And Then There Was One

I got this as a Kindle Daily Deal as I was intrigued by the premise, but I’m glad I didn’t pay more than $1.99 for it. The idea is great but the story was let down by the writing and the plotting. There were far too many characters to care about and the author couldn’t decide whose perspective she wanted to tell the story from. As it was, we got chapters or parts of chapters written from the perspective of both parents, the grandparent, all three of the triplets, the FBI agents, all of the many suspects, the suspects’ wives and children, a random hit man and a few others that I’ve probably forgotten. This could have been a taut psychological thriller, but it wasn’t. The writing was very matter-of-fact. This happened, then that happened, and then something else happened. There was little in the way of character development, or a sense that we were getting to know or care about, any of the characters. I kept going with it because I’m the kind of reader who doesn’t like to give up on a book, but the ending was ultimately disappointing. The idea had started out so promisingly, but the resolution was boring. The motivation of the kidnapper was cliched and poorly executed, and the final post-resolution chapter was just sickeningly cloying. There are far better choices out there to spend your time reading.

In the mood for a mystery novel? Once upon a time, there were three girls that were identical triplets who had gone to the movies with their cousin. One of the girls Jackie had gone into one of the cinemas with her cousin and the other two girls Sammie and Alex had gone to see the movie right next door. Jackie and their cousin’s movie had finished first, so they waited for them, but neither girl came out of the theater. We later learn that Sammie and Alex have been kidnapped and so begins a tale of Katie and Scott’s nightmare as they hunt for their daughters and during this time secrets and skeletons that should have stayed in the closet are revealed from ex-boyfriends, past lives, and enemies. What will happen though when days pass with no ransom or notes? Who has their daughters and why? What will happen when their remaining triplet falls ill and lands in the hospital? Now with two girls missing and the third not waking up, Katie and Scott’s relationship will be put to the test, and their limits broadened as they fight against the clock to save their whole family. I have to admit that though I did enjoy parts of this story, I did find that it was too busy and had provided the reader with far too many possible suspects and though the characters did all intertwine there were parts of the story and characters that were deemed unnecessary to the story’s ending. If you do love your mystery novels and are a fan of shows like Criminal Minds and Chicago PD, then take a trip down memory lane and check out this 2010 release “And Then There was One” by Patricia Gussin today.

My first read of this author, and I will read another. It started with a breathtaking situation and just kept rocking! This us what I am looking fir often. A page turner to whiz me through a winter snowstorm or keep me company as I pant through another summer day. Scott and Katie are an ideal loving couple who must live through one of life’s most horrendous nightmares for parents, multiplied by three. They find out implosive secrets they had not shared and discover their lives were pocked with undesirable, vengeful people. There are a number of potential villains in this story and all are plausible possibilities. We spend maybe a bit too much time slogging around in Scott and Katie’s repetitive internal thoughts that did not move the story forward; I did find myself skipping over a few paragraphs here and there. But in all, a fine story with enough surprises to keep any reader happy. Loved it.

Scott and Katie Monroe have triplet daughters one day. The next two are missing. Kidnapped by an overweight middle aged white woman according to Wittiness. Then two different ransom demands come in. Who has the girls? The FBI is working non stop trying to find them. Then one gets away but the bad guys still have one of the girls. Will they get her back or will she be harmed by the crazy people? Read the book. It’s full of twists and turns. So many suspects and bad guys. Will Katie rethink her job in life and the
kind of people it puts her in front of? Will life get better for their family as a result of the kidnapping?

Triplets. Kidnapping. Fast-paced suspense. Characters to care for and others to despise. I read for hours, anxious to follow the action. How do parents and family respond when two of their triplets are kidnapped? How does law enforcement react? What motivates the kidnapper? What other subplots are woven into the story? The book gradually answers these questions. A very good book for readers who enjoy family relationships and page turning suspense.

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