Customer Reviews

Buying Time

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pamela has done it again with another great legal thriller. Pamela's books tend to be lengthy (about 400 pages), but the length does not detract from the fast-moving action in her novels. I've read every one of her books and would highly recommend all four. In "Buying Time," the author educates readers about an industry that is probably little-known outside the legal community -- viatical investments. I would highly recommend this book, especially for readers who like legal intrigue.

Buying Time is the fourth book from Author Pamela Samuels Young. Her writing style is brilliant; she expertly weaves her characters together in unexpected ways, and the plot timing is magnificent. This book is a definite page turner, and each chapter left me hungry for more. It was difficult to put the book down, as I was anxious to see what would happen with the characters. The topic is very interesting and the plot is very believeable. I wouldn't doubt that somebody somewhere has tried what the Author described in the story. Her research must have been painstaking, because the final package felt like something out of a CNN or 20/20 investigation. Bravo!

Waverly Sloan is a down-on-his-luck attorney. Disbarred, his life is spiraling out of control. He has a high maintenance wife that he really can't afford to support, a brother addicted to drugs always looking for a handout, and a wealthy father-in-law constantly breathing down his neck. Waverly needs an income and quick. Luckily, Vincent, a guy he met at a legal conference, told him about a way to make money brokering deals, to which he'll receive a hefty broker's fee. Rather morbid, Waverly has second doubts because all his patients must be terminally ill. This is very different from what Waverly is accustomed to, but seeing that it makes the clients comfortable and helps them to enjoy their lives a little longer without financial worries, it's a win-win situation. Or is it?

I really, really enjoyed "Buying Time" by Pamela Samuels Young. It was a page turner with colorful characters that I just couldn't get enough of. I would love to see another book with Waverly Sloan. I recommend "Buying Time" to everyone.



Reviewed by: Carmen

Waverly Sloan is robbing Peter in order to ply his wife, Deidra, with the lifestyle that she's accustomed to. What Waverly doesn't realize is his life is quickly spiraling out of control. On the brink of disbarment and bankruptcy, Vincent, a guy he met at a conference, introduces him to Live Now, a company that invests in dying people. While it sounds too good to be true, it's the best offer that Waverly has and losing Deidra is not an option.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Evans is engaged to be married, evident only by the 3-carat rock on her finger. Struggling to get a hold of her weight, Angela is counting points and working out. What she wishes she could finally get away from is soon-to-be husband Superior Court Judge Cornell Waters III. Instead, she throws herself into work. A case concerning a company that may be killing its insured has crossed her desk.

Lawrence Erickson is on the short list for being named as the U.S. Attorney General. All ready to claim his coveted prize, Erickson has issues at home that may detour his road to the White House. Claire, his wife, is dying from cancer. Not that he cares; in fact, her dying quickly would be greatly appreciated on his part.

Unbeknownst to Waverly, Angela and Lawrence, they are about to cross paths with one another. With so many lies, death, greed, and betrayal, fog is the furthest thing any of them will need to concern themselves with as destruction is set to enter all of their lives like a ticking time bomb. Who will survive?

`Buying Time' by Pamela Samuels Young is definitely one you can picture being played out on the big screen. Shoot-outs, murder for hire and accusations keep this story moving forward with everyone pointing the finger trying to lay blame. Great read!

OOSA Online Book Club BOTM

I read this book in one evening. It was that good! Waverly Shaw gets disbarred and is on the brink of financial ruin - and his golf-digging wife will leave him if she can't maintain her lifestyle. And his father-in-law likes to lord it over him that he's not bringing in enough money. Waverly lucks upon a new, lucrative career in life insurance, which makes his wife very happy at first, but which puts his entire family in danger.

Angela Evans is a U.S. Attorney begins investigating Waverly Shaw, thinking that he, and the company he represents, might be killing their clients for money. She's also the fiancée of an extremely controlling judge and is having second thoughts about their upcoming marriage. She meets a sexy and street-savvy guy, Dre, who seems to treat her much better than her fiancée ever did. When Angela and Dre end up in a confrontation with the judge, it changes their lives forever, as well as the life of the judge.

