The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #2)

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The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe #2)

by Taylor Stevens (Goodreads Author)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 1,365 ratings · 308 reviews

With The Innocent, Taylor Stevens, the bestselling author of The Informationist, returns with another blockbuster thriller featuring the fearless Vanessa Michael Munroe.

Eight years ago, a man walked five-year-old Hannah out the front doors of her school and spirited her over the Mexican border, taking her into the world of a cult known as The Chosen. For eight years, follo...more

Hardcover, 331 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Crown (first published January 1st 2011)

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Aug 21, 2012 Stephanie Ziegler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Stephanie by: Read It Forward

Shelves: favorites, first-reads, publishing-co-sent, advance-reader-copy

I will be honest; I am a girl who loves her romance books. This is my first thriller, at least that is how the publisher categorizes this book. What a great book to start me off in thrillers and I am hooked (at least with Stevens books).

Stevens uses a female as the main character and a male as her back-up partner. Not knowing much about thrillers, having a female lead gave me, the reader, a sense of power. Through Michael, I felt invincible. While using an inappropriate characteristic as a merc...more I will be honest; I am a girl who loves her romance books. This is my first thriller, at least that is how the publisher categorizes this book. What a great book to start me off in thrillers and I am hooked (at least with Stevens books).

Stevens uses a female as the main character and a male as her back-up partner. Not knowing much about thrillers, having a female lead gave me, the reader, a sense of power. Through Michael, I felt invincible. While using an inappropriate characteristic as a mercenary, this book shows women that they could do anything they put their minds to.

I had trouble putting this book down. Multiple times, I found myself reading a situation that could have ended the book. Stevens added unexpected twists (that were thoroughly researched) that kept my anticipation level at an all-time high. Stevens added other storylines, like a little romance, but none overpowered the central story. The character of Hannah brings together the most unlikely of characters, all with different motives, all with different skill sets, working together as a group to help Michael if the situation calls for it.

Stevens showed us the pain that parents go through when they lose their child. She showed us what it was like to be born in a cult and what they believe to be true (she does not call it brainwashing). She showed us some of the things the elders in the cults do to the children. She showed us the torment the cult caused the people who were able to escape. She showed us how the legal system could not do anything to help. She showed us how the media focuses on the negative things and is not there to help. She showed us teamwork and how even the most untrustworthy people can learn to trust one another. She showed us that killing was okay if it is justified (but do not go out and kill people), but others are someone else's child, parent, spouse, etc. This book has so many elements that any reader can close this book with satisfaction (and if they are like me, going to buy Steven's other book).

If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself!

Until next time, take life one page at a time!
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Feb 10, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

The blurbage mentions Lisbeth Salander as similar to Vanessa (or Michael) Monroe, but don't let that influence your reading this book.

Monroe is one of those multilingual, multi-deadly-force types, a one-woman killing/vengeance/rescue team. She's recovering from her previous assignment and starting to break up with her current lover when an old friend asks for her help. Seems that Logan was raised in a religious cult and is trying to get Hannah, his daughter, out to safety. It's not necessary to...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Kara-karina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-the-shelf

Taylor Stevens is my hero. Her books ultimately keep ending up in my Best Of... lists. They are hardboiled, action packed thrillers with a very unlikely heroine.

Vanessa Michael Munroe has been compared to Lisbeth Salander many times. I haven't read The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo so I can't confirm if it's true, but what I know is that Munroe is a ruthless, sociopathic, insanely talented killer and an ultimate anti-hero in a female body. She would fit right in with Kate Daniels, Jill Kismet and...more

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May 03, 2013 Janusz rated it 2 of 5 stars

Getting through The Innocent was a struggle. Had it been any other author I would have given up after fifty, sixty or seventy pages. The recollection of the excitement and pleasure of The Informationist, Ms Taylor's debut novel, kept me going.

The author was the same; the heroine was the same. My reaction was different.

Super-heroine Vanessa 'Michael' Munroe agrees to help an old friend extract his daughter from the clutches of a manipulative cult. For three hundred pages we tag along as she lays...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Ware rated it 5 of 5 stars

Who is Vanessa Michael Munroe really? Is she victim or victor?
How did she acquire her deadly skills? What lies behind her murderous calm?

Munroe, perhaps the most fascinating female avenger in the contemporary mystery genre, remained an enigmatic charter after her immensely satisfying debut in The Informationist: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel (Vanessa Michael Munroe Novels) Now we know some of the answers.

