"Fast paced, edge of your seat read."

By: Jan Coffey

Genres: Romance Suspense | Suspense

Posted: June 17, 2005

Twenty-one months, five accidents and the only connection is that all the drivers say their vehicles had a mind of their own right before the crash. All five vehicles are from different manufacturers. No one can figure out what the problem is and no one is prepared to take responsibility for what is happening.

Computer guru Emily Doyle has become the obsession of a hacker. He started off with thoughtful little gifts but now, to get her attention, he's developed the technology to gain control of vehicles. Ben Colter is an investigator hired by the automakers to find out why the vehicles are crashing on their own. When Ben and Emily's professional relationship changes into a personal one, Ben finds himself the target of the hacker. With the number of casualties mounting, Ben, along with his whole team, and Emily, race against the clock to figure out how the hacker is controlling all these vehicles. What started off as unrequited love soon turns into a deadly game of terrorism.

I very much enjoyed the fast paced, edge of your seat read of FIVE IN A ROW. The computer jargon sometime got to be a bit much and I found myself skimming over it but it wasn't really a problem. The secondary characters really made this book enjoyable. They were well developed and had a purpose within the story. I especially enjoyed the characters of Emily Doyle's son Conor and the relationship that developed between Emily's sister Liz and Officer Jeremy Simpson. One thing I did find that bothered me was there was no actual suspense as to who the villain was. Right away the first page of the book tells you who he is. I would have preferred it if they'd left it until the end. Other than that, a great read.

Book Summary

A Porsche careens out of control in a crowded parking lot. A brand-new SUV smashes through a dealership's plate-glass window. A Mercedes races wildly down a pier before diving off the end onto the deck of a yacht. Then two more wrecks. Witnesses report the vehicles had "a mind of their own" before each accident. Five in a row can't be a coincidence.

Computer guru Emily Doyle has become the single-minded focus of a hacker determined to capture her attention. She recognizes the technology that is being used to gain control of the vehicles -- and in some way, she is connected to each of the victims. Ben Colter is the investigator called in by the automakers to find the link. As the casualties mount, Emily and Ben must unravel the puzzle of the seemingly random attacks, as a twisted mind moves from virtual reality to international terrorism.

Five In A Row by Jan Coffey

Five In A Row

by: Jan Coffey

MIRA
July 23, 2005
Featuring: Ben Colter; Emily Doyle
400 pages
ISBN: 0778321924
Paperback

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