What do you think?
Rate this book
Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski #4
No Way Back
San Francisco crime reporter Tom Reed is burned out. On the day he decides to finally quit the news business, a sensational story breaks. A heart-stopping robbery-homicide at a jewelry store. The suspects have shot and killed a police officer before fleeing with a female hostage. Reed rushes to the scene, his passion resurrected for one last big story.
Arriving at the chaos, Reed is stunned to learn from a staff member, still clutching a receipt, that the hostage is his wife, Ann Reed.
Horrified, Reed confronts San Francisco Homicide Inspector Walt Sydowski and other detectives on the case. All know the odds.
Reed is paralyzed with anguish, but his son, Zach, refuses to give up hope of finding his mother, despite the grisly trail left by the killers. Now the clock is ticking down as Reed battles his demons and Sydowski in a life and death search for Ann.
Arriving at the chaos, Reed is stunned to learn from a staff member, still clutching a receipt, that the hostage is his wife, Ann Reed.
Horrified, Reed confronts San Francisco Homicide Inspector Walt Sydowski and other detectives on the case. All know the odds.
Reed is paralyzed with anguish, but his son, Zach, refuses to give up hope of finding his mother, despite the grisly trail left by the killers. Now the clock is ticking down as Reed battles his demons and Sydowski in a life and death search for Ann.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2003
2597 people are currently reading
2103 people want to read
About the author
Rick Mofina
68 books1,309 followersRick Mofina is a former journalist who has interviewed murderers on death row in Montana and Texas, flown over L.A. with the LAPD and patrolled with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police near the Arctic. He's also reported from the Caribbean, Africa and Kuwait's border with Iraq. His true-crime freelance work has appeared in The New York Times, The Telegraph (London, U.K.), Reader’s Digest, Penthouse, Marie Claire and The South China Morning Post, (Hong Kong). He has written more than 20 crime fiction thrillers that have been published in nearly 30 countries.
His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Louise Penny, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Lisa Unger, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.
The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
Series:
* Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski
* Jason Wade
* Jack Gannon
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2003): Blood of Others
His work has been praised by James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Jeffery Deaver, Louise Penny, Sandra Brown, James Rollins, Lisa Unger, Brad Thor, Nick Stone, David Morrell, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Linwood Barclay, Peter Robinson, Håkan Nesser and Kay Hooper.
The Crime Writers of Canada, The International Thriller Writers and The Private Eye Writers of America have listed his titles among the best in crime fiction. As a two-time winner of Canada's Arthur Ellis Award, a four-time Thriller Award finalist and a two-time Shamus Award finalist, the Library Journal calls him, “One of the best thriller writers in the business.”
Series:
* Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski
* Jason Wade
* Jack Gannon
Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (2003): Blood of Others
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
March 4, 2020
Yikes, that was tense 😬. Tom Reed, reporter extraordinaire, has been in many scrapes but, to appease his wife Ann, he agrees to finally hang up his notepad and quit chasing the stories. Before he can utter the words to his editor though he is sent off to report on a breaking story, a jewellery heist turned deadly.
The thieves have turned on their own wheelman and shot him but managed to evade capture. But when Tom arrives, he learns that the two remaining thieves have also taken a hostage. And that hostage is his wife who went to the shop to purchase and anniversary gift for him. SFPD sends Walt Sydowski to oversee the scene. Walt and Tom have worked together many times before but this time is different. Ann’s life is at stake.
For many days police in many states hunt the thieves as they spread murder and mayhem in a swathe across the country, always staying one step ahead of police. Tom is beside himself and and vows to find her.
It was so tense. We heard from Ann a few times and she was thoroughly terrified as one of the men was keen to rape and murder her. I had no idea if she was going to make it. I was on the edge of my seat, literally, as the manhunt intensified, and the whole time you are left wondering how Ann is coping, if she is even still alive.
By now, after three previous books, the characters of Walt and Tom have fleshed out and we are very comfortable in their company. Tom got a bit annoying when he was pushing his way into any find, and there were many, and I wished he would let the police just do their job. The most annoying character though was Tia Layne, a reporter for a small multimedia outlet who kept barging around and did some pretty shitty things. I was hoping some karma would come her way but I’m not telling. Great story.
The thieves have turned on their own wheelman and shot him but managed to evade capture. But when Tom arrives, he learns that the two remaining thieves have also taken a hostage. And that hostage is his wife who went to the shop to purchase and anniversary gift for him. SFPD sends Walt Sydowski to oversee the scene. Walt and Tom have worked together many times before but this time is different. Ann’s life is at stake.
For many days police in many states hunt the thieves as they spread murder and mayhem in a swathe across the country, always staying one step ahead of police. Tom is beside himself and and vows to find her.
