Non stop action in this thriller. What would you do to save your wife? Would you do anything?


Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

CHOICE THEORY (I)

In the Adrian Lyne-directed 1993 film “Indecent Proposal,” starring Robert Redford, Demi Moore, and Woody Harrelson, the juicy plot revolves around a financially strapped couple: David and Diana Murphy portrayed by Harrelson and Moore, respectively. David and Diana travel to Las Vegas on a gamble, hoping to turn their meager savings into a windfall of monetary abundance: for they wish to finance the dream real estate enterprise that David fosters at one of the many Sin City Roulette tables. But unfortunately for them, they bet and lose - everything. Their savings have grown wings and flown away from them. And this, of course, leaves the high school sweethearts devastated. Just like that, the money is gone. And the couple—so madly in love—have nothing left to do but ponder. What are they going to do now that they are flat broke? What will become of them now? How are they going to survive with no money?

Enter billionaire John Gage, played by Redford. Gage floats in, like a puff of smoke, out of nowhere into their personal space. His aim? To make an offer that both David and Diana will find difficult to refuse. Lustfully attracted to the pretty brunette Diana—and knowing that the couple is now penniless—John Gage extends the following proposal to Diana: “I would pay one million dollars to have sex with you.” To David, the debonair billionaire would ask, “Excuse me. Would you mind lending me your wife?”

Already at the brink of desperation, David and Diana begin to consider the tempting offer. Tempting because one million dollars is an awful lot of money and exactly what the pair needs to solve their currency woes. But do they accept the proposal? Does David Murphy allow the stranger—Gage—a one-night stand with the beautiful love of his life for a mere one million dollars?

If you have seen the movie, then you know the answer.

CHOICE THEORY (II)

Hard decisions do not present themselves as being easy to make. Whereas the hard decision David Murphy had to make in the classic film (selling his wife to a stranger in exchange for a large sum of cash to fend off financial ruin) the challenging decision facing Gary Foster, star of the gritty crime thriller Killer Choice, is two-hundred-thousand times worse. Because his tough decision does not involve leasing his wife, Beth, to a stranger for money, his decision involves committing cold-blooded murder on behalf of a stranger for the sake of getting money to save her life.

In the fictive (and destitute) town of River Falls, Michigan, the temperature—both atmospherically and spiritually—has dipped to teeth-chattering cold. And it is in the heart of our make-believe setting that we come to meet a small cast of players around each of whom this thoroughly emotional and morally debased narrative orbits.

THE DAY OLD SCRATCH ARRIVED.

Gary Foster is the co-owner of Ascension Outerwear, a local retailer specializing in clothing and gear for the outdoor sportsman. And all things are pretty much satisfactory in his working-class life. That is until he receives a call at the store informing him that his eight-months-pregnant wife, Beth, collapsed at the town mall and was taken to the hospital for observation. After a few tests, Beth has been diagnosed with a brain tumor: an inoperable glioblastoma. Traumatized by this prognosis, Gary and Beth come to realize their new reality—one that browbeats the twosome down into a spiral of perplexity and discouragement. And since nearly everyone in their hometown has fallen on financial hard times, donations to their new Go Fund Me page barely nudge the thermometer stick. Of course, this is not good news for Gary and Beth. And the arrogance of time is now starting to jeer at the despair of their circumstances.

Hope for Beth—and her survival—is dependent on a method of cancer treatment at a German-based company called GOSKA. But the combined cost of travel, lodging, and the treatment could set Gary and Beth back $200,000.00. It is two-hundred-thousand dollars that the couple does not have and that they could not possibly raise—not even if they sold everything they own, which is little or next to nothing.

DESPERATION IS SETTING IN.

Time is running out for the madly-in-love, albeit desolate couple. And no one—besides themselves, Rod (the younger brother of Gary), and his wife, yoga instructor Sarah—is more aware of this fact than an evil drug dealer and pawnshop owner named Otto Brennan. Although Otto is a stranger to the Foster family, he just so happens to have $200,000.00 in cash laying around. And after seeing the Go Fund Me page for Beth on the Internet, accompanied by a short press article detailing her heartbreaking dilemma, the lamentable Otto—who is also being pursued by the Angel of Death—brainstorms an idea. He contacts Gary Foster and makes the desperate husband an offer he is almost certain Gary will find quite arduous to refuse. And the two outsiders schedule a meeting.

