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Mortal Pursuit
From New York Times and USA Today bestseller Michael Prescott, author of FINAL SINS and COLD AROUND THE HEART, comes a dizzying thrill ride of nonstop action, danger, and suspense.
Rookie patrol officer Trish Robinson isn't expecting to see any action during another routine night on the job. But when she and her training officer answer a prowler call at a remote estate, the two cops walk into an ambush laid by a crew of ruthless criminals. Disarmed, cut off from help, and outnumbered five to one, the young rookie must draw on inner resources she never knew she possessed as she plays a game of cat-and-mouse with hardened killers in a desperate battle to survive.
Rookie patrol officer Trish Robinson isn't expecting to see any action during another routine night on the job. But when she and her training officer answer a prowler call at a remote estate, the two cops walk into an ambush laid by a crew of ruthless criminals. Disarmed, cut off from help, and outnumbered five to one, the young rookie must draw on inner resources she never knew she possessed as she plays a game of cat-and-mouse with hardened killers in a desperate battle to survive.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1997
194 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Brian Harper
12 books5 followersA pseudonym used by Douglas Borton, aka Michael Prescott.
Douglas Child Borton, Jr. grew up in New Jersey and attended Wesleyan University, then moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career as a screenwriter. After working with several independent producers, he eventually switched to writing novels, a much less stressful occupation. He has published eight thrillers, from Comes the Dark (1999) to Mortal Faults (2006), and currently is at work on a new book. Today he divides his time between the Arizona desert and the Jersey shore.
Douglas Child Borton, Jr. grew up in New Jersey and attended Wesleyan University, then moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career as a screenwriter. After working with several independent producers, he eventually switched to writing novels, a much less stressful occupation. He has published eight thrillers, from Comes the Dark (1999) to Mortal Faults (2006), and currently is at work on a new book. Today he divides his time between the Arizona desert and the Jersey shore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 6, 2020
(First Read) Rookie Trish Robinson is a rookie patrol officer in a quiet southern California town. The sum total of the latest crimes in town were petty theft of money from vending machines and stolen bicycles. So when Trish and her training officer respond to a possible burglar call she has no idea that this will be the longest night of her life.
Patrolman Trish Robinson goes out on her fifth patrol with her training officer in a supposedly crime free area in Santa Barbara county when they are alerted by the dispatcher to investigate a 911 call reporting a prowler in the yard at an exclusive home, in a wooded area, at the top of a dead end road. They ring at the gated drive and are invited up to the house. They identify themselves and are assured that it was a mistake an the owners wife was spooked and mistakenly thought an olive tree branch might have been an intruder. The alarm system hadn't been tripped so the owner assured them everything was ok. The training officer insisted on talking to the wife who had initiated the 911 call and they were invited into the house and met another couple seated around a dining room table that was set with partially eaten deserts for five people even though only four people were present. When asked, they said their teenage daughter had taken sick and left dinner and had taken to her room to lay down. Trish noticed an expanded brass cartridge on the table and some paint flakes where a shot into the ceiling had caused some residue to fall onto the table cloth. With the owner and guests assuring the officers that everything was normal and with apologies for a false report, they were being escorted to the door to leave. Officer Wald (the training officer) had noticed the brass too but, decided that without knowing how many assailants and their level of armament it would be better to leave and call for backup before trying to control the situation.
(Second Read) As they were passing through the hallway past a closet with the door partway open, a couple of armed men push open the door and another armed man appeared behind them. Officer Wald was shot through the head before he was able to clear his weapon from his holster and Trish had a gun pressed to her head as she was disarmed and handcuffed with her own cuffs. This began an intense evening where the rookie and the fifteen year old daughter worked together to save themselves and frustrate the thieves in a series of escapes, recaptures and attempts to kill them. A series of edge of the chair tense moments with the girls proving to be much better foes than their assuming captors gave them credit for. They are survivors largely because of their will to live, ingenuity and memory of their Girl Scout Leader's maxim, "no Medals for quitters". This is a book for readers that like characters with spunk and can identify with the girls in danger bonding. The story and characters will stay with you long after you finish the book.