It was so tense. We heard from Ann a few times and she was thoroughly terrified as one of the men was keen to rape and murder her. I had no idea if she was going to make it. I was on the edge of my seat, literally, as the manhunt intensified, and the whole time you are left wondering how Ann is coping, if she is even still alive.
By now, after three previous books, the characters of Walt and Tom have fleshed out and we are very comfortable in their company. Tom got a bit annoying when he was pushing his way into any find, and there were many, and I wished he would let the police just do their job. The most annoying character though was Tia Layne, a reporter for a small multimedia outlet who kept barging around and did some pretty shitty things. I was hoping some karma would come her way but I’m not telling. Great story.
January 23, 2019
No Way Back is a perfectly mediocre crime thriller by author Rick Mofina. The plot is, though sometimes implausible, straightforward and easy to follow; the structure is sound; and the background on the news business seems to have been well-researched.
When the story begins, Ann is in a local high end jewelry store picking up a custom piece she has ordered for her husband. Suddenly, armed gunmen storm the shop. When the dust has settled, one police officer is dead, the getaway driver has been seriously wounded and the gunmen have disappeared—taking Ann hostage. At the scene is local star reporter Tom Reed, anxious to get a jump on the story. He crosses police lines to try to get an interview with the store clerk, who is still clutching Ann’s receipt. When Tom asks for the hostage’s name, the clerk hands him the paper—a receipt signed by Ann. Tom Reed’s wife. Ann Reed.
The remainder of the book details Ann’s trauma as she is dragged across state lines, her husband and police always a step behind. The structure here is both interesting and unique. Each time an event occurs to further the police investigation, the narration becomes an episodic third-person retelling. For example, assume a note from Ann, in which she begs for help, has been found. Some authors might have a character call the police and explain the circumstances surrounding the discovery, thus introducing this aspect of the story. Mofina, however, favors showing rather than telling. He takes readers into a hotel and allows them to “watch” as Ann hides that note. He then later includes a scene that follows a cleaning woman and an electrical contractor into that room, where the note is picked up. This pattern is repeated as the story unfolds. It reminded me of the opening segment of Law and Order—where characters who find the victim appear in a scene that leads to the discovery, then are rarely seen again. Here, it was an approach that broke the monotony of pages in which little happened.
Finally, I have to give credit to the author for the obvious research he did relative to the news business. The jargon and terminology lent an air of authenticity to the piece that otherwise suffered with the holes in police procedure and character development alike.
Overall, the book failed to impress—thoroughly an average read.
When the story begins, Ann is in a local high end jewelry store picking up a custom piece she has ordered for her husband. Suddenly, armed gunmen storm the shop. When the dust has settled, one police officer is dead, the getaway driver has been seriously wounded and the gunmen have disappeared—taking Ann hostage. At the scene is local star reporter Tom Reed, anxious to get a jump on the story. He crosses police lines to try to get an interview with the store clerk, who is still clutching Ann’s receipt. When Tom asks for the hostage’s name, the clerk hands him the paper—a receipt signed by Ann. Tom Reed’s wife. Ann Reed.
The remainder of the book details Ann’s trauma as she is dragged across state lines, her husband and police always a step behind. The structure here is both interesting and unique. Each time an event occurs to further the police investigation, the narration becomes an episodic third-person retelling. For example, assume a note from Ann, in which she begs for help, has been found. Some authors might have a character call the police and explain the circumstances surrounding the discovery, thus introducing this aspect of the story. Mofina, however, favors showing rather than telling. He takes readers into a hotel and allows them to “watch” as Ann hides that note. He then later includes a scene that follows a cleaning woman and an electrical contractor into that room, where the note is picked up. This pattern is repeated as the story unfolds. It reminded me of the opening segment of Law and Order—where characters who find the victim appear in a scene that leads to the discovery, then are rarely seen again. Here, it was an approach that broke the monotony of pages in which little happened.
Finally, I have to give credit to the author for the obvious research he did relative to the news business. The jargon and terminology lent an air of authenticity to the piece that otherwise suffered with the holes in police procedure and character development alike.
Overall, the book failed to impress—thoroughly an average read.
August 14, 2022
Fantastic!
Book #4 of the Walt Sydowski and Tom Reed series is as great as its predecessors. In this one, Reed's journalistic past comes back to haunt him on the exact day he plans to fulfil his promise to his wife and retire from crime reporting. A jewellry heist collides with a crime of opportunity and Reed and Sydowski must join forces.
These books are so great, and every time I listen to one I marvel yet again, at this phenomenal narrator, Christian Rummel. Perfect for thriller/ crime fans.
