Customer Reviews

Now You See Me

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sixteen years ago, Olivia Howe was kidnapped by a madman, and though she was rescued, lost her sight from a blow to the head. However, she gained another kind of sight, one that has allowed her, over the years, to tap into the emotions of other children in trouble and lead to their rescue. It has happened again, ironically sixteen years to the day after how own kidnapping. Olivia is the first to know that little Phaedra has been taken, somehow by the same maniac who stole her sight.

Although telling the police what she knows brings Olivia into focus and the prime suspect, she is compelled to do all she can to save another child's life. Lead detective, Max Callahan is drawn into believing her, and to the psychic herself. As he grows closer to her and more involved in the case, Max discovers an eerie connection he has to the case and to Olivia herself. Past demons reach out to grip all involved, and a race against time ensues to prevent the kidnapper from becoming a killer.

***** Unexpected twists and heart stopping suspense make this a book you will want to read in one sitting. Beyond that, you are offered unique insights into the world of the blind with a fascinating and believeable heroine that is portrayed by Olivia. Max is a tower of strength who has overcome a terribly scarred past to live life as a true hero. You will definitely put this on your keeper shelf. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore

On December 20th, Olivia is shopping in a bookstore with her seeing eye dog when she is overwhelmed by fear and a vision of a back room with an emergency exit door that says Toyland on it. She and her dog rush down the street to the toy store to tell the security guard that the missing girl is being held by a man in a back room of the store. But no child has been reported missing, and the guard is more concerned with shoplifters than with a woman who needs to go home and sleep off her binge.

When Detectives Max Callahan and Sam O'Reilly finally do come to Olivia's home to question her, it's as a possible suspect, not a witness -- how would she have known about the missing child unless she was an accessory to the crime, possible acting as a diversion? Olivia explains that she herself was abducted (and blinded during her ordeal) sixteen years ago to the day, and now sometimes sees and feels things from the perspective of other kidnapping victims. The officers clearly don't believe her, but there isn't much to go on in the case.

Tina Wainscott's romantic suspense (more suspense than romance) is true-to-life, never cliched nor predictable. Olivia and her dog Stasia are a delight, and the excitement of NOW YOU SEE ME kept me turning pages for a one-sitting read.

Olivia Howe had been eight years old when she was kidnapped. It had been on December 20th. She had been rescued by a young boy. During the trauma, Olivia went blind. Even though she lost her eyesight, she gained the psychic gift that ran in her family line.

Sixteen years to the day, it happened again. A seven year old girl named Phaedra Burns was abducted from a toy store. Olivia had been in a store close by and "saw" it happening. No one believed her until it was too late. Then she became a suspect. Even so, Olivia would not, could not, sit by and do nothing. Her link to the child was strong. Whenever Phaedra became highly emotional Olivia could "see" through her eyes.

Detective Max Callahan had his own traumatic connection to a kidnapping in his past. Slowly, he began to believe Olivia's talent was the genuine article. His partner, however, believed her guilty. Max and Olivia had until Christmas night to save Phaedra. They were in a race against time.

Incredible! I could not put this book down. It caught me from page one and REFUSED to let me go until the very end. Author Tina Wainscott has the shining talent of being able to combine the genre of "thriller" with the genre of "romance" and somehow make it work! Once again Tina Wainscott delivers a heart-stopping story that will make many readers stay awake reading long into the night!

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

This was my first book by this author and will not be the last. This book grabbed me from the first pages and did not let go. This book was the perfect blend of romance, and suspense. The characters were well developed and the author took time to explain things without dragging unwanted things into the narrative.

Olivia is blind but has the ability to connect with children that have been abducted and actually see where they are. She has had this ability since she was rescued after she was abducted as a child. Max is a cop that has seen too much and has been through too much. After Olivia tries to get help for a young girl that she sees being taken Max and his partner Sam turn up on her doorstep almost postive that she is involved with the abduction of the little girl. As the story continues Max realizes that Olivia is connected to him in a way that he never would have guessed, and he becomes a believer of her abilities and looks to her for help with the search of the little girl with the hope that they find her before the kidnapper kills her.

This story has so many twists and turns that you are kept hanging to see who the bad guy is. The secondary characters are very much a part of the story and add to it rather then take away from it. The author explains past history of each character so there is understanding as to why they act the way they do. The heroine is not perfect and this in my opinion adds to the romance that grows between Olivia and Max. This is a must read for fans of the romantic suspense genre trust me you won't be let down.

I stayed up until 5 AM to finish this book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. Tina Wainscott is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

Fast paced and exciting, this book will leave you guessing from page 1 all the way through the final pages.

Highly recommended!

Now You See Me is tightly written, with twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing whudonit. Characters Max and Olivia battle their own demons - and desire for each other - as they search for a kidnapped girl. They are fallible and brave enough to admit to their fears and hopes for the future to each other. Their feelings for each other are secondary to the main plot, but woven so carefully into the prose that it becomes part of the main plot. This book was amazing. I'm keeping this general so I don't give away any of the fantastic secrets between the covers.

This book is pretty good. It had complex characters and an exciting premise. But in a lot of ways it failed to deliver.

It turned predictable about half way thru. And what started out as a fascinating relationship beteween Max and Olivia (the lead characters) eventually turned into a romance that you could find in any Harlequinn novel. How totally boring!

I would recommend this book to someone looking for some light reading who doesn't mind a predictable ending.

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This book is among the many outstanding books by Tina Wainscott. I have read several books by her, and absolutely loved each one. The story is about a woman who is blind and her faithful dog. She has psychic abilities, and gets drawn into intrigue and murder. As usual, I was unable to guess who did it! Highly recommend all of her books. Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

When she was eight years old, a kidnapper abducted Olivia Howe. With help, she managed to escape her ordeal, but pays more than just the psychological price as she goes blind. However, Olivia gained the psychic ability to "see" events through the mind's eye of another person even when she has never met nor is in line of sight of that individual.

Sixteen years later in Florida, a kidnapper snatches seven-year-old Phaedra Burns from Toyland. Olivia was in the same store and 'witnessed the event. No one believes what she says occurred and is happening as she can "see" through a frightened Phaedra's eyes. As his partner Sam O'Reilly believes Olivia is the kidnapper, Detective Max Callahan begins to believe Olivia is telling the truth. They have less than five days until Christmas and if they fail by then, Phaedra will be dead.

This romantic suspense novel with paranormal elements is an exciting adrenaline grabbing tale that engrosses the reader from the moment Olivia reacts to Phaedra's abduction until the final scene. The female protagonist is an intrepid heroine and Phaedra acts just like a kidnapped little girl should behave as seen through Olivia's "vision". However, what makes the story line fun to follow and different then the usual tale is that the cynical Max slowly transforms into a believer with his heart propelling him to trust in the power of his beloved. That metamorphosis evolves over stages and not abruptly, turning Tina Wainscott's novel into a book worth reading by fans of both sub-genres.

Harriet Klausner

I definitely will put this book up in my top three. I don't know if it is my favorite, but I think it very well could be. It was suspenseful from the very start and never let up. The mystery part of it was wonderful and I love it when the author shocks me. You will not be able to figure out the suspect until the very end. The twists and turns in this book kept pulling me along and confusing me just the same. I loved this book to say the least. The relationship between the main characters was well developed and flowed well with the story line. This was the first Tina Wainscott book I have read and it will most definitely not be my last. If you want a suspenseful romantic mystery, this is the book for you. You will not be disappointed.