Thursday, July 26, 2012

TLC Book Tours: 15 Seconds by Andrew Gross

15 Seconds by Andrew Gross

It's About:  15 Seconds can tear your life apart. . .

Henry Steadman didn't know what was about to hit him when he pulled up to a red light.  A successful Florida plastic surgeon, he is in town to deliver a keynote address at a conference when suddenly his life becomes an unrelenting chase to stay alive.

The situation escalates when he is stopped by the police for a minor traffic violation and pulled from his vehicle, handcuffed and told he is under arrest.  Several other police cars arrive and the questioning turns scary, but just as Henry is released and about to move on, a blue sedan pulls up and the officer is suddenly killed.  As the car speeds away, there is only one suspect left behind⎯Henry.  In that moment, his idyllic life becomes a free fall into hell as he becomes the target of a police manhunt, as well as being pursued by a cunning, unnamed perpetrator bent on some kind of vengeance.

When Henry turns to a close friend for help, and he, too, ends up dead, Henry realized he's being elaborately framed.  But in a chilling twist, the stakes grow even darker, and he is unable to go to the police to clear his name, without bringing on dire and deadly consequences.

With breakneck pacing and nonstop action, 15 Seconds shows what can happen when even the best life is turned upside down in an instant.  It is also the story of an innocent man, framed for murder, who has to save the person he loves the most, all while being drawn closer and closer to an inevitable face-to-face standoff with a man determined to destroy his life. (From the inside cover)

My Review:  I've read several thrillers Gross co-authored with James Patterson and enjoyed them.  When I was given the opportunity to participate in his 15 Seconds book tour, I jumped at the chance.  I was curious to see if Gross could deliver a thriller on his own.  And I'm happy to say I was not disappointed!

Gross initially unfolds the plot slowly for the reader.  One by one the reader is first introduced to the key players in the novel:  Henry Steadman, the policeman and the killer.  After that single moment when all three come into contact, the story takes off at a fast pace.   As Henry moves against time to clear his name and track down the killer, I found myself reading each page faster to keep up!  The novel is filled with suspenseful twist and turns that will keep the reader glued to the pages.   15 Seconds read like a movie as I could vividly see the characters come to life in my mind.  

What I like best about plot-driven novels is the coming together of the story lines.  Gross provides the right amount of back story for each character, to allow the reader a quick look into their lives, while at the same time keeping the plot moving.  At times, significant clues are revealed to the reader prior to Henry's knowledge and I did not consider that to be a bad thing.  I usually try to figure out the mystery before the protagonist does!  

I enjoyed reading 15 Seconds.  It was the perfect way to unwind after a long day at work.  If you enjoy reading a thriller that's fast-paced, and at times predictable, then I recommend adding 15 Seconds to your summer reading list.  As for me, I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

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ISBN: 9780061655975
Pub. Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages:  336
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Source: TLC Book Tours





Connect with the Author:


15 Seconds TLC Tour Stops:

Tuesday, July 10th: Drey’s Library
Wednesday, July 11th: Luxury Reading
Thursday, July 12th: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Friday, July 13th: Iwriteinbooks’s blog
Monday, July 16th: Jen’s Book Thoughts
Tuesday, July 17th: M. Denise C.
Wednesday, July 18th: My Book Retreat
Thursday, July 19th: Me and Reading
Friday, July 20th: One Book at a Time
Monday, July 23rd: a novel toybox
Tuesday, July 24th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Wednesday, July 25th: Book Him Danno!
Thursday, July 26th: Me, My Book and the Couch
Friday, July 27th: My Two Blessings
Monday, July 30th: Reviews from the Heart
Tuesday, July 31st: Book Addict Katie
Wednesday, August 1st: Musings of an All Purpose Monkey
Thursday, August 2nd: I Read. Do You?
Friday, August 3rd: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers





3 comments:

  1. I have seen good reviews of this one, it has piqued my interest.

    I haven't read JamesP in awhile but did enjoy his short chapters that made the suspense more exciting.

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  2. I'm glad you enjoyed this one overall! Thanks for being on the tour.

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  3. Reads like a movie?! That's cool! Suspense movies are some of my favorite, so I imagine this book would be right up my alley!

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