Customer Reviews

Mesmerized

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

as long as you understand this is also the first espionage novel I have read this year. I believe it was Robert Heinlein who said a good writer should require readers to suspend disbelief only once in any story. He was talking about science fiction however the same advice would serve Gayle Lynds regarding espionage. The primary storyline of cellular memory is fine, nothing there is so fantastical as to be beyond plausibility; it is the kevlar that must have encased her heroine's transplanted organ that is so difficult to accept. The desire to craft strong female characters is also above contentiousness (there were instances were the estrogen flow was viscous), but at least maintain some semblance of reality during the process.

The lead character, Beth Convey, is a forceful, ambitious associate who harbors partnership aspirations with one of the top law firms in Washington, D.C. when she is stricken by heart failure. After receiving a donor organ from the victim of a motorcycle accident, she immediately begins to experience unsettling dreams, reminiscences and strange cravings. She is assured by her surgeon all of these occurrences are more than likely a reaction to the regimen of pharmaceuticals she is required to take for the rest of her life rather than some esoteric physio-psychological result of her surgery. Over the next year as she becomes consumed with rehabilitation, the dreams do abate, but as the anniversary of her life changing event approaches, they begin to intensify. Beth is overwrought with the need to discover all she can about the donor; hoping against hope enhanced information will enable her to bring closure to her nightmares.

Meanwhile, Jeff Hammond, a disgraced former F.B.I. agent currently working as the Russian Affairs expert for the Washington Post is on an unrequited crusade to track down a troika of Russian defectors and a secretariat's ransom of missing funds. He is convinced although the trio may appear assimilated to capitalism, there remains much they withheld from authorities during their debriefings. His adamancy is what lead to his separation from the F.B.I.; for the last nine years he has been in pursuit, to the detriment of all personal and professional relationships.

Obviously, the independent quests of Beth and Jeff are destined to intersect, propelling the twosome on a harrowing journey through several states, death defying predicaments and largely unanticipated twists, while they grow increasingly aware of the sexual tension rising between them.

The basic premise of MESMERIZED is completing captivating; Ms. Lynds skillfully brings the story to life...as long as you are willing to discount some pertinent anomalies on the critical path, commencing with the logic of a man in his mid-twenties sacrificing all that was previously important based on a hunch where even if he is correct restorative options are not available, followed by the marginally bel!ievable physical competencies attained by Beth, ostensibly attributed to cellular transference. Mental acumen is one thing, and physical dexterity is an entirely separate discussion. Yet personally, the largest leap of faith for me was probably, her postulation an old Ford escort could exceed 100 miles per hour, I don't care if it was traveling downhill, downwind, in a wind tunnel.

Irrespective, Ms. Lynds came tantalizingly close to writing a good story, right up to the point she took a sabbatical from espionage and started writing a harlequin romance, in the middle of a segment where national security was of issue. The detour lead to a disjunctive conclusion further diminished by a cavalcade of perfunctory events. As a result, an above-average story with a few flaws became a average tale with glaring glitches.

Gayle Lynds has given us an intriguing mix of genres rolled up into one explosive package...a taunt legal drama and medical/espionage thriller with hefty doses of psychological suspense thrown into the mix.

When we are first introduced to hotshot attorney Beth Convey, she is at the height of her career and in line for a well deserved partnership at her prestigious Washington D.C. law firm. The book opens with her battling a case in court for a multimillion dollar client. Just as she is conducting a riveting cross examination she collapses and is pronounced dead. She is quickly revived but desperately needs a heart transplant. When a Russian man is killed in a motorcycle accident, Beth receives his heart as well as his dreams, his language, his tastes and most frightening of all...his knowledge of weaponry and of a unknown group of world conspirators. Even Russian names and phone numbers that were characteristic for him have become part of her current memory. She becomes quite curious about this and with the help of journalist Jeff Hammond (who happens to be an expert in Russian affairs), she begins to track down her donor only to be thrust into a secret plan that will literary change the balance of world power.

Gayle Lynds is a master researcher and storyteller. She has a certain talent for discovering the most obscure, and controversial character traits and using them to educate and entertain her readers. In _Mosaic_ we were introduced to concert pianist Julia Austrian who was stricken with a rare psychological condition known as "conversion disorder". In _Mesmerized_ we learn about a mind-body connection called cellular memory, and how thousands of heart transplant patients seem to receive tastes, memories and characteristics from their donors that cannot be explained by pure science. It`s up to you to decide if you believe this is all possible within the realm of the story. One thing is for sure...Lynds is an extremely talented writer who makes a defiant and realistic case, but after reading her notes you'll at least be assured that this is definitely not science fiction.

5 Stars. You just can't tie this particular knot any better. It's a terrific read.

I'm a fan of Gayle Lynds - Masquerade and Mosaic were terrific reads - so I was eager to read her latest work. Like all her books, Mesmerized contains a gripping plot following the adventures of Beth Convey, the heroine in this thriller. It is a joy to finally read books featuring intelligent, strong, and decisive women.