This is quite the book. To have it in context is really worth the time invested in the book and to read in ways that make it come to life. Highly recommend. Good stuff!!!
Patrolman Trish Robinson goes out on her fifth patrol with her training officer in a supposedly crime free area in Santa Barbara county when they are alerted by the dispatcher to investigate a 911 call reporting a prowler in the yard at an exclusive home, in a wooded area, at the top of a dead end road. They ring at the gated drive and are invited up to the house. They identify themselves and are assured that it was a mistake an the owners wife was spooked and mistakenly thought an olive tree branch might have been an intruder. The alarm system hadn't been tripped so the owner assured them everything was ok. The training officer insisted on talking to the wife who had initiated the 911 call and they were invited into the house and met another couple seated around a dining room table that was set with partially eaten deserts for five people even though only four people were present. When asked, they said their teenage daughter had taken sick and left dinner and had taken to her room to lay down. Trish noticed an expanded brass cartridge on the table and some paint flakes where a shot into the ceiling had caused some residue to fall onto the table cloth. With the owner and guests assuring the officers that everything was normal and with apologies for a false report, they were being escorted to the door to leave. Officer Wald (the training officer) had noticed the brass too but, decided that without knowing how many assailants and their level of armament it would be better to leave and call for backup before trying to control the situation.
(Second Read) As they were passing through the hallway past a closet with the door partway open, a couple of armed men push open the door and another armed man appeared behind them. Officer Wald was shot through the head before he was able to clear his weapon from his holster and Trish had a gun pressed to her head as she was disarmed and handcuffed with her own cuffs. This began an intense evening where the rookie and the fifteen year old daughter worked together to save themselves and frustrate the thieves in a series of escapes, recaptures and attempts to kill them. A series of edge of the chair tense moments with the girls proving to be much better foes than their assuming captors gave them credit for. They are survivors largely because of their will to live, ingenuity and memory of their Girl Scout Leader's maxim, "no Medals for quitters". This is a book for readers that like characters with spunk and can identify with the girls in danger bonding. The story and characters will stay with you long after you finish the book.
This is quite the book. To have it in context is really worth the time invested in the book and to read in ways that make it come to life. Highly recommend. Good stuff!!!
October 20, 2011
Ok, so remember when you were a kid, and you liked the Hardy Boys, or Encyclopedia Brown, or The Bloodhound Gang, or The Phantom Menace? Yeah, well, those had more nuanced and complex storylines and characters than this worthless pile of awful offal.
It is clear that Michael Prescott (who was not originally willing to publish under his own name in 1997, opting instead for Brian Harper - a name shared with a former MLB catcher and current minor league manager) had some major dirt on the good people at Signet publishing and threatened to spill the beans to Publisher's Weekly if he didn't get a book deal. This book reads like it was written by someone whose profession involves squatting and playing with balls more than writing.
Mortal Pursuit focuses on one Trish Robinson, who in 1997 was a brand new rookie police officer in the rural hills somewhere in the part of California that isn't San Francisco or that other city. She gets chewed out by her grizzled Lieutenant (or Sergeant or Inspector or some other rank) pulled straight out of central casting for being approximately two minutes late to a meeting her first week on the job. See, this senior-ranked officer has just about had it with rooks who just don't have what he had back in the day, and who also apparently only want action like they have in the Big City. See, in this small town, the cops help old ladies cross the street, goldurnit, and they like it fine. So, if she needs big city action (which she does, as evidenced by her big city ways of showing up to a meeting just barely late - something no red-blooded cop would ever even consider, as those first two minutes may focus on clubbing hippies, or something), well, she should just move on to Hollyweird and shoot some bangers.
Trish, however, has a deep, dark secret: her very best friend Marta was murdered by a stranger who "liked 'em young" and SPOILER ALERT (although, this is like saying leaving the pre-curdled milk out will make it go bad), Trish was there when her friend Marta was kidnapped, and somehow she also discovered the body three days later. Boy, was that ever traumatic. So, in order to prevent any bad things from ever happening again, she became a cop.
