The Pact

Rating:
Summary: Another winner by a gifted storyteller
Review: Almost two decades ago, Oliver Segal, Jamie Arias, and Annie Aldrich were Americans attending school in England. Everything suddenly changed for the trio when all their parents die in an accidental helicopter crash. Having no one else to turn to who could understand their grief, the three teens vowed to always be there to help one another through any future crisis. ........ Over the years, the friends drift apart as they settle into adulthood. However, both Annie and Jamie use their pact of mutual support to help them survive potentially devastating personal traumas. Now it is Olivia's turn for help. She has uncovered a note that infers that the fatal aviation accident of twenty years ago was not an accident, but deliberate murder. Olivia fears that she may know too much and could be the next victim. Her only hope for survival is the timely arrival of her friends, but than again she may have just placed their lives in eminent danger too. ........ In her eighth novel, Hilary Norman continues to demonstrate that she is one of the best writers today of contemporary women's fiction. The Brilliantly crafted suspense driven story line is one of the reasons that the audience will be enamored with this work. After perusing The PACT, readers will make a pact with themselves to obtain all of Ms. Norman's previous works (they are all worth reading, especially LAURA) and future novels because no one does women's contemporary thrillers better than this great talent does. .......Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think it would make a great film should someone decide to do a screen play. I stumbled upon this novel when browsing through discounted books at a store. A rare find--mystery, intrigue, and friends willing to go to the wall. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think it would make a great film should someone decide to do a screen play. I stumbled upon this novel when browsing through discounted books at a store. A rare find--mystery, intrigue, and friends willing to go to the wall. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: You'll not soon forget . . .
Review: In 1976, a helicopter crash in England renders three teen-agersorphans just two weeks after their graduation from the American Schoolin London. Originally from the US, the three--Olivia Segal, the daughter of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust; Annie Aldrich, Protestant from San Francisco, and Jamie Arias, Catholic scion of a great shipping family from Rhode Island--became friends while their parents worked in England.

Banding together, they create a pact--whenever one of them is in need of comfort, friends, whatever, it makes no difference--the other two will drop everything to go to the aid of the one who asks. ...THE PACT is a riveting, can't-put-it-down novel that will remain in your mind and your heart for a long time after you've read the final page. This is Hilary Norman's eighth book. If you've not read any of the others, you'll want to, after you've read THE PACT.

Rating:
Summary: You'll not soon forget . . .
Review: In 1976, a helicopter crash in England renders three teen-agersorphans just two weeks after their graduation from the American Schoolin London. Originally from the US, the three--Olivia Segal, the daughter of Jewish survivors of the Holocaust; Annie Aldrich, Protestant from San Francisco, and Jamie Arias, Catholic scion of a great shipping family from Rhode Island--became friends while their parents worked in England.

Banding together, they create a pact--whenever one of them is in need of comfort, friends, whatever, it makes no difference--the other two will drop everything to go to the aid of the one who asks. ...THE PACT is a riveting, can't-put-it-down novel that will remain in your mind and your heart for a long time after you've read the final page. This is Hilary Norman's eighth book. If you've not read any of the others, you'll want to, after you've read THE PACT.

Rating:
Summary: A Tender, Moving Story of Friendship, Love, and Duty.
Review: Three friends make a pact at the threshold of adulthood. They are bound together by one of our strongest human ties; grief from a shared loss. Nothing will circumvent their committment to one another, not distance, relationships, or careers. This pact is put to the test over the years and it holds firm and true. Then, as always happens in life, events much larger that themselves take over and some very hard decisions have to be made. This is a story of love cherished and deeply respected, of duty embraced regardless of what may prove to be the cost. You will laugh and cry... you will love "The Pact".

Rating:
Summary: Good characterization -- so-so story
Review: While I did finish the book, I was never emotionally committed to either the characters or the story line. Basically, the theme of the book is if you have enough money, you can get anything done. The pact between the friends was a bit unrealistic but because the characters were all quite well off financially, they could leave their lives, jobs, families, etc. for weeks at a time without any problems.

I picked up this hard back book for $4.98 at a clearance rack and it's about all that it was worth. Not on my list of recommendations to my friends.