The Wrong Hostage

The Wrong Hostage
Author: Elizabeth Howell
Reader: Maria Tucci

When I'm at the library picking out books one of the first things I always try to look for with trying out out new authors is seeing the "New York Times Bestseller" note on the cover.  Reading the Dust Jacket of this book I was very excited to get started on this book...perhaps a little too excited.

I was disappointed with this one which is pretty rare that when I feel that I can't connect with any character in the book.  Grace Silva, the main character in the book is a Judge who is newly divorced from her billionaire husband.  They had a son together whom they shipped off to Mexico for boarding school which leads to him being held by Mexican officials who are owed money from the father who despite seeming as though he earned his money all legally we learn he has put his son in a situation where he could be killed by Mexican drug lords, what the drug lords don't know is that it really isn't his son....through DNA testing he found out a few years prior that this Grace had a fling before she got married and got pregnant and never knew who was the "for sure" father.  The only character I liked in this book was the son.....because as you read it you are empathetic to his situation...he isn't a big part of the book however, its more about trying to save him.

I would love to give this author another chance but it definately will not be near the top of my "To do" list

Ransom

Ransom
Author: Danielle Steel

Read by: Ron McLarty

9 discs

Peter Morgan newly released from prison is seemingly a good guy that has made alot of bad choices.  Determined to start fresh Peter learns quickly how hard it is to make an honest living after being a convicted felon.  To avoid going on the streets he contacts a previous "friend" he knew before he went to prison who he also owes a substantial amount of money.  Hoping to get a job and repay his owed debt Peter finds himself in a situation of having to organize a kidnapping ring for this man who hopes to gain 100 million dollars ransom money from Fernanda Barnes, a newly widowed wife of a well known billionaire. 

This is Danielle Steel's 60th Novel and she seems to really switch things up with this book.  For anyone who reads alot of Danielle Steel books, they are typically more Romance themed....Ransom is oppisite that where it is more suspense/thriller.  The love interests in this book is set up kind've weird....the kidnapper in a sense "falls in love" with Fernanda although they technically never talk to one another.  Ted Lee, the police detective in charge of finding Fernanda's kidnapped son is "the" love interest, although he is caught up in a loveless marriage for about three quarters of the book.

I enjoyed this book.  I definately need my fix of Danielle Steel once in a while for the not too overly mushy Romance novel...but I was pleasantly suprised that this was a bit different and not the typical DS novel of wealthy family who meets tragedy and ends up happily ever after.  I like Danielle Steel, BUT her storylines do get a bit predictable.