While she was busy being a no-good baby cop, ruining meetings and elder cops' faith in the new generation in blue, Cain (gee, with a name like that, he just *had* to be a bad guy) is just one day away from retirement - as a super-evil master criminal. See, he just needs to orchestrate one more home invasion/murder for hire, and he can take his giant payday (and, as is frequently alluded to in the text, his giant penis), and retire to the countryside, living out his days raping and murdering very young girls. Hmmm...wonder how *that* could tie in to the plot later? You know, with Trish's very young friend being raped and murdered and all...Oh yeah. Spoiler alert. sorry.
Anywho, super-evil bad guy Cain is leading a rag-tag band of teenagers for no apparent reason on this home invasion. One of the kids is a rookie, who is ruining Cain's faith in the new generation in black. You can tell that they are bad guys, because one kid has a pony tail, two kids are brothers who used to hotwire boats for the Mexicans and call one another "Bro" (oooh, SO EVIL), and one girl is named Lilith (I shit you not. Lilith.), who has an "elfin giggle" every time she might have the opportunity to hurt someone, and who makes pouty faces when she may not get to hurt someone, and who has a lisp, but who can miraculously impersonate non-lispy adult females impeccably when fooling the cops is afoot. Also, she was super into to SUPER EVIL Cain and his giant boyparts when she was thirteen, and she's still into them now. And Cain is AT LEAST 35. Wow, so creepy. I am pretty sure the author pre-wrote his own New York Times book review, commenting on his own "deliciously creepy mind." Yeah, like *that* was going to happen.
Anyway, the home invasion is at the estate of wealthy defense lawyer Charles and his heiress wife Barbara. They are hosting a Very Important Dinner with associates of Charles, and nothing can go wrong. Therefore, he wanted to banish his very mildly rebellious virginal daughter Ally, who had the temerity to yell "STOP FIGHTING" at a Christmas Party for rich people who hate their spouses some months before the start of the book. Also, she wants to be a some sort of anthropologist, and has a knack for finding arrowheads and discussing cave mineral features. :-| Barbara, however, would have none of it, and Ally was just delightfully witty and charming at the dinner, radiant in a pure white dress, and a great time was had by all - except for Barbara and Charles, whose icy egalitarian wit would have made J.R. feel like he was shot all over again - but this time by the marital discord of rich Californians!
So, SUPER EVIL Cain is all set to retire from a life of murder to a life of peaceful child-rape, when one of his inept teenagers is spotted out the window of the kitchen by the majestic yet patrician Barbara, who has the temerity to call the police even after her husband has specifically ordered her to do no such thing (gasp!). Also, THIS IS A CLUE.
Enter Trish Robinson and her partner - officer SHOT IN THE FACE. (er. Sorry. Spoilers.)
So, Trish is knocked out by the bad guys and stuffed in the trunk of her car and driven into the lake (oh yeah, the rich people have a lake). Somehow, the fortuitously remembered motivational wisdom of her childhood girl scout instructor gives her the ability to escape from handcuffs and the trunk of police cars and bad guys and bullets in the leg and really, really bad writing. Anyway, Trish knocks out a dopey teenager and somehow remembers more decade+ old girl scout experience and ties him up with the impossible to escape square knot. Oh, and she takes his pistol, which has a 200 yard laser sight, and bullets which turn into ninja stars inside a body or something (I took a break paying attention to eat some cheetos, sorries).
Meanwhile, SUPER EVIL Cain is all "Listen, teenagers. You need to be pros here. Disciplined! Also? Get off my lawn!" Except, well, he wants to rape Ally. Wasn't in the plan, but, it TOTES illustrates how SUPER EVIL Cain is. But wait! Ally is mildly rebellious, and she's all "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" and takes off Cain's ski mask (oh yeah. Bad dudes have ski masks). You know, to take the rape out of him. AND IT TOTALLY WORKS. Cain is all "GRRR! You have seen my face," and Lilith is all "Oooh, Cainy, let *me* have a taste of her, baby" and elfish giggles. Anyway, Cain decides to kill Ally, what with his face being seen and all, and a SHOCKING PLOT TWIST is revealed, to the surprise of nobody.
