Evasion

by Mark Leslie

There's nowhere to hide when everybody you know or meet is trying to kill you.

Scotty Desmond's day begins like any other until his boss calls him into the office, pulls out a gun and starts shooting at him. Scott manages to escape the surprise assassination attempt, but everyone else he meets, colleagues, friends and strangers alike are all similarly obsessed with killing him.

Will Scott survive long enough to understand what is behind the relentless attacks and how it might relate to the investigation into his father's mysterious death?

252 pages, Paperback

First published June 22, 2014

About the author

Mark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.

Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.

When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.

Reviews

[Jerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not every concept is "book worthy". This was a muddled meandering mess that was both not sufficiently fleshed out and simultaneously way too long for what it is.

[Avery Olive · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Leslie sets the stage immediately with action, having you wonder how the main character, Scott Desmond, is going to make it through the day, but leaves you with just enough questions to beg for a sequel.

Written in a unique way, with both the past and the present intermingled, adding even more enjoyment and depth to Scott's character and his perilous adventure as he searches for answers in the mysterious, yet abrupt death of his father.

Even when you think you've got it all figured out, Mark Leslie brings more to the table by adding interesting and creative twists.

If you're looking for a shorter, but fast paced read, this is it.

[Dave Wickenden · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the premise of seeing loved ones after they have passes, Canadian author Mark Leslie explores a possible explanation in this fast paced novella. Years after the death of his father, Scott sees his father in modern day Toronto and realizes that everything he knew is a lie. While he tries to comprehend what had happened to his father, people around him from his boss to his good friend suddenly turn and try to kill him. In a race across downtown Toronto, Scott must put together the pieces of his father’s life and death before he faces his own.

Extremely exciting and well thought out, this tale was a fast yet satisfying read. I would recommend it for anyone who loves thrillers and mind popping conspiracy theories.

[Kenneth Roland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott's having a bad day. It starts with his boss trying to kill him and get's worse from there. Evasion moves quickly with periodic flashbacks to Scott's early years. This book has hackers, spies, and puzzles, all set in Ontario.

[Emily Craven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would classify this book more as a drama than a thriller, as a thriller just barrels on from chapter to chapter, whereas with this book each thriller 'chapter' is interspersed with a slower flashback chapter. The thing is that even though the flashback chapters are slower they are just as intriguing and captivating as the ones that barrel through. watch out for a little frustration though as the author will inevitably set the end of a scene when you least want it to stop. The characterisation is great and I can't wait to see what will happen in the next installment which I think will follow a more traditional thriller pattern. So if you're not into thrillers with slower sections then this may not be for you, but if you like thrillers with heart, particularly between family members, then give this a shot. its a bit of fun.

[Dana]

I won this book through goodreads, and entered to win because I love a good mystery. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite meet my expectations. What I noticed instantly was the rudimentary writing. The author told me everything, without showing me how the characters felt. There wasn't any descriptive writing, instead everything was very basic and obvious. I think the plot was good, but the execution was simple and predictable. The author's love for his father was the most redeeming thing about the book. If you've read Divergent, this will feel like a bad copycat.

[Jason Brant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the premise of this novel. The possibilities are endless for where the story could go. The relationship between Scott and his father feels very real, which magnifies the sense of loss that the main character deals with through the book. On the surface, this looks like a interesting scifi novel, and it is, but it reads on a very personal level because of the pain, sorrow, and confusion that Scott is trying to work through. Mark's love for his father is obvious.

I'm hoping there is at least one sequel in the works.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed it. It was definitely a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, there were a lot of grammatical and typographical errors. The novella went back and forth in time which could have been confusing but it wasn't and in fact added to the appeal. Well done Mr. Leslie!

[Hallie]

Quite a fun story, and the way some reveals were handled suggests this is an author with talent, but the most poorly-edited book I've ever read. Doesn't matter that it was free at the time I got it, this simply wasn't ready for publishing.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fast paced book. There was some language that I wasn't fond of (f-bombs, etc.). But overall a very interesting and enjoyable book.