Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Double Bind
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 1957
WEBSITE: https://www.royjohansen.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY: American
https://us.macmillan.com/author/royjohansen/ * http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0423839/ Son of Iris Johansen.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1957; son of Iris Johansen.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author.
AWARDS:National FOCUS Award, Films Of College and University Students; Edgar Allen Poe Award, Mystery Writers of America, for Murder 101.
WRITINGS
Author of Murder 101 (screenplay).
The screenplay, Murder 101, was adapted for television.
SIDELIGHTS
Roy Johansen is most well-known for his creative work. During his college years, he penned “Murder 101,” a screenplay that came to be adapted into a television film. It is this work that earned him two awards, including one from the Films Of College and University Students. He has also published several novels, the majority of which were written in cooperation with his mother, Iris Johansen.
The Answer Man and Beyond Belief
The Answer Man stars protagonist Ken Parker. At the start of the novel, Ken has reached what he believes is his lowest point. He has lost just about everything, including his financial stability and his marriage. While things seem to be looking up for him when he lands a well-paying gig, he soon winds up in the middle of two murder cases. Now it is on him to prove his innocence. A writer in an issue of Publishers Weekly wrote: “[Ken] deserves a sequel, and this novel’s bittersweet finale gives strong hope of that.” Booklist contributor George Cohen felt that the book is “[a] thriller all lovers of the genre can sink their teeth into.”
Joe Bailey serves as the protagonist of Beyond Belief. His story begins with the bizarre slaying of a university professor whose death may be at the hands of some supernatural force. Joe is expected to use his own professional experience with the supernatural to crack the case; prior to becoming a detective, Joe led a career within the world of magic. Yet everything Joe thought he knew comes into question as he delves deeper into the case. “Readers will have fun trying to keep up with the tale’s rapid pace and Johansen’s nimble sleight-of-hand,” remarked one Publishers Weekly contributor. Connie Fletcher, a Booklist reviewer, called the book “an absolute stunner of a thriller.”
Silent Thunder and Storm Cycle
Silent Thunder centers on Hannah Bryson. Hannah has recently lost her brother under violent yet mysterious means. To make matters worse, those in charge of looking into his death seem to be hand-waving the circumstances surrounding it. Hannah takes it upon herself to uncover the truth. One Publishers Weekly contributor expressed praise for the book’s “exciting finale.” In an issue of Booklist, Carol Haggas wrote that the book contains “muscular characters and a brisk immediacy that keep it gripping and relevant.”
The stars of Storm Cycle are two sisters: Rachel and Allie. The two of them wind up becoming involved in a mystery out in the deserts of Egypt, where they find both love and adventure. A reviewer in Publishers Weekly said: “Despite the lack of character development or surprising plot twists, action fans should be satisfied.” Booklist contributor Carol Haggas remarked that Storm Cycle is “a pulse-pounding adventure intricate enough to satisfy tech-savvy geeks and hard-core adrenaline junkies alike.”
Shadow Zone and Close Your Eyes
Shadow Zone serves as the sequel to Silent Thunder. It again follows Hannah, who has managed to unearth artifacts from the depths of the ocean. However, just as she is about to claim her discovery, it is pilfered by a ne’er-do-well. Hannah will have to team up with an old ally in order to reclaim the artifact and save the world. A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote: “Entertaining action scenes compensate in part for two-dimensional characters and trite romances.” Carol Haggas, a writer for Booklist, offered all-around praise for the book, saying: “Hannah emerges as a prepossessing, determined heroine who is more than capable of sustaining this absorbing series.”
Close Your Eyes follows a new protagonist by the name of Kendra Michaels. While Kendra was born blind, she is able to regain her sight through the use of progressive medical advances. Now the government wants to utilize her in order to get to the bottom of the disappearance of one of their own, and they will need Kendra’s skills and senses for the job. One Kirkus Reviews contributor called the book “[a] not-so-thrilling thriller that leaves readers wishing that the bad guys were better shots.” Other reviewers expressed more positive sentiments. A writer in Publishers Weekly wrote: “The authors combine idiosyncratic yet fully realized characters with dry wit and well-controlled suspense.” Booklist reviewer Mary Frances Wilkens commented: “The scenes with Adam and Kendra ooze sexual tension, making this thriller a titillating delight.”
The Naked Eye and Night Watch
The Naked Eye again follows Kendra as she tracks down an elusive murderer who has managed to fly under the law enforcement radar for several months—if only because they believed he has been deceased all of this time. Booklist reviewer Carol Haggas wrote that The Naked Eye “cements Michaels’ reputation as a force to be reckoned with.” A Publishers Weekly writer commented that the book contained “a thrilling race against time.”
Night Watch has Kendra assisting in a case involving the doctor that gave her the ability to see. He is suddenly kidnapped, and Kendra takes it upon herself to locate him and those who could have taken him. In an issue of Booklist, Carol Haggas remarked that Night Watch is “another high-stakes, high-powered thriller in the popular “Kendra Michaels” series.” A contributor to Publisher Weekly expressed that “the plot builds to a stunning conclusion.” On the Criminal Element website, Kristen Houghton wrote: “Not having read the previous books will not diminish the reader’s understanding of the characters and the situations.” She added: “Filled with frightening twists and terrifying turns, this book is intrigue at its best.”
Look Behind You and Double Blind
In Look Behind You, Kendra is approached by a member of the FBI in order to get to the bottom of a series of deaths. Carol Haggas, a contributor to Booklist, felt that the book is “deliberately paced and sufficiently nuanced.” A reviewer in Publishers Weekly called Look Behind You “one of the more complex and satisfying entries in this bestselling romantic suspense series.”
