Scan barcode
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Fifth in the Ike Schwartz mystery series revolving around a retired CIA agent who now works as a sheriff.
My Take
It was a good storyline (a "4") that was shot down by three things: Ramsay has no clue about male-female relationships and their interactions; the inconsistency in so many things; and, how incredibly stupid his characters were, which rated a "2".
There was nothing in the interactions between Mary and Blake that made me think she was open to marriage. As for Ruth and Ike, well, their conversations never rang true.
The inconsistencies included CIA agents who had to be led by the hand (I wondered if they could fight their way out of a paper bag); everything is all hurry-up, hurry-up until it's more convenient to slow everything down; SEALs who don't know where to sit in a beached boat; cops and a reverend who have a hard time putting two and two together; and, those are just the highlights of what I remember (since I didn't take my usual notes).
I'd also like to know why Ike knows all about proper swearing, but neither he nor any of the CIA guys indulge in it. It leads me to suspect that Ramsay's Ike Schwartz series is intended to be a Christian novel.
There's nothing wrong with that, except where it impedes the sense of realism.
My Take
It was a good storyline (a "4") that was shot down by three things: Ramsay has no clue about male-female relationships and their interactions; the inconsistency in so many things; and, how incredibly stupid his characters were, which rated a "2".
There was nothing in the interactions between Mary and Blake that made me think she was open to marriage. As for Ruth and Ike, well, their conversations never rang true.
The inconsistencies included CIA agents who had to be led by the hand (I wondered if they could fight their way out of a paper bag); everything is all hurry-up, hurry-up until it's more convenient to slow everything down; SEALs who don't know where to sit in a beached boat; cops and a reverend who have a hard time putting two and two together; and, those are just the highlights of what I remember (since I didn't take my usual notes).
I'd also like to know why Ike knows all about proper swearing, but neither he nor any of the CIA guys indulge in it. It leads me to suspect that Ramsay's Ike Schwartz series is intended to be a Christian novel.
There's nothing wrong with that, except where it impedes the sense of realism.
rclz's review against another edition
4.0
I don't always agree with the characters political/religious leanings but all the same I like the characters and the plots enough to keep reading.
canadianbookworm's review
3.0
This is from the series featuring Ike Schwartz, but is the only one I've read in that series. Ike is the sheriff of Picketsville, Virginia, but is also ex-CIA. When on a vacation by the water on the Delmarva peninsula, Ike is called by an old friend, Charlie Garland, still in the CIA.
Charlie's niece's fiance, Nick, disappeared a couple of months ago when flying a small plane and the family is looking for answers. Ike uses his old skills to backtrack and figure out where Nick and his plane ended up, but finds more questions arising. The search has led him into a situation of international terrorism.
Back home, acting sheriff Frank Sutherlin is looking into missing church silver and the questionable behaviour of a group of teens. Local pastor Blake Fisher suspects some of the local kids of being drawn into satanic worshiping without full knowledge of the consequences.
From the domestic to the international, there is a lot going on here and the action gets very intense at times. Another book that will keep you reading right until the end.
Charlie's niece's fiance, Nick, disappeared a couple of months ago when flying a small plane and the family is looking for answers. Ike uses his old skills to backtrack and figure out where Nick and his plane ended up, but finds more questions arising. The search has led him into a situation of international terrorism.
Back home, acting sheriff Frank Sutherlin is looking into missing church silver and the questionable behaviour of a group of teens. Local pastor Blake Fisher suspects some of the local kids of being drawn into satanic worshiping without full knowledge of the consequences.
From the domestic to the international, there is a lot going on here and the action gets very intense at times. Another book that will keep you reading right until the end.
More...