Third Row Center

Rating:
Summary: If You Have Any Pressing Business, Don't Start This Book!
Review: Book-of-the-Month Club author, Tom Kirkwood, whose previous books I had not read, and former Macmillan editor, Rayanna Simons, have teamed up to give us Third Row Center, an unforgettable romantic thriller. The novel's portrayal of fierce passion is reminiscent of Anna Karenina; its depiction of evil recalls Aman Goeth in Schindler's List. I found the book on the web site www.kirkwoodnovels.net and became intrigued after reading the three smaple chapters that were offered. Chantal Armand, a beautiful French actress, and her lover, art collector Jean-Francois Duret, enjoy what seems an idyllic existence. But their world is shattered when Chantal and her father, Claude Armand, are expertly kidnapped by Gianni Angelo. The victims are later declared dead. In reality, they are captives. Angelo works for Italian Interior Minister Tommaso Scalzone who, together with Mafia Don Pippo Greco, has developed a scheme to gain a multi-billion dollar monopoly over the world's heroin trade. Professor Armand, a geneticist, is held in a secret Swiss facility, where he must genetically alter the opium poppy. Chantal serves as the captors' guarantee that her father will cooperate. Jean-Francois stumbles onto a clue that Chantal is still alive. In the meantime Scalzone, who has taken the actress to his estate in Sicily, vows to possess her in mind and body. Jean-Francois' quest to find and free Chantal gives this story an ending of incomparable suspense. I skipped classes and blew off term papers because I couldn't stop reading.

Rating:
Summary: Better than James Bond
Review: The wonderful mix of characters, the involved but lucid plot, the graphic settings and action, the mouth-watering involvement with food,and action hard to match - all made me feel I was involved with a James Bond action film - but without the hokey technical stuff.

A wonderful read - both for me and for the friends I gave it to.