A King's Ransom

An inexperienced lawyer struggles to save his father from the Columbian bandits who have kidnapped him.

James Grippando's novel shifts in and out of first person as it tells the story of Matthew Rey, a fisherman held for ransom by Colombian guerrillas, and son Nick, a lawyer battling the insurance company, the FBI, and his own firm to save his father. John Bedford Lloyd handles the transitions well, keeping listeners hooked with the emotions of the situation, while delivering the chills of the tense action scenes. This abridgment packs a lot into six hours, preserving family drama and background, as well as a complex kidnapping plot. Each side ends with a twist well chosen to make the listener come back for more. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Lawyer Nick Rey's father is kidnapped while on a business trip to Colombia. No one wants to cooperate in freeing him: not the State Department, not the FBI, not the insurance company from which he purchased kidnap and ransom insurance. Nick is on his own except for the help of beautiful Alex, a professional negotiator. It's an interesting, timely, and well-constructed plot. Unfortunately, the characters are flat: Nick and his family are good and innocent to the point of being irritating, while the villains are a completely brutal and evil bunch. Narrator John B. Lloyd is also irritating, particularly his heavy accent when portraying Hispanic characters. A marginal purchase for most libraries. Christine Valentine, Davenport Univ., Kalamazoo, MI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.