TailSpin (Thorndike Basic) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Catherine Coulter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2008 | Series: Thorndike Basic

FBI Special Agent Jackson Crowne is flying renowned psychiatrist Dr. Timothy MacLean back to Washington, D.C., to protect him and discover who’s trying to kill him. But they don’t make it. That same morning, agents Savich and Sherlock are told about Agent Crowne’s Mayday sent from deep in the Appalachian mountains near Parlow, Kentucky. Within thirty minutes, Savich and Sherlock are aboard an FBI helicopter, headed for Parlow. Agent Crowne barely manages to bring his Cessna down in the narrow Cudlow Valley and haul the unconscious Dr. MacLean from the burning wreckage before it explodes. Their crash is witnessed by Rachael Abbott, a young woman who has just narrowly escaped drowning by assailants who drugged her, tied her to a cement block, and threw her into Black Rock Lake. When Savich and Sherlock arrive in Parlow, they discover Jack is down but not out, that Rachael saved his and Dr. MacLean’s lives, and that she’s hiding something big. To add to the complexity of the situation, Dr. MacLean has been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia, a pernicious disease that makes the victim say whatever comes to mind with no regard to consequences. With a patient list of Washington’s elite movers and shakers, MacLean has almost certainly compromised doctor-patient confidentiality, and one of his patients, they presume, is out to shut him up. But which one, and why?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dark secrets that can destroy lives propel bestseller Coulter's solid 12th FBI thriller (after Double Take). When a small plane carrying FBI Special Agent Jackson Jack Crowne makes a crash landing in mountainous Parlow, Ky., his friends FBI Special Agents Dillon Savitch and Lacey Sherlock fly by helicopter from Washington, D.C., to the scene. Jack survives the crash, aided by Rachael Abbott, a young woman who's returning to Parlow, her childhood home, after escaping an attempt to drown her in a Maryland lake. After Rachael reveals that she's the illegitimate daughter of the late Maryland senator John James Abbott, whose siblings she suspects are trying to kill her, the FBI agents agree to help. As further attempts on Rachael's life occur, the attraction grows between her and Jack. Despite a somewhat predictable plot, master of romantic suspense Coulter exposes the cost of obsessive regard for family honor and family shame with her usual flair. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Rachael Abbott is on the run after an attempted drowning, and she is heading to the only person she can trust, her uncle Gillette, in remote Slipper Hollow, Kentucky. Just outside of the nearest town, her car breaks down, and she witnesses a plane crash. Rachael helps rescue the pilot and passenger, who turn out to be FBI agent Jack Crowne and Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist with influential patients who has escaped several murder attempts. The good doctor is suffering from a type of dementia that has him inadvertently divulging his clients’ secrets. After another attempt on Rachael’s life, she tells Jack, his boss Savich, and Savich’s wife and fellow agent, Sherlock, that she believes her would-be murders are her newly found relatives. Rachel only recently learned that she is the daughter of a slain senator. The twelfth romantic thriller featuring agents Savich and Sherlock is one of Coulter’s best, delivering her trademark quips and nonstop action as the heroes chase bad guys from Kentucky to Washington, D.C. --Patty Engelmann --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 584 pages
• Publisher: Gale Cengage (June 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410406164
• ISBN-13: 978-1410406163
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,398,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Catherine Coulter is the author of the New York Times-bestselling FBI thrillers The Cove, The Maze, The Target, The Edge, Riptide, Hemlock Bay, Eleventh House, Blindside, Blowout, Point Blank, Double Take and TailSpin. She lives in northern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars FBI Thriller, NO 12, July 21, 2008

By 

A. Roberts "Avid Reader" (Wyoming) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: TailSpin (FBI Thriller, No. 12) (Hardcover)

I have read the entire FBI series and eagerly awaited Tailspin. As usual Savitch and Sherlock were superb and the storyline was good. However, I thought the story drug in places and for some reason I couldn't get into Rachael's character. There were no surprises to me. I early on figured on who was after Rachael and I also guessed early on what some indicate as a surprise at the end. I liked Jackson's character but Rachael at times seemed sort of smart mouth and you had the idea she didn't need the FBI; like she was going to take on any of the bad guys. At one point Jackson is concerned about her carrying a gun and she tells him to shut up-she can probably shoot better than him. Well he was in some special forces and then FBI and that was unlikely as was her getting out of the water after she had been tied up and a cement block tied to her. Okay it's fiction and though I rolled my eyes, I'll buy that for the sake of the story. She bothered me more when she was so sarcastic.

I got a little bored with all the conversations over the same thing. There is one whole chapter with Rachael walking around Jackson's apartment describing the walls, the floors, the decor and going through everything again. I found myself skimming some of the book and in fact put it down several times which I seldom do with one of the FBI series. IT seemed like it would flow along and then drag for awhile. It's not bad and there have been others in the series I have liked better than others. IF there is a 13th book in the series I would no doubt read it. I like Savitch and Sherlock enough to keep reading.

I appreciate the fact that CC doesn't have a lot of profanity in her books and explicit sexual situations. This series is not really romance but more thrillers. The only really sexual scene was between Savich and Sherlock which was kind of cute actually.

Though this wasn't my favorite of the series, it still had its moments and if you've read the rest of the series you will want to read this one.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars So bad..., September 16, 2008

By 

Tina (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: TailSpin (FBI Thriller, No. 12) (Hardcover)

This book was so bad that I had to get out of bed after I finished reading it to write this review.

The first two-thirds of the book was so slow and boring I almost put it down. Wish I had.

Then, for a moment of time, it was okay. I almost cared about the characters and the outcome.

Shortly thereafter, I wanted to ask the author if she considered working at Burger King because being an author certainly does not seem to be her area of expertise.

The plot went from dull to outlandish. The facts were distorted. (A Cessna, with a bomb on board would not simply crash land. It would be blown to smithereens and would not be survivable.)

To be honest and fair, this is the first book I've read by this author. And the last.

I purchased the book because I am a pilot, and the name/photo caught my attention. (So much for great marketing!) The write-up was intriguing. The fact that it was a best-seller, sold me.

But I've learned my lesson, for sure. Sometimes best-sellers are simply very well marketed.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Plot and Character Development, June 26, 2008

By 

Valerie Jones (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: TailSpin (FBI Thriller, No. 12) (Hardcover)

Dr. Timothy MacLean is a psychologist to all the movers and shakers in Washington, but when he is diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia and starts leaking confidential information about his patients someone tries to run him and keep him quiet permanently. After the second attempt on his life, FBI Special Agent Jack Crowne steps in and attempts to fly Dr. MacLean to safety. During the flight, a bomb goes off and sends Agent Crowne and Dr. MacLean to a fiery crash in Parlow, Kentucky. Luckily for both men, Rachael Abbott is there to witness the crash and assist both men in the rescue. Rachael has just discovered that she is the illegitimate daughter of a Senator, who she believes was murdered. Agent Crowe soon learns that Rachael is running away from people who are attempting to murder her as well. With Dr. McLean in a coma from the crash and Agent Crowe determined to protect Rachael from ferocious murderers he enlists the help of Agents Savich and Sherlock. With conspiracy theories, political secrets, dysfunctional families and assassins on the lose Catherine Coulter provides an excellent plot weaved with suspense, mystery and romance. Tailspin is a great addition to Coulter's FBI series. Written with superb attention to detail and excellent character dialogue Coulter returns after a long absence at the top of her game. The return of our favorite Agents Savich and Sherlock coupled with new highly likeable characters and villains, readers with definitely get their monies worth. High praises for Tailspin. Valerie Jones [...]