Customer Reviews

Imposter (Premier Mystery Series #2)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

'Imposter' is a story that had the potential to be very good, but it didn't quite work out.

The story focuses on Matt Kelly who is a rookie federal agent. He is walking up to his mother's house with her when she is killed by an explosion at the front door. He then has his father (a U.S. senate candidate) pull some strings to help him be able to investigate the case.

There are several parts of the story that are mentioned but just left hanging with no real explanation ever given. Some of these are as follows: Matt and his father having a strained relationship, Matt being emotionally disconnected from virtually the entire human race, Matt having moved around a lot as a child. There are others too.

Some parts of the story were quite action packed and kept my interest. Overall though, this was just average.

If you action/mysteries/cop thrillers - you'll like this book. The author writes well, plots well, and his writing has a clarity I find admirable. I would have given it five stars except that the writer kept harping on the hero's inability to express emotion. That would have been okay too except that it interrupted the novel's flow and was never sufficiently explained nor satisfied in the story. Must every detective in fiction be a reformed drunk, addict, depressed, suffering from some loss or trauma, etc, etc?? This is annoying when carried to the length that this author takes it. But - aside from that - a really entertaining read.

Ok, if you know anything about Bunn as an author, then you'll probably get what my title means immediately. If not, I'll leave it for you to figure it out. This was great! I haven't enjoyed a Bunn novel this much since "The Great Divide". This packed a similar punch, and I'm still reeling!

Coming back with another international thriller right after "The Lazarus Trap", I wasn't so sure. Just the title made me go HMM, yet at the same time I was very eager to see what was in store. What will we learn about Paul Kelly, Matt Kelly's dad. A big shot in a senatorial race and having just lost his wife, a big light in the spotlight. Matt, who is a fed, is very talented, and in more than one way. But sometimes this boy just clams up. Matt wants justice for his mom's killer, and let me tell you, Bunn has some pretty good twists in this bad boy! Allow this to slowly grip the heart, because it dives deeply, and it really pumps you up!

If you've ever read Bunn before, you know he can get a little complex at times. He does so in this, yet he doesn't fail to please the masses. Through the person of Lucas D'Amico, he displays great heart combined with faith, and maybe even a question or two. So I can easily say that Bunn has nothing to prove. This will be among his best. Can't wait for what he dishes out next!

Matt Kelly is an FBI agent investigating his mother's murder. To prevent the local police from just pulling any man off the street and claiming they caught "the bad guy," Kelly is straining for all levels of the law to let him have a role in the investigation to see that real justice is served to the right guy. He eventually gets the position he wants and begins the emotionally and physically demanding investigation with the constant distractions of criminal justice politics. Oh, and don't forget about the hint of love in the air for both Kelly and his supervising detective.

The plot was good and not totally Christian, however, the lead detective is a discerning Christian. The church Kelly's mother attended is a minor part of the story, and the pastor we find has a history that is key to the investigation. Yet Bunn leaves out the in-your-face plug for Christianity.

Imposter has Vietnam War history and accounts spread throughout, and the word picture of men being real men underlies the story. In spite of that, the book is not written for any particular gender. And at times the writing becomes confusing with names and descriptions of guns, bombs, and explosives, which can make it difficult, but not impossible, to follow. Kelly's partner is a female detective, Connie, who is dealing with sexual harassment from her supervisor "hands." Connie is a strong woman who copes with her past in the story.

Overall, an awesome plot, well-rounded characters, and real justice equal the recommended read, Imposter. - Holly Wells, Christian Book Previews.com

I have to say I really enjoyed this book although the story was a bit confusing at times. If I had to be tested on it after I finished I'm not sure my grade would be very good. The main character Matt was touted as being this super guy but ended up with more flaws then interstates of St. Louis. (If you've ever been there you know what I mean.) I would have liked for the romance to be left out or seriously downplayed although it was helpful in seeing the growth of the characters. There are plenty of romance books on the shelf so there was really no need for it. If you're looking for Christian fiction you won't find much here but it is clean enough for your teenagers to read. I'll try reading more by this author since I can't judge by one book. If you get it on sale you won't be disappointed.

1 Star = I've been robbed!
2 Stars = Why'd I finish it?
3 Stars = Good
4 Stars = Excellent
5 Stars = Life changing

Imposter is a political/police thriller by best selling Christian author Davis Bunn. This is the third book I've read by the author (Elixir, Lazarus Trap) and all three have their own unique style, voice and message. Imposter is written as traditional political thriller. Matt Kelly is coming home with his mom after grocery shopping. Matt's mom opens the front door to the home and is blown to bits by a bomb. Matt Kelly isn't any ordinary guy. He's a thirty year old heartthrob who works for State Department Intelligence. He's smart, good looking, and tough as nails, and also mysterious and reclusive. Matt's father Paul is the democratic canditate for the Senate in Maryland and the election is only 8 days away. Matt pulls some strings to get the chance to investigate the murder of his mom before the killer strikes again.

The blurb on the back of the book says "Matt Kelly's knack for concealing his identity is his greatest asset as a Federal Agent. But when an assignment gets personal, but when the assignment gets personal, discovering who he really is may be the toughest mission of all." Unfortunately, after reading the novel, I still don't know who Matt Kelly is, nor why a lot of things happened in the novel. First, the plot complex and intricate, the kind you would expect in a political thriller. Second, the characters are all interesting. Matt is a great agent who loved his mom but never got along with his dad. While investigating the death of his mom, he works with a veteran cop and a beautiful rookie cop that is already in trouble with the police hierarchy.