STRANGERS ON A PARK BENCH.

On the day of the meeting, the hardcore and homicidal Otto—using the alias, Shamrock—offers Gary Foster $200,000.00 in cash, the entire amount needed for the treatment and possible cure of the glioblastoma. But the off-guard proposal sounds too virtuous to be realistic, inducing Gary to ask a series of questions. And Otto, smelling the damp funk of a prospective sucker emitting from the pulse points of the fraught Gary Foster, wastes no time fanning out his term conditions. Showing his probable mark the photocopied driver’s license of a mysterious man named Devon Peterson, Otto mouths a loaded spiel to Gary about the same. In brief, Devon Peterson is a corrupt police officer issued out from the irritable bowels of Detroit to shakedown and bust the testicles of scum subjects like Otto in River Falls. Devon Peterson, according to Otto, is as crooked as they come. And the world would be a much better place minus him. Otto wants Devon Peterson dead, period. And if Gary Foster would like to earn a quick $200,000.00 to aid in saving the life of his law-abiding—not to mention pregnant—wife, then all he would have to do is kill Devon Peterson. Otto gives Gary Foster three days to decide.

It is a murder-for-hire, simple as that. But no way is good old Gary Foster a murderer. Gary does indeed love his high school sweetheart, Beth, but murder? He wants to save his best friend of a wife alive, but murder? Gary could not imagine life without his one and only Beth, but murder? He could never, ever make it without Beth, but murder? Gary thinks. Maybe the guy named Shamrock was right. Maybe this Devon Peterson guy is a ruthless dirt-bag polluting the Earth. But he’s still a cop. And you can’t kill a cop. Right? Two-hundred thousand dollars! It’s all the money you need! Right? Whose life is more valuable anyway? Huh? Beth. Her life is more valued, right? Not some abusive, filthy cop! Right?

Here is what happens when a simple man lacks faith: the powerful winds of temptation come along to beat upon his house until they lay it to waste.

A SOUL for SALE.

Fearing that he and Beth will never raise the monies needed for her treatment abroad, Gary Foster does the unthinkable. He agrees to murder the racist, unethical, and disgustingly corrupt Devon Peterson. And once that laborious choice is made and carried out, Gary Foster will by no means be able to turn back from it. Gary Foster will by no means be able to shake off the repulsive terrors that soon ease themselves up right alongside him, persuading him to stoop down to a level he would never have presumed feasible. Gary used to be an easy-going and quiet fellow. But not anymore. His novice horror is now underway, unbeknownst to those of his loved ones. And trying to outrun a growing set of cruel and bloodthirsty malefactors will be the least of his problems. As it turns out, that brain tumor plaguing Beth is growing at a velocity more expeditious than the apprehension of this hard-bitten and pulse-pounding storyline.

THE TOP-BILLED PERSONAE.

Soaking together in a (literary) marinade of human blood, human skin tissue, distress, drug infestation, calamity, hopelessness, self-loathing, fear, and criminality, the sensational ensemble on these pages are credited in succession:

• Gary Foster is our thirty-nine-year-old leading man and the co-owner of Ascension Outerwear.

• Rod Foster is the younger brother of Gary and the co-owner of Ascension Outerwear.

• Beth Foster is a substitute teacher and the expecting wife of Gary. Beth was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.

• Sarah Foster is a yoga studio owner, a new wife to Rod, and a best friend to Beth.

• Robert Champ Smith is a retired heavyweight boxer and nefarious, bone-breaking associate of Otto Brennan.

• Carlos is a drug runner in the trade of Mexican Mud and a go-between for Otto Brennan. He is also a patriotic member of the ruthless chainsaw murdering El Este cartel.

• Scotty is a drug dealer, tattoo shop owner, contemptible liar, and an underhanded snitch.

• Detective Whitley is a relentless veteran homicide detective investigating the cold-blooded murder of the notorious Devon Peterson.

With silky-sheer skill, this talented troupe interacts through the enthralling plot of yet another hard-to-put-down magnum opus in the immutable Thriller genre, not missing even one iota of a beat throughout its course.

HEAPING PRAISE.

