Thursday, September 6, 2012

Review - The Boy in the Suitcase



Book Summary from Amazon

Nina Borg, a Red Cross nurse, wife, and mother of two, is a compulsive do-gooder who can't say no when someone asks for help—even when she knows better. When her estranged friend Karin leaves her a key to a public locker in the Copenhagen train station, Nina gets suckered into her most dangerous project yet. Inside the locker is a suitcase, and inside the suitcase is a three-year-old boy: naked and drugged, but alive.

Is the boy a victim of child trafficking? Can he be turned over to authorities, or will they only return him to whoever sold him? When Karin is discovered brutally murdered, Nina realizes that her life and the boy's are in jeopardy, too. In an increasingly desperate trek across Denmark, Nina tries to figure out who the boy is, where he belongs, and who exactly is trying to hunt him down.

My Review - 3 1/2 More Sugar Please
The intro to this book was fascinating I expected to fly through it but in the end it was not an edge of my seat unputdownable read.  There were intense moments and lull ones which I think may have had to do with the translation of the book more than the execution but I am new to translated so unsure of this. 
The title alone for me is a wow, really, i'm intrigued for sure.  Overall the book lives up to that, what a crazy mess of circumstances.  Nina who becomes the child protector without speaking his language and the child Mikas, mom Sigita, were superb characters, very strong every day women.
There were numerous characters that were hard to keep track off as they were not all flushed out but when it came together at the end I thought it was executed well. 
Why the boy in the suitcase, the punch line was amazing in my mind, again decisions and circumstances which ended with a dramatic ending.  Overall I enjoyed this story but wish the intensity was more stable to keep me engaged.
Even though Nina was a great character there is so much more to understand about her past as a Immigrant Nurse and the secret dark side of life she has been involved in and possibly will continue.  I accepted some decisions only because I can tell she was use to illegal decisions and she was making hers for the right reasons.
The Boy in the Suitcase is currently on sale on Amazon now and the second in the series Invisble Murder is available on Netgalley for request. 
Favourite Quote to start of the book

In the suitcase was a boy:  naked, fair-haired, rather thin, about three years old.  The shock rocked her back on her heels so that she fell against the rough plastic surface of the dumpster.

11 comments:

  1. Yeah, sometimes books suffer in the translation.

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  2. I always wanted to read that book but now I'm not sure... Thanks for the review.

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  3. This book caught my eye a while back -- the premise makes it sound very exciting! I might have to get it from the library. Though, the idea of LOTS of characters scares me -- I hate having to keep track of who is who.

    Great review, Marce!

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  4. I have trouble with thrillers that have young kids involved. They are very hard for me to get through. I did see this one on sale though and get it. I will eventually get to it!

    I just downloaded Sweetheart (yes looking at your sidebar) and can't wait to get to it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. You would think by its premise that you'd be on the edge of your seat!

    I can't wait to hear what you think of Gretchen, she is something for sure ; )

    This week has been a blast, I loved it!

    Paula

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  6. I had heard about this a while back and I'm still intrigued by it. It does sound very fascinating.

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  7. Great review Marce! This has been on my wtr list for a while

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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  8. I'm interested in this book! It just sounds super good. And I agree that title alone makes me curious about the story! Great review!

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  9. I want to read this, translation or no translation and I can keep track of characters too...

    Here is my thrill week review!!

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  10. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    SYDNEY PREVOR, FORMER PREVOR-MAYRSOHN INTERNATIONAL INC. EXECUTIVE IS THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BIOGRAPHY.

    Entitled “Mike and Sid: Best Friends Forever”, this groundbreaking autobiography reflects on Sydney’s life and his relationship with his twin brother, Michael. Providing insight into the unique nature of the twin relationship, this book follows the lives of Mike and Sid from their upbringing and childhood to their experiences working together at Prevor-Mayrsohn. Culminating in Mike’s illness and death, this book is an emotional story about the complicated love between twins.

    Active in the Produce business for three generations, the Prevor family business was a major importer and exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables and was acquired by Poly Peck, a large British conglomerate, in 1988.

    Available for sale on Amazon.com, the book is scheduled for release on November 12. 2012.

    BOOK DESCRIPTION
    "Mike and Sid: Best Friends Forever" is an autobiography about the life of identical twins. Born and raised as one person, this book follows the symbiotic and co-dependent relationship of these two men who remained as one for their entire lives. Deeply connected and able to read each other's minds, these twins felt each other’s pain and when one needed the other, he was always there. This heart-wrenching story that culminates in what is perceived as one twin's martyrdom for the other is a ground breaking view into the devoted, yet complicated relationship between twins. Offering incredible insight into the impact of upbringing, this book should be required reading for all mothers of twins.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Born in Brooklyn, Sydney Prevor spent over 50 years of his life in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A graduate of City College, Sydney joined his family’s Produce business in 1959 and worked for decades as Vice President and Director of what became a public corporation traded on the Nasdaq. Later in life, he became the President and CEO of Sydney Prevor & Co., a boutique stock trading/brokerage house.

    Married to a clinical psychologist and ardently interested in human behavior and human development, Sydney has been a lifelong student of psychology. Having engaged in psychoanalysis and dream interpretation training, Sydney has also pursued self-improvement courses such as Tony Robbins, Life Spring and Mind Control.

    Currently residing in Miami with his wife Ruth, Sydney is the proud father and grandfather of three children and two grandchildren.


    ReplyDelete
  11. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    SYDNEY PREVOR, FORMER PREVOR-MAYRSOHN INTERNATIONAL INC. EXECUTIVE IS THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BIOGRAPHY.

    Entitled “Mike and Sid: Best Friends Forever”, this groundbreaking autobiography reflects on Sydney’s life and his relationship with his twin brother, Michael. Providing insight into the unique nature of the twin relationship, this book follows the lives of Mike and Sid from their upbringing and childhood to their experiences working together at Prevor-Mayrsohn. Culminating in Mike’s illness and death, this book is an emotional story about the complicated love between twins.

    Active in the Produce business for three generations, the Prevor family business was a major importer and exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables and was acquired by Poly Peck, a large British conglomerate, in 1988.

    Available for sale on Amazon.com, the book is scheduled for release on November 12. 2012.

    BOOK DESCRIPTION
    "Mike and Sid: Best Friends Forever" is an autobiography about the life of identical twins. Born and raised as one person, this book follows the symbiotic and co-dependent relationship of these two men who remained as one for their entire lives. Deeply connected and able to read each other's minds, these twins felt each other’s pain and when one needed the other, he was always there. This heart-wrenching story that culminates in what is perceived as one twin's martyrdom for the other is a ground breaking view into the devoted, yet complicated relationship between twins. Offering incredible insight into the impact of upbringing, this book should be required reading for all mothers of twins.

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Born in Brooklyn, Sydney Prevor spent over 50 years of his life in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A graduate of City College, Sydney joined his family’s Produce business in 1959 and worked for decades as Vice President and Director of what became a public corporation traded on the Nasdaq. Later in life, he became the President and CEO of Sydney Prevor & Co., a boutique stock trading/brokerage house.

    Married to a clinical psychologist and ardently interested in human behavior and human development, Sydney has been a lifelong student of psychology. Having engaged in psychoanalysis and dream interpretation training, Sydney has also pursued self-improvement courses such as Tony Robbins, Life Spring and Mind Control.

    Currently residing in Miami with his wife Ruth, Sydney is the proud father and grandfather of three children and two grandchildren.

    ReplyDelete

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