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Perilous (Perilous #1)

by Tamara Hart Heiner (Goodreads Author)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 114 ratings · 45 reviews

Detective Carl Hamilton is called out on a homicide case, where the partially decayed body of an unidentified teenage girl is found along a remote highway. . . . Weeks before, Jaci Rivera join her best friends Callie, Sara and Amanda for a night of pizza and shopping. But an evening at the mall turns into a terrifying twist of events that drives Jaci and her friends 2000 m...more

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Published October 31st 2010 by WiDo Publishing (first published October 1st 2010)

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Nov 27, 2010 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tamara Hart Heiner takes 4 teenage girls with their ordinary lives, and turns it all upside down for them. Jaci, Callie, Sara and Amanda become real as you follow them on this wild ride that goes from an everyday trip to the mall to a fight for their lives through the Canadian wilderness. You have no idea how this will play out. It's unpredictable. Tamara Hart Heiner knows how to plot, how to write action, how to keep you turning pages when you should be turning out the light and going to sleep....more

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Mar 21, 2011 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story begins in small town Shelley, Idaho. Four ordinary teenagers go to the mall, and witness a jewelry heist. One of the girls is murdered. The other three make it out alive, but then they're kidnapped. Their lives are indeed “perilous.” They don’t know if they’re going to survive.

I like the characters, especially the detective who likes pickles, which is a nice touch, and his wife. I like the three girls, although at times I had trouble distinguishing their personalities, maybe because th...more

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Nov 20, 2010 Ann Best added it · review of another edition

This is the author of an exciting and suspenseful debut novel, Perilous. If you like young adult novels as much as I do, you'll like this one. It begins in small town Shelley, Idaho. Four ordinary teenagers go to the mall, and witness a jewelry heist. One of the girls is murdered. The other three make it out alive, but then they're kidnapped. . . .

The novel is filled with many interesting characters. I like the detective, who likes pickles and his wife. I like the three girls too, although at ti...more

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May 05, 2013 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is amazing, and I can't wait till read the second one! It's about four girls who end up meeting with two other guys, and they have escaped the hand a man who gets what he wants and kills people. The hand has kidnapped the four girls from a mall. They take a great adventure into all kinds of places mostly into the woods. They cant trust anyone not even the cops they cant even call there family's cause of fear that the hand might track them down. One of the girls father is involved with...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fast paced thriller, Perilous is guaranteed to set you on the edge of your seat. We watch as a group of friends struggle to deal with the terrible things happening to them; the struggle to survive, to not give up, are tangible through the pages. I held my breath nearly the entire book, and flipped the pages as fast as they would go to get to the end. I just wanted the girls to be safe. They almost never got a break, and having authority figures break your trust as the law enforcers did to thos...more

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Sep 24, 2010 Jennifer Daiker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Terrifying, riveting, and jaw dropping. Jaci's world is turned upside down after a night out with her friends at a shopping mall. Patiently waiting for their ride the girls witness something scandalous and before they know they are kidnapped and fighting for their lives.

These scenes will keep you on your toes time and time again. Just when you think your heart has stopped racing, Jaci and her friends have done something to stir the pot. You root for them to escape and are terrified when you fin...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Zanzarr rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I obtained this book through first-reads, and I have to say that I'm relieved I didn't buy it. The synopsis for this book was intriguing, the idea was brilliant, and the writing was superb. Then why only three stars? Because, while reading, I was incessantly annoyed by a number of things. (Not a large number, just a few.)

1. I didn't find a lot of the events/characters to be believable. I don't want to point out specific instances, least I ruin the book for others, but I think I'll be specific an...more I obtained this book through first-reads, and I have to say that I'm relieved I didn't buy it. The synopsis for this book was intriguing, the idea was brilliant, and the writing was superb. Then why only three stars? Because, while reading, I was incessantly annoyed by a number of things. (Not a large number, just a few.)

1. I didn't find a lot of the events/characters to be believable. I don't want to point out specific instances, least I ruin the book for others, but I think I'll be specific anyway.

First instance: I felt that the girls escaped the kidnappers far too easily, in reality those windows probably would have been locked.