So, Trish, seeing a chance to save Marta (the dead best friend) in the guise of the Virgin Ally becomes Batman. There are boat chases, and shit blows up with dynamite (oh yeah, the bad guys brought dynamite to a home invasion), and high speed chases, and lots of "Bro!" and "Smoke that bitch, boss" and "I shoulda smoked that bitch when I had the chance" and gunshots and caves, but I stopped paying attention because something more interesting like Golf came on TV. Also? A van crashes into a house.
The (almost non-existent) good: The author can combine words into coherent sentences. He therefore exceeds the talents of Eric von Lustbader, Glenn Beck, and some 30% of kindergartners. Also, the book eventually ended, so that was pretty ok. Also also, the book was clearly extensively researched - the author certainly watched AT LEAST two Police Academy movies, and maybe half of a history channel documentary on the po-po.
The bad: EVERYTHING ELSE. See, the Police Academy movies are nothing like real policing. The dude clearly knew a very little bit about how people are trained to be cops, and worked that very minuscule amount of knowledge in at every opportunity. Somebody touches a pistol? The "assumed the Weaver stance." Taking a break? Nope, going "code seven." Except, basic things like the fact that pistols can't shoot accurately at 200 yards, even with a laser sight, and ESPECIALLY from a racing speed boat are clearly not part of the author's very minimal understanding of things, and thus shit that simply can't happen happens all the damn time.
The dialogue for the bad guys reads like it was written in the 50s about street toughs in the 40s and then given a treatment by somebody who interned on the writing team for "Miami Vice" for three weeks in 1985 as part of a work-exchange program for illiterate Czechoslovakian peasants.
The dialogue for the good guys is the same, but replace "street toughs" with "good girls responsibly studying Home Economics at Ole Miss"; and "Miami Vice" with "Touched by an Angel."
So, so very bad.
It is clear that Michael Prescott (who was not originally willing to publish under his own name in 1997, opting instead for Brian Harper - a name shared with a former MLB catcher and current minor league manager) had some major dirt on the good people at Signet publishing and threatened to spill the beans to Publisher's Weekly if he didn't get a book deal. This book reads like it was written by someone whose profession involves squatting and playing with balls more than writing.
Mortal Pursuit focuses on one Trish Robinson, who in 1997 was a brand new rookie police officer in the rural hills somewhere in the part of California that isn't San Francisco or that other city. She gets chewed out by her grizzled Lieutenant (or Sergeant or Inspector or some other rank) pulled straight out of central casting for being approximately two minutes late to a meeting her first week on the job. See, this senior-ranked officer has just about had it with rooks who just don't have what he had back in the day, and who also apparently only want action like they have in the Big City. See, in this small town, the cops help old ladies cross the street, goldurnit, and they like it fine. So, if she needs big city action (which she does, as evidenced by her big city ways of showing up to a meeting just barely late - something no red-blooded cop would ever even consider, as those first two minutes may focus on clubbing hippies, or something), well, she should just move on to Hollyweird and shoot some bangers.
Trish, however, has a deep, dark secret: her very best friend Marta was murdered by a stranger who "liked 'em young" and SPOILER ALERT (although, this is like saying leaving the pre-curdled milk out will make it go bad), Trish was there when her friend Marta was kidnapped, and somehow she also discovered the body three days later. Boy, was that ever traumatic. So, in order to prevent any bad things from ever happening again, she became a cop.
While she was busy being a no-good baby cop, ruining meetings and elder cops' faith in the new generation in blue, Cain (gee, with a name like that, he just *had* to be a bad guy) is just one day away from retirement - as a super-evil master criminal. See, he just needs to orchestrate one more home invasion/murder for hire, and he can take his giant payday (and, as is frequently alluded to in the text, his giant penis), and retire to the countryside, living out his days raping and murdering very young girls. Hmmm...wonder how *that* could tie in to the plot later? You know, with Trish's very young friend being raped and murdered and all...Oh yeah. Spoiler alert. sorry.
