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    Taken
    Taken
    Taken
    Audiobook12 hours

    Taken

    Written by Dee Henderson

    Narrated by Adam Verner

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    A compelling new mystery from Dee Henderson!

    Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She has enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time.

    When Shannon contacts private investigator and former cop Matthew Dane to help her navigate her reentry into society, she quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn't mean her troubles are over. For one thing, her brother is the leading candidate in the race for Illinois governor, and news of her escape will create a media frenzy. For another, the ransom her family reportedly paid years earlier appears to have been a scam; no one knows what happened to the money. And then there's the fact that Shannon's escape involved faking her own death. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they'll stop at nothing to silence her.

    If justice is to be done, and if Shannon's life is ever to get on track again, Matthew will need to discover exactly what happened to her—even if it means stirring up a hornet's nest of secrets.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateApr 28, 2015
    ISBN9781501229671
    Author

    Dee Henderson

    Dee Henderson is the author of numerous novels, including Unspoken, Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story, Full Disclosure, and the acclaimed O’Malley series. Her books have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, such as the RITA Award, the Christy Award, and the ECPA Gold Medallion. Visit her at DeeHenderson.com.

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    Reviews for Taken

    4/5

    528 ratings47 reviews

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    • 1/5
      While I did appreciate some parts of this book and I thought the plot itself was a good one, I have to say this is one of my least favorite books ever. Mainly because the characters -especially the men- were so unrealistic. Matthew is a former cop and several of the other male characters were in law enforcement, but they were all so "in-touch-with-my-feelings" kind of guys that they were not believable at all. I listened to the audio version and found several of the voices to be too earnest and contrived sounding. Also, there was NO action in this book, though the cover suggested otherwise. Shannon told of some terrible experiences she had while she was held, but it was all told mater of factly and without emotion. Her life was never in jeopardy, nobody got close to her, the Jacobys never found out where she was hiding, and the arrests of members of this crime family were reported as a side note. I could go on, but I will leave it at that. I only kept listening to see if there would be a big event at the end. There wasn't.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Very good read. Recommend for someone who needs some encouragement. Bad things can turn out to have a good ending.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Listened for Review (Brilliance)Overall Rating: DNFAudio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)Why the DNF?: I gave Taken by Dee Henderson 2 hours and just couldn't see me getting over the fact that it constantly refers to her as similar to his daughter. I know since this is romantic suspense that they will fall in love later and I will just be icked out. This is the only reason that I stopped the story. The suspense part was compelling but not enough for me to get over the romance part of the story.Audio Thoughts Narrated By Adam Verner / Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins Adam did a great job with the narration. He had a great way of sounding gruff when needed and could switch to innocent/scared in the drop of a dime. I will listen to an audiobook narrated by him in the future.Part of my It's Not You, It's Me Reviews