In this second book in the series Taylor Stevens provides backstory details. Like The Info...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Michelle Lancaster rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ve-reviewed

A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
By Taylor Stevens
Crown Publishers, 331 pgs
978-0-307-71712-2
Rating: 2.5

Vanessa Michael Munroe is back in the follow-up to her debut performance in The Informationist, which I reviewed in December of last year. The mission she is hired for this time is to rescue a child from a cult and return her to her parents. Michael, as she is known, travels to Argentina, last known location for the girl, and sets about recon. She is joined by Miles Bradford, also returning from t...more A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel
By Taylor Stevens
Crown Publishers, 331 pgs
978-0-307-71712-2
Rating: 2.5

Vanessa Michael Munroe is back in the follow-up to her debut performance in The Informationist, which I reviewed in December of last year. The mission she is hired for this time is to rescue a child from a cult and return her to her parents. Michael, as she is known, travels to Argentina, last known location for the girl, and sets about recon. She is joined by Miles Bradford, also returning from the first book, who's main function is electronics and, infrequently, bodyguard. Most of the time he's the second string. Munroe is also saddled with a small collection of former cult members, each with a different agenda,who's main function seems to be offering the potential for mission catastrophe.

The Innocent begins promisingly. Munroe is a unique heroine, no one else like her in past or current thriller fiction. Taylor Stevens allows her to be larger than life and I am willing to suspend disbelief for the sheer fun of experiencing a woman in charge, physically and mentally. Michael is a chameleon who would be an asset to any intelligence and/or mercenary agency in the world, except the body count tends to climb when she's around. The story idea is a good one. The author was born into the Children of God and presumably knows whereof she speaks; the descriptions of the cult and it's members and practices are detailed and so strange. So to sum up: 1) great story idea, 2) great main character and 3) details to sink your teeth into, and 4) there's a sub-issue that works well throughout the book involving Munroe's violent nightmares and the dangers represented by her sleepwalking, actually more of a fugue state.

So what is wrong with this book?

1) It's slow. Real action doesn't begin until page 261. This is unacceptable. 2) Munroe is a fabulous character who has been allowed no growth, acceptable I suppose, but tedious. In addition, there are two incidents that make no sense: 1) at the beginning of the book Munroe kills a man in New York during one of the previously mentioned fugue states and this has no apparent effect on anything, and 2) not long after arriving in Argentina she rescues two girls from a couple of men who apparently were buying them but this is never alluded to during the entire remainder of the book. It's as if it happens in a vacuum. Disorienting. Finally, The Innocent could have benefited from better editing. The writing frequently comes across as clunky, repetitive and is filled with odd word choices.

When I reviewed The Informationist, Taylor Stevens' debut, I was impressed. I very much enjoyed that book and gave it a rating of 4.5. Maybe it's the classic sophomore syndrome, suffering in comparison to a widely praised debut. Maybe the debut was a fluke, too early to tell. So while I cannot recommend The Innocent, the author is currently at work on a third book in the series and I am prepared to keep an open mind and read the third installment before making a decision.

To visit the author: www.taylorstevensbooks.com

To visit the publisher: www.crownpublishing.com
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Dec 28, 2012 Susan Tunis rated it 4 of 5 stars

A second date with Michael Munroe

In my review of Taylor Stevens’ debut novel, The Informationist, I wrote:

“Munroe is a chameleon, changing back and forth from Vanessa Munroe to Michael Munroe as identity and gender suit her needs. She's a harsh character, and really took some getting used to. Even now, I couldn't describer as the least bit likable. She has no warmth, no apparent humor, and makes few attachments. Her code of morality is... situational. So much of my response to this novel had to...more A second date with Michael Munroe

In my review of Taylor Stevens’ debut novel, The Informationist, I wrote:

“Munroe is a chameleon, changing back and forth from Vanessa Munroe to Michael Munroe as identity and gender suit her needs. She's a harsh character, and really took some getting used to. Even now, I couldn't describer as the least bit likable. She has no warmth, no apparent humor, and makes few attachments. Her code of morality is... situational. So much of my response to this novel had to do with my response to her... In the end, it really does come back to character. Munroe is cut from a bit of the same cloth as Steig Larsson's Lisbeth Salander with a dash of Alias's Sydney Bristow. She's impressive as hell, more than a little scary, and deeply flawed. It was interesting meeting her, but the jury is out on whether I want to spend more time in her company.”

