Inside Moves

A Wainwright Mystery #2

by Walter Danley

After a horrific car crash, best-selling crime novelist Garth Wainwright has no memory of how he ended up at UCLA Medical Center with a wired jaw, a broken arm, and other serious injuries. In fact, he has no memories at all. Following a month-long hospital stay, he’s released with the clothes he wore on admission, some keys, and a wallet. These are the tools he has to recover his life.

A taxi drops Wainwright off at the address on his driver’s license. One of his keys fits the lock, but as he stands in the kitchen, he feels like a burglar in another man’s home. After an exhaustive search, he finds an honorable discharge from the US Navy, a deed to his condo, and a marriage license. There’s just one he has no clue who his wife is.

Eventually, he learns that his wife, attorney Lacey Kinkaid Wainwright, was with him during the crash but subsequently vanished. Is she dead? Was her body snatched? Was she kidnapped?

The LA Sheriff’s Department says the crash was no accident. Rather, it was a deliberate attempt to murder Wainwright. Logic says the person who tried to kill him is the one who has Lacey. But why? Wainwright’s frantic search for his wife and his lost memories stalls when he discovers evidence of Lacey’s hidden past life—a life that offends him and his sense of morality. Even so, he’s committed to tracking her down and freeing her from whoever’s holding her hostage, no matter the cost.

When Lacey’s captor, the head of a vast crime cartel, is identified, Wainwright launches a perilous international rescue mission with the help of his longtime friend Greg Mulholland of the FBI, Boston DA Investigator Renato Wilson, and an extremely unlikely and deadly ally, whom he must learn to trust in order to save Lacey before it’s too late.

With electrifying action scenes at every turn, author Walter Danley takes readers on a white-knuckle journey in this romantic mystery suspense novel in one man’s quest to regain his memories—and the love of his life.

435 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2016

About the author

Walter Danley is a mystery and suspense author of The Tipping Point: A Wainwright Mystery. It is a highly praised, fast-paced thriller to die for!

The firm, characters, conflicts, conspiracy and murders in the story never happened, but the fraud, sex, and partner greed where significant elements of the multi-billion dollar real estate syndication business of the 70s and 80s. Critics say if you like mystery and suspense with exhilarating thrills, blind curve plot twists, and page-turning action, you’ll love Walter Danley’s novels. . http://www.walterdanley.com

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brother’s death, a honeymoon cut short, a crash and one man will awaken only to discover he has no past, at least not that he remembers, but that elusive past will have Garth Wainwright following the crumbs of a life he cannot remember. Little did Garth know, even as his past memories return, he will discover they are riddled with half-truths, hidden secrets and a new wife he may or may not actually know.

INSIDE MOVES by Walter Danley is a gritty, suspense-filled ride that explodes with intrigue, action and unlikely, but very deadly allies as one man races against the clock and the power of underhanded deals and crime lords to rescue the wife he doesn’t really know.
Walter Danley keeps his story tight once the action takes off. Filled with details that come to life, high energy tension and the conflict within a man whose memory is slowly becoming less like Swiss cheese, all while he lives the life of characters he only wrote about.

Entertaining, crisp and bold, the action and intrigue builds with each page as the stage is set and the entanglements criss-cross and perceptions change.

I am voluntarily reviewing this copy.

Publisher: Marble Arch Communications (October 30, 2016)
Publication Date: October 30, 2016
Genre: Crime Mystery
Print Length: 298 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Walter Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A provocatively structured and cleverly executed International Crime Mystery novel, it would be easy to summarise Inside Moves with a few commonplace adjectives. Action packed, inventive, bold, every chapter feels crisp and polished, but there's nothing extraneous here as Danley weaves a tale of genuine intrigue. It’s easy to read, yet highly immersive, as all notable crime fiction should be with Wainwright’s code of honour pushing him through a fog of amnesia toward a truth that will change his perceptions of those closest to him. He’s a strong, driven character who wants the truth out, regardless of the consequences and on this level, it’s fair to say that Danley employs the conventions of his genre in fine form. His narrative has a flow to it that’s natural and involving whilst his prose make Wainwright’s story highly visual. In part, this is due to well-observed characterisation and the unscripted feel to his dialogue which comes across as authenticate and unforced and all in all there’s more than enough here to sate the most voracious of crime genre appetites.

