Rating: 
Summary: 3 1/2 stars
Review: See storyline above.I will say one thing for sure, this is a one day read. Not because it was good, but because there is a lot you can glance over and still not miss anything. Morrell seems to have become a bit subdued with this latest thriller, wich includes a few suspenseful parts and a lot of filler. With the quality of writing that Morrell has had in the past though, I'm not about to let his next novel go without reading it, hoping it's as good as his previous books.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good But Not Great Read: Long Lost by David Morrell
Review: Survival is a major theme of this recent psychological thriller from David Morrell. This amazingly fast read opens with a universal fear of parents everywhere-the disappearance of their child. In this case, the disappearance destroyed a family and left one son with tremendous guilt. Years ago, Brad Denning sent his younger brother, who wanted to do nothing more than hang out with his older brother and his friends, home from a local park. Giving in to peer pressure, Brad's last glimpse of his eight-year-old brother was of Petey pedaling down the street on his way home with his head hanging down. But, Petey never made it and the family was shattered. Soon his father spiraled into a drunken stupor, lost his job and then his life in a fatal car crash. They were forced to move in with his Mother's parents and she slowly shriveled away and died. Brad, while outwardly appearing successful and running his own thriving architectural business is haunted by the dreams and the guilt over his actions. Over the years, he has given the occasional media interview connected with his business and has spoken of his long lost brother. After the nationwide broadcast of a popular Sunday morning news program, several people who claim to be his brother contact him. They quickly prove to be scam artists. Then, outside his building he is hailed by a man who he does not recognize. The man appears to be homeless, but knows details only his brother would know. Slowly, over several hours he begins to believe the man in and accepts him as his brother. He takes the man in as his brother and begins to help him turn his life around. Then, the man disappears with Brad's wife, Kate and his son, Jason and the hunt begins for his missing family. While there is some character development, this novel relies primarily on action to move the story forward. The book quickly turns into one long extended chase scene as Brad follows a very cold trail across the country looking for his family. The introspective moments, such as they are, a few and far between and while Brad feels guilt over what has happened, the reader never really shares that guilt with him. This novel also relies on a technique promoted heavily these days as advice to writers to keep the chapters very short to encourage the short attention spanned reader to move along. Many chapters consist of just a couple of pages, while others consist of nothing more than a long paragraph and plenty of blank paper. This appearance of the work reinforces the notion from the text that this is a lightweight novel of very little substance and designed to be a fast read at the beach. As such it is perfectly good, but if one is expecting a complex and incredibly enjoyable novel such as his Brotherhood of the Rose (which this novel is mistakenly compared too in the jacket copy) unfortunately, this is not it. Take it for what it is and enjoy it, but don't have high expectations-they won't be met.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Really Good....
Review: This book has a very interesting set up to the plot and then, as quickly as getting pushed from a cliff into an icy stream, it launches into a very impluasable series of events as successful architect Brad Denning tries to track down and find the little brother that disappearred from his life many years before and has now returned to steal his wife, his child and his identity. The little brother's motivation for doing this is poorly fleshed out and the eventual confrontation between siblings is so wildly implausable that at the end you find yourself shaking your head and wondering..."Now what the hell was that all about?" I'd like to know the answer.
Rating:
Summary: An Easy Worth-While "Thriller" Read
Review: This books does not hook you early-on and thus it is probably more a movie script than a usual "thriller" novel. I found it an easy enjoyable read and finished it quickly. It is the story wherein a younger brother of the hero was kidnapped as a child, mistreated, and grew up to be something of a monster. He returns to kidnap the wife and son of his older brother. This book details the hunt for the kidnapper and his victims. It has an ambiguous ending because it is only partly "happy." The novel works on many levels because it deals with fears we all have in this day and age. The author's other works were also enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: IGNORE THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS
Review: This is a fast paced and enjoyable thriller that surpasses Morrell's previous book BURNT SIENNA, and features elements of his earliest novels, FIRST BLOOD and TESTAMENT as well as his more recent ASSUMED IDENTITY. So is he running out of ideas? Are you going to feel ripped off by LONG LOST? Some of the reviews posted would have you believe this, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is worth your taking the time to read, so just ignore the negative reviews and give it a try. By no means is this Morrell's best work, but it's no loser either. The climax is truly chilling and there are several plot twists that play with your mind a little.
