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36th out of 59 books
—
37 voters
Undertow (David Cavanaugh #1)
by
Sydney Bauer
It's the debut thriller guaranteed to pull readers in.
After the daughter of a powerful senator dies in a tragic accident, the witness to the accident, an esteemed female attorney, unexpectedly finds herself charged with murder by the girl's vengeful father, a man with his own twisted agenda.
After the daughter of a powerful senator dies in a tragic accident, the witness to the accident, an esteemed female attorney, unexpectedly finds herself charged with murder by the girl's vengeful father, a man with his own twisted agenda.
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
July 1st 2008
by Berkley
(first published January 1st 2007)
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Undertow, by Sydney Bauer, narrated by Bill Ten Eyck, produced by Bolinda Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
Rayna Martin is a respected civil rights attorney with a daughter, Kecia. For Kecia’s birthday she was taking them out on the big boat, and Kecia and her three friends, Francie, Christina, and and a third girl, (name forgotten.) Christina was White and the other three were Black. Christina had said she wouldn’t be able to come, and then had shown up looking very troubled. Rayna believed t...more
Rayna Martin is a respected civil rights attorney with a daughter, Kecia. For Kecia’s birthday she was taking them out on the big boat, and Kecia and her three friends, Francie, Christina, and and a third girl, (name forgotten.) Christina was White and the other three were Black. Christina had said she wouldn’t be able to come, and then had shown up looking very troubled. Rayna believed t...more
We're all used to hearing about lawyers playing "the race card", but in Undertow, the typical scenario is reversed. Attorney Rayna Martin, who fights for the rights of the disadvantaged, sponsors a boating party for her daughter Keesha's 16th birthday. Only three girls have been invited, and only one, Christina Haynes is white. Christina is the daughter of high powered U.S. senator, and when she drowns, Ms. Martin is accused of murdering her, abandoning Christina so she could rescue the three Af...more
Aug 23, 2011
Barbara Lane
added it
Teesha's turning 17 and to celebrate in sytle her mother Rayna Martin, rents a boat to take Teesha and her three best friends Francie, Mariah (who are African American working class )and Christina (who is White and a member of a Boston Brahim's family) on a boating day in the waters off Cape Ann, Massachusetts . Tragedy happens and Christina drowns.
Christina's father is Senator Rudoph Haynes a very powerful man and he is so outraged by his daughters drowning that he is trying with bribrary and...more
Tom Bradshaw is the perfect Vice-Presidential candidate. He had a difficult time in college, but overcame drug addiction and now leads the fight against illegal drugs. The nation is stunned when he is found dead in a hotel room of an apparent self-administered drug overdose after being clean for over twenty years. Just as the public is coming to terms with the death of the much-respected politician, it is announced that it wasn’t an accidental death, but murder.
Police very quickly charge Stuart...more
Police very quickly charge Stuart...more
I was pleasantly surprised by this, since I had never heard of the author before. Bauer has given us a story of hatred and bigotry gone seriously awry, but with a twist. It’s not often you hear a story of a black person being accused of a hate crime, especially a well-respected female lawyer who’s also a single mom. Overall, the story moves well and is mostly believable, but the climax of the trial was way way over the top. The theatrics employed would never be allowed in a real courtroom, and t...more
A good legal thriller. A young white girl dies in a boating accident and the black woman who was in charge of her daughter's birthday party which the girl was attending is charged with second degree murder. Politics and revenge take the lead as a pair of lawyers try to save an innocent woman from prison while her daughter is in the hospital after being shot. The pace picks up by the end, leaving you breathless as the stakes are raised.
Well written book, a courtroom drama about bigotry, that has good characterizations, plays on the emotions well, and the good guy wins. This would rate a much higher rating if only it made any kind of logical sense, if it just had some relationship with the real world. Oh well, Ms. Braun writes very well and she might put it together to write some really good books in the future.