Now, my mom encouraged me to give men a second date unless there was a really compelling reason not to, and I guess I feel the same way about authors. Plus, I was fairly interested in the plot of this installment, as it dealt with Michael’s assignment, on behalf of a friend, to extract a young girl from an internationally-based religious cult much like the one Ms. Stevens was raised in and escaped from. How could that not be interesting?

I was right. It was. The plot wasn’t as complex as the one in her first novel, but it didn’t need to be. There was plenty of story without being unnecessarily convoluted. The pacing was good and the tale moved well. Ms. Stevens’ fiction continues to be just as smart and character-driven as her debut novel was. But I have to admit I’m having exactly the same issue as I did with the first novel. The author promised that we’d get to know Michael better in subsequent novels, but she’s a hard character to get to know—and when you get right down to it, just not very likeable. This is how she reacts to a welcoming hug:

“Her response to the uninvited physical contact was instant, a drive so intense that it required every shard of focus to keep her solidly in place. The rhythm of violence pounded in her chest and she remained frozen, fighting the urge to destroy him, to crush his head against the wall.”

Is she damaged? Uh, yeah. But she’s still scary as hell and it’s hard to find her sympathetic. Or at least it is for me. At the end of the second book in this series, I feel as though I’m at the exact same juncture with Ms. Stevens and Ms. Munroe. How many dates am I going to give them to see if we click? Well, the canny publisher has already put a galley of book three in my hands, so perhaps just one more…(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Michael Sherer rated it 4 of 5 stars

THE INNOCENT, the second in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series, starts where THE INFORMATIONIST left off—with a troubled and very deadly heroine. In this outing, Michael’s friend Logan asks her to find a young girl in Buenos Aires and extract her from a religious cult that is known to insiders, at least, to abuse children. Michael is given that insider information by Logan and two others who escaped (or were kicked out of) the cult as teens, and she also enlists the help of Miles Bradford, the se...more THE INNOCENT, the second in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series, starts where THE INFORMATIONIST left off—with a troubled and very deadly heroine. In this outing, Michael’s friend Logan asks her to find a young girl in Buenos Aires and extract her from a religious cult that is known to insiders, at least, to abuse children. Michael is given that insider information by Logan and two others who escaped (or were kicked out of) the cult as teens, and she also enlists the help of Miles Bradford, the security consultant/mercenary we met in the first book.

To a degree, the young girl’s situation mirrors Michael’s childhood. Michael, too, grew up in an overtly religious environment raised by missionaries, and when she left home at 13, ended up being abused. Michael, in other words, has many personal reasons for taking the job, and is, shall we say, highly motivated to succeed.

Stevens does a more than credible job of taking us through the planning, reconnaissance and execution of the mission, with plenty of thrills and chills along the way. She’s created some very likable characters in the supporting cast of Logan and Bradford, and an incredibly kick-ass heroine in Munroe.

Where I get hung up, and perhaps it’s a minor complaint, is in Michael’s repetitive internal agonizing and moral ambivalence. From Stevens’ bio, I’m guessing that this book, even more than THE INFORMATIONIST, was an incredibly personal one to write. We know, from that first book, that Munroe is damaged goods, a very flawed character due to her bizarre upbringing and the abuse she suffered as a young teen. It’s no surprise that she has terrible nightmares, that she questions who she is, her place in the world, and her almost insatiable desire to kill.

But I think in THE INNOCENT, Stevens has gone just a touch overboard and flogged Munroe’s moral dilemma—and her touchy and twitchy psychological state—to the point of making Munroe unsympathetic, almost whiny. The contrast is even starker given the fact that Stevens has given us, in the support team behind the extraction mission, three more damaged souls with backgrounds only a little less chilling than Munroe’s. Yet they all appear and act relatively normal. Though they’ve never gotten over what happened to them as children, they’ve all gotten on with their lives.

A little less self-doubt—perhaps one less nightmare, one fewer mention of the rage Munroe feels whenever someone (male) touches her unbidden, one less explanation of Munroe’s special skills at gathering information and blending in would have helped propel readers through the pages. Stevens is a wonderful writer, but her prose is dense, dramatic, highly descriptive. Adding too much repetition just slows readers down that much more, and not in a good way.

There are solid signs, however, that Munroe has begun to accept herself and her skill set as compatible with her sense of morality. Not a moment too soon.
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Sep 05, 2012 Cornelia rated it 5 of 5 stars

“I need a favor.” That’s what Logan said when he made a phone call to Morocco to speak to the one and only person who could help him, Michael Munroe. That is how the thriller, The Innocent by Taylor Stevens begins.