Killer Choice is an intense, emotional, and altogether suspenseful tale about how just one ill-advised resolution could destroy a life, even for an eternity. And I could not imagine that any reader of this icy plot would not agree as they flip through well-written pages that easily provoke on-the-edge-of-your-seat consternation reminiscent of that in the old Grisham masterwork, The Firm. Indeed, Killer Choice is a harrowing thriller that acquaints the reader with a selection of players who will not only command their interest but also emboss the psyche with a troubling imprint that will continue to linger long after the final page bids them adieu.

Perfectly titled, Killer Choice is both a challenge to read and with which to part ways. As a crime thriller enthusiast, I wholly enjoyed this fictional creation. And I would very well recommend it to those readers cut from the same interest cloth.

MY CLOSING STATEMENT.

Much like the motion picture referenced earlier, Killer Choice is an enticing novel about rash decisions people sometimes make. And more often than not, such decisions, which are never wisely advised, mind you, tend to lead those persons into various entrapments from which they can locate no means of escape because of the crippling bondage of fear and faithlessness. Fear and faithlessness are the two sinister culprits that casually steer men straight into the arms of self-destruction, which endeavor to squeeze the lives out of many because of their unbelief.

Choice. It is the thing that every human being alive has been given, liberally, due to free will. The choices we make undoubtedly affect our lives, whether negatively or positively. And ill-made decisions tend to beget grave repercussions. When considering such circumstances, it would be well with one to contemplate and select carefully. Free will came into being with one ancient option: Good or evil. There is no in-between. In the splendid work of fiction presently under review, Tom Hunt refers to this in such intricate detail that the reader will feel as though he or she has been planted right there in the otherworldly setting of Gary Foster and his menacing and diabolical nightmare. And that, my fellow members of the literary community, accounts for superior storytelling.

Five complex stars.


REVIEWER’S NOTE: It is my kind pleasure to thank Berkley Books, as well as NetGalley, for the advanced review copy (ARC) of Killer Choice in exchange for my honest review.

Analysis of Killer Choice by Tom Hunt is courtesy of Reviews by Cat Ellington.

Date of Review: Sunday, January 28, 2018

I really tried with this book. I picked it up and put it down so many times, and I just couldn't get past the first few chapters. There wasn't anything wrong with the book, and I definitely think it's a me issue not a book issue, but at this point, I know I'm not going to finish it.

Your significant other has a brain tumor and you are a lot of money short of being able to afford a treatment that could possibly save her life. Would you do anything, anything in the world to raise that money that could save their life? That is the premise of Killer Choice. Gary must decide if he can cross a line and go against everything he believes is right to save his pregnant wife.

The consequences of Gary’s decisions bring non-stop action to the story. With one decision he changes his entire life. With each turn of the page there was another choice to be made, another page of action, and another reason to keep reading. The story while action packed was also pretty realistic. There were a few times that I wanted to change the storyline just because I knew that the choices made would end badly for those involved but Tom Hunt obviously knew much better than I did.

I definitely recommend picking up Killer Choice and enjoying this thriller of a story.

Thank you Lauren Burnstein at Penguin Random House for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if the one you loved most was diagnosed with a potentially terminal illness, unless you could afford the treatment? What would you do to get him or her that treatment? Those are the questions that Gary Foster must confront.

Gary and his wife Beth are finally expecting a baby and Gary has opened a business with his younger brother. Then Beth collapses and tests show she has an inoperable brain tumor, with her only hope an experimental treatment in Germany. The fly in the ointment is the cost - $200,000. But someone offers Gary that exact amount to kill someone…with no questions asked. Gary has to face what is possible for him as he weighs his options, makes his decisions and faces the fallout.

Killer Choice keeps the suspense and tension ratcheted up, with secondary characters adding to the pressure as the story unfolds. It takes time to get moving, but when it does, the reader will be drawn into Gary’s reality. How can you make the kind of choice that faces Gary? How does Gary live with what he decides and the consequences? A very engaging debut by Tom Hunt.

Gary Foster seems to have it all ... his wife is pregnant, business is doing well. What could go wrong?

Sadly, his wife is hospitalized with a brain tumor. It will only cost $200,00 to save her life ..money that he doesn't have and doesn't know how to get. And because the treatment is experimental, will it even work?

Someone else comes up with a solution. This anonymous man will give Gary the money he needs ... but it comes with conditions. Gary must kill someone, no questions asked. End one life to save another.