Angela and Waverly, previously on opposite sides of the table, must now band together to clear both of their names, and they both need help each other and from Dre, to help se the record straight.

This book was suspenseful from beginning to end, and each character was fully developed. Their were twists and turns all way to the end of the book.

Arms of a Sister Reviewer

With one deft move, and a fantastic book, Pamela Samuels Young has snuck onto my favorite authors list. Impossible, you say? Pick up a copy of Buying Time and then I defy you to not be thrilled by this roller coaster ride of law, greed and murder.

One of my favorite genres has long been legal themed books, particularly those with a mystery and thriller aspect to them. I suppose it's no surprise, given that my day job involves the law, but I eat these books up and can be particularly harsh on them given that I have more than the general layperson's knowledge about the system.

Buying Time did not disappoint in the slightest. From the first pages the reader is quickly drawn into the intertwined stories of a soon to be disbarred attorney with a materialistic wife, a federal prosecutor reluctantly engaged to a willful judge, a drug dealer on the road to rehabilitation and a powerful attorney with sights on becoming U.S. Attorney General with a dying wife and a deep secret. At the root of the individual stories is the viatical insurance business, a deadly connection.

This was my first book by Ms. Samuels Young and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. The book is peppered with legal references but without being preachy or educational, those references are kept interesting and are not textbook dry in the least. Each chapter was relatively short, most around five pages, and kept the story moving quickly and the pace at sometimes breakneck speed. The characters were real and easily identifiable, even if they sometimes were not likable. And their actions were realistic ones, not ones made simply for plot purposes, a huge gripe of mine. Most importantly, the story was a terrific one, with a few twists thrown here and there and no loose ends left hanging at the end.

Buying Time was a book I simply could not put down and I guarantee you won't be able to either. It's a book that will leave you anxiously flipping pages long into the night.

I will anxiously await the next book by Pamela Samuels Young and I hope that a Hollywood producer or executive is smart enough to pick up this book and option it for a movie.

While Buying Time does deal with corruption and murder, there is not an excessive amount of violence. There is some slight language and sexual situations but only the most sensitive reader to those situations may find objection.

I would highly recommend Buying Time without reservation to any reader looking for a captivating mystery/thriller - - you will not be disappointed.

The only guarantees in life are death and taxes, so why not get paid? Recently disbarred with few options and even less time to decide, Waverly Sloan makes a career change and joins the viatical industry. Waverly's job is to find terminally ill people with life insurance policies and offer to buy their policies for upfront cash, to which he receives a percentage. Sounds crazy, but to someone dying and in need of money, it works. Waverly quickly reaps the benefits from his new job and the money is rolling in for him and his investors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Evans has been assigned to head up a new task force to investigate a company that is pressuring terminally ill people to sell their insurance policies. In addition, their clients seem to be dying too soon. Coincidence? They think not. All fingers point to Waverly Sloan. Operation Buying Time is in full effect.

As Waverly and Angela become further involved, she in her investigation and he in his career, they quickly learn things aren't always as they seem and their lives are turned upside down.

Going into BUYING TIME by Pamela Samuels Young was a crossroads of sorts. A test, if you will. She'd either pass or fail. More and more so today, many authors can't seem to write past or outside of one cast of characters. Having read her three previous novels featuring Vernetta Henderson, I was curious and a little worried if she could do it. Well, Pamela Samuels Young passed with flying colors. With a new cast of colorful characters, she has again crafted a legal thriller dealing with a unique storyline.

Admittedly, the plot starts slow but quickly gets stronger with the progression of the novel. BUYING TIME shows Young's range and skill as an author. Easily recommendable, I look forward to her next novel.