The author, Taylor Stevens, grew up in the religious cult, The Children of God, raised in communes across the world and denied an education beyond the 6th grade. The leader of this cult, David Berg, who thought of himself as God’s prophet, developed a method called Flirty Fishing which...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

2.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

One of the reasons that I often side-step the crime and thriller genres is that books in these genres so often begin with with terrible prologues featuring nameless victims who are about to be horribly brutalised or an anonymous shadowy villain steepling his/her fingers and making a pronouncement about how soon the world as we know it will end.

So when I began the The Innocent, which starts with a prologue in italics, that f...more 2.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

One of the reasons that I often side-step the crime and thriller genres is that books in these genres so often begin with with terrible prologues featuring nameless victims who are about to be horribly brutalised or an anonymous shadowy villain steepling his/her fingers and making a pronouncement about how soon the world as we know it will end.

So when I began the The Innocent, which starts with a prologue in italics, that features an unnamed character, and which turns out to be a dream scene, well, I was a little concerned. But intrepid reader that I am, I pressed on. Admittedly, I did so largely because this book is primarily set in Argentina, where I spent a month earlier this year, and reading is rather a good way to go on a holiday on the cheap. And my efforts weren’t in vain: it’s a solid, readable thriller that I can see having widespread appeal.

The second in Stevens’ series involving flawed, dangerous operative Vanessa “Michael” Monroe, The Innocent is a straight-forward thriller whose central plot entails the removal of a young girl from a secretive, nomadic religious cult. Though Monroe, still struggling to deal with the psychological aftermath of her last mission as well as an extraordinarily damaged youth, has been holed up in Morocco, she emerges when she hears that her friend Logan needs her help. Logan explains to Monroe that his break from the cult of The Chosen wasn’t an entirely clean one: his daughter, who knows nothing of him, is still in their midst. Drawing on Logan’s knowledge of the cult as well as her own exemplary information retrieval skills, Monroe learns that the girl is likely being held in a Chosen commune in Buenos Aires. Monroe jetsets off to Argentina, where with the help of Logan and her maybe-lover Bradford, she tracks the movements of the commune in order to plan her strike.

What follows is a good deal less action-oriented than might be expected of a thriller of this nature. The reader is dropped into the rough-and-tumble area of San Telmo, and travels throughout the city in what feels a good deal like a slightly revved up Lonely Planet volume. Sadly, the book doesn’t feel especially grounded in the city, which is a shame, because Buenos Aires is a wonderfully evocative place that really does lend itself to a thriller setting.

Rather, much of the book is spent examining the nature of the cult and those who reside within, or who have left, such a community. Many of the conversations that take place are less about the case at hand than they are about the cult experience, and why members may choose to remain in or leave these communities. Sensitive readers may wish to note that there are many discomforting passages relating to the withholding of education and social experience, as well as the way in which children may be treated as sexual currency within the commune as well as by those with whom the commune is linked. There’s also a very careful discussion about the differences between brainwashing and influencing, with the suggestion that people remain within such communities because of the appeal of what is being offered and the fear of excommunication from this group of like-minded people. Members are not stopped from venturing out into the outside world, it seems–they simply lack the education, means, or social networks required to be able to survive there. It’s intriguing, but it does make one wonder why such lengths need to be taken in order to retrieve Logan’s daughter, and why the Chosen are so intent on keeping her there. I do hope this, and Logan’s daughter’s apparent importance to the cult, is something that is explained in the third in the series.

Though the above elements make for interesting background material, they don’t make for a page-turning, intricate thriller. There’s very little tension in the book, in part because The Chosen are a non-violent cult whose only weapon against outsiders is the fact that they’re nomadic, and also because Monroe is largely invincible. She speaks a multitude of languages, is cross-culturally adept, is able to make herself over as anyone she pleases, is fiendishly brilliant when it comes to self defence, and has access to all the technology she needs in order to succeed in her missions. Her only kryptonite, it seems, is the nightmares she suffers, and these seem to have little impact on her overall performance. Monroe has been compared with Lisbeth Salander, and although I appreciate the shift towards female protagonists in the largely male-dominated thriller genre, I do worry that the cold, kick-butt personality is somehow being conflated with the notion of the strong female character. Physical strength and emotional coldness are not what is meant by “strong”. I also struggle to accept the use of rape/physical violence against a woman as a catalyst for a character’s eventual transformation into an assassin of sorts, and though this isn’t the only reason for Monroe’s becoming who she is, I’ll admit that this element affected my experience of this book.