Book #4 of the Walt Sydowski and Tom Reed series is as great as its predecessors. In this one, Reed's journalistic past comes back to haunt him on the exact day he plans to fulfil his promise to his wife and retire from crime reporting. A jewellry heist collides with a crime of opportunity and Reed and Sydowski must join forces.
These books are so great, and every time I listen to one I marvel yet again, at this phenomenal narrator, Christian Rummel. Perfect for thriller/ crime fans.
December 11, 2014
Another compelling thriller from author Rick Mofina, "No Way Back", is the fourth in Reed/Sydowski series. Well written and packed with suspense, this book packs a punch from the first page to the last. A crazy jewelry store robbery has turned into a double homicide with a kidnapped victim. One of the murdered victims was a SFPD officer. The kidnapped hostage is Ann Reed, the wife of crime reporter Tom Reed. Walt Sydowski and his partner Linda Turgeon are soon on the scene. Tom doesn't realize it's his wife who had been kidnapped until Walt has to break it to him. The two gunmen robbers who'd escaped were Delmar James Tribe, and John Mark Engler. Both with long criminal histories. The bad guys take Ann on a cross country trip going through AZ., NM., and into Texas. The "Fence" who is going to buy their stolen loot is in Texas waiting for them. The police seem to always be just one tiny step behind the pair. Ann suffers greatly as the bad guys drag her around from stop to stop. When the police were about to finally catch up with the pair, several plot twists really kept this book from slowing down. How did Tom have history with one of the bad guys ? How did one of these criminals beat the system and get off death row in Florida ? This was just such an enjoyable book to read. It didn't seem to slow down to under 100 MPH anywhere along the story line. The bad guys characters were so very well developed, Must wonder if they were patterned off some real criminals. As usual with Rick Mofina's books the dialog was tense and added spark to an already highly combustible situation. All four of author Rick Mofina's Reed/Sydowski books that I've read so far have been better than the last. It's an excellent series. I'd highly recommend you jump into the Reed/Sydowski series from Rick Mofina. I have just one more remaining to read and have already started on it ! 5 stars out of a possible 5 stars. Just an outstanding reading from end to end.
February 18, 2019
Another reader characterized No Way Back as a perfectly mediocre crime novel. While that’s a bit harsh, it’s essentially correct, provided you interpret the use of the word mediocre, not as pejorative but, rather, simply meaning average.
This is a very linear story where the author spends a lot of time telling (not showing) you what’s happening. This may be an expedient way to move the plot along (it does, making for a quick read), but it hampered my becoming connected with the characters. Speaking of them, they are rather stereotypical and the plot is pretty predictable. Yet, the author has done his homework with respect to some of the major elements of his story and provided a quick, easy to consume, albeit forgettable, story.
If you’ve never encountered a book from a master writer of the crime or murder mystery genre, this will seem like a real corker. But read in context with the likes of McBain, Nesbo, Connolly, Westlake, French — well, you get the drift — it drops solidly into the 2nd or 3rd tier. Average? I suppose. A decent 3 star effort.
This is a very linear story where the author spends a lot of time telling (not showing) you what’s happening. This may be an expedient way to move the plot along (it does, making for a quick read), but it hampered my becoming connected with the characters. Speaking of them, they are rather stereotypical and the plot is pretty predictable. Yet, the author has done his homework with respect to some of the major elements of his story and provided a quick, easy to consume, albeit forgettable, story.
If you’ve never encountered a book from a master writer of the crime or murder mystery genre, this will seem like a real corker. But read in context with the likes of McBain, Nesbo, Connolly, Westlake, French — well, you get the drift — it drops solidly into the 2nd or 3rd tier. Average? I suppose. A decent 3 star effort.
July 14, 2018
Another amazon kindle freebie which absolutely had potential but needed an editor or at least a rigorous re-write. I downloaded it for the San Francisco setting and I would have enjoyed a bit more of SF flavor in the details. Plot was excellent although the ending seemed a bit rushed and unbelievable. What needed big improvements were the character’s developments and the actual sentences. The writing st Times was repetitive and over- wrought. Lots of building blocks but not enough glue to make the story flow together.
August 29, 2015
Enjoyed the read. Suspenseful. Good characters. I enjoyed the storyline. Though I didn't mind the happy ending, I thought the ending was lacking...it lacked the suspense and twists of the rest of the book.
February 12, 2019
Tom Reed is a crime reporter in San Francisco. He has promised his wife, Ann, that he will resign from criminals and write novels, a much more civilized undertaking. While he is in his boss’ office preparing to do that, a jewelry store is robbed, a Police Officer killed and a hostage taken. He is sent to cover the “human” side of the story. When he gets there, he discovers the kidnap victim is his wife. Tom inserts himself into the investigation and insists that he will continue to pursue his wife until he finds her. The rest of the novel is an exceedingly well written procedural in which the tale is told from all sides. The reader will quickly become engrossed with the story and the characters. It is excellently done. Thanks to Rick Mofina and Carrick Publishing for an e-Galley for an honest review.