Highly entertaining from the start with a superbly crafted plot,
Inside Moves: A Wainwright Mystery suggests a mystery crime series that should garner much interest and is strongly recommended. ~ Bookviral.com

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recap: Garth Wainwright and his wife Lacey are involved in a horrific car accident. He barely survives, she is kidnapped and held hostage by a mob boss recently released from prison. Suffering from amnesia Wainwright has to try and piece his life together and find his wife.

Review: I read this book for a review round and I see that its book two in the series so that probably answers some of my questions about character backstory that the reader is expected to know. It's quite a gritty thriller, with an unexpected ending which really makes the book. The characters are a little one dimensional and the dialogue is at times rather wooden but I still wanted to know whether Wainwright would find his wife so the book definitely held my attention.

[Kurt Springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.

This book was provide for free to the reviewer in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

Garth has married Lacey, and the two are enjoying a blissful honeymoon in Austria. However, shadows of the Assassin who killed Garth’s friends in Tipping point still haunt him. He spots Ariel and his former girlfriend by chance in Austria. Then they must return to California for his brother’s unexpected funeral. But someone is waiting for them. After being forced off the road, Lacey is kidnapped. Garth is left for dead,but has suffered severe injuries that have left him without any memory of who he is.

Garth pieces his life back together. He becomes aware that he has a wife, and she is missing. He takes up the search of a wife he can’t remember. He discovers disturbing things about her past that shakes his faith in a relationship. He makes plans to save her and finds himself allied with his enemy, the assassin.

Meanwhile, Lacey Ann Kinkaid Wainwrigth is being held by a Marcos Muragh. Lacey sent him up the river years ago. Lacey must come to terms with her past if she is to ever see Garth again.

Review:

Inside Moves picks up where Tipping Point left off. The story starts with Bobby Wainwright’s death. Garth and Lacey are returning from the funeral when they are run off the road. This sets of a chain of events that finds Lacey in the hands of Marcos Muragh’s gang and Garth trying to recover his memories. Then the story flashes back to the honeymoon in Austria. The choice of using a flashback is almost always questionable. I felt this slowed the forward progression of the story. It would have been better if the story started in Austria, or the trip to Austria was alluded to.

However, once it gets going, the tension starts to build. As Garth rebuilds his memories he becomes aware that his wife is missing. He discovers Lacey had a questionable past, and comes to know the real strength of the woman he married. It is a story of abuse, strength, and revenge. We also see a different side of the assassin. Ariel Amiti is a professional and a human being. Garth and Ariel put aside their past to take on Marcos Muragh and his gang. Garth and his friends come to appreciate Ariel’s special skills. The story builds to a titanic ending that leaves no one untouched.

[Frank Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago I consumed quite a lot of action adventure novels; books by writers like Hammond Innes, Wilbur Smith and Alistair MacLean. To be fair to Walter Danley, these are (were in the case of Innes and MacLean) great writers that few have the talent to match. Mr Danley would do well to read some of their books if he wants to improve his craft.
There is at least one independently published writer who comes close; I'm thinking of Andy Updegrove with his tales of cyber terrorism. Perhaps Mr Danley should turn his hand to something up to date like that. The decision to set his book in 1982, without relating it to real events of that period, was probably his first mistake. His second was to have his plot turn on the appearance of new characters half way through.
The plot is anyway far too convoluted. The characters lack depth. At its heart is the rivalry between two hoodlums. Throw in some corrupt lawyers and this story of a kidnapping, in which no ransom is demanded, and any possibility of suspending disbelief is destroyed.
My rating of three stars is frankly generous. I cannot recommend this book to anyone. Those who love violent action will be disappointed because the gaps between the violent events are long. Those who seek mystery and suspense will find the unfolding of the convoluted plot all too predictable.

