Don't Tell a Soul [Hardcover]

David Rosenfelt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 24, 2008

Tim Wallace’s wife died in a boating accident several months ago. Tim was the only eye witness, and one New Jersey cop is sure he killed her. He didn’t, but even if the police eventually clear his name, he’ll never get over this terrible tragedy.

On New Year’s Eve, his two best friends and business partners finally convince him to go out for the first time since Maggie’s death, and at their neighborhood pub just a few minutes before midnight, things in Tim Wallace’s life go from bad to worse. “Can you keep a secret? A really big one?” a drunken stranger asks him. Before Tim can say anything or turn away, the man confesses to a months-old murder, even offering as proof the location of the woman’s body. “Now it’s your problem,” he says and walks away.

When the man turns out to have been telling the truth, Tim’s life and work are put under the microscope again by the cops, and this time they’re not giving up. But neither is Tim, even when things keep getting worse for him, and eventually he realizes he’s the only person who can figure out what’s really going on---even if it kills him.

David Rosenfelt, popular author of six Andy Carpenter mysteries, including the recent hit Play Dead, delivers his first standalone with Don’t Tell a Soul, combining the suspense and great characters of his mystery series with an unputdownable, thrilling read.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Tim Wallace, the thirtysomething co-owner of a small construction company, is targeted for destruction by an unknown enemy who will go to any length to succeed—and for most of this fast-paced thriller, the reasons remain unclear. Suffice to say that they involve the nexus of politics, New Jersey style; a presidential nomination; vast sums of money; and the global war on terror. In addition to shadowy evildoers and expendable dupes, Tim is also the target of Novack, a bulldoglike New Jersey State Police detective whose every cop “instinct” tells him that Tim murdered his new wife. Don’t Tell a Soul is high-voltage entertainment from an author who plots and writes with the verve and wit of Elmore Leonard. Rosenfelt, author of the Andy Carpenter series (Play Dead, 2007), can sketch an engaging character in a couple of tight paragraphs. Novack, whose divorce has done wonders for his relationship with his ex, is a prime example. The dialogue is authentic New Jersey: quirky, funny, and laced with irony. So is the narrative. When a van loaded with high explosives levels part of a small town, even Homeland Security knows “there is no Afghanistan exit on the New Jersey Turnpike.” Plot twists and red herrings abound, and Rosenfelt ratchets up tension with the precision of a skilled auto mechanic wielding a torque wrench. --Thomas Gaughan

Review

Praise for David Rosenfelt

“Rosenfelt concocts a taut thriller full of whiplash plot twists and wisecracking dialogue . . . proving that he’s long since earned his crime-novelist pedigree.”
---Entertainment Weekly on Play Dead

“A cracking good yarn . . . There is no way you can read this novel without becoming completely caught up in the story. As always, Andy’s offbeat, outspoken personality shines on every page, and the balance of humor and mystery is dead-on. There is nothing else to say about this fine novel except this: read it as soon as you can.”
---Booklist on Play Dead

“If there aren’t any real-life lawyers as entertaining, as witty, and as willing to tilt at windmills as Andy Carpenter . . . then there should be. . . . Written with flair and humor, this is perfect light reading.”
---Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Dead Center

“A clever plot and breezy style . . . An absorbing legal thriller.”
---The Boston Globe on Bury the Lead

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312373953
• ISBN-13: 978-0312373955
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. "Open And Shut" was his first novel; "First Degree," his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EngrossingThriller..., June 29, 2008

By 

Ralph Block (Westlake Village, California USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Don't Tell a Soul (Hardcover)

David Rosenfelt is a splendid author of crime fiction, but perhaps isn't yet well-known by the reading public. That is about to change. Mr. Rosenfelt is known for his Andy Carpenter series, the most recent of which was "Play Dead," which garnered a 5-star rating on Amazon (and is, inexplicably, out of print, awaiting a paperback version). These books successfully mix splendid drama with a great deal of gentle humor.