Double Blind centers on Kendra, who is trying her best to live out a more normal life. Yet a suspicious death pulls Kendra back into the investigative world that, for some reason, revolves around a wedding. What’s more is the person behind the increasing amount of deaths may have it out for Kendra personally. “Magnetic characters and a twisty, suspenseful plot ensure that readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment,” remarked one Publishers Weekly contributor. Booklist reviewer Carol Haggas called the book “[a] worthy addition to the Johansens’ Kendra Michaels series, following Look behind You (2017).” A writer on the Good, The Bad, The Unread blog stated: “Not only did I gnaw on my fingernails when I got to the end to find the to be continued, but there is no date for when we’ll get this next installment.” She added: “I truly believe that authors should not wait more than a few months between installments for their fans.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 1999, George Cohen, review of The Answer Man, p. 940; February 15, 2001, Connie Fletcher, review of Beyond Belief, p. 1119; March 1, 2008, Carol Haggas, review of Silent Thunder, p. 30; June 1, 2009, Carol Haggas, review of Storm Cycle, p. 6; May 15, 2010, Carol Haggas, review of Shadow Zone, p. 5+; May 15, 2012, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of Close Your Eyes, p. 20; July 1, 2014, Carol Haggas, review of Sight Unseen, p. 43; June 1, 2015, Carol Haggas, review of The Naked Eye, p. 56; September 1, 2016, Carol Haggas, review of Night Watch, p. 58+; June, 2017, Carol Haggas, review of Look Behind You, p. 60; May 1, 2018, Carol Haggas, review of Double Blind, p. 26.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2012, review of Close Your Eyes.
Publishers Weekly, March 8, 1999, review of The Answer Man, p. 49; March 26, 2001, review of Beyond Belief, p. 65; May 12, 2008, review of Silent Thunder, p. 38; May 18, 2009, review of Storm Cycle, p. 32; May 31, 2010, review of Shadow Zone, p. 25; May 21, 2012, review of Close Your Eyes, p. 36; May 25, 2015, review of The Naked Eye, p. 35; August 29, 2016, review of Night Watch, p. 66; May 22, 2017, review of Look Behind You, p. 73; May 21, 2018, review of Double Blind, p. 46.
ONLINE
Crimespree, http://crimespreemag.com/ (July 21, 2018), Elise Cooper, “Interview with Iris and Roy Johansen,” author interview.
Criminal Element, https://www.criminalelement.com/ (October 25, 2016), Kristen Houghton, review of Night Watch.
Good, The Bad, The Unread, https://goodbadandunread.com/ (July 24, 2018), review of Double Blind.
Roy Johansen website, https://www.royjohansen.com (October 16, 2018), author profile.
Roy Johansen began his professional writing career with his original screenplay for "Murder 101," written in college and for which he won the national FOCUS (Films Of College and University Students) award, a competition sponsored by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Martin Scorsese. The screenplay was later produced for cable television and starred Pierce Brosnan. The "Murder 101" script was awarded the Edgar Allen Poe award from the Mystery Writers of America in the Best Television Miniseries or Movie category.
Later, Johansen collaborated with comic book legend Stan Lee in creating The Accuser superhero character, which appeared in a series of animated adventures from Stan Lee Media. Johansen has written screenplays for Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Disney, and MGM.
More recently, Johansen has written several New York Times bestselling mystery novels, including "The Answer Man," "Beyond Belief," "Deadly Visions," "Silent Thunder," "Storm Cycle," "Shadow Zone, "Close Your Eyes," "Sight Unseen," "The Naked Eye" and "Night Watch."
His next thriller will be published by St. Martin's Press in 2018.
INTERVIEW WITH IRIS AND ROY JOHANSEN
Posted by Elise Cooper on Jul 21, 2018 in Books, Features, Interviews
Double Blind by Iris and Roy Johansen is a heart stopping story. This series has a very original premise and this novel, in particular, has a killer that is unique. Blind from birth, the main character, Kendra Michaels, regained her sight at the age of twenty. Now she is able to use her extensively distinct senses and acute analytical skills to help the FBI thwart bad guys.
This case literally came to her after a woman is found dead with an envelope having Kendra’s name on it. It contains a memory stick of a wedding video. What soon becomes apparent is that the wedding party has been targeted by a serial killer who strives to get the maximum number of victims by inflicting emotional and physical pain. Through the investigative process Kendra and company realize that the killer is connected to a mercenary organization.
This mother/son collaboration make a great team, able to write edge-of-your seat suspenseful stories with compelling characters. The twists in DOUBLE BLIND can lead readers to be blind-sided so be forewarned.
Elise Cooper: What is like writing with your son/mother?
Iris Johansen: We write in the same manner and are able to play off one another. I take a part of the book and write some, then Roy does the same. We edit each other. It is great fun!
Roy Johansen: We talk a lot before we begin, discussing the characters and the story. We have a pretty good idea of the premise and where we are headed after six books. We are constantly surprising each other in a way that we also want to surprise readers.
EC: Does one have veto power over the other?
IJ: We do not have veto power, but we do have argue power. For instance, I wanted to kill off a character at one point, even though we both liked them. For me, characters are everything with our books. If you read something you did not know or think something is really clever, that is usually Roy. With the characters, we consider them both of ours and have become invested in them.
RJ: Mom wanted to kill off this main supporting character in the very first book because she is blood thirsty with her characters. I had to talk her out of that one. Everyone should rest assured, because at this point there is no way we could eliminate them. I know we made the right decision. After going on a book tour with mom, I saw how people love her characters and are very invested in them.
EC: Both of you write the characters?
RJ: With one exception. Mom’s character, Eve Duncan, was featured the Kendra books. It was just right for her to do those scenes. BTW: Kendra has actually appeared in three Eve Duncan books: SLEEP NO MORE (as a supporting character), HUNTING EVE (a major character), FINDING EVE (more of a cameo in the first chapter), and Eve appears in the last quarter of the Kendra book THE NAKED EYE.
EC: So how did the main character Kendra Michaels come about?
RJ: We started with Kendra even before we wrote one word of the story. The way mom writes characters influenced the creation of this person. I write most of the intricate explanations of what Kendra does. We wanted to create a classic detective that could, with their powers of observation and deduction, seeing some things no one else could see. There was a lot of time spent on making sure she was different; yet, maintains the classic detective traits.
EC: Can you describe her?
IJ: She is complicated, brisk, cautious, loyal, and impatient. She has difficulty with those who she considers lazy in doing their job. She has a colorful history from those wild days after she was given her sight. Kendra always speaks her mind, especially with her FBI counterparts.
EC: Kendra’s skills came from when she was blind?
