Taxed To Death (Alex Bellamy Mysteries) [Kindle Edition]

Debra Purdy Kong (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's a very creditable effort and Kong is a welcome addition to the ranks of crime writers populating Canada's West coast." Dave Skene-Melvin, Mystery Scene.

"Young Alex Bellamy is a remarkably sympathetic character under the circumstances..." John Moore, Lifestyles.

"Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down until I was done." George Robertson, Beyond Numbers. -- George Robertson

Debra Purdy Kong provides the audience with an entertaining mystery that will gain her many fans who will relish the British Columbia setting. --Harriet Klausner

Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down until I was done. --George Robertson, Beyond Numbers

Taxed to Death is a superb mystery of plot twists and turns. A masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling. --Jim Cox, MidWest Review

Debra Purdy Kong provides the audience with an entertaining mystery that will gain her many fans who will relish the British Columbia setting. --Harriet Klausner

Taxed to Death is a superb mystery of plot twists and turns. A masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling. --Jim Cox, MidWest Review

Product Description

Police, lawyers, federal agents, politicians…the stuff of mystery novels. But when money is stolen from individuals and businesses through fraud, who better to find the villains than the number crunchers, and when fraud turns to murder, how does a chartered accountant cope? TAXED TO DEATH immerses readers in the meticulous world of government tax auditor, Alex Bellamy. Alex’s dreams of adventure become all too real when, during a field audit, he finds evidence of fraud involving someone inside Canada Revenue Agency itself. When Alex’s colleague is murdered during the investigation, Alex is forced to turn to Jillian Scott for help; a lady he’s never met, and who has her own frightening reasons for refusing to cooperate. Soon, Jillian’s fears and Alex’s search for a killer embroil them in a bizarre and disturbing nightmare that not everyone will survive.

Reviews: “It’s a very creditable effort and Kong is a welcome addition to the growing ranks of crime writers populating Canada’s West coast.” David Skene-Melvn, Mystery Scene “Once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down until I was done”. George Robertson, Beyond Numbers “TAXED TO DEATH is a superb mystery of plot twists and turns. A masterpiece of suspensefufl storytelling.” Jim Cox, Midwest Review “Purdy Kong does not hold back from taking a look into people’s interior and private lives and that’s a quality which will take her far. Her writing is clean, capable, even poetic. Purdy Kong has found her voice.” Edgar award winner, G.Miki Hayden, author of Writing the Mystery.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 230 KB
• Print Length: 232 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0969921101
• Publisher: Bristlecone Pine Press (February 4, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001RIZEJG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #549,909 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

While raising a family, volunteering at my kids' schools, and working at a variety of jobs over the years, I've never stopped writing. It's been a pleasure and a passion for nearly thirty years, and I expect I'll keep writing until I take my last breath. I live in Canada's pacific northwest and try to visit as many places as I can in the U.S. while attending mystery conventions and conferences.

I've published more than one hundred short stories, essays (including one in Chicken Soup for the Bride's Soul) and articles. Over the past couple of years, I've started writing book reviews and blogs. It's been incredibly satisfying to reach out to people and to help unknown authors get a little recognition. The bulk of my time is spent writing contemporary mystery novels. My Alex Bellamy white-collar crime novels, Taxed to Death and Fatal Encryption, are also available on Kindle.

In 2011, TouchWood Editions released The Opposite of Dark, the first novel in my Casey Holland transit security mystery series. Happily, the book is now available on Kindle! The second book, Deadly Accusations, will appear in print on March 6, 2012!

I can't say that I have a favourite book of all time, but the one that's stuck with me most over the past 35 years is To Kill a Mockingbird. I read everyday of my life, without fail. I'm not a fast reader. I prefer to savour words, to mull over plotlines and characters, to really think about what I'm reading. My greatest fear is that I'll run out of time before reading the many books I wish I had time to read. Still, I've got a three or four good decades left, I hope.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable British Columbia amateur sleuth tale, July 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Taxed to Death (1st in Alex Bellamy Series) (Paperback)

In Vancouver, the Revenue Canada Special Investigation (SI) section informs two of the department's auditors Andy Gowen and Alex Baldwin to drop their inquiries into a potential fraud case. Alex tries to persuade Andy that they need to continue to look into wrong doing by officials of Ice Craft, Lions Import, and the Silby and Morrow Accounting Firm. Alex also believes that someone in SI is part of the fraud and is abetting the firms by halting the investigation.

However, that night someone murders Andy, but makes it seen that the recently promoted victim killed himself. Alex was also assaulted, but manages to escape. Needing help inside the accounting firm, Alex kidnaps Jillian Scott, secretary to the senior partner. Though she thinks he is a lunatic, they begin to share information because Alex knows he must start by identifying the Silby and Morrow partner who condoned the fraudulent deal.

TAXED TO DEATH is an intriguing amateur sleuth tale that fans of regional tales will enjoy. The story line centers on a Canadian fraud case that is under investigation by the government, thereby by providing a different perspective to the reader. Alex is an intriguing character who deserves sequels as his obsession to go to any extreme (just ask Jillian) to get his "man" will keep him ticking in future novels. The support cast brings a touch of the region to the fine plot. Debra Purdy Kong provides the audience with an entertaining mystery that will gain her many fans who will relish the British Columbia setting.

Harriet Klausner

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Twists and turns, likeable characters and quick chapters...., May 3, 2009

By 

J.R. Reardon "J.R. Reardon, author of Confide... (Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Taxed to Death (1st in Alex Bellamy Series) (Paperback)

Author Debra Purdy Kong's TAXED TO DEATH is the first book I have read by a Canadian author, and what beautiful portraits of Canada did she describe!

I chose the book as it was tax season in the USA and thought "how fitting." Reading about Revenue Canada instead of the IRS was also a first for me, so that took a little getting used to, but not problematic at all.

The given synopsis of the story is as follows: "Revenue Canada auditor, Alex Bellamy, has always dreamed of adventure. During a field audit, he discovers evidence of fraud. When Alex learns that others, including someone inside Revenue Canada, are involved, he persuades his colleague, Andy Gowan, to help him investigate. But Andy is murdered and Alex is forced to turn to Jillian Scott; a lady he's never met and who has her own frightening reasons for refusing to cooperate. Soon, Jillian's fears and Alex's search for a killer embroil them in a bizarre and disturbing nightmare...not everyone will survive."

The main plot of TAXED TO DEATH is filled with several twists and turns, the dynamic between the main characters, Alex and Jillian is likeable and the chapters for the most part are quick reads. The only thing I longed for was a little more description of the characters and the adventure scenes.

J.R. Reardon
[...]

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars First chapter sets the hooks, December 6, 2010

By 

Bill Flynn "The Feathery" (Boston area) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Taxed to Death (1st in Alex Bellamy Series) (Paperback)

This review is a culmination of both myself and my wife, Barbara's, opinion of Debra Purdy Kong's suspenseful novel.
The first chapter caught us with the untimely and horific death of Andy. We were unable to resist moving through the pages to discover the who and why behind Andy's death. In getting to that answer the story worked its way through a multitude of characters, peppered with greed and tax evasive intrigue. We were taken down to depths of an underground cavern,much more rank than that home of the Phantom of the Opera...we entered plush board rooms where sinister plots to evade were orchestrated. We read on to piece together the many characters and their motivations...and we found our way through that maze of intrigue until at the end it all came together and was well understood.
Debra Purdy Kong describes the workings of Revenue Canada as they pit their resources against those who would murder to gain more wealth and to evade being taxed to death. A complex, but enjoyable read. We recomend!