Customer Reviews

The Blue Zone

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This novel is great writing from beginning to end. The story delves into the ins and outs of the Witness Protection Program and what happens when it is compromised. To summarize, Benjamin Raab and family have lived an extremely comfortable life for more than twenty years. The children, Kate (a research analyst), Emily and Justin (high school students) as well as wife, Sharon, are happy and content with each other as well. All this comfort falls apart abruptly as Ben's influential "gold business" becomes infiltrated by the FBI and he is accused of conspiracy and money laundering. It is soon discovered by Kate that all the secrecy that begins from that moment on has been traced to the Mercado family - a sprawling drug cartel home-based in Columbia. Kate becomes increasingly leery of the "protection" her family is provided. The reader, as well as our heroine, is under a veil of confusion on who it is they can trust; the WITSEC program, the FBI, or the sincerity of a man Kate had always believed was her great protector. She is determined to clear her father's name and get to the truth at any cost. The story takes the reader for a roller coaster ride of suspense and surprise revelations as Kate works very hard to protect what family she has left. The Blue Zone is an extremely well-written story and will have it's readers on the edge of their seat until the very last page is turned.

This is a fast, easy read, with just enough good writing to hold your attention...and plenty of undeveloped characters, weak backstory, and unrealistic dialogue to annoy you. After a prologue that basically tells you nothing, the adventure begins. How a lab technician manages to penetrate the Witness Protection Program to find her family is only one of many discrepancies that made me say "Hello? Can we have a dash of reality here?" The enigmatic "fraternidad" is not given enough weight to justify the rest of the plot. That said, it was the kind of enjoyable book that is good to read while commuting on a train - you don't have to pay much attention, and you won't miss your stop. But then you're going to want to read something more substantial afterwards.

I've read hundreds of thrillers, and was eagerly looking forward to THE BLUE ZONE, largely because I enjoyed two of the novels Andrew Gross wrote with James Patterson (JUDGE & JURY and LIFEGUARD). Unfortunately, Gross's debut as a solo author was a big disappointment for me.

This novel has two major problems. The first is its lack of good characterization. Nearly all of the characters in THE BLUE ZONE are stereotypes and lack personality. The heroine, in particular, is remarkably bland. Most of the dialogue in THE BLUE ZONE is trite and cliched. Most of the supporting characters are sketchy and underdeveloped. In the end, I cared for nobody in this book.

I might forgive this problem if the plot was decent. Unfortunately, the whole "witness protection" plot is far-fetched and lacks realism. All of the plot twists in THE BLUE ZONE are labored and overblown. I found much of the plot awkwardly structured, and I was more confused than enthralled by how all the events played out.

In short, avoid this book. There are far superior thriller writers out there -- Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Tess Gerritsen, Lee Child, Greg Iles, and Laura Lippman come to mind.

While the premise is good, the author defuses any suspense by repeating every event over and over. He does not give the reader credit for getting it the first time. The book is a page-turner--I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to finish the damn thing.

After writing five books with the widely-successful James Patterson, Andrew Gross began to publish his own mysteries. This is the second of his books that I read. It is the first that he wrote. I enjoyed them both. I found the two books to be far better than the ones he did with James Patterson. Patterson's very effective best-selling writing style is to present short, very easy to read volumes, books that can be consumed in three or four hours, books designed for people who want to be diverted, perhaps while sitting on a beach or in a rocker at home. Gross' books are longer and deeper; there is more of a chance to develop characters, plot, and suspense.

The book's title refers to a classification by the US Marshals' Witness Protection Program. It is the most feared situation. It is a time when there is a suspicion that the protected person's new identity has been blown. When the person is out of contact with the program. Where there is no official knowledge whether the person that the Marshalls are supposed to protect is dead or alive. This and much more occur in this thriller.

Kate's father is arrested for a number of crimes associated with Columbians, including money laundering. The FBI talks him into becoming a witness against his friend, who was involved in the crimes, and the mob. They promise him a short imprisonment of less than a year followed by a new life in the witness protective program. Her father agrees, and he, his wife, and two of his children, but not Kate, enter the program. Kate refuses to join because she is almost finished he educational program, enjoys her work, and most of all intends to marry Greg. As Kate's mother is about to leave for the program, she tells Kate that she has a secret that is very important and she will tell it to her at another time.

Suddenly, after more than a year, Kate is threatened by the Columbian Cartel, a friend is shot and Kate is sure that the killers thought that she was the person they killed. Then her father disappears, an agent of the witness protective program is murdered after being tortured to reveal information, and the FBI seem to think that her father was involved.

Why did it take a year for all these events to unravel? Who is her father? Is he really involved with the Cartel? How? What information was obtained from the tortured agent? What is the secret her mother knows? Are her mother, sister, and brother safe? How can Kate find out what is going on? Can she find information and help her family without endangering Greg? Can she trust the FBI?

