Rating: 
Summary: Boring and a waste of reading time
Review: A lazy effort at best. Not one solid character or developed plot. Painful to finish; I wish I had'nt.
Rating: 
Summary: Suspense-Filled.
Review: Blind Side is an exciting, page-turning suspense filled novel. I couldn't put it down from page one. Thoroughly enjoyed the character Sheriff Katie Benedict. She's tough, yet full of compassion for Sam, the little boy that was kidnapped not once but three times. Easy reading, yet not predictable.
Adele Medolla author of Sex, Obsession and Murder
Rating: 
Summary: "Great addition to series"
Review: Blindside by Catherine Coulter is a great addition to this on going series! The action is nonstop and the plot exciting!
Rating: 
Summary: First and last Catherine Coulter book
Review: Boring!! I forced myself to finish this one. Looked good when I picked it up but was very disappointed. Would have to agree with other on-line reviews!!!
Rating: 
Summary: (2 1/2) BLINDSIDED AND DISAPPOINTED
Review: Catherine Coulter's editor did her a major disservice by not insisting on an extensive rewrite prior to the publication of this book. While it is advertised as "an FBI Thriller" and the next book in the series featuring Dillon Savich and his wife Lacey Sherlock, the author's attempt to fit the book into that mold in order to appeal to her loyal readers will probably backfire by disappointing them. Just as in her previous book, THE ELEVENTH HOUR, Savich and Sherlock are peripheral to the main plot, as is in fact the whole FBI. AND BY TRYING TO GIVE THEM A MEANINGFUL ROLE SHE HAS DETRACTED FROM WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRST CLASS NOVEL.The book begins as a standard FBI procedural, with Savich trying to track down an apparent serial killer of math teachers in the Washington, D.C. area. However, after a few chapters that case becomes almost an afterthought to the central plot, the kidnapping of six-year-old Sam Kettering, the son of Savich's friend and widowed former FBI agent Miles Kettering. Sam escapes his kidnappers after being mysteriously tranported to eastern Tennessee and is saved from being recaptured by the local sheriff, Katie Benedict. (This all happens within the first thirty pages.) As he gradually recovers from the post traumatic stress brought on by his ordeal, Sam forms a strong bond with Keely, Katie's five-year-old daughter. So, the stage is set. The kidnappers are still on the loose. The reasons for Sam's kidnapping are a complete mystery. Miles is a former FBI agent who wants to interface with the local FBI office. Of course, Savich and Sherlock want to help their good friend. As the investigation begins, it soon leads to the Reverend Sooner McCamy and his beautiful wife Elsbeth. They appeared in town several years ago and he has founded a very strict fundamentalist evangelical church and which has attracted an extremely devoted congregation. Clearly these elements provide enough potential for a great plot, an interesting police procedural, and a concomitant opportunity to examine how moments of stress can become life changing experiences (for Sam, Keely, Katie, and Miles). Unfortunately, the negatives of the book outweigh the positives. The dialog is stilted and often seems contrived; it was also jarring to me that in their conversations the characters are consistently referred to by their first names as is Dillon (Savich), yet throughout the book even in the same paragraphs the author constantly refers to him as Savitch. It is understanable since this has been his personna throughout the series, but the constant juxtaposition is disturbing. (This is one of the many things a good proofreader should have caught; among other errors even the number of teachers murders as listed in the promotional blurb on the dust jacket is incorrect.) The chapter breaks were on occasion absurd. It seemed like in an attempt to mimic James Patterson the publisher decided no chapters could be too long so some breaks were even right in the middle of conversations. (E.g. pages 196 and 232) One other minor complaint is that I still have no idea why Valerie Ripper was in this story except to provide some misdirection. More importantly than these minor annoyances, I have five major complaints which are responsible for my low rating. First, the story is more like a Harlequin romance novel than an FBI thriller. Second, the villians seem almost immortal. They are constantly put in situations where they should be captured or killed but continually and sometimes miraculously escape to continue to torment Miles, Katie, Keely and Sam. However, after the first few times the surprise element is gone and it just seems unreal. And it also seems that it would have ocurred to Katie and Miles that danger continued to exist. Third, early during the book it becomes relatively obvious who is behind the kidnapping, and while the reasons remain a mystery a lot of the intrigue disappears. Fourth, Sam and Keely are wonderful, but a lot of their charm is the innocence engendered by their youth. Yet, in order for the plot to work, they have to be so precocious for their ages that it strains the reader's credulity. Last, the D.C. murders are solved almost as an afterthought to flesh out the book and give Savich a larger role, but the two cases are totally unrelated and the reader is provided basically no meaningful clue in that case until after the murderer is apprehended. So what saved this book from a one star rating? First, Sam And Keely and their magical relationship. The author actually made it come alive. They and Katie, whose character was wonderfully drawn, were the central elements of the story and if a lot of the distractions were eliminated this story could have been first rate. Second, the way the story evoked the small town rhythms of eastern Tennessee and the beauty of the Smoky Mountains resonated with me. Third, the basic elements of the plot had great potential if there had been a greater element of mystery and the solution had involved a greater examination of the philosophical implications inherent in the crime. Fourth, it was a very fast moving, easy read that kept my attention despite its flaws. So, I generously rounded up my rating to three stars, and recognize that die hard C fans might enjoy this book. But if you haven't read ELEVENTH HOUR, read that instead. It is a better plot, although the characters aren't quite as good except with the exception of Nick Jones. But the reason that the technique of two mysteries works so well in that story is that they are ineluctably interrelated, rather than simply a device which in the end detracts from a more nuanced development of the main story.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read!
