24 Hours [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Greg Iles (Author), Dick Hill (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2000

24 Hours begins with the perfect family. On the perfect day. About to become trapped in the perfect crime. Will Jennings is a successful young doctor in Jackson, Mississippi, with his whole life ahead of him. He has a thriving practice, a beautiful wife, and a young daughter he loves beyond measure. But Will and his family are being watched by a con man and psychopath. A man who has crafted the unbeatable crime. A man who has never been caught, and whose victims have never talked to the police. A man whose life's work strikes at the heart of every family's nightmare: the unstoppable kidnapping. But this man has never met Will and Karen Jennings. "Iles tells a riveting tale . . .Here is a major talent strutting his considerable stuff." - Denver Post

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This explosive suspense thriller gets off to a blistering start: the kidnapping of a little boy--in eight breathless pages--that culminates with the child's safe return and the disappearance of the successful kidnappers. That sets the stage for the book's centerpiece, the abduction of little Abby Jennings, daughter of Will, a successful physician, and Karen, a slightly dissatisfied suburban woman who's wondering where the passion in her marriage went. The criminals' modus operandi is established early on. They target the progeny of Mississippi doctors, demand a reasonable (to an affluent M.D.) ransom, release the child after it's paid, and promise the victim parents that if they ever breathe a word of the incident to anyone, their kids will be taken again and killed. The kidnappings are carefully set up, targeted to take place when one parent is out of town at a medical meeting or convention, thus ensuring the cooperation of the other. And the victim is held by a sweet, slightly retarded but humongous and powerful man whose loyalty to his cousin, the mastermind, is unquestioned.

24 Hours is a version of the locked room school of kidnap mysteries and a very good one indeed, especially when Will turns the tables on the kidnapper and takes control of the situation. Abby's diabetic condition (she needs lifesaving injections on a regular basis) notches the suspense up one last turn. It's a well worked-out plot, the pacing is terrific, and the characters likable and attractive. Iles is a master storyteller, and this one has big screen written all over it--with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer as the Jennings, if we're lucky. --Jane Adams --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

HAs close to family fare as a kidnapper-rapist-extortionist thriller can get, Iles's (The Quiet Game) latest brilliantly plotted tale walks the razor's edge between cinematic excess and bone-chilling suspense. Joe Hickey is a Southern redneck with an Ivy League talent for evil. He has trained his grossly huge, mentally challenged cousin, Huey, and his gorgeous, exotic-dancer, live-in lover, Cheryl, to work with him as part of a tightly controlled kidnap/extortion squad targeting Mississippi physicians' families while the doctors are off at conferences. But he hits a snag when Dr. Will Jennings, his wife, Karen, and their five-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Abby, prove as resourceful solo as they are formidable in tandem. Joe grabs Abby, turning her over to Huey, who drives her off to a remote forest cabin near Jackson; meanwhile, Joe stays behind to terrorize Karen in the Jennings home. Cheryl gets her hooks into the third family member by vamping her way into Will's hotel room in Biloxi, where Will receives a phone call and ransom demand from Joe, who stipulates delivery in 24 hours. It's a long, horrific night for all as Iles pits each of the captives against their captors in riveting battles of will. The well-rounded characters are trademark Iles, the plot runs speed-skating smooth and occasional near-gooey bits of dialogue are offset by nasty surprises and perfectly timed terror. The one-on-one conflicts punch up the pace, and a perfect Mississippi setting, a spot-on sendup of FBI assistance and a hair-raising finale complete the package. Major ad/promo; Literary Guild and BOMC alternates. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio Unabridged; Unabridged edition (August 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567403875
• ISBN-13: 978-1567403879
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.2 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (168 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,599,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You will want to finish this in 24 hours, August 29, 2002

By 

Timothy J. Kindler (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 24 Hours (Mass Market Paperback)

As one might expect based on the title, this novel by Greg Iles covers a 24-hour period. I only wish that I had been able to finish it in 24 hours. The book was extremely good. In fact, it was nearly impossible to put down, continually tugging against work and family obligations. The book grabs you in the first few pages and does not let go, with a storyline of kidnapping for ransom that hits right at every parents' worst nightmare. The intensity and buildup of the story, combined with the ruthlessness of the villain make this a story that is not for the weak of heart. However, as the story progresses, the character development lets the reader understand the egos, anxieties, and motivations of a broad set of characters -- and also drives the reader to form an affinity or antipathy for most characters. It is a very compelling read. I strongly recommend this book.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this is a cool book, October 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Trapped (Paperback)

This book (Trapped) is a suspenseful and thrilling book. I would read this book again and again. The main character, Joey Hickey, is a cruel and cold-hearted man, but he fits his part in the book. If you start to read this book, you will not want to put it down until your done. I think that the book keeps you thinking and its unpredictable. I think everyone who likes mysteries should read Trapped, By Greg Iles

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You cant put it down!, September 11, 2002

By 

Krista-Lea (New York, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trapped (Paperback)

I purchased this book before I even knew there was such a movie soon coming out. Im more into bios and true crime, but as soon as I opened it, I basically read it straight through, when I had to put it down, I couldnt wait to get back to it right away. It isnt your typical kidnapping story. The entire book which was originally titled "24 hours" is set in exactly that; 24 hours. The chapters end in the way great authors keep you reading, yearning to find out what happens next. The characters; the "good guys" are likeable and easy to relate to. The "bad guys" or the leader at least, is scary enough to be true to life, real. Although you cant help feeling bad for one of guys on the "bad" team, ...you have to read it to find out, cant give too much away. Basically if you are looking for a good read, this is it. Take my word for it, it wont last long because you really wont be able to put it down, and read it before the movie, I always thought the books were alot better then the movies, your mind will add imagination to it all. But as far as fictional crime goes, this is the way to go.