Now, this fine author has taken a break from Andy Carpenter to write a genuine thriller, "Don't Tell a Soul." The term "page-turner" has become shop-worn, so I won't use it here. Suffice it to say that nobody with a pulse will be able to put this book down. It contains a tightly-wound plot, interesting characters (both good and bad), and nail-biting developments, all of which provide for a very satisfying read. The book keeps the reader guessing about the true identity of the bad guys until the very end.

I am an avid reader of crime/thriller stories, as well as non-fiction (historical, biographies and such), but generally do not finish a book in less than a few days. But I began and finished "Don't Tell a Soul" within a period of 24 hours. (And, yes, like all of this author's books, there is a Golden Retriever in the story).

Congratulations to Mr. Rosenfelt on a masterful achievement.

RLB

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "It's the little things that change your life.", July 6, 2008

By 

E. Bukowsky "booklover10" (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Don't Tell a Soul (Hardcover)

David Rosenfelt made his reputation as the author of the amusing Andy Carpenter mysteries. This time around, he has written a stand-alone thriller, "Don't Tell a Soul." The protagonist is thirty-year old Tim Wallace, the owner of Wallace Industries, a small New Jersey construction company. One May afternoon, Tim and Maggie, who have been married for five months, go out on Tim's thirty-foot motorboat. Tragically, the boat suddenly explodes with Maggie on board. Tim miraculously survives but the police suspect him of orchestrating his wife's death. His life is about to become a nightmare.

Tim's nemesis is Detective Jonathon Novack, who is convinced that Maggie's death "was a cold-blooded murder." Tim willingly takes a lie-detector test and passes with flying colors. Even though Novack cannot find a credible motive for Tim wanting to harm the woman he adored, the detective stubbornly refuses to abandon his theory. To him, "this case would never get cold. He would work it whenever he could, probing it from every angle, until he could put away the [man] who literally blew his young wife out of the water."

"Don't Tell a Soul" is a page-turner that benefits from Rosenfelt's patented tongue-in-cheek humor. Tim is a low-key and appealing protagonist who decides to take matters into his own hands in order to clear his name. Novack is your typical hard-nosed cop who refuses to entertain the possibility that Tim may actually be telling the truth, even when the evidence points to Wallace's innocence. Unfortunately, the book's convoluted and far-fetched plot goes downhill as it reaches its melodramatic and formulaic conclusion. The inevitable confrontation between the good guys and the bad guys is neither believable nor suspenseful. Although Rosenfelt's novel lacks depth and the characters are strictly one-dimensional, it is entertaining enough for a day at the beach or to pass the time during a long airplane trip.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Superficial Thrills, July 20, 2008

By 

Thriller Lover (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Don't Tell a Soul (Hardcover)

DON'T TELL A SOUL is my first novel by David Rosenfelt, and I found it mildly entertaining. Imagine a Harlan Coben novel written in the style of James Patterson, and that's pretty much what you get with this one.

The plot of this novel reminds me quite a bit of Harlan Coben's novel TELL NO ONE (even the title and front cover designs are similar). The main character is a thirtysomething guy in New Jersey whose wife dies in a boat explosion, and her body is never found. The police believe he is responsible for his wife's death, but don't have enough evidence to press charges. As the novel progesses, it appears clear that he is being framed for her death, as well as for some other violent killings. He eventually goes on the lam, and races against time to find out the truth behind what's going on.

The plot of DON'T TELL A SOUL was interesting enough for me to finish it, which is why I gave it a three star review. Unfortunately, the characterization in this novel is almost non-existent. There are at least ten key characters in this novel, and all of them are severely underdeveloped. Most of their dialogue is trite and only serves to move the plot forward. Rosenfelt changes the point of view so often that it's hard to relate to anybody in particular. As a result, I didn't find the suspense level of this book to be very high, which is a bad sign for any thriller.

In the end, DON'T TELL A SOUL is just a superficial entertainment, much in the style of James Patterson. It's certainly easy to read, but not particularly deep or satisfying. Still, if you like Patterson's writing style, and are looking for a good beach book, this may fit your requirements.