Category Archives: Abduction

2014, Abduction, Action Film, Action Hero, Alcoholism, CIA, Clever Plot, Computer geeks, Conspiracy, DO NOT MISS, Father-son relations, FBI, Flirting, Love Story, Medical Theme, Motorcycles, Revenge, Spy Theme, Suspense, Torture, Violent

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

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From Netflix:

CIA analyst Jack Ryan tries to thwart a terrorist plot to bring down the U.S. economy in this action-thriller helmed by Kenneth Branagh. Chris Pine plays the title character alongside an all-star cast that includes Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley.

Although films consisting of spies + CIA + terrorists + international plots + action heroes + car chases + FBI + “you name it” may seem to be all more or less the same, still some writers manage to make a particular film exciting and somehow a little different. Undoubtedly the star cast which includes Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh helps make this film worth seeing.

Romance between Chris Pine (as Jack Ryan) and Keira Knightley (as Doctor Cathy Muller) is clever and well done.

Needless to say, if our side of the effort does not win, then our world will end in some horrible disaster and major financial depression.

And of course Jack Ryan is a super hero endowed with amazing physical powers of survival. After all, do YOU have a doctorate in complex finance? Can YOU run and catch a moving delivery van? Are you able to physically fight commando style? Are YOU a computer wiz? If not, what is the matter with YOU?

In my case all I can do is watch the fun. All it takes is a really evil bad guy and I am hooked into the plot till the end. Kenneth Branagh excels at being that really nasty villain. He does it with such a straight face. Are Russians really that mean?

Despite the fact that there are an awful lot of clever CIA-like devices and surprises that get our hero out of many jams, if you like this action genre, then DO NOT MISS!

2013, Abduction, Book Review, Costa Rica, Crime thriller, Deep Sea Diving, Detective, Prostitutes, Psychiatrists, Psychological Thriller, Religious Theme, Revenge, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Stalker, Suspense, Thriller, Torture, Well developed plot

9 Killer Thrillers (2013) [Book Review]

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From Amazon I downloaded this collection of 9 Complete Thriller Novels onto my kindle for only 99 cents. At the beginning of the book there is a section “Blurbs” which gives a short sense of each story. Here is a brief summary of the 9 books contained therein:

The Halo Effect by M.J. Rose
Detective Noah Jordain seeks the help of a psychiatrist Morgan Snow whose clients are prostitutes. Noah is confronted with a serial killer who targets prostitutes. In particular the story concentrates on one such client of Dr. Snow named Cleo Thane who disappears while the murders are happening. Using somewhat questionable methods, Morgan Snow investigates on her own the disappearance of Cleo Thane. Much of the story involves Morgan’s inner musings on her life and her clients. M.J. Rose has written many books.
Vigilante by Claude Bouchard
My first impression was “This is amateurish and too simple”. But the end of the seemingly ordinary story knocked me for a loop because only until almost the last word (literally) do we learn who the VIGILANTE really is. Never have I been so cleverly misled. You are hereby challenged to see if you can guess what is really happening in the story. Upon finishing I had to re-read parts to see where I had gone so wrong. Claude Bouchard has written many books, including a collection called the Vigilante Series.
The Devil’s Deep by Michael Wallace
Costa Rica figures heavily in this thriller. Someone is doing evil things to patients and staff at Riverwood Care Center. Some of those patients are profoundly retarded, some trapped inside a frozen body. Wes, brother of one of the retarded patients, and Rebecca, a caretaker, are the heroes in this tale involving deep sea diving, murder, and family conspiracy. At least one surprising revelation awaits the reader. Not great literature but a page-turner nonetheless. Michael Wallace has written many thrillers.
Traces of Kara by Melissa Foster
YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS SOMEWHAT TEDIOUS STORY. Rather than being a who-done-it, this suspense novel centers on a psychotic killer who is searching for his long-lost sister Marissa so that he can kill himself and the sister at the same time in order “to be together forever”. Other characters, notably Kara Knight and her mother Mimi and Sergeant Mark Agnew, eventually relate to the killer’s mad scheme. But how they relate is what you have to discover.