[Jannelies (living between hope and fear) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very sorry... but this book just isn't it for me. First, there are just too many people in it. I've made it to page 50 or so and already I've read a dozen names or more. Every person that has a minor role in the book is named, so you just don't know whether you will have to remember this person or not. It starts with someone in an ambulance and all medical personal is named, and the doctors and so on and so on.
Second, the main characters are apparently two people called Lacy and Garth. They are introduced first with their first names, and then almost on the same page with their full names. The brand of their car is named. They are having a conversation about their honeymoon, and the things that happened during the honeymoon. There is not enough information for the reader to grasp why this is so important, and too much information to feel you get to know these people.
I think the author has a great story in mind, with interesting characters. It's a pity that the story is overflown with too many details. It is al 'tell' and not enough 'show'.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reintroduces the readers to Garth Wainwright. He cuts his honeymoon in Salzburg short to attend his brother's funeral.

With Inside Moves, Walter Danley continues his thrilling Wainwright Mystery series. It is a highly compelling read, with interesting characters - some already known and others newly introduced. Walter Danley paints a clear picture of the most important characters' minds while the story evolves. I was drawn very close to Garth and his experiences – an invisible friend and ally; learning with him that there are different kinds of bad guys. The characters are complex, believable with their flaws and virtues. Several plot lines are expertly woven into a thrilling experience - Inside Moves has a wonderful flow; it was easy to get hooked. I am looking forward to reading more.

This is a book for you if you like thrillers with believable and complex characters.

Highly recommended!

[Anne Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where do I start?

I guess the best way to start is to say that I feel the book was quite a bit unbelievable, and I think a good mystery should be believable. That requires a bit of research on the part of the author.

As someone quite familiar with firearms and ammunition, I will tell Mr. Danley that hollow points don't fragment—they mushroom. Frangibles fragment, but they aren't legal in lots of jurisdictions—though admittedly a criminal might not care.

The last 20% of the book impressed me as being gratuitous gore. Having an FBI agent turn his head to proper police procedures? Not likely. And the scene with the boat had me asking, "Why not just wait and see if the bad guy comes back and nab him?"

Well, at least it was short.

[Jon Zelig · Rating 2 out of 5]

That’s Not How That Works

I very much wanted to like Walter Danley’s “Inside Moves: A Wainwright Mystery”—it’s an action/thriller/mystery; I’m partial to the genre—but the book lost me in the first few pages and I was never able to find my way back, or simply to find my way in.

In the first few paragraphs, we get EMTs with a critical case—Bobby Wainwright, brother of the titular hero—speeding toward an ambulance bay at “Santa Barbara General Hospital.” On a bus stop bench within sight of the ER entrance sit an elderly couple, “startled by the sounds of the vehicle, along with the knowledge of what that meant.” The man opines that, “since we’ve lived in Santa Barbara nearly all our lives, I’d say there’s a good chance we might know whoever’s in that ambulance.”

Really?

Working backwards: Santa Barbara is a city with just under 100,000 residents. There’s a good chance they know who’s in the ambulance? That’s an odd assertion.

And they’re “startled”? By . . . an ambulance heading for an ER? That’s a little odd, too. I don’t get any sense of foreboding from that vignette. I’m just confused.

In short order, we are given the scene inside the ambulance, where one of the EMTs is instructed to ram a syringe of Narcan into Bobby Wainwright’s heart. “Accident on the job,” the Tech thinks to himself, “Man, something really big must have fallen on this dude.”

Now I’m even more confused.

First off, you use Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses—not to treat people who have had “something really big” fall on them.

Second (peace be upon Uma Thurman and the scene in “Pulp Fiction” where John Travolta ostensibly reverses an OD by jamming a needle full of “adrenalin” into her chest, but) there is virtually no circumstance under which you stick a needle into someone’s heart; that works about as well as sticking a pin in a balloon.

