Backwater

By: Allen Kent

Narrated by: Paul J. McSorley

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

They kidnapped his daughter. It’s the biggest mistake they’ve ever made....

When a caller claiming to have abducted 10-year-old Andrea Curren refuses to provide her father with "proof of life", Blake Curren turns the tables on the kidnappers. If the girl is not returned within 24 hours, Curren offers the amount demanded to anyone who can return his daughter safely or kill the people who have taken her.

A race against time...

In this suspenseful mystery, two local teens find themselves caught in the murky backwaters of a deadly hunt, as a professional killer and a retired newsman race the FBI to determine what has happened to Andrea Curren.

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©2012 Kent Farnsworth (P)2021 Kent Farnsworth

solid and enjoyable mystery

I did figure out half of it pretty close to the beginning but the second part was definitely a puzzler. Allen Kent's writing is a lot of careful weaving of multiple characters and story lines but also very well done. I did feel like the professional killer could have used a bit more character development or maybe a prequel novel where we would get to see the evolution of his eventual life choices. There were quite a few characters that I got a bit muddled over at the beginning. But I think that's also the challenges of listening to a book versus reading it. I couldn't go back and remind myself who was who and where they fit in. I think that's part of what I find enjoyable though; trying to solve the crime before the characters in the book do. It was also a cool idea making the "detective" be a professional killer. Original concept!

I kind of felt for the narrator as he had to have long dialogue that took place while characters were jogging (and a bit out of breath) but then again Paul J. McSorley is a professional and handled that with ease. I think a narrator is successful when you forget you're being "read" to and just see the characters and the story. And that's exactly what happened here.

It looks like this is the first in a series and I thoroughly recommend it to mystery lovers.

Convoluted Mystery

Allen Kent has written a mystery which relates the tale of a father who receives a call asking for ransom money for his child. The father tells the caller that they either return the daughter or he'll pay the ransom money the person requested to anyone who can "take care" of whomever abducted his daughter. I found the concept interesting and the story convoluted and entertaining. I enjoyed the many twists and turns that Allen Kent has put into his narrative; however, there are a couple of scenes that are somewhat gruesome due to the subject matter and not to the actual content. Paul J McSorley's narration is good and adds a layer of enjoyment to the story. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily left this review.

Another good one from Kent!

Who can resist this plot? You just have to find out what happens! This one has its own twists and turns and gets pretty dark. If you enjoy a good ransom / kidnapping thriller, this is a good one. Well done by Allen Kent and great narration by PJM!

mystery and journey

I read the Unit 1 series before this one so I had gotten a later look at two prominent characters in this story. If you haven’t read that series and like this book, I highly recommend it. I really enjoyed the meeting and development and the mystery and journey this book took.

Beyond my expectations

So enjoyed the audiobook. I fortunately I had a project that would take all day and "Backwater" kept me entertained while completing said project. Being from the Midwest myself was an extra treat as I knew the exact setting. I enjoyed the storyline and well developed characters. I would recommend "Backwater" in book form for those who prefer to read vs listen. I will look forward to more adventures by Michael Bond. I highly recommend this author.

Outstanding Vigilante Justice/Domestic Thriller

Backwater, my third outstanding read from author Allen Kent. Without wasting time the author takes off from the opening page like a fighter jet off an aircraft carrier. Outstanding Vigilante Justice/Domestic Thriller fiction, with well-written characters & plot you can buy into with unexpected twists & turns. Paul J. McSorley's narration adds to the pleasure of a well-written book. I look forward to reading more from this author and since I own a total of 19 books by him I eagerly look forward to reading more! “I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Worth a second read!

I didn't realize I had already read this book when I started listening to it but about three quarters of the way through I thought hey I read this before! Listening to someone else tell the story is totally different though as you have a narrator performing a lot of the main characters. I think that is why I didn't realize but even though I had I still came to the wrong conclusion lol, so its always worth reading or listening again! This is a really great book and I enjoyed it very much. The author has a way of writing that holds your attention and in a round about way of hiding all the details. I have read many of Mr. Kent's books and have been totally engrossed in them. He writes different genres that are really interesting from suspense, to spy to romance you always get your money's worth!
I received a free download of this book from the publisher to listen to on Audible. This review is my own honest opinion.

Justice

Backward Book 1 is a novel by Allen Kent. This thriller is fantastic. It is every parent's worst nightmare, their child did not come home. Blake is wealthy and ripe for ransom. He hires an equalizer to find his daughter and kill her kidnapper. I thought the characters were so realistic and believable. The book is fast paced and Paul J McSorley did an outstanding narration. I believe that this story is a must listen for anyone who enjoys thrillers.