TARGET

Author: Stella Cameron ISBN: 0778324257 4/2007 SUSPENSE Publisher: MIRA

Nearly two decades ago, a charismatic rnan called Colin controlled an isolated community hidden in the foothills north of San Francisco in what was supposed to be a life free of materialism. Instead, Colin turned The Refuge into a mass grave as he completed a sinister plan to exterminate his followers—all except three children, who slipped through his fingers and escaped with his secrets. Today, Nick Board and the two beautiful sisters, Sarah and Aurelie, who escaped with him, are living quietly under the radar in the little bayou town of Point Judah, Louisiana. But when the bodies at The Refuge are uncovered, the nightmare of the past forces the friends out into the open. To survive, they must stay one step ahead of the man who has been waiting for them to surface. Driven by greed and anger, he intends them to take his secrets to their graves.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Within the choppy, fragmented mess of TARGET, there is a glimmer of a good story. Weird cults always seem to capture the public's attention, due to a fascination with the bizarre, I suppose. Therefore, the prologue of TARGET is geared to grab a reader's attention. Unfortunately, this novel unravels after a decent setup.

I felt as if I was walking into the middle of a story throughout much of TARGET. And this confused feeling (soon to become frustration) did not improve throughout this story.

Nothing is explained too well in TARGET. In fact, just about every aspect of this story is glossed over, superficial, if you will... including character development, character motivation and the suspense angle.

Indeed, if I had to come up with a single word to describe TARGET, that word would be 'silly'. Silly characters with no depth, and a silly suspense that mushrooms from a murder into something more weird will do little to endear TARGET to readers.

Adults acting like teenagers, strangers acting, well, strange (and not raising the suspicions of the local police) and a disjointed storyline all combine to be teeth gritters.

When I finished with the last page of TARGET, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Fans of Stella Cameron might enjoy TARGET, but I wouldn't bet the family fortune on it.

Debbie Jett