Customer Reviews

Taxed To Death (Alex Bellamy Mysteries)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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
[...]

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!

admittedly, murder mysteries are not my favorite genre to read. i like a little taste from all sorts of genres. but this was a well-done murder mystery from the rare viewpoint of the accounting and taxation fields. ms. kong obviously has spent time in the accounting and/or tax biz, as her knowledge of the jargon and workings of these offices is extensive...or at least adequate enough to carry the story in a way that an ameteur like me would not know the difference. (nor did it lose me by being too exclusive or elitist to follow) she seemed to care about her characters and create a web of intrigue that kept my interest piqued until the surprising conclusion. the main protagonist, alex bellamy professes to work for revenue canada...but after the murder of his friend and being pulled from an important audit, he takes to kidnapping a secretary from the lucrative accounting firm where she works. the kidnapped secretary (and indeed the reader at this point) finds it difficult to believe bellamy is credible...or even one of the good guys. corruption, greed, infidelity and blackmail take center stage in tunnels beneath the city, in the accounting office and in a sleazy casino on a private island. kong creates sympathetic characters and dastardly villains in fine form, especially for a new writer. she keeps you guessing, creates tension and suspense with ease...and makes you have to keep reading until the end. this is a spectacular work....and the fact that this is (i believe) her first book, makes it all the more impressive.
a fine first work from a promising new author.....a murder mystery that truly deserves a 5-star rating....and deserves to be read.

Debra Purdy Kong has set her novel in British Columbia and added rich details to give readers a feel for the area. Her main character, Alex Bellamy, is a sympathetic and courageous character who becomes embroiled in a mystery when he and his friend Andy Gowan try to solve a fraud case. After Andy is murdered, Alex is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of a tangled web of fraud and deceit and he enlists the help of Jillian Scott, an employee at the accounting firm he is investigating. To keep Jillian out of danger, he has to first kidnap her, which leads to some interesting situations for the two of them.
Taxed to Death is an enjoyable read loaded with suspense that will keep you reading until the end.

TAXED TO DEATH by DEBRA PURDY KONG is set in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada).
Alex Bellemy and his newly promoted boss, Andy Gowen of the Special Investigations unit of Revenue Canada had been checking a couple of companies and a major Accounting firm. Without notice, they were ordered to stop their investigation by superiors. Alex is convinced there is a criminal conspiracy and the companies and accounting firm are involved. He convinces his boss Andy Gowen to continue the investigation, 'off-the-record'. In order to do so, he manages to smuggle some file copies. As they began work in Andy's new apartment, things go bad. They are assaulted by an intruder who had been hiding in a closet when they arrived with the files. Andy is killed, Alex is injured. He trams up with Jillian Scott, secretary to a partner in the accounting firm. The two of them go for a roller-coaster ride with many twists and turns in this intriging plot.

IF this is Author Debra Purdy King's debut novel, she is off to a great start in building a loyal fan base. I know there is a second in the ALEX BELLAMY series, titled "FATAL ENCRYPTION", which I am excited to read NOW! DEBRA PURDY KONG has rocketed herself to being one of my FAVORITE Authors.

Michael Phelps
Author

This story took me through a wonderfully complex plot involving fraud, murder, and revenge. Even though it is billed as a mystery, in some ways, it reads much more like a suspense novel. The plot finally comes to an exciting, action-packed head, as the puzzle pieces finally come into place, and their image is revealed.

Unfortunately, I never got to know any of the main characters, and their personalities felt flat to me. I also don't know what (if anything) the story was trying to tell me. Overall, an unsatisfying read that left me wanting more--not wanting more of the same, but wanting to see more of the hero and heroine.