Reviewed: 05-18-21
Ash has shot a Russian mob guy and he is now in a coma. A gripping espionage thriller, well written with a good flowing plot to the end. The audio narration added to the tension of the story, well done and enjoyed. Given audio for my voluntary review
Michael was sleepy, but could not let his eyes fall shut. If he would do it—even for a heartbeat—the nightmare might start all over again. Ribbons of silvery water would start wrinkling slowly over her temple and down into the crown of algae. A drip would start trickling through the braid, right down to the blood at its tip.
He bowed his head, praying that now, with the mystery solved at last, the fate of the dancer would stop haunting him and at the same time, stop reminding Ash of the incident. The rape. That, he thought, was the one topic that from now on, should never again come up between them. It should be forgotten. Buried.
For his sweetheart, would the past continue to be present? Would she ever be free of it?
It was time to turn off the simulation, but Michael waited a moment longer. He wondered, how would the scene look from a boat sailing off toward the fleeing horizon, one day when he and Ash are headed for a new voyage, a new adventure?
The white tail of Pacific Coast Highway would shrink into the distance. So would the cliffs, kneeling to kiss the silvery surf. And deep underwater, from the disappearing shore, would it still come—rippling faster and faster toward them—that whispering silence of Lace?
(Volume I of High-Tech Crime Solvers)
Haunted by discovering the body of a beautiful dancer, Michael re-constructs her murder in a virtual reality. Can he bring the mystery to life? Can he solve it in time, before the killer turns on the woman he loves, Ash?
"The great attention given to detail makes for a lush and vivid tale that comes to life. The world of virtual reality that Michael creates is fascinating to read about."
~B. Roscoe, Audible Listener
LISTENER
Reviewed: 05-16-21
Overdue by Uvi Poznansky was a wild ride! Who is ‘the Voola’? Having read previous Russian mob books, I knew immediately, and that told me Overdue was going to be filled with twists and turns for Ash and Michael. My gut wasn’t wrong. Ash was on the radar of a Russian mob boss who lived to defraud and destroy people's identities and their lives.
When Ash meets a mysterious woman, the country is in the grips of the new Covid pandemic. Terrified for her life, and the life of her boyfriend, Ash is all too careful about interacting with someone she doesn’t know, but this woman was desperately in need of help, or so Ash thought.
The truth was something else altogether and Ash never saw it coming. In fact, Ash never dreamed that trying to be a good samaritan would put her life in danger multiple different times. The reader will be on pins and needles as Ash, and the people she loves, are put through the wringer by the Voola. Just when you think she’s going to be safe, nope! Ms. Poznansky keeps the blows coming one after another on both Ash, and her family, until you’re sure she can’t take much more. It is only then that the author gives the reader a breather and lets her characters find a little happiness.
Overdue is a prime example of Ms. Poznansky’s emotional and lyrical writing and it is obvious she has spent many hours on research for this thriller. This was the first Ash Suspense Thriller I read, and I didn’t need to read the first three to be able to follow this one. I definitely want to, though! If you’re looking for a well-written thriller whether you listen to this book on Audiobook or read it yourself, you can’t go wrong. The narrator, Heather Jane Hogan, brings this story to life in a wonderfully invigorating way that sucks you in from the first paragraph and holds your attention for the duration.
I received a complimentary audiobook for my honest and voluntary review as above.
LISTENER
Reviewed: 05-16-21
This story drew me in, as I listened on a long training run. I was so engrossed with the vivid imagery, suspense, and details of the story that made it come to life as I listened. Uvi is a master storyteller that made you keep guessing at each turn of this story of what might come next. I found myself trying to race ahead and guess where things were going but it managed to surprise me a number of times. I will say that that the narrator was perfect for this story, with the tone being ideal to keep you guessing, wondering, and feeling the suspense build. I listen to a lot of stories but this one I didn't want to turn off, and it made me want to pick up some of the other books that I haven't read in this series.