RJ: We came up with the idea of having her formally blind for her first twenty years of life. Like most blind people she grew up fine tuning her other senses to compensate. Now that she has her sight, thanks to a rare, successful stem cell surgery, she is able to pick up sounds and smells that most others do not even pay attention to. She soaks up the world around her, including her sight.
EC: Is it hard to have Kendra deduce something, but make it believable?
IJ: We need to present the problem, explain it away, make sure the reader understands it, and that it makes sense to them. We have to make sure that there is a balance and not put in too many of those scenes. We want to give a wonderful ride, but also make sure there is a balance and that those scenes are not overwhelming.
RJ: It is hard to write these scenes because it must contribute to the flow of the story. What she observes must move the story forward. This is incredibly time consuming. I think the most challenging part of the book is to make those scenes work in a variety of ways. We want to make sure Kendra does not have super powers. She can see, hear, and smell things, which anyone else can if they were paying attention. What makes her special is how she trained herself to pay attention.
EC: Did you speak to anyone who was blind?
RJ: I talked to a blind woman to get a sense about what it is like. I was impressed how she compensated with other senses. It is something she does to make her way in the world. What she told me was very inspirational. One of our favorite fan letters was from a blind person who said she played the audio book and felt it was true to life.
EC: Why make Kendra’s other job as a music therapist?
RJ: It is based on my sister Pam’s profession. It is something Kendra could do even when she was blind. It is how people can communicate, and is really unexplored territory.
EC: Can you describe the main male character, Adam Lynch?
RJ: Traditionally a loner, not a team player, sometimes of a prickly nature. He is a free-lance operative. Through Kendra he is learning to work and play well with others. He is very much his own man with a steely confidence. His hated nickname is ‘Puppetmaster,’ because one of his talents is having people bend to his will. He can be very persuasive, a master of manipulation.
EC: The romantic tension heats up between Kendra and Adam Lynch?
IJ: The relationship takes a major leap in this book. We do play around with this attraction. There has always been Kendra’s distrust of a commitment. Right now, she is pulling back because she does not want to be hurt by this sexy, smart, cocky, and dominant man. Even though she sees everything, sometimes where Lynch is concerned she is blind to the clues he offers.
EC: While she was blind, her determined, brilliant mother, Deanna, decided that Kendra was going to grow up to be extraordinary?
IJ: In Kendra’s world, she is and has been independent. Her mom helped her in that personality. She would not be who she is today if not for her mom who was tough and caring. A mother can be a whole family to a child. This is why we put in the book quote about her mother who made “certain that Kendra didn’t miss one bit of the experience because of the darkness, memories…the triumphs and hope and remember all the joys that she had experienced with her mother through the years. No one could have been a stronger or more loving mother than Deanna. Kendra wanted to reach out, touch her, and relive those years that had bound them together in the darkness and in the light.”
EC: Can you give a heads up about your next books?
IJ: A murder takes place at Kendra’s former school for the blind. There will be some scenes where this book left off. My book out in October, Vendetta, is not an Eve book, but does bring back a former character, Catherine Ling. There will be a surprising connection for those old Eve fans.
THANK YOU!!
Double Blind (Kendra Michaels Book 6)
Iris and Roy Johansen
St. Martin’s Press
July 17th, 2018
Double Blind
Publishers Weekly. 265.21 (May 21, 2018): p46+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Double Blind
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $28.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-07599-4
At the start of bestseller Johansen and son's satisfying sixth novel featuring FBI investigator Kendra Michaels (after 2017's Look Behind You), Elena Meyer, a paralegal for a Connecticut law firm, is found dead just a few blocks from Kendra's condo in San Diego, Calif. In her possession is an envelope with Kendra's name on it. Kendra, who didn't know the woman, has no idea why her name would have been on the envelope containing a USB memory stick with a video of a wedding reception. As Kendra and Adam Lynch, a former FBI agent turned freelancer, start looking into the connection between Elena and the video, the bride from the video goes missing. The romantic tension heats up between Kendra and Adam as the body count rises. Eventually, Kendra and her team get on the track of a complex conspiracy. Magnetic characters and a twisty, suspenseful plot ensure that readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Double Blind." Publishers Weekly, 21 May 2018, p. 46+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A541012584/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=dd96b140. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A541012584
Double Blind
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 114.17 (May 1, 2018): p26.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Double Blind.
By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2018. 352p. St. Martin's, $28.99 (9781250075994); e-book (9781466887350).
As much as Kendra Michaels would like to maintain her distance from the FBI, her heightened sensory powers make her their go-to analyst in cases exceeding the agency's traditional expertise. When a body is recovered near her home and bearing an envelope marked with Kendra's name, Kendra is eager to investigate a crime that could have personal implications. The envelope contains a wedding video, and before long, several members of that happy celebration are abducted and murdered. Reluctant in the past to work with freelance agent Adam Lynch, Kendra welcomes his assistance and protection as the case's next victim is taken practically on Kendra's own doorstep. In the crosshairs is Brock, Ltd., an international private security firm of ex-military and ex-law enforcement personnel that is this close to going rogue worldwide. With Brock as a slippery and lethal adversary shielding a serial killer with a specific vendetta against Kendra, she faces new risks on both personal and professional levels in bringing the killer to justice. A worthy addition to the Johansens' Kendra Michaels series, following Look behind You (2017).--Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Double Blind." Booklist, 1 May 2018, p. 26. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A539647212/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d27a5160. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A539647212
Look Behind You
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 113.19-20 (June 2017): p60.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Look Behind You. By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. July 2017. 352p. St. Martin's, $27 (9781250075987); e-book (9781466887343).
