The Deadly Thorn [Paperback]

Betty Sullivan La Pierre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2002

The story THE DEADLY THORN, a suspense novel evolves around SALLY OLIVER, an abused wife, who discovers that her husband of only three months, JIMMY OLIVER, has murdered two previous wives, making their deaths look accidental so he could collect the double indemnity insurance. Sally flees for her life with the aid of her friend, JULIA EVANS. Jimmy is obsessed with getting Sally back. But never bothered to find out that she and Julia are both top female pistol marksman of their county. He follows her and Julia to Seattle. Even with detectives WILLIAMS and O'BRIAN on the job, Jimmy still manages to kidnap Sally twice. The first time she toys with the idea of using her gun, but finds a way to escape and spends a horrifying night in a dark industrial area. The police place Jimmy under guard at his motel, but he gets away through the attic, steals a car and disappears. When he reappears, he discovers EVA LINDSAY, his third wife is helping the police. He visits her apartment and tries his abuse tactics, but she fights back and injures him with a fireplace poker. The three women take matters into their own hands and disguise themselves to track Jimmy down. But he evades the police and abducts Sally yet again, taking her to Spokane on the back of a motorcycle. He keeps her tied up with duct tape in the motel rooms. I recommend you read THE DEADLY THORN to discover the fast moving and action packed climax of this novel

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Betty Sullivan La Pierre attended the Oklahoma College for Women and the University of Oklahoma, graduating with her BS degree in Speech Therapy with a Specialty in the Deaf. Once married, she moved to California with her husband. When her husband was killed in an automobile accident, she was left with two young boys to raise. She is now remarried and has had another son through that marriage. Ms. La Pierre has lived in the Silicon Valley (California) for many years. At one time, she owned a Mail Order Used Book business dealing mainly in signed and rare books, but phased it out because it took up too much of her writing time. She’s an avid reader, belongs to the Wednesday Writers’ Society, and periodically attends functions of other writing organizations. She writes Mystery/Suspense/Thriller novels, which are published in digital format and print. Her Hawkman Mystery Series is developing quite a fan base. She’s also written two stand-alone mystery/thrillers and plans to continue writing. ‘BLACKOUT,’ Betty’s story about a bingo hall (of the Hawkman Series), ranked in the top ten of the P&E Reader’s Poll, and won the 2003 BLOODY DAGGER AWARD for best Mystery/Suspense. EuroReviews recently picked ‘THE DEADLY THORN’ (One of Betty’s stand alone thrillers) for their 2005 May Book of the Month. Betty Sullivan La Pierre’s work is a testament to how much she enjoys the challenge of plotting an exciting story. Visit her personal site at: http://bettysullivanlapierre.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 202 pages
• Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (January 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591092205
• ISBN-13: 978-1591092209
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,472,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Betty Sullivan La Pierre attended the Oklahoma College for Women and the University of Oklahoma, graduating with her BS degree in Speech Therapy with a Specialty in the Deaf.

Once married, she moved to California with her husband. When her husband was killed in an automobile accident, she was left with two young boys to raise. She is now remarried and has had another son through that marriage.

Ms. La Pierre has lived in the Silicon Valley (California) for many years. At one time, she owned a Mail Order Used Book business dealing mainly in signed and rare books, but phased it out because it took up too much of her writing time. She's an avid reader, belongs to the Wednesday Writers' Society, and periodically attends functions of other writing organizations.

She writes Mystery/Suspense/Thriller novels, which are published in digital format and print. Her Hawkman Mystery Series is developing quite a fan base. She's also written two stand-alone mystery/thrillers and plans to continue writing. 'BLACKOUT,' Betty's story about a bingo hall (of the Hawkman Series), ranked in the top ten of the P&E Reader's Poll, and won the 2003 BLOODY DAGGER AWARD for best Mystery/Suspense. EuroReviews picked 'THE DEADLY THORN' (One of Betty's stand alone thrillers) for their 2005 May Book of the Month.

