Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Mira (2010), Edition: First Edition, 464 pages
Description
Fiction. Thriller. HTML: Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fianc�'s accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm. When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death. Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, for her reputation--and for redemption. Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts. Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy. Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member CMash
Damaged by Pamela Callow
Published by Mira Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2750-9
At the request of Meryl Moss Media, The Book Trib, a PB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (back of book): How far are you wiling to go to forget your past? Haunted by the death of her sister and
When grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.
How far are you willing to go to redeem yourself? Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career for her reputation-and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.
My Thoughts and Opinion: Once again I am amazed. This is the 4th book that I read this year, as an author's debut book, that blew me away. I was pulled in by the time I finished the first chapter to the very last page. This 453 page novel had all the elements and writing style of a seasoned author. Many twists and turns at a fast pace. It could be described as both a legal thriller and medical mystery page turning read. It is hard to explain some aspects of this book without giving away spoilers. However, what I will do, is highly recommend this book especially if you love legal/medical thrillers, because this book has it all.
My Rating:
Published by Mira Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2750-9
At the request of Meryl Moss Media, The Book Trib, a PB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (back of book): How far are you wiling to go to forget your past? Haunted by the death of her sister and
Show More
wounded by her ex-fiance's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.When grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.
How far are you willing to go to redeem yourself? Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career for her reputation-and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.
My Thoughts and Opinion: Once again I am amazed. This is the 4th book that I read this year, as an author's debut book, that blew me away. I was pulled in by the time I finished the first chapter to the very last page. This 453 page novel had all the elements and writing style of a seasoned author. Many twists and turns at a fast pace. It could be described as both a legal thriller and medical mystery page turning read. It is hard to explain some aspects of this book without giving away spoilers. However, what I will do, is highly recommend this book especially if you love legal/medical thrillers, because this book has it all.
My Rating:
Show Less
LibraryThing member kherbrand
Kate was a new lawyer at Lyons McGrath Barrett law firm. She knew that she was going to have to work hard to prove that she belonged there. Having recently ended an engagement to Ethan Drake, detective, she had got a new job, bought a new house, and acquired a dog named Alaska.
Barrett was
Kate tells Marian that she really doesn't have a case, but after mulling it over tries to call her back to discuss it. Unfortunately it is too late and Lisa has been murdered and dismembered. Talk about opening a can of worms! Now Kate has to worry that she did everything by the book in talking with Marian. She figures she can throw her law career out the window when John Lyons assigns her a litigation file with Trans Tissue as the client. Trans Tissue makes surgical products and they are being sued by someone who believes they contracted Hep C after an arthroscopic knee surgery using their product. See, the surgical products are made from human tissue from cadavers harvested by tissue suppliers.
So you really have two stories in one. You have the medical mystery of how this patient contracted Hep C and you have the very grisly thriller of the serial killer. There are quite a few supporting characters which are absolutely necessary to round these out and the book kept me tuned in all the way to the end. They did not give anything away too quickly but rather dropped the pieces in a little at a time. Definitely a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Indefensible, which is due out in January of 2011. I just discovered there is a third book - Tattooed coming out in August of 2011 and a fourth book planned for 2012.
Barrett was
Show More
determined to keep Kate practicing family law for 2 reasons - He had a bone to pick with Ethan Drake and with John Lyons - the partner who had recruited her. He assigned her a case with a futile outlook. A grandmother (Marian) wanted custody of her granddaughter (Lisa) - but did not have any proof that the granddaughter wasn't being taken care of properly or that she was doing drugs. The hitch was that Lisa's mom was Hope Carson, a criminal court judge known for her icy personality and demeanor. Kate tells Marian that she really doesn't have a case, but after mulling it over tries to call her back to discuss it. Unfortunately it is too late and Lisa has been murdered and dismembered. Talk about opening a can of worms! Now Kate has to worry that she did everything by the book in talking with Marian. She figures she can throw her law career out the window when John Lyons assigns her a litigation file with Trans Tissue as the client. Trans Tissue makes surgical products and they are being sued by someone who believes they contracted Hep C after an arthroscopic knee surgery using their product. See, the surgical products are made from human tissue from cadavers harvested by tissue suppliers.
