Blindside: An FBI Thriller (Hardcover)

by Catherine Coulter (Author) "It was pitch black..." (more)
Key Phrases: sinful children, brownie batter, hair rollers, Agent Savich, Agent Hodges, Troy Ward (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The newest installment in historical romance author Coulter's FBI series (Eleventh Hour, etc.) delivers some of the things her fans have come to expect-a fast-moving investigation, a mind-bending mystery-but readers will have difficulties getting past the book's wooden dialogue, pointless plot digressions and superficial characterizations. Married FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock are on the trail of a serial killer who targets math teachers, but when Sam Kettering, the son of their widower friend Miles, is kidnapped, they turn their attention to getting the boy back. Six-year-old Sam and Sheriff Katie Benedict, of Jessborough, Tenn., already have the situation in hand, however. After escaping from his kidnappers, Sam runs into single mother Katie, and now all they have to do is wait for the cavalry to arrive. To everyone's surprise, the kidnappers resurface, leaving Katie and the FBI wondering who's really behind the attempts. While Savich and Sherlock return to Washington, D.C., to all-too-easily wrap up their serial killer investigation, Miles and Katie pursue their primary suspects and decide whether to marry for the sake of their kids, who bonded instantly. The relationship between Miles and Katie is hasty and underdeveloped, and their brash investigative methods will raise eyebrows. Still, the mystery at the heart of this talky tale is intriguing and the pacing is brisk, which makes this a capable, if not thrilling, summer diversion.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The sheriff of Jessborough, Tennessee, Katie Benedict, meets up with best-seller queen Coulter's ever popular FBI agents, Sherlock and Savich, when she and her five-year-old daughter, Keely, rescue a six-year-old boy fleeing kidnappers. He is the son of Miles Kettering, a former FBI agent. Sam is so traumatized that a local psychiatrist thinks he should remain in Katie and Keely's house, along with his father. But after another kidnapping attempt, Katie realizes that the motive behind the attacks is an unusual one, and that the relentless kidnappers will never give up. Along the way to solving the mystery, Katie runs into a sadomasochistic couple: the pastor of the Sinful Children of God Church and his bizarre wife, who just happens to be the sister of one of the kidnappers. Meanwhile, Savich is working on the case of a serial killer who is targeting math teachers. Even though Coulter's eighth FBI thriller (the last was Eleventh Hour [BKL Jl 02]) is marred by some continuity and consistency problems, it still delivers an entertainingly romantic mystery with endearing new characters as well as beloved recurring ones. Diana Tixier Herald
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (July 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399150560
• ISBN-13: 978-0399150562
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #280,120 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 8 in The FBI Thriller Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars (2 1/2) BLINDSIDED AND DISAPPOINTED, July 28, 2003

By	Tucker Andersen (Wall Street) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Catherine Coulter's editor did her a major disservice by not insisting on an extensive rewrite prior to the publication of this book. While it is advertised as "an FBI Thriller" and the next book in the series featuring Dillon Savich and his wife Lacey Sherlock, the author's attempt to fit the book into that mold in order to appeal to her loyal readers will probably backfire by disappointing them. Just as in her previous book, THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Savich and Sherlock are peripheral to the main plot, as is in fact the whole FBI. AND BY TRYING TO GIVE THEM A MEANINGFUL ROLE SHE HAS DETRACTED FROM WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRST CLASS NOVEL.

The book begins as a standard FBI procedural, with Savich trying to track down an apparent serial killer of math teachers in the Washington, D.C. area. However, after a few chapters that case becomes almost an afterthought to the central plot, the kidnapping of six-year-old Sam Kettering, the son of Savich's friend and widowed former FBI agent Miles Kettering. Sam escapes his kidnappers after being mysteriously tranported to eastern Tennessee and is saved from being recaptured by the local sheriff, Katie Benedict. (This all happens within the first thirty pages.) As he gradually recovers from the post traumatic stress brought on by his ordeal, Sam forms a strong bond with Keely, Katie's five-year-old daughter.

So, the stage is set. The kidnappers are still on the loose. The reasons for Sam's kidnapping are a complete mystery. Miles is a former FBI agent who wants to interface with the local FBI office. Of course, Savich and Sherlock want to help their good friend. As the investigation begins, it soon leads to the Reverend Sooner McCamy and his beautiful wife Elsbeth. They appeared in town several years ago and he has founded a very strict fundamentalist evangelical church and which has attracted an extremely devoted congregation. Clearly these elements provide enough potential for a great plot, an interesting police procedural, and a concomitant opportunity to examine how moments of stress can become life changing experiences (for Sam, Keely, Katie, and Miles). Unfortunately, the negatives of the book outweigh the positives.