So what will he do?

This is a debut crime novel by this author. The story premise sounded promising, but it was rather a slow start. There are some twists and turns with a surprise ending. Not altogether realistic, but that is why they call it fiction.

Many thanks to the author / Berkley Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

What would you do, if you had the chance to save the life of the woman you love? When his wife is finally able to conceive a baby, Gary Foster is overjoyed. That excitement is quick-lived when she collapses and they discover an inoperable brain tumor. The only chance she has of surviving is a costly experimental drug, so when an offer is made to Gary, it's hard to pass up. The cost of the money, is a persons life. This exciting debut thriller from the author is both thought-provoking and captivating.

The plot of this book is unique and creative, but unfortunately the execution of the plot was not as I expected. The characters were not relateable and seemed very unrealistic; the change from how Gary's character was described in the beginning to the character he is in the end seemed like too much of a stretch. Speaking of the end and of how things just do not line up, Gary's dedication to keeping his secret throughout the book does not line up with what he decides to do in the end. I was excited to read this book, and I wanted it to get better as I read, but it just didn't.

Awesome thriller debut, where one man must make an impossible decision. How do you justify a wrong (the worst wrong) to make a situation right? Sometimes the guilt is easier...sometimes there's really no choice....sometimes a person will do anything to save the person they love. Anything.

Fast-paced suspense that will have readers on the edge of their seat. Recommended for thriller lovers everywhere.

I went with 4 stars, as this debut novel from Tom Hunt is extremely well crafted. The "Killer Choice" was a good premise, would you kill someone in order to save someone? The story itself, kept the promise of the premise, it was fast paced, had some definite untelegraphed twists and turns, and read easily. I really appreciated that Mr. Hunt was able to keep me reading despite how negatively the main character affected me. I really disliked the husband and I was surprised that I was so invested in the aftermath of his "Sophie's Choice" moment. The only thing that made me waiver between 3 and 4 stars was that the wife, in contrast to the husband and the villain, was lightly drawn, almost two dimensional. I wanted more depth from the wife and some redemptive growth from the husband. I would definitely read more form Tom Hunt.

A man who needs money desperately for his dying wife receives an unbelievable offer. Someone is willing to give him all the funds. All he has to do is kill a person. The man must grapple with the ultimate struggle of conscience: save his wife or keep his morality intact. Author Tom Hunt presents an interesting question in an entertaining, albeit somewhat predictable, plot in his debut novel Killer Choice.

Gary Foster and his wife, Beth, cling to one another with that old-world brand of love, the kind where two people meet at a young age and stay together forever. The only expression of love they haven’t shared yet is a baby. Finally, after ages, that dream is also going to come true. Beth is seven months along in her pregnancy with their first child, a baby boy they can’t wait to meet.

Life gets tossed in an unpredictable direction, however, when Beth collapses while shopping. Passersby help her to the ER where doctors begin conducting tests. Within days, Gary and Beth get the news: Beth has a malignant and aggressive brain tumor. The prognosis says she has less than a year to live.

Their physician tells them about a new experimental treatment that has shown some promise. A doctor in Germany is ready to accept Beth as a patient if Beth and Gary can move to Europe for the duration of the treatment. The total cost is $200,000. Insurance won’t cover any of it.

The amount almost crushes Gary’s spirit. Less than a year earlier, he and his brother, Rod, opened their own store and struggle to stay in business. Thanks to budget cuts, Beth lost her full-time job as an art teacher and now works the odd day as a substitute. Money had already become a precious commodity. Now it’s all Gary and Beth can think about.

It seems like a godsend, then, when Gary receives a call from a mysterious man who calls himself Shamrock. A spate of PR drummed up by community service organizations has put Gary and Beth’s story in the media. Shamrock has heard about their financial need and can donate the entire amount. All he asks is one favor: Gary needs to kill a man handpicked by Shamrock. Without asking any questions.

Gary didn’t think anything could shock him after Beth’s diagnosis. He was wrong. He’s never acted in a violent manner, never mind killing someone. If he doesn’t commit this heinous crime, Beth will definitely die. If he goes through with the horrific act, Beth gets an honest-to-goodness chance to live but he’ll spend the rest of his life knowing he murdered someone. As Beth’s condition continues to deteriorate, Gary knows he’ll have to make a decision soon.

