Dangerous Games [Hardcover]

Product Details

• Hardcover: 387 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 073944963X
• ISBN-13: 978-0739449639
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #514,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1960, I grew up in New Jersey and attended Wesleyan University, majoring in Film Studies. After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles, where I wrote scripts for several independent producers. I also worked as a magazine freelancer and archival researcher, and eventually started writing books. I authored six titles under the pseudonym Brian Harper before switching to my new identity as Michael Prescott.

My first Michael Prescott novel, COMES THE DARK, grew out of my interest in ancient religion and mythology. I followed up with STEALING FACES, which made its debut as an electronic book and became the bestselling e-book in the U.S. way back in 1999, and THE SHADOW HUNTER, which was praised by Publishers Weekly for its "brilliant elements of psychological horror." Publishers Weekly also had kind words for LAST BREATH ("a chilling, character-driven tale") and NEXT VICTIM ("unrelentingly suspenseful"). IN DARK PLACES was called a "dark, compulsive read" (Publishers Weekly), a "gripping new drama" (Cemetary Dance), and "hard to predict and thoroughly absorbing ... Michael Prescott at his best" (Round Table Reviews). With DANGEROUS GAMES, I began a trilogy about two female characters, Tess McCallum and Abby Sinclair, who had appeared separately in two of my earlier books. The trilogy continued with MORTAL FAULTS and FINAL SINS. Collectively those three books are my personal favorites.

Changes in the publishing industry made it hard for me to get a print deal after FINAL SINS. Ebooks, however, are more than taking up the slack. In 2010, I self-published RIPTIDE as an ebook and a print-on-demand paperback. This was followed by new ebook editions of SHIVER, MORTAL PURSUIT, and BLIND PURSUIT (three Brian Harper titles), as well as STEALING FACES. All have risen into the Top 100 bestsellers among Kindle's paid titles, with most making it into the top ten. By the end of July 2011 I plan to release my first book written directly for the ebook market, a comedy called DIE STUPID.

In addition, E-Reads has put out ebook editions of NEXT VICTIM, IN DARK PLACES, and DANGEROUS GAMES, and Penguin Books offers an ebook edition of FINAL SINS. Before too long I hope to have all my titles available in ebook form, and to write some new ones for this rapidly expanding market.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deeper Than It Looks, May 22, 2006

By 

Dindy Robinson (Arlington, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Games (Paperback)

Dangerous Games by Michael Prescott takes an interesting premise, a serial killer who kidnaps women and chains them in the vast storm drains that run underneath the City of Los Angeles, refusing to disclose their location unless the City of LA pays multi-million dollar ransoms to an offshore bank account. The kidnappings always occur on a day when rain is expected, making it even more imperative that the ransom be paid quickly, because if it isn't, the waters in the storm drain will rise and the victim will die-- as has happened to the first two victims.

Leaving aside the question of whether or not a city would actually pay up on such a ransom demand (I find it very unlikely.) This is really not so much of a thriller as it is a psychological examination of two women who form an unlikely partnership in investigating the kidnapper. The first is maverick FBI agent, Tess McCallum, who is brought in from the Denver Field Office as a media ploy because of her previous success in solving a major case in LA. The second woman is Abby Sinclair, a maverick sort of private investigator who specializes in putting stalkers behind bars by whatever means necessary- even if it means breaking the law.

Throughout the book, Abby insists to Tess that the two of them are actually the same-- they are both mavericks and they both play outside the rules; but Tess is reluctant to see the resemblance and finds ways to rationalize matters when she plays fast and loose with the rules.

The identity of the kidnapper is not a big secret as Prescott identifies him fairly early in the book as a disgruntled ex LA Police Officer who was sent to prison for stalking one of Abby's clients.

What is interesting about this book is the way Tess refuses to play the bureaucratic games of the FBI, while at the same time espousing her loyalty to the organization and to the law. She disdains Abby's tactics, and considers herself better than Abby because she is, after all, on the side of law and order. The book makes a statement that the higher people go in the bureaucracy of the organization, the more they lose touch with the way things really are out in the streets-- a common lament of front line law enforcement officers everywhere.

However, for those who think that the message of the book is to forget the rules, think again. Prescott at the end makes very clear that when investigators step outside the law, there are ripple effects and repercussions.

Abby and Tess are interesting characters, as is the kidnapper, William Kolb. The remaining characters are pretty one-dimensional-- the AD of the LA FBI Office is the stereotypical character of a stuffed shirt bureaucrat who cares more about image and publicity than anything else. But that's okay, because they are incidental to the main theme of the book, which is an exploration of what happens when people don't play by the rules.

For a book that is, on the surface, a pretty good thriller, the underlying message of the book packs a punch. Tess and Abby make an interesting team. It would be terrific to see them come together again in the future with Tess's newfound insight into her own character.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prescott Rules, March 31, 2005

By 

J. Lewis "Bookworm and Music Lover" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Games (Paperback)

I read this book in only two sittings because I could not put it down. Prescott brings back two of his more interesting characters, Tess McCallum, FBI agent and Abby Sinclair, "The Shadow Hunter." As expected, the two women do not get along very well when hunting down a serial killer but they must learn to work together in accomplishing this feat.

The book had a good combination of action, humor and sadness. The exchanges between Tess McCallum and her boss, "The Nose" are classics. They had me rolling on the floor.

Prescott is slowly becoming one of the my favorite mystery writers.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If this one is considered boring...., December 9, 2005

By 

L. Maynard (Dallas, Tx) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Games (Paperback)

This is the first book by Michael Prescott I have read and if the other reviews are correct and this story is boring, I can't wait to get my hands on his other books. I really enjoyed this book. There was a wonderful blending of mystery, suspense, humor and excitement. It is true that the killer is identified almost immediately, but I didn't feel as though that took anything away from the story. It was actually helpful to know who it was. It allowed the reader to watch how those involved interacted with the very people hunting them down.

Tess McCallum is an FBI agent who is something of a celebrity but who, like most of us, has some skeletons in her closet. Abby Sinclair, a private investigator is a gung-ho go getter with a wicked sense of humor. The killer(s) is(are) someone who could quite possibly live next door to any of us, which makes this story so believeable.

The story comes out of the shute on a dead run and doesn't stop till the finish line. I can't wait to find other books by Prescott, hope they are as good as this one was.