Formerly blind Kendra Michaels brings her extraordinary sensory perception to bear when a string of murders unnerves the San Diego community. The killer is cunning and preternaturally careful; disparate pieces of evidence found at each crime scene seem to have no direct bearing on the case at hand. As the murders escalate, however, Michaels and her good friend private investigator Jessie Mercado determine that each crime's tokens can be traced back to cold-case murders committed around the country over a number of years. When FBI agents from each of the prior crime locations join locals Roland Metcalf and Gina Carlson, Michaels feels the need to strike out on her own to solve the case. Intelligent, independent, and intuitive, Michaels may be the FBI's best chance at catching an allusive killer, yet rogue agent Adam Lynch inserts himself into the investigation as Michaels' protector and would-be lover. Deliberately paced and sufficiently nuanced, the latest installment in the Johansens' Kendra Michaels thriller series, following Night Watch (2016), offers further insights into this powerful character. --Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Look Behind You." Booklist, June 2017, p. 60. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A498582732/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c62be051. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A498582732
Look Behind You
Publishers Weekly. 264.21 (May 22, 2017): p73+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Look Behind You
Iris and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $27.99
(352p) ISBN 978-1-250-07598-7
In Johansen and son's winning fifth Kendra Michaels novel (after 2016's Night Watch), FBI special agent Roland Metcalf visits Kendra, a music therapist with heightened senses, at her San Diego, Calif., studio, to ask for her help with an investigation into a series of bizarre killings. Special agent Gina Carson, Roland's arrogant partner, is skeptical of Kendra's qualifications, until Kendra, who was blind for many years before surgery restored her eyesight, demonstrates her amazing powers by deducing personal information about Gina. After Kendra gets on board, former FBI agent Adam Lynch, who has partnered with her on previous cases, comes to San Diego. Adam acts as Kendra's protector as the sexual tension between the two of them grows and Kendra gets closer to discovering the identity of a vicious killer who seems to know her every move. A long list of well-developed suspects makes this one of the more complex and satisfying entries in this bestselling romantic suspense series. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Look Behind You." Publishers Weekly, 22 May 2017, p. 73+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A494099047/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4def10a9. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A494099047
Night Watch
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 113.1 (Sept. 1, 2016): p58+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Night Watch. By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. Oct. 2016.352p. St. Martin's, $27.99 (9781250075970); e-book (9781466887336).
When the surgeon who miraculously restored Kendra Michaels' sight after 20 years is kidnapped, there is no question that Michaels will do everything in her considerable power to rescue him. Surprising Michaels during one of her university lectures, Dr. Charles Waldridge drops cryptic warnings about his new project but vehemently warns Michaels not to press him for additional in formation. The last person to have been seen with him, Michaels attracts the attention of local police when he disappears, but armed with the protection and influence of FBI agent Adam Lynch and a new cohort, Jessie Mercado, Michaels is able to infiltrate the cabal hijacking Waldridge's medical research and skills. As the body count rises and threats come closer to Michaels' own door, there is no time to waste to discover Waldridge's location and put an end to those who would corrupt his life-saving medical expertise. The mother-and-son Johansen team (The Naked Eye, 2015) delivers another high-stakes, high-powered thriller in the popular Kendra Michaels series.--Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Night Watch." Booklist, 1 Sept. 2016, p. 58+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A463755153/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a3689b71. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A463755153
Night Watch
Publishers Weekly. 263.35 (Aug. 29, 2016): p66.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Night Watch
Iris and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $27.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-07597-0
Early in bestseller Johansen and son's suspenseful fourth novel featuring Dr. Kendra Michaels (after 20I5's The Naked Eye), Kendra, who was blind until she was 20, delivers a research paper on aging at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. Afterward, she's surprised to discover that Dr. Charles Waldridge, the British surgeon who restored her sight nine years earlier, was in the audience. The two have dinner at a nearby ocean-side restaurant, where Charles says he's come to L.A. from London on a fund-raising mission. Kendra cleverly deduces that something else is causing Charles stress, but he won't tell her what. When he later goes missing, Kendra believes foul play is involved and enlists the aid of former FBI agent Adam Lynch in her search for Charles. The danger that Kendra and Adam face increases dramatically as they get closer to the truth, as does the attraction between the two. The plot builds to a stunning conclusion. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Night Watch." Publishers Weekly, 29 Aug. 2016, p. 66. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A462236424/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a245e7b9. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A462236424
The Naked Eye
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 111.19-20 (June 1, 2015): p56.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
The Naked Eye. By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2015. 352p. St. Martin's, $27.99 (9781250020543); e-book (9781250020550).
Special agent Kendra Michaels never believed her arch-nemesis, Eric Colby, died in the gas chamber at San Quentin. A killer as ruthless and well-connected as Colby would never let the system take him down. But Michaels is the only one in Southern California law enforcement who believes he's still out there, even after a string of garish murders bearing Colby's signature MO occur across the San Diego area. Using his extensive network of cyber-terrorists to get into Michaels' home and computer and, most important, under her skin, Colby ups the ante and kills a respected local cop, finally bringing the rest of the force and the FBI around to Michaels' way of thinking. Michaels knows she's Colby's ultimate victim, but will his promised threat to first take out people close to her be thwarted in time? Reintroducing numerous characters from their extensive backlist of Michaels thrillers, including Sight Unseen (2014), the Johansens power-up the emotional stakes in this page-turning thriller that cements Michaels' reputation as a force to be reckoned with.--Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "The Naked Eye." Booklist, 1 June 2015, p. 56. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A421080252/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=77110dce. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A421080252
The Naked Eye
Publishers Weekly. 262.21 (May 25, 2015): p35.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Naked Eye
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $27.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-02054-3
In bestseller Johansen and son's exciting third novel featuring Kendra Michaels (after 2014's Sight Unseen), Kendra, a law-enforcement consultant whose senses of smell and hearing are extraordinarily acute, believes that serial killer Eric Colby is still alive, even though he was supposedly executed by lethal injection at California's San Quentin State Prison months earlier. Meanwhile, San Diego reporter Sheila Hunter, who's eager to interview Kendra, runs a newspaper story that supports Kendra's theory about Colby. Dismayed that Sheila's story has tipped off Colby, Kendra agrees to talk to the reporter. Just hours after their meeting, Sheila turns up dead, hanging from the mast of a house boat in a local marina. The MO suggests that Colby could be the killer. Beth, the sister of Eve Duncan (the star of Iris Johansen's main series), joins Kendra in a thrilling race against time to stop a killer who seems to follow Kendra's every move. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Naked Eye." Publishers Weekly, 25 May 2015, p. 35. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A416115969/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=75633006. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A416115969
Sight Unseen
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 110.21 (July 1, 2014): p43.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Sight Unseen. By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. July 2014.336p. St. Martin's, $27.99 (9781250020529).
