Psychological

Kind of a shaky premise, seems implausible to me, but not a bad read. ( )

To many flaws in the story iMO. Some things were just not possible. Common sense missed out on this one. ( )

Daniel Palmer’s STOLEN is a fast-paced, engrossing, and intense suspense thriller. A desperate man and woman reach out for help and make a deal with the devil.

Having read DESPERATE (5/13/14) 5 Stars, wanted to go back and read some of Palmer’s previous books, as I seem to start with newest releases and work my way backward. I devour audiobooks in between reading new ARC releases, and especially when I come across a thriller read by narrator Peter Berkrot (as his voice alone is chilling– swoon).

John Bodine, is an avid mountain climber from Boston, and faces a tough choice after an avalanche sweeps his two companions over a ridge line in Tibet. In order to survive, John must cut one of the ropes, connecting him to his friends, causing one of them to fall to fall to his death.

Now, John and Ruby have a great life, with a thriving business. However, when John learns that his insurance company won’t pay for the expensive treatment his wife needs after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, he has nowhere to turn. He cannot afford the medication without insurance and he cannot watch his wife die.

So, he decides to steal the identity of another man, who does have insurance and files a false claim. He is great with technology as he writes and designs computer games. (he gets this guy’s name from his gaming data base). He lets his wife in on the plan, as she does not like but goes along with it. They even move to another address, rent out their old place, and use their new names in the event they are checked upon. Everything seems to working as planned, and the medication is working UNTIL, the customer contacts John with a shocker.

The Deal with the Devil: If he and Ruby will play along with a game he has devised. If they do so, he will not report them. They have to commit real crimes, and if they fail, it will be deadly. Crazy, right?

The suspense, and danger heats up, leaving you holding your breath, as two desperate people fight to survive, and now connected to a twisted serial killer!

Wow, a powerful suspense, as fell in love with Ruby and John and your heart goes out them, when faced with this challenge to find themselves living in a nightmare.

I am loving Daniel Palmer’s writing, and have already purchased two additional audiobooks, Delirious and Helpless (love his one word strong titles). Please continue using Peter Berkrot, as you guys are a perfect match for a dynamic delivery. Fans of thrillers, and fast-paced action, Daniel is your man!
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John and Ruby Bodine are living the typical American life. John is trying to launch his online game, One World, and Ruby is a struggling college student. John has also finally emerged from a deep depression after an incident that happened during a mountain climb with his buddies. A trip that left one of them dead and the two survivors just learning to cope with what they had to do. Even though John and Ruby struggle to live day to day, their love is the shiny beacon guiding them to what they know their future can be. Then one day, John discovers a strange patch of skin on Ruby’s foot that sets into motion something they never planned on.

Ruby has an aggressive form of cancer and there is only one treatment. Unfortunately the generic version is unavailable and their current insurance won’t cover the name brand. John feels he has only one option, steal the identity of one of his gamers whose insurance will cover the treatment. He finally finds the perfect one, Elliot and Tanya Uretsky. They pack up and leave their life behind and begin to live their new life as the Urtesky’s.

One day John gets the phone call that he could never dream would happen. The caller says, “My name is Elliot Uretsky, and I believe you stole my identity.” Elliot wants to play a game called Criminal and he wants John and Ruby to be the main players. They can continue using his insurance but they have to pass his tests. They start out easy and John and Ruby think that it is all a prank and they decide not to play this fiend’s game. That is when the bodies start to show up, brutally murdered, they know this guy means business. From here till the end is a tale of suspense and terror. The things that Elliot makes this couple do will blow your mind.

Daniel Palmer’s mind is something I would not want to be living in but I am thankful he is able to put it to paper. Even though this couple commits insurance fraud and as the game goes on some pretty devious things, you as a reader start to cheer for them to somehow win and outsmart the devious villain. Every page is a new twist thrown into the plot and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering how far John and Ruby will go. Palmer has really outdone himself in his third novel and has solidified himself among some of the great mystery/thriller writers, in my opinion. I know he isn’t going anywhere and I look forward to what his next project will be.

(ARC was provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review) ( )