Customer Reviews

Hidden Steel (Five Star Expressions)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Once you pick it up, you're not going to want to put it down. I was hooked on the first paragraph. Who is Mickey Finn? Why has she woken up handcuffed to a cot with no memory of what her real name is or how she got there? Why are so many people chasing her with guns?

And the biggest question of all, Is Mickey one of the Good Guys--or one of the Bad Guys?

HIDDEN STEEL is a page-turner voyage of discovery, with the fate of the free world in the balance. Well-drawn characters, numerous plot twists, and unexpected glints of humor are what I've come to anticipate in any of Doranna's novels, and this one definitely lived up to expectation!

As she awakens she suffers from amnesias even as she realizes she is handcuffed to what looks like a hospital bed; when she overhears a man and woman discuss her they mention Mickey so she assumes that is her name, but soon realize they are talking about a Mickey Finn. She persuades the man, a doctor to let her go to the bathroom, but uses the handcuff the doctor opened to knock him out. "Mickey" escapes.

Mickey makes it to a San Jose gym run by Steve Spaneas. Mickey shows skills with her hands and a knife that makes Steve wonder who she is especially when fancy cars patrol the mean streets. Mickey begins to regain her memory and worries about some young female named Naia, who she does not remember is a Stanford foreign student and daughter or President Sayid Mejjati of Ishaddani, who wonders what happened to her CIA contact. As she tries to recall who she and Naia are, the CIA seeks her out as does the doctor and the woman who abducted and juiced her with a drug that wiped out her memory while finding herself attracted to Steve; a desire that makes her leave to keep him and his inner city gym rats safe.

HIDDEN STEEL is an engaging thriller that grips the audience from the moment the amnesiac wakes up as a prisoner and never slows down as she regains part of her memory. Mickey is terrific as instinctively she knows how to fight while Steve is divided about her; he knows she brings danger to his gym, but wants her safe. Readers will enjoy this entertaining international espionage thriller as the attraction between the lead couple stays in the backdrop while Mickey struggles to survive and do whatever is right for Naia, whoever she is.

Harriet Klausner

What a treat! Join the reckless chase with Mickey and drop-dead gorgeous but "can he be trusted" Steve through the urban jungle as they try to stay alive and be in time to save a brave young informant. The forces against them have already stolen Mickey's memories and will stop at nothing to keep their own secrets. Another trademark Durgin, full of realism, deft strokes of humour (and pop culture), plenty of sizzle, compassion, action, and a heroine you not only believe, you want to be. Grab this one.

If you like Borne Identity and Covert Affairs, you'll probably like this one. A woman wakes up in a room, handcuffed to a bed, and has no memory of how she got there, who her captors are, or even who SHE is. I don't want to give the rest of the story away... just read the book.

I downloaded the book for free, and really can't understand why there aren't more positive reviews on it. It's the best of the free books that I've read from Amazon(and I've read a LOT of free books from Amazon.)

It's certainly not great literature, but it's a fun, fast, action packed read.

How did she DO that? More action and suspense than some books twice the length, PLUS some humor and a little romance, all packed into a tight little novel that still manages to include the vivid characterization and sparkling writing I expect from a Doranna Durgin book.

Of course, I knew she was capable of it... she did much the same in her books for the short-lived, much-loved (by me) Silhouette "Bombshell" line, but I still shake my head and mutter, "How did she DO that??" every time. No matter, I suppose; the point is that she did it, and you should buy this book! Maybe you can figure out how she did it.

Oh, and like the reviewer above said, take care of necessary tasks before you start it, because you'll get grumpy if you have to put it down before you finish it.

Doranna Durgin's Hidden Steel is a fast-paced suspense with romantic elements tucked in.

Mickey wakes up to find herself held captive by people she doesn't recognize. The problem is, she doesn't recognize herself either, and she's forced to borrow the first name she overhears just to give herself an identity. However, her body apparently remembers some pretty specialized training, which enables her to escape-but where is she supposed to go? She has the nagging feeling she's supposed to have a mission, but she can't remember what it is.

Somehow she finds her way to the San Jose inner-city gym managed by Steve Spaneas, who teaches self-defense courses to the members of his neighborhood. He takes in Mickey even though he doubts the story she has cobbled together. Still, he's intrigued by the woman who is much more than she appears to be.

But when outsider thugs come prowling through Steve's neighborhood looking for someone, Steve begins to think that there may be some truth to Mickey's story. Then he's called upon to use his skills against real bad guys rather than sparring partners, and he has to decide where his loyalties lie.

Durgin's characters are believable and have enough flaws to make them interesting. We struggle along with Mickey as she tries to piece together her fragmented memories. The plot is satisfyingly complex, and the occasional flashes of humor lighten the story. The author balances action and romance deftly, and the relationship between the protagonists evolves in an unforced way. It's definitely an enjoyable read.

The beginning of this book is a real page-turner, but it soon gets bogged down and I found myself turning the pages to get to the gist, instead of finding the writing interesting. Actually, this would probably make a good movie, as the extraneous writing could be edited. I enjoyed the story, but the ending was a bit predictable.

Amazing book abt an amnesic CIA agent. Her wild adventures while seeking out her identity is simply beyond words. A must read. Not sure abt it being a romance. That was more of a minor detail in my opinion. This is more of an action adventure book. A amazing thrill ride with a bit of romantic flare to it. Still definitely worth reading. '

Mickey is a wonderful heroine--refreshingly tough, comfortable with weapons and violence, and capable of thinking on her feet. And yet there's a core of vulnerability that makes the romance work beautifully. Amnesia, when it's done right, can be a very intriguing story element, and Doranna Durgin definitely does it right. The reason for Mickey's amnesia--an experimental drug administered by some nasty characters--feels totally credible. Hidden Steel is now one of my favorite Doranna Durgin books. If you like a healthy dose of kick-ass with your romance, definitely check this one out!

After having read some pretty bad free kindle books (if you know what I mean), I was happy to run across this title by Doranna Durgin. The book was fast-paced with a strong heroine and a decent storyline. A fun summer read. I actually paid for another book by her and hope that it was written in the same tradition.