Customer Reviews

Point Of Departure

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

 

 

A high-powered, lady realtor whose star is on the rise disappears and a John Doe's body is found in the last place she was seen, along with her personal possessions. To the cops investigating, none of the scant clues add up in any way that makes sense. Where did she go? Who is the body? Where does her husband fit in? Complicating matters is the fact that one of the detectives finds himself attracted to the vanished woman's sister-in-law, jeopardizing their investigation with a conflict of interest. None of them could have foreseen how complicated everything would become though.

**** Ms. Breton without fail brings her readers intense character driven stories that draw you in from the outset and don't let you go. Her words paint a vivid portrait that comes alive, like a movie for the mind. You will not be able to guess the outcome of this mystery, no matter how clever you are. ****

Boston realtor Kaye Winslow is meeting a potential buyer of the 6.5 million dollar Worthington House. However, when the client Philip Armentrout arrives he finds a male corpse and no Kaye. Police detectives Doug Policzi and Lorna Adams head the inquiry into the John Doe homicide and the missing realtor.

The cops interview Kaye's spouse Sam, a college professor up for tenure, and his sister Mia Delucca, Kaye's business partner. Soon evidence begins to appear that Sam may have killed Kaye, his second wife, but the detectives wonder why someone is going out of their way to hang him by sending them evidence that includes hints that he killed his first wife too.

POINT OF DEPARTURE is an action-packed police procedural with a series of mysteries such as who is the dead John Doe, where is Kate, why does she have no history prior to five years ago, and what is Sam hiding from his sister and the cops. No question that Sam is the prime suspect as he has no alibi and his rosy description of his marriage is destroyed by the divorce papers he receives. Only the doubts of Mia and the two cops especially Doug seeing a too perfect frame keep Sam from being arrested. Filled with twists and unexpected turns mystery fans will enjoy this strong thriller that keeps the romantic sublot in the background.

Harriet Klausner

This wasn't the greatest book I've ever read, and probably would normally receive a 3 start rating, but for the likability of the characters, particularly Mia, Doug, Lorna and Gracie. Even Sam had his redeeming qualitites. A realtor disapears and a body is discovered where she had last been known to have been located at. Enter the detectives, Lorna the parent and Doug the perfect. (Maybe a bit too perfect). A little less perfection on Doug would have made him more believable and I think more interesting but he was still a good character. Sam, the husband was one pathetic soul. By the end of the book I was cheering for Sam. I even thought Melissa was a terrific character, short as her time in the book was. Melissa was intelligent, understanding and funny. Mia and Melissa could have been friends. Both the teens, Gracie and Kevin seemed very believable in their teenage worlds. Finally, Mia. I loved Mia. Mia was smart and attractive and vulnerable. She could have been a truly great thriller character had there been a little more action in the book. The one thing that I did not care for in this book was the suspense. I never at any time felt that any of the characters was in any real danger and that includes the climactic scene at the end of the book. It just seemed kind of ho-hum, time to wrap it up. All in all, this was a pretty interesting novel but it could have been a lot more. Not a bad read though.

May just have to try some of her other books. This one was a good read - although somewhat contrived in parts.