Title: 15 Seconds
Author: Andrew Gross
Review: What separates a thriller from regular fiction is pacing. The book has to give you the feel of sitting on a roller coaster, short breaks in the action followed by extended breathless moments. Andrew Gross has accomplished this expertly with 15 seconds.
The plot suggests that your life can change almost immediately. Too often all of us take our lives, or rather our lifestyles, for granted. We become so smugly convinced of our own invincibility we lose sight of the hazards in our way. Most of the time that hazard is our own arrogance. The belief we are the king of the world, never expecting the lurking iceberg of pride.
15 seconds is the story of a man blinded by his own success, not seeing the seeds of destruction he was laying. In the blink of an eye his life changes and all that he holds dear is put at risk. It comes down to belief in himself and who he can trust. I believe that reliance on others is the secret of defeating this hazard. The humility to realize you cannot do this on your own.
Andrew Gross has written a fast paced book that captures the fear in all of us, that our little castles are really built on sand. Just one Katrina can wash it all away.
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-061-65597-5
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 336
Quick Review: 4.5 stars out of 5
Where I Obtained the Book: Sent to me for review from TLC Tours.
Synopsis: Henry Steadman is a successful Florida plastic surgeon on his way to deliver a keynote address at a conference when his world falls apart. Stopped by the police for a minor traffic violation, the situation escalates and he is pulled from his vehicle, handcuffed, and told he is under arrest. Several other police cars arrive and the questioning turns scary, but after it subsides, and Henry is about to move on, the officer is suddenly killed in his car and there is only one suspect: the very person he was about to arrest not ten minutes before. Henry! When a second friend turns up dead, Henry realizes he's being elaborately framed. But in a chilling twist, the stakes grow even darker, and he is unable to go to the police to clear his name.
15 Seconds is a story of how even the best of lives can be destroyed in just an instant-- and of an innocoent man, framed for murder, who has to save the person he loves the most, and who cannot go the police to clear his name.
A reading group guide for 15 Seconds: http://files.harpercollins.com/Mktg/WilliamMorrow/PDF/15secondsrgg.pdf
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You are so right about the pacing - a good thrilled (like this one) keeps me on the edge of my seat, frantically turning pages to see what happens next.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see that you enjoyed this one! Thanks for being on the tour.
I couldn't agree more when you compare great thrillers to a roller coaster ride!
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