Friday, August 4, 2017

Review of "Dead Line"

Just a bit different here - another review on another football book.  However, this time it's a fictional book and a very different type of story.  One that is gripping and a very quick read. Here is my review of "Dead Line" by Jack Patterson.


Title/Author:
Dead Line” by Jack Patterson

Tags:
Football (American), fiction, drama, Seahawks, Dolphins, audio book

Publish date:
August 28, 2014

Length:
258 pages

Rating: 
4 of 5 stars (very good) 

Review:
This story of kidnapping, gambling, greed, drug cartels - and oh, yeah a little football game called the Super Bowl was a great story.  Cal Murphy, an up-and-coming sportswriter for the Seattle Times, gets the dream assignment of every sportswriter - to cover the Super Bowl.  To make it even sweeter, the game pits the Miami Dolphins against Murphy's team he has followed since childhood, the Seattle Seahawks.

However, there is trouble.  Veteran Seattle quarterback Noah Larson, who will retire after the game, receives a call telling him that his six year old son Jake has been kidnapped and the only way Noah will see Jake alive is if he fixes the game so that his team loses.   Murphy, instead of writing about the game, will work with photographer Kelly Mendoza (who worked with Cal in the first book of the series as well) and the FBI to rescue little Jake. 

While the story is compelling, fast paced and fun to read, I was mildly disappointed in the lack of true suspense.  Every possible time that there was some kind of twist or unexpected development, it was one that I had predicted - even the one at the end which was the closest to a true surprise.  That, however, doesn't stop me from recommending this book for fans of football or drama.  The characters are all believable and well-developed, from the protagonists Cal and Kelly (for whom the reader can't help but cheer for) to the ruthless drug cartel hit men.

Note that this is the second book in a series.  The book can be read as a stand alone, as I did not read the first one previously and had no trouble connecting with Cal and Kelly or following the story.  The end does leave room for a third book, and it is one that I want to add to my list, along with going back to read #1.

Book Format Read:
Audio book

Buying Links:



No comments:

Post a Comment