Reviewed
by: Keith Nixon
Genre:
Crime / Thriller / Mystery
Approximate
word count: 70-75,000
Availability
Click
on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes &
Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
Tim Adler is
an author and journalist who’s written for a number of UK
broadsheets. He is a former London Editor of Deadline Hollywood, the
US entertainment news website. Before that, he edited film trade and
business magazines. He regularly features as a pundit on BBC Sky news
programmes.
You can learn
more about the author at his website.
Description:
Hugo
and Emily Cox are unable to have a child of their own by natural
means so they employ the services of a surrogate mother, Alice. But,
in a moment of weakness, City high flier Hugo has a one night stand
with Alice. She swears the secret is theirs only, but soon pregnant
Alice has moved into Hugo and Emily’s home and starts to worm her
way into their lives.
But
after an argument Alice flits with the unborn baby, a ransom demand
for £1 million soon follows. Pay up or never see the baby again.
At the
same time Hugo is trying to sell the insurance business he runs, one
set up by his father, to a huge American company that will make them
both even richer than they already are.
As
Hugo tries to track down Alice he learns all is not as it seems –
in any part of his life…
Appraisal:
I’ve
previously reviewed the author’s debut novel, Slow
Bleed, which was a well
written page turner. However, although Surrogate
is another suspense fest
psychological thriller, Adler has taken a step on.
I
thoroughly enjoyed the story which kept my attention throughout. The
plot and the character’s motivation is entirely believable and the
way the author unfolds then concludes the strands is very well done –
even when you think it’s obvious what’s going on Adler manages to
throw another twist in.
The
characterization is excellent – Hugo is a rich kid with a
domineering father who learns to stand on his own two feet. Alice is
suitably crazy (with shades of Fatal Attraction) and Emily who’s
superbly manipulative and driven.
This
was very close to being a five star review. There were a couple of
places where the pace slowed, in particular early on when the couple
are attempting to conceive after a strong opening. However, this is
entirely understandable, it explains a lot which the later plot
development relies on. I’m really looking forward to reading more
of Mr Adler’s work in the hopefully not too distant future.
FYI:
Nothing
of note.
Format/Typo
Issues:
An
occasional repeat word.
Rating: **** Four Stars
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