Second instance: the whole escape thing with Natalie was straight out of an action movie, and thus entirely bogus. What stranger is going to pick up a bunch of scruffy looking girls and engage in a high speed chase to save them? Just randomly, 'oh these girls need help, I think I'll cram them in my itsy-bitsy foreign sports car and go really super fast.' No one is that nice. Not to mention this woman zooms across train tracks...on which a train is travelling...putting her life and her friend's life in danger for three girls that she hadn't even met five minutes earlier.

Third instance: I doubt the Hand could have been rich enough to pay off ENTIRE police forces in both Canada AND America. Surly someone would have had a conscious and turned him in. Just like not everyone is nice, not everyone is evil. In reality, (and I know that this is a fictional book, but it should bear some resemblance to real life...at least that's what I think.) the Hand operation would not have been kept under wraps for so long.

Fourth instance: The girls, especially Jaci, did not act like typical fifteen year olds. At all. I've heard of 'instincts', and 'going with you gut', but Jaci was far too insightful. She was impossibly wise beyond her years, and while this would have been okay if there had been some kind of foundation/reason for this wisdom, there wasn't, so it irritated me.

Fifth instance: Wisdom and instinct aside, there were way too many kind strangers, everywhere the girls went someone was offering them buckets of food and a place to stay. Maybe I'm a pessimist and maybe there are people out there willing to risk it all for odd looking girls that they don't know and probably can't trust, but I have yet to meet them. That, the complete altruism of strangers, wasn't believable, so it too annoyed me.

Sixth instance: If the Hand was so high and mighty, why did he want the girls so badly anyway? Surly it wasn't because of the jewel Amanda had. What was one jewel when he had enough money to keep whole police forces in two countries quiet? I don't understand why he went through all the trouble trying to get them back. So what they saw his face. With the kind of dough he was rolling in he could had his whole face reconstructed.

I could go on and on about the things that bugged me, but I honestly don't feel like it. That's not to say that this book was all bad, it certainly had it's redeeming qualities. I just felt that the bad outweighed the good. The way I see it, according to Mrs. Heiner, it took her over a decade to write this book, what's a few more days to edit and shape things up, then? She devoted over ten years of her life to this story, I felt that, seeing as how she spent all that time, she should have gotten the details and whatnot ironed out. I don't even think, and this isn't to be disrespectful, she read what she wrote afterwards. If she had the book would have came out differently.

Then again, maybe she did read it and edit things, maybe everyone else will love this book and won't have the issues I had with it. Maybe I'm a cynical, perfectionist, asshole, that needs to have a professional check out this critical eye of mine. (less)

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Dec 03, 2010 Kris Ballard rated it 3 of 5 stars

For a debut novel, this isn't a bad start for Tamara. I enjoyed the tenacity of the characters and the determination they show throughout their journey home. I'm not sure I could have survived as long as they seem to in the book. I found myself continuing to read to see what was going to happen next. However, there were some plot holes and areas that didn't seem real or plausible, and maybe even a little out there or too coincedental. But the book is a decent read, and though the book just seems...more

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Dec 13, 2010 Sheri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sheri by: http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour-calendar.html

Creative, racy, and driven, PERILOUS captivated me from the onset.

Initially, there is a homey feel to it: descriptions of family life, school, and typical teen attitudes that surround these lead characters. But soon, and very soon the story takes off on a raceway with twists, turns, and troubled roadblocks. The characters are real and believable, as they struggle with their unexpected reality and ponder how to fix it.

With the exception of a few 'too convenient' subplots and scenes, the story is...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Missy Frye rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

One of the best things about attending a writers conference is meeting authors. Many sell their books at a discount and the selection can be a bit overwhelming. While at the Ozark Writers Conference, I met Tamara Hart Heiner and purchased her first novel, Perilous. I promised her an honest review.

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:
Detective Carl Hamilton is called out on a homicide case, where the partially decayed body of an unidentified teenage girl is found along a remote highway. . . . Weeks be

...more One of the best things about attending a writers conference is meeting authors. Many sell their books at a discount and the selection can be a bit overwhelming. While at the Ozark Writers Conference, I met Tamara Hart Heiner and purchased her first novel, Perilous. I promised her an honest review.