Anywho, super-evil bad guy Cain is leading a rag-tag band of teenagers for no apparent reason on this home invasion. One of the kids is a rookie, who is ruining Cain's faith in the new generation in black. You can tell that they are bad guys, because one kid has a pony tail, two kids are brothers who used to hotwire boats for the Mexicans and call one another "Bro" (oooh, SO EVIL), and one girl is named Lilith (I shit you not. Lilith.), who has an "elfin giggle" every time she might have the opportunity to hurt someone, and who makes pouty faces when she may not get to hurt someone, and who has a lisp, but who can miraculously impersonate non-lispy adult females impeccably when fooling the cops is afoot. Also, she was super into to SUPER EVIL Cain and his giant boyparts when she was thirteen, and she's still into them now. And Cain is AT LEAST 35. Wow, so creepy. I am pretty sure the author pre-wrote his own New York Times book review, commenting on his own "deliciously creepy mind." Yeah, like *that* was going to happen.
Anyway, the home invasion is at the estate of wealthy defense lawyer Charles and his heiress wife Barbara. They are hosting a Very Important Dinner with associates of Charles, and nothing can go wrong. Therefore, he wanted to banish his very mildly rebellious virginal daughter Ally, who had the temerity to yell "STOP FIGHTING" at a Christmas Party for rich people who hate their spouses some months before the start of the book. Also, she wants to be a some sort of anthropologist, and has a knack for finding arrowheads and discussing cave mineral features. :-| Barbara, however, would have none of it, and Ally was just delightfully witty and charming at the dinner, radiant in a pure white dress, and a great time was had by all - except for Barbara and Charles, whose icy egalitarian wit would have made J.R. feel like he was shot all over again - but this time by the marital discord of rich Californians!
So, SUPER EVIL Cain is all set to retire from a life of murder to a life of peaceful child-rape, when one of his inept teenagers is spotted out the window of the kitchen by the majestic yet patrician Barbara, who has the temerity to call the police even after her husband has specifically ordered her to do no such thing (gasp!). Also, THIS IS A CLUE.
Enter Trish Robinson and her partner - officer SHOT IN THE FACE. (er. Sorry. Spoilers.)
So, Trish is knocked out by the bad guys and stuffed in the trunk of her car and driven into the lake (oh yeah, the rich people have a lake). Somehow, the fortuitously remembered motivational wisdom of her childhood girl scout instructor gives her the ability to escape from handcuffs and the trunk of police cars and bad guys and bullets in the leg and really, really bad writing. Anyway, Trish knocks out a dopey teenager and somehow remembers more decade+ old girl scout experience and ties him up with the impossible to escape square knot. Oh, and she takes his pistol, which has a 200 yard laser sight, and bullets which turn into ninja stars inside a body or something (I took a break paying attention to eat some cheetos, sorries).
Meanwhile, SUPER EVIL Cain is all "Listen, teenagers. You need to be pros here. Disciplined! Also? Get off my lawn!" Except, well, he wants to rape Ally. Wasn't in the plan, but, it TOTES illustrates how SUPER EVIL Cain is. But wait! Ally is mildly rebellious, and she's all "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" and takes off Cain's ski mask (oh yeah. Bad dudes have ski masks). You know, to take the rape out of him. AND IT TOTALLY WORKS. Cain is all "GRRR! You have seen my face," and Lilith is all "Oooh, Cainy, let *me* have a taste of her, baby" and elfish giggles. Anyway, Cain decides to kill Ally, what with his face being seen and all, and a SHOCKING PLOT TWIST is revealed, to the surprise of nobody.
So, Trish, seeing a chance to save Marta (the dead best friend) in the guise of the Virgin Ally becomes Batman. There are boat chases, and shit blows up with dynamite (oh yeah, the bad guys brought dynamite to a home invasion), and high speed chases, and lots of "Bro!" and "Smoke that bitch, boss" and "I shoulda smoked that bitch when I had the chance" and gunshots and caves, but I stopped paying attention because something more interesting like Golf came on TV. Also? A van crashes into a house.
