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The Siege (Alan Gregory #17)
As a lovely weekend approaches on the Yale campus it appears that a number of students?including the sons of both the secretary of the army and newest Supreme Court justice?may have gone missing. Kidnapping? Terrorism? The authorities aren?t sure. But the high-profile disappearances draw the attention of the CIA and the FBI's vaunted Hostage Rescue Team. Attention quickly ...more
MP3 CD, Unabridged, 0 pages
Published
August 4th 2009
by Brilliance Corporation
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What a thought provoking thriller. The relevance to our lives and times is spooky. It was a good read although I must express some initial confusion with the different voices and timelines. Once I got my reading act in gear, it was fine.
Even though Alan Gregory shows up in the final pages it is a gratuitous reference to the series in which he is the main character. Sam Purdy, a substantial character in the entire series is the lead. The story occurs while Sam is on a trip which takes him w...more
Even though Alan Gregory shows up in the final pages it is a gratuitous reference to the series in which he is the main character. Sam Purdy, a substantial character in the entire series is the lead. The story occurs while Sam is on a trip which takes him w...more
Intriguing plot set on Yale campus. Good character development. Although Alan Gregory makes brief appearance, this is not part of his series. Story focuses on interaction between Boulder Police Det. Sam Purdy, who is asked to help a friend when her daughter is taken hostage; FBI agent Christopher Poe, who survived the bombing of the Murrow Bldg. in Oklahoma City and CIA analyst Deidre Drake. The three are trying desperately to find out who is behind the mysterious siege of one of the tombs on t...more
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The Siege is a departure from White’s psychological suspense novels featuring Boulder psychologist Alan Gregory. This outing features Gregory’s friend and recently suspended Boulder police detective Sam Purdy who finds himself way out of his element. He goes to an engagement party in Florida and ends up at Yale University looking for a missing college student who may be connected to an apparent hostage situation in a building on campus. The story pulls you in immediately, in a somewhat stomach ...more
Compulsively readable. Really lived up to the expression "page-turner" for hundreds of pages. I've really enjoyed the Alan Gregory series, but Stephen White saves his best work for his stand-alone novels. First there was Kill Me, and now The Siege. These two books not only tell a superb and suspenseful story, but they also explore important personal and social ideas. I think The Siege is his best work yet, for exciting plot and food for thought. (Hey, that rhymes!):)
This is another book I would like to give 4 1/2 stars. It is an thriller involving a hostage situation that takes place on Yale's campus. All the characters are well developed but the central character is Sam Purdy, a very likable police officer on suspension from the Boulder, Colorado police force. Sam is an uncomfortable guest of a wealthy family who have several days of celebration planned for their son's engagement. Sam is almost relieved when the family sends him to Yale campus to monit...more
Another great read from Stephen White. Well paced, at times breathless and gut wrenching. This was the first book in a long time that I hated to put down even for a second, wanting to consume it in one sitting from start to finish.
The new age terrorists arrive on shores and hit us where we are most vulnerable - through our children. They arrive skilled in todays technology to deliver their murderous message and to stay ahead of the many "ABC" government agencies trying to d...more
The new age terrorists arrive on shores and hit us where we are most vulnerable - through our children. They arrive skilled in todays technology to deliver their murderous message and to stay ahead of the many "ABC" government agencies trying to d...more
Sam Purdy is really down on his luck. His police detective girl friend, Carmen, is pregnant and is on doctor ordered bed rest. Sam is suspended from the Boulder police department and maxed out on his credit cards. Filling in for Carmen, he goes to Miami to attend events planned to honor her daughter, Dolce's, engagement to Andrew Calderon. Sam’s only thought is to just manage to get through the celebrations and get back home.
Sam is approached by Ann Summers Calderon, mother of ...more
Sam is approached by Ann Summers Calderon, mother of ...more
The Boulder connection is what originally got me interested in Stephen White. The author got me hooked after that. The Siege has very little to do with Boulder but has to be the most suspenseful book to date. I was holding my breath a lot while reading. I hope White is able to keep churning them out.
Stephen White has broken out of the contemplative world of psychologist Alan Gregory and followed his friend, detective Sam Purdy, into a fast moving, action-filled political thriller called The Seige. Opening with an oddly threatening note sent to the mother of a student, the story moves immediately to a hostage situation at Yale University and the first round of negotiations falling apart with the public murder of the first hostage. From that point, it is a race by the police, FBI, CIA, specia...more
I'm a huge fan of Stephen White. I especially enjoy the books featuring Dr. Alan Gregory, a Boulder therapist. This book includes Gregory's close friend Sam Purdy, and is set in Miami and New Haven. Thus far it's very gripping.
