Double Take: An FBI Thriller [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Catherine Coulter (Author), Sandra Burr (Reader), Phil Gigante (Reader)

Book Description

Series: FBI Thriller | Publication Date: May 28, 2008

The police are convinced that Julia Ransom was guilty of the brutal murder of her husband, renowned psychic August Ransom. But after six months of investigation and media frenzy, she is free of their scrutiny, because of the lack of evidence. One afternoon she walks from her Pacific Heights home to Fisherman’s Wharf, alone, unwatched - and, she realizes, happy. Standing at the railing on Pier 39, she savors the sounds around her - tourists, countless seals on the barges - and for a moment enjoys the sheer normalcy of it all. It suddenly comes to an end when a respectable-looking man distracts her with conversation before striking her unconscious and heaving her over the railing into San Francisco Bay. If it weren’t for Special Agent Cheney Stone, Julia would’ve drown. Cheney quickly realizes the attempt on Julia’s life has to connect to the murder of her husband, and reopens the investigation with the SFPD. Meanwhile, in Maestro, Virginia, Sheriff Dixon Noble - last seen in Point Blank - learns about a woman named Charlotte Pallack, whose extraordinary resemblance to his vanished wife, Christie, gone for three years, sends him across the country. Although in his heart he knows that this woman can’t possibly be his missing wife, Dix is compelled to see her with his own eyes. In San Francisco, Dix’s and Cheney’s paths cross, brought together by FBI Special Agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock. All four begin to unlock the mystery behind Charlotte Pallack’s identity, as well as the forces behind Julia Ransom’s attempted murder and the vicious murder of her husband. The most fascinating aspect of the case is the extraordinary cast of psychics they meet as they push deep into the intriguing and complex world of visions, mind benders, and communications to the dead. As the stakes and the body count rise, Savich, Sherlock, Dix, and Cheney fight for answers - and their lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. At the start of bestseller Coulter's gripping 11th FBI thriller (after Point Blank), Julia Ransom is enjoying a liberating stroll on San Francisco's Pier 39 after having been suspected of the brutal murder of her renowned psychic husband, Dr. August Ransom, six months earlier and hounded by the media. When an unknown assailant throws Julia off the pier, FBI Special Agent Cheney Stone rescues her. Stone later senses a link between the attack and the death of Julia's husband. Meanwhile in Virginia, Sheriff Dixon Noble is finally feeling his life is getting back to normal after his wife went missing three years earlier. When Noble comes to San Francisco to pursue a lead into his wife's disappearance, he gets involved in a harrowing investigation with Stone into both mysteries. As usual, the author conjures strong visual images, particularly a wild car chase through the streets of San Francisco. Credible characters and a fascinating look at the world of psychics and thieves help make this one of Coulter's best.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

When Julia Ransom is attacked while taking a stroll on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, an FBI agent dining nearby saves her life and finds himself drawn into her complicated world. It turns out the young, beautiful Julia is a widow; her much older celebrity-psychic husband, August, was recently savagely murdered. Julia herself is considered a suspect in the case, but newly smitten FBI agent Cheney Stone refuses to believe it. At the same time, in the small town of Maestro, Virginia, Sheriff "Dix" Noble (a recurring character in Coulter's books) has just started resuming a normal life; his wife, Christie, has been missing for three years and is presumed dead. When Dix gets a tip that Christie has been spotted in San Francisco, he heads there to check it out and winds up crossing paths with Agent Stone. With the help of two other recurring characters, Agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, the group is able to solve the mystery behind the missing Christie and the murder of August Ransom. Mystery-suspense fans will enjoy the colorful characters; twisting, turning plots; loads of potential suspects; and an ultimately satisfying conclusion. Kathleen Hughes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio Paperback Audiobooks (May 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593557272
• ISBN-13: 978-1593557270
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Catherine Coulter is the author of the New York Times-bestselling FBI thrillers The Cove, The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh House, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take and TailSpin. She lives in northern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointing (so far), June 14, 2007

By 

Linda Leach "Ladymoc" (Largo, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Double Take: FBI Thriller (Hardcover)

I bought this book yesterday (June 13, 2007) and am into it about 150 pages. I enjoyed many of the FBI series books that Coulter has written but noticed a change several books back. Reading this one has almost been painful and I'm not sure I can get through it. The dialogue is totally corny! This guy plays for the Atlanta Symphony and says "she was awful pretty". Then in the middle of talking he tells the agents not to sit on the bench because it's too hard and after he marries his girlfriend he'll make her mother sit there. Those are just examples, every page is like this. I am extremely disappointed in Catherine Coulter. Don't waste your money.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great, June 28, 2007

By 

Trish_N_Enough_Stuff "-book-a-day-reader" (Northern CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Double Take: FBI Thriller (Hardcover)

I've long been a reader of Catherine Coulter's FBI series - first because I love mystery and suspense - and second because she is a Nothern California writer. The story line was not her best and lacked the zing of her previous offerings - that said there was enough of Savitch and Sherlock and their typical activities to keep my interest. The whole FBI series has been based on 'special investigative activities' within the FBI which has always seemed a stretch (but an entertaining one). With this latest plot taking in mediums and communicating with the dead - it required a little more stetch for believability... I'm hoping the next book in the series is more in line with previous offerings. 2007 hasn't been a stellar year for mystery / suspense series writers - most of the books so far this year have been less than anticipated - this offering was a B to B- (B minus) but good enough to keep me coming back for more. As always, the story line continuation from book to book is excellent no misteps (unlike recent offerings by J D Robb and Janet Evanovich - where they mistake character names and or belongings previously identified) - it's obvious that C.C. and her editor pay attention to detail - they are also great at detailing facts / locations from San Francisco.... This book is easily one of the top 10 mysteries I have read this year - that said - it doesn't quite measure up to her previous offerings.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars DOUBLE TALK, June 25, 2007

By 

Carol (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Double Take: FBI Thriller (Hardcover)

The only reason I will finish this book is that I bought it with hard earned money. Why I bought it - well, I'll have to think about that.

I love Savitch and Sherlock but the other characters leave me cold. The interviews with the psychics made them look like idiots and was an insult to genuine 'helpers'. The brother who played in the symphony was a jerk and an insult to all artists. And they all ended up in California.There was no development of Cheney and Julia and the premise began with such promise. Such a waste of time and money.

I suspect the people who wrote glowing reviews and had only that one review in their profile were friends or acquaintances. I know this is my last time purchase of a Catherine Coulter book.