Sunday, October 25, 2015

Book Review: What You See by Hank Phillippi Ryan




Members of the Vise Library were selected to review What You See.  We received a copy of Hank Phillippi Ryan's book for an honest review.






About the book:

What You See: another thrilling installment in Hank Phillippi Ryan's award-winning Jane Ryland mystery series.

Why would a father abduct his own child? A wedding is planned in Jane Ryland's family, but there's a disaster instead. Nine-year-old Gracie-supposed to be the flower girl-has been taken by her stepdad. Where are they? Is the girl in danger? Reporter Jane Ryland learns there's a limit to the bonds of family-and learns to her peril what happens when loved ones are pushed too far. 

Meanwhile, Detective Jake Brogan's got a doozy of a case. At Boston's historic Faneuil Hall, a man is stabbed to death in front of a crowd of tourists snapping photos of the murder on their cell phones. Solving the case should be easy, but the pictures and surveillance video lead him to a dark conspiracy of extortion and stolen lives. 

Jane and Jake must explore where their loyalties lie-to each other? To their families? To their careers? If they make the wrong decision, the consequences could be fatal.
The Jane Ryland series by Ryan has been one of my favorite mystery series of all time.  They are always complex and thought provoking and Ryan does not disappoint in her latest: What You See.  There are several story lines: a missing (but not missing, but possibly missing) child, a stabbing, another stabbing, "Big Brother" security issues, City Hall's ultimate power, a police corruption, Jane being accused as a kidnapper and Jane's maybe/not maybe new job.  (Plus all of these happen within a 24-36 hour timeline - whew what a whirlwind!!!!)  Jane not only has professional problems to deal with, but personal ones as well.  She and Jake decide to privately-out-in-the-open let people know about their relationship.  That sort of changes when Jane accepts a job at a television station (this is on-again/off-again) and has an affect on their relationship.  

This book is smart (like all the others in the series) and I couldn't read this book fast enough to find out what happened.  There are also social issues tied in that are the topic of discussions in present day.  There are parts of Jake's past that we find out (he is always a mystery it seems!) and the dialogue with his partner is always a treat.  These books always leave me wanting more and that is no exception with this book (example: the box at the end, what is in that????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????).  If you want a book to keep you entertained and something that will always keep you guessing, do yourself a favor and pick up this book when it is added to our collection on Tuesday.  Happy reading!
Buy the book:
     Amazon
       Barnes and Noble
      Parnassus Books







About the author:

Hank Phillippi Ryan is the bestselling author of eight award winning novels of suspense. National reviews have called her a "master at crafting suspenseful mysteries" and "a superb and gifted storyteller."

Her newest book, WHAT YOU SEE is a Top Pick! And is dubbed "exceptional suspense." It received a starred review from Library Journal which says: "Readers will find themselves racing to the finish!" 

Her 2014 book, TRUTH BE TOLD, won the AGATHA Award for best mystery, and is a Library Journal Best of 2014. It received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal, which says, "Drop everything and binge read!" 

THE WRONG GIRL has the extraordinary honor of winning the Agatha Award and the Daphne Award, and is a seven-week Boston Globe bestseller and Anthony Award nominee. 

THE OTHER WOMAN won the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was listed as a Best Book of 2012 by the Kansas City Star, the Sacramento Bee, Suspense Magazine, and The Boston Globe, won the prestigious Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was the only novel nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Shamus and Daphne awards for Best Novel of 2012.

Her first four mysteries, beginning with the Agatha Award-winning PRIME TIME, feature Charlotte McNally, a Boston television reporter. FACE TIME was a BookSense Notable Book, and AIR TIME and DRIVE TIME were both Anthony and Agatha Award nominees for best novel of 2009 and 2010.

Hank is also an award-winning investigative reporter at Boston's NBC affiliate. Her work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for victims and consumers. In addition to 33 EMMYs and 13 Edward R. Murrow awards, Hank's won dozens of other honors for her ground-breaking journalism. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine.

Hank is a founding teacher at Mystery Writers of America University and served as 2013 president of national Sisters in Crime.

Connect with the author:
   Twitter
   Website

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