Synopsis taken from Goodreads:
Detective Carl Hamilton is called out on a homicide case, where the partially decayed body of an unidentified teenage girl is found along a remote highway. . . . Weeks before, Jaci Rivera join her best friends Callie, Sara and Amanda for a night of pizza and shopping. But an evening at the mall turns into a terrifying twist of events that drives Jaci and her friends 2000 miles across the Canadian border.

The girls escape the kidnapper's lair only to find that he has spies and agents working on both sides. They are being hunted, and not even the police can be trusted. . . . And Detective Hamilton is in a life and death race to find the three remaining girls before the kidnapper does.

Perilous is a journey in more ways than one. Jaci and her friends not only travel across country and cross international borders, they move from innocence to maturity. It’s evident Heiner put a lot of time into the development of these characters.

The story moves along at a comfortable pace, neither too slow nor rushed. The plot shows cause and effect, as it should. At times it felt a little forced, but not so much that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief.

Those who prefer a resolute ending will be disappointed. This book ends with a doozy of a cliffhanger. The arc that leads to the next novel is evident and once you reach the final page of Perilous you’ll be Jonesing for the sequel, Altercation.

Overall, I think Tamara Hart Heiner’s debut sets her up for a long and fruitful writing career. I give it three and a half stars. My reasons for not rating it higher include the non-resolution ending and the first scene was the only one to be out of sequence. Nitpicky, I know.

I urge you to give Perilous a read and let me know what you think. (less)

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Sep 05, 2011 Christy Dorrity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Perilous is the type of adventure book that I like to cozy up with when I want to escape from the world for a while. Fast-paced and intriguing, Perilous explores hard issues in a way that readers of all ages can enjoy.

Food to eat while reading: Pickles in a Pinch (www.dearestdreams.com)

The main character and point of view in Perilous, by Tamara Hart Heiner, is Jacinta Rivera. Heiner successfully alternates the point of view between Jaci and Detective Carl Hamilton, the man who has been given th...more Perilous is the type of adventure book that I like to cozy up with when I want to escape from the world for a while. Fast-paced and intriguing, Perilous explores hard issues in a way that readers of all ages can enjoy.

Food to eat while reading: Pickles in a Pinch (www.dearestdreams.com)

The main character and point of view in Perilous, by Tamara Hart Heiner, is Jacinta Rivera. Heiner successfully alternates the point of view between Jaci and Detective Carl Hamilton, the man who has been given the task of finding Jaci when she is kidnapped by thieves from the local mall. I appreciate knowing both points of view. Somehow it makes me fell smart-knowing information that the character I am reading about hasn’t found out yet.

Jaci is Hispanic and I got very interested when I entered her home and interacted with her family. I love that her heritage and background are portrayed here. By the end of the book I was disappointing that her heritage did not come up again or play a role in the story. It would have been neat to see Jaci use her knowledge of her ancestry or ethnicity to her advantage--pushing the story forward and helping her out of the situation.

Detective Carl is a nice contrast to the teen storyline and I love his choice of brain food-pickles. I enjoyed his internal dialogue and his relationship with his wife. The only thing lacking in Carl’s storyline is a dynamic change from beginning to end. I did not see how following Jaci’s case changed him as a person.

I enjoyed the banter between the girls at the mall before the kidnapping occurs. I could have read a few more chapters of Jaci’s life before the capture and felt surprised when the event happened so soon in the story.

There are quite a few teenage females to keep track of in the story and they all started to blend together for me. Because of what happens to Sara, I was able to separate her from the others in the middle of the book. Again, I am disappointed in the lack of change that I saw in the girls. I wanted to get into Jaci’s head and really see how the events affected and changed her by the end of the story.

The twin boys, Neal and Ricky, add another layer to the story and introduce a bit of romance. Because Neal is introduced first, I became quite attached to him and I saw Ricky as immature and irresponsible. Later in the story I found it confusing when Jaci began to vacillate in her interest between the two boys.

Some of the scenes felt contrived to me, such as Jaci’s rescue at the river. And yet other scenes that might have felt artificial (including their ultimate rescue in the end) made me want to believe in miracles.

The ending felt abrupt and I didn’t get a sense of completion. There is a sequel coming out to Perilous and I realize that there needs to be a few loose ends, but I still wanted that missing catharsis.