For me, the novel didn't work because nothing was resolved. There were several questions the novel brought out? Why was Matt so reclusive and why did he have a bad relationship with his dad were just a few and they weren't answered. Now, I've read a lot of thrillers, and enough to know that I don't need everything spelled out for me, but in Imposter, the author really needed to go a step further in explaining things. Almost every single scene concluded with a cliffhanger. Some were big and some were minor, some related to the plot and some related to character development. For me, it seems like every single one of these scenes could have used another line to explain it. Because the next scene would occur and the cliffhanger would have apparently been resolved, yet I had no idea what the resolution was. To me, there was just too much implied, too much to be inferred, too much of the details left unexplained.

This book has received mostly positive reviews, so maybe I'm off base. Still, I think that despite all of its obvious strengths, the novel just doesn't work for me. If Matt Kelly is the "Imposter", I think I should be able to know why he is called that. I should know why Paul Kelly despises his son. And I should be totally confused about the Vietnam subplot pushed on me the last fifty pages of the book. I've enjoyed other Bunn novels, just not this one, and plan on reading him again. The Imposter just wasn't one of the better ones.

FBI Agent Matt Kelly is stunned when he observes his mother killed by an apparent terrorist bomb. Unable to gain closure and told to take some leave to grieve his loss, Matt instead of relaxing is determined to find the culprit.

Baltimore police officer Consuela "Connie" Morales rejects the sexual assaults of her boss; in retaliation for her refusal, her superior takes her off the street ands puts on internal desk duty. Outraged by the harassment and subsequent "unofficial" punishment, Connie decides to help Matt uncover the identity of his mother's killer. As they find clues, the dots seem to connect back to his father's military time in Viet Nam. His dad, a potential senatorial candidate, has received a major boost in the polls because of sympathy due to his wife's homicide; he demands Matt stop his investigation, but the Fed needs to know who and why.

IMPOSTER is a terrific investigative thriller that grips the audience from the moment that Matt unable to not visualize his mom's death becomes fixated with the truth. The story line is loaded with suspense as he with the help of Connie finds each step closer to fulfilling his quest that much more dangerous and personal. The key cast is solid as the initially aloof Matt becomes ardent with his desire to know what happened while the women who enter his life during his pursuit soften him a bit with their beliefs in right and wrong yet also imbue him with courage and determination. Davis Bunn provides a powerful suspense thriller with the faith elements cleverly enhancing the superb story.

Harriet Klausner

What I like about Davis Bunn is that he doesn't "dumb" down his books but requires you to think. Instead of having a good idea "who done it" at the beginning, the plot keeps you guessing with clues from the US to Europe. Matt's "gift" was a little Mission Impossible-ish, but it was fun to read about. Two Thumbs up!

In the opening pages of IMPOSTER, Megan Kelly is shopping with her son Matt, a new FBI agent, in Lexington Market of Baltimore. Upon returning home, Matt leaves his gun in the car and his mother moves ahead to the front door. As she uses her key to open the door, her phone rings, triggering an explosion that destroys the front of their house. Suddenly the person closest in his life is dead, and Matt is on a new mission to find the culprit. He has the unique ability to adapt completely to any situation. While handsome, he can hide his emotions and blend into any crowd. In sharp contrast, Matt's father, Paul, has an explosive side that Matt tries to avoid at all costs.

Paul Kelly, a Baltimore businessman, is in the final two weeks of a campaign for U.S. Senate when his wife is murdered. Paul buries his beloved wife, but doesn't slow down any of his campaign and in fact is infuriated that his son isn't following through with his promised involvement. Matt is much more interested though in solving the crime than his father's election bid.

A rivalry between federal government agents and the local Baltimore police is in full swing. Matt ignores this potential minefield between his FBI role and the police since he teams with homicide detective Lucas D'Amico, a veteran policeman, to follow every lead. As Matt searches for the killer, he discovers that his mother's murder is only a small part of a much larger conspiracy. Matt seeks and receives assistance from Allen Pecard, a British citizen who is an expert in unidentified explosives and imposters.

The trail leads to a long-ago death from the Vietnam days and involves a quick flight aboard a military transport to a base in England, so Matt can look for clues. Early in the book, readers meet Connie Morales, a rookie cop who has confronted a lieutenant about his sexual harassment. With the confrontation, Lieutenant Calfo, nicknamed Hands, is committed to making Connie's life miserable. She escapes her desk job on an innocent mission to retrieve some records, picks up Matt to take him along, and is drawn into a shootout situation. As Connie shows her expertise, Lucas moves her into homicide. Connie, Lucas and Matt become an unlikely trio working together to solve the mysterious explosion. The story even includes a touch of romance between Connie and Matt.

On the outside, Matt appears to be a calm, unassuming agent. Yet, ever since he was a teenager, he has trained in the martial arts, and at several points in the book his skills are used and surprise those around him. The drama and the frantic search for the killer leads Matt to an unexpected culprit.

Davis Bunn is a master at twists and turns in his plot. As a reader you believe the story is headed in a certain direction, but when you flip the page and experience another event, you are headed in the complete opposite direction. The characterization and dialogue move this book, and its riveting story demands the reader discover the imposter.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin, writer and editor in Scottsdale, Arizona. His latest book is BOOK PROPOSALS THAT $ELL, 21 SECRETS TO SPEED YOUR SUCCESS (Write Now Publications). http://www.bookproposals.ws.

I agree with all the above reviews - they have explained the story and indicated Bunn's return to a great thriller. This is truly his best novel yet. Great characters, pace, story setting...a can't put down novel. You will want to savor it slowly. As I neared the end of the book I began to slow down as I did not want this compelling novel to have an end. Thank you Davis for giving your readers another fine escapade! Bravo!!