So you really have two stories in one. You have the medical mystery of how this patient contracted Hep C and you have the very grisly thriller of the serial killer. There are quite a few supporting characters which are absolutely necessary to round these out and the book kept me tuned in all the way to the end. They did not give anything away too quickly but rather dropped the pieces in a little at a time. Definitely a must read. I am eagerly awaiting the second book in the series Indefensible, which is due out in January of 2011. I just discovered there is a third book - Tattooed coming out in August of 2011 and a fourth book planned for 2012.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LoriHedgpeth
Damaged, author Pamela Callow's freshman effort at legal mystery/suspense/conspiracy thriller, started slowly but if you are patient, you will be rewarded by what became a page-turning, perfect summer read. It builds slowly, while painstakingly laying the groundwork on central character Kate Lange,
I found the murder mystery and conspiracy aspects of the story to be especially fascinating, having not guessed far ahead of time the connections and the "solution" before Kate (one of the bigger disappointments for me with mysteries/thrillers). I also appreciated the resolution, as it didn't stretch reality to unnatural boundaries and it seemed the natural course by the end of the book.
I liked the character of Kate by the conclusion of Damaged although I was a bit neutral about her throughout much of the early story. I always like a tough, determined character with some humanity and all three traits were in evidence as I flipped that last page. I was particularly pleased to note that Ms. Callow will have a new mystery featuring Kate releasing next year and I hope that we will learn more about Kate on this next venture.
By the same token, I hope that we will receive additional insight into the characters of Ethan Drake and Randall Barrett, who both seemed to be yearning for additional literary time. I felt that both characters still have a wealth of information to share and excellent storyline potential.
I also hope that we will see Kate's neighbors again, the elderly sisters Muriel and Enid, who I found engaging and pleasing. Is it possible that these two have secrets themselves or is it just the conspiracy buff in me at work?
Damaged, considering its subject matter, isn't heavy on the gore or violence, although it may have a few objectionable words. There is no sexual matter, although a brief innuendo, and some mentioned drug use.
In all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Damaged to fans of the mystery, thriller and/or legal genre, all of whom are sure to be satisfied by this debut work that packs a powerful little punch.
Show More
her former fiance, Detective Ethan Drake, Kate's employer, and its partner, Randall Barrett, plus a bevy of supporting characters. I found the murder mystery and conspiracy aspects of the story to be especially fascinating, having not guessed far ahead of time the connections and the "solution" before Kate (one of the bigger disappointments for me with mysteries/thrillers). I also appreciated the resolution, as it didn't stretch reality to unnatural boundaries and it seemed the natural course by the end of the book.
I liked the character of Kate by the conclusion of Damaged although I was a bit neutral about her throughout much of the early story. I always like a tough, determined character with some humanity and all three traits were in evidence as I flipped that last page. I was particularly pleased to note that Ms. Callow will have a new mystery featuring Kate releasing next year and I hope that we will learn more about Kate on this next venture.
By the same token, I hope that we will receive additional insight into the characters of Ethan Drake and Randall Barrett, who both seemed to be yearning for additional literary time. I felt that both characters still have a wealth of information to share and excellent storyline potential.
I also hope that we will see Kate's neighbors again, the elderly sisters Muriel and Enid, who I found engaging and pleasing. Is it possible that these two have secrets themselves or is it just the conspiracy buff in me at work?
Damaged, considering its subject matter, isn't heavy on the gore or violence, although it may have a few objectionable words. There is no sexual matter, although a brief innuendo, and some mentioned drug use.
In all, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Damaged to fans of the mystery, thriller and/or legal genre, all of whom are sure to be satisfied by this debut work that packs a powerful little punch.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DLester
Damaged by Pamela Callow
(For review from Media Muscle)
Synopsis:
Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fiancé's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.
When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate
Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, for her reputation—and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.