The 19th Element by John L. Betcher
Tom Clancy would love this story which is chuck full of all kinds of technical data which I skipped over without doing any damage to my enjoyment of the story. Basically Beck (a former undercover agent, now financially independent but cleverly disguised as a lawyer) gets wind of a terrorist plot to nuke a large area in the USA. He has trouble getting anyone else to believe him. One pleasant feature of the story is the constant sarcastic banter between Beck and his friends.
Big Lake by Nick Russell
When an armored car hijacking leaves two men dead, Arizona Sheriff Jim Weber takes the crime personally, because one of the dead men is his brother-in-law. His hunt for the killers leads him into a world of sordid sex, deceit, and violence, with a suspect list that includes jilted women, a family of anti-government survivalists, and the beautiful wife of the richest man in town. Nick Russell can produce enough action to keep me turning pages. Part of the appeal of the story is the small-town feeling and all the eccentric characters therein. Sheriff Jim Weber comes across as a solid lawman with an eye for the ladies and a tendency to violence when he is really angry. His bromance with special FBI agent Larry Parks offers a lot of amusing repartee. When the killer was revealed, I was surprised that I had never suspected the guilty party.
Before Her Eyes – Rebecca Forster
In a remote mountain community, the execution of a grocer and the abduction of a word-renowned model leave the local sheriff searching for a connection, two killers, and a woman running for her life. While Dove Connelly sets his investigation in motion, Tessa Bradley escapes her captors only to find greater peril ahead. As her life passes before her eyes, Tessa struggles to stay alive, prays for rescue, and fights for her soul’s salvation. One almost disconcerting feature of the writing is that Tessa’s ruminations, which are scattered everywhere, just start suddenly so that at times I wondered if I had skipped a page.
Corpus Christi by Luke Romyn
blah blah
2013, Abduction, Acceptable Trash, Action Film, Action Hero, Addiction, B-movie, Boxing, Bullying, Car Chase, Crude Talk, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Gangs, Mayhem, Mixed Martial Arts, Motorcycles, Revenge, Sad small town, School Teacher, Suspense, Violent, Vulgar

Homefront (2013)

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From Netflix:

When ex-DEA agent Phil Broker is widowed, he moves with his 10-year-old daughter to a small town in pursuit of a quiet life, but he finds his dream destroyed by a murderous drug trafficker, Gator, and his gang of meth-making thugs.

Once again you have already seen this film with many other names. Jason Statham films are all more or less the same: really nasty bad people trying to kill really good (albeit a bit violent) people like our hero Jason and his 10-year old daughter.

Laugh all you want: I was once again glued to my seat. Does Jason Statham use a double? He sure can fist fight and shoot guns and do kick boxing and do somersaults and withstand water boarding (which according to President Cheney is NOT torture). What a hero!

There has to be a reason what these films are so popular. Putting snobbery aside, they are CONSISTENT. Story line manages to insert human interest, acting is reasonably good, car chases well filmed. Plant a radish, get a radish. You know what you are getting when you invest precious time in a Jason Statham film.

One of my many guilty pleasures.

2013, Abduction, Action Film, Based on true facts, DO NOT MISS, Greed, Kidnapping, Military, Navy, Sea Rescue, Somail, Suspense, Violent

Captain Phillips (2013)

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From Netflix:

In this exciting adventure based on true events that made international headlines, Tom Hanks portrays Capt. Richard Phillips, who is taken hostage by Somali pirates after they hijack his cargo ship, and the U.S. Navy’s efforts to rescue him.

After watching “Gravity” I knew I never wanted to be an astronaut. After watching “Captain Phillips” I am not sure I will ever get on a boat again. Do pirates seize ferries?

If you can’t stand unrelenting tension, danger, suspense, and excitement, then do not watch this film. It never lets up. Every second is somehow a new development without there being any repetition.

Acting is superb on all parts. All the pirates are played by Somali actors who present their parts to perfection: naïve greed, bravado, fear, panic, desperation, anger, and the list goes on. Tom Hanks comes across as truly human, crafty at first but finally after almost being shot a man in shock.

While portrayed as villains, the Somali men are also presented as not only greedy, but also as desperately poor and underfed men forced by warlords into piracy.

Historical accuracy has been questioned and you should read that discussion in the Wikipedia article on the subject.

You cannot help but feel pride as you watch our US Navy come to the rescue. But no, I don’t think I want to be a Navy seal.

“Captain Phillips” is a page-turner of a film. If you can stand the suspense then DO NOT MISS and hold onto your seats!

2014, Abduction, Alcoholism, Child Molestation, Conspiracy, Corruption, Creepy, Crude Talk, Detective, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Dysfunctional Lives, Explicit sex, FBI, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Philosophic Discussions, Physical child abuse, Police Corruption, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense, TV Series, Violent

True Detective (2014)

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From Netflix:

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star in this crime drama about two detectives caught up in the 17-year-long hunt for a serial killer. Both cops’ roles in a 1995 murder investigation come back to haunt them when the case is reopened.