The Innocent is a quick and tidy read, but lacks the tension and complexity I expect from this genre, and I was disappointed that the case was resolved so readily and in such a linear fashion. The character of Monroe is also difficult to identify with, and at times I couldn’t shake the feeling that her background may have had a lot more to do with Terminator than the tortured upbringing that’s described. In addition, although this book works as a standalone, I imagine that the reading experience would be much improved by reading this series in order of publication, and recommend that interested readers do so. (less)

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May 28, 2012 Ellen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I devoured The Informationist in a few days and was left wanting more of Vanessa Michael Munroe, so I downloaded this one immediately after finishing the first book. Sadly, it did not deliver on the promise of the first book. In the first book, the African setting was so compelling as to be a major part of the success of the story, adding to the difficulty of carrying out the mission. The Argentinian setting of this book didn't seem to add as much. I also felt the story of the cult was underdeve...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Gloria Feit rated it 4 of 5 stars

In reviewing the debut novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe, “The Informationist,” I pointed out that ordinarily I react poorly to super-heroes, and called her sort of a bionic woman. However, in that case I set aside my prejudices and looked upon the character favorably. Not so this time. In this sequel, Munroe is considerably less appealing, but no less destructive as an assassin and action figure.

The plot is relatively simple, built around a kidnapped child hidden away for eight years in va...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Sandie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Vanessa Michael Munroe is contacted by her best friend. He tells her of a girl who was snatched from her parents and hidden deep in a cult--the same cult that he grew up in. He knows well the abuses that children are subjected to, and as a friend of the mother, wants Munroe to bring the girl out. Heather has been in the cult for eight years, moved from place to place, given new names and almost impossible to trace. But now there is word that she is in South America and the time is right to try a...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-march-2012

I didn't like it quite as well as I liked THE INFORMATIONIST, but it wasn't bad. I guess my problem was that, in many ways, it was more of the same. This is not a bad thing. I liked the first book. But Michael is dealing with the same demons. She hasn't moved on. Actually, that probably makes this book more realistic. (Are thrillers realistic?) And (spoiler alert) it looks like she DOES deal with some of her demons by the end of this book.

Logan wants Michael to rescue a thirteen year old girl fr...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've never read the Girl Who Kicked the Bee's Nest, or whatever, but I've seen the movie previews and she kinda looks like a freak. So, I'll never understand everyone else's comparisions of this book to those Lizbeth books. But, I will say that The Innocent, by Taylor Stevens was good enough for a rainy day at my house. I will freely admit that I am a happy reader by nature; it doesn't take much to entertain me, I just honestly enjoy reading. Even if I don't really like a book I will almost alwa...more

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Mar 07, 2012 John rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've been working on a novel where a girl has recently escaped a cult, so this book with a similar theme interested me. I love hardcore female protagonists and Vanessa Michael Munroe is about as tough as they come. She easily overpowers multiple groups of male attackers, is adept in both martial arts and with firearms and speaks 22 languages. This last is part of the novel's problem: she seems too much like a super hero.

Worse the book seems over written in parts, with stilted language and the u...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it 5 of 5 stars

Taylor Stevens roared onto the scene (and the New York Times Bestseller list) with her debut thriller The Informationist. She's back with her second novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe called The Innocent.

Vanessa Michael Munroe is capable of just about anything. She's brilliant, beyond tough and loyal. How does she earn her living? Taking on cases that no one else is capable of seeing through or even wants to attempt. When her close friend Logan comes to her with a request for the seemingly i...more Taylor Stevens roared onto the scene (and the New York Times Bestseller list) with her debut thriller The Informationist. She's back with her second novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe called The Innocent.

Vanessa Michael Munroe is capable of just about anything. She's brilliant, beyond tough and loyal. How does she earn her living? Taking on cases that no one else is capable of seeing through or even wants to attempt. When her close friend Logan comes to her with a request for the seemingly impossible, she can't turn him down. Five year old Hannah was kidnapped by her mother's ex boyfriend almost eight years ago. She has been taken and secreted within The Chosen - a cult. After so long, they finally have word that Hannah might be in one of The Havens in Argentina. Armed with inside knowledge from three adult survivors of The Chosen, Munroe agrees to take the case. For above all else - she will protect the innocent.