Thoughts:
The debut novel by Pamela Callow, Damaged, will have readers on the edge of their seats throughout the book. The 450 pages fly by as readers become engrossed in plot. There are a lot of medical thrillers out there and there are a lot of crime thrillers out there, but the combination of the two in Callow's first effort is fascinating. The plot development starts out a little slow in the beginning but makes up for it with a thrilling ending which may leave the door open for a sequel.
The main character, Kate Lange is a young lawyer with a troubled past including a father in jail, the loss of her sister and past lover who can't seem to stay out of her present. Kate works her way through college and becomes a lawyer. Being the protégée of the boss doesn't make it easy for her though. Resentment and old grudges put Kate in harms way when she is given the case of a grandmother seeking custody of her grandchild. Sounds simple, but it's anything but when Kate advises the woman that she doesn't have a case based on the fact that the mother of the child is a high ranking court judge. When the girl ends up dead Kate is left wondering how much damage she has caused.
It's a great book with a great storyline. If you like thrillers, this will be right up your alley.
Damaged is available now from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
(For review from Media Muscle)
Synopsis:
Haunted by the death of her sister and wounded by her ex-fiancé's accusations, Kate Lange throws herself into her new career at a high-powered law firm.
When the grandmother of a lonely private school student seeks her counsel, Kate
Show More
thinks it's just another custody case. But then the teen is brutally murdered. And it isn't only Kate who wonders if her legal advice led to the girl's death.Put on notice by Randall Barrett, the firm's charismatic managing partner, Kate must fight for her career, for her reputation—and for redemption.
Unwilling to live with the damage she may have caused, Kate pursues the case on her own and unearths some chilling facts.
Facts that lead straight to the heart of a legal conspiracy.
Facts that lead Kate directly into the surgically skilled hands of the Body Butcher.
Thoughts:
The debut novel by Pamela Callow, Damaged, will have readers on the edge of their seats throughout the book. The 450 pages fly by as readers become engrossed in plot. There are a lot of medical thrillers out there and there are a lot of crime thrillers out there, but the combination of the two in Callow's first effort is fascinating. The plot development starts out a little slow in the beginning but makes up for it with a thrilling ending which may leave the door open for a sequel.
The main character, Kate Lange is a young lawyer with a troubled past including a father in jail, the loss of her sister and past lover who can't seem to stay out of her present. Kate works her way through college and becomes a lawyer. Being the protégée of the boss doesn't make it easy for her though. Resentment and old grudges put Kate in harms way when she is given the case of a grandmother seeking custody of her grandchild. Sounds simple, but it's anything but when Kate advises the woman that she doesn't have a case based on the fact that the mother of the child is a high ranking court judge. When the girl ends up dead Kate is left wondering how much damage she has caused.
It's a great book with a great storyline. If you like thrillers, this will be right up your alley.
Damaged is available now from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
Show Less
LibraryThing member AGPadgett
I love mysteries and suspense novels, but I did pause a little at site of the 453 pages. That's a lot to read. LOL
Damaged probably deserved 5 stars, but I'm afraid I wasn't as hooked into the story as I might have been. I think I may be getting tired of insecure, damaged heroines. Or maybe I just
The heroine, Kate, is insecure and seeking to prove herself on her job as a lawyer. She's also trying to distance herself from a prospective fiance, Ethan Drake, because she fears his reaction is he find out about her past.
Enter the bad guy, known as the Body Butcher. He has mudered Lisa, the grandchild of Marian McAdam. Ironically, Marian had approached Kate for advice before Lisa is found. Marian thinks Lisa's mother is negligent.
After laying the groundwork for the novel, the pace is good. Kate has a lot on her plate with her fiance working the Body Butcher case and her own feelings of having let down Marian and indirectly Lisa. Most fans of romantic suspense will truly enjoy this.
Damaged probably deserved 5 stars, but I'm afraid I wasn't as hooked into the story as I might have been. I think I may be getting tired of insecure, damaged heroines. Or maybe I just
Show More
wasn't in the mood for one. (There was another author I stopped reading because it seemed like during a certain period, every one of his heroines had been sexually abused as a child. I got really tired of that. That was not the case here, but I'm just saying...)The heroine, Kate, is insecure and seeking to prove herself on her job as a lawyer. She's also trying to distance herself from a prospective fiance, Ethan Drake, because she fears his reaction is he find out about her past.
