On the Line

S.J. Rozan

Another masterpiece from S.J. Rozan.

Bill Smith gets a phone call from his partner, Lydia Chin. But the phone is quickly taken by a man who says he has kidnapped her and Bill is the only one who can rescue her. The only way to rescue her is to follow the caller's clues. The clues are left in plastic bags at odd places. The first set of clues takes Bill to an abandoned building where he finds a dead young Chinese hooker. When he moves the body, a signal is sent to the police.

Now Bill is the main suspect in the girl's death. The police are after him. The man who owns the Chinese brothels is after him, as well as the man's goons. And the crazy kidnapper is still playing mind games. Bill is on the run. He gets help from one of Lydia's cousins. Linus is a young computer genius who owns a computer security company. He is quick to help, excited as only a young man can be to be involved in this kind of chase. Linus' assistant comes along as well.

When Bill solves the next set of clues with the help of his new assistants, he discovers another young Chinese hooker left for dead. He's not sure if he can rescue her in time or not. If he does, does he put Lydia in more danger? He certainly can't leave the girl to die like the phone caller did. Even if he is able to follow the instructions, will he then be told how to find Lydia. What does this crazy kidnapper want?

On the Line takes place in under 24 hours. It is a hold on tight to the edge of your seat type story. S.J. Rozan plays mind games with her characters. Once again Bill finds himself in an intolerable position from actions he had taken in the past. If he can't rescue Lydia he will blame himself for the rest of his life.

The reader feels Bill's frustration in On the Line. It is ten times worse when he figures out this ghost from his past. He has good helpers who help build the story and its edginess. This is a down to the wire mystery. Since Bill and Lydia are the main characters of this series, the reader is certain that both will survive. But any other character is in danger. Either of them could be badly hurt. If you've followed this series, you're invested in these characters, making the book even more harrowing.

The language is graphic and the emotions are overwhelming. The violence is mostly off scene. This book makes the reader think and concentrate on the clues. They are obscure enough at times that the reader won't know what they mean until Bill is able to figure them out. That doesn't stop the reader from trying, though.

The last chapter of this book is also setting up Lydia's and Bill's future. If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, it won't hurt this story at all. Enough of the history is explained to make it good. If you have, you'll be caught up once again.

Notice:  Strong indecent language

China Trade
Concourse
Mandarin Plaid
No Colder Place
A Bitter Feast
Stone Quarry
Reflecting the Sky
Winter and Night
The Shanghai Moon
On The Line