Betty Sullivan La Pierre's work is a testament to how much she enjoys the challenge of plotting an exciting story.
Visit her personal site at: http://bettysullivanlapierre.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Chills down the spine, October 10, 2006

By 

Jean Paquin "avid reader" (Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deadly Thorn (Paperback)

Jimmy Oliver seduces, marries, insures and murders his wives. He is the ultimate con man, seducing and romancing before he marries, then changes into a monster afterwards. One of his previous wives who managed to escape him call his present wife, Sally, and tell her to get out while she can. Sally runs, but Jimmy is obsessed with finding her. What follows is a game of cat and mouse in which even the police cannot find Jimmy. Fast paced and extremely haunting, I couldn't put this one down until I had reached the end.

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Flags from Euro-Reviews, May 15, 2005

By 

Eveline "Eveline" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Deadly Thorn (Paperback)

Summary:
Sally wondered how Jimmy could change from a sweet, tender loving and caring person into such a cruel, aggressive man. Before they married, their life together had been perfect; Sally truly thought she was living in 7th heaven. But what could go wrong - did go wrong. From the moment they officially became "man and wife" things turned nasty and the beatings and sick domination games soon followed. Then, as if her luck wasn't bad enough already, she received a phone call, a warning to save herself...

Sally isn't just an average woman; she's a strong woman who will fight for what she believes in. Working with her best friend, Julia, who she trusts implicitly,

they try to oppose Jimmy's reign of terror. Not an easy feat, as Jimmy turns out to be a psychotic, murdering maniac!

Conclusion:
The Deadly Thorn is a novel with lots of suspense and many frightening moments. Throughout all these chilling scenes Betty Sullivan La Pierre manages to give this story an addition romantic touch. I really enjoyed reading this book. I especially like the character Julia because she's so strong and doesn't give in when life gets troublesome -- the essence of a true friend. One who takes friendship very seriously and stands by Sally, supporting her during her weakest moments. Look out for the interesting Detective Williams, a driven man, who does everything in his power to capture Jimmy, with personal motives urging him forward. I love Betty's writing technique. I personally understood Sally's fear, as though I had been transported into the plot and Jimmy was after me! Once you start reading, you won't stop easily. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Reviewed by Annick for Euro-Reviews: http://euroreviews.r8.org

5.0 out of 5 stars A Seriously Good Yarn!, March 16, 2005

By 

Natalie Smothers (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Deadly Thorn (Paperback)

Sally Oliver has just discovered that her husband is not who she thinks he is. A mysterious phone call from a previous wife coupled with a series of savage beatings from her once-adoring husband Jimmy prompt Sally to get out of the house as quickly as possible...but not before she discovers a life insurance policy with her name on it that's scheduled to take effect in just a few days. With her best friend, Julia, by her side Sally is in a race against the clock to find out what happened to Jimmy's other wives before she becomes his latest victim. What they don't know, however, is that Jimmy is behind them every step of the way.

The Deadly Thorn is an excellent read, rarely letting the pace lag for more than a page and keeping the reader enthralled chapter after chapter with her lighting-quick style. Not a word is wasted, and the eye leaps over the occasional grammatical error in its haste to get to the next juicy scene.

Betty Sullivan la Pierre has effectively captured not only the frightening aspects of Jimmy's personality, but also the mindset of the battered wife. While Sally knows she has to get away from her husband, she also admits to having some feelings for him, a common bond shared by abuse survivors.
She manages to create a physically strong, sensible heroine whose emotional frailty makes her more human without turning her into a "damsel in distress." Meanwhile, Jimmy's terrifying ability to elude the authorities and disappear into thin air is enough to make even the most seasoned mystery lover shiver with trepidation.

Unlike many novels of its type, Deadly Thorn does not marginalize its supporting cast. Instead, we are given insight into each character's mind and persona, no matter how minor their role may be. This not only leaves the reader with a sense of satisfaction, it also gives us room empathize just a bit with everyone from Tee, the office flirt, to Sally's abusive husband. No black and white areas in her characterization, the players are delightfully rendered in "grayscale," with no one person outshining any other.

To make a long story short--- I thoroughly enjoyed The Deadly Thorn and will not think twice about picking up another of la Pierre's books in the future.