Enter the bad guy, known as the Body Butcher. He has mudered Lisa, the grandchild of Marian McAdam. Ironically, Marian had approached Kate for advice before Lisa is found. Marian thinks Lisa's mother is negligent.
After laying the groundwork for the novel, the pace is good. Kate has a lot on her plate with her fiance working the Body Butcher case and her own feelings of having let down Marian and indirectly Lisa. Most fans of romantic suspense will truly enjoy this.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Coltfan18
Kate Lange is a recent hire to her law firm and is given a custody case. She doesn't think there is much of a case and tells the grandmother that she probably wouldn't win custody because her granddaughter's behavior is typical teenager. Unfortunately, the girl is murdered and Kate looks into the
Show More
case with surprising results. I couldn't put it down. Good read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dabble58
A medico-legal thriller set in the streets of my beloved Halifax. What's not to like? I'm writing a thriller myself so thought I'd explore Callow's style and I liked it. The story runs along swiftly, with complications popping up and danger increasing page by page. Kate Lange is an interesting
A few troubles - the red herring gets raised and waggled around but is confusing and the smell never really goes away. The police seem unusually stupid. I shall refrain from comment about Halifax police..., but I think these guys might have trouble coping here. People are introduced briefly - minor characters - and there are altogether too many to keep track of. The whore with a heart of gold appears. Kate is completely psychologically wrecked, and yet goes off crime-solving.
That said, I liked the book. It made me wish I had amber eyes. (Though, like violet eyes, I suspect these are rather rare in reality, but common in romance) It also made me want to finish my novel. Pam Callow is an inspiration - this is her first book and it is extremely well plotted and tight. I want mine to read like this. Thanks Pam. I'm off to read #2. I'm sure I'll like it, a lot.
Show More
character, trying to prove herself despite a fairly disastrous childhood. The murders are gruesome, the bad guy suitably creepy, and there's some romantic tension between Kate and pretty well every man she meets. (Wow. Wish I had that power!)A few troubles - the red herring gets raised and waggled around but is confusing and the smell never really goes away. The police seem unusually stupid. I shall refrain from comment about Halifax police..., but I think these guys might have trouble coping here. People are introduced briefly - minor characters - and there are altogether too many to keep track of. The whore with a heart of gold appears. Kate is completely psychologically wrecked, and yet goes off crime-solving.
That said, I liked the book. It made me wish I had amber eyes. (Though, like violet eyes, I suspect these are rather rare in reality, but common in romance) It also made me want to finish my novel. Pam Callow is an inspiration - this is her first book and it is extremely well plotted and tight. I want mine to read like this. Thanks Pam. I'm off to read #2. I'm sure I'll like it, a lot.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Cherylk
I started this book a long time ago. I was not feeling it, so I put it down. When I saw a long time ago, I am talking years. Not that meant to never come back to this book as I read another book by this author, the second one in fact and enjoyed it. I would walk by the book or chance at it from
Kate is a powerhouse. She does not take no for an answer. In fact, she seemed to push harder when she was told no. Her and Ethan's relationship may have been on the rocks but I like that the author did not push them to get back together in the story. She let them have their own space but still find a way for them to communicate. The killer was scary but it was the other story that Kate was chasing that had me really intrigued. I don't want to go into details in case someone else has not read the book but just let me tell you that the thought of it is chilling.
Show More
time to time and think, I need to try reading this book again. However my to be read pile grew and grew and I would forget about the book again. I finally picked it up as I was making a committment to attacking my pile and this was one of the books on the pile. After reading this book again and actually finishing it this time, I have to wonder why I did not like it the first time. I blame it on my mood. I must not have been in the right mood at the time I was reading this book. Kate is a powerhouse. She does not take no for an answer. In fact, she seemed to push harder when she was told no. Her and Ethan's relationship may have been on the rocks but I like that the author did not push them to get back together in the story. She let them have their own space but still find a way for them to communicate. The killer was scary but it was the other story that Kate was chasing that had me really intrigued. I don't want to go into details in case someone else has not read the book but just let me tell you that the thought of it is chilling.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Bricker
A suspenseful tale of a lawyer seeking the truth in an attempt to gain her big break and impress the bosses at a new law firm while trying to pick up the pieces of her life after a failed relationship.