July 31, 2020
This book had potential, but it didn't quite pull through for me. This is the 4th book in the series with news reporter Tom Reed and Police Detective Walt Sydowski. When there is a jewelry store robbery, Tom's wife happens to be a customer, and then becomes a hostage. Low and behold, out of 883,000 residents in San Francisco, the robber happens to recognize Tom's wife and happens to have a beef with Tom. He uses this opportunity to terrorize Tom by kidnapping the wife. He briefly mentions it is fate. It's too unbelievable. As Tom and Walt chase the kidnappers to find Tom's wife, they are constantly too far behind. There was too much repetition, and Tom is actually pretty much a jerk. It again shows how slimy reporters are, as all the other news people do horrible things to be the first to break the story. The end is dragged out way too much and just goes on and on.
February 8, 2020
I almost didn’t finish this book because from the beginning I thought it was overwritten and full of inconsistencies. But I’m glad I stuck with it because it definitely got better the further along I got into it. His editor should have helped him, especially in the early chapters that read like a first draft. However, the story is really good and the plot held my interest to the end. I thought the end was a bit rushed. A lot of words that didn’t really tell me how the characters reacted to their experience, and after being so involved with Ann’s voice throughout the book I really wanted a better job of resolving her emotional status. All in all, though, a compelling story, and for that reason I’m giving it 4 stars.
June 28, 2022
Love this series. Feel a personal connection due to all the geographical locations. I grew up in Texas and Montana, and also lived in California.... all places that have appeared throughout the series. This book hit close to home for Tom. Walt and he work together in some fashion to get a resolution. Frustrated that Tom isn't taking heed and leaving the industry! Ughe. Great mystery and great characters. Narration is wonderful.
June 16, 2017
Must read
Another homerun for Rick. Just get started reading this and the time will fly by. What a story. Nice one Rick.
Another homerun for Rick. Just get started reading this and the time will fly by. What a story. Nice one Rick.
January 15, 2019
EXCELLENT, What a fast turner this book was, DEFINITELY kept you on the edge of your seat!!! I don't think I will ever go into a jewelry store alone, EVER... :-(
October 10, 2022
Wife Wanted
Is this the end of Reed's reign as one of San Francisco's top newspaper men? After all they've been through Tom can't imagine life without his wife until he's forced to actually live that nightmare. The devastation and dread experienced by he and his son are palpable. The tension mounts the longer the kidnappers hold onto their victim and evade the police.
The raw fear experienced by the victim is at times unbearable. As much as you want a good resolution to this remorseless thriller due to Rick Mofina's writing style you want to stretch out this emotional suspenseful novel. If you haven't read the other three Tom Reed books do so. This is a great series!
Is this the end of Reed's reign as one of San Francisco's top newspaper men? After all they've been through Tom can't imagine life without his wife until he's forced to actually live that nightmare. The devastation and dread experienced by he and his son are palpable. The tension mounts the longer the kidnappers hold onto their victim and evade the police.
The raw fear experienced by the victim is at times unbearable. As much as you want a good resolution to this remorseless thriller due to Rick Mofina's writing style you want to stretch out this emotional suspenseful novel. If you haven't read the other three Tom Reed books do so. This is a great series!
August 24, 2015
This book had everything in it that I like about thrillers, and I recommend it to all readers. The author displayed excellent techniques of good writing. The one thing I missed was the location of the jewels after the last antagonist was taken down in a house fire. The story had a happy ending. Would that have made the book a comedy in Shakespeare's day? (From whence did that thought come?) The happenstance connection between Ann Reed and the jewelry store thieves made the author's truth stranger than fiction. The thieves had a plan to sell their loot to a buyer in Texas. Kidnapped Ann Reed's son, Zachary, never gave up believing that his mother would be found alive. The plan and that belief were transferred to me, the reader, and made the book predictable. There was a trace of humanity in Engler, the last robber standing. Because of him, Ann Reed was not sullied by rape, disfigurement, or extreme brutality during the road trip from San Francisco to Lufkin, Texas. Tom and Ann Reed suffered tremendous agony, but they were re-united whole of body in the end.
