagonist: Liza is a girl who has to run for her life after she becomes a main target.
She is being chased by dangerous people who want her dead and will not stop till she is.She is a strong person and is very brave for what she has to do. At first she want things her way and is selfish but later finally relizing its not only about her but her father too.
Antagonist: Gary Carmichael is very dangerous and does not like anyone to get in his way or else bad things are to come. I do not like him at all hes all about killing and getting away with it. He brings misery to Liza and her father. Without letting them have a normal life hes after them ti kill Liza.
Conflict:Liza is a girl who is in danger and has to run in order to survive. She She cant live a normal life and and can trust no one. She feels as if if shes never safe and never will be.
Other Characters: Mr.Swense is a man from the witness protection program and is trying to help them. Hanna is a young girl whom she met when she was in Ohio. Mr.Oberman is a man who is helping them while there were in Philadelphia. Cassie is a girl who is two years older then her that lives next to them in Kansas.Seth a boy she met in Sea Isle City who turns out to be Casie's boyfriend.Jellyfish was a boy who she a crush on back home. Mr. Barber was the principal to where she was going to attend home schooling.
January 26, 2014
I should had abandoned this book. But I didn't. I was hoping it will get better, but it didn't.
Road Trip with a bunch of killers and a delusion girl and her dad. They are running for their lives, away from everyone including the FBI.
Doesn't it sound awesome? I thought so too, until I was at the halfway mark of the book. Then I realized how boring and dry this book is. Tunnel Vision may seem promising, but fails to deliver a good and addiction story. I fell asleep for the second half of the book, so don't ask me what happened in that part. I will not remember it, even for my own life. I will make up an awesome plot, involving high speed chasing and all that stuff instead.
It's probably why Tunnel Vision doesn't have a sequel. That's right, it doesn't have a sequel because of how horrible it is. Look at the fellow reviews and take a look if they agree with me. The plot is so mundane and there's no arguments. Well, Liza has arguments in her mind, but that doesn't really count. There's no arguments with her dad. No face-off with the gang, or at least with Liza and the gang (sorry, Dad v. the gang doesn't count. Most of the details of the fight was rather blurry).
What's even crazier is that the gang is going after Liza for a witness to a murder she doesn't even remember. Yes, that's right. A murder she doesn't even remember. How stupid is that? Stab. Stab. That's something you would notice right? But not Liza. She doesn't even remember anything. Someone else had to tell her what exactly was going on.
The villain, or the true villain, never appears. Apparently, there's a boss behind all of this and he never even appeared. Never even appeared. There was no heart to heart talks with the bad guys or anything. I was sorely disappointed in the number of illusions Liza had. Basically everyone is the enemy in her eyes. She's very delusional.
The ending made me slap a hand to my face. I just can't believe that book ended like that. We will continue living and surviving for the rest of our lives, with or without the help of the FBI. Safety matters more. I'm pretty sure that the FBI has to watch over them when they are in witness protection. Send in an agent or something like that. Maybe the FBI gave up on them too, after realizing how off Liza was.
Liza herself was a big yellow warning. I'm not sure why she didn't spend more time mourning, but she was running for her life. Less tears, more running. I guess that's the motto of Tunnel Vision.
Rating: One out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
Road Trip with a bunch of killers and a delusion girl and her dad. They are running for their lives, away from everyone including the FBI.
Doesn't it sound awesome? I thought so too, until I was at the halfway mark of the book. Then I realized how boring and dry this book is. Tunnel Vision may seem promising, but fails to deliver a good and addiction story. I fell asleep for the second half of the book, so don't ask me what happened in that part. I will not remember it, even for my own life. I will make up an awesome plot, involving high speed chasing and all that stuff instead.
It's probably why Tunnel Vision doesn't have a sequel. That's right, it doesn't have a sequel because of how horrible it is. Look at the fellow reviews and take a look if they agree with me. The plot is so mundane and there's no arguments. Well, Liza has arguments in her mind, but that doesn't really count. There's no arguments with her dad. No face-off with the gang, or at least with Liza and the gang (sorry, Dad v. the gang doesn't count. Most of the details of the fight was rather blurry).
What's even crazier is that the gang is going after Liza for a witness to a murder she doesn't even remember. Yes, that's right. A murder she doesn't even remember. How stupid is that? Stab. Stab. That's something you would notice right? But not Liza. She doesn't even remember anything. Someone else had to tell her what exactly was going on.