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      I liked the feel good story, I don’t think it needed to be that long. Would have appreciated a little more action in the story.
    • 1/5
      The book was so slow and lots of references to God, lots of random details. The relationships between the couples mentioned in the beginning were so sappy to the point of being unrealistic. I couldn’t get past chapter 6 and had to stop listening because the book was so boring.
    • 5/5
      This author always keeps you interested. I have a hard time laying it down to do my daily duties. I love the way she takes characters from her other books and brings them back in.
    • 1/5
      Very dull... I kept listening because I kept thinking it’d get more interesting, but it never did! A bit anticlimactic. The narrator reads like he’s trying to calm a crying baby the whole time. There is no excitement or passion at any point in this book. I tried to like it. I only finished it because I didn’t invest all that listening time in to never find out how it ends.
      Super PG. The most romantic it ever got was friendly hugs and one kiss. Honestly ridiculously PG.
      Also, you never find out what her diaries contain! So frustrating! The endless play-by-play phone conversations and pointless details make this book an unfortunate drag.
    • 1/5
      Okay, if you're Christian. There's a lot of reference to prayer and God.
    • 3/5
      Taken is my introduction to Dee Henderson's fiction and if I read another of her books it will likely be, based on a friend's suggestion, one of the O'Malley series.This was not a bad book but I was expecting more mystery and suspense with a better flow. I have no use for the overt Christian aspects but that has nothing to do with this novel's weaknesses. I also don't judge a book if a character calls out to Zeus and hears that voice in their head either, it is all part of the fictional story and the character's world view. I don't believe the same things as the majority of the fictional characters in works I read, so the overt attempt to inject religious views doesn't bother me, though in honesty it doesn't help either. If hearing voices in your head is not part of moving the plot along, regardless of what voices one is hearing, I find it pointless and a nuisance. If the story had been better it would have been far less annoying and distracting.The premise of the story is promising and the basic outline of the action would make a good novel but the writing just did not flow. The dialogue seemed stilted and just too wordy at times. Character reactions were hard to believe as written. I had heard good things about Henderson's books so am going to assume this is just a bad example.Not sure who to recommend this to except fans of Dee Henderson. Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via LibraryThing.
    • 4/5
      TAKEN by Dee HendersonTAKEN deals with the aftermath of a kidnap situation gone wrong – for eleven years! The main character was kidnapped at age 16 and held until she escaped at age 27. The book only refers to the kidnapping and focuses on the psychological healing that must take place for the young woman to reenter society as a whole person. The person who helps Shannon heal is Matthew, a former cop and father to another young woman who was kidnapped and held for eight years. The work he did with his daughter is the framework for the present situation. In flashback the book reveals the crimes committed and the horror of captivity of eleven years traveling the country with a crime family.Although a bit too long, the story held my attention well. I would have preferred to know more about Shannon’s brother and mother with a little less emphasis on the navel gazing psychological conversations between Shannon and Matthew. This is a Christian author and a Christian publishing house so the murders take place “off page,” the language is Sunday School clean and the only drinking is ice tea. That said, specifically Christian references take up approximately 5 of the 400 plus pages. Both Christian and non-Christian readers will find an interesting and believable psychological drama.4 of 5 stars
    • 5/5
      I loved this book, it kept me on the edge of my set but was hoping for more romance. Excellent writing and highly reccomended!
    • 4/5
      I liked this book. It has some conflict. The main male character seemed a little too perfect though. I thought a good job was done for the main character, Shannon, in her description and personality.
    • 4/5
      In my opinion, Dee Henderson’s books have come a long way since her O’Malley series. Still big favorites of her fans, I have found from online reviews and discussions that her later novels have been met with mixed feelings. Taken is billed as romantic suspense, and from the above blurb you would think that it is fast-paced with elements of danger. Well, I really didn’t find that to be the case. All of the action takes place before the book even begins. And while main character Shannon Bliss is in some danger from her former captors, she is well-protected and never comes within reach of them. So, does this mean I didn’t like the book. Absolutely not! I really, really liked it because it showed the rest of the story. Taken explores what happens after the rescue — a time when the trauma finally takes root, a time when normal really isn’t.Main character Matthew Dane is experienced in the handling of kidnap victims. His own daughter, Becky, was once one. When approached by Shannon Bliss, the victim of 11 years of captivity, he sets up an elaborate network of professionals and friends to ease Shannon’s reentry into normal life. I found the process very intriguing. Henderson does an excellent job of detailing the pain-staking work that needs to be done to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of a victim. Taken is to me a mystery, as the past is uncovered to reveal just what happened to Shannon and why. The suspense comes not from car chases or narrow escapes, but from the unfolding of motives. I listened to the audiobook and the timing and narration were very good.If you are expecting a novel in the same vein as Henderson’s earliest novels, then you may be disappointed. But if you want to immerse yourself into a detailed and articulate novel of after the crime, then Taken is for you.Recommended.Audience: adults.
    • 5/5
      Dee Henderson has written some phenomenal books and I highly recommend her O'Malley series and Uncommon Heroes series. However, her last couple of books have all been flat to me. Almost devoid of emotion. It's all dialog, but very structured dialog at that. All the characters are very controlled. So much of this book is the characters saying what they are going to do while all other characters agree with each other and saying "I trust your judgment". There was no suspense or action. Simply a story meandering on its way. It's a good story and a great plot idea and some parts are very deep spiritually that I appreciated. I just miss the Dee Henderson who wrote characters with so much emotion and passion. Excellent read and great understanding!
    • 3/5