Because the DVDs are not yet available and because there was so much interest in this 8-episode series, I weakened and subscribed to HBO so that I could stream all 8 episodes without waiting. For $10 a month for one year, the money was well spent. HBO (and no, I am not getting a selling commission) offers not only streaming on HBOGO but also at least 14 channels on cable TV.

Besides a really gory serial killer and some pretty serious pedophilia, mostly the entire series concentrates on the two detectives. McConaughey and Harrelson have both matured in their acting as they present the two detectives constantly at each other’s throat. Harrelson is a flawed adulterer much to the unhappiness of his long-suffering wife. McConaughy is a moody philosophical pessimistic loner suffering throughout the film from the death of his young daughter and the subsequent failure of his marriage.

Wikepedia offers a very detailed discussion of the film including the plot for each episode. But that would be cheating!

“True Detective” is one of those crime series that can easily suck you into watching all episodes non-stop. But if this is your genre, then DO NOT MISS!

2013, Abduction, Action Film, Action Hero, Chase film, Clever Plot, Could Be Hard To Watch, Creepy, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Kidnapping, Prison, Sadism, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller, Violent

The Prey (2013)

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From Netflix:

This thriller follows the ups and downs of thief Franck Adrien, who’s serving prison time for a job whose proceeds he’s safely stashed away. But when the hidden loot and his family are compromised, Franck has no choice but to bust out early.

When you start to watch this film you get a choice of the original French version or the Americanized (i.e. dubbed) version. In addition with the English version you can select subtitles.

Brace yourselves because this is a very exciting, tense, well-done and violent French film. According to IMDB Albert Dupontel (the prison escapee Franck Adrien) has an impressive acting resumé. What does strain credibility is the actor’s superman ability to run, fight, leap from tall heights, recover from wounds and escape the police over and over. But then American movies are full of unbelievable superheroes.

In some sense the real star of the film is Stéphane Debac who plays Jean-Louis Maurel, a really creepy, clever, manipulative, charming serial killer of young girls. He kidnaps Franck Adrien’s little girl. Originally Franck escaped prison because he thought his $2 million stash was in danger. But most of the film concerns his efforts to rescue his daughter.

Suspense lasts till the last moment. If you like a really tight, tense plot then DO NOT MISS!

2010, Abduction, Acceptable Science, Asperger's Syndrome, Book Review, Crime, Forensics, Gritty, Interest in dogs, Medical Theme, Murder Investigation, Not Recommended, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Sadism, Serial Killer, Suspense, Torture, Violent

Port Mortuary (2010) [Book Review]

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From the Amazon page for the book:

Cornwell returns to form—somewhat—after the plodding Scarpetta Factor (2009). Told in the first person, the story finds Kay Scarpetta, now the chief medical examiner of the new Cambridge Forensic Center in Massachusetts, involved in a couple of cases: the mysterious sudden death of a man and the murder of a child (whose confessed killer seems to be innocent). Soon she begins to suspect the two cases are related—joined by a piece of high-tech hardware found in the first victim’s apartment—and before too long, she realizes she’s facing what could be her most clever foe yet. For the first time in a while, Cornwell seems genuinely interested in Scarpetta again, giving the novel that spark of life that has made the series so enjoyable for its many fans. The book is still a long way from the glory days of Postmortem (1991) and From Potter’s Field (1995), but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Series fans who have felt a bit let down of late will be pleased.

Unfortunately this was the first Scarpetta novel I ever read as well as the first Patricia Cornwell I ever read. In the paragraph above there are recommendations for other Scarpetta novels that the critic deemed better.

My first impression is that Cornwell is a female version of a transmigrated Tom Clancey. No detail seems too small to include. If you like technical discussions you will love Cornwell.

As hinted in the critic’s paragraph above, she seems “interested” in Scarpetta. My general impression is that she ruminates constantly about Scarpetta’s inner worries. Scarpetta seems to spend her time fretting over her relationship with her husband, with her colleagues, with her subordinates, etc. In fact there is more navel contemplation than action. One oddity is that we never meet one of the most important personalities in the story although I will not offer a spoiler.

Her introduction to the book claims that every technical detail in the book is already true or is currently under government or industry development. If this is true, then the future looks rather bleak.

