Monday, September 2, 2019

29 Seconds Review



Title:  29 Seconds
Author:  T.M. Logan
Genre:  Suspense Thriller
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  Sept. 10, 2019 (U.S.A.)
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4.5 Powerful Hearts


*With many thanks to St. Martin's Press for an arc of this book.


Synopsis:
Give me one name. One person. And I will make them disappear . . .

When Sarah rescues a young girl in trouble, she expects nothing in return. But her act of bravery puts a powerful and dangerous man in her debt. He lives by his own brutal code, and all debts must be repaid - in the only way he knows how.

He offers Sarah a way to solve a desperate situation with her intolerable boss. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that will make all her problems disappear.

No consequences. No comeback. No chance of being found out.

All it takes is a 29 second phone call.

Because everyone has a name to give. Don't they?

Review:
29 Seconds is a taut, beautifully crafted thriller that begs the question:  Is there anything you wouldn't do if your back was pressed against the wall and you were on the verge of losing everything?  Dr. Sarah Haywood is a temporary research assistant in line for a permanent position at Queen Anne University.  By all rights, Sarah should get the upcoming department promotion as she has put in her time and paid her dues.  Unfortunately, her fate is in the hands of her immediate supervisor Professor Hawthorne - an influential, devious sexual predator who's made it crystal clear the only way Sarah will get a promotion is to submit to his sexual demands.  Hawthorne is one of the untouchables as he's earned his crown in the workplace good-old-boy's club.  The man is a snake whose sordid reputation is so well-known among women co-workers that they've developed a list of rules for surviving his unwanted advances.  Rule #1 - Never, ever be alone with him. Through Sarah's point of view, readers see a desperate woman who has reached the end of her rope as she faces a life-altering decision.  One that sorely tests her convictions and morals after an unexpected event results in her being thrown a lifeline - a one time chance to be rid of Hawthorne for good.  A short window of opportunity has opened, but it means making a deal with the devil.  Are the unexpected consequences worth the price?  

29 Seconds is a taut, fast-paced thriller with sharp curves that will keep you on your toes.  I quickly became totally engrossed in this story that tackles the never-ending issue of sexual harassment of employees in the workplace by an influential superior.  The torrid pace and menacing tone had my heart racing as I burned through pages to uncover the outcome.  Logan masterfully manipulates these characters into stressful situations and then charges them with finding their own way out, painting an all-too-real picture of survival of the fittest in a toxic workplace where upper management turns a blind eye to a manipulative, abusive sexual predator.  By way of a twisted, tightly woven plot line, the author explores morals and facing the consequences of ones actions.  His interspersed descriptive passages of Sarah's everyday home life with her two girls clearly defines what's at stake for Sarah as readers are afforded an opportunity to understand what she has to lose should she fail. I devoured this book and thought I was prepared for the ending, but Hello!  Logan still managed to surprise me in the end!  Brilliantly written and delivered, 29 Seconds is a fantastic story that fans of suspense thrillers will love!

My Rating:  4.5 Powerful Hearts
Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra



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