This week’s awesome reads
These four new books will have you completely hooked
NO EXIT
By TAYLOR ADAMS HarperCollins College student Darby Thorne braves a blizzard in the Colorado mountains to get home to see her estranged mom before she goes into cancer surgery. But the weather worsens and her old car isn’t up to it, forcing her to wait at a visitors’ centre rest stop in the mountains.
The weather traps four other travellers there and they’ll be stuck all night. When Darby goes back outside into the deepening snow to try to make a call on her dying phone, she discovers a child duct-taped and locked in a crate in the back of a van.
With no cellphone service and no chance of anyone getting to them until after the blizzard passes, Darby tries to work out which of the four people is the kidnapper, who to trust, and how to save the child.
Some of the twists are rather predictable and there are a few niggling plotholes but it’s a thrilla-second with plenty of tension. A gripping, quick read. – NATALIE CAVERNELIS
SEEING RED
By SANDRA BROWN Simon & Schuster Kerra Bailey is a TV journalist hot on the trail of a story that will help take her career to new heights. All she needs is an interview with the legendary Major Franklin Trapper, who gained fame when he was pictured leading a group of survivors out of a hotel after a bombing.
It’s been 25 years since the fateful day and the major, a US national icon, has dropped out of the public eye. Kerra will let nothing stand in the way of getting the interview. She has a secret weapon up her sleeve that’s guaranteed to get the major back into the spotlight and give her the ratings she craves.
Kerra lines up the interview only to have it rudely interrupted by gun-wielding men who seem to have it in for both the major and her. Working with the major’s estranged son, John, she not only has to find the gunmen but also solve a 25-year-old mystery.
Clever plots twists keep this from becoming a predictable romantic thriller, elevating it to gripping suspense. – THULANI GQIRANA
A SPARK OF LIGHT
By JODI PICOULT Hodder & Stoughton She’s the queen of ethical dilemma fiction – and this time Picoult explores the hot-button issue of abortion. When 15-year-old Wren McElroy walks into a women’s health centre to obtain a birthcontrol prescription, she unwittingly becomes a key figure in a hostage situation.
A man has opened fire on the clinic – the only one in Mississippi that provides abortions. As the drama unfolds we’re introduced to a doctor who, despite his conservative Christian upbringing, travels across the state to perform abortions; an elderly woman who came for a check-up; and a pregnant nurse who helps perform abortions. There’s also hostage negotiator Hugh McElroy – who just happens to be Wren’s father.
The characters are multidimensional, giving the reader insight into the author’s meticulous research on the subject of abortion – from its legality to its morality – while exposing themes of racism and gun control.
And in true Picoult fashion, the story has a twist. But this time she’s kept it fresh by unravelling her plot in reverse, with each chapter moving back an hour. Not exactly a light read but a must for fans. – LAVERN DE VRIES
INHUMAN RESOURCES
By PIERRE LEMAITRE MacLehose Alain Delambre used to be a human-resources executive at a big firm in Paris but lost his job four years ago when his employer downsized. Now, at age 57, he’s stuck in a menial job sorting cardboard boxes of medications.
When his supervisor reprimands him for being too slow, Alain head-butts him and breaks his nose. Thus, he finds himself out of another job. Meanwhile, Alain has responded to an advertisement from a headhunting firm looking to recruit a human resources assistant for a big company. He sends in his CV and is chosen as one of the four final candidates. But when Alain finds out it’s all a sham, he snaps. He wants a job and revenge.
This novel, translated from French, takes a long hard look at how people, especially older workers, respond to losing their jobs and the influence it can have on their families. It takes a while to get going and could easily have been shortened but once things start happening, the pace picks up. Alain transforms into a vengeful, cunning individual.
Although the ending feels somewhat unlikely, this quirky thriller is still a though-provoking and satisfying read. – ANDRÉ J BRINK you.co.za 21 FEBRUARY 2019