The villain, or the true villain, never appears. Apparently, there's a boss behind all of this and he never even appeared. Never even appeared. There was no heart to heart talks with the bad guys or anything. I was sorely disappointed in the number of illusions Liza had. Basically everyone is the enemy in her eyes. She's very delusional.
The ending made me slap a hand to my face. I just can't believe that book ended like that. We will continue living and surviving for the rest of our lives, with or without the help of the FBI. Safety matters more. I'm pretty sure that the FBI has to watch over them when they are in witness protection. Send in an agent or something like that. Maybe the FBI gave up on them too, after realizing how off Liza was.
Liza herself was a big yellow warning. I'm not sure why she didn't spend more time mourning, but she was running for her life. Less tears, more running. I guess that's the motto of Tunnel Vision.
Rating: One out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
February 26, 2014
I don’t even know where to start with this book. Honestly, it was a trainwreck. If this hadn’t been my Random Reads book for the month I would have quite reading after the first chapter. Determined to finish, I gritted my teeth and forged on. I knew things weren’t going to get better as the story progressed because my issue was with the writing and the writing alone.
I usually don’t like to talk bad about an author’s writing in particular because I know that it takes A TON of work to write a book and I don’t want to seem like I’m criticizing the person and not the book. In this particular situation however, I really don’t know how to talk about why I didn’t like the book if I don’t talk about the writing.
One of the main lessons in writing is show don’t tell. All this book did was tell. There was no emotion, not once did I see what the character was seeing or feel what they were feeling. Things as simple as sounds were written out; bang, clink, slam. Even emotions were written out like, “Giggle, giggle giggle!” or “Sob, sob, sob!” And everything was always in sets of three like that, which got very irritating after the first dozen or so times.
The “big action” scenes were so anti-climactic, the tension stripped away by telling us to death. For example:
“My arms lashed out against the moving target. Kick, kick, kick! How long could I last? The knife, the knife, the knife! This way, that way, glinting in the sun. Close and closer. Closer- he’s going for my neck! ‘AAAAAAHH!’ I CAN‘T SEE IT! ‘AAAAAAAAAA-’ CUT!”
The main character, Liza, is supposed to be sixteen or seventeen yet she comes across as an immature, whiny, child. Her thought process was so naive and unbelievable for a teenager. Her dad even called her “little one” all the time.
Don’t even get me started on the witness protection program side of things and how utterly unbelievable it all was.
I could go on for awhile pointing out all the things that bothered me, but I think you get the picture of how much I disliked this book.
I usually don’t like to talk bad about an author’s writing in particular because I know that it takes A TON of work to write a book and I don’t want to seem like I’m criticizing the person and not the book. In this particular situation however, I really don’t know how to talk about why I didn’t like the book if I don’t talk about the writing.
One of the main lessons in writing is show don’t tell. All this book did was tell. There was no emotion, not once did I see what the character was seeing or feel what they were feeling. Things as simple as sounds were written out; bang, clink, slam. Even emotions were written out like, “Giggle, giggle giggle!” or “Sob, sob, sob!” And everything was always in sets of three like that, which got very irritating after the first dozen or so times.
The “big action” scenes were so anti-climactic, the tension stripped away by telling us to death. For example:
“My arms lashed out against the moving target. Kick, kick, kick! How long could I last? The knife, the knife, the knife! This way, that way, glinting in the sun. Close and closer. Closer- he’s going for my neck! ‘AAAAAAHH!’ I CAN‘T SEE IT! ‘AAAAAAAAAA-’ CUT!”
The main character, Liza, is supposed to be sixteen or seventeen yet she comes across as an immature, whiny, child. Her thought process was so naive and unbelievable for a teenager. Her dad even called her “little one” all the time.
Don’t even get me started on the witness protection program side of things and how utterly unbelievable it all was.
I could go on for awhile pointing out all the things that bothered me, but I think you get the picture of how much I disliked this book.
February 23, 2012
Well, where should I start? The beginning of the book was very strange and I couldn’t really get into it. I nevertheless read on hoping for it to get better. But even though it got slightly better it didn’t really arrest my attention. It was just to odd for me. The names alone were really special. I mean who names a boy Jellyfish? I found that very odd and didn’t think of anything other than the animal when I read his name. So that was just one of my problems. Liza, the main character, got on my nerves often as well, because she often stammered incoherent words and I didn’t find her a bit convincing. I mean her mom was murdered and her murderer is after them and she just wants to go home? I would have expected this from a little child, but not from a 16 year-old girl. Furthermore, the plot was very weak. They always had to escape, which of course was realistic, but after one move you just knew the scheme. They arrive, soon they see the murderer of her mom, the pack, they escape and hide somewhere else. Well, and I didn’t like the end, because it really didn’t say anything and left me really unconvinced. I also didn’t like the sudden outbursts of Liza’s dad, when he thought he didn’t need the FBI. How could he do that? They were in great danger and he thinks he can deal with this on his own? Oh, well. But besides these negative points, I really liked the “normal” moments. Even though Liza was very naive, I thought it was cute that her and her dad trank tea in memorization of her dead mother. I just had hoped there was more about the witness-protection program and a more detailed explanation of why her mother was murdered and Liza and her dad had to escape. So, it wasn’t really my piece of cake, because it was just too unconvincing for my taste.
