From the shelf: Abducted (Lizzy Gardner #1)

Title: Abducted (Lizzy Gardner #1)

Author: TR Ragan

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime
Date read: July 28, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Elizabeth Gardner (Lizzy) is seventeen-years old when she tells her parents she's going out with her girlfriends. Instead, she meets up with her boyfriend, Jared Shayne. As she walks home beneath an inky black sky, her perfect night becomes her worst nightmare.

Fourteen years later, Lizzy is a licensed PI known as the 'one who got away'. When she's not searching for runaway teenagers, working on insurance scams, or talking to her therapist, she's at the local high school teaching young girls to defend themselves. But her world is turned upside down for the second time after she receives a call from Jared Shayne. He's an FBI special agent now and he needs her help. Lizzy has no plans to get involved. Not until Jared tells her the kidnapper left her a personalized note.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

I love suspense/psychological/thriller/espionage novels. This is the genre that could make you devour every page where it could leave one's heart palpitating and mind blown away. These are the kind of stories that will make the reader occasionally let out phrases like 'OMG' or 'Uh-oh' or the better 'I know who the killer is' and this was one of them. I would've given it 5 stars but even though the story made me grip my seat and I read this on one day, there were some parts that were a little all over the place. The scenes that really hooked me started almost at the middle. Nevertheless it was an entertaining read. I admire the survivor Lizzy Gardner. She fought her shadow for 14 years and I salute her for not having severe PTSD tendencies. Instead, she made it her mission to help and prepare young kids for the worst. And of course, I loved her reunion with high school sweetheart Jared Shayne although they had their long-awaited reunion in the worst circumstance...at least there was some kind of hope in that whole madness.

Till the next read...