Ann escaped from her kidnappers for a few minutes, and she ran inside the home of a very pregnant woman and her small daughter. Did Ann ever consider the danger she took into that home? I expected her to assess the situation and run out a door other than the one she had entered the home. Engler did not hurt any members of that household, but I expected him to do so. Instead, he took what he came after, that being Ann, and departed the neighborhood in a rush. Was that a spark of humanity on his part? After three homicides, a robbery, and a kidnapping, I would expect him to leave no witnesses behind. My criticisms of the storyline have taken me quite by surprise and have reared up only as I wrote this review.
Thank you, Mr. Mofina, for a good read!
Ann escaped from her kidnappers for a few minutes, and she ran inside the home of a very pregnant woman and her small daughter. Did Ann ever consider the danger she took into that home? I expected her to assess the situation and run out a door other than the one she had entered the home. Engler did not hurt any members of that household, but I expected him to do so. Instead, he took what he came after, that being Ann, and departed the neighborhood in a rush. Was that a spark of humanity on his part? After three homicides, a robbery, and a kidnapping, I would expect him to leave no witnesses behind. My criticisms of the storyline have taken me quite by surprise and have reared up only as I wrote this review.
Thank you, Mr. Mofina, for a good read!
November 18, 2017
Mofina keeps the tension high throughout the book and throws in plenty of twists to keep the reader off balance. He drags Tom Reed through fear, anger, despair, and hope and every other possible emotion regarding the kidnapping of his wife. And he tugs the reader along. That’s the sign of a good writer.
Many writers have the bad guys be flawless (or the good guys clueless) for 85% of the book. When that point is reached, the author has the bad guys commit the dumbest mistake possible (or the good guys suddenly ‘discover’ the clue that’s been in front of them all along) that brings the bad guys down. Mofina has a series of small stumbles by the bad guys and a slow gathering of clues by the good guys leading to a resolution. Another sign of a good writer.
The last few chapters had my heart and breathing racing. That’s what a good thriller should do.
One nit to pick: In many chapters, Mofina jumps the character from one place to another with no scene break to indicate the leap. Even after encountering it multiple times, it still threw me every time I ran into it.
But there was nothing exceptional enough to make me want to read more of this author’s work. I won’t automatically reject them but I won’t go hunting for them.
Many writers have the bad guys be flawless (or the good guys clueless) for 85% of the book. When that point is reached, the author has the bad guys commit the dumbest mistake possible (or the good guys suddenly ‘discover’ the clue that’s been in front of them all along) that brings the bad guys down. Mofina has a series of small stumbles by the bad guys and a slow gathering of clues by the good guys leading to a resolution. Another sign of a good writer.
The last few chapters had my heart and breathing racing. That’s what a good thriller should do.
One nit to pick: In many chapters, Mofina jumps the character from one place to another with no scene break to indicate the leap. Even after encountering it multiple times, it still threw me every time I ran into it.
But there was nothing exceptional enough to make me want to read more of this author’s work. I won’t automatically reject them but I won’t go hunting for them.
August 8, 2015
Well done, Mr. Molina
With NO WAY BACK, Rick Mofina has earned himself a place in my "must read" lineup. The action is non-stop, the plot multi-faceted, and the characters well-defined.
When crime reporter Tom Reed's wife, Ann, is in the wrong place at the wrong time, she's kidnapped by some desperate criminals, whipped out of sight, and no one knows if she's alive or dead. Tom has no intention of giving up, though the situation is dire. If the SFPD and the FBI can't find her, then he'll do it himself and bring her home. No matter what. Each scene draws the reader deeper and deeper into a plot with so many twists there is no way to quit reading until the final moment.
With NO WAY BACK, Rick Mofina has earned himself a place in my "must read" lineup. The action is non-stop, the plot multi-faceted, and the characters well-defined.
When crime reporter Tom Reed's wife, Ann, is in the wrong place at the wrong time, she's kidnapped by some desperate criminals, whipped out of sight, and no one knows if she's alive or dead. Tom has no intention of giving up, though the situation is dire. If the SFPD and the FBI can't find her, then he'll do it himself and bring her home. No matter what. Each scene draws the reader deeper and deeper into a plot with so many twists there is no way to quit reading until the final moment.
January 19, 2019
3.5 stars
Ann Reed is in a jewelry store to buy an anniversary gift for her husband, when a burglary takes place that goes awry and she is taken hostage. Days pass with no ransom demands. Why do they keep holding her? Her husband is a well-known reporter, is he the link? He planned to retire on the day of the burglary after much pleading from his wife, but did he wait too long to quit writing about prisoners who have gotten away with murder?
This is a pretty good story, though for me took longer than I'd hoped to get through. It flowed along realistically but seemed to drag in places.
Ann Reed is in a jewelry store to buy an anniversary gift for her husband, when a burglary takes place that goes awry and she is taken hostage. Days pass with no ransom demands. Why do they keep holding her? Her husband is a well-known reporter, is he the link? He planned to retire on the day of the burglary after much pleading from his wife, but did he wait too long to quit writing about prisoners who have gotten away with murder?