      TakenDee HendersonBook Summary: An investigator who knows tragic loss firsthand, and his new client, missing far too long… Abducted at the age of sixteen and coerced into assisting the Jacoby crime family, Shannon Bliss has finally found a way out. She desperately wants to resume some semblance of normal life, but she also knows she has some unfinished business to attend to. She might have enough evidence to put her captors behind bars for a very long time. When Shannon contacts private investigator Matthew Dane, a former cop, to help her navigate her reentry into society, he quickly discovers that gaining her freedom doesn't mean her troubles are over. If the Jacoby family learns she is still alive, they'll stop at nothing to silence her. If justice is to be done, and if Shannon's life is ever to get on track again, Matthew will need to discover exactly what happened to her--even if it means stirring up a hornet's nest of secrets.Review: It was an easy read overall. The characters were likable and previous ones became more likable through this book. I found the romance lacking. There really was no chemistry between the two. I really liked Matthew and Shannon. They were strong capable and helpful people. The mystery was fun but over blown in my opinion. I enjoyed the secret hideaways the Jacoby family kept and the paranoia the family had was realistic. The trauma and events related to her kidnapping were realistic and yet the fear Shannon had were not equal to the description on the back of the book. I know that back of the books can be misleading sometimes but this one was lacking. The hornets nest of secrets and why she was taken was very vaguely answered and everything was wrapped up so neatly it felt false to me. This book is no way equal to the Mallory series that I loved. I found this book to be fair overall and am sad because Dee Henderson has such a talent for weaving a story. I keep hoping that some big twist or turn will reignite the spark for me. I would like to thank Net Galley and Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
    • 5/5
      Very good book and reader Thanks Dee for this. It was so worth the hearing
    • 4/5
      A fast paced, action packed thriller! When Krista Morales goes missing, her mother hires Elvis Cole to find her! And when human traffickers and bajadores get involved, Cole brings in Joe Pike and Jon Stone, and the three of them stop at nothing to get her back! The body count is high in this one and the victims are many! A nice follow up to Crais' last book, "The Sentry"!
    • 2/5
      Honestly there was a lot of unnecessary detail about random crap. The mystery was predictable and the plot really didn’t have much of a point. I’d pass.
    • 5/5
      First off, I love the premise of this book. There was no need to make drama between the two main characters, and I love how solid their relationship was as a result of that. The focus was where it should have been. I loved getting to know the characters. Shannon was strong without being abrasive, and her faith was stronger as a result, even after witnessing tragedy. I could go into what this book was NOT (fluffy, insubstantial,etc.), but it's enough to say I loved this book.
    • 1/5
      A total snorefest! Don’t bother. This was slow-paced, totally unbelievable, and the psychology of the characters was facile. I kept waiting for the pay off. Here’s a spoiler. It never happens.
    • 5/5
      It was a captivating read. The author left something for the imagination.
    • 5/5
      Would recommend. Always love Dee Henderson I love how her characters overlap in her books so you really get to know them.
    • 5/5
      Another wonderful book. Well written and well narrated. Love the series!
    • 2/5
      Definitely not one of my favorite Dee Henderson books. It’s rather Monotonous and too much dialog, not enough action. Rather disappointed ?
    • 1/5
      Not the suspense I was used to from her, slow and somewhat boring.
    • 4/5
      Great book by Crais. This is number 15 of the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. This is a later book in the series so it is really good. The earlier books were good but not this good.
    • 4/5
      This is another outstanding Robert Crais novel featuring Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.A young woman and man are kidnapped in the Southern California desert while visiting the location where her mother entered the United States 30 years age as an undocumented immigrant. The criminal organization responsibility for the gang is headed by a ruthless psychopath known as the Syrian. The gang extracts ransom payments from the victim’s loved ones and then kills the victims.Elvis Cole is hired to locate and rescue the daughter and his partner, Joe Pike, recruits Jon Stone, an elite mercenary contractor, for additional assistance. Cole identifies the criminal organization responsible for the kidnapping and infiltrates the gang but winds up a captive. Big mistake. Now the bad guys have Cole on the inside and Pike and Stone on the outside gunning for them. Little doubt how this will turn out.This is one of Crais’ more exciting books, filled with mystery, action, and intrigue, but it is flawed by the use of a hopscotch timeline. The story zig-zags back and forth in time and focus between the kidnap victims, Cole, Pike, Stone, the kidnappers, the Korean mafia, and the Sinaloa drug cartel. Each shift in time and perspective is jarring and interrupts the sense of forward momentum. I would have preferred the book begin with an account of the kidnap victims’ experiences up to the time Cole and Pike joined the hunt.Still, followers of Cole and Pike will find “Taken” to be a strong addition to the series. Newcomers to the series will enjoy the book if they are able to follow the plot line across the back-and-forth shifts of time and perspective.
    • 5/5
      I really love Robert Crais. One of the few authors I would gladly read several novels a year. Cole and Pike are the best mystery team duo out there right now. Quick read but you will live the ride.
    • 4/5
      Nita Morales hires Elvis to bring her daughter back from Los Vegas where she thinks she is living it up with her boy friend. What they don't know is the young woman & her boy friend have been rounded up by bajadores with a group of illegals being smuggled into the USA from Mexico. The bajadores hijack other smugglers illegals and then ask relatives or employers for ransom or they kill the transient. When they collect the ransom, they still do not release the person but rather ask for another amount. This continues until the payer runs out of money or patience and says no more money. At that point, they kill and bury the illegal. They never free someone they have captured.When Cole & Pike realize who they are dealing with, Cole tries to go under cover but he also ends up captured. In this story, another friend of Pike's named Jon Stone appears and he is real dangerous and crazy
    • 4/5
      For me this was an audiobook listen. I have loved the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike books from the start. Taken has both Elvis Cole and Joe Pike along with another character John Stone lending support. Yes, Elvis Cole is the Worlds greatest detective but in this book Joe Pike and John Stone have all the action. I found myself interested in the John Stone character and would like to read more about him. This novel has a good storyline and keeps you reading or in my case listening.

      When Nita Morales hires Elvis Cole to find her missing adult daughter, she isn’t afraid, even though she’s gotten a phone call asking for ransom. She knows it’s a fake, that her daughter is off with the guy Nita will only call “that boy,” and that they need money: “Even smart girls do stupid things when they think a boy loves them.”
      But Nita is wrong. The girl and her boyfriend have been taken by bajadores – bandits who prey on other bandits, border professionals who prey not only on innocent victims, but on each other. They steal drugs, guns, and people – buying and selling victims like commodities, and killing the ones they can’t get a price for.
      Elvis Cole and Joe Pike find the spot where they were taken. There are tire tracks, bullet casings, and bloodstains. They know things look as bad as possible. But they are wrong, too. It is about to get worse. Going undercover to find the two young people and buy them back, Cole himself is taken, and now it is up to Joe Pike to retrace Cole’s steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend.
      But he may already be too late..