Author Tom Hunt gives readers a pretty straightforward novel. Many readers will spot the supposed twists in the story, and Hunt depends heavily on stereotypical devices to advance the plot. For example, when Gary comes home from meeting Shamrock determined to turn down the money because of the strings attached, Beth’s health suddenly gets worse. Hunt puts the story close to Detroit to make it impossible for Gary to find a different way to fund Beth’s treatment. Shamrock needs someone killed because of a drug deal gone bad.

Despite the stereotypes that would induce groans in a different book, Hunt’s simplistic approach also composes its strength. Even as readers guess accurately what will happen, Hunt’s audacity to follow through on those guesses will keep readers swiping or flipping pages. The thrill comes, then, not from the actual premise Hunt proposes but by what comes after the main conflict comes to pass.

In that way, too, the book falls squarely into its genre. Most thrillers offer a series of highs, each more heady than the last, and Hunt doesn’t disappoint in this factor. I recommend readers Bookmark Killer Choice by Tom Hunt.

Unpleasant characters, unpleasant situations, wish that I had not bothered with this book.

A young woman collapses one day and is taken to the hospital and finds out that she has a brain tumor. She could have a few weeks, a few months who knows. The young woman Beth Foster is pregnant with her first child. Beth and her husband Gary have been trying for years to have a baby and just when it happens they are bombarded with this devastating news.

They are told that the brain tumor is inoperable and that it is a very progressive type of cancer. But they are given some good news. There is a trial happening in Germany that could possibly save Beth’s life. The only problem is that it will cost $200,000. How on earth could they possibly come up with $200,000? How far would a man go to save the one he loves?

Gary is contacted by a man that says he would like to give him the two hundred thousand dollars for his wife’s treatment. But there is one little catch. Gary has to kill someone to get it. Gary is given a few days to think about what he is going to do. Gary is not a killer and has no idea what he will do. Does he end one life to save another? Gary does some research on the guy that he is supposed to kill for the money and finds some news articles about some bad things he has done but has never been convicted of any crime. What should he do? Can he kill a bad person to save a good person?

Killer Choice is a very fast read one in which I couldn’t put down. I went to bed hoping to read only a little bit because I had to get up early the next morning but alas that did not happen before I knew it a few hours had gone by and I was almost through with the book. As it was getting very late by then I had to reluctantly, of course, lay the book down and finish it the next morning.

I can’t believe that this is the first book that the author has written. The story drifted along very smoothly and fast. Killer Choice will stay with me for a long time after having read the last page. The characters jump out at you filling you with all their sorrow and pain. You just wanted so bad to reach into the book and help them any way you could. Part of me was rooting for Gary the whole way and part of me was saying no way dude don’t do it. I don’t know how anyone could truly say what they would do in Gary’s place unless they have literally walked in his shows and are faced with the same circumstances. And even then you can never know exactly how a person feels because we all react and feel differently about things. As I have always said what is a big deal to someone else may not be a big deal to me but that doesn’t mean I treat it as it is nothing.

I would like to suggest Killer Choice to anyone who loves a good mystery and a very fast read; a story that will jump off the page at you and have you racing to end to find out what is happening next.

While this book was not my thing at all, the writing was decent. I’m glad that I gave it a chance, even if I couldn’t finish it. This might be the first review book that I haven’t finished, but it just was not my thing. I think that if this review sounds interesting to you then you will enjoy the book. However, it is not one that I would recommend.

Gary and Beth should be celebrating - they have a baby on the way after years of trying and basically their whole lives ahead of them. But when Beth is diagnosed with stage IV cancer, all their hopes and dreams crumble. They're told the tumor in Beth's brain is inoperable and that she's got maybe a year at most. But Gary doesn't want to give up. Especially when he hears about a new treatment that's shown promising results. Unfortunately, the cost of the treatment is so far out of reach that it seems hopeless.

Then Gary receives a call. A man who says he can solve Gary's money problem in exchange for a favor: Gary has to kill a man.

Hunt's debut is being touted as the perfect read for Harlan Coben fans, and it's easy to see why. Hunt employs the same technique Coben has made a name for himself with - an everyday, average guy gets swept up in a dangerous plot with high stakes and lots of action.

Hunt uses short chapters with cliffhanger endings that sweep the reader along into the next and the next and the next until the book is done.