This is a pretty good story, though for me took longer than I'd hoped to get through. It flowed along realistically but seemed to drag in places.
March 22, 2017
The writing in this book is good, hence the 3 stars. Unfortunately I didn't like the majority of the characters (even the good guys). The point of view hopped around a lot. Also it was extremely descriptive as far as the violent scenes. Ack. Not for me. Just my opinion, of course.
Note: Some language and descriptive violent scenes.
Note: Some language and descriptive violent scenes.
April 26, 2016
Suspenseful
An exciting, suspenseful thriller. Grabbed me with the first page, couldn't put my Kindle down. If you need to get up early in the morning don't start reading this story late at night.
An exciting, suspenseful thriller. Grabbed me with the first page, couldn't put my Kindle down. If you need to get up early in the morning don't start reading this story late at night.
August 8, 2015
Pretty real
The development of this story kept me wanting to continue. I think people will enjoy the storyline. A little gruesome in some places.
The development of this story kept me wanting to continue. I think people will enjoy the storyline. A little gruesome in some places.
April 24, 2020
It was hard for me to put this book down. I'm thinking I'd like to read more of the books that include Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski. This may, however, be the most intense since it was so personal. A star reporter discovering that the newsworthy crime that is probably one of the biggest is much more personal than anyone would like. Ann, his wife, is the hostage who was taken by two jewel robbers who killed their wheelman and a police officer without blinking an eye. Now the nosy reporter pushing his/her way through to the source of the excitement is viewed as someone infringing on the privacy of the suffering. Tom is seeing life from the other side of the story. He had promised his wife Ann that he would retire from reporting and start writing books. He was excited when he first heard about this crime and that he would get to report it. He was thinking that maybe giving up reporting is not the thing to do. Now he's at the receiving end and it's feeling like "what goes around comes around"
A third rate gossip reporter causes even more harm and grief as she tries to fight her way to the top by all means possible. She runs off half cocked and gives hurtful information to Tom, some of which turns out to be incorrect. Tia Layne is a character that makes the reader want to push her away and walk away while wiping your shoes of the dust from her presence.
Ann is brave throughout the ordeal. She's a woman to admire. It's easy to see why Tom is so much in love with her. Their son Zach never gives up hope that his mom is still alive. There are times when it seems that her tragic death was going to be a given for this story. The type of thing that makes you think that the series will continue without her and start new stories for Tom with possible new love interests that keep in in the newsroom. Zach's hope keeps us hoping too.
John and Del are criminals that are super hardened. To kill your partners in crime is about as low as it goes. It seemed that anyone who helped them was dispensable once they served their purpose. Del seemed to have no redeeming qualities. He was disgusting in appearance, hygiene, and mind. There must have been a time when he was a babe in arms loved by someone, but it's hard to picture it. John, on the other hand, did seem to have a possibility of redemption. There was a time when he found love and a new life and seemed to have changed. It's the glimmer of light from this time that gives him the empathy that allows him to give Ann a modicum of decent treatment. It's mentioned that she looks a lot like John's deceased wife. His love for his wife seems to have translated into some care for Ann. It's probably the only thing keeping her alive while traveling across country with this murderous duo.
The ending did feel a touch incomplete. I thought it might be so because it was leading in to yet another Tom and Walt adventure. Also, I was surprised to find that the gift was a watch. I can't imagine a pocket watch and chain in my shoe. I think I'd be limping like crazy and it would become noticeable.
A third rate gossip reporter causes even more harm and grief as she tries to fight her way to the top by all means possible. She runs off half cocked and gives hurtful information to Tom, some of which turns out to be incorrect. Tia Layne is a character that makes the reader want to push her away and walk away while wiping your shoes of the dust from her presence.
Ann is brave throughout the ordeal. She's a woman to admire. It's easy to see why Tom is so much in love with her. Their son Zach never gives up hope that his mom is still alive. There are times when it seems that her tragic death was going to be a given for this story. The type of thing that makes you think that the series will continue without her and start new stories for Tom with possible new love interests that keep in in the newsroom. Zach's hope keeps us hoping too.
John and Del are criminals that are super hardened. To kill your partners in crime is about as low as it goes. It seemed that anyone who helped them was dispensable once they served their purpose. Del seemed to have no redeeming qualities. He was disgusting in appearance, hygiene, and mind. There must have been a time when he was a babe in arms loved by someone, but it's hard to picture it. John, on the other hand, did seem to have a possibility of redemption. There was a time when he found love and a new life and seemed to have changed. It's the glimmer of light from this time that gives him the empathy that allows him to give Ann a modicum of decent treatment. It's mentioned that she looks a lot like John's deceased wife. His love for his wife seems to have translated into some care for Ann. It's probably the only thing keeping her alive while traveling across country with this murderous duo.