Based solely on the fleeting images seen on a restaurant's TV screen, Kendra Michaels knew that the multicar pileup on San Diego's Cabrillo Bridge was no accident. The staged tableau was designed to get her attention by re-creating grisly elements from a number of serial murders Michaels had helped solve. Now a copycat killer has Michaels in his sights, with plans to both honor and discredit her as he draws an ever-tightening noose around Michaels, her FBI cohorts, and the people she loves most. As readers of the mother-and-son Johansen team's popular Kendra Michaels series (Close Your Eyes, 2012) know, Kendra spent most of her life as a blind woman, until vision-restoring surgery granted her observational powers worthy of Sherlock Holmes, extraordinary abilities that will engage all her senses as she tracks down this sociopathic killer. The Johansens do a page-turning job of tying up all the loose ends in this complex cat-and-mouse game, but they always manage to leave one thread dangling: just the kind of ploy designed to keep loyal series fans eagerly anticipating the next installment. --Carol Haggas
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Sight Unseen." Booklist, 1 July 2014, p. 43. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A376932636/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7775b52a. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A376932636
Johansen, Roy: CLOSE YOUR EYES
Kirkus Reviews. (July 15, 2012):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Johansen, Roy CLOSE YOUR EYES St. Martin's (Adult Fiction) $27.99 7, 17 ISBN: 978-0-312-61161-3
Johansen and her son, Roy, team up for their fourth collaborative effort (Shadow Zone, 2010, etc.). Dr. Kendra Michaels, a music therapist, doesn't seem like your average crime fighter, but Kendra's track record is impressive. She's helped police crack plenty of tough cases. Although she has no crime-fighting background, the first 20 years of her life have heightened her senses, and she can see, hear, smell and feel things no one else can. Born blind, Kendra had sight-restoring surgery, but regaining her ability to see hasn't changed her gift for zeroing in on details that often get by others. So, when someone starts killing random people, former FBI agent Adam Lynch, who is now investigative freelancing, ropes her into helping the feds find the killer. Kendra hadn't planned to get involved in another case, but an FBI agent named Jeff, who is also an old boyfriend of hers, has gone missing, and the bureau believes he was snatched while trying to find the serial killer. Kendra fights the idea of joining the investigation and gives everyone from Adam to the FBI's special agent in charge a hard time. Then things get weird, and suddenly Kendra finds herself on the receiving end of the violence. After narrowly escaping an attack, Kendra plunges into the case but soon finds it's forcing her to reexamine both her old relationship with Jeff and her new one with Adam. The law enforcement agents are all either corrupt or inept, and the supposed heat that builds between Kendra and Adam is tepid and uninteresting. While the foray into music therapy is compelling, the writers strain credulity with the premise that any federal agency would put up with someone as unpleasant and rude as Kendra, much less let her call the shots. A not-so-thrilling thriller that leaves readers wishing that the bad guys were better shots.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Johansen, Roy: CLOSE YOUR EYES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2012. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A296121262/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a65c5f8f. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A296121262
Close Your Eyes
Publishers Weekly. 259.21 (May 21, 2012): p36.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Close Your Eyes
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $27.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-312-61161-3
Bestseller Johansen and son's gripping fourth collaborative effort (after 2010's Shadow Zone) stars Dr. Kendra Michaels, a music therapist with some amazing talents. Born blind, Kendra developed her other senses to an extraordinary degree until her sight was restored at age 20. As a modern-day Sherlock Homes, Kendra is invaluable to the FBI, who pull her into the case of six fatal stabbings in the San Diego area in 45 days that was earlier investigated by her former lover, Jeff Stedler, who's gone missing. All six victims had the same as yet unidentified substance in their bodies. Despite not being a team player and friction with her co-worker, Adam Lynch, Kendra picks up some almost invisible clues that put them on the right track. Now someone is determined to kill her. The authors combine idiosyncratic yet fully realized characters with dry wit and well-controlled suspense that builds to a satisfying conclusion. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, the Jane Rotrosen Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Close Your Eyes." Publishers Weekly, 21 May 2012, p. 36. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A290734555/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ae39381f. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A290734555
Close Your Eyes
Mary Frances Wilkens
Booklist. 108.18 (May 15, 2012): p20.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Close Your Eyes.
By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2012. 416p. St. Martin's, $27.99 (9780312611613).
Kendra Michaels was blind the first 20 years of her life. A miraculous new procedure changed that, but her other senses remain keener than any normal person's, That hypersensitivity comes in handy with law-enforcement groups across the country. Now the FBI is knocking at her door again. By trade, Kendra is a music therapist and enjoys using her unusual skills to help troubled kids find a sense of peace through music. But into her life walks Adam Lynch, not an FBI agent per se but a "consultant" who specializes in getting jobs done at any cost. His technique is half charismatic, half manipulative, and the case at hand involves her ex-boyfriend, Jeff, an agent himself, who has disappeared, and when it's apparent he might be the next on a serial killer's hit list, Kendra gets sucked in. The pace here is quick, and the subject matter intriguing. Kendra's talents are mind-blowing, if a little unbelievable, but they make her a crackerjack detective all cops would want on their team, even though she comes with a boatload of attitude. "The scenes with Adam and Kendra ooze sexual tension, making this thriller a titillating delight--Mary Frances Wilkens
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The popular mother-son team's latest will be supported by a widespread media campaign including national televison advertising.
Wilkens, Mary Frances
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Wilkens, Mary Frances. "Close Your Eyes." Booklist, 15 May 2012, p. 20. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A291352070/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=43595649. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A291352070
Shadow Zone
Publishers Weekly. 257.22 (May 31, 2010): p25.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Shadow Zone
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $26.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-312-61160-6
This disappointing sequel to the Johansens' Silent Thunder (2008) centers on the ancient city of Marinth, submerged in a massive tsunami 4,000 years ago and lying a quarter mile beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The secret that doomed Marinth's civilization to decline before the killer wave is still present and could in the wrong hands be a threat to hundreds of millions of people. As malevolent arms-merchant Vincent Gadiare and his femme-fatale lover, Anna Devareau, maneuver to get their hands on Marinth's secret, Hannah Bryson, world-class submarine designer, gathers her own legion of experts, including her love interest, enigmatic assassin Nicholas Kirov. Entertaining action scenes compensate in part for two-dimensional characters and trite romances. Informed readers may have trouble with the book's lack of verisimilitude. Submarines behave suspiciously similar to aircraft, and photosynthetic plants thrive in the water well below the photic zone. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Shadow Zone." Publishers Weekly, 31 May 2010, p. 25. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A228166319/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=839e92bb. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A228166319
Shadow Zone
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 106.18 (May 15, 2010): p5+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Shadow Zone.
