Tom Swyers

Wow! This book is intense and so very suspenseful. I started this book last night and had to stay up all night reading because it was just that good. The story begins with some back story as to how it came to be. You are scooped up and tossed in, never to be seen until the last page. There is action, mystery, suspense and thrills. The twists are many. So many questions and every time you think you may know the answer; you may want to rethink. The author did a wonderful job of writing an engaging story that pulls the reader in to feel like they are one of the detectives also. The characters are so intense in their own manner and characteristics. This story was so good that I have to buy a copy of the book in paper so I can have my husband read it. He loves these kinds of books. This is a new author for me and I hope to read more. I truly wish I could give him more than 5 stars. I highly recommend this to all mystery/thriller/suspense lovers.… (mais)

A Shaky Plot and Somewhat Preachy Dialog Limits this Book’s Appeal

The Killdeer Connection is the story of lawyer David Thompson’s struggle to clear his name after he is falsely accused of killing an acquaintance, Harold Salar. And when a possible link to terrorism comes up, Thompson is fighting for his life. One of his main clues? A cryptic message in Salar’s will that says, ‘always follow the killdeer’ – a message that has a host of meanings, both symbolic and literal.

Swyer is an excellent writer – one who is particularly adept at creating visual descriptions that convey the underlying psychology of a situation, as well as the physical scene. The initial meeting at Baxter & Chadwick, lawyers for the oil industry, and at the oil field in Williston, North Dakota, are particularly good examples. If there is a flaw in these descriptions, it’s that they do tend to be overly long and in some cases, misplaced. The scene where Thompson and a friend, Jim, are watching dust particles, until Jim chases them away with a hand is an example of the latter issue. I had a hard time picturing why anyone would be doing that.

Thompson as the protagonist was cast as the man who tried to do it all himself, tending toward sarcasm and deceit as his tools. When he wasn’t making excuses or telling half-truths to everyone from his wife to the FBI, he was preaching about the dangers of transporting oil by rail – complete with statistics. True, it is dangerous, but he wasn’t comparing its pros and cons against pipelines or alternative energy. He was sermonizing and those sections became ponderous. By the end, Thompson was transformed by his experiences…maybe. But even at the conclusion, he was grandstanding and reveling in his moral stands. I never came around to liking him.

One of my biggest concerns, however, was that the plot was shaky. For example, physical evidence links Thompson to the murder scene when he clears a spot and sits down near the body. While that is odd enough, at least two later scenes have him running into the apartment holding his breath because the smell is so bad, even though the body has been removed. The notion that the FBI would consider Thompson a terrorist based on the evidence they had seemed ludicrous. That they would even think terrorism was a motive given the nature of the crimes was not believable to start with. How could Salar have left the clues he supposedly did when he was being accosted? Why did Salar put Thompson in such an awkward position when his objectives could have been accomplished many other ways? Etc.

The author has some reveals at the conclusion that tie up some loose ends, but several of the apparent twists involve revelations that have little to do with the story. Many other questions that are germane, however, remain unanswered.… (mais)

I received an ARC copy of this book and I'm glad I did! What I had thought was going to be a straightforward fictional account of someone who had been locked away in solitary confinement for 30+ years turned out to be a much deeper, and more intricate story that went way beyond the incarceration.

Briefly, Phillip Dawkins, the inmate, was found innocent of his crime and after spending 30 years in the hole, was released directly to the street. He found David Thompson, an attorney who was active in trying to amend the laws regarding unlimited time in solitary confinement. David and his family befriended Phillip - who, after all, was determined to have been innocent. But was he?

The story twists and turns, involving crooked correctional officers, a corrupt warden and director of prisons and the CIA. Soon, we're wondering if Philip is who he says (and believes) he is, whether he was guilty of his original murder conviction, and why he was apparently released to meet - and kill - David.

This goes beyond being an airport book and you'll want to set aside a quiet place to read, as you won't want to put it down until you reach the thrilling conclusion.

I agree with another reviewer who mentioned that a few scenes stretched credibility a bit, but since it's fiction, I was willing to overlook those instances. Overall, the book was still excellent. I enjoyed this story enough to give it 5-stars, which I rarely do. It was well-written, not a typo in the entire book, and the story kept me turning the pages. I was able to identify with all of the main characters, good and bad. The author did a great job of showing, not telling. All in all, I couldn't find a thing that I didn't like about this book. If it was a movie, I'd watch it at least twice.… (mais)

** spoiler alert ** I was granted a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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This book is about solitary confinement and tries to arouse awareness of the impact that this terrible practice takes on prisoners. That would have been a great premise for the book. However, this book moves into areas that were beyond belief for me. Electroshock therapy sanctioned by the CIA on prisoners, memories erased, continued drug poisoning without consent, change of personalities, etc.
The notion that Phillip could gain entry into the head of the prison's office is far-fetched. The idea that Phillip could suddenly remember everything that happened to him, AND piece it all together in an instant, is extremely ridiculous to believe. The idea that Phillip could somehow get to all the places he needed to get on a bus, and gain access without detection, is unlikely. I also find it hard to believe that a family would welcome an accused murderer into their home.
The son, Christy, seemed unlike most teenage boys. He was very helpful, trained as an EMT, and taking neuroscience classes??? Really?
Finding Phillip at the end, and getting his body out of a public park without being seen, seemed unlikely as well.
David has very convenient and helpful connections to allow him to figure out the case, but that also seems too pat.
At times, I felt the writing was inconsistent. Sometimes, it flowed, and at other times, it seemed choppy. Also, the book was over 400 pages, I believe it could have been edited down to around 320, which would have made for a better book.
I am giving this 3 stars because I believe that solitary confinement is a terrible punishment for anyone, and does have lasting consequences, but the rest of the story seemed way too far-fetched for me. I do recognize that there have been many unsavory things done by the government in terms of torture, but this conspiracy stretched the limits of my belief.
#CagedToKill #TomSwyers… (mais)