Sudden Death [Paperback]

Michael Balkind (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

Reid Clark is a pro golfer at the top of the leader board during the PGA tour; he is also a hothead with a reputation for trouble. Reid receives a death threat right before teeing off on the final day of the Master's Tournament, and hires a P.I. to track down the perpetrator. Suspense builds throughout as Reid tries to compete in one of golf s most prestigious contests...and woo the woman he loves...while dodging death at every turn. Sudden Death will score big for all mystery lovers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Listen up, sports and mystery fans! Buy DEAD BALL right now.  Remember "Bo Knows Sports"? They should update it to "Balkind knows sports (and mysteries too)." --John Lescroart

You like golf, you like murder mysteries, then Sudden Death is your book! --James Patterson

Pure fun, pure intrigue. The action never stops until a fascinating climax! --Clive Cussler

From the Author

The Deadly Sports Mysteries are for all mystery enthusiasts.
Although my novels are sports themed, you don't need to be a sports enthusiast to enjoy them.
The statements below are from three women who are not sports lovers at all.

"...a refreshing new thriller,blending murder, mystery, intrigue and suspense. There is something for
everyone. A real page turner!"Jeannine Reardon

"The proof of the pudding of an author is if he can expand on a character or sequel to make
us want more.I cannot wait for more adventures from Reid Clark and AllSport!!
Keep 'em coming Michael Balkind! Ellen George

"... full-throttle action from the very first page!" Rai Aren


I hope you'll try one of my books and see if you agree with the many great reviews that have been written. If you do purchase a book, thank you for your support.
The publishing industry is tough for new unknown authors and every order is very much appreciated.

Thanks again. I hope you enjoy reading my novels as much as I enjoy writing them.

Michael Balkind
Sudden Death
Dead Ball
The Fix (in editing)
Stealing Gold (in the works)
Untitled young-readers edition (in the works) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pero Thrillers (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563154048
• ISBN-13: 978-1563154041
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,374,212 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Balkind is the author of the Deadly Sports Mysteries as well as other novels. His novels are endorsed by literary greats including James Patterson, Clive Cussler and John Lescroart. He has appeared on ESPN's The Pulse and Sportsnet's Daily News Live and was featured on the cover of Publishers Weekly. He has co-hosted and is a regular guest on The Clubhouse radio show. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America and The Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. Balkind graduated from Syracuse University and currently resides in New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tee Time for Suspense, April 11, 2008

By 

Paula Buermele "www.thedreamcatchertour.com" (Canton, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sudden Death (Paperback)

"Saturday was an exquisite day. A deep blue sky was dotted with just enough cottony clouds to give periodic relief from the intense sun. The air was balmy and as expected, the crowds overflowed the fairways." Descriptions like this put the reader right into the context of Balkind's story about a pro golfer playing through a personal threat on his life. Told in a play-by-play style, "Sudden Death" is rich with detail. Each day is rooted in a solid foundation of narrative and top-dressed with believable dialogue.

Reid Clark, the main character, lives the somewhat stereotypical life of the sports star and he treats the supporting cast of characters thoroughly and delightfully throughout the novel. One entertaining example describes Reid lavishing all-you-can-spend shopping trips on his sisters and another illustrates the family's enjoyment of one another as they spend time together between the Master's tournament and the contest laced with the threat on Reid's life.

The security detail embedded with Reid as he goes about practicing and playing serves as a counterweight to the family-and-friends scenes. They, along with the wide range of emotions experienced by Reid as the tension builds, remind the reader that having superior skills and worldly success are no guarantee of sustaining a peaceful state of mind. Balkind does a good job of gradually building the mystery and suspense throughout the story: "As much as he had tried, Reid couldn't concentrate on the movie. He was upset and annoyed. Why had it taken a death threat to get him to spend time with the people he loved? Was someone really going to take all this away from him?"

Adding another layer of interest to the story is a scene where Reid films an endorsement commercial for a golf ball company. I thought this scene provided an interesting insight into how professional sports stars have to be good at more than just the sport they love and it provided a sense of balance to the mystery and description of daily activities of life on the tour.

I gave Sudden Death four stars because while the suspense built throughout the novel and I felt that Reid's character grew steadily with each chapter, I didn't really get a good look inside the head of the character who wished to kill Reid. Part of the enjoyment of reading mysteries for me is gaining an understanding of how evil people think and what drives them to plan harmful actions. This was missing for me in this novel.

Overall, however, Balkind does an excellent job on his debut novel and his attention to detail and thorough understanding of both golf and his characters supplies the reader with an enjoyable read. There is enough substance in this book to appeal to golfers and non-golfers and men and women both are likely to find it entertaining.

Paula Buermele, author of The Dream Catcher Tour, is a reviewer for Bookpleasures and a member of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association and the Metro Detroit Creative Writers Group.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Well..........., August 18, 2011

By 

Certd - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sudden Death (Kindle Edition)

I read this book in 2 days. It's not that I was on the edge of my seat, it is because I kept waiting for something to happen. if I wasn't a golfer, I would have bailed. it is not suspenseful in the least. Nothing happened, no twists. Actually it felt like it was written by a high school student taking their first journalism class. Glad it was a free download.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Michael Balkind makes a Hole in One with Sudden Death!, July 31, 2009

By 

Joseph R. Gamba - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sudden Death (Paperback)

I really enjoyed Sudden Death. I read it while on vacation. It's one of those books that you hate to put down and when you come to the end you wish that there were more. Excellent! I look forward to reading more of Mr. Balkind's work.

J. Gamba