Taylor has painted a frightening picture of the inner workings of a cult and the treatment of the children trapped in a situation they didn't choose. The everyday life, the lack of schooling, the begging, the hierarchy, the running, the hiding, the abuse.... And she's not making it up. Author Taylor Stevens is writing what she knows. She grew up in a 'communal apocalyptic cult', finally getting out in her twenties.

Stevens has crafted yet another unputdownable book. Hannah's chapters are alternated with Munroe's. We know what is going on with Hannah and can only will Munroe to get there faster. The ratcheting tension made it really hard to step away.

What made it hard to put down? I loved the character. We learn more about Munroe with each book, but she is still an enigma. It was fantastic to have such a kick a** female protagonist, one who can hold her own in almost any situation. Over the top? Maybe - but a delicious piece of escapist reading. (but still kind of scary, when you realize that the cult descriptions are real.)Think of all those tough guy Jason Statham movie type characters and make them female.

I chose to listen to The Innocent in audio book format. The reader was Hilary Huber. She has a well modulated voice. She conveyed Munroe's voice perfectly, never raising it, but transmitting her purpose and strength by talking even quieter.

Another excellent thriller and number three is in the works - The Doll, due out in 2012.
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Jan 24, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Damn it's good. I've gotten so tired of formulaic novels. See, there's a big, bad conspiracy. And then there's this unlikely hero. And he saves the day. And gets laid in the process. No character building. Nothing new. I know the bad guys 'cause they're always the same. I know the good guy and he's as interesting and surprising as a mall food court's fried rice.

And then I picked up this book. At an airport, no less. I'd accidentally brought a book I'd already read and cruised the airport book st...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars

In a follow up to The Informationist Taylor Stevens brings Vanessa Michael Munroe thundering back into action.

Five year old Hannah is taken from her mother by The Chosen, a cult of followers of The Profit. One of the cult’s beliefs is to do everything in love which opens the door for adult members to abuse and sodomize children. Three adult survivors who have escaped The Chosen have experienced this abuse first hand and are determined to find Hannah. Their pledge results in an eight year quest...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Anthony Pacifico rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vanessa Michael Munroe, aka The Informationist, is back in this rip-roaring, thrilling roller-coaster of a thriller. I absolutely love this series and this character. Munroe is very much in the same vein as Lisbeth Salander, from the Millenium Trilogy. But she also shares a lot in common with Jack Reacher, in the series written by Lee Child.

In this book, Munroe is hired to find and abdicate a young girl who has been kidnapped into a religious cult for the past six years. The girl's parents were...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is Taylor Stevens' second book in the Vanessa Michael Munroe series. In brief, the author with a unique background is honing her storytelling craft and clearly improving. Based on the contemporary publishing phenomena of uber-strong young female protagonist/heroine characters, like those depicted in the Stieg Larsson and the Suzanne Collins trilogies, it's not altogether surprising that we now have Taylor Stevens' Vanessa Michael Munroe character entering stage right.

What is surprising, how...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Jacqui rated it 4 of 5 stars

It seems everyone is a NY Times Bestselling Author these days, so that's not why I picked Taylor Stevens' new novel The Innocent (Crown Publishers 2011) from my Amazon Vine offering last month. It is the story of Hannah, kidnapped at the age of five and forced to grow up as part of a sexually-oriented, backward cult (which sounds to be based on a group to which Stevens herself belonged in her early years). Even after eight years, her mother won't stop searching for her and begs Vanessa Michael M...more It seems everyone is a NY Times Bestselling Author these days, so that's not why I picked Taylor Stevens' new novel The Innocent (Crown Publishers 2011) from my Amazon Vine offering last month. It is the story of Hannah, kidnapped at the age of five and forced to grow up as part of a sexually-oriented, backward cult (which sounds to be based on a group to which Stevens herself belonged in her early years). Even after eight years, her mother won't stop searching for her and begs Vanessa Michael Munroe, the heroine from Stevens' debut thriller The Informationist, to use her prodigious physical and mental skills to track down and save her child. Within the first chapters, it becomes clear that Munroe (who calls herself Michael) is as effective in combat as the world-saving Scott Harvath, albeit darker than even the inimitable Jason Bourne. When Munroe saves a child about to be gang-raped by destroying the miscreants, we learn that Munroe is fraught with demons so powerful she dreads going to sleep, so fearful is she of what she will do when she can no longer control her actions. By rescuing this kidnapped girl, Munroe hopes to exorcise her own evil and reclaim the life she used to enjoy.

