Pushed Too Far (A Thriller) [Kindle Edition]

Ann Voss Peterson (Author), Blake Crouch (Introduction)

Book Description

A TOWN'S TERRIBLE SECRET 

Two years ago a woman was brutally murdered, her body burned until only ash and shattered bone remained. Police Sergeant Valerie Ryker solved that case, putting psychopath Dixon Hess in prison for life, and becoming the first female police chief of her tiny Wisconsin town.

A COP'S UNFORGIVABLE MISTAKE

Then the original murder victim turns up in a frozen lake, all in one piece and only recently dead, and Val must enter a race against time. In only forty-eight hours, Hess will be set free, and he wants payback. And Val, her town, and everyone she loves are at the top of his list. 

A KILLER'S NEXT VICTIM

But surviving Hess's vengeance is only part of her dilemma. For there's another killer in Lake Loyal. One who may be closer to Val than she knows... 

Val will need all the help she can get, including a sexy firefighter, her dead sister's daughter, and a tough Chicago cop named Jack Daniels. Everyone has a breaking point, and Val has just reached hers.

From bestselling romantic suspense author Ann Voss Peterson comes a page-turning thriller of police procedure, passion, and revenge. Make sure you're holding your Kindle tightly with both hands.

" If you're a fan of Tess Gerritsen, James Patterson, or Kathy Reichs, don't even hesitate. Filled with nail-gnawing suspense, dark mystery, and even a dash of sexy romance, PUSHED TOO FAR qualifies for Thriller of the Year." - J.A. Konrath, author of SHAKEN

Ann has over three million books in print. PUSHED TOO FAR is approximately 65,000 words long.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Dear Readers,

Sometimes the imagination can't be neatly contained. When I first wrote PUSHED TOO FAR, I envisioned it as a standalone novel. But as I neared its completion, the stories of Val, Lund, and Val's niece clamored at the back of my mind and refused to fade away.

These voices became more adamant when the book was published and reviews and fan mail poured in, a regular chorus asking for the continuation of Val's tale. Val and Lund popped up in the novel SPREE, part of the Codename: Chandler spy thriller series that I write with J.A. Konrath, but instead of silencing my desire to write more about them, it only served to turn up the volume.

As a result, I've given up and given in. I'm now working on the second book in the Val Ryker series, CUT TOO DEEP, and plan to follow it with DEAD TOO SOON. I'm also having the time of my life writing them.

So thanks to all the readers who have asked about the future of Val and Lund. Because of you, they will live through more tragedy, danger, fear, and passion, and I have a feeling they'll be better for it in the end.

--Ann
Ann Voss Peterson

From the Inside Flap

Introduction

 

As a reader, there is nothing I love more than the chill of a cold, atmospheric thriller. It's why I've seen the film FARGO and read Scott B. Smith's classic A SIMPLE PLAN more times than I care to admit. It's the icy claustrophobia of the small-town Midwest in the dead of winter, that when channeled right, makes for something special--the best crime fiction in the world.

 

This novel by Ann Voss Peterson, PUSHED TOO FAR, is that kind of special, and its heroine, Val Ryker, Chief of Police of tiny Lake Loyal, Wisconsin, is one for the ages. When the victim of a prior murder that rocked the village inexplicably turns up, the man incarcerated for her killing, an undisputed monster, is released from prison with a hell of a grudge, intent on holding Ryker and everything she loves to the fire.

 

PUSHED TO FAR is not only a first-rate thriller, not only a police-procedural written with absolute authority by a writer who knows her stuff, but most of all, most importantly, it's a portrait of Police Chief Ryker, a woman of extraordinary courage who is pushed beyond her breaking point.

 

Good thrillers put their characters through the wringer. Great ones rain down holy hell upon their heads--physically, emotionally, psychologically--and aren't satisfied until the reader is spent, exhilarated, terrified, and lavishly entertained.

 

This is a great thriller, and with it, Peterson has firmly established herself as a major league talent and a must-read writer.

 

Enjoy!

 

-Blake Crouch, March 2012

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 398 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007V98EPG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,761 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 83 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome story April 28, 2012

By Horror Reader

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was a bit hesitant to read this as I am not a fan of police procedurals, but it was highly recommended by someone I respect,and surprisingly, this book caught me up in the story immediately. I was immersed right away in the believable events that moved the story along at a pace where I wanted to devour it. The characters and their relationships are awesomely real. I was very impressed with Ms. Peterson's ability to twist and turn the story in a way that made the plot move in unexpected directions and at the same time not to appear intended. I especially liked Val as the chief of police and the human difficulties she faced while trying to balance her life, niece, and a surprise male attraction. I really enjoyed the way Ms. Peterson left the ending (no spoilers here). I read 3-4 novels a week, and I write very few reviews. This book deserves praise. All in all, this is an awesome read and I highly recommend it.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book May 8, 2012

By Stacy Krueger

Format:Kindle Edition

Pushed Too Far was a great book. It was fast-paced with realistic characters and a captivating plot. It didn't lag or get boring and I was always interested to see what happened next. The twist was a surprise to me, yet was believeable. I highly recommend this book.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Thriller -- Highly Recommended May 8, 2012

By Becca Mills

Format:Kindle Edition

Pushed Too Far focuses on Val Ryker, the first female police chief of a small Wisconsin town. As the book opens, Ryker is faced with a cop's nightmare: sudden strong evidence of wrongful conviction in the case that made her reputation. Ryker has to figure out what really happened in that two-year-old case and, even more importantly, what's going on right under her nose. Oh, and the guy she helped put behind bars? Maybe he's innocent, maybe he's not. But one thing's for sure: he's feeling mighty vengeful.

Ann Voss Peterson's new thriller is terrific: intricately yet tightly plotted, economically written, gritty and scary without being grotesque.

Setting is a big strength, here -- the small-town Wisconsin location is fully realized and convincing. Character development is also a strength. Ryker is likable and very human. She feels like a real person, as do the book's other central characters. I loved that about the book. The thriller is, in general, a pretty plot-driven genre, and Peterson gives us plenty of plot. But character gets equal weight in this novel. The results are wonderful. I read it in a single sitting.

Pushed Too Far has a striking, professional cover and is perfectly formatted. The prose is restrained and error-free. Indie publishing at its best: indistinguishable in quality from a traditionally published book, yet much more affordable. And total authorial control over the book's form seems to have allowed for innovation, too, with the table of contents, acknowledgments, and other "front matter" appearing at the end, a choice that maximizes Kindle sample length. Smart!

This unsolicited review is cross-posted from The Active Voice.

More About the Author

Award-winning author Ann Voss Peterson wrote her first story at seven years old and hasn't stopped since. To pursue her love of creative writing, she's worked as a bartender, horse groomer, and window washer. Now known for her adrenaline-fueled thrillers and Harlequin Intrigue romances, Ann draws on her wide variety of life experiences to fill her fictional worlds with compelling energy and undeniable emotion. She lives near Madison, Wisconsin, with her family and their border collie.