Book
Never wave goodbye : a novel of suspense / Doug Magee.
"New_July_2010 SPL_AdultFiction"
Record details
- ISBN: 9781439153987 (hc)
- Physical Description: 289 p. ; 24 cm.
- Publisher: New York ; Simon & Schuster, 2010.
Content descriptions
| General Note: | "A Touchstone book." |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Missing children > Fiction. |
| Genre: | Suspense fiction. |
Available copies
- 4 of 4 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Valemount Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 4 total copies.
Show All Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valemount Public Library | f mag (Text) | 35194014141055 | Adult Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2010 May #1
Everything seems in order when nine-year-old Sarah Trainor is picked up for her first away-from-home summer camp: a Camp Arno van arrives with an appropriately clad counselor bearing parental consent forms. But when another Camp Arno van stops minutes later at their Westchester home, Lena Trainor discovers that her daughter and three other children have been kidnapped; a $1 million ransom is eventually demanded. It seems a well-executed scheme, with no single perpetrator having all the critical information, until the inevitable mistake is made. First-novelist Magee has an intriguing premise here, with his narrative alternating between the children in the wilderness of the Adirondacks and their desperate parents fending off the media as they unite to take action. His characterizations are sound, if sometimes slightly stereotypical. But this debut is weakened by occasional predictability, starting with the cause of Sarah's dad's absence on that fateful morning and extending to Lena's melodramatic psychic connection to her daughter, and a lackluster conclusion. Still, Magee shows definite promise as a thriller writer. Copyright 2010 Booklist Reviews. - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2010 April #2
Magee, a multimedia professional (photojournalist, screenwriter, producer), pens a debut novel that combines literary and suspense writing in a mostly successful story concerning marriage, doubt and a high-profile kidnapping.When nine-year-old Sarah, the only child of Swedish-raised Lena, a physician, and her husband, David, climbs on board the van that is supposed to take her and three other children to summer camp, Lena already has misgivings: She's not too sure that Sarah will like camp, even though her best friend, Linda, is also going. But Lena and David need some time to repair their marriage, so she reluctantly helps Sarah pack and sends her off when the camp van and driver show up to collect her. Problem is, once Sarah leaves, a second van appears, also ready to collect Sarah. Lena discovers that not only have her daughter and Linda apparently been kidnapped, but so have two boys, the son of a local construction contractor and the child of a minister married to a banking official. Together, the four kids travel deep into the wilderness with a man they know only as Mr. Everett, who blindfolds the quartet and marches them to a remote and primitive cabin in the woods. There, a chance meeting with a hiker changes the equation and, suddenly, what looked like a straightforward kidnapping forces the children to make a decision that could cost them their lives. Magee's characters are well drawn, but his law-enforcement officers often behave implausibly and obvious clues are steadfastly ignored both by cops and other characters. These bothersome lapses distract readers who would prefer to stay caught up in the actionâand there is enough action to keep the plot moving forwardâbut who must reluctantly stop and wonder why no one connected the dots.Magee's got the writing chops, and he knows how to weave a good story, but this premiere effort could have benefited from a little less improvisation and a little more research into police procedure. Copyright Kirkus 2010 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2010 April #3
Magee fails to deliver on the promising setup of his debut, a contemporary thriller. Soon after oncologist Lena Trainor packs her nine-year-old daughter, Sarah, off to summer camp, loading her into a van with the camp logo and signing release forms with official letterhead, a second camp van pulls up at Lena's Pelham, N.Y., home, and she realizes her child has been abducted. The kidnappers make off with three other children in Westchester County through the same ruse. Wracked with guilt and concerned about her husband's suspicious absence, Lena joins with the other victimized families to figure out their best strategy for a happy outcome. Magee shifts among the perspectives of the parents, the missing children, and the kidnappers, but doesn't manage to make any of the characters particularly engaging. A twist involving the fate of one of the kidnappers reduces the suspense, while the revelation of the person behind the sophisticated plot is a letdown. (June)
[Page 32]. Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