I am impressed with the way Heiner is able to write a story about harsh topics that face teens today, such as murder and rape, but in a way that any parent would want them presented to their teen. The events that happen in the book are dealt with, but not played out in detail or dwelt upon in a way that would make a reader uncomfortable.

(less)

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Feb 10, 2012 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: guideposts, free-kindle-finds, kindle, mysteries-thrillers-suspense, young-adult

When I had begun reading the book and the first chapter depicts a crime scene, I was expecting more of a mystery. The reader finds out early on what happens. Without going into the story, the most suspense is what happens to get to that point and then what happens from there. There were a few things left undiscovered by the end of the book which I thought the reader would have learned. (About Sara, about Jaci's father, and about "The Hand.") Some of the story was a stretch in believability.

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Feb 03, 2011 Cheri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I reviewed this book a couple months ago, and I'm going to say it's the kind of story that sticks with you. It's not a perfect book, but I enjoyed it. Some things were a little convenient, but at other times I found myself on the edge of my seat, just waiting to see what happened next. I like when a book can surprise me. And, if I keep returning to the story and characters in my thoughts weeks later--that has to say something positive about the book.

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Apr 26, 2011 Rita rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was excited to read this book because I thought the premise was intriguing and the reviews were so positive. While I liked the book, I wasn't that impressed with the writing, the pacing, and the things that were just a little too convenient. At times the characters were inconsistent as well. I'll probably read the sequel if it's easy to get my hands on, but if it's like this one I'll probably not continue.

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Feb 21, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was recommended by a friend of the author, plus it was being offered as a free kindle download in preparation for the second book coming out. I love free books! It has a interesting storyline and it is a page turner. I really enjoyed it. There were a few really convenient coincidences that were just a bit too unbelievable but I liked the story enough that I will definitely read the second book.

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Nov 26, 2010 Cheree Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Debut author Tamara Hart Heiner has created a chilling tale about a group of girls who have to escape their kidnappers and journey across the country to get home, not knowing who they can trust. The characters in the story are all interesting with unique characteristics that makes them different from each other. The two point of view characters, Jaci and Detective Hamilton, are the perfect characters to tell the story. The reader learns little clues from both sides and makes you want to turn the...more

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May 06, 2013 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

This is a great book. It's about four teenage girls who are kidnapped. One is murdered. The other three are held captive until they find a way to escape. However, wherever they go, the bad guy and his people find them. It's really exciting, and is a clean book.

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Apr 08, 2013 Jennifer Firth rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book just ended......no explanations,nothing. Its like the author forgot to keep writing. *frustrated*
And it was a good book !
But now I'm left sitting here wondering what the heck happened......

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Jul 31, 2011 Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Had to wrestle this away from my 19-year-old daughter. We both loved the characters and action. This is a fun book you don't have to worry about your children reading. Can't wait for the next installment!

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Apr 21, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I didn't really think that the ending was an ending, there needs to be a sequel. But this book was amazing and I want to keep reading even though I already finished the book.

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Jul 04, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an amazing book that kept me hanging on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it! I loved it and look forward to the next installment in the series! So much great intese action!

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Apr 20, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Didn't realize this was part of a series and was disappointed at the ending leaving me hanging. Guess I will have to read the next in the series now!

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Feb 13, 2012 Shirley McCann rated it 2 of 5 stars

Interesting book, but the story seemed to drag in places. The ending didn't wrap up all the questions the story proposed. Disappointing.

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Nov 24, 2010 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great work, for her very first book published. Really wanted to know what was going to happen and look forward to the sequel.

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Apr 02, 2011 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow, I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It keeps you going from chapter 1. The police drove me crazy in this story. I can't wait to read the next book....assuming there will be a next...it hints at such.

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Feb 11, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

Wow! I couldn't put this down. I took it with me to the restaurant and sneaked in a little more.

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Apr 06, 2013 Kara marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Free on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Perilous-ebook/...

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Jul 30, 2012 Jeannie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Awesome Book!! Couldn't put it down. Kept me reading from beginning to end. Can't wait to read the next book "Altercation"!!!

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Feb 16, 2012 Debbie Mulig rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book very much. I am hoping that there is a continuation to the story.

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Dec 01, 2011 Jemi Fraser rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jaci is a great character! She's stuck in a nightmarish situation that takes some surprising twists. A great read! :)

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