Rating:
Summary: A Mild Disappointment
Review: This was a mild disappointment. David Morrell is one of the authors on my "to read" list; I feel an obligation and duty to read every new book he writes. This is especially true after having read and listened to BLACK EVENING, where he explained the origin, development and intent of his writing style and then gave examples of his talent in several excellent short stories. In LONG LOST, Brad Denning is confronted by a man who says he's Brad's long lost brother, Petey. Brad is stunned. He wants desperately to believe it's Petey because Brad feels responsible for his disappearance when they were both kids. Written in the first person, past tense, Brad narrates his desperate search for Petey who, after being accepted into Brad's household, has stolen the most valuable things in his life, his wife and son. While Brad is convinced that the kidnapper is Petey, the authorities claim he is really Lester Dant, an orphaned, troubled con man. As the story progresses, it became apparant to me that Brad is motivated to find his wife and son more by wanting to hurt Dant than the expressed love for his family. He begins to act as he believes Dant would act in different situations as a way to track him down. Using that method he uncovers Dant's abusive past, and although troubling, it's not enough to diminish his relentless search for Dant and hopefully Brad's wife and son. The well-written climax has action and a personal conflict but unfortunately is fairly predictable and not up to Morrell's standards. I'd suggest you only read it if it's on your own "to read" list.
Rating: 
Summary: In A Word, Awful
Review: This was quite possibly the worst book I ever read. First Blood was, of course, a classic and The Testament great, but Morrell hasn't written anything good in years. Don't waste your time on this ridiculous story and characters, even as bathroom reading. Even his most diehard fans couldn't possibly like this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great - 3 1/2 stars
Review: With Long Lost, David Morrell presents a suspenseful, yet profoundly disturbing story of regret and revenge. Brad Denning has grown up with the haunting guilt that he is responsible for the disappearance of his younger brother when they were both kids. After years of tortuous thoughts about what his life and the lives of his family members would have been like if he could have a "do over" on that fateful day, his brother unexpectedly comes into his life. A happy reunion quickly turns sour and Brad finds himself in a life and death struggle. As he searches for his wife and son, he slowly comes to fully understand the path of destruction set in motion after his brother disappeared. It is story of a simple twist of fate with very negative consequences. Although choppy in places and with a subject matter that is clearly not for the squeamish, Morrell effectively uses the first person narrative to tell the story from Brad Dennings' perspective. The frequent twists, turns and action sequences make Long Lost a very quick read. All things considered, Long Lost is good but not great.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great - 3 1/2 stars
Review: With Long Lost, David Morrell presents a suspenseful, yet profoundly disturbing story of regret and revenge. Brad Denning has grown up with the haunting guilt that he is responsible for the disappearance of his younger brother when they were both kids. After years of tortuous thoughts about what his life and the lives of his family members would have been like if he could have a "do over" on that fateful day, his brother unexpectedly comes into his life. A happy reunion quickly turns sour and Brad finds himself in a life and death struggle. As he searches for his wife and son, he slowly comes to fully understand the path of destruction set in motion after his brother disappeared. It is story of a simple twist of fate with very negative consequences. Although choppy in places and with a subject matter that is clearly not for the squeamish, Morrell effectively uses the first person narrative to tell the story from Brad Dennings' perspective. The frequent twists, turns and action sequences make Long Lost a very quick read. All things considered, Long Lost is good but not great.
Rating:
Summary: Plodding and uninspired
Review: Years ago when Brad Denning was a child, his eleven-year-old younger brother, Petey, was kidnapped, never to return. Now Brad is a famous architect with a wife, Kate, and an eleven-year-old son, Jason, who are his world. But he has never forgotten his brother's disappearance and when a homeless, unkempt man shows up outside his Denver office claiming to be Petey and knowing things only Petey could know, Brad is overwhelmed with joy and invites him into his home. Only a few days later, when they're all on a camping trip together, Petey shoves Brad over a cliff and runs off with his wife and son. Brad, fueled by both love and revenge, is determined to rescue his family and punish this stranger, whoever he is. Is he Petey, the long lost brother? Or is he, as the FBI thinks, someone totally different? With nothing left to lose, Brad sets off across the country trying to follow Petey's trail in search of answers. While LONG LOST does contain a riveting action scene down in a cellar full of snakes, it has little else to offer. The prose is without poetry, the characters paper thin, and Brad's quest without enough spice to fill up an entire book. Morrell did succeed in confusing me with his various identity twists along the way, but it was the sort of confusion that lost me entirely and left me uninspired to slog through to the resolution. I would have liked to get to know Kate and Jason better before they disappeared, because as it was I had little to look forward to in finding them. If you like high suspense thrillers with great characters, action, and motivations, this novel is likely to disappoint. However, fans of Morrell may very well find something to enjoy here and should at least give LONG LOST a skim.
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