Be prepared with current events to viscerally feel some of the intense apprehension of the main character, more than any book I had read or listened to of late. Uvi did a great job of playing on some of the world's current events, medical possibilities, and the like to craft a tale that will grab you from the opening, and keep you to the end - still wishing for a bit more. This stunningly well-written and visually rich story is amazing to listen to and I highly recommend it.
The last thing I need is to establish a connection with a jealous wife. Actually, envy is the least of her problems, especially when compared to being dead.
“Sorry,” I say. “I’m curious to learn more about Dr. Patel, especially about his professional life. Don’t ask me why. I have my reasons. But his wife? I want nothing whatsoever to do her!”
She huffs. “I don’t believe you.”
I insist, “What’s between them is not really my business.”
“It is, if you’re dating him!”
I’m at loss for a good comeback.
Meanwhile, the waitress pulls something out of her pocket. It slips down her windbreaker and over her drenched apron. She bends over, snatches it off the ground, and raises it to me over the edge of the cracked-open window.
Then, with a trembling lip, she says, “It’s yours now! I want nothing to do with all this trouble.”
I shake my head. “Keep it. Trouble is not what I need in my life, either.”
“Please,” says the waitress. Her voice is inundated with fear, which makes a shiver go down through me. “Take it!”
Is she out of her mind? Who is she to order me around? I have Ma for that!
I give a subtle hint to the driver to get us out of here and start closing my window, so as to block this woman out. “No, thank you,” I say. “You hold on to it, whatever it is.”
The waitress clutches the edge of the window so hard that her nails—chipped and painted red—nearly scratch through it.
Just then comes the second flash of light. It outlines her shoulders, fizzes around her hair like a fiery halo as she stumbles forward towards me. This time, lightening is clearly what it’s not.
She’s been shot at, she’s been hit.
Her fingers loosen, letting something drop inside, some small object that misses my lap, rolls over, and lands somewhere underneath me on the car floor.
Meanwhile her eye bulges over. It turns, turns, turns in its socket, until its iris seems to roll back around and over the eyeball, until her chest slips down along the sudden spill of blood upon the glass, until the terror finally lets go of her, leaving her wrung out by the wayside like an old dishrag.
“Stop,” I tell the driver. “Let’s pick her up, take her to the hospital.”
“No way,” he says, stepping on the gas. “Let’s get out of here, save our own skin!”
In the back window, she looks like a mound of tatters crumpling into the night as the car jerks into motion. It maneuvers wildly left and right as we make our escape.
Months after recovering from coma, Ash discovers that the man who performed her brain surgery has a questionable medical experience and a dark past. Should she expose him, at the risk of becoming vulnerable to his revenge?
"Heather Jane Hogan delivers depth and surprise to this already thrilling story. What a delight to hear her tell the story of Ash, who’s been out of her coma for a few months when headaches and dizziness require her to pay another visit to her brain surgeon, a mysterious man named Dr. Patel... This marvelous tale is brought wonderfully to life by Ms. Hogan, who delivers the final, terrific twist with a bang. Highly recommended, five stars!"
JA Schneider, Author of psychological thrillers
LISTENER
Reviewed: 05-12-21
Buckle your seats belts, this audiobook has it all! A perfect storm combining an espionage thriller with identity theft in the pandemic – all narrated to perfection by the gifted Heather Jane Hogan. Ms. Hogan excels at all voices, accents, and inflection. There is fear in her voice when she interprets the thoughts of the protagonist, Ash, who has shot a Russian crime leader named Vlad. He now lies in a hospital bed in a coma - but how deep is his coma, and will he recover to come after her? When we hear Ms. Hogan interpret his wicked accent, it’s chilling. It’s also fascinating how she interprets both male and female voices and continues to build the tension as the story progresses. A mystery woman steals Ash’s identity and the violent Russian escapes. Ms. Hogan’s voice continues to lure us through one frightening twist after another.
To a story already gripping, Heather Jane Hogan adds the movie feeling of really being there, and this audio production is perfection. I want to thank Uvi Poznanski for this review copy, and have enjoyed writing this review. Well done, very enjoyable – five stars!
