No Way Back (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: jewelry store heist, Rick Mofina, San Francisco, Ann Reed (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Employing his usual wide-angle approach, veteran newspaper reporter Mofina narrates his fourth crime thriller (after Blood of Others) from the perspective of an anxious hostage, a remorseless robber, a pair of relentless media hounds, a guilt-ridden husband and a clueless detective. Though this shifting focus allows Mofina to dip into the minds of his characters, he only skims the surface of their personalities. When two ex-cons rob a jewelry store, kill a cop and take a hostage, brash San Francisco Star reporter Tom Reed decides to take on one more assignment before quitting the profession. But when he learns that the hostage is his wife, he does some digging of his own, much to the frustration of aging Inspector Walter Sydowski. An opportunistic freelance reporter and her cameraman provide Reed and Sydowski with their first clue, which sends them across state lines on a high intensity chase. Mofina's clipped prose reads like short bursts of gunfire ("No way for the paramedics to get to him. No need to. Half of his head was gone."), but his dialogue is colorless and varies little from character to character. Though the story loses momentum as it approaches its climax, a number of cliffhanger chapter endings will ensure that readers stick around for the duration.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A tightly wound spring of suspense and terror." -- David Morrell, acclaimed author of The Protector.

"No Way Back is my kind of novel — a tough, taut thriller." -- Michael Connelly, New York Times best-selling author of Lost Light, Blood Work, City of Bones.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Pinnacle (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078601525X
• ISBN-13: 978-0786015252
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #388,938 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another quality Mofina thriller, May 16, 2003

By	Avid Mystery Reader (Ohio) - See all my reviews

I haven't a clue why Rick Mofina isn't as well known as some other thriller writers -- Mofina can tell a story with the best of them! His books have excellent plots, pacing, and characters you just know you'd want to meet in person. Mofina's no-nonsense journalism style fits my taste perfectly -- I don't care about a zillion literary details, just tell me a story!! He keeps me on the edge of my seat, turning pages and reading as fast as I can. Tom Reed, the main character, is someone I've seen grow since the beginning of the series. I hope he's around for a long time, and I hope Mofina gets the success his writing deserves.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars strong scary thriller, June 16, 2003

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

He is a well-respected renowned Pulitzer Prize nominee, a reporter for the San Francisco Star who has come close to destroying his marriage because he got too close to the evil in his stories. Tom Read's wife Ann, a successful entrepreneur who owns several clothing stores in the San Francisco area, wants her husband to quit his job and he agrees to do it but when the editor asks him to do a literary piece about a jewelry store robbery, he can't say now.

When he arrives at the San Francisco Deluxe jewelry store, he learns that one of the robbers is injured and the remaining two took hostage a woman who was buying an anniversary gift for her husband. His world falls apart when he learns that the hostage is Ann and the police have no clues to the identity of the perpetrators are. As time passes and there are no ransom demands, Tom learns through his contacts that one of the kidnappers considers him an enemy and has a score to settle with him.

A Rick Mofina thriller is always exciting to read and this especially good novel contains plenty of action and it looks like the victim will die because one of the kidnappers is obsessed with the hero. The two villains in NO WAY BACK are vile predators who kill without feeling remorse so nobody will feel anything but loathing for him. This novel is particularly scary because the scenario is all too plausible.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! Another MOFINA book I couldn't put down!, July 22, 2003

By	Terri (No. San Diego County, CA (USA)) - See all my reviews

What can I say that others haven't said? THIS BOOK IS ONE YOU CAN'T PUT DOWN! Riveting suspense... crime thrillers will find this a real treat ... believable and intense ...really scary at times....
I find his knowledge of police maneuvering and procedures to be especially fascinating and intriguing! He piqued my interest!!
I can't wait for the next one!