By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2010. 384p. St. Martin's, $26.99 (9780312611606). Crime Fiction.
A lost underwater civilization, deadly algae, and hordes of attack dolphins roll the seas and threaten a fragile peace in the latest international thriller from the Johansens, a tale that reunites characters from their best-selling Silent Thunder (2009). As Hannah Bryson concludes her research at the deep-sea archaeological site of the doomed colony of Marinth, scientists are on the brink of discovering what caused Marinth's downfall. The answer may lie in the panels of an intricate trellis that Hannah manages to bring to the surface, only to have it fall into the hands of Gadaire, a ruthless sociopath who wants to use it to bring about an environmental Armageddon. Only one person has the cunning and desire to stop Gadaire: Kirov, the Russian agent who came to Hannah's aid once before. While Hannah struggles with the "spy-who-loved-me" aspects of working closely with the inscrutable Kirov, her impetuous 12-year-old nephew, Ronnie, insinuates himself into the middle of the investigation. In this adrenalin-accelerating tale of a high-stakes, high-seas conspiracy, the Johansens adeptly juggle multiple points of intrigue, smoothly balancing the prerequisite whirlwind pacing with plausible, even restrained, personal relationships. And Hannah emerges as a prepossessing, determined heroine who is more than capable of sustaining this absorbing series.--Carol Haggas
Haggas, Carol
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Shadow Zone." Booklist, 15 May 2010, p. 5+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A227651530/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=fb7024aa. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A227651530
Storm Cycle
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 105.19-20 (June 1, 2009): p6.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Storm Cycle.
By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2009. 416p. St. Martin's, $26.95 (9780312368036). Crime Fiction.
Taking "World Wide Web" to its extreme, the Johansens weave a sinuous thriller that pits a supercomputer against hieroglyphics in an ancient Egyptian burial chamber. Hoping to discover a cure for the rare illness threatening her sister's life, Rachel Kirby, the head of a prominent university technology center, has invented a way of harnessing the unused operating capacity of the world's PCs and game consoles to create a mighty computer network with limitless power coveted by corporations, individuals, and the government--few with motives as altruistic as hers. When Rachel receives a cryptic and urgent e-mail from John Tavak, a soldier of fortune trapped in a remote Egyptian tomb, she gets caught up in an ominous international chase that brings her tantalizingly close to unlocking the secrets of her sister's disease while putting her in the path of ruthless mercenaries hell-bent on solving the mystery before she can. Although they would have done well to abandon the contrived romance between Rachel and John, the Johansens' Indiana Jones--like saga admirably succeeds in combining dazzling, labyrinthine action with the exotic allure of ancient history to deliver a pulse-pounding adventure intricate enough to satisfy tech-savvy geeks and hard-core adrenaline junkies alike.--Carol Haggas
Haggas, Carol
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Storm Cycle." Booklist, 1 June 2009, p. 6. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A202484179/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0bd8630c. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A202484179
Storm Cycle
Publishers Weekly. 256.20 (May 18, 2009): p32.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Storm Cycle
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $26.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-312-36803-6
At the start of this fast-paced romantic thriller, the second from the bestselling mother and son Johansen team (Silent Thunder), Rachel Kirby, a computer whiz in Houston, Tex., is working hard to spur medical research on Krabbe's disease, a rare nervous-system disorder afflicting her sister, Allie. After Rachel narrowly survives a sniper's bullet, she receives an e-mail from John Tavak, a stranger who claims to be trapped in an Egyptian tomb, where he's met Peseshet, an ancient physician who may have a cure for Allie's ailment. The sisters set off on a globe-trotting adventure featuring gunfights, explosions and contrived romantic subplots. Rachel finds herself attracted to the enigmatic Tavak, while Allie starts falling for Hal Demanski, a spoiled billionaire who ends up aiding their efforts to get Peseshet's secrets before an evil pharmaceutical company does. Despite the lack of character development or surprising plot twists, action fans should be satisfied. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Storm Cycle." Publishers Weekly, 18 May 2009, p. 32. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A200342729/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=82d85f99. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A200342729
Silent Thunder
Publishers Weekly. 255.19 (May 12, 2008): p38.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Silent Thunder
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen. St. Martin's, $24.95 (416p) ISBN 978-0-312-36799-2
Bestseller Johansen (Quicksand) and her Edgar-winning son, Roy (Deadly Visions), collaborate on their first thriller with entertaining results. Hannah Bryson, a topnotch submarine designer, and her brother, Conner, must make sure that a Russian nuclear submarine, the Silent Thunder, recently purchased by the U.S. government for use as a maritime museum, is safe for visitors. Working alone on the sub in a Maine harbor, the two make a strange discovery that's swiftly followed by a deadly attack. Others, both Russian and American, want what the Brysons have uncovered and will stop at nothing to obtain it. One Russian, Nicolas Kirov, has a special interest in the submarine as well as a growing interest in the feisty, beautiful Hannah. The constantly bickering Hannah and Kirov are forced to work together for a common goal as they fight various enemies and, of course, fall in love. The romantic subplot threatens to take over the action, but is thankfully reined in at the exciting finale. 12-city author tour. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Silent Thunder." Publishers Weekly, 12 May 2008, p. 38. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A179349687/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0737d960. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A179349687
Silent Thunder
Carol Haggas
Booklist. 104.13 (Mar. 1, 2008): p30.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2008 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Silent Thunder.
By Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.
July 2008.416p. St. Martin's, $24.95 (9780312367992). Crime Fiction.
