Rating: 
Summary: Too Complicated
Review: Hoag usually writes good novels but in Dark Horse it seems she tries to hard. There are almost too many twists and turns. The main character Estes suspects everyone and she should because there aren't really any nice characters in the novel. There is no one to care for, and the numerous twists and turns never allow the reader to settle into a comfort level. This novel is set in the horsing world which really isn't that exciting. This is Hoag's worst novel that I've read, and I've read around five or so.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not her best work
Review: Dark Horse was not a bad book, but it did take me an awful long time to read, which in my terms basically means that the story wasn't intriguing enough for me to not want to put it down. I liked the main character, Elena Estes, but it also seemed like more of the same as in many of her other books...female in a role of law enforcement that did something that has turned all her colleagues against her so she is now an outsider and must try to do her job while dealing with their animosity.. does anyone else feel like this formula is getting kind of old in her books. I'd like to maybe read something a little different for once. Aside from that fact, the story wasn't bad, it just wasn't that intriguing; and the ending was not very satifying to me. I'm still a fan of Tami Hoag, but I really did not find this to be her best work.
Rating:
Summary: A definite "skimmer"
Review: This book never really pulled me in. So, I ended up skimming through it, skipping the meandering paragraphs that didn't help the story line at all. A. The "feelings" between the two main characters seemed thrown in just to have some sort of "relaltionsbip". There was no chemistry between the two at all! B. The only character who was at all appealing was Molly, and she was 12 yers old! C. Many of the lines made me think I was in a Sam Spade novel. "She flashed a thousand-watt, toothpaste-ad smile that was nothing more than jaw muscles flexing." A few lines like this would have been amusing. But, a few hundred is overkill! I will say, this is one of the few Tami Hoag books I wasn't too jazzed about. So, I'm sure I'll buy her next.
Rating:
Summary: A definite "skimmer"
Review: This book never really pulled me in. So I ended up skimming through it, skipping the meandering paragraphs that didn't help the story line at all. A. The "feelings" between the two main characters seemed thrown in just to have some sort of "relationship." B. The only character who was at all appealing was Molly and she was 12 years old! C. And a lot of the lines made me think I was in a Sam Spade novel. "She flashed a thousand-watt, toothpaste-ad smile that was nothing more than jaw muscles flkexing." A few lines like this would have been amusing. But a few hundred is overkill! I will say this is one of the few Tami Hoag books I wasn't too jazzed about. So, I'm sure I'll buy her next!
Rating: 
Summary: A raw, emotional tale of hard choices
Review: Dark Horse by Tami Hoag is a complete and unabridged (15 hours, ten cassettes) audiobook thriller introducing Elaina Estes, a reckless female cop who is cast out of the ranks when her tactics cost the life of a fellow cop. Dispirited, Elaina retreats to Florida horse racing country, where she stumbles across a murderous intrigue of power and drugs behind an international riding competition. Yet proving her case could bring about the death of another innocent person - or quite possibly, herself! A raw, emotional tale of hard choices and insidious corruption is brilliantly narrated by Beth McDonald and enthusiastically recommended for anyone who enjoys a deftly written tale of crime and suspense.
Rating:
Summary: Really Unique
Review: I enjoyed this book because it took me into a new world in which I have little knowledge, and gave me enough information so that I could understand it, but not so much that it lost the story line. Elena, the main character is wonderfully human. She has depression issues and real problems from a beleivable cause. Many writers don't have something truly bad happen to a character, because it makes people uncomfortable. I for one was glad to see a real person. I think this was very well written, and a good read for those of you who like mysteries. This is not a romance, and if you like a healthy dose of romance in your series, I would try, Helen Myers, Nora Roberts or Erica Spindler. Very good book!
Rating:
Summary: Page-turning Suspense
Review: Elena Estes is a former member of the Palm Beach Narcotics Squad. Leading a life of solitude at the guesthouse of a friend, she has spent the last two years reliving the nightmare that ended her police career. Her unauthorized move at a drug bust resulted in the death of a colleague and life-threatening injuries for Elena. But when twelve-year-old Molly Seabright asks for Elena's help locating her missing sister, Erin, Elena reluctantly decides to come to the young girl's aid. Finding herself once again immersed in the Palm Beach equestrian world of her youth, Elena reinvents herself to become a woman in the market for a horse. Her inquiries lead her to Don Jade, a trainer suspected of misdeeds in the past, and the man for whom Erin worked as a horse groomer before she disappeared. Ms. Hoag's deft skill in creating mysteries provides readers with a whole host of suspects, all of whom seem to have something to hide. Tomas Van Zandt is a Belgian horse dealer who preys on the naiveté of young innocent women as well as older lonely ones. Paris Montgomery is the too nice assistant trainer to Don Jade with pieces missing in her story. And there is the dysfunctional Seabright family, Molly's stepbrother Chad who had a fling with Erin, much to the disappointment of his domineering father, Bruce. Molly's mother, Krystal, is a blonde kewpie doll woman who defers to her husband's every wish. As Elena explores the various avenues available to her, she makes the acquaintance of a Detective Landry, who at first dismisses her interest in the case because of her past history with the police department. As the clues and the body count mounts, he develops a reluctant respect and attraction for the brash Elena. Ms. Hoag's first-hand knowledge of the bright and dark sides of the Florida horse world lends a unique credibility to this read. As she develops the characters as possibly suspects, the suspense mounts carrying the reader on a quest for the answers to Erin's kidnapping. Beware, the tale isn't over until it is over, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader up long into the night. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Rating: 
Summary: Solid thriller!
Review: "Dark Horse" was the first Tami Hoag novel I have read---and I will be back for more. It is deeply plotted and richly written. The characters are well defined. You get to know them all extremely well. It is written in the first person. That allows the reader to learn plot point before the protagonist (ex cop Elena Estes.) Elena was let go from the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office after her aggressive action on a bust got a fellow cop killed. So, she has her demons to wrestle and begins the healing process of personal redemption in a kidnapping case. There are enough twists and turns and false leads that at one time or another I was certain of whodunit and was wrong on all occasions. Great deceptions. It is a great thriller set in the world of competitive horse jumping and dressage. I have zero interest in those equestrian sports, but the book is so well written I could not put it down. A solid "Bee Plus."
Rating:
Summary: Complex Whodonit
Review: I've enjoyed all Ms. Hoag's books and the fact that each of her books have been unique in their own way. There is no cookie cutter at work here. Dark Horse didn't disappoint, in fact, I had a hard time putting it down. Strong characters, an interesting relationship twist, and a gritty, complex plot for this "whodonit" keeps readers guessing at all the answers until the very end. With a cast of characters pretty much all guilty of something, it was very difficult to figure out this intricate crime-on-crime until the writer decided to reveal it. Another great read from Tami Hoag.
Rating:
Summary: Intricate and Intriguing
Review: This book was impressive and I was quite reluctant to put it down. Ms. Hoag weaves the many sub-plots together with grace and expertise. Although I guessed the kidnapping "mastermind" fairly early in the book, there were a couple twists that made the story quite a treat. This was my first Hoag book and I will definitely be checking out her other novels. Keep up the terrific work!
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