August 22, 2011
If you ever wondered whats it like to be suddenly put under the Witness Protection Program, look no further than this book. This book amazed me from start to finish. Why? It has great technique in the writing style that you felt like you were on the run. My heart raced as I read this book. I felt emotions, just like the character. And even after finished reading the book, I think I might change my appearance! LOL
What I liked most about this book is the writing style. Ms. Shaw did an absolutely great job in hooking the reader from the very first line. What's even better is that she kept me on my toes, thinking to ever bit that I had read,"What did this girl witness?" Even as the reader, you are left clueless as to what she saw. The main character, Liza, is pulled from the life she knows and into a life of running. She must drop everything. School, friends, relatives, phones, her appearance down to what she orders to eat, had to be change.
I loved the mystery of this book. As I continued to read, I thought I be able to crack what really happen. Liza herself, didn't even know what she saw till it came together in the end. I was in shock and thought, Wow. Such a small incident, in which she didn't even realize what is going on, change her entire life.
You need to read this book. I can't express enough how much I looked over my shoulder and even had to takes breaks. My heart broke for Liza. So much change, in so little time. Amazing writing, amazing characters and one heck of a story line, Tunnel Vision is my favorite book this year. I have never been so taken back and surprised by a book. Simply fantastic!
What I liked most about this book is the writing style. Ms. Shaw did an absolutely great job in hooking the reader from the very first line. What's even better is that she kept me on my toes, thinking to ever bit that I had read,"What did this girl witness?" Even as the reader, you are left clueless as to what she saw. The main character, Liza, is pulled from the life she knows and into a life of running. She must drop everything. School, friends, relatives, phones, her appearance down to what she orders to eat, had to be change.
I loved the mystery of this book. As I continued to read, I thought I be able to crack what really happen. Liza herself, didn't even know what she saw till it came together in the end. I was in shock and thought, Wow. Such a small incident, in which she didn't even realize what is going on, change her entire life.
You need to read this book. I can't express enough how much I looked over my shoulder and even had to takes breaks. My heart broke for Liza. So much change, in so little time. Amazing writing, amazing characters and one heck of a story line, Tunnel Vision is my favorite book this year. I have never been so taken back and surprised by a book. Simply fantastic!
September 13, 2011
From ReadingWithMo: http://www.readingwithmo.com/2011/08/...
What would you do if someone you loved was horribly murdered right in front of you? Liza is forced to go into hiding with her father after her mother is shot outside of their home. How can she possibly deal with her loss while becoming someone new in a witness protection program? Father and daughter search for a way to exist while living in mortal danger each day.
The first section of this novel deals with Liza's loss of her mother. It is very emotional. I found myself with tears in my eyes at several points. The situation she finds herself in is so horrible, yet so plausible, that it easy to walk in her shoes and feel her pain.
The middle of the book focuses on Liza and her father moving around to avoid the bad guys. It was, honestly, a bit boring. After such an emotional start to the book, I expected things to move along at a quick pace, but they did not. I stuck with it, though, thinking that the plot was building to a big finale, or at least some more action. But I was wrong.
The climax never happens in the novel. I really dislike novels that end with no resolution. It can be negative or positive, but I need resolution. Otherwise, what is the point? That is exactly how I felt at the end of this book. I was asking myself, why would someone write a book that goes nowhere?
I give this one a three out of five. The beginning was really good, but after that, there just was not much there.
What would you do if someone you loved was horribly murdered right in front of you? Liza is forced to go into hiding with her father after her mother is shot outside of their home. How can she possibly deal with her loss while becoming someone new in a witness protection program? Father and daughter search for a way to exist while living in mortal danger each day.
The first section of this novel deals with Liza's loss of her mother. It is very emotional. I found myself with tears in my eyes at several points. The situation she finds herself in is so horrible, yet so plausible, that it easy to walk in her shoes and feel her pain.
