norcani's review against another edition
2.0
The thriller/mystery/crime/whatever you want to call it aspect could have been interesting, especially if the book had focused more on the parallels between the main character Jan and the "runaway" Maddy. But instead it focused on a (bad) romance between Jan and one of the most unlikable characters I had the displeasure of reading about, Catherine. First of all, I'm supposed to believe they're instantly in love with the only real reason given is the great sex. They barely talk in the book, when they do it's mostly Catherine trying to convince Jan she's not a terrible person (she is). Catherine not only cheats on her longtime girlfriend with Jan, she also abuses her power as her boss to be with her when Jan is avoiding her. Later Catherine says she was going to tell Jan, if she only had picked up her phone, after a whole day of not telling her despite having every opportunity to until directly asked about it. Later on when we meet her girlfriend (as Catherine calls her, her wife even) she's portrayed as a crazy jealous woman despite Catherine having cheated on her multiple times.
Meanwhile the thriller plotline is just an afterthought, just Jan's job shes thinking about when she can tear her thoughts away from Catherine. Which is a shame because that was much more interesting. Not to mention Jan's ties to it, and the fact her whole past is a lie, but those issues barely matter in the story to the point im wondering what the point of giving Jan that past was. Maddy doesn't even get a real conclusion despite the book intermittently changing perspectives between her an Jan, the last few chapters fellow Jan exclusively. We have very little idea of how she is doing after the events. This book is a mediocre thriller at best. I'm not a romance reader, but if the point of romance is to make the reader want to see the two leads together, this book definitely fails as a romance as well. The best thing I can say about it is that it was over quickly.
Meanwhile the thriller plotline is just an afterthought, just Jan's job shes thinking about when she can tear her thoughts away from Catherine. Which is a shame because that was much more interesting. Not to mention Jan's ties to it, and the fact her whole past is a lie, but those issues barely matter in the story to the point im wondering what the point of giving Jan that past was. Maddy doesn't even get a real conclusion despite the book intermittently changing perspectives between her an Jan, the last few chapters fellow Jan exclusively. We have very little idea of how she is doing after the events. This book is a mediocre thriller at best. I'm not a romance reader, but if the point of romance is to make the reader want to see the two leads together, this book definitely fails as a romance as well. The best thing I can say about it is that it was over quickly.
amcheri's review
4.0
I very much enjoy Anne Laughlin's voice. I'd give it 3.5 stars. You can read my full review at C-Spot Reviews: http://reviews.c-spot.net/archives/3864
chriswolak's review
3.0
Runaway is a solid page-turner of a mystery/thriller in the lesbian tradition, which means there is at least one blush-worthy sex scene. I enjoyed Laughin's writing and think she presented an original plot with a good balance between the thrilling action and the obligatory drama-filled budding lesbian relationship. (Personally, I wanted more thriller and less romance, but that's not the book she wrote.)
Runaway is primarily about Jan Roberts, a Chicago PI who escaped from her father's Idaho militia camp when she was 16. For the last twenty years Jan has been living her life under the new identity she created. Just as Jan and her partner take on a new case tracking down a runaway teen, the firm they work for is purchased by a British company. The new boss is a hot British women with MI6 in her background. Sparks fly between the new boss and Jan. The runaway teen ends up leading Jan back to the militia lifestyle she fled, first to Michigan and then to Idaho.
Laughlin has a great sense of humor, but doesn't overdo it. Here are two bits that made me laugh:
"Catherine appeared to be in her mid-forties, but her breasts appeared to be in their mid-twenties. Jan wondered if she'd have the opportunity to examine whether that was the result of good genes, good lingerie, or good plastic surgery."
And then this from when Maddy, the young runaway, is participating in a militia training exercise in Michigan before her group moves to Idaho:
"Maddy and Kristin were teamed up to learn about stealth movement and sensory awareness in the woods, which Maddy took to mean walking quietly with her headphones off."
I plan on reading more books from Laughlin and look forward to seeing where she takes her writing in the future.
Runaway is primarily about Jan Roberts, a Chicago PI who escaped from her father's Idaho militia camp when she was 16. For the last twenty years Jan has been living her life under the new identity she created. Just as Jan and her partner take on a new case tracking down a runaway teen, the firm they work for is purchased by a British company. The new boss is a hot British women with MI6 in her background. Sparks fly between the new boss and Jan. The runaway teen ends up leading Jan back to the militia lifestyle she fled, first to Michigan and then to Idaho.
Laughlin has a great sense of humor, but doesn't overdo it. Here are two bits that made me laugh:
"Catherine appeared to be in her mid-forties, but her breasts appeared to be in their mid-twenties. Jan wondered if she'd have the opportunity to examine whether that was the result of good genes, good lingerie, or good plastic surgery."
And then this from when Maddy, the young runaway, is participating in a militia training exercise in Michigan before her group moves to Idaho:
"Maddy and Kristin were teamed up to learn about stealth movement and sensory awareness in the woods, which Maddy took to mean walking quietly with her headphones off."
I plan on reading more books from Laughlin and look forward to seeing where she takes her writing in the future.
More...