The cold war heats up again in Johansen's latest thriller, when marine architect Hannah Bryson's brother, Connor, is killed in an explosion aboard a decommissioned Russian submarine they're preparing for a nautical museum exhibit. Although the U.S. government official appointed to handle the investigation wants Hannah to believe Connor's death was accidental, Hannah thinks otherwise. Just minutes before he died, Connor discovered cryptic symbols etched into metal panels hidden deep within Silent Thunder, and Hannah knows that if she's ever to learn the truth about her brother's murder, she'll have to solve the code's mystery. Doing so, however, involves her in a protracted feud between two Russian operatives, Kirov and Pavski, who have a blatant disregard for human life when their missions are threatened. It's clearly a case of not knowing who one's friends or enemies are, as Hannah has to decide if Kirov's deep-seated hatred of Pavski equals her own need for revenge. Though the inherent distrust of all things related to Russia and its military complex has long been a staple of the international thriller genre--and, as such, runs the risk of appearing trite and stale--Johansen's collaboration with her crime-novelist son imbues their saga with muscular characters and a brisk immediacy that keep it gripping and relevant.--Carol Haggas
Haggas, Carol
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Haggas, Carol. "Silent Thunder." Booklist, 1 Mar. 2008, p. 30. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A176370310/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=87317b87. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A176370310
BEYOND BELIEF
Publishers Weekly. 248.13 (Mar. 26, 2001): p65.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2001 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
ROY JOHANSEN. Bantam, $23.95 (352p) ISBN 0-553-80115-5
Incredible events that beg a supernatural explanation challenge the deeply ingrained skepticism of Atlanta police detective Joe Bailey in this crafty paranormal crime thriller. A former stage magician who debunks swindling spirit mediums, psychic surgeons and similar charlatans, Bailey--nicknamed the "Spirit Basher"--has his work cut out for him in trying to solve the grisly death of a parapsychology professor impaled midway up the wall of his apartment by a sculpture too heavy for any person to lift. He refuses to believe that moody eight-year-old Jesse Randall, a supposed psychic prodigy, may have unintentionally murdered the man by unleashing an unconscious "shadow storm" during sleep. But while Joe is determined to prove the boy a con artist, others are not so dismissive, among them a psychopathic killer convinced that Jesse is the "Child of Light" prophesied by his millennialist cult. Though Johansen (The Answer Man) offers half-hearted psychological rationales for some characters' motives, he mostly kee ps the story to its surface, which he polishes brilliantly to allow for the collision of nonstop, tricky plot complications, including a mysterious money laundering scheme by the dead prof, Joe's romance with a medium he's investigating and Jesse's helicopter abduction from a church service by armed assailants. Many, but not all, of the supernatural scams arc explained by the novel's end, and readers will have fun trying to keep up with the tale's rapid pace and Johansen's nimble sleight-of-hand. (Apr. 10)
FYI: Johansen won an Edgar for his cable-TV screenplay, Murder 101.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"BEYOND BELIEF." Publishers Weekly, 26 Mar. 2001, p. 65. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A72519671/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e12578da. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A72519671
Beyond Belief
Connie Fletcher
Booklist. 97.12 (Feb. 15, 2001): p1119.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2001 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Johansen, Roy. Beyond Belief. Apr. 2001 288p. Bantam, $24.95 (0-553-80115-5).
A professor of parapsychology is found murdered, the body displayed halfway up the wall in his study, impaled by a sculpture. Detective Joe Bailey, a former magician and now a member of the Atlanta Police Department's bunco squad, who scouts out scams by phony psychics, is called in to ferret out the real m.o. behind what seems to be an otherworldly murder. The chief suspect, according to the dead prof's girlfriend, is an eight-year-old boy with telekinetic powers. The ever-skeptical Bailey (magic taught him there's an explanation for everything) finds his worldview shaken and his life endangered as unaccountable things start happening around him. The moves of a serial killer in Atlanta who has appointed himself the eight-year-old boy's guardian heighten the suspense. Johansen, who won an Edgar for The Answer Man (1999), introduces another tough-guy hero and a cast of off-kilter characters in an absolute stunner of a thriller.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Fletcher, Connie. "Beyond Belief." Booklist, 15 Feb. 2001, p. 1119. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A71705214/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bc7d3cbf. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A71705214
THE ANSWER MAN
Publishers Weekly. 246.10 (Mar. 8, 1999): p49.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1999 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Roy Johansen. Bantam, $23.95 (4l6p) ISBN 0-553-10607-4
Down and out in Atlanta, Ken Parker is a polygraph examiner whose life just can't get any worse--or so he thinks. His wife has just left him, his car has been repossessed and his disabled Gulf War veteran brother is being swindled by an insurance company. Desperate for cash, Ken accepts an illegal $50,000 job from beautiful defense attorney Myth Daniels to teach her client, embezzler Burton Sabini, how to beat a polygraph. Then matters spin downward from bad to horrific. A polygraph test subject whose life was ruined by Ken's faulty reading attacks Ken and then turns up dead in a Dumpster. Sabini passes his polygraph test but later is also found dead in an alley, with Ken's phone number on him. Under suspicion for both killings, Ken is now suspicious of Myth. Enter Hound Dog, a 21-year-old woman whose obsession is getting information from a police scanner to find crime scenes to photograph; she delivers some bad news to Ken about Myth's past. Trying to clear his name, Ken stumbles across another murder, an at tack on Hound Dog's boyfriend and a suspect who turns out to be Ken's still-beloved ex-wife. The offbeat narrative of Johansen's debut races cleanly through a maze of techno clues and multiple suspects, pulling readers along for a quirky ride with likable companions. Most notable of these is Ken, a classic amateur thriller hero who suffers endless humiliations while solving just enough of the puzzle to put everyone in grave danger when he guesses wrong. He deserves a sequel, and this novel's bittersweet finale gives strong hope of that. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"THE ANSWER MAN." Publishers Weekly, 8 Mar. 1999, p. 49. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A54082497/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b3b06abe. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A54082497
The Answer Man
George Cohen
Booklist. 95.11 (Feb. 1, 1999): p940.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 1999 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Johansen, Roy. The Answer Man. Apr. 1999. 352p. Bantam, $23.95 (0-553-10607-4).