The middle of the book focuses on Liza and her father moving around to avoid the bad guys. It was, honestly, a bit boring. After such an emotional start to the book, I expected things to move along at a quick pace, but they did not. I stuck with it, though, thinking that the plot was building to a big finale, or at least some more action. But I was wrong.
The climax never happens in the novel. I really dislike novels that end with no resolution. It can be negative or positive, but I need resolution. Otherwise, what is the point? That is exactly how I felt at the end of this book. I was asking myself, why would someone write a book that goes nowhere?
I give this one a three out of five. The beginning was really good, but after that, there just was not much there.
August 14, 2011
This book held my attention. I hated when I had to stop. You know how it is, someone has to fix dinner. I felt so sorry for the main character in this story. Her whole life and that of her father’s had been turned upside down. I just couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be on the run and know you couldn’t trust anyone. I wondered how they were constantly found by the bad guys. Part of it is explained but part of it leaves you hanging. However, that would be the way it would really happen if you were in the witness protection program. You wouldn’t know how the bad guys found you most of the time, especially if you managed to escape to live another day. This was a great book and one I definitely want to have on my shelves at school. This is one I’ll recommend to my students. The actions just keeps building to the point you can’t put it down and it becomes a very quick read. I look forward to reading more by this author.
November 25, 2011
I rather enjoyed Tunnel Vision.
The whole idea was rather unbelievable, but it's a fiction YA novel, so I didn't really care.
Other reviewers mentioned that Liza was immature. Well, her mother had just been murdered, so I suppose I gave her some leeway on that.
I did enjoy the other young, female friends Liza meets.
While Liza and her father spook at any little thing, I found I was just as skeptical and mistrusting of others and of situations. If someone's trying to murder you, I imagine common sense goes out the window.
I also enjoyed the ending. It was a bit open-ended, and could possibly leave way to another book. But, it was also an adequate ending. I absolutely did not want a happyish they found the killer and Liza and her father go back to Pennsylvania and she gets to date Jelly and Dad gets remarried, and so on.
The book wasn't 5 stars, but I enjoyed it enough to give it 4.
The whole idea was rather unbelievable, but it's a fiction YA novel, so I didn't really care.
Other reviewers mentioned that Liza was immature. Well, her mother had just been murdered, so I suppose I gave her some leeway on that.
I did enjoy the other young, female friends Liza meets.
While Liza and her father spook at any little thing, I found I was just as skeptical and mistrusting of others and of situations. If someone's trying to murder you, I imagine common sense goes out the window.
I also enjoyed the ending. It was a bit open-ended, and could possibly leave way to another book. But, it was also an adequate ending. I absolutely did not want a happyish they found the killer and Liza and her father go back to Pennsylvania and she gets to date Jelly and Dad gets remarried, and so on.
The book wasn't 5 stars, but I enjoyed it enough to give it 4.
July 28, 2011
Contrary to the poor star rating, I have a lot of good things to say about this book. The author is a solid writer. The story had a good start but seemed weak to me. There was some rambling that could have been taken out but it looked like the story was going someplace. The reader is introduced to characters that hold promise of either an interesting relationship or some twist of fate. Instead, it evaporates. Actually, my problem with the book was the weakness of believability.
On the other hand, I'd gladly give this book to my 13 year old daughter to read. There is absolutely nothing so offensive I'd think twice. Except maybe the violence which isn't detailed and I might just be a product of a childhood based on Starsky and Hutch with some Columbo crossed with Fantasy Island and Love Boat.
Clean read.
On the other hand, I'd gladly give this book to my 13 year old daughter to read. There is absolutely nothing so offensive I'd think twice. Except maybe the violence which isn't detailed and I might just be a product of a childhood based on Starsky and Hutch with some Columbo crossed with Fantasy Island and Love Boat.
Clean read.
June 18, 2013
Just an ordinary day. Liza is on her way home. When she gets to the tunnel, there are a few men standing in there. She has to force her way through them but doesn't think much about it. On the other side of the tunnel, Liza sees her mother in the yard and she is coming towards her. What is going on? Her mother shouts something and tackles Liza. What the heck? Why is mom acting so strange? What was she yelling about? And why isn't she getting up? When Liza finally looks at her mother, she realizes that she has been shot. Only hours after her death, another attempt is made on Liza's life. Who could want her dead? She's nobody. But now she and her father are put into witness protection and made to leave immediately. They have new names and new lives. But that doesn't mean Liza is safe.
