Taxed to Death (Alex Bellamy Series) (Paperback)

by Debra Purdy Kong (Author)
Key Phrases: personal tax file, Ice Craft, Revenue Canada, Lions Imports (more...)

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

Product Description
Revenue Canada auditor, Alex Bellamy, has always dreamed of adventure. During a field audit, he discovers evidence of fraud. 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.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Gypsy Moon Press; 1 Ed edition (October 14, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0969921101
• ISBN-13: 978-0969921103
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,385,357 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

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

By A Customer

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

1 of 1 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... (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

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
[...]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspense and a great setting make this book a winner, September 29, 2008

By	L.C. Evans "Author" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

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.