Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Dispatcher - Ryan David Jahn - Review AND Giveaway

Okay, it was the tag line on the cover of The Dispatcher that grabbed me first....

"The phone rings. It's your daughter. She's been dead for four months."

....and the story held me gripped until the last page.

Ian Hunt is a police dispatcher in a small town in Texas. That frantic, fateful call is from his daughter Maggie, who disappeared seven years ago and was finally declared dead. Maggie manages to get out a brief description of the man who has taken her, but not his name, before the call is cut off.....

Ian has existed, but not lived for the last seven years. The call galvanizes him and while the county and town police forces are bickering about jurisdiction, sets off to find his daughter and bring her home.

Right from the start, we are privy to all the information that Ian doesn't have. We know that the kidnapper is named Henry and where Maggie is being held. Jahn takes us inside the minds of each of the main characters. Henry's mindset is truly frightening. He's done all this because he loves his wife, not for himself. Maggie's terror is palpable and heartbreaking, she has survived for seven years locked in a basement except for that brief taste of freedom. She is sure her Daddy will come for her.

Ian is now a single minded entity, bent on getting Maggie back at all costs. He has taken the law into his own hands. Quite literally. There was a scene in the book that quite reminded me of Reservoir Dogs.

"There was a time, and not long ago, when he would not have been capable of doing what he plans on doing here tonight, if he has to, but that time has gone, a small moment in his past that gets smaller as he moves further from it and into the future."

The bleakness and hardscrabble of the settings was used very effectively to mirror the emotions and thoughts of the players.

Ryan David Jahn's book is a no holds barred ride barrelling down a gritty dirt road. The story line is not a new idea (young women being held captive for years is unfortunately true) but Jahn has put his own spin on it and crafted a page turner. (one you'll probably devour in a day). My one complaint - I hate open endings.

Those looking for a thriller that will keep you turning pages will find it here. Reader be warned - there are some violent scenes. In fact, it almost has the feel of a Bruce Willis action film.

Sounds good doesn't it? Read an excerpt of The Dispatcher. See what others on the TLC tour thought. You can find Jahn on his blog as well as on Twitter.

And thanks to the generosity of Penguin Books, I have a copy to giveaway! Simply leave a comment to be entered. Open to US and Canada. Ends March 11.

30 comments:

Harvee said...

wOULD LOVE TO READ THIS BOOK!

harvee44@yahoo.com

debbie said...

That first sentence is really something. I would love to read this book.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Lukey Here said...

Sounds like a fun ride!:)

teresa[dot]lukey73[at]gmail[dot]com

fredamans said...

Sounds like I'd be on the edge of my seat through the whole thing. My kind of book!

freda.mans[at]gmail.com

petite said...

Many thanks for this compelling novel. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

traveler said...

This book would be thrilling. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

bermudaonion said...

Oh my, that's a heart stopping tag line.

carol said...

No wonder that tag lined grabbed you. Sounds like a great, gritty book.

Anonymous said...

Sounds great!
lily.keightley@rogers.com

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

This is exactly the kind of thriller/suspense I love to read and keep on my shelf.
sgourleyauthor@gmail.com

Unknown said...

You had me a Reservoir Dogs, Bruce Willis action movie sealed it completely!

Marjorie/cenya2 said...

Spooky, isn't it, I would love to read this book.

cenya2 at hotmail dot com

Stacy said...

Sounds like a page turner!! Would love to win it~ stacynovack@charter.net

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

I love that you always have the best books for review so I know what to add to my TBR list! This sounds awesome!

nfmgirl said...

Nails in the dashboard sorta read, huh? Please count me in! Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

Just Mom said...

This sounds so much like the plot of a movie I just saw, Taken, loved the movie, you shoudl check it out! Would love to read this book too! Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
theroundfile at live dot com

Anonymous said...

I love books like this but usually end up with a book hangover from staying up too late reading them. ;)

Glad this was a hit for you! Thanks for being on the tour.

Lilian said...

Sounds like my kind of suspense novel, I would love to be entered!

lilianxcheng AT gmail.com

Kelly g said...

This sounds like another great read.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I just need to clear my mind of all the sugar and get something full of meat and grit!!
Can you tell I'm hungry as I'm typing this,LOL!!??
The first sentence hooked me too!
God bless,
Helen(grammea)
grammea22@verizon.net

Mrs Mommy Booknerd said...

Sounds awesome

Suzie B said...

I love a good suspence novel - and this sounds like it wouldn't disappoint! :-)
sbabij2 at shaw dot ca

Anonymous said...

I would love to get a copy - otherwise will see if my library carries it.
nyaf13(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Another interesting book

ZaraAlexis said...

Mmm...I'm up for an adventurous read! I also don't mind quick ones either, considering I have quite the TBR list piling up. And unlike you, I don't mind open-ended stories. There's a sense of drama and mystery about that. Anything could really happen. And you're left to hope it turns out the way YOU hope it does.

Thanks for a chance at winning a copy.

Zara D. Garcia-Alvarez
zgarcia(dot)alvarez(at)gmail(dot)com
On Twitter: @ZaraAlexis
My Blog: The Bibliotaphe's Closet - http://zaraalexis.wordpress.com

rubynreba said...

Looks very good! Thanks for the chance to win this.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Bonnie said...

Sounds like a riveting book.

sunnydaysrule AT hotmail DOT com

Anonymous said...

My kind of book!
ajoyim@yahoo.com

Kayo said...

Looks like a great book to be swallowed up in.
Would love it!

Anonymous said...

You're right - that one line teaser....I am so looking forward to reading this one!

oe74[at]hotmail[dot]com