Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Serials and Scenarios ~ Daniel's Den



Daniel's Den
By Brandt Dodson
Published by Harvest House Publishers
ISBN# 978-0-7369-2477-1


Go here to read another review and to read the first chapter of Daniel's Den.


Back Cover:

Daniel Borden and Laura Traynor live two different lives…Daniel is a successful stock analyst in New Orleans.

Laura operates a bed and breakfast in Shenandoah Valley.

He is wealthy, enjoys racquetball and lives with Elvis, a black lab.

She is a struggling single mother, works two jobs and lives with her young son, Andy.

But, when unseen forces send hit men after each of them, a twist of fate drives them together as they are forced to flee their common enemy.

In high stakes game of cat-and-mouse, they learn just how big the cat can be.

And that it's no game.

My Review:

Daniel's Den is a tense, terse read. Told in multiple almost narrative voice the story unfolds in New Orleans and the Shenandoah Valley. Daniel lives in a controlled environment, from the truth of the numbers he deals with as a stockbroker to the regimented life he's created for himself, everything is defined and in place. Until he is given the files of a dead co-worker and stumbles onto a big mess.

Laura is hanging on to a dying dream and has run out of hope and faith. When a bizarre and frightening man begins to hound her to sell her property fear and despair take hold.

Daniel and Laura unite in the worst of situations and end up running for their lives. Andy and Elvis, a young boy and a dog complicate matters.

I read the advanced copy and hope that several typos were taken care of in the final edit. One secondary plot thread threw me a bit but only briefly. The story is the driving force in this novel, so the characters, though rich enough, took a back seat to the action and plot.

If you like page turners, or Dodson, you need to look further into Daniel's Den.