Customer Reviews

Takeover

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Lisa Black has written an excellent mystery/thriller in her debut novel Takeover. Takeover is set in Cleveland in the heat of the summer. The story begins with Theresa (medical investigator), Paul, and Frank (police detectives) investigating the scene of a murder. However, to varying degrees, the day goes downhill quickly for these three. As Theresa continues to work the homicide at the medical examiner's office, Paul heads to the Federal Reserve to question the victim's coworkers. It is here that he finds himself a hostage in an attempted bank robbery. The robbers, Bobby and Lucas, create a standoff with three law enforcement agencies as hot shot hostage negotiator, Chris Cavanaugh, arrives to try to right the situation. What follows is a page turner that will keep you interested through the twists and turns until the climax at the end.

The story moves at a brisk pace with chapters that average 10-12 pages each. This makes for a book that is easy to read in spurts except that most chapters end like scenes of a TV show going to commercial. I often found myself frustrated that I didn't have time to jump right in to the next chapter to see what happened next. I found myself fully engaged until the very end. Structurally, the book has a good balance between dialog and description. For a first time writer, Black did an outstanding job of finding this balance and keeping it throughout the novel. Finally, objectionable material is kept to a minimum. The "s-word" and "d-word" are sprinkled lightly throughout the book, but not to the point of being a distraction. The violence is not graphic, and it is kept to what is appropriate for the flow of the story. Last of all, there are is no sexual content.

Black does a solid job of character development. Theresa is very believable as the central character of the novel. She shows courage in action throughout while she struggles with tough decisions about her own life and the lives of others. Cavanaugh is every bit of calm and cool that you would expect from a negotiator, and Lucas is a chilling sociopath. I found myself being able to hear the inflection of their voices as I read the dialog.

Overall, I was very impressed with Takeover, and I hope that Lisa Black is working on her next novel. I would recommend this book to fans of Law & Order, Crossing Jordan, and similar crime dramas. I have enjoyed these kinds of shows for years, and it was a treat to read a book in that genre.

As part of the Amazon Vine review program, I got the chance to read an advance copy of Lisa Black's first novel, Takeover. She shows some real promise as a new entrant into the forensic crime genre, and I think she would end up on my "authors to follow" list.

Theresa MacLean is a forensic scientist working for the Cleveland police. She's normally brought into the game once a crime's been committed, and someone needs to read the evidence for clues. But in this particular case, she ends up right in the middle of a crime in progress. Two bank robbers are holed up in the Federal Reserve branch building in Cleveland, and they have hostages. One of those hostages happens to be a detective, Paul Cleary, who is also MacLean's fiancée. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, but MacLean is frantic with worry over what they might do to him if his true identity becomes known. They find out the answer to that question when he pulls his gun trying to stop one of the killers from taking another life. In order to get him out of the building and to a hospital, MacLean puts her job on the line and decides to give the robbers the escape vehicle they've been demanding. She's able to trade the car for Cleary, but she also ends up being part of the deal. Now she's a hostage, ill-prepared to carry on negotiations now that she's unexpectedly on the inside. Add to that the concern over Cleary's life and her daughter (who could become motherless due to her careless action), and MacLean is in way over her head.

I thought the storyline and pacing worked well. I kept turning pages to see what turn would happen next as they tried to avoid any more bloodshed. The characters weren't quite as fleshed out as they could have been. It was almost as if this were part of a series, and you should have already had some background into the characters. MacLean was developed well as a person, but not necessarily as a forensic scientist. The hostage negotiator was also developed well. Many of the other characters seemed to be a bit light, and the reasoning behind the original robbery attempt was a bit murky. Still, all things considered, it was an enjoyable read and a good first effort for someone who could develop into a solid author.

Theresa MacLean, a forensic scientist with the M.E.'s office, is now engaged to homicide Det. Paul Cleary. Her daughter Rachel even seems to like him. They work well together on the job and are currently working a murder--a bank manager found dead on his lawn. Paul is taken hostage by two bank robbers when he goes to question coworkers and Theresa becomes simply an impediment to the negotiator because she's still working the case believing the bank robbery and the murder are connected. Will Paul mange to get out alive? Will the bank robbers learn he's a cop?