This book was slow to develop, got more interesting in the middle, but then fizzled out at the end, like the author needed to hurry and wrap it up. Also, I have a problem with nonlawyers writing trial scenes without doing proper research. Overall, I don't recommend it.
Jun 13, 2009
Karen
added it
I am subbing full time in a fifth grade classroom (the regular teacher fractured his skull playing rugby) and so my attention is ... fragmented, to say the least. I think a murder mystery will fit the bill through this next week.
I picked this book up in the Christmas Tree Store! Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover..I found the novel to be highly satisfying in terms of suspense, character development and story piecing.
I received this book back when it first came out as a featured book in a book club. I could not put it down! It had many twists and turns and I liked it so much I plan on reading it again in the future!
I really liked this book. It took unexpected turns. I got really into it & felt the emotions the author was trying to portray.
The first of five really wonderful novels. I have read all 5 in the last month...simply cannot put them down!
I couldn't quit reading this book. I love a good nasty "you'll pay for tis" book.
This book taught me a truth about humans, that to feel better, we always find someone or something to blame. We cannot easily accept things that are happening to us especially the unfortunate ones.
This book helped me reflect on myself and I realized that to be truly happy I need to accept things no matter how hard it is. Because accepting is the first step to letting go and when we truly let go, we would feel better and realize that there are many things in life that wold really make us happy,...more
This book helped me reflect on myself and I realized that to be truly happy I need to accept things no matter how hard it is. Because accepting is the first step to letting go and when we truly let go, we would feel better and realize that there are many things in life that wold really make us happy,...more
another crime novel that I enjoyed
I was not really sure about this Aussie writer, but I will definitely be reading her again in the future. Basic plot: four teenage girls at a sailing b-day party. Mom leaves them for a minute. One girl drowns. Dead girl is daughter of famous Senator. Dead girl is white. The other girls are black. Great storyline (creative). Tons of action. Twists and turns will keep you guessing right to the very end. Scariest part: this could totally happen!
When Senator Haynes's daughter dies in a tragic boating accident while in the care of her friend's mother, a trial begins and undercurrent of hate and bigotry arise. I did eventually get involved in the story and wanted to know the outcome,but overall I felt like there were too many characters, too many surprise revelations, and not enough engaging writing. I finished it more out of a sense of obligation than an actual desire to keep reading.
Power corrupts. That is the message of this book and power fueled by hate corrupts completely. This was a interesting first time out for Sydney Bauer. I found it interesting that this Australian writer should pick Boston and a US Senator for her story. Although I did see part of the ending coming, it was still well written and I would be willing to read a second book should Bauer put one out.
Aug 27, 2008
Kathy
added it
Recommends it for:
Anyone. A Good Read!
Recommended to Kathy by:
Amy Speck
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Very surprise ending...slow in some parts.
Great debut novel by an author!!!! This was a Grisham-like page turner and I couldn't put it down. I finished it in just a few days. It was an excellent book and I look forward to reading more by this author!
The beginning and ending of this book were very good but became a bit slow in the middle. However, it was still an interesting read.
Amazing first novel. Ms. Bauer has incredible knowledge of the politics and legal system in the USA for an Aussie.
Awesome book! John Grisham type of writing. Couldn't put it down.
Jun 15, 2013
Connie Steckel
marked it as to-read
Jun 14, 2013
Joanna Dolan
is currently reading it
Jun 13, 2013
Jill B A
marked it as to-read
Jun 10, 2013
Eileen Tan
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May 31, 2013
Dawn
marked it as to-read
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Sydney Bauer (Kimberly Scott) is the author of the crime series featuring Boston based criminal attorney David Cavanagh. Her debut novel Undertow, also the first novel in the series, was published in 2006 and won the Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for the best crime novel by an Australian Woman.
Sydney's background is in journalism and television. While studying for a Communications degree in the 19...more
More about Sydney Bauer...
Sydney's background is in journalism and television. While studying for a Communications degree in the 19...more
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