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Set in Halifax, Nova Scotia, protagonist Kate Lange, a woman with a troubled past, is a newbie at a law firm, trying to make her mark. Kate meets with a woman seeking custody of her granddaughter, but Kate can find no legal path for action. The granddaughter is soon found murdered. Kate, plagued by
This is a combination legal thriller and medical mystery. Is the initial book in a series so the first part of the book sets up Kate’s backstory. I am not a big fan of thrillers, but occasionally a topic will intrigue me, as it did here. It is loosely based on a real legal case in the US, with ramifications in Canada.
I found it engrossing, and liked the unusual premise, but ultimately it is plagued by my usual complaints about thrillers. In this case, there are many coincidences that must occur for everything to come together. It is plot-driven, so the characters, aside from Kate, are not developed in any depth. Regular readers of thrillers will likely enjoy this book as much, or more, than I did.
Show More
guilt, gets involved. Her ex-fiancé’, Ethan Drake, a police detective, is also trying to solve the case. When a partner presents Kate with a medical case, she seizes it as an opportunity to move beyond family law. These two cases form the basis of the plot.This is a combination legal thriller and medical mystery. Is the initial book in a series so the first part of the book sets up Kate’s backstory. I am not a big fan of thrillers, but occasionally a topic will intrigue me, as it did here. It is loosely based on a real legal case in the US, with ramifications in Canada.
I found it engrossing, and liked the unusual premise, but ultimately it is plagued by my usual complaints about thrillers. In this case, there are many coincidences that must occur for everything to come together. It is plot-driven, so the characters, aside from Kate, are not developed in any depth. Regular readers of thrillers will likely enjoy this book as much, or more, than I did.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Dabble58
A medico-legal thriller set in the streets of my beloved Halifax. What's not to like? I'm writing a thriller myself so thought I'd explore Callow's style and I liked it. The story runs along swiftly, with complications popping up and danger increasing page by page. Kate Lange is an interesting
A few troubles - the red herring gets raised and waggled around but is confusing and the smell never really goes away. The police seem unusually stupid. I shall refrain from comment about Halifax police..., but I think these guys might have trouble coping here. People are introduced briefly - minor characters - and there are altogether too many to keep track of. The whore with a heart of gold appears. Kate is completely psychologically wrecked, and yet goes off crime-solving.
That said, I liked the book. It made me wish I had amber eyes. (Though, like violet eyes, I suspect these are rather rare in reality, but common in romance) It also made me want to finish my novel. Pam Callow is an inspiration - this is her first book and it is extremely well plotted and tight. I want mine to read like this. Thanks Pam. I'm off to read #2. I'm sure I'll like it, a lot.
Show More
character, trying to prove herself despite a fairly disastrous childhood. The murders are gruesome, the bad guy suitably creepy, and there's some romantic tension between Kate and pretty well every man she meets. (Wow. Wish I had that power!)A few troubles - the red herring gets raised and waggled around but is confusing and the smell never really goes away. The police seem unusually stupid. I shall refrain from comment about Halifax police..., but I think these guys might have trouble coping here. People are introduced briefly - minor characters - and there are altogether too many to keep track of. The whore with a heart of gold appears. Kate is completely psychologically wrecked, and yet goes off crime-solving.
That said, I liked the book. It made me wish I had amber eyes. (Though, like violet eyes, I suspect these are rather rare in reality, but common in romance) It also made me want to finish my novel. Pam Callow is an inspiration - this is her first book and it is extremely well plotted and tight. I want mine to read like this. Thanks Pam. I'm off to read #2. I'm sure I'll like it, a lot.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-06
Physical description
464 p.; 4.21 inches
ISBN
0778327507 / 9780778327509