Taken – Mel Comley
When you hear the title, “Taken”, I am sure you too had visions of the Liam Neeson movies: him talking slo-o-o-o-wly over a phone, threatening some unspeakable horrors to some hapless henchmen that took his daughter …
But don’t let that fool you. While “Taken” by Mel Comley might have the same title, the story is much more layered, much more intriguing and ultimately much more captivating than a 90 min action flick.
By now Comley’s fans know detective inspector Kayli Bright and her partner, detective sergeant Dave Chaplin, quite well as this is the 6th book in the series. In “Taken”, we meet Jaime Connor. She is abducted and while her life hangs in the balance, Bright and Chaplin have to uncover a few home truths to save her. While this started as a seemingly random crime, more is revealed about Jaime and her family and soon Bright and Chaplin realize they are Jaime’s only hope.
This is the 6th installment with Bright and Chaplin and certainly a very worthy addition to the series. From the onset, the familiar characters are presented with clarity, clear purpose and strong, believable motivations. “Taken” never veers into the familiar, the predictable or the expected. I enjoyed the strong message of survival, struggle and strength that shines through Bright and Chaplin’s efforts to save Jaime’s life. The story moves along at a brisk pace, only stopping long enough to make sure a reader catches up to the action. A very enjoyable thriller!