On very rare occasions, you might introduce a syringe into the pericardial sac to syringe out fluid; I shudder at the thought of an EMT doing that in an ambulance that is barreling through city streets.

I am respectful of the blood, sweat, and tears that go into completing the writing of a book; but as a reader I don’t feel respected when insufficient attention seems to be paid to basic details and verisimilitude. There is some irony as well in the fact that the “praise for the book” that prefaces the narrative starts off with a laudatory riff from the “Developmental Editor & Proofreader” who worked on the project: the proofreading here leaves much to be desired.

The book pivots around the (mis)adventures of Garth Wainwright—a successful writer—and Lacey Kincaid Wainwright—former ADA, current corporate attorney—the woman with whom he was enjoying a European honeymoon when news of his brother’s death reached him.

They face a mixed bag of villains—two powerful crime lords, top of list—who sometimes behave in interesting and witty ways: people don’t always “stay in their boxes” and that unpredictability is one of the book’s saving graces.

The overarching structure and the plot twists—the “bones of the book,” if you will—have a great deal of potential. And the core characters are interesting, even when the rhythms of their speech or behavior are a little off.

In a nutshell: reading this book felt like listening to a competent pianist playing a fine instrument that had yet to be properly tuned. This is a manuscript that has not received the care and attention that it deserves.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside Moves is the tremendous follow up to The Tipping Point, what I really like about this is that you don’t actually have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, but if you have read both then you get some nice back story and you’ll notice a few things that others might not because some of the characters have already been introduced to you.

The book more or less sets out where the first one finished, cutting out a bit that we don’t need to sit through but not missing anything we need for the story. Our main characters are reintroduced briefly before throwing us into a fast paced, morbidly entertaining roller coaster. Whilst the first book had it’s gritty moments, this book is bloody. The nice thing is that for those of us who get a thrill from action, there is plenty, but for those who are more sensitive to gore it’s not too bad. Yes it sets your imagination plucking up those nasty images, but it won’t upset the more sensitive readers because the author doesn’t dwell on it or insist on describing every part of it.

Some of the subject matter is a bit heavy for the more sensitive reader and we shouldn’t downplay the fact that some of the things mentioned in this book are horrible and may upset some people. One of the characters (I won’t mention who because for me it adds to the story to find that out for yourself) has had a hell of a past and it is downright nasty, but it’s been laid out with a purpose and it isn’t there to offend. It really does add to the story, although some may find it uncomfortable.

Long story short, this is another fantastic read from Walter Danley and I am hoping that he continues to turn out books in the Wainright series. These really are stories which you can lose yourself in and I would recommend checking them out. As I said before, you don’t have to have read the first book but to get the full experience I would recommend starting from the beginning. If you’re unsure, just read my review of the first book before you start.

[Stuart Aken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inside Moves is a thriller with elements that occasionally lift it above the usual formulaic presentation of such books.
Starting with a climatic event, the book moves back into the period prior to this to set the scene and explain how the climax came about.
The general background to the story, its locations, mood and tone, are set deep within middle class USA, with an aside to the poorer class in America who are shown in the worst light and without real balance.
I initially found it difficult to empathise with any of the characters, but eventually discovered some positive qualities that allowed me to move closer to the two main protagonists. The antagonists I found rather one-dimensional villains from both the ‘Mob’ and Business, though one was drawn with much greater depth. These three gave me the motive to continue reading.
There is much backstory given as description; essential knowledge given in fairly indigestible chunks.
Tension and action are there aplenty. And readers interested in firearms will find much to interest them. One or two instances of killing during the action scenes are presented in the form of dark humour, but I found them simply in poor taste (that’s a very personal reaction, of course).
The climax to the story is a prolonged violent gun battle with gore and multiple deaths, which I found an unsatisfactory ending to the tale. It was a book both disappointing and strangely compelling that left me frustrated rather than satisfied.
This book was offered to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Charles Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best-selling novelist Gareth Wainwright is injured in a terrible auto crash. He wakes up at UCLA Medical Center with no memory of what happened, or who he is. Released from the hospital after a month, he begins the painful process of recovering his memory and his life. He’s learned his name, and that he has a wife—who he cannot remember—who was with him at the time of the crash, but who has now disappeared. Lacey Kinkaid Wainwright, Gareth’s new bride, is an attorney, who, after the crash, finds herself a prisoner of someone from her past, a past that she has kept hidden from Gareth.

