Annabell Lee is a mysterious adventure that stretches beyond categories to produce an intriguing read.
From the cover you get the feeling that this book is going to be creepy. I personally found it wasn't nearly as frightening as I thought it would be, but I did find it intriguing.
Annabell Lee has a flavor all its own. It reminded me of an amalgam of Ted Dekker, James Bond, Magnum P.I., and post military themes. I know, not the best description but it was definitely in a category all its own. I wanted there to be more suspenseful action, and yet there was definitely a high death-toll toward the end that was quite shocking but not necessarily in a bad "socking" way. That may sound bad, but I'm not opposed to some violence as long as it's not completely unnecessary. I suppose it's in the way that Mike writes that defines the book. It's descriptive but doesn't have as much tension in the writing as you'd expect.
The characters were intriguing as well. In my mind they weren't your "run of the mill" main characters. You had Annabel who was only eleven but wise beyond her years, a protective German Shepperd (I include him in the characters because...why not?), The Mute (yep, just like it sounds), and then Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill. Talk about some interesting dynamics, especially between Trudi and Samuel. I see some interesting development possible with them - but I'll leave out the rest of my comments so as not to spoil anything.
I think, overall, I would say that Mike has something good going on here. Read the letter at the back of the book and you'll get a very interesting story indeed, but I can see people loving this book and people hating it. It's not traditional or typical and I think that's okay.
I would recommend this to fans of suspense and/or romantic suspense with a disclaimer that it's not your average suspense/romantic suspense book, so don't expect it to be. As I try to do, read with an open mind and you might just find something you love in Mike Nappa's writing.
My Rating: 4*
Purchase: Annabel Lee (A Coffee & Hill Novel)
Book Description
(from Amazon)
Fourteen miles east of Peachtree, Alabama, a secret is hidden. That secret's name is Annabel Lee Truckson, and even she doesn't know why her mysterious uncle has stowed her deep underground in a military-style bunker. He's left her with a few German words, a barely-controlled guard dog, and a single command: "Don't open that door for anybody, you got it? Not even me."
Above ground, a former Army sniper called The Mute and an enigmatic "Dr. Smith" know about the girl. As the race begins to find her, the tension builds. Who wants to set her free? Why does the other want to keep her captive forever? Who will reach her first?
Private investigators Trudi Coffey and Samuel Hill need to piece together the clues and stay alive long enough to retrieve the girl--before it's too late.
With its stunning writing and relentless pace, Annabel Lee will captivate readers from the first page.
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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.
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