About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


  

BREATHTAKER, THE
by Alice Blanchard
Warner Books, November 2003
391 pages
$24.95
ISBN: 0446531391


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

There are certain parts of the central and midwestern United States that are subject to exceptionally volatile weather. Just as other areas of the country have spring, summer, winter and fall, these sections have tornado season. Watching a tornado is an exciting experience, and there is a cadre of people who track them and chase them. These storm chasers spend hours determining which storms to chase and put themselves in danger while pursuing their quest.

Charlie Grove is the police chief of the small town of Promise, Oklahoma. This part of the country, as well as northern Texas, spawns a lot of storms during tornado season. At times, the stronger storms have caused human deaths in addition to the catastrophic destruction of property. When Charlie checks into the deaths of the Peppers family, he makes a horrifying discovery-they have not been killed by the tornado but by a person who has used the tornado to cover the murders. As Charlie investigates further, he finds other prior deaths which have been attributed to a twister but have actually been homicides, each with its own grisly calling card of a tooth removed and replaced with another person's tooth.

What kind of person would be able to time and track a tornado and cover his tracks in such a way? There are many possible suspects, including Charlie's own father, a man who abused him horribly as a child and set a fire to his home that scarred Charlie for life. Charlie is still emotionally scarred, and he sometimes neglects his own child, Sophie, although he loves her. He's even opened himself up to a new relationship with Dr. Willa Bellman, a tornado-chasing scientist.

The book certainly had its exciting moments, although I found some of the storm-related terminology daunting. There were more red herrings in this book than a fish factory, and the resolution was a bit far-fetched and melodramatic. I felt that the author tried to manipulate the reader emotionally, particularly when describing Charlie being abused as a child, Willa's poverty-stricken childhood and his own benign neglect of his daughter. I just didn't connect with any of the characters, other than possibly Sophie.

DARKNESS PEERING was the first book by Alice Blanchard, and one which I felt was extraordinary with rich characterization, poetic descriptions and a well-developed plot. As a result, I anxiously awaited her sophomore effort, hoping that the ample talent that she demonstrated in the first book would continue to flourish. However, I was disappointed to find that THE BREATHTAKER didn't come close to matching the accomplishments of the earlier book. DARKNESS PEERING was a work that had strong emotional resonance. In BREATHTAKER, Blanchard aims to achieve that but misses, as demonstrated in a revelatory scene about Charlie's youth that should have come to an emotional climax but instead played out curiously flat and unconvincing.

If you're a fan of thrillers, then you should enjoy this book. My disappointment stems from the fact that I expected it to be something more, based on my enjoyment of DARKNESS PEERING.

Reviewed by Maddy Van Hertbruggen, November 2003

This book has more than one review. Click here to show all.

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]