The (almost non-existent) good: The author can combine words into coherent sentences. He therefore exceeds the talents of Eric von Lustbader, Glenn Beck, and some 30% of kindergartners. Also, the book eventually ended, so that was pretty ok. Also also, the book was clearly extensively researched - the author certainly watched AT LEAST two Police Academy movies, and maybe half of a history channel documentary on the po-po.
The bad: EVERYTHING ELSE. See, the Police Academy movies are nothing like real policing. The dude clearly knew a very little bit about how people are trained to be cops, and worked that very minuscule amount of knowledge in at every opportunity. Somebody touches a pistol? The "assumed the Weaver stance." Taking a break? Nope, going "code seven." Except, basic things like the fact that pistols can't shoot accurately at 200 yards, even with a laser sight, and ESPECIALLY from a racing speed boat are clearly not part of the author's very minimal understanding of things, and thus shit that simply can't happen happens all the damn time.
The dialogue for the bad guys reads like it was written in the 50s about street toughs in the 40s and then given a treatment by somebody who interned on the writing team for "Miami Vice" for three weeks in 1985 as part of a work-exchange program for illiterate Czechoslovakian peasants.
The dialogue for the good guys is the same, but replace "street toughs" with "good girls responsibly studying Home Economics at Ole Miss"; and "Miami Vice" with "Touched by an Angel."
So, so very bad.
January 5, 2012
The book I read was a e-re-release of a 1997 novel. It is a story of a rookie cop in Santa Barbera California. Despite the odds she proves her self time and again. Her partner is shot in a botched burglary and she doesn't give up. Some of the references are dated but fun none the less.
January 19, 2016
Great Read
If you love thrillers, then this page turner is the book for you. The author did a superb job of breathing life into his characters and scenery.
If you love thrillers, then this page turner is the book for you. The author did a superb job of breathing life into his characters and scenery.
January 25, 2021
Very enjoyable quick read
This is the 1st book I've ever read by this author , Michael Prescott. I will definitely look for another book or 2 of his. What I enjoyed the most about this story it is a true page turner .
This is the 1st book I've ever read by this author , Michael Prescott. I will definitely look for another book or 2 of his. What I enjoyed the most about this story it is a true page turner .
January 4, 2022
Rookie police officer Trish Robinson isn't expecting to see any action during another routine night with her training officer. Then they respond to a prowler call from a remote estate.
Wow! The suspense never stops it just keeps hurtling you from one precipice to another. Excellent.
Wow! The suspense never stops it just keeps hurtling you from one precipice to another. Excellent.
November 29, 2023
Do only cats have nine lives?
Maybe some humans do too. This whole book kept you wondering when the heroine would succumb. I’m not going to tell you. But you’ll have a great time finding out yourself.
Maybe some humans do too. This whole book kept you wondering when the heroine would succumb. I’m not going to tell you. But you’ll have a great time finding out yourself.
February 6, 2017
3.5 stars. Wanted to give four stars as was a fun read but some of the story was just ridiculously implausible.
October 1, 2017
Lots of action but it was made to last too long, the story became unbelievable and more and more uninteresting as it went on.
November 5, 2019
A real page turner. Had to suspend reality a couple of times, but the story was riveting.
July 14, 2021
Fun read, lots of cliff hangers.
December 27, 2021
Good Book
Started reading tonight, for some reason couldn't put it down. Book had a lot of adventure and the rookie became a real cop tonight.
Started reading tonight, for some reason couldn't put it down. Book had a lot of adventure and the rookie became a real cop tonight.