The prologue powerfully introduces the story with three pages of non-stop action and musty intrigue, but the story stalled soon after. Yes, I was achingly curious, but Taylor left holes in the story, unexplained actions and unfounded emotions, so I began to feel distanced from her main characters, Logan and Munroe. There were hints of a dark, intimidating past, one that was likely fleshed out in the prequel, The Informationist and shaped the thoughts and actions of the two friends, but I wasn't in on the secrets. I really wished I'd read that novel first. And learning about Logan--the man responsible for involving Munroe in rescuing the child--through the eyes of the narrator and Munroe seemed to be contradicted by his actions. On the one hand, he is characterized as calm, unflappable, competent, but on the other, he seeks Munroe's approval and worries too much. Again, I wrote it off to believing that this book was too dependent upon the prior novel. Maybe it should have been called Part II.

One other drawback: In the development of Munroe, I felt a bit off-balance throughout the story. In that usual thriller way, Munroe is bigger than life, but damaged by her past. The further into the story I got, the more I cared for her and worried that her demons would derail her goals, but I always felt a little behind the curve as far as understanding her motivations. I'm assuming that the prequel provided the foundation for what drives Munroe. It didn't help that some of the scene transitions made me pause, re-read to be sure I didn't miss something.

In the end though, those concerns paled in light of Stevens plotting, pacing and ability to ratchet up the drama. Munroe's character--a strong, sexy physical woman--is needed more often in thrillers. Sure, there are competent female fighters, but Munroe didn't learn her skills so much as they are her. Though the story lacks any supporting actors/actresses of merit, Munroe is the bigger than life protagonist that is central to any successful thriller. This is only the second book in the series. Every series grows over time. The writing skills are there so I will definitely buy more.(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook

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I must say that I enjoyed The Innocent even more than the first book in the series. I will say that if you have not read The Informationist, you will want to read it before reading The Innocent. The first book really gives you the necessary background information of Munroe and her friends. The Innocent goes even further into Munroe's past, though, and you really get an understanding for why Munroe is the way she is today. I will also say that there is a de...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Viccy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-fiction

Vanessa Michael Munroe is back and we get much more information about her background. She is hired by her friend, Logan, to find and rescue his daughter, who was kidnapped and disappeared into a cult, The Chosen, eight years ago. Michael grew up in Africa, the child of missionaries who were more interested in saving the heathens than raising a daughter. She ran away from home at age 14 and never looked back. Her formative years were spent learning to fight and kill in Africa. As a adult, she is...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Sheila Beaumont rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction, action-and-adventure, mysteries-suspense-thrillers

Earlier this year, I was enthralled by Taylor Stevens' The Informationist, her first novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe. In that page-turner, Munroe was searching for a billionaire's daughter who vanished in a lawless region of Africa.

In The Innocent, set mostly in Buenos Aires, Munroe's assignment is to rescue a 13-year-old girl, who was kidnapped eight years ago, from a cult called The Chosen of God (apparently based on the Children of God cult, which the author was born into and didn't es...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Kelli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

Book: B+
Narration: B+

The nightmares were getting worse. When you’re afraid to sleep next to someone because you’ve woken up with tangled sheets and, oh, yes, a pair of knives stabbed into the mattress next to you, it’s time to take action. For Vanessa Michael Munroe, the solution is exactly that. Always at her best (and with her inner demons at their most subdued) when she is constantly in motion, Munroe accedes to a plea from her best friend Logan to help him find and recover Hannah, a thirteen...more Book: B+
Narration: B+

The nightmares were getting worse. When you’re afraid to sleep next to someone because you’ve woken up with tangled sheets and, oh, yes, a pair of knives stabbed into the mattress next to you, it’s time to take action. For Vanessa Michael Munroe, the solution is exactly that. Always at her best (and with her inner demons at their most subdued) when she is constantly in motion, Munroe accedes to a plea from her best friend Logan to help him find and recover Hannah, a thirteen year-old girl and former member of a cult known as The Chosen. Kidnapped by her mother’s boyfriend and spirited away to South America, Hannah is being shuttled between the cult’s various compounds in an effort to keep her hidden. A trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina in the company of Logan and two other former members of The Chosen starts Munroe walking a dangerous high-wire where the only one she can trust is her back-up man, Miles Bradford. Finding the compound where Hannah is being held and infiltrating the cult is a task made more difficult as Munroe deals with the hidden agendas and power plays within her team and her own nightmares and memories dredged up by the accusations of child abuse within the cult.