Ken ("the Answer Man") Parker is a 34-year-old lie-detector operator living in Atlanta. He is an expert in his field, but business is bad, and he has to support his younger brother, who suffers from a disease contracted in the Gulf War. His car has been impounded, and he is being evicted from his office. Enter Myth Daniels, a beautiful lawyer. She is defending one Burton Sabini, who is being prosecuted in an embezzling case. Daniels wants to be sure that her client doesn't fail a polygraph examination, and Sabini offers Parker $50,000 in cash if Parker can teach him how to beat it. What follows is a tale of power and manipulation, of avarice and violence, with an array of interesting characters trying to stay alive. A thriller all lovers of the genre can sink their teeth into.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Cohen, George. "The Answer Man." Booklist, 1 Feb. 1999, p. 940. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A53914341/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e76bdd78. Accessed 22 Sept. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A53914341
Review: Night Watch by Iris & Roy Johansen
By Kristen Houghton
October 25, 2016
Night Watch by Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen (Kendra Michaels Series #4)
Night Watch by Iris and Roy Johansen is book #4 in the Kendra Michaels series (Available October 25, 2016).
Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen are a mother-and-son duo who created the character of Kendra Michaels, a hired gun for both the CIA and FBI, and Night Watch is the latest in the popular series. The premise of the series—a blind woman has her sight restored by a researcher working for an organization called the Night Watch Project, thus giving her a new life—is intriguing and exciting.
Kendra Michaels is a person whose senses are keen and on-target. Having been sightless for twenty years, her other senses—hearing, smell, taste, touch—are, in a sense, super-charged. Combine that with the new gift of sight she receives, and you have an investigator with a powerful edge.
Kendra Michaels spent the first twenty years of her life living in darkness. Then, thanks to a revolutionary medical procedure developed by England’s Night Watch Project, she was given the gift of sight. Her highly-developed senses (honed during her years in the dark), combined with her new found vision, have made her a remarkable investigator, sought after by law-enforcement agencies all over the country. But her newest case becomes deeply personal as she uncovers the truth about the shadowy organization that has given her so much.
She is surprised when she is visited by Dr. Charles Waldridge, the researcher who gave her sight. All is not well with the brilliant surgeon; he’s troubled by something he can’t discuss with Kendra. When Waldridge disappears the very night he visits her, Kendra is on the case.
Kendra is a highly resourceful character who teams up with government agent-for-hire Adam Lynch to help her find Waldridge. Together, they follow a trail to a gruesome discovery—the corpse of one of Dr. Waldridge’s associates and the deadly secret of Night Watch. Who will be next, and what is the Night Watch Project hiding? What secret is so potent that someone must be killed to protect it?
Their search leads readers into a white-knuckle confrontation with a deadly enemy who will push Kendra to the limits of her abilities. Not only must she try to unearth the shocking secret of Night Watch, the organization responsible for giving her sight, but she must fight for her own survival.
Without giving away spoilers to readers, the storyline is compelling as it follows Kendra to the snow-covered mountains of California on a chase that puts her life in danger and leads to the ugly truth concerning the organization called Night Watch. The hunt between predator and prey intensifies as the story builds, with mounting suspense, to a reader’s satisfying conclusion.
Though Night Watch is the fourth book in the Kendra Michaels series, it can stand alone as a novel due to the solid insertion of flashbacks that describe the life-changing procedure that gave Kendra her sight. Not having read the previous books will not diminish the reader’s understanding of the characters and the situations.
Filled with frightening twists and terrifying turns, this book is intrigue at its best.
REVIEW: Double Blind by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen
by veena | Jul 24, 2018 | Review | 2 comments
Veena’s review of Double Blind (Kendra Michaels, Book 6) by Iris & Roy Johansen
Romantic Thriller published by St. Martin’s Press 17 Jul 18
This is another spine-tingling adventure for Kendra Michaels, who uses her unique skills to track down a serial killer who’s hunting in her city. This is not the first time Kendra has been a target; in fact, she’s used up at least twenty-six lives already. Her loyal friends have her back as they help her hunt the killer. Heads up! This is a two-part book, so the conclusion to this one is a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving readers on edge waiting for the next part of which there is no date yet.
What’s unique about an innocuous wedding picture that a young woman died trying to get to Kendra? On the surface nothing appears to be extraordinary, until one by one members of the wedding party start dropping like flies. Kendra is stumped, and even bringing in her friend Detective Jessie Mercado and Adam’s contacts and skills doesn’t seem to be helping.
As always, Kendra’s skills in tracking down clues is uniquely extraordinary, but somehow Kendra seems to be off her game this time around, especially when the killer begins to target messages to her that no one else can track. All bets are off, however, when the killer targets her nearest and dearest. In the midst of all of this, the tempo of Kendra’s relationship with Adam finally seems to be taking on a deeper cast.
I really enjoy reading about Kendra pulling a rabbit out of a hat with her analysis of crime scenes and being able to piece together clues and get answers to questions that leave crime scene techs baffled. There isn’t a lot of that this time around. Instead we have a lot of hot-and-heavy SWAT and FBI raids that don’t seem to go anywhere. Nevertheless, Kendra gets the job done and it’s her spidey senses honed during her blindness that gets her there. But…
Not only did I gnaw on my fingernails when I got to the end to find the to be continued, but there is no date for when we’ll get this next installment. I truly believe that authors should not wait more than a few months between installments for their fans.
Grade: B
Summary:
Kendra Michaels, formerly blind and now a hired gun for law enforcement agencies who relies on her razor-sharp powers of observation, is reluctant to help the FBI with the most recent case they’ve brought to her. But then she hears the details: the body was found just blocks away from Kendra’s condo. The young woman was carrying an envelope with Kendra’s name on it, and inside was an SD card with what appears to be an innocuous video of a wedding reception. The woman died trying to get the video to Kendra, but for what purpose? Before Kendra and the FBI can answer that question, the bride is abducted from her suburban home.
And so the hunt is on for a killer whose nightmarish plan is slowly becoming clear. A plan that involves a powerful law firm and a multi-billion dollar corporation. As the body count rises, Kendra joins forces with private investigator Jessie Mercado and agent-for-hire Adam Lynch to stop the plot as it grows ever closer to its terrifying conclusion.