The ending did feel a touch incomplete. I thought it might be so because it was leading in to yet another Tom and Walt adventure. Also, I was surprised to find that the gift was a watch. I can't imagine a pocket watch and chain in my shoe. I think I'd be limping like crazy and it would become noticeable.
February 27, 2021
I guess crime fiction just may not be my thing.
This story did nothing but make me constantly wish it were over sooner. One lead character (who is one half of whom the series is named after) is simply a wimp. The other is a regular, cliche-ridden character. Neither of them evoke any empathy from me because they’re so bland. Even the antagonists are the same basic baddies seen in seemingly every story. The only thing is that both the main villains seemed more like side thugs than actual villains.
The worst part had to be the narration. Each and every voice sounded like that of a cartoon performance. So many male characters were macho braggadocio types who sounded about as threatening as a kitty cat.
It really didn’t help that Reed sounded like a teenager who just got his favorite video game taken away. While Sydowski, his detective friend, sounds like he’s straight outta Brooklyn — although he’s a San Francisco detective.
Mind you, this is apparently the 4th adventure of these two characters, and I didn’t read any other book. Perhaps the guy moved a across country, but I don’t care. I’m not going to bother to find out. However making the distinction between characters in any given scene- that was done well.
Mofina is yet another author who is unaware that there are other words besides “said” that can be used after a character speaks. He’s also obsessed with using “into the night” in so many scenes. Plus, he could have trimmed a good ten pages if he had cut down on the repetitive dialogue in a couple situations.
Ugh. A waste of time. 2/10
This story did nothing but make me constantly wish it were over sooner. One lead character (who is one half of whom the series is named after) is simply a wimp. The other is a regular, cliche-ridden character. Neither of them evoke any empathy from me because they’re so bland. Even the antagonists are the same basic baddies seen in seemingly every story. The only thing is that both the main villains seemed more like side thugs than actual villains.
The worst part had to be the narration. Each and every voice sounded like that of a cartoon performance. So many male characters were macho braggadocio types who sounded about as threatening as a kitty cat.
It really didn’t help that Reed sounded like a teenager who just got his favorite video game taken away. While Sydowski, his detective friend, sounds like he’s straight outta Brooklyn — although he’s a San Francisco detective.
Mind you, this is apparently the 4th adventure of these two characters, and I didn’t read any other book. Perhaps the guy moved a across country, but I don’t care. I’m not going to bother to find out. However making the distinction between characters in any given scene- that was done well.
Mofina is yet another author who is unaware that there are other words besides “said” that can be used after a character speaks. He’s also obsessed with using “into the night” in so many scenes. Plus, he could have trimmed a good ten pages if he had cut down on the repetitive dialogue in a couple situations.
Ugh. A waste of time. 2/10
March 23, 2018
A thrilling and intense fast paced story that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Reid is preparing to move on from his crime documenting beat, when a jewelry heist gone wrong is plastered across the local news. Both a police officer and one of the criminals are killed in the gun fight, and The remaining two thugs take a woman hostage - Tom’s wife, Ann, - and go on the run with her. The result is a fast paced ride that encompasses the intense search for thrilling news from competing newspapers and freelancers, the fear and panic of the kidnapped Ann, the struggle of the police and the Feds to both keep Tom informed and get to Ann before she is killed, and the breathless anticipation of Tom as he works to find the connection between these two vicious killers and his own career blazing stories of the past.
I was very impressed with how quickly I was immersed into this book. Loved it!
Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Reid is preparing to move on from his crime documenting beat, when a jewelry heist gone wrong is plastered across the local news. Both a police officer and one of the criminals are killed in the gun fight, and The remaining two thugs take a woman hostage - Tom’s wife, Ann, - and go on the run with her. The result is a fast paced ride that encompasses the intense search for thrilling news from competing newspapers and freelancers, the fear and panic of the kidnapped Ann, the struggle of the police and the Feds to both keep Tom informed and get to Ann before she is killed, and the breathless anticipation of Tom as he works to find the connection between these two vicious killers and his own career blazing stories of the past.
I was very impressed with how quickly I was immersed into this book. Loved it!