This book started out interesting enough but by the middle it had turned mediocre and soon became tedious, dumb and unbearable and I'd come to hate the main character. 2/3rds through, I just couldn't force myself to keep reading so I tossed it in the trash. I give novels to a friend after reading but this is too crappy to pass onto another. James Patterson is a master storyteller and even his worst novels are fun and entertaining, so now I know that he's the one who keeps his co-written books with Andrew Gross on a readable level. This book is SILLY. I'll never know how it ends but hopefully the main character gets killed, she's too boring to live.

Family secrets, skeletons in the closet, would you really want to know, if the truth would destroy everything? Such questions had never entered Kate Raab's mind. Until she got the call from her Mom, that would devastate her life. Those words "your father has been arrested, come quickly," made no sense. There had to be a mistake. Money laundering, connections to the Mercado Family, her father didn't know anyone from Colombia. Or, did he?

With a steady flow of action, suspense, and strong family emotion, The Blue Zone follows Kate as she discovers her life has been a lie. Refusing to accompany her Mother, sister and brother, into the protective custody of the WITSEC Program, Kate's communications with her family are limited and vague. After a year, she has married, and is trying to establish some semblance of a normal life. When her best friend is shot exiting the lab where they have worked together for several years. Kate is convinced the bullet was meant for her.
Is she paranoid, is she being watched? If so, by whom and what do they want from her? When agents return asking questions about her father, she learns he is missing. Their case handler has been tortured and killed. The implications were hanging in the air like smog over LA on a windless day. They thought her father was a murderer. Kate was convinced everyone was lying to her. She had to find her family and learn the truth. The strange photo, the necklace her Mother told her held secrets, what does it all mean? The questions would remain between Mother and Daughter for eternity. Silenced by the blast of a gun.
Once again, the reader is thrust into a state of uncertainty filled with nervous anticipation as the conclusion nears. The husband, the old man in the park, the agents that surround her, or her Father, can anyone be trusted? The mind swirls with possibilities. Keeping the reader guessing, wanting to know more, reading just one more chapter.

Agents refer to those missing from within the Witness Protection Program, as being in the Blue Zone. Kate describes it this way, somewhere between love and hate, right and wrong, revenge and forgiveness......in this way, we all live within our own "Blue Zone."

Andrew Gross doesn't open the door to the concept of "The Blue Zone" - He literally kicks it down! Having collaborated with James Patterson expectations were high for his solo debut. Readers will not be disappointed. Gross weaves his plot lines together and maintains a high octane ride like a seasoned pro. I look forward to reading his novels for years to come. In a crowded genre, with many well known and loved authors, Andrew Gross has cemented his place among the best!
"Su deber es pagado aqui, Amigo. Your duty here is done."
As is mine. Reviewing this title was a real pleasure! I recommend it heartily and without hesitation!
Happy Reading!

If you like writing that's as fast and furious as a computer game, with the same literary depth, then this is for you. Gross' time with James Patterson has taught him the importance of short chapters, exclamation marks and constant cliff hangers. It hasn't taught either of them the importance of a credible plot, believeable characters, or realistic action sequences. Combining clichés with stereotypes doesn't constitute a plot, or even good writing, so there's no need to read Gross if you enjoy real writers. On the other hand, if you prefer writing that doesn't stop to think or to make you think much either, then this is for you. There seems to be a chapter missing at the end to wrap up the plot lines - somewhat confusing to know who the heroine's mother is (an un-named, green-eyed beauty with diabetes who may or may nor have died in or after childbirth, leaving the daughter to be handed over to the father's half-brother who did or did not marry the unnamed heroine at some stage, are questions left for the reader to ponder over. This may give you an idea of whether this book is for you. It wasn't for me and it's now banished from my Kindle.

I cranked through this one quickly and it was reasonably interesting. About half way through the book some "cards were shown" but of course any good author would add a twist such that the very obvious hand (because the book even states it clearly) was not the final hand. And yet it was.

I don't want to give any spoilers but suffice to say the father in this book in no way acted like a real, non-psychopathic person would. His character is simply an impossible and ridiculous character. Quite literally I did throw this book away from me across the room when I got to the end of it and admonished my wife for not warning me (she had read it shortly before).

This is the kind of book that makes me wonder why I'm not an author. If such a shallow level of creativity is all that's needed to sell I think I'll take a writing course and start cranking out rubbish, too.

Disappointing end to say the very least.

With the thousands of writers out there now I see no reason at all to ever read anything from Andrew Gross again. What a funny and fitting pen name.

I'd say this was an average thriller. Relatively fast paced and very smooth writing. Some of the scenes felt forced into being suspenseful and shocking. You'll notice at the end of several chapters he will build up Kate's emotions like something huge is about to happen. I think we're supposed to be glued to our seat at that point.