Title: Velocity: A Karen Vail Novel
Author: Alan Jacobson
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Publication Date: October 5, 2010
Hardcover: 400 pages
ISBN: 978-1593156213
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
I am not rating this book because of the reason sited below in my unusual review.
Renowned FBI profiler Karen Vail returns in Velocity. national bestselling author Alan Jacobson’s most explosive thriller to date. Detective Robby Hernandez, Vail’s boyfriend, has vanished into the dense air of a Napa Valley evening. There are no clues to his whereabouts, other than a blood stain and tenuous connections to a vicious serial killer operating in the wine country.
As the task force struggles with Robby’s disappearance, the killer challenges Vail by boldly leaving his high profile victims in public places. Is this offender somehow responsible for Robby’s disappearance? Evidence suggests that he is — but just when Vail and the task force begin to make progress, the FBI orders Vail to return to Quantico to handle a case of vital importance.
Back in Washington, Vail engages covert government operative Hector DeSantos to determine what happened to Robby. It’s a move that backfires when DeSantos’s confidential informants lead them into unforeseen dangers, forcing Vail to face off against powerful foes unlike any she’s ever encountered, threatening her life, her career . . . all that she holds dear.
In a frantic race against time that takes them from the monuments of Washington, D.C., to the wealthy beach enclaves of San Diego and the bright excesses of Las Vegas, shocking truths emerge — truths that will forever change Karen Vail.
My Review:
As mentioned in the subject line this will be a rather unusual review. I shall not be rating Velocity by Alan Jacobson because it is partially my fault for not realising Velocity takes off where his previous book, Crush, ended. Not having read Crush I muddled through Velocity much as one does who misses two-thirds of a movie and desperately tries to figure out what is going on and how the characters relate to one another. I truly believe that had I read Crush, which from all accounts was a brilliant suspense novel, I would have enjoyed Velocity. Instead I spent a lot of time trying to figure out who everyone was and the plots got lost in my character confusion. To be fair, it really, really would have helped if the synopsis would have mentioned this book in the conclusion to the previous book and then starts up on another mystery, but it does not. Rather, the exact wording is “Renowned FBI profiler Karen Vail returns in Velocity. National bestselling author Alan Jacobson’s most explosive thriller to date.” I knew from those words it was a series, but I did not know what I was getting myself into. Jacobson’s writing is wonderful and his suspense is near perfect and if I had the background information I probably would have even liked his characters more. Yet I cannot get passed not knowing. I should have read Crush if I wanted to know what was happening throughout Velocity. So, in fairness, I am not rating this book. I do enjoy his writing style and think he could surpass Patterson, however I cannot be certain, I need to read back. Until I do, my only recommendation is to first read Crush, then Velocity.
Alan Jacobson is the national bestselling author of the critically acclaimed thrillers False Accusations, The Hunted, Crush. Velocity. and The 7th Victim, which was named to Library Journal’s “Best Books of the Year” list. Alan’s years of research and training with law enforcement have influenced him both personally and professionally. and have helped shape the stories he tells and the diverse characters that populate his novels.
Alan’s books have sold internationally. and both The 7th Victim and one of his forthcoming thrillers, Hard Target. are currently under development as major feature films. He lives in Northern California.
Learn more about Velocity and the Karen Vail novels at www.KarenVail.com
For more information, view Alan Jacobson’s Website.
I received a complimentary copy of Velocity by Alan Jacobson from FSB Associates. Receiving a review copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.
Recent Comments