Inside Moves by Walter Danley is a complex thriller that moves back and forth in time, and from place to place and character to character, as Lacey tries to survive her captor’s deadly intentions, while Gareth, his memory coming back in fits and starts, takes incredibly chances in his effort to find and rescue her.

This book has more threads than a knitting factory, with byzantine relationships and a complex set of plots that the author skillfully weaves together in a conclusion that, while not completely satisfying to the characters involved, will leave you with the feeling that you’ve been treated to a great story.

I received a free copy of this book, and I give it four stars.

[Linda Pifer]

A tangle of a tale about a young girl used by her uncle for personal gain and a certain, well-known judge and his brother who decide to silence the one who can flush them both by disclosing their weakness for young girls.

Several chapters supply background and just when this reader thought of giving up, Wainwright’s wife is kidnapped, drugged and carried away from their wrecked car, leaving Wainwright critically injured. He awakens in hospital weeks later with amnesia and a crushing need to know who he is and where he is.

The story brews up like a good soup from this point as the author adds ingredient after ingredient and the pot begins to boil. Wainwright regains memories one by one, including his marriage. Aided by an unlikely acquaintance from the past, the action moves to Mexico for one try after another to rescue her then back to the States where the question of a mole is raised.

You won’t want to miss the final all-out effort to rescue Lacey as time runs short…definitely a thriller with plenty of action.

This objective review courtesy of a free copy from the author. Thanks Walter.

[Rhonda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a thriller of intrigue, with murder, attempted murder, and revenge. Sorting it out will take all your witts. Garth and Lacey are newly married and on their honeymoon overseas. They rush home after Garth's brother is killed. Lacy is a former assistant district attorney and she sent a man to prison. His name is Murtagh. Amiti killed Fabio. There is a lot of revenge going on. I kind of lost track after awhile.
As Garth and Lacey travel Topanga Canyon, this is in California, they are being followed a little too closely by a Mercedes Town car and a Jeep. We have some Mob business here also. The car goes over the edge and this is where the story really gets going.
While this is not my preferred genre' it was a nice gesture on the authors part to offer me the ebook in exchange for an honest review. There is a lot going on, and at times it reminds me of a James Bond movie. I did read the whole ebook and then went back to recheck some things. I want to say Thank you to author Walter Danley who has extensive knowledge of the world and it shows.

[Thomas Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Complex Thriller That Suffers From Its Complexity

Inside Moves is billed as a thriller and it does have some thrilling elements - mainly its action scenes. However the novel suffers from excessive complexity. There are too many characters, characters with similar names (e.g., Lacey and Stacy) and the third person pov makes it difficult for the reader to keep track of just whose head they're in. The novel is chronologically challenging as well, jumping back and forth between different times. All of this subtracts from the thrills as the reader is trying to figure out just what the heck is going on. I also found the ending bittersweet and unsatisfying. All in all, it is a book I would find difficult to recommend.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garth Wainwright has no memory after being in a car accident. Once he returns to the address on his driver's license he finds information on himself including a marriage license. But he hasn't seen or remembers a wife. Where and who is she? He learns his wife, Lacey Kinkaid Wainwright, is an attorney and was in the car with him when he crashed. He finds out that the crash was a murder attempt. When he finds out about Lacey's hidden past, he is shocked! You will have to read the book to find out why and what happens after this. I voluntarily reviewed this book and the review is my own opinion.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

INSIDE MOVES: A WAINWRIGHT MYSTERY. by Walter. Danley