Lisa Black, also a forensic scientist, writes with authority and clarity. She manages to set the mood, build up the tension and keep it high throughout this fast paced novel. As a reader, I was so caught up in the story that the book disappeared and it was like watching a movie happening before my eyes. There scenes were so clear and the characters so sharply portrayed that it become real for the length of the book. I'm not a fast reader even though I do a look of reading for reviews, but I finished this book in less than 8 hours. I was just tearing though it reading as coffee perked, one handed as I ate, in the loo--I just couldn't put it down until I knew what was going to happen and how it would all turn out.

This is not just an action adventure thriller, it has heart. These are real people in a dangerous situation that can and often does bring out the best and the worse in a person. Black keeps the story rolling along and lets you look in as these people deal with extraordinary circumstances. (NOTE: Book has a bibliography of suggested non-fiction reading.)

Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean has been called to the scene to investigate the murder of Mark Ludlow, a bank examiner with the Federal Bank. When her fiance Homicide Detective Paul Cleary goes to the bank as part of this case, in the flash of a moment, armed men take him and the entire bank hostage. Top notch hostage negotiator Chris Cavanaugh may brag that he has never lost a hostage yet, but despite his assurances, the robbers do the unexpected at almost every turn. To make matters worse, those surrounding the situation seem more focused on using the case to jockey into a better position in the midst of agency power struggles. Can Theresa stand by as an idle onlooker, trusting others to keep her fiance, the one man she truly loves, safe? When the unexpected happens, Theresa must make personal and professional choices that might change her life forever. Can her expertise and self-knowledge prepare her for the unexpected trail the clues take and the consequences? Was this crime an impulsive act from robbers who had no clue about the nature of the Federal Bank or is there a clever plot behind their bumbling actions?

Lisa Black's debut suspense novel TAKEOVER adds new dimensions to the classic hostage scenario with a gripping mysterious motive and a protagonist who gives an emotional, personal insight to the characters on both sides of the hostage negotiations. Although the narration gives the reader insight into motives and thoughts of several characters, the reader experiences the main focus of the drama through Theresa's unique perspective as a police insider, a forensics scientist who has clues into the case of Mark Ludlow's murder and as someone personally involved in the hostage crisis through her relationship with one of the hostages. Against the backdrop of the hostage negotiator, the FBI, the local police and several characters wanting to use this situation to make headway in their careers, Theresa must make decisions to stand up for the human side of the victims. As the minutes count down and the bank robbers are only too willing to kill without a second thought, not responding to the psychological analysis that Cavanaugh expects will tip the scenario to his favor. As clues to the first murder come in, the strange connections to the case magnify rather than defuse until the last thrilling moments. Although development of one red herring might have increased the mystery even more, Lisa Black's TAKEOVER is nail-biting suspense from start to finish. Even when Theresa takes a bold, dramatic step out from behind her safety to the middle of the action, the reactions of the robbers create more questions to the mystery to the motives and personalities behind the heist. Each step forward heightens the drama of the shocking final scenes.

TAKEOVER will have readers sitting on pins and needles as each moment magnifies the complexities of the case. Lisa Black's characterization and focused accompanying descriptions intensify the suspenseful tension and emotional connection to the readers. The reader feels the sweat pouring off Cavanaugh's brow, not just because it happened but because the preceding scenes create the nerve-racking dilemma he faces. Likewise, the reader feels the force of Theresa's attachment to Paul from the first pages to the end. Through her characters and their attempts to stack the deck in the favor of their individual survival, Lisa Black poses some interesting philosophical dilemmas about whose life should come first in hostage situations. Allowing the reader to see multiple perspectives from the police side to the hostage side, from the single person to the mother, from the child to the parent, the characters themselves raise the questions. Not all readers may agree with the answer Theresa comes to understand or how the annoying personality of one character tends to negate his perspective. Nevertheless, unlike many other suspense hostage scenarios, Lisa Black goes beyond the stereotype to provide a dramatic richness to the question through Theresa's character and heart-stopping action made from those choices. Unlike other all-action easily resolved hostage scenarios, Lisa Black allows the reader to feel the aftereffects of the hostage drama as Theresa herself changes from the first moment of the initial case to the last page. Lisa Black's TAKEOVER is fast-paced, riveting suspense with a gutsy protagonist, bold in her decision to take matters into her own hands and bold in her insights into the effects of the case on herself and her family.

Theresa MacLean is a forensic scientist working for the Cleveland police department. Paul Cleary is a homicide detective in the department, and Theresa's fiance. Frank Patrick is Paul's partner. Theresa's day begins with the routine (for her) investigation of a homicide, but before the morning is over, the situation morphs into an armed takeover of the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, with taking of hostages. Enter Chris Cavanaugh, renowned hostage negotiator and author of a book on the subject, to manage the crisis. Oh, and guess what? Paul, the plainclothes detective and Theresa's fiance, is one of the hostages.

Things go rapidly downhill from there. Chris, the skilled negotiator, seems somehow out of his depth. The two crooks--Lucas and Bobby--don't respond to his skills. In fact they seem to have different and ever-changing agendas. Soon, the highly trained and disciplined professionals begin breaking fundamental rules. Theresa manages to become a hostage. The situation deteriorates. Theresa alternates between amateur detective solving the case, and outbursts of hysteria. I won't tell you any more. You'll have to read the book.

Author Lisa Black writes well. She has created an entertaining thriller that moves right along and keeps you reading. For me, unfortunately, the plot doesn't hang together, the motivations of the crooks never make complete sense, and lots of loose ends are never resolved at all. There are too many characters to remember, and the undisciplined behavior of the supposedly skilled professionals makes them hard to believe. Still, if you're looking for a fast, entertaining read, this might be just the book for you. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

I will be honest and say that this book did catch my attention from the start and that is why I kept reading. Unfortunately, it didn't keep. It started to lose my attention when Theresa makes a crazy decision. After that there is way too much dialogue and not enough action. I don't mind the dialogue as long as there is something else to go along with it.

I did like all of the forensic stuff they talked about and the "secrets" that they revealed on how they find out how long a body has been dead, how a person was killed, where they were killed. I really like that sort of thing and Lisa did a good job with that. I just wish that she did a better job with this story.

I would not buy the hardcover because I don't think this book is worth the $17 price. You can afford to wait until the $7.99 mass market because then you won't feel like you've been taken. This is the author's first book so there is that grace period that we are all entitled too. I will keep an ear to the ground to see when Lisa releases another one because I think she has potential. I didn't HATE this book, I just didn't enjoy it very much.

TAKEOVER, Lisa Black's first published novel, is a captivating thriller with an interesting heroine and an intriguing plot. The author is a member of the American academy of Forensic Sciences and has been certified by the American board of Criminalistics, and draws on her own experience by creating as her heroine Theresa (Tess) MacLean, a forensic Scientist with the Cleveland, Ohio Medical examiner's office. (Given the violent storyline, I certainly hope that their occupations are the only similarity between the author's and Tess' lives.)

The reader meets Tess immediately, at 6:42 AM on Thursday, June 25th at a murder scene in suburban Cleveland. Her fiancé, homicide Detective Paul Cleary and Paul's partner (and her brother) Frank Patrick are already on the scene. The clues are difficult to decipher, and the most immediately notable aspect of the case seems to be that the dead man (Mark Ludlow) is an employee of the local Federal Reserve Bank. No sooner does Tess get to work to start to try to unravel the evidence when the tension ratchets significantly and the tone is set; there has been a botched robbery attempt at the bank and her fiancé Paul, who had gone there to pursue his investigation, is being held with several other hostages.

Each subsequent chapter moves the reader in small time increments through the story, which creates a sense of immediacy and effectively ratchets up the tension. The intense drama concludes at 4:01 the afternoon of the day, except for the epilog of the final chapter which is used to wrap up the loose ends and provide some perspective. The other major actors in the story are Chris Cavanaugh, the high profile and extremely self-confident local hostage negotiator who has never "lost' a hostage and wants to maintain control in the power struggle with the Feds which ensues, and the two hostage takers, who the reader eventually learns are named Lucas and Bobby, about whom significant details are only gradually revealed. There are some other seemingly minor characters whose roles turn out to be crucial, particularly Mark Ludlow's wife (who also works at the Fed) and child, both of who are taken as hostages. In addition, the author even effectively uses the research librarian Peggy Elliot, whose domain across the street from the Fed has been commandeered at the negotiator's command post, to provide some crucial information to Frank Patrick.

The key moment in the drama for Tess is when rather than being an observer she becomes a participant, trading herself as a hostage for her injured fiancé, and thus not only potentially putting her life in jeopardy but both terrifying alienating her teenage daughter Rachel, for whom Tess is a single mom. There are some interesting insights about forensic pathology, especially Tess' discussion of forensic linguistics, an area of forensic science with which I was not familiar. And Tess' analytical thinking and logical approach to interpreting clues is crucial to the story. But this is not a primarily a story in the tradition of CSI or many of the well known authors whose protagonists are forensic investigators. Rather, it is really about how even for the survivors of such an encounter their lives can be changed forever in an incredibly compressed time frame, as was certainly true for all the major protagonists, Bobby, Lucas, Tess, Rachel, Paul, Frank and Chris Cavanaugh. The reader can sense early that a tragedy will result as the drama unfolds, with only its magnitude to be determined. All this is intermixed with an examination of how powerful love can be as a motivation for our actions. Finally, the author was very successful in making one of her villains, Lucas, into a complex and interesting character for whom the reader could have some sympathy by the end of the story.

I liked the plot, I liked many of the insights concerning hostage negotiation, and I thought that the final plot twist and ending was excellent. Unfortunately, while there were some great lines the writing was uneven and at times seemed very formulaic and the bare minimum necessary to service the plot. And certain elements of the story which I cannot discuss without providing spoilers seemed quite far fetched and unrealistic, and could have been handled differently without altering the plot. There was also one very minor but incredibly annoying habit of the narrator. (This was written in the third person.) She kept altering between calling Frank Patrick at times Frank and at times Patrick, in fact at first I had to refer back in the text (never slow down a thriller reader) to make sure it was one character and not two; this confusion was further complicated by the fact that they can both be first names. (This was not a function of whether he was referred to by the author, his associates or his superiors, which is an acceptable technique.) If I had been able to read the book in one sitting, it probably would have been easier to ignore, but these varying references to a single character certainly should have been caught by any early reader at the publisher and made it much more difficult for me to feel any affinity for him, is he Frank or Patrick?

In the interest of full disclosure, I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this novel while attending Thrillerfest, the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers, which is a lot of fun for readers as well as writers and where publishers often distribute ARC's in the hope that favorable word of mouth publicity will result. I am pleased to review it, as I feel that the author has great promise although as I have noted below the story could have been improved considerably with a few changes and better editing. However, since I liked the plot a lot and got totally involved in the story and recognized that this effort is by a first time author I felt it appropriate to round up my rating to four stars and is definitely worth reading if you like to read new authors and then follow their progress .

Tucker Andersen

"Takeover" is a terrific story, with the suspense mounting from start to finish.

Forensic scientist Theresa MacLean starts the day with a puzzling murder, but then gets caught up in a bank robbery/hostage situation that is even more puzzling. One of the puzzles is that some of the bank robbers' actions, such as robbing a bank that didn't seem likely to have much money in it in the first place, seem disorganized and impulsive; while other actions seem to indicate a high level of planning. But if there's a plan, what is it?

Adding to the suspense is the fact that MacLean's fiancé is one of the hostages. MacLean's fiancé is a homicide detective, and he was at the bank, ironically enough, to follow up on a lead related to the same murder that MacLean started the day with.

All of the characters -- MacLean herself, the bank robbers, the hostage negotiator, hostage bank clerks, etc. -- are interesting and believable; and the many twists and turns as MacLean struggles to solve the puzzling murder and resolve the puzzling hostage situation make this a real page-turner.

I was really impressed by this book. It was well-paced and well written. Yes, there were a few phrases I'd have changed had I been the editor, but all in all, there were barely any stopping points.

While Ms. Black is an actual CSI, so to speak, she doesn't include a lot of minute, technical details about the job. Maybe not even enough - it's one of the things I enjoy about, say, a Kathy Reichs novel. Still, it's nice to just flow through without having to read a bunch of technical jargon.

I stayed up late to finish it - past 1:00 a.m., which is high compliment from this mom of 6 year old twins.

I was really impressed with this. Nothing rang false. Nothing tripped me up.

Excellent first effort, and I hope there's a sequel to follow.

I'm a big fan of thrillers so when Amazon gave me the opportunity to choose a book to review I immediately chose this one. The book is a real page turner from the very first chapter, once you pick it up and start reading it's very difficult to put down. She did her research pretty well and it keeps you enthranced enough to want to read another one of her books. From a first time author I'd say this book is a definite read.