July 6, 2022
Some books are labeled thriller, but they aren't really. Not that they aren't interesting and well-written, but "thriller" is not really descriptive. This one, however, qualifies. It is non-stop action from the very beginning. A real page-turner. And the author manages to do this with three dimensional characters. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 19, 2011
Rookie patrolman Trish Robinson goes out on her fifth patrol with her training officer in a supposedly crime free area in Santa Barbara county when they are alerted by the dispatcher to investigate a 911 call reporting a prowler in the yard at an exclusive home, in a wooded area, at the top of a dead end road. They ring at the gated drive and are invited up to the house. They identify themselves and are assured that it was a mistake an the owners wife was spooked and mistakenly thought an olive tree branch might have been an intruder. The alarm system hadn't been tripped so the owner assured them everything was ok. The training officer insisted on talking to the wife who had initiated the 911 call and they were invited into the house and met another couple seated around a dining room table that was set with partially eaten deserts for five people even though only four people were present. When asked, they said their teenage daughter had taken sick and left dinner and had taken to her room to lay down. Trish noticed an expended brass cartridge on the table and some paint flakes where a shot into the ceiling had caused some residue to fall onto the table cloth. With the owner and guests assuring the officers that everything was normal and with apologies for a false report, they were being escorted to the door to leave. Officer Wald (the training officer) had noticed the brass too but, decided that without knowing how many assailants and their level of armament it would be better to leave and call for backup before trying to control the situation. As they were passing through the hallway past a closet with the door partway open, a couple of armed men push open the door and another armed man appeared behind them. Officer Wald was shot through the head before he was able to clear his weapon from his holster and Trish had a gun pressed to her head as she was disarmed and handcuffed with her own cuffs. This began an intense evening where the rookie and the fifteen year old daughter worked together to save themselves and frustrate the thieves in a series of escapes, recaptures and attempts to kill them. A series of edge of the chair tense moments with the girls proving to be much better foes than their assuming captors gave them credit for. They are survivors largely because of their will to live, ingenuity and memory of their Girl Scout Leader's maxim, "no Medals for quitters". This is a book for readers that like characters with spunk and can identify with the girls in danger bonding. The story and characters with stay with you after you finish the book. Well worth the investment of imagination and time!
April 8, 2013
Mortal Pursuit is one of the few books out there that lives up to the hype. I cannot see anyone giving this book anything less than 4 stars! It is a well written action & suspense thriller. Shades of John McClane! This book is similiar in nature to the Die Hard movies in respect to the hero (or in this case heroine) is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trish Robinson is a rookie patrolwomen out on a routine patrol when all heck breaks loose and suddenly she is alone against a team of killers.
I was surprised I liked this story so much, when the leading character was not a rugged action character (like Bruce, Sly, or Arnold), but instead, a small young female. But Trish is one tough cookie, yes indeed. This would make a great movie, and I figure they could even adapt it to fit into the "Die Hard" franchise by getting Mary Elizabeth Winstead to reprise her role as John McClane's daughter (from Live Free or Die Hard [Blu-ray]), and base the movie on her, instead of her famous father. The book features some really "bad" bad guys (and one girl). Every time they think they have killed Trish or have her trapped she survives and keeps coming back. Determination must be her middle name. This was my first book by Michael Prescott, but it will not be the last. I think I will get Stealing Faces next, as that book looks up my alley as well.
I was surprised I liked this story so much, when the leading character was not a rugged action character (like Bruce, Sly, or Arnold), but instead, a small young female. But Trish is one tough cookie, yes indeed. This would make a great movie, and I figure they could even adapt it to fit into the "Die Hard" franchise by getting Mary Elizabeth Winstead to reprise her role as John McClane's daughter (from Live Free or Die Hard [Blu-ray]), and base the movie on her, instead of her famous father. The book features some really "bad" bad guys (and one girl). Every time they think they have killed Trish or have her trapped she survives and keeps coming back. Determination must be her middle name. This was my first book by Michael Prescott, but it will not be the last. I think I will get Stealing Faces next, as that book looks up my alley as well.
May 9, 2011
Trisha, a rookie cop is having a really bad day. It started when her toilet overflowed and she was late for roll call. It only went downhill from there. Her partner and her walk into an ambush which leaves her alone, unarmed and the only one standing between a ruthless team of killers and a young girl and her family.
This book was super fast paced. Lots of action packed suspense. This book comes in fast and doesn't slow down until the very end. I really enjoyed this book. You really start to think that this is it, game over. Just kidding. It keeps going.
I was so happy I decided to get this. I would recommend it to anyone.
This book was super fast paced. Lots of action packed suspense. This book comes in fast and doesn't slow down until the very end. I really enjoyed this book. You really start to think that this is it, game over. Just kidding. It keeps going.