As a Beltway resident, I enjoyed reading this book largely set in my own backyard, Washington, D.C. I'm also curious to discover the tranquility in Gettysberg, PA where a portion of the story is set. Her descriptions and attention to detail are superb.

In the interest of not giving the storyline away, I urge anyone to read this book who enjoys suspense, espionage, and the mysteries of medicine.

Gayle Lynds' Mesmerized has it all: an exciting, believeable story with likeable protagonists and antagonists you dislike and fear, a plot that evolves naturally, and a satisfying conclusion. She is, in my humble opinion, even better than her late mentor, Robert Ludlum, because her plots are not as involved and convoluted, and she adds a human element that Ludlum never offered.

Beth Convey is a hard nosed, high powered Washington D.C. lawyer working on a divorce case for a multi-million dollar client. She is tough, and she is good. In the middle of the very stressful trial, just as she made a play that will win the divorce settlement she is aiming for, Beth Convey suffers a heart attack and collapses in the court room. To save her life, Beth Convey needs a heart transplant. She is fortunate enough to receive one, but this is the beginning of her troubles.

Upon receiving the heart transplant Beth begins to dream. She dreams she is a Russian and she dreams that she has been involved in some criminal activity. More than this, she is starting to crave Russian foods and Russian drinks, but is also starting to remember things that she never knew. She is suddenly familiar with weaponry and discovers a new affinity for martial arts. It is as if Beth Convey is remembering another life. Perhaps she is remembering the life of the original owner of her new heart. She is determined to find out.

Jeffrey Hammond is a former FBI Agent, but is now a reporter for the Washington Post. He is tracking and investigating former KGB spies in America. This may not be on the up and up, however. His former partner, Eli Kirkhart, believes that Hammond may be the mole (or have contact with the mole) in the FBI giving out state secrets. The lives of Convey, Hammond, and Kirkhart will all intertwine in "Mesmerized", the espionage thriller from Gayle Lynds.

Gayle Lynds writes a different kind of spy novel. In a traditionally male dominated field filled with authors and James Bond like male characters, Lynds gives a non-traditional look at the spy novel. To start with, Lynds gives us a strong female protagonist who is just as capable as any of her male counterparts. Having a female lead in a spy novel gives any story a completely different perspective. To top it off, Lynds tells a good story. There may be a cliche or two, but most genre novels have more than a couple. Gayle Lynds is a good story teller and works a fast paced thriller like a master. "Mesmerized" is just as good as her two Liz Sansborough novels, and is a welcome addition to the genre. This is one of her earlier works, so it is a little bit rougher around the edges than "The Coil", but if you are a fan of Robert Ludlum and spy novels, Gayle Lynds is a name to watch,

-Joe Sherry

I was mesmerized with "Mesmerized." The Cold War may be over, but Gayle Lynds has managed to perpetuate the U.S./Russia espionage world. I won't repeat the plotlines that have already been outlined, but this is an edgy page-turner and I liked Beth Convey and Jake Hammond, the main characters. I also highly recommend "Masquerade" by Gayle Lynds. Her co-authoring with Robert Ludlum is a reader's dream.

I enjoyed the book, although here and there i could have wished for a few fewer cliches; I think it is a little too much a book in which everyone who finds out anything is killed until near the end; the subject of the conspiracy itself is not novel; but the writing is fast-paced, and through the device of cellular memory the heroine is less of a wimpy damsel in distress than is usual in thrillers. On the whole, an enjoyable read.

LOVED this book! I finished it the same day I went to see The Bourne Identity movie...I'd much rather read this book again than see that movie again (the movie didn't come close to Ludlum's book). The cellular memory provides a wonderfully interesting twist. The plot unfolds nicely and wasn't plainly readable, allowing for much enjoyment.

Here is an author who puts the controversy of cellular memory on center stage while peeling away layers and layers of comspiracy. Yes, she suspends the reader's belief, but in doing so she raises another question: what part does attitude play in physical activity? Bev Convey has a transplanted heart, from a Russian agent killed in a car accident. She craves new tastes and new interests, but before a heart attack disabled her, she was physically fit. If the cellular memory contained in a new heart brings a new way of looking at life, then why can't Bev prefer Karate to some other sport? She has a fit body and a change of desire could very well provide her with new competencies. Gayle Lynd's exploration of this interesting medical phenomen while developing characters and a plot that rivets you to each page shows why Robert Ludlum collaborated with her to produce his last books. Already, in this story, she out-Ludlums Ludlum.

Far too long and wordy and filled with lengthy political and philosophical discussions----the original premise is fascinating (transplanted memories from the heart donor) but I was annoyed at the insertion of a romance-novel type encounter in the middle of a desperate attempt to prevent havoc----also, how did the Feds track down all the Keepers? did I miss something in the middle of all the Capitalism v. Communism harangue? or was it just not addressed?