Ransom

By: Danielle Steel

Narrated by: Ron McLarty

A violent crime brings together four lives in Danielle Steel’s sixtieth bestselling novel, the story of a mother’s courage, a family’s terror, and a triumph of human strength and dignity in the face of overwhelming odds.

Outside the gates of a California prison, Peter Morgan is released after four long years and vows to redeem himself in the eyes of the young daughters he left behind. Simultaneously, Carl Waters, a convicted murderer, is set on the path of freedom with him. That night, three hundred miles south in San Francisco, police detective Ted Lee comes home to a silent house; for twenty-nine years, he has been living for his job—and slowly falling out of love with his wife. Across town, in an exclusive Pacific Heights neighborhood, a mother tries to shield her three children from the panic rising within her. Four months after her husband’s death, Fernanda Barnes faces a mountain of debt she cannot repay, a world destroyed, and a marriage lost.

Within weeks, the lives of these four people will collide in ways none of them could have foreseen. For Fernanda, whose life had once been graced by beautiful homes, security, success, and stunning wealth, the death of her brilliant, brooding husband was already too much to bear. She simply couldn’t imagine a greater loss, until a devastating crime rocks her family to its core—and brings Detective Ted Lee into her life.
A man of unshakable integrity, Lee will soon become the one person who tries to save Fernanda’s family from a terrifying fate. Fernanda must draw on a strength she never knew she had. Racing against time in the underbelly of the criminal world, buffeted by the dark side of power, and unmoored by loss and betrayal, no one can predict where this tragedy will take them.

Danielle Steel brilliantly explores the collision of a shocking crime with the ordinary lives of its victims in a novel that mesmerizes from start to finish. Ransom is at once a riveting evocation of life’s inexplicable turns of fate and a testament to the human will to survive.©2004 Danielle Steel; (P)2004 Random House, Inc., Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“The world's most popular author tells a good, well-paced story and explores some important issues . . . Steel affirm[s] life while admitting its turbulence, melodramas, and misfiring passions.”—Booklist

“Danielle Steel writes boldly and with practiced vividness about tragedy—both national and personal . . . with insight and power.”—The Nashville Banner

Different from DS usual plots and settings

Very much enjoyed the story and the plot… crime story that takes a turn for a romantic ending

Ransom Almost 5 stars!

95% of this was great, I held back on 5 stars due to the language. This story line could have been just as effective without the language. No one needs to F bomb at all and I was surprised actually because it directly affects the integrity of the writer and the story. The characters were strong and it was somewhat suspenseful. Without being a spoiler the outcome was good. The last few chapters were the meat of the story, so much so that I had to carve out time to finish the last 30 minutes without having to wait until days end to know how it all comes together.

Superb!!! I'll Read It Over & Over!!!

I'm A Die Hard Danielle Steel Romance Fan And This Is One Of The Best Mystery's I've Ever Read!!!

Excellent

This novel by Danielle Steel represents a significant departure from her typical writing style, offering a unique and captivating narrative that thoroughly engaged me throughout the entire reading experience. The book's distinctive approach and compelling storytelling kept me enthralled from beginning to end, providing a refreshing and unexpected literary journey that diverges from the author's more conventional works.

Intriguing scary but heartwarming

I loved All of it! Spell binding! Different for Danielle Steel
I couldn’t put it down