And of course since it's a story about desperation - a man desperate to save the life of the woman he's spent almost half of his life with - the stakes are quiet high even without the murder aspect.

Hunt doesn't tease readers with the subplot, it's clear from the beginning what's brewing behind the scenes for Gary (of course Gary doesn't know). The why and the who behind the task he's been given plays out in alternating chapters as Gary considers his decision... I won't tell you how that plays out, that's the point of his story!

It seems, after reading the synopsis, that the whole story is there; however, I'm happy to say that there is so much more to the story with twists and turns that I didn't anticipate coming. This thriller is unlike any that I have read. It delivers what you often look for in a thriller with a good balance of story-telling and character building.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is how fast paced it was. It gripped from the very beginning and didn't stop until the very end. I was always wondering what was going to happen next and not always getting it right. There were quite a few surprises along the way. I finished this one in two sittings and that's not something I do often anymore.

I was surprised by the character development, in a good way. It seems funny to say, but I felt like the characters were very human. They were flawed, they made mistakes, they just did the best they could with the situations they were given. There was this deep question throughout the book of how far would you go to save someone you love. It's intimidating to think about but a very powerful and often emotional question to ponder.

If you're looking for a thriller with character development. A thriller that makes you think about what you might do in one of the character's situations (and therefore get a whole new depth to the story). A story with what seems to be real people and a story that takes some surprising turns. If you're looking for any of those things, this could be the book for you.

Wow, wow, wow!! What a thrill ride Killer Choice is! And then to learn that it's a debut novel? WOW, WOW, WOW!!!

Tom Hunt immediately drew me in with Gary Foster's loving concern for his wife Beth, who, pregnant with their first child, takes ill, seriously ill, this can kill you ill. Stunned by the news, and unable to even envision life without her, he desperately wants to get her into the experimental trial that might prolong her life, or even save her. But it costs $200,000, and nothing they do to try to raise the money comes close to what they need. Then the phone rings...

Gary receives a phone call from someone offering to give him the money he needs if he does one thing - kill someone that the caller wants dead. Gary immediately rejects the offer, horrified to even think of himself killing someone. He is told that he has two days to think about it and then the caller will call again.

What would you do? How far would you go to save someone who you can't envision not being a part of your life? Gary's decision has profound impacts on all of those around him.

This is a domestic psychological suspense with twists, turns and surprises throughout. A very quick read, it won't disappoint!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was fast paced, well written and sucked me in from the beginning with its interesting premise. How far would a person go to save the person they love most? And how far SHOULD they go? I admire the author's choice to not turn this into a fairytale ending, and I guess the fact that I really didn't like the characters by the end makes it even more realistic.

I love books about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, the idea that far fetched scenarios could actually happen to an average Joe is both scary and fascinating. Killer Choice reminded me of a David Bell novel with more of an action thriller vibe, but Hunt’s protagonist was reminiscent of some of Bell’s leads, so fans of his work should definitely add this to their TBR.

The pacing of this was spot on, you immediately dive into the story with little time spent on background information though everything you absolutely need to know is shared. Gary faces a question that’s been asked many times before, how far would you go to save a loved one? There was a uniqueness to this though, it definitely wasn’t as straightforward as I assumed it would be, the entire book isn’t based on what decision Gary makes, instead there were many twists and turns that I never saw coming.

This is an excellent debut from a very solid writer, Hunt truly has skills and I’ll be curious to see what he has in store in the future. I devoured this one, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next and though things seemed a little implausible, I was throughly entertained and didn’t care at all. This would make a great movie, there’s a nice balance between intense action and sedate family life that would appeal to a variety of people.

Killer Choice in three words: Explosive, Fervent and Tense.

What a debut. All I have to say about Killer Choice is that you are making the right choice when you pick up a copy of this book! I can't wait to read what Mr. Hunt comes out with next. Instant chemistry.

After getting to know Gary and Beth and their situation, the reader really feels for them. It is hard to say if I would not do the same thing if I was in Gary's shoes. If so, I probably would be just as horrible a liar as him. He really was not fooling anyone but yet I still was cheering for him. He was gullible but kind hearted at the same time. Oh, and I just loved Beth. She drew on strength.

This book had good characters that were likable as well as a solid storyline that moved at a nice pace. You have to check this book out.