I was so happy I decided to get this. I would recommend it to anyone.
August 8, 2011
This novel was originally published in the 90's so the storyline lacks some modern (who would ever think of saying the 90s isn't modern...) devices such as a cell phone (they do mention a car phone) which would have come in handy. Very good story with lots of action. First half was especially good as was the ending. There were several chapters approximately 50%-75% marks that could have been condensed and/or eliminated. Too much detail on each characters movement. Overall, it was good and I would try another book by this author.
December 9, 2013
Another excellent read by Michael Prescott. Trish Robinson will be on my mind for a long time. Such a brave young woman, never giving up. I love how Mr. Prescott brings you into each and every character's thinking. You feel like you personally know each character, whether you like them or not is a different story. As you read this book, you cheer, you groan in frustration, you feel their pain and anger. The ending is perfect, and I wish there was a sequel to this book. I'd love to know what each of the characters are doing now, other than the dead ones, of course. Highly recommend!
September 29, 2011
Fast paced action from the start drew me in and kept me reading. I enjoyed the pace and high drama. But the unpredictable things really weren't. The biggest let down for me was it seemed to be a series of cliffhanger events, one after another after another - like "no way is she going to survive this- and then of course she does. Just like all those cliffhanger thriller movies out there - it becomes predictable - I kinda just glossed over some of it in the end.
May 22, 2012
A small town encounters their first real crime. Trish a rookie cop faces five criminals and a crooked attorny after his wifes inheretence. Mr. Kent was even willing to allow his daughter Ally to be killed as well. Kudos ro trish and Ally for friendship forged through tough times. I really enjoyed the thrill, fear of the unknown and the strength to face and conquer anything to keep the peace by Trish.
August 9, 2012
Wow this was a very good book. A good plot line with a super heroin who kept battling back against and evil murder who like raping and murdering young girls and women. Our heroin was a recent police academy graduate who wasn't ready to face the big challenge she would face with Cain and his terrible crew. Along the way a terrible person is revealed who isn't who we think he is too. Please read Mortal Pursuit to learn more.
February 29, 2012
If you like a sadistic gang of burglars and a courageous super heroine you will probably love this book. It does read fast. The author sure crams a heck of a lot of action into two hours or so hours. Much of it is unbelievable but that's always true of this type of book. I might try one of his books published under his real name to see if there may be something of value.
May 5, 2012
This book is less creepy than Blind Pursuit and more intense. The female character is insanely strong. She gets knocked down and keeps going like Dirk Pitt in the old Clive Cussler books. Same comment as on Blind Pursuit. You know what you are getting with Michael Prescott which isn't always a bad thing.
December 30, 2017
Ok, so the premise is really unbelievable but it totally works and hooks you in. Strong female lead rookie cop and fast paced action make it a page turner for me. I really enjoyed it and would love to read more of his books.
October 21, 2011
As usual, this book did not disappoint. Prescott is a master at ending his chapters in the middle of a heart-pounding scene, then starting the next chapter with another scene. Kept me reading way past my bedtime every night! Great suspense!
December 2, 2011
I really enjoyed the suspense and fast-paced action involved with this book, but this book had moments where I had to turn the page due to some suggestive and scary situations, but otherwise a great book.
November 9, 2012
This book was fast paced halfway. It didn't start off that exiting at first but soon after the chase started it became more interesting. The scenario was okay and the ending was good. Overall it was a good read. I have a couple of more Michael Prescott books and I look forward to read it.
August 15, 2012
Started reading Prescott while away on vacation. Found his books to be suspensful and entertaining. Have read several of his books that I will add to my list. Recommend any of them to those who like mystery/suspense novels.
May 31, 2013
Totally unrealistic the amount of injury one could suffer and still be able to function. However, the plot was intriguing and kept you wanting to see how it played out. A quick read for sure - stayed up till way too late finishing it!!
September 12, 2013
This book through me for a complete loop. I love Trish Robinson's character. She was so defiant and brave even when she didn't believe things would work out. Prescott didn't disappoint under the Brian Harper pen name with this one.
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