Review: Coulter takes the reader on a thrilling ride with a plot that keeps one riveted. Looking forward to the next Coulter story.
Rating:
Summary: More than a disappointment...
Review: Flat characters, an underdeveloped plot, stilted dialogue and a flimsy romantic subplot make this book Coulter's worst to date. Sherlock and Savich, the series' primary characters, provide moral support as Miles Kettering and Sheriff Katie Benedict rush out to nab the bad guys, who tried (twice) to kidnap Miles's son, Sam. Miles and Katie have only one suspect -- a creepy minister with old-fashioned values and a love of pain. Instead of doing any real investigative work to find evidence linking the minister to the kidnappings, Miles and Katie push themselves into his house and demand answers. Of course, the minister doesn't confess, but that doesn't stop Miles and Katie from returning to his house to try and wring a confession out of him a few days later. The protagonists' actions are mind-numbingly inane -- three times, they fail to tie up the bad guys and allow them to escape. Three times! Then Miles and Katie hastily decide to marry even though they display almost no affection for each other throughout the investigation. Their logic? Well, Miles's son and Katie's daughter get along wonderfully, so they might as well marry to keep the children together, right? Readers will find themselves rolling their eyes and groaning in frustration at several points in this tale. Many will also find themselves wondering how a veteran author could publish such a slapdash novel. It's sad when substandard books like this make bestseller lists and sadder still when authors like Coulter get lazy and fall down on their game. If you absolutely must read this novel because you are a Coulter fan, get it from the library. This isn't worth [$$]. It isn't even worth the price it'll be when it comes out in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Not the best of the FBI series
Review: For the most part, the plot was VERY choppy. She added in Savich & Sherlock into this book but if you haven't read the previous books in her series, it would be confusing. It almost seemed that Coulter tried to take 2 short books and combine them unsuccessfully. I never felt invested in the main characters, Katie and Miles. Even by the end, there didn't seem to be any chemistry between Katie and Miles. The main plot line just seemed to wither out. Also, she tried to add small stories on the edges that don't mix well. Just page fillers. Writer's block and a tight deadline? Not her finest, that's for sure. Read Coulter's first in this series and only read this one if you LOVE Sherlock and Savich and you just have to have another glimpse.
Rating:
Summary: A complete waste of my time
Review: How this is getting high reviews I will never know. IT is positively one of the worst books I have ever read. It is on a 3rd grade level and insulted my intelligence. I will not ever purchase or read one by this author ever again.
Rating:
Summary: Catherine Coulter scores another BIG hit!
Review: Husband and wife FBI team Savich and Sherlock are back in their most grueling case yet. Six year-old Sam Kettering is kidnapped, but as his father FBI agent Miles Kettering, has taught him, he fights his way to freedom. Rescued by sheriff Kate Benedict, Sam is safely returned to his father, but his nightmare is far from over. Savich and Sherlock begin their search for the kidnappers, but two questions remain unanswered...Why was Sam the target, and why do the kidnappers want him so badly? The search for answers leads Savich and Sherlock to strange evangelist Reverend Sooner McCamy, and his wife, but a shocking turn leads to more unanswered questions, and if that's not bad enough the couple is pulled into an additional case, one that has them on a hunt for the killer of five teachers in Washington, D.C. 'Blindside' is another stunning entry in the FBI thriller series. The gripping plot is peopled with likable characters, and twists galore. The pages turn fast as two separate story lines unfold all leading to an explosive climax. Catherine Coulter has, once again, scored a big hit with a novel that's better than the previous entries in the FBI series, and that's no small accomplishment because all the novels in this series are great. Combining action, murder, great characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists Coulter continues to dazzle with novels that are original and entertaining, and are sure to please her legion of fans. Readers of this fast-paced series will lap this up in one sitting, and be anxious for the next entry. A MUST read! Nick Gonnella
| 