OOSA Online Book Club BOTM

Also recommend:
Every Reasonable Doubt (Sepia)
In Firm Pursuit
Murder on the Down Low

Attorney Waverly Sloan hasn't been able to find his way in the courtroom or the bedroom for that matter. Sloan is about to get disbarred and his high maintenance wife is about to take him through some serious changes. Out of the blue Sloan finds out about a new business venture, insurance investments (AKA viatical investments). Sloan quickly learns and excels at his new line of work which allows him to provide the much needed cash to people that are dying. He talks terminally ill patients into selling their insurance policies for pennies on the dollar. After making presentations all over town, Sloan finds an investor that showers him with thousands of dollars.

The money and the high life are exactly what Sloan wanted and what his wife expected. Life is great for them until Sloan's clients start to die well before their time. Angela Evans, Assistant US Attorney, and her team were given a new case, to prove that Live Now, Inc (viatical investment company) is pressuring people into selling their insurance policies. That is where Angela and Waverly's lives intertwine. The supporting cast of characters will add drama, deceit and intrigue to this thriller. You will have to stay alert while reading or you will miss the twists and turns in this superbly written whodunit.

Young must have spent long hours researching the background for this work. The topic is a first for me and is very believable. The story unfolds at a fast-pace with several sub-plots that will keep you glued to each word. Do yourself a favor and step into the world of viatical investments and legal intrigue, believe me you will not be disappointed.

Deltareviewer
Real Page Turners

Down on his luck former lawyer Waverly Sloan can't catch a break. First he is disbarred for `borrowing' settlement money from his clients, then his money hungry wife wont let him forget that it took money to get her and will take money to keep her. When he stumbles on the viatical insurance business from a `buddy' of his, his look starts to turn for the better. He starts to overlook the fact that selling insurance policies for the terminally ill seems wrong to everyone else because he truly believes he is helping people, plus the money is quadruple what he made as a lawyer so that can't be bad right? Even when a shady character finagles him into laundering dirty money, Waverly still doesn't seem any harm in his business. When his clients start expiring sooner than they should and he becomes the focal point of a national investigation by the United States Attorneys office, that's when he begins to sweat.

Buying Time is a fast paced murder mystery drama and you will be trying to find out `who-done-it' until the author is ready to let you know. You will feel like you have been thrown head first into a game of Clue as you race with the characters against time to unravel multiple plots that some how brilliantly intertwine. When our book club decided that we wanted to explore a different genre each month and the mystery genre came into play we immediately thought Pamela Samuels-Young. Our entire club had nothing but great things to say about this book and sincerely enjoyed the unpredictable manner that it was written in. From beginning to end, Buying Time will keep you wrapped up in between its pages.

We recommend this book to readers of all genres as it read like CSI episode. We could see the same vision in this book as John Gresham's `The Firm' and can see this story on the big screen. Kudos Pamela on another stellar work of art!

Reviewed by:
RWA Bookclub during our January BOM meeting
[...]
rwabookclub@yahoo.com

Waverly Sloan is an attorney whose career is going downhill, and he needs to find another line of work...fast. He stumbles upon a new and very lucrative career. Waverly runs into some possible ethical problems when his terminally ill clients must sign over the rights to their life insurance policies. He gets investors and a hefty broker's fee for himself. Things get complicated when Waverly brokers the policy of the wife of Lawrence Erickson. Lawrence is an attorney who is next in line to become the next U.S. Attorney General. But when Waverly's clients start dying under suspicious circumstances, Lawrence's rising career may come to a halt. Lawrence also has some terrible secrets that he doesn't want revealed.

Buying Time is another classic by Pamela Samuels Young. Pamela once again brings another legal thriller, this time focusing on the viatical industry. The character development is one of things that really enhance this novel. At first glance, you think that this story is just about Waverly, but there are actually three stories that merge into one. As you get further into this book, things move at a fever pitch as the mystery surrounding the sudden deaths of Waverly's clients unfold. There are also some surprising revelations in this story that will stay with you long after you finish this book. Buying Time has all of the signature page-turning suspense, murder, and blackmail that Pamela Samuels Young is known for.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
of Urban Reviews