Customer Reviews

Last Effects

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
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Couldn't put it down!!! EAch page was filled with mystery and intrigue. Truly look forward for Mr. Joyce's next one!! Hope that is sooner than later. Thanks!!!

Last Effects is a wonderful first novel. Like the other reviewers, I found myself deeply engaged in the story from the first page. Jack Keane is a likeable character, and I hope we hear more about him. The plot--or should I say plots?--is fascinating and well developed. This book could have been much longer, but Mr. Joyce does a wonderful job of tying all the parts together. The double-entendre of the title is not immediately obvious, but it certainly crystalizes as the story unfolds. The author also does a terrific job of evoking the memories of Vietnam--the good, the bad and the ugly. Here's hoping we hear more from Christopher Joyce--a lot more!

Last Effects is an engaging read and a superb first novel by author Chris Joyce. I found myself quickly drawn into the story of the protagonist, Jack Keane, as he seeks to unravel the mystery surrounding his brother's death some 30 years ago. The juxtaposition of an examination of the past with a present day, high-stakes story of the international corporate world create a dynamic tension that compounds the reader's interest in getting to the bottom of both stories. The stories are also authentic because Joyce knows what he's writing about. His characterizations of Marine ethics, the military bureaucracy, the dusty bicycle paths of rural Vietnam, the gleaming high rises in the heart of financial Hong Kong, and the beltway surrounding Washington, D.C. are all note perfect. Joyce has lived in each of these worlds at some point and knows his stuff. Joyce also understands what makes people tick. He shares the inner thought process of his characters -- the angry impulse that precedes a bold challenge or the inner recrimination that follows a careless word - in ways that draw the reader into their world. High praise indeed for Last Effects.

Like all good mystery novels, you won't want to put this book down. I plowed through it in three night's time and would have finished it in one if I had enough time! Like military mysteries? Intrigued by business? Last Effects is a book for you! It is a very tasty morsel for those hungering for intrigue but by the time you finish it you`ll likely have developed an appetite for a few more courses! An excellent "first effort" in what hopefully will turn out to be a thrilling mystery series!

Well upon finishing an adventerous reading of the Last Effects I found myself wanting more...........I did not want it to end...... so I hope this if the first of a series.... It was so well written that I "lived" several characters..so engulfed I couldn't put it down until I finished it in 2 sittings! A great book...three thumbs up!! Enjoy.