This is going to be a pretty simple review and I’ll just let you know in advance, if you’re looking for a reason you shouldn’t listen to this audiobook, I won’t be providing you with one. Every now and then I pick up an audiobook that just sucks me in and when I emerge from the other side of it, all I remember is the rush of the ride and none of the rocks I may have bounced off along the way. This is one of those books. If I sat down and thought it through could I come up with some negative comments? Possibly. The reason I didn’t write any comments down while listening is the same reason I don’t have criticism to offer: this audiobook provided a completely immersive experience and even in retrospect, I only re-experience the slow build of tension, the moments of lightning quick violence, the vivid settings, and the well-developed characters that seemed almost real. My analytical half never makes it past the “dang, that was an excellent story” reaction to arrive at any type of critical structural break-down.

Munroe is a fascinating character and in the second book in this series the reader gets more insight into the complexity of her psychological makeup as well as the changes she’s undergoing based on events in the previous book and the choices she makes in this one. Much of the story is from Munroe’s viewpoint but when there is a shift in POV, it’s seamless and works well to further the story. In fact, there are several instances where a very dramatic scene begins from Munroe’s point of view but ends with the reader seeing the conclusion or aftermath from another character’s point of view. Some readers may find that disrupts the tension of action scenes but I appreciated the way it subtly echoed Munroe’s tendency to slip into an almost fugue state when threatened. It also worked extremely well at weaving together these character’s lives even tighter and providing a very organic feel to events, where the consequences of our actions are only fully realized later or through someone else’s eyes. The story plays itself out with both a sense of inevitability, like a boulder building speed down a long slope, as well as sharp moments of violence. Layered in with the physical action that drives the story forward are the instances of recognition and connection the reader can find with any/all of these fully-formed characters.

Hillary Huber’s narration was excellent. I often take issue with the performance of narrators who present with a very specific and structured cadence but in this case, Huber’s rough voice and deliberate pacing and delivery admirably ratchets up the tension and adeptly portrays Munroe’s moral ambivalence and matter-of-fact attitude toward doing what needs to be done. The characters are easy to track through sections of dialogue and I experienced an almost physical shiver while listening to the voices given two specific characters whose belief in what they were doing, combined with the fact that what they did was just wrong, was masterfully blended together to create a complex vocal characterization.

This was a great listen and I recommend it but I think you'll enjoy it even more if you've read the first book in the series. (less)

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Dec 26, 2011 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-relationships, free-book-for-honest-review, hardboiled, mystery, read-in-2011, reviewed, series

Vanessa Michael Munroe is an assassin who has nightmares about her past. She understands her skills and when her best friend, Logan, asks for help, she can't refuse.

Logan explains that eight years earlier, his friend, Charity's daughter, Hannah, was abducted from her school and carried over the Mexican border to a religious cult known as The Chosen. Hannah was five at the time and Logan and other members who have escaped from The Chosen ask Munroe if she'll rescue her. Since Munroe came from a s...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Karolyn Sherwood rated it 4 of 5 stars

Taylor Stevens is a master-storyteller. She deftly feeds the reader facts and clues and backstory as the characters race through the incredible city of Buenos Aires to save a little girl from a terrible life. The pace is rapid, and the plot of The Innocent is as straight as a bullet through this gripping novel.

(Vanessa) Michael Munroe, the literary world's newest superhero, infiltrates a cult as few people could describe as accurately as Stevens (if you haven't read the author's bio, do that nex...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Armchairdreamer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

One of my all time favorite kick ass series is the Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson. There were only three books in the series and after I finished them I really wanted more because I really missed my favorite character Lisbeth Salander. So I was really excited to find a similar character in Taylor Stevens' books. The character Michael grew up with adversity but managed to overcome it and become stronger. She is highly intelligent and focused, and has a talent for finding out information and f...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vanessa 'Michael' Munroe returns, in Taylor Steven's second book, to face another impossible task. Her friend Logan, who we met in ' The Informationist' has a problem that he feels only 'Michael' can tackle. Many years ago , Logan escaped from a cult 'The Haven' which today has branches all over the world. However this story is centered in Buenos Aires, where Logan has located his daughter, Hannah. Logan is hoping that with Michael's help they can free Hannah and bring her back into the real wor...more

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About Taylor Stevens

TAYLOR STEVENS is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Informationist, The Innocent and The Doll. Featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe, the series has received critical acclaim and the books are published in twenty languages. The Informationist has been optioned for film by James Cameron's production company, Lightstorm Entertainment.

Born in New York State, and into the Child...more

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The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe #2)

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