| Product: |
Gone - Lisa Gardner |
| Date: |
07/05/08 (62 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Great story, and a return of my favourite characters
Disadvantages: Rainie has been weakened slightly
Approximately 3 years ago, my sister introduced me to Lisa Gardner by accident. She picked up her book "The Killing Hour" in our local £ shop. I couldn't get into it immediately, and it took me 3 or 4 attempts to read it. By the time I'd put it down, having soaked in every word, I was determined to read more of her material. Going back to the beginning, I read the rest of her published works in the space of 4 weeks.
I am not really that enamoured by authors who have a continuing thread of characters running through their books for exactly the same reason as I've stopped watching long running drama on tv. It takes too much investment, as opposed to a one off book where you finish it and the characters are done. But with Rainie and Pierce Quincy, I've found myself drawn into their world. Therefore I was thrilled when I saw that after The Killing Hour, this book would incorporate Gardner's most popular characters once again.
The book re-establishes the main characters, as we find that their marriage has hit the rocks after Rainie hits the bottle. Recognising that she's on the road to destruction, Quincy has no alternative but to leave her, hoping it'll shake her into sobriety. One wild wintery night though, Rainie is kidnapped from the side of the road by a man who initially presents his agenda as a financial one. Each of his ransom notes come with the name of famous kidnappers from the past, leaving the local police force bewildered. However, the police force bungle the rescue by trying to outmanouvre the kidnapper, much to Quincy's fury.
Quincy calls once again on daughter Kimberley and her partner Mac to head up a seperate investigation, and soon link the kidnapping to another crime that Rainie was once involved in trying to solve. As Rainie and a young boy are held captive, the race is on to rescue them both before the kidnapper's increasingly bewildering agenda changes once again.
Its great to see the Quincy's brought together once again, giving you a feeling of familiarity that lends a sense of catching up with daring friends. Kimberley is as gutsy as ever, whilst Quincy remains determined to save his wife in more ways than one. Rainie has less to do in this tale, but leaves you no less routing for her. Part of the authenticity Gardner brings to the characters is built on back story, and whilst there is little room for development in them this time round, it really is like a reunion of sorts. Gardner also brings to the fold a couple of new characters with Kincaid being the most notable of them.
The biggest plus to Lisa Gardner's books is her acknowledgement of past books, once again drawing the reader into that familiarity that bringing past characters back achieves. You cant have these characters, and not at least acknowledge what makes them the people that they are. Her characterization is brilliant, and you just know that every character is behaving exactly as a real person would in those circumstances.
Lisa is an adept writer, weaving brilliant stories around characters that you care about, and as the book draws to its twisted finale, you cant help but want more. Rainie, Kimberley and Pierce have now encountered the dark side of humanity across five books, but there's plenty of life left in them yet. Lisa Gardner has now introduced us to another new character Bobby Dodge in another new thread that she is running, and I'm just hoping that Dodge gets to meet up with Pierce Quincy one of these days for an adventure that will tie her characters together. Who knows, but one can hope.
Summary: A thrilling thriller with a superb story and a return of Gardner's best characters
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