Rating:  Summary: Not up to the standard set by previous books Review: This book did not meet the expectations set by having read the previous mystery/thrillers by Iris Johansen. The characters lacked depth and seemed to be thrown together. The book only skimmed the surface of the story. At first, it was difficult to tell who the main character of the story was, and the twist that occurred was a rude and disruptive way to establish the main character.The book had some great elements: The Wind Dancer, the president's daughter in a catatonic state, a submject who had experience with this kind of rescue, an enigmatic hero, a ruthless killer. These should have made a great story, but didn't. I am a die-hard fan of Iris Johansen who was very disappointed in this book. I may have to go back to read some of her previous books just to regain some joy in her wrting. Her previous books, The Ugly Duckling, And Then You Die, Faces of Deception were MUCH MUCH better than this.
Rating:  Summary: Disappointed Review: I was really disappointed with this fourth novel in the wind dancer series. I've read almost all her books and found this one terribly disappointing.
Rating:  Summary: FULL-THROTTLE SUSPENSE Review: In Vasaro, France seven-year-old Cassie Andreas, the U.S. President's daughter, awakens to find a heinous massacre taking place in the family's farmhouse estate. Everyone, including her Secret Service bodyguards and her nanny (who ended up betraying her) has been killed. She begins a desperate search for a family heirloom called the Wind Dancer, which she feels will provide an emotional escape from the bloodshed around her. Just as she finds the statute, she is saved from certain death by a mysterious stranger named Michael Travis, and slips into catatonic trauma. We learn that Travis is an elusive underworld "information" broker and thief. President Jonathan Andreas is not sure if Travis is the hero he appears to be, or if he had another reason for being at the estate that evening. Andreas moves Cassie to the Virginia home of Dr. Jessica Riley, who helped her own sister Melissa come back from the same condition. Jessica doesn't seem to be getting anywhere with Cassie, but when Melissa returns to visit at the same time that Travis bargains his way back onto American soil, things begin to heat up tremendously. Although it appears that Melissa has a "special" connection with Cassie that Jessica cannot understand, it is Travis who holds the key to Cassie's recovery. He soon launches a deadly game of Russian roulette with the little girl's life, drawing them all into an international nightmare in which one of the main characters is brutally murdered, and the others are left to create the bait that will flush out a killer. FINAL TARGET starts with a bang and escalates from there. This is a solid chase that features restrained passions, coolly determined characters, and unspeakable danger. 4 Stars. This is a solid, entertaining read. The characters are very well developed and the dialogue is sharp. However, a little more information about catatonic trauma would have added more depth and believability to the plot.
Rating:  Summary: A dissapointment Review: I enjoy Iris Johansen because she writes suspensful, romantic books. This is one is convoluted, implausible, improbable and at times borders on the absurd. Not her best work by far - The Search and Ugly Duckling were both much better.
Rating:  Summary: A Dangerous Passage Review: Cassie Andreas, the six year old daughter of President Andreas of the United States, escaped into a tunnel of her own psychological making after seeing the people she trusted murdedred around her. President Andreas hired Jessica Riley to help bring Cassie out of her catatonic state when no one else can reach her. Jssica is particularly qualified to help Cassie because her own sister had a similar experience when their parents were killed in a fire. Jessica's sister, Melissa, emerged from her coma with a terrifying talent...she had the ability to see danger in the future. Final Target begins with Melissa finding her way home to Jessica's house in the country where Jessica is working with Cassie. Melissa is having dreams about something terrible happening to Jessica and suddenly finds that she can communicate with Cassie. Michael Travis is an unlikely hero with a questionable past who arrives at their country home as a guest of the president. Neither Melissa nor Jessica know whether to trust Michael or not, however Cassie seems to relate to him and he quickly becomes the only one who can help calm her when she is having one of her nightmares. Melissa, Jessica and Michael eventually form a tense alliance kidnapping Cassie to take her back to the scene of the original crimes. Read the book to find out how it all is resolved to help Cassie recover. The suspense is good, and the book is a quick read.
Rating:  Summary: A Fast Paced Read Review: A Very good paranormal romantic suspense book. I was caught up in the story and didn't want to put it down. The hero was caught up in his own agenda, already set into motion, when he learned the president's daughter was in danger. He stepped in to help but still had to finish his dealings. This took away from the book for some but I thought it made a "one step ahead of the killer" fast paced read.
Rating:  Summary: My first and only Johansen... Review: I've never read an Iris Johansen novel-I even have one on my shelf, THE KILLING GAME-but this one was very different from her suspense, or so I've heard. I liked this one a lot, but I have to say that I will not read her older works or her upcoming novels. Just can't get into Eve Duncan and so on.
Rating:  Summary: Boring, Implausible, a real disappointment Review: This story was just too convulted, implausible and just plain boring. Too much going on with Michael Travis with the Russians, the CIA, Deschamps. Began to be unbelievable when the President actually allows an unsavory hero to be at the same location as his daughter who is in a catatonic state (like there's no place else in the world to hide out!)yet tells the Riley sisters not to talk to him. How they are able to sneak out of the US to Amsterdam, another implausibility. Couldn't wait to finish it so I could move on to another story.
Rating:  Summary: Not her best Review: ...This is not her best work. The characters were not developed at all. The plot was somewhat believable and the action fast paced. You just cannot identify and understand the main characters, especially Michael. Hope her next book is better.
Rating:  Summary: Explosive!! Review: I just completed one of the best suspense novels ever! Iris Johansen in her fourth Wind Dancer series has struck gold once again. Can this author tell a story or what? The story begins with a kidnapping attempt on the President's daughter which was aborted by Michael Travis who seems to be a pretty shady underworld character. When 7 year old Cassie Andreas witnesses the murder of her bodyguards and nurse she withdraws from the world, leaving her in a catatonic state and the only emotions she emits are through her dreams. President Andreas enlists the aid of Dr. Jessica Riley, who has dealt with patients who have been traumatized and places Cassie in her care at her residence with around the clock agents. One of Jessica's patients was her younger sister Melissa who witnessed their parents' death and who also went through almost the same condition as Cassie. Somehow Melissa and Cassie's nightmares are linked so much so that Melissa leaves college to come home to her sister and now the stuff really hits the fan. There is just so much nonstop action going on here and this novel will keep wondering just who are the good guys. Don't miss out on this powerful novel as it will hold your attention til the very end.
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