The dialog is stilted and often seems contrived; it was also jarring to me that in their conversations the characters are consistently referred to by their first names as is Dillon (Savich), yet throughout the book even in the same paragraphs the author constantly refers to him as Savitch. It is understanable since this has been his personna throughout the series, but the constant juxtaposition is disturbing. (This is one of the many things a good proofreader should have caught; among other errors even the number of teachers murders as listed in the promotional blurb on the dust jacket is incorrect.) The chapter breaks were on occasion absurd. It seemed like in an attempt to mimic James Patterson the publisher decided no chapters could be too long so some breaks were even right in the middle of conversations. (E.g. pages 196 and 232) One other minor complaint is that I still have no idea why Valerie Ripper was in this story except to provide some misdirection.

More importantly than these minor annoyances, I have five major complaints which are responsible for my low rating. First, the story is more like a Harlequin romance novel than an FBI thriller. Second, the villians seem almost immortal. They are constantly put in situations where they should be captured or killed but continually and sometimes miraculously escape to continue to torment Miles, Katie, Keely and Sam. However, after the first few times the surprise element is gone and it just seems unreal. And it also seems that it would have ocurred to Katie and Miles that danger continued to exist. Third, early during the book it becomes relatively obvious who is behind the kidnapping, and while the reasons remain a mystery a lot of the intrigue disappears. Fourth, Sam and Keely are wonderful, but a lot of their charm is the innocence engendered by their youth. Yet, in order for the plot to work, they have to be so precocious for their ages that it strains the reader's credulity. Last, the D.C. murders are solved almost as an afterthought to flesh out the book and give Savich a larger role, but the two cases are totally unrelated and the reader is provided basically no meaningful clue in that case until after the murderer is apprehended.

So what saved this book from a one star rating? First, Sam And Keely and their magical relationship. The author actually made it come alive. They and Katie, whose character was wonderfully drawn, were the central elements of the story and if a lot of the distractions were eliminated this story could have been first rate. Second, the way the story evoked the small town rhythms of eastern Tennessee and the beauty of the Smoky Mountains resonated with me. Third, the basic elements of the plot had great potential if there had been a greater element of mystery and the solution had involved a greater examination of the philosophical implications inherent in the crime. Fourth, it was a very fast moving, easy read that kept my attention despite its flaws.

So, I generously rounded up my rating to three stars, and recognize that die hard C fans might enjoy this book. But if you haven't read ELEVENTH HOUR, read that instead. It is a better plot, although the characters aren't quite as good except with the exception of Nick Jones. But the reason that the technique of two mysteries works so well in that story is that they are ineluctably interrelated, rather than simply a device which in the end detracts from a more nuanced development of the main story.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine addition to series, August 4, 2003

By	S. Gould "gouldpjaks" (Woodmere, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book published on a heavy bond paper feels a lot more substantial than the 370 pages that it contains but the story is entertaining and the characters appealing. The eighth entry in Catherine Coulter's exciting FBI series it is not quite as well conceived as the first four, THE COVE, THE MAZE, THE TARGET and THE EDGE, but it is an improvement over the weaker recent entries HEMLOCK BAY and THE ELEVENTH HOUR. In this episode Sherlock and Savich come to the aid of former FBI agent and friend Miles Kettering after his six year old son ,Sam, has been kidnapped. Sam manages to escape and is recovered by local sherrif and single mom, Katie Benedict. It is now up to Sherlock, Savich, Miles and Katie to discover the reasons for Sam's abduction and to apprehend the culprits. The story moves quickly along with the appropriate amounts of danger, suspense and romance to make a great summer read. (I do agree, however, with a previous review that occasionally the relationship between Sherlock and Savich and their somewhat stilted dialogue slows rather than enhances the plot.) Overall this is another winner for Coulter.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sorely disappointing work from an otherwise fantastic author, September 4, 2004

By	N. Morgen "professionally adorable" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Blind Side (Mass Market Paperback)

The concept behind this book was great - the execution - MISERABLE. I've enjoyed Coulter's "FBI" series books in the past, but this book was a serious deviation from her typical fare.

When I picked up this book at the bookstore, I was instantly intrigued by the plot - little Sam Kettering is kidnapped from his home in the middle of the night, while dad Miles sleeps in the other room. Meanwhile, teachers are being murdered by a sniper, which has Coulter's mainstays Savitch and Sherlock left scratching their heads.

Savitch and Sherlock, take the backseat in this novel. Instead, Coulter focuses on developing additional characters - Sam, Miles, Sheriff Katie Benedict and her daughter, and Valerie Rapper.

Coulter probably would have been better served focusing on the kidnapping and leaving the teacher murders and associated characters to another novel. The plot felt rushed and underdeveloped. The dialogue was a huge deviation from the normal witty banter between Coulter characters. The budding love between Miles and Katie was trite, and forced. The ultimate reason behind Sam's kidnapping was just plain bizarre.

The only redeeming factor in this book was the adorable kids, and their sweet interactions. However, it was grossly overshadowed by the rest of the garbage.