Kiss [Hardcover]

Ted Dekker (Author), Erin Healy (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 6, 2009

Let me tell you all I know for sure. My name. Shauna.

I woke up in a hospital bed missing six months of my memory. In the room was my loving boyfriend—how could I have forgotten him?—my uncle and my abusive stepmother. Everyone blames me for the tragic car accident that left me near death and my dear brother brain damaged. But what they say can't be true—can it?

I believe the medicine is doing strange things to my memory. I'm unsure who I can trust and who I should run from. And I'm starting to remember things I've never known. Things not about me. I think I'm going crazy.

And even worse, I think they want to kill me.

But who? And for what? Is dying for the truth really better than living with a lie?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Master of evangelical Christian suspense, Dekker (Thr3e; Blink; Skin) joins first-time author Healy in this thriller, no less fast-moving than the Christy Award–winning author's solo prose, but also more gripping as it plunges into the life of a woman with frayed and painful family relationships. When a tragic auto accident leaves Shauna McAllister's brother brain-damaged and erases her recent memories, she discovers she has a paranormal ability to steal memories from others, a capability that will either get her killed or unveil hidden sides of the very people she thought she could trust. Against this background, she attempts to uncover the ugly truth about her father's dark secrets and to upend his run for president of the United States. True to Dekker's penchant for twists that keep you guessing till the very last page, Kiss also attempts to return to snappier dialogue and more logical plotting than Skin. A psychological suspense thriller that shines light into black-market child trafficking, Dekker's latest will satisfy Christian fiction lovers who want complex characters and who believe in the stark realities of true good and heinous evil. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

Imagine that you awake from a coma and discover that you have no memory of the past six months. You have a boyfriend you don’t remember; your beloved brother is severely brain damaged (your fault, apparently); you’re up on charges of drug possession and criminal negligence; and, oh yes, your father, who is currently running for president of the United States, despises you. That’s the situation facing Shauna McAllister, who must try to regain her memory if she’s to clear her name and find out what really caused the car accident that nearly killed her and her brother. But there’s one problem: a group of conspirators will kill her if she starts to remember anything. This is a very enjoyable thriller with plenty of twists and turns—one of those books where you’re afraid to get too close to the characters in case one or more of them turn out to be keeping some nasty secrets (and, here, some of them are). A definite treat, not just for Dekker and Healy’s devoted fans, but for anyone who enjoys a good thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. --David Pitt

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1St Edition edition (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595544704
• ISBN-13: 978-1595544704
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.3 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (204 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,368 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Big Smackeroos for "Kiss" January 3, 2009

By Michelle Rayburn VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Ted Dekker knows how to spin a tale that makes the improbable seem possible. Whether it is a child who can heal multitudes as in "Blessed Child" or a woman who can steal memories from others through physical touch and emotional vulnerability as in "Kiss", Dekker's stories make the surreal come alive. In "Kiss" Dekker joins with author Erin Healy in creating a story that keeps the reader on edge and looking over his or her shoulder, never knowing who can be trusted. Although the story is billed by some as a romance, that isn't the central theme of the book. Heart-warming relational connections do find their way into the story, but the real thrill is in the suspense of a good mystery and in the psychological phenomena woven tightly in the plot.

Dekker's writing has drawn me in like few authors can. I hesitated to pick up the books because I'm not a fan of Sci-Fi or Fantasy fiction. But now I see that his writing is neither. There are no aliens or fantasy creatures. Instead, his style introduces supernatural events in everyday situations. Healy adds enough of the feminine touch to this story that both male and female readers will enjoy this gripping account of emotional healing and reconciliation. I give "Kiss" five big smackeroos.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Unfulfilled February 5, 2009

By J N

Format:Hardcover

I've enjoyed Dekker's past works immensely. I looked forward to reading this story and truthfully, the action/pace didn't disappoint.
However, the character arc seemed a bit contrived. Shauna feels bad for stealing memories and finally ruins a man's past and realizes that she went too far. This doesn't seem like a strong enough change to me. Anyone would feel that way, I think. Also, I wanted to get to know her deeply and although I enjoyed the references to her mother, I didn't feel that Shauna's characterization was as strong as it could have been. She didn't feel like a rounded, real person to me.
Finally, I miss the deep spirituality of Dekker's earlier books.
This is Healy's first book, and despite the things I feel it lacked, both she and Dekker did deliver on creating a page-turning read.
I just wish the end could have left me more fulfilled.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Captivating Mystery Will Bring Out the Detective Inside You December 17, 2008

By SanjeevP TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

'Kiss'is a novel of suspense and action from the beginning to the end that will captivate you and bring out the detective in you. The mysterious plot of family, political and medical drama ties beautifully onto an interesting story of a women who loses her memory after an 'accident' and discovers her own powers by tapping into others memory bank to unfold the mystery. What a fascinating concept woven by the authors. The book is a perfect plot for an action movie. A good read during a long flight!

Enjoyed it thoroughly and and could not put it down until finished.