Although the plot is inventive and offers surprises, you might do better to start with another Scarpetta novel by Patricia Cornwell.

1995, Abduction, Black humor, Book Review, Crime, Gangs, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Mediocre, Nothing special, Rape, Sex Scenes, Sports, Vulgar, Witty dialog

Deal Breaker (1995) [Book Review]

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From Wikipedia:

Harlan Coben (born January 4, 1962) is an American author of mystery novels and thrillers. The plots of his novels often involve the resurfacing of unresolved or misinterpreted events in the past (such as murders, fatal accidents, etc.) and often have multiple plot twists. Both series of Coben’s books are set in and around New York and New Jersey, and some of the supporting characters in the two series have appeared in both.

If you are looking for wisecracks and funny repartee, go no farther. If you are looking for something a bit more serious, well-crafted, and original then look elsewhere. This lightweight book is the first of the Myron Bolitar series and is a fun read but nothing special.

Myron Bolitar is a former athlete and current sports agent. One of his clients, a football player named Christian, becomes associated with the disappearance of Christian’s girlfriend. In order to save Christian’s career (and his own commissions) Myron investigates the crime with the help of his very eccentric and somewhat unscrupulous quasi-partner Win.

Expect to encounter murder, pornography, gangsters, sex scenes, adultery, and more. In other words, expect to find what you usually find in somewhat mediocre crime novels.

2013, Abduction, Car Chase, Clever Plot, Could Be Hard To Watch, Creepy, Detective, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense, Torture, Violent, Wonderful acting

Prisoners (2013)

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From Netflix:

When his 6-year-old daughter is abducted and the investigation stalls, carpenter Keller Dover tracks down the culprit himself. But his vigilante action pits him against the case’s lead detective and puts his own sanity at risk.

Hugh Jackman plays the father who becomes violently involved in the investigation. In this respect this role is somewhat of a departure for Jackman since his character’s behavior is so far over the line that he is almost a villain. But still the plot is clever enough that for almost the entire film you are not really sure Jackman is on the right track or just plain unhinged.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Lokki plays the calm, deliberate contrast to Jackman. Gyllenhaal’s job is complicated because he is both trying to find the kidnapped girls as well as keeping a suspicious eye on Jackman.

WARNING: Be prepared for violence, psychotic behavior, and torture.

Also expect some plot surprises. It takes the entire 153 minutes for answers to arrive. Finally I would enjoy hearing your reaction to the very end of the film, whose style is becoming more and more “trendy” and which has always made me chuckle.

Read the warning label and then DO NOT MISS!

1996, Abduction, Based on true facts, Bicycles, Book Review, British, Complicated, Conspiracy, Cynical, Daniel Silva, Ethical struggles, Flirting, Gangs, Gay theme, Gritty, International thriler, Love Story, Physical child abuse, Political Suspense, Sea Rescue, Sex Scenes, Small British village, Spy Theme, Suspense, Thriller, Violent, War, WWII

The Unlikely Spy (1996) [Book Review]

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Book Description:

In wartime,” Winston Churchill wrote, “truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.” For Britain’s counterintelligence operations, this meant finding the unlikeliest agent imaginable-a history professor named Alfred Vicary, handpicked by Churchill himself to expose a highly dangerous, but unknown, traitor. The Nazis, however, have also chosen an unlikely agent: Catherine Blake, a beautiful widow of a war hero, a hospital volunteer-and a Nazi spy under direct orders from Hitler to uncover the Allied plans for D-Day…

Daniel Silva was a journalist and TV producer before he began his first novel “The Unlikely Spy” in 1994. This book was such a success that Silva left CNN in 1997 to pursue writing full-time. One of his more known series of books are those featuring the character Gabriel Allon.

Although Silva was born and raised in the U.S.A. (he was raised Catholic and converted to Judaism as an adult), in reading this novel you would swear he was British. We had just returned from visiting our daughter in London and it was an extra pleasure recognizing all the London streets, parks, and subway stops that figure in the plot.

Once you get used to the 20 or so characters that stay continually in the plot you may find this WW II spy novel a real page-turner. Besides the usual cloak and dagger details, the novel is saved from dryness by romances, personal ruminations, political one-upmanship, historical tidbits, and an essential focal point: an effort to prevent Berlin from knowing exactly where the allied invasion will be, i.e. Normandy.

Finally I stayed up late reading for three hours just to see how the final great chase after the clever Nazi spies ended.