Thanks to a conversation with Amy yesterday I knew what a RC helicopter is when I came across it listening to The Seige today!
This is my third Stephen White (Boulder, CO). Previously I read Harm's Way (a little creepy) and Kill Me (raises excellent philosophical questions). I think this is his strongest of the three. Good suspense. For me he has a nice mix of the suspense thriller and the personal regarding the three main characters: Sam Purdy (Boulder on-suspension cop), Deirdre Drake...more
This is my third Stephen White (Boulder, CO). Previously I read Harm's Way (a little creepy) and Kill Me (raises excellent philosophical questions). I think this is his strongest of the three. Good suspense. For me he has a nice mix of the suspense thriller and the personal regarding the three main characters: Sam Purdy (Boulder on-suspension cop), Deirdre Drake...more
definitely in this years top ten, a top-drawer thriller, anxious to read more from white.
Stephen White has left Alan Gregory, the Boulder psychologist, and turned to Sam Purdy in this latest novel. Sam is attending an engagement party for the daughter of his girlfriend when he gets caught up in a kidnapping, hostage situation which seems to have some terrorism involved. Told from several points of view the situation worsens, deaths occur with no pattern, and even the elite units of the CIA and FBI seem to be clueless. Readers will find themselves hostage to the book as the action...more
I was enthralled by the potential of this book. I can honestly say that this is one book that I stayed late to finish. The problem is that the potential premise does not really pay off. A geological threat in the middle of the book is not followed through (unless that is the sequel) and the dialogue can be cheesy. The exchanges between the CIA and FBI agents reminded me of the worse of "Double Indemnity" ("yes baby, just leave it in my hands").
An entertianing book, but it c...more
An entertianing book, but it c...more
A departure from the Alan Gregory series the book focuses on suspended Boulder, Co., police detective, Sam Purdy, and his efforts to find the daughter of a missing future in-law. Most of the action takes place at Yale, where a suspected terrorist has taken an unknown number of students as hostages. Sam gets caught up with the CIA, FBI, local and state law enforcement personnel in trying to figure out what is actually taking place. It is a great story, well told, and kept me guessing right to the...more
Is White tired of Alan Gregory? White seems practically bellicose in some of the scenes in this terrorist-plotted book. Is it selfish of me to want him to quit messing around with these intricate terror/conspiracy plots and return to good old Alan Gregory? If I wanted to read terror/spy/government alphabet soup plots, I would read Le Carre. That's not why I choose Stephen White's books. I would like to see more of Dee and Poe, though, in future books. Maybe they could catch back up with Sam and ...more
This was so much more than just a suspense novel. He had a message. Only I can't tell you what it is, because it would spoil the ending. I'm really impressed. He's never gone this far with his books before, but he really pulled it off. And I couldn't put it down. The timeline at first irritated me (chapters flipping back and forth between two days on the same weekend) but I got over it. I hope he continues with this set of characters. They were well-drawn and really interesting. I'm loo...more
Really enjoyed this book right up to the end, where it sort of petered out. It seemed like the author started the book with an idea of where he wanted to end up, but then never was able to figure out how to get there. Resulted in a lot of loose ends tied up a little too neatly, too quickly.
Important note: The three story lines are presented in different voices, which I enjoyed; but be careful to note the timelines at the start of each chapter. Author jumps around in time in order...more
Important note: The three story lines are presented in different voices, which I enjoyed; but be careful to note the timelines at the start of each chapter. Author jumps around in time in order...more
This is pretty much a stand alone rather than part of the Alan Gregory series despite the presence of series regular Sam Purdy. It's interesting how some current mystery authors are working present day political issues into their work and this one fits right in. The plot was gripping and chilling even if it didn't have quite the same level of human interest due to the absence of the regular characters. Still, all in all, a very enjoyable book.
Once the alternating story lines merged, The Siege grabbed my attention and became a fast paced, exciting read. I was caught up in the suspense and the intrigue until it unraveled at the climax. The justification for storyline and the final wrap-up was clumsy and awkward....with plenty of holes. It left me shaking my head and asking "What the heck... really?" ...and I cared about these people why? A bit of a let down overall.
