Liberty or Death: A Thea Kozak Mystery

Thea Kozak is in her wedding dress and about to walk down the aisle when she gets the news. Her fiance and the father of her unborn baby, Maine State Trooper Andre Lemieux, has been kidnapped by the Katahdin Constitutional Militia. This terrorist, anti-government organization wants to exchange him for one of theirs, a Jed Harding sitting in jail. Thea, knowing she'll never be able to simply watch the investigation from the sidelines, convinces the State Police to let her go undercover as a waitress in Merchantville -- the little northern town now turned hotbed for militia activity -- and see what her ears pick up. But, being Thea, it isn't long before she's not just listening but also doing and has gotten herself in as much trouble as her beloved.LIBERTY OR DEATH, the sixth book in Kate Flora's series about the educational consultant often turned PI, Thea Kozak, has been a long time coming. And it's a bittersweet experience. Since Flora has always done an excellent job of characterizing a Maine State Trooper, I was disappointed to discover Andre hardly appears in this sequel at all. I understand the plot didn't need him (present, anyway), but I still missed him. Thea herself has toned down some. She's still sassy and in-your-face, but losing her rock seems to have made her more mature (though still willing to throw herself at danger on every other page). The description of the unofficial militia movement is accurate and timely; so is the portrayal of a small Maine town in which everybody's news is everybody else's. Flora tends toward long winded accounts of every thought going through Thea's head, but at least some of the thoughts in this book (contrary to previous enstallments) haven't already been described several times over. And while her writing style never sings, it grows more solid with each attempt. I do have a major complaint with the plot -- the Maine State Police allowing the civilian fiance of one of their Troopers to go undercover? But it does make for good fiction and I certainly enjoyed this latest addition to the Kozak world.Thea may at times remind the reader of an oversized Nancy Drew, but in LIBERTY OR DEATH she is strong enough to make you both laugh and cry. And want more.

Pregnant Thea Kozak stands at the altar waiting for the arrival of the groom, her beloved State Trooper Andre Lemieux, to exchange I do. However, instead of her beau, Thea learns that a domestic terrorist cell the Katahdin Constitutional Militia has kidnapped her future spouse. The group demands a trade for an incarcerated member, Jed Harding, who went berserk when the VA rejected his medical claim for his ailing son.Though Andre's boss and peers prefer Thea stay out of the mess, she has dealt with murder and death before so she insists on participating in the rescue. Andre's supervisor Jack Leonard provides Thea with the cover of a battered runaway spouse Dora McCusick. Thea travels to Merchantville, Maine where she obtains employment as a waitress at Mother Theresa's restaurant. As Thea does what she is not supposed to do (investigate) she begins to learn why Jed prefers jail than the militia as paranoia runs rampant in this part of Maine.Thea is a powerful lead protagonist who propels the story line forward with her unwelcome involvement yet ironically her soliloquies disrupt the action. Fans of the series will appreciate the lead character that just cannot sit idly by and take notes. Newcomers will need to adjust to this feisty in your face female especially when she provides asides. If given the chance, the tyro will soon gain new fans, as LIBERTY OR DEATH is a fabulous amateur sleuth-police procedural combo that highlights Kate Flora's abilities to entertain the troops.Harriet Klausner

Thea Kozac just keeps getting better. This is a well written, evenly paced story that brings a new dimension to the story of Thea and her Andre. In the hands of a most skillful author, readers will laugh, cry, despair, and rejoice right along with the characters. Some of the other reviewers have revealed the basic plot. All I will add is DO NOT START this book late at night or you will get absolutely no sleep. It is impossible to put this book down until the end.

It's been a couple of years since the fourth book in the Thea Kozak series, but it was well worth the wait for #5--Liberty or Death. Lots of suspense and fast-paced action and some exploration of the lives and mindset of those angry people who feel threatened by thir own government. Thea's husband-to-be, Maine state trooper Andre Lemieux, is abducted by a radical militia group on their Wedding Day to be held hostage for the return of a jailed militia member. Against police wishes, Thea goes undercover as a waitress in the town suspected to be the militia's HQ. There she meets suspicion, hostility, and life-threatening danger, as she tries to gather information on his whereabouts. Tensions mount as time runs. A slam-bang climax. Certainly hope there won't be as long a wait for #6!

Liberty or Death is a superb entry in the excellent Thea Kozak series. This book, like the rest of the series, is a fast-paced, well-written and suspense-filled tale of an interesting and inspiring woman who leads her life her way, often butting heads with the world but always emerging triumphant, albeit bruised (or shot, or something). The relationship between Thea and Andre is always riveting as they work out a life together. Realistic portrayals of relationships between two control freaks are rare, and Kate Flora brings it off to perfection. I recommend this book highly. But do not start it unless you have plenty of time at your disposal--you will not want to put it down!