Rating: 
Summary: Good book, but hard to get into
Review: This certainly wasn't one of Pearson's best, but once you get past the first 100 pages, the book is pretty good. I had such a hard time getting through the beginning of the book, I actually thought I might just skip this one. Once the story finally got going the book was quite good. There was a lot going on, and the character's personal lives were not explored in as much detail as the past. Also, the constant references to past cases (i.e. the previous books) did not help the story much. Over all, the book was good, though not one of the best.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Thriller That Gets Too Bogged Down
Review: Being a big Ridley Pearson fan, I could not wait to jump into "The First Victim". What I found was the typical Pearson novel with great insight, solid character development and quick paced story. Pearson only delivers the first two in "The First Victim". The novel is a bear to start. The first 100 pages are down right dull and the action is very slow. What action there is mentioned on the side. Where the story does get rolling is the middle, as Lou Boldt and his team start piecing together evidence. Sadly the ending slows again and is very much a let down.The story revolves around illegal immigrants, that are forced to work in sweatshops. An accident pulls Boldt into the investigation where he finds three illegals dead. Reporter Stevie McNeal starts investigating also looking for a big scoop. When McNeal's sister ends up missing, while helping McNeal by going undercover, the pressure to find her helps push the novel. It slowly becomes a three-way tug of war between Boldt, McNeal and an INS agent named Coughlie. The one thing I took away from this novel is the fact that the news media have way too much power. The use of the First Admendment is all over this book. Half way throught this novel I started disliking the McNeal character. This may not be Pearson's best, but if you are a true fan you will give it a try. New Pearson readers may want to try one of his older novels and try this one later.
Rating:
Summary: Lou Boldt is the best!
Review: Ridley Pearson is the greatest mystery/thriller writer I have read lately (John Grisham -- phooey!). And now I have read all his books except for Middle of Nowhere. The First Victim wasn't one of my most favorite of his books but it was still wonderful. The reason I didn't like this one as much is because there was barelky any interaction with Daphne, but it does stand on it's own as a great piece of writing. I love the attention to the police procedures that is shown through Lofgrin and the other characters (reminds me a bit of Patricia Cornwell's attention to detail). And as always, Ridley does pay great attention to depth of character, pulling you into their lives and flipping htat old curiousity switch. I haven't read up on this latest A&E bit, but I can't think of a more respected entity to provide us access to Lou Boldt and Daphne, etc. I look forward to it!
Rating:
Summary: It's classic Ridley, you can't be disappointed
Review: Pearson steps out of the ever popular "serial killer on the loose" format used so often these days. A container of illegal immigrants being smuggled into the US lands in the water and opens up a hot-bed of chaos surrounding underground sweat shops. It is fast paced, well researched, and we get to spend time with some of our favorite characters. There are several aspects of the book which are similar to his others, such as tension at home and friction with another law enforcement agency. This time, however, it's the INS. Nevertheless, I still truly enjoy Ridley Pearson's books and suffer a bit of a slump after I've devoured one. This is no exception.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book great read and would recomend it to others
Review: I thought the way that ridley intertwines the police procedure with educational learning about other aspects of forensic science makes him one of best authors in this genre. I like how he puts the victims first with Boldt and everything else secondary.
Rating: 
Summary: The dark underbelly of modern-day slave traders revealed
Review: Ridley Pearson reminds me of James Mitchner: he always does his homework. His latest work is another winner. "The First Victim" exposes the horrifying ordeal many endure to gain their freedom through a yarn involving my favorite detective, Lou Bolt. Centering on the expoitation of illegal aliens, Bolt and company work smart and fast in spite of the beauracracy and hidden agendas around them. This episode isn't as heavily entrenched in forensics as previous works but a few new scientific tools are employed to keep pace with the hunt. Instead, Pearson concentrates on the frequent conflict between the media and police along with span of control issues whenever the Feds are involved. This is "bigger" than the regular Lou Bolt yarn because of the type of story it is. Overall, it represents a nice change of pace. Loyal Pearson followers will see their favorite players but the storyline doesn't dwell on them as much as previous works. That seems to work well too. It must be hard to keep storylines fresh when an author does a series around the same central characters. Pearson does the job and then some.
Rating:
Summary: The first Ridley Pearson book I didn't rush through.
Review: Don't let the title fool you, I liked the first victim but itdidn't grab and hold me like Pearson's books normally do(Undercurrents, Beyond Recognition, and No Witnessess). I was dissapointed in the lack of Daphne Matthews and don't understand the sub-plot involving Liz (Boldt's wife). I would like to see LaMoia fleshed out some more, as all I currently know about him is that he is a womanizer with pressed jeans and a expensive cowboy boots. The First Victim was a good book in the thriller Genre, but Pearson so often transends genre writing to see him write a book that is strictly genre writing is dissapointing. The best way to sum up is: Any other author with the same book would get 4 stars. Ridley Pearson gets 3.
Rating:
Summary: Ridley Is Rocking the Ratings!
Review: Wonderful book! It explored the lives of Chinese immigrants and sweatshops. This book reminded me of many certain movies, but this book described it in much more detail. Lou Boldt and Daphne Matthews are on the case. YEAH!! The book is a little slow but concludes in a great way, making it an enjoyable read by Mr. Ridley Pearson.
Rating: 
Summary: Contractual Obligation?
Review: I have to wonder if Pearson was fulfilling a contractual obligation with this book. It lacked the gripping, edge-of-your-seat qualities that I expect from him. Lou Boldt seemed to take a backseat to the obnoxious Stevie McNeal in this story. Boldt rarely interacted with Daphne Matthews, which is disappointing because the chemistry between them is a major part of what makes his stories great. I also would have liked more narrative from Melissa while she was in hiding. Pearson missed a great opportunity to truly paint a vivid portrait of the sweatshop/illegal immigrant situation. I felt like I only had a one-sided view of the situation. Stevie was incredibly one-dimensional and a person I probably wouldn't like if I ever met her face-to-face. Buck up, Ridley. I hope your next book is better because I love your style!
Rating:
Summary: Great book to take with you on vactation!
Review: As with all of Ridley's books, this was a winner. I really have enjoyed all of the Lou Boldt-Daphne Matthews series and this one was no exception. I recommend reading them in order though. I think you get a real sense of the characters and their problems and growth, by reading them in order. Highly recommended.
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