Winner of the New Blood Dagger Award, Ryan David Jahn certainly has the gift to begin a suspense novel by setting hearts on edge the second the book is opened.
This novel focuses on Ian Hunt who works as a police dispatcher out of Bulls Mouth, Texas. Ian hasn't had the best life, thus far. His daughter was kidnapped when she was only seven-years-old. Another seven years has gone by and Ian still holds the innate hope that Maggie is still alive out there, even though they recently declared her dead. His ex-wife now has a new life, yet Ian is still buried in his grief.
One evening a call comes in from Maggie. Now fourteen-years-old, she's screaming out for daddy to come save her, yelling that she has escaped but the kidnapper is hot on her heels and she doesn't have much time. Ian can barely breathe as the case is suddenly re-opened and he goes on the hunt to get his daughter back.
The reader is taken through part of the story by Maggie, who has lived years of imprisonment in a concrete walled basement that has another individual living in its depths. The `thing's' name is Borden, and he has a story that no reader will believe. Henry and Beatrice are the couple who have Maggie. Beatrice always says how much she loves her and treats her as if she is her own daughter. Unfortunately, the cell always remains the same.
What these kidnappers don't realize is that Maggie is one strong little girl, and there's no way she'll forget about her very real father who is out there searching. Add in a half-Spanish, half-Apache man by the name of Diego Pena, car chases across lonesome country, gun fights that outdo any that the OK Corral ever saw, and readers have a thrilling book that will definitely keep them on the edge of their seats. A word of warning, this is a very well-written book which means very realistic. Make sure you are `up for' a plot of this nature before getting into the read.
Reviewed by Amy Lignor, author of "Tallent & Lowery - 13" for Suspense Magazine
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