Hit [Paperback]

Tara Moss (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2006

Makedde Vanderwall has finished her studies and is ready to start practising as a forensic psychologist. She's also starting a new life in Australia with her detective boyfriend Andy Flynn.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tara Moss is the author of the bestselling crime novels Fetish, Split, Covet, Hit and Siren. Her novels have been published in seventeen countries* in eleven languages, and have earned critical acclaim around the world. Her non-fiction writing has appeared in The Australian Literary Review, Vogue, ELLE, The Australian Women's Weekly, SMH and The Australian, among other publications. She also finds time to write her own blog, The Book Post. Her next novel will be published in November this year. Moss hosts the true crime documentary series Tough Nuts - Australia's Hardest Criminals on the Crime & Investigation Network, and as 'Ambassador of Crime' for 13th STREET Universal Channel, Moss hosts Tara Moss in Conversation where she interviews her fellow bestselling crime authors from around the world, giving an intimate look at what makes successful thriller writers tick. She also recommends crime novels at her online book club Tara Moss Recommends, on the 13th STREET Universal website. She previously hosted the international crime documentary series Tara Moss Investigates on the National Geographic Channel. Writing has been a lifelong passion for Moss, who began penning gruesome "Stephen King-inspired" stories for her classmates at 10. She went on to an international career as a fashion model before pursuing professional writing, first earning a Diploma from the Australian College of Journalism in 1997, and in 1998 winning the Scarlet Stiletto Young Writers Award for her story, Psycho Magnet. Moss wrote her debut novel, Fetish, when she was 23. Her novels have been nominated for both the Davitt and the Ned Kelly crime writing awards, hit #1 on numerous bestseller lists, and made her Australia's #1 selling crime writer several years running. Her in-depth research has seen her earn her private investigator credentials (Cert III) from the Australian Security Academy, tour the FBI Academy at Quantico, spend time in squad cars, morgues, prisons, the Hare Psychopathy Lab, the Supreme Court and criminology conferences, take polygraph tests, shoot weapons, conduct surveillance, pass the Firearms Training Simulator (FATSII) with the LAPD, pull 4.2 G's doing loops over the Sydney Opera House flying with the RAAF, and acquire her CAMS race driver licence. Stopping at nothing to research and 'experience' scenes for her latest novel Siren, Moss was set on fire by Hollywood stunt company West EFX, and choked unconscious by Ultimate Fighter 'Big' John McCarthy. She has conducted hundreds of talks at literary festivals, schools and universities, discussing her research experiences and writing career. Born in Victoria, BC, Moss is a dual Australian/Canadian citizen, and is the first writer to have a star on the Australian Walk of Fame. She divides her time between Sydney, Los Angeles and her hometown in Canada. When not researching and writing her next novel, Moss enjoys riding her 900cc Triumph Scrambler motorcycle, spending time with her pet python, Thing, and serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (since 2007) and ambassador for the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (since 2000). She is married to Australian poet and philosopher Dr. Berndt Sellheim. (*Moss's novels have so far been published in the USA, Canada, UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Croatia, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile

Using her mobile phone-camera, Meaghan Wallace records the death scene of an underage Asian girl at the home of a wealthy Australian businessman. Before she's caught, she sends the digital video to a friend. When Meg is murdered, her boss hires P. I. Makedde Vanderwall to investigate. Mak seeks answers from the seedier sides of Sydney and Melbourne, including strippers, junkies, and a dominatrix named Serena. Moss reads the book herself, and while her reading is not flash and fireworks, it's intelligent storytelling delivered in a straightforward manner. Her voice is rich and pleasant, and she avoids overdoing characterizations. The fourth in Tara Moss's series about the gorgeous ex-model-forensic psychologist-private investigator is fast paced and fun. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd (August 23, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 0732276748
• ISBN-13: 978-0732276744
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,666,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great novel by a method writer., December 3, 2010

By 

Timothy T. Scanlon (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hit (Paperback)

I am surprised that I'm the first to review this novel. This book deserves a few Amazon fans, it is after all quite good.

I was a little perturbed about reading a book by a former model. Could Tara actually be any good as an author. Simply put; yes.

This is the fourth book in the series of crime novels centered on protagonist Makedde Vanderwall. Unlike many other crime novels, this was not burdened with unnecessary exposition, but rather created suspense and setting in an intelligent manner. This meant the pacing was spot on and had you involved at every moment. It also had enough detail and references that made this tale not only believable but you thought you could see the real life references.

As an interesting aside to the book: I was impressed, although in hindsight not surprised, to learn that Tara had actually gone out of her way to experience several of the events portrayed in the book. This method writing is something sorely missing from a lot of crime fiction (or blandly told) and was refreshing to read.