Retribution [Paperback]

Elizabeth Forrest (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1998

National bestselling author Elizabeth Forrest unleashes her most gripping work of suspense yet! Driven since childhood to paint the visions she sees in her nightmares, Charlie has found fame and fortune through these powerful works of art. But what neither she nor anyone else at first realizes is that her visions are true--reflecting events both past and to come. And the first person who does discover this is a cold-blooded killer whose crimes and identity may soon be revealed--unless Charlie herself becomes the stalker's next victim...

Editorial Reviews

Review

RETRIBUTION is a fascinating work of psychological suspense that grips the audience from start to finish. ... This is great work from an author who will soon be recognized as the dean of psychological horror thrillers.
-- Harriet Klausen

"Call them "beach reads" or "guilty pleasures"--you can't call them literary classisc--but you can enjoy them. Accurately described as "terror and supernatural suspense," they serve up the blens of suspense, sex, phychos, and betrayal that keeps readers coming back for more. They're perfect plane books; no matter how the grandmother from Des Moines next to you chatters on about her ailments, you can't loose the thread of the plot.

Elizabeth Forrest is an old hand at this sub-genre with six bestsellers to her credit. Her fans and those discovering her for the first time won't be disappointed with RETRIBUTION. It's got everything readers have come to expect: a frail, imperiled heroine, a rugged love interest, a touch of the paranormal, and a seemingly normal nutcase out to get the loving couple.

It's undeniable entertainment. It's also undeniably not a mind-stretcher. But isn't that sometimes just what you're looking for? A good, rapid-fire read that grips your attention until the last page. After volumes of hard SF and wild experiments, it's nice to just sit down and simply devour a book.
--Lisa DuMond, SF Site

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: DAW (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886777798
• ISBN-13: 978-0886777791
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,240,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and well written, January 14, 2003

By 

S. Gould "gouldpjaks" (Woodmere, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Retribution (Paperback)

Charlie was once a famous child prodigy whose paintings still command exorbinant prices and enormous attention from the art world. Her sleasy agent, Valdor, desperately wants her to return to painting, something that she has not done since the miraculous surgery that removed a brain tumor and rid her of the horrible nightmares that were the subject of her incredible works of art. The residous of that surgery is a limp and mild facial paralysis along with end of her career as an artist.

Now an adult she lives in fear of an unknown stalker and relies upon her parents and the dog, Jagger, her father had specially trained for her security. John Rubidoux (Ruby) is the ex policeman who reluctantly trained Jagger despite misgivings about the mixed signals that would be sent to this gentle golden retriever. He attends a showing of Charlies paintings to see how Jagger has adjusted to his new regiment. Ruby is attrcted to Jagger's delicate and tormented owner. He and Charlie begin to see eachother. As their relationship develops Charlie's tumor seems to be returning along with the nightmares and the stalker appears to be even more determined to get Charlie.

The story takes many turns but neatly finds its way to climactic conclusion. Forrest sets up enough possible culprits to keep you guesssing for quite a while. The editing could use improvement as there are many spelling and grammatical errors that annoy the reader, but the story and the writing are excellent. I couldn't put this book down.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're looking for a GREAT book, read this one!, April 28, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Retribution (Paperback)

This was an absolutely terrific book. I could not put it down! In fact, I read it in 1 day! I loved Charlie and was very intrigued by John. And, of course, I couldn't help but root for Charlie's dog, Jagger. The ending was a real shocker. If you want to read a great psychological thriller, please read this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great thriller on a par wth Koontz, March 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Retribution (Paperback)

Wade Clarkson is a gifted micro-neurosurgeon who has saved many a patient. His list includes a cop killer scheduled for execution to Charlie one of the century's most gifted painters. Though he saved Charlie's life from a brain tumor, the artist lost the ability to paint.

Eleven years later, the tumor and Charlie's ability to paint both return. As before the surgery, the images come to Charlie while she sleeps. She releases the terror of "Midnight" through painting. A recent murder that Charlie previously seen in her nightmares indicates that a dormant killer has surfaced. He knows he is linked to Charlie, who must stop him, before he kills again.

It is a question of when before Elizabeth Forrest is recognized as one of the true talents on the market today. RETRIBUTION is a fascinating work of psychological suspense that grips the audience from start to finish. The ending is a shocker even though, looking in hindsight, all the clues were there. This is great work from an author who will soon be recognized as the dean of psychological horror thrillers.

Harriet Klausner