August 2, 2013
I flew through this in a day and a half, but I'm not sure if it was because it was actually a good book, or if it was just because it was such an easy read. I felt like it flowed well enough, but towards the end, it lacked imagination. The conversations with her dad in the last quarter of the book dragged on longer than they should have and amounted to virtually nothing. Cream of wheat? Really?
Overall, I wasn't COMPLETELY disappointed, however I was hoping for a more intelligent plot. I still can't decide if it has earned a spot upon my book shelf, or if I'm going to trade it in for store credit at my favorite bookstore. It had a lot of potential, and I think that's why when I reached the end, I felt let down. It was as if the author had this grand idea, and just didn't live up to it. Bummer.
Overall, I wasn't COMPLETELY disappointed, however I was hoping for a more intelligent plot. I still can't decide if it has earned a spot upon my book shelf, or if I'm going to trade it in for store credit at my favorite bookstore. It had a lot of potential, and I think that's why when I reached the end, I felt let down. It was as if the author had this grand idea, and just didn't live up to it. Bummer.
June 19, 2011
After pushing her way through a group of older men while walking beneath a train underpass, Liza suddenly hears gunshots and turns to see her mother shot. Because it seems as though the bullet was actually meant for Liza, she gets sent into the witness protection program with her dad. They try and deal with the death of Liza’s mother, while getting moved around from one small town to the next. Just when Liza has made a friend, she must depart without even saying goodbye. While the premise is interesting, many of the actions taken by both Liza and her dad are unbelievable and their choppy dialogue often sounds unrealistic. Still, the plot moves quickly in this light read that may be enjoyed by those who have had to pick up and move to a new town.
October 8, 2011
Liza is walking home, going through the underpass which is crowded with drunk, rowdy transient types. She politely makes her way through to her home which is just on the other side. Her mom is waiting there for her, but the next thing Liza knows her mom has fallen on her and pushed her into the bushes. She has been shot and apparently Liza is the next target. She and her dad end up in the witness protection program and on the run from some desperate men.
I could not turn pages fast enough; I was totally caught up in the action. However, it seemed like they never really went through the grieving process - but maybe that was because they were too busy running...
I could not turn pages fast enough; I was totally caught up in the action. However, it seemed like they never really went through the grieving process - but maybe that was because they were too busy running...
September 14, 2016
In the beginning of this novel i felt like i was reading from the perspective of a five year old, not someone who was sixteen. Maybe thats how a teen would act going through a tragedy like that or that's just how teens are but i can't for the life of me believe I was like that at all when I was sixteen. I feel like five year olds would even be more mature. It did get better but then the ending was terrible and felt incomplete. This would have been a good book but the writing was terribly awkward and Liza was so annoying ugh. I could not get absorbed into the story and kept rolling my eyes at everything going on in her head.
December 11, 2011
A quick-moving narrative keeps this book interesting all the way through. The book opens with Liza, the protagonist, witnessing her mother's death - her mom is shot as Liza is stumbling toward her after an encounter with some creepy men. From there, Liza and her father must go in to witness protection - though no one is certain what exactly Liza has seen. The story, while not complex, is told with a lot of really interesting detail about what would be frightening if you were 'on the run' - everyone seems suspicious and trusting anyone seems risky.
July 23, 2017
I kind of wanted to give this one a zero. I really did. But that would mean I need to create a whole new tag for it and it wasn’t really even worth that. This book is probably one of the worst I’ve read in a long time. I really don’t want that to sound as mean as it does, but honestly, it’s kind of the truth....
Read the rest of the review here on Caffeine and Composition.
Read the rest of the review here on Caffeine and Composition.
September 14, 2014
Tunnel Vision is about a girl named Liza and her dad and their travels running away from society. Liza's mom was tragically killed by gunshot with Liza standing right there. A little while after Liza life is in jeopardy when there is another attempt on her life. Now her and her dad are sent into the witness protection program unsure of what to except and who to trust. Their goal is to just stay alive.
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April 14, 2015I love action so this sort of fits that category. The book was great yet in a way it was confusing. I felt like to many things were going on at once. What would have been nice is if they would of given the book a closure. What the characters mostly did was just run never really did much other than live with fear. Maybe it is just me but the book could have been much better if the characters would have been more brave then they were.
September 3, 2015
A piece of junk from the very start. The author spent too much time detailing how Liza couldn't get pass some men in a tunnel, and then too much time on her tripping and falling and trying to get up. Ugh!
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July 27, 2011review coming
September 12, 2011
Smart thriller, I enjoyed it.
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