This is is an outstanding thriller, exciting, suspenseful, unusual and provocative, in which some totally unpredictable terrorists take over one of Yale's secret societies and hold students hostage, sending some out of the building to be killed and releasing others. I found this twisty, riveting novel almost impossible to put down! Highly recommended for thriller fans who want something different and original, with an unexpected conclusion.
We met Stephen White when he visited the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver. You can listen to him talk about "The Siege" here: http://www.authorsontourlive.com/?p=451
About this podcast:
Colorado author Stephen White--author of over a dozen New York Times bestsellers--reads from and discusses his new thriller, The Siege. White's Alan Gregory novels are beloved by both fans and critics--the most recent, Dead Time, was a USA Today and Book Sense bestseller. In The Siege,...more
About this podcast:
Colorado author Stephen White--author of over a dozen New York Times bestsellers--reads from and discusses his new thriller, The Siege. White's Alan Gregory novels are beloved by both fans and critics--the most recent, Dead Time, was a USA Today and Book Sense bestseller. In The Siege,...more
This book was a take-off from White's Alan Gregory series, and features Sam Purdy, Alan's close friend and a Boulder Police Officer. This book differend from the Gregory books, since the psychological drama was not the same, without a therapist as the protagonist, but was just as well written. The plot was tightly woven, and suspenseful. The story builds around a possible terrorist/hostage incident on the campus of Yale University; Sam ends up right in the middle of the action, trying to help...more
A suspenseful novel about college students being held hostage by an unknown abductor. His demands are known only to the parents who are warned not to discuss them. He releases one or two at time, killing some as soon as they leave, and letting others go. A suspended police detective and a CIA agent and a FBI agent join forces to try to solve all the mysteries of what is going on. (Along with large government forces)
New author to me, but a really taut thriller. I was looking for a fast read, sort of an airport or beach book, and picked this one up at the library's current paperbacks shelves. It's well-written, engrossing, surprising and believable. Initeresting set of characters trying to figure out who kidnapped a number of top Yale students and are keeping them inside a secret society's virtual fortress. I recommend it.
I wasn't sure if Sam Purdy would carry a whole book without Alex, but he does. Suspended from the Boulder police department and so with time on his hands Sam travels to Miami for a pre-wedding party. Soon after arriving the groom's mother asks Sam if he is trustworthy, we know he is. From here on out this read is a real page-turner that poses timely questions about who is a terrorist. Thumbs up for Sam.
The Siege's subject matter is very timely, and I found the details about the Yale campus interesting.
However, the book begins with a lot of jumping around between characters and forward and backward in time. I didn't mind the character point-of-views so much, but found the backwards and forwards kind of confusing.
About half way through the story, everything came together and I enjoyed it much more.
The book had its exciting moments and would recommend it to those who...more
However, the book begins with a lot of jumping around between characters and forward and backward in time. I didn't mind the character point-of-views so much, but found the backwards and forwards kind of confusing.
About half way through the story, everything came together and I enjoyed it much more.
The book had its exciting moments and would recommend it to those who...more
Exceptional thriller. It was quite intriguing and I felt the scenario to be scarily plausible in a world of evolving acts of terrorism. The only problem I had was the relationship between Dee and Poe. It was annoyingly quirky, didn't feel believable, and quickly became tiresome. The other characters, however, were interesting and made the book worth the read. I highly recommend.
The first three quarters of this book were so powerful, so intriguing and so
suspenseful I was waiting for a really blockbuster ending. I was disappointed. The book
seemed to just fizzle out at the end. I don't think the motives of the hostage takers matched
the methods they used or the victims they chose. The final stand off did not seem realistic.
In this new installment of Stephen White's Alan Gregory series, Alan Gregory is nowhere to be found. But that was okay with me. As much as I like Dr. Gregory's character, Sam Purdy, a disgruntled cop-on-probation, is another favorite of mine. Sam is the main character in The Siege in which a hostage situation slowly becomes evident in one of Yale's secret society buildings. The unknown attackers chose the Book and Snake building, its seeming impenetrability making it the perfect hide-out. Sam ge...more
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Stephen White is the author of the New York Times bestselling Alan Gregory novels. In his books, he draws upon over fifteen years of clinical practice as a psychologist to create intriguing plots and complex, believable characters.
Born on Long Islan...more
More about Stephen White...
Stephen White is the author of the New York Times bestselling Alan Gregory novels. In his books, he draws upon over fifteen years of clinical practice as a psychologist to create intriguing plots and complex, believable characters.
Born on Long Islan...more
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