Photo credit: Goodreads
Length: 299 pages
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Thirty seconds on national television – that’s all it took for one insane man to get each and every one of the entire city’s criminal population to chase one woman. Lindsay Hammond had no idea how it happened or why. One minute, everything was normal – a regular day moving along at its regular pace. But the next minute, she and her kids are running for their lives. With no one to trust and nowhere to run to, Lindsay comes close to running out of options to keep her family and herself alive. Until Ryan Archer, ex FBI, ex Army officer and the only man who can take Lindsay and her kids as far as they need to be. It’s a mission that will last for 72 hours and one that will change the lives of everyone involved.
But what is it that the psychopath who sets the course of action truly wants? And why is Lindsay Hammond running for her life? These are the questions that William Casey Morton answers in his thriller, 72 Hours.
My Take:
72 Hours was an extremely fast paced, quick page turning read. I enjoyed the book and always tried to find time to keep returning to it. Although there were some drawbacks to the book, it made a very nice read with the good definitely overshadowing the bad. The good points include an interesting concept, gripping storytelling, action packed sequences and not too many dull moments. My favorite part was the beginning which was unpredictable and instantly gripping. I also loved the action sequences which were many and not far in between. The details were described exceptionally well, giving you a feel of being right there, watching it all unfold from a front row seat.
The bad points, though not too many, do require a brief mention. The first, mildly bothering drawback, was the typos. There were errors that, for some people, may hinder the flow. And given how quick the story moves, that can be a turn off. The second, and more glaring drawback, is the occasional lack of detailed character development. The protagonist seems altogether too ‘normal’. The blurb gives the impression of an experienced, never going wrong kind of protagonist who, in comparison, comes off as a little more normal than expected. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Heroes do not necessarily have to be impossible to fool, cheat or temporarily overcome. That would be unbelievable and maybe even boring because of the lack of conflict. But the knight in shining armor of 72 Hours, in my opinion, seemed too ‘normal’ for someone who comes from his background. Not that that makes him less likeable.
Maybe the small character faults are more glaring because of how well the other characters are developed, especially the antagonist, who really makes readers loathe him.
The end is a little rushed and I, personally, would have liked some more details.
But I can walk away from this book saying that it didn’t leave me with a feeling of hanging in the middle. The loose ends are all neatly tied up, even though it may be more hurried than some would like. Definitely a book that I would recommend for all action, thriller and crime readers.
– Rishika
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