October 9, 2022
A very intense, exciting read. I didn’t realize until I finished this that it is the fourth book in the Tom Reed series, but for me this was a great standalone book. Tom Reed is a star reporter for a San Francisco newspaper and his intensity in his writing has caused problems in his marriage. Tom and his wife, Ann, have worked through the issues and Tom has agreed to quit his job. On the day he is set to quit, a jewelry store is robbed and turns very violent, two people are killed, one being a police officer, and a woman is taken hostage. Tom is assigned the story, so he goes to the scene, knowing this will be his one last big story. But things take a drastic turn when Tom finds out the hostage is his wife.
Tom works very closely with the police in the search to determine who these kidnappers are and find his wife, hopefully find her alive.
Every page is filled with shocking revelations that lead to a very exciting ending.
Tom works very closely with the police in the search to determine who these kidnappers are and find his wife, hopefully find her alive.
Every page is filled with shocking revelations that lead to a very exciting ending.
June 20, 2017
Tom Reed is caught up in tragedy as his wife is taken hostage in a jewelry store robbery. From the thrilling beginning through a manhunt that leads across the country the action is exciting and suspenseful. The resolution doesn't come until the very last pages. In between, a psychological game plays out as Tom discovers one of the kidnappers is the subject of one of his past stories, and is out for revenge. Many diverse characters fill out the cast, including a brutish sex maniac with a misshapen ear. The writing is crisp and straightforward, supplying just enough detail to keep the action in context. Even the bit players are filled in to illuminate their part in the story. The reader is drawn in and is frustrated to not contribute to the investigation. I guarantee you will enjoy this book.
November 23, 2019
What an awesome book.... 5 stars to Rick Mofina for delivering a story filled with twists and turns from the first chapter through the last page. The characters.... Tom and Ann Reed were emotionally charged with a husband’s desperation to find his wife. While Ann kept her wits about her as the kidnappers tormented her. The protagonists of the story John and Delmar robbed a jewelry store and took Ann as their hostage. Both of these men have nothing to loose.... they each have their own agenda.... John wants revenge on reporter Tom Reed and now has the means to act out his revenge. While Delmar is a pedophile and rapist always looking for the next girl who wants ?? Him. There is so much trauma throughout the book to the very ending. I recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers/ mysteries.... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🦕
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2023
I might have to read the first book in this series as perhaps this one (#4) was not the best jumping off point. I picked this up in a local independent bookstore that offers wrapped "mystery" selections across genres. It's a fun way to get introduced to new authors or series that I haven't read before and that I might not pick up on my own.
The writing itself was good but unfortunately, this one had an implausible plot that relied on a really unlikely coincidence to kick off the story which was then followed by unlikable characters doing unlikely things in an attempt to move the story forward. I didn't find the main characters engaging and there was a bit too much angsty hand wringing for my taste.
The writing itself was good but unfortunately, this one had an implausible plot that relied on a really unlikely coincidence to kick off the story which was then followed by unlikable characters doing unlikely things in an attempt to move the story forward. I didn't find the main characters engaging and there was a bit too much angsty hand wringing for my taste.
December 1, 2023
I rather enjoyed the story but will admit there were some things I struggled with.
The launching into the back ground story of side characters that have no bearing on the story and don't come up again. Took me out of the flow of the story and didn't add anything. Was an odd one. Taking these out would have made the story better and the book shorter by at least 50 pages.
I found it jarring how uncaring the main character was. When it was about his wife and her situation he was very emotional (of course) and expecting everyone else to empathise and give him space and time. But when it was another person, he was so harsh and genuinely didn't care at all. And seemed to have no self-awareness of this contradiction. Strange.
The launching into the back ground story of side characters that have no bearing on the story and don't come up again. Took me out of the flow of the story and didn't add anything. Was an odd one. Taking these out would have made the story better and the book shorter by at least 50 pages.
I found it jarring how uncaring the main character was. When it was about his wife and her situation he was very emotional (of course) and expecting everyone else to empathise and give him space and time. But when it was another person, he was so harsh and genuinely didn't care at all. And seemed to have no self-awareness of this contradiction. Strange.
December 23, 2017
I got this e-book free from a daily mailing of bargain e-books which always has at least one free book. (Many seem to involve vampire hunters, werewolves and witches, but I have come across some very good detective/mystery novels.)
This author is Canadian, living in Ottawa, I believe. He is good. Staccato action all through it. But no cursing. I didn't miss it, but it is unusual these days. I enjoyed the read, and obtained a "box set" of his five novels with these characters - the detective and the crime reporter. The five e-books cost less than $6.00 from kindle.
Recommend it for thriller fans.
This author is Canadian, living in Ottawa, I believe. He is good. Staccato action all through it. But no cursing. I didn't miss it, but it is unusual these days. I enjoyed the read, and obtained a "box set" of his five novels with these characters - the detective and the crime reporter. The five e-books cost less than $6.00 from kindle.
Recommend it for thriller fans.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews