Paying the Piper

It is 5:05 am - Obviously I could not put the book down. It is a roller coaster. You want to get to the end but the thrill of the ride is exhilarating. The twist and turns shake you every step of the way. Simon Wood has written one to rival the greats Koontz, Brown, et al. I can't wait for the next ride! KM

This book is so well crafted and yet haunting. I was terrified at times, but couldn't put it down. You come to identify with the crime reporter, Scott Fleetwood, and his kids in a way it seems only Simon Wood can do. Paying the Piper (Leisure Fiction)

Great book. Couldn't put it down. It had me hooked from the first chapter, and by the end thought I was one of the characters in the book. This is a book you need to read.

Eight years ago the Piper kidnapped preadolescent Nicholas Rooker demanding two million dollars in ransom from his wealthy father, a successful bay area realtor. The serial abductor began calling San Francisco Independent reporter Scott Fleetwood leaving clues for the cops to track. However, by the time the police realized that the caller was a fake, the Piper changed is MO of retuning the kids unharmed once remittance occurred; this time he killed Nicholas. In the present, after a hiatus the Piper abducts one of Scott's children, Sammy. He feels Scott owes him more than just the money he lost; he blames the reporter for his killing Nicholas, the first time he committed murder. Nicholas' father Charles Rooker puts up the ransom money hoping that this time the FBI, led by Agent Shiels, captures his son's killer. The cat and mouse game has just begun on the streets of San Francisco with the Piper warning Scott to play by his rules because of ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN. Although an action-packed thriller that never slows down even when the cast climbs the hills, the story line belongs to the four male protagonists who make up a macabre square with each feeling strong degrees of guilt over what happened to Nicholas. Fascinatingly the Piper regrets having had to murder Nicholas although he holds Scott culpable; Scott feels the same way and to a degree so does Charles and even Shiels. PAYING THE PIPER is a terrific thriller as the quartet knows that they all fall down on this one. Harriet Klausner

This is a wonderful book about a kidnapping with lots of twists, all believable. It took me 2 days with interruptions to get it read. I had to find the truth & the WHOLE story behind the kidnappings. If you like thrillers that also have mystery, this is a good book for you. I liked Simon's book Accidents Waiting to Happen; I loved Paying the Piper. By the way, it would also make a great suspenseful movie. The main characters are well drawn. You will find yourself empathizing with the father of the kidnapped children. You will come to understand what motivates several of the other main characters in the book - both the good and the bad. The cast of characteres includes the newspaper reporter, the kidnapper, the FBI guy, the local police, the parents of previous kidnap victims, a private eye, the children, and others. I highly recommend Paying the Piper.