Mean Streak

by Sandra Brown

Hardcover, 2014

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Tags

FROM: PLCHC (traditional), TYPE: Book, GENRE: Romantic Suspense, 2014

Genres

Collection

SOURCE: PLCHC Branch Loan

Publication

Grand Central Publishing (2014), Edition: 1st Printing, Hardcover, 416 pages

Description

"Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the search for her. While police suspect Jeff of "instant divorce," Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won't even tell her his name. She's determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive. Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can't turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law. As her husband's deception is revealed, and the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member gpangel
Mean Streak by Sandra Brown is a 2014 Carina Press Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mean Streak is classic Sandra Brown! This is the type of story that put made Sandra Brown famous, especially in Romantic Suspense genre. I can always count of Sandra
Show More
 for a great read, but sometimes, there are stories that you know right from the start are going to have you riveted from start to finish.

Dr. Emory Charbonneau has a very successful career as a pediatrician, is an avid runner, and lives a very active life. She's been married around three years, but the marriage is not doing so well. A benefit marathon race that Emory has spent a long time organizing, has her training hard, which gave her the idea of running in a high altitude area to give her more stamina. So, she picks a mountain road in North Carolina to spend a weekend training for the marathon. Her husband, Jeff is being a bit of a jerk about her taking a weekend alone, but Emory thinks a weekend apart might be good for them. But, once Emory arrives at her training location things go awry in the worst possible way.

Emory wakes up in a strange place with a concussion and with a man who will not allow her to contact Jeff, or use the computer. He also refuses to tell her anything about himself, not even his name. His only promise is that he will not hurt her and that he will see her safely down the mountain once the weather clears.
But who is this man and what dark secrets is his carrying? The man with no name has some secrets alright and when they are revealed it will blow your mind!

Meanwhile, Jeff has finally realized his wife has fallen off the grid and files a missing persons report. The detectives suspect him of foul play and Jeff's charming personality does nothing to change their minds. But, suddenly the whole thing seems moot when a surprising development arises and puts things into a whole new perspective.

This book has so many hairpin turns you don't just need a seat belt, you need a harness. The back story of Emory's “man with no name” is compelling and quite thought provoking. I fell in love with the hero is this book. He's quiet, strong, principled, very deep and sensitive, but also kick ass. Emory was a woman that had perhaps fallen into complacency in regards to her personal relationships and this experience will remind of what she has been missing out on.
The mystery is puzzling, and the outcome was a surprise, the romance was emotional as well as physical, but the real heart of the story was the reason why Emory's rescuer is so private, so off the radar. I can't say too much without giving something away, but this is a difficult topic and one that shows both sides of a story. Your heart will break for all those involved, but ,this is also the a story about the healing power of love and God knows Emory and her mysterious man certainly deserved to find peace, and together I think their lives will be far more passionate and meaningful. An all around great novel with taut suspense, a twisty mystery, a thought provoking plot, and a super wonderful love story. You can't get any better than that. Five stars!!
Show Less
24 more
LibraryThing member moekane
A fun read as usual for this author, but not my favorite SB characters, especially the hero and heroine who both were remarkably unsympathetic at times. The unknowns in the story line were more along the lines of "did I miss something/where is this going?" rather than suspenseful. But absolutely a
Show More
 not a waste of my time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Dr. Emory Charbonneau is a rarity. She is kind, selfless, and generous. Emory has great wealth and does great good with said wealth. She works hard and enjoys her work. She also enjoys running and is training for an upcoming marathon that she organized for a charity. Emory also knows that her
Show More
 marriage is on shaky ground but stands firm about her intent to get away for the weekend to do some mountain training. Her husband, Jeff Surrey, is her opposite. Jeff is self-absorbed, disingenuous, and petty. When Emory is reported as missing, her husband quickly becomes the prime suspect. But all is not what appears. Yes, Jeff is arrogant, self-absorbed, and quick to anger. He's also been having an affair, but is he capable of murder?

I had some difficulties initially with Mean Streak. How can you empathize with a nameless character? Yet I did empathize with him as well as with Emory. (The other difficulty was the female character named Emory. I have an uncle with that name and couldn't quite get past it being used for a female.) Emory's savior/captor hints at being a bad guy with a mean streak, yet everything he does for her proves the exact opposite. As Emory recovers from a head wound and concussion, she begins to bond with her savior. It isn't until an incident with one of his neighbors that Emory truly begins to see his true character. When Emory is returned to "civilization" she quickly begins to realize that the four days she spent with this man in the wild was more valuable and important to her than the entire time she's been married to Jeff. Just when Emory thinks her life can get back to normal she begins to realize her husband may have been responsible for her injuries and her savior reappears just in the nick of time.

Ms. Brown has a way of creating romantic suspense stories that pulls me in and makes me want to continue reading just to find out what will happen next. Mean Streak is slightly different in that we have an unnamed protagonist and we fall for him as quickly and easily as Emory. (There's just something about those strong, silent types!) I enjoyed Mean Streak and found it to be a fast-paced read. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the bad guys, and found them to be realistic. If you're like me and enjoy suspense or romantic-suspense then you'll definitely want to add Mean Streak to your TBR list.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Kathy1VG
Before I even opened this book I whispered to myself,"Sandra, please do not disappoint me." And. She. Did. Not! "Mean Streak" hooks you in from the very first page and dares you to try and put it down. I literally devoured this book in two days! "Envy" was my very first Sandra Brown novel and had
Show More
 considered it to be her best. Now, "Mean Streak" has moved into that number one spot too.
Sandra Brown is back at her amazing best!
Show Less
LibraryThing member susan0316
This is another great Sandra Brown book. Wondering what will happen to the main character Dr Emory Charbonneau is great reading and keeps your interest. The story dragged a bit once she returns from her ordeal and also became a bit unbelievable. The ending of the book has a great twist that I
Show More
 really didn't see coming and it made up for all of the slow parts. The only part of the book that I really didn't like is that I felt like the Southern sheriff and his deputy were written to be rather ignorant and it wasn't necessary to portray them that way. Definitely worth reading!
Show Less
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
When Dr. Emory goes running on a remote rail, she wakes up with a head injury in a small cabin. The man holding her refuses to give up his name but continually tells Emory that he won't hurt her. I had a hard time with this book. I did not like Emory and thought that she was making some fundamental
Show More
 mistakes. I did not finish the book and cannot see myself picking it back up. Overall, a bust.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Conkie
Wow - I REALLY liked this story. Some of the major revelations absolutely blew me away; I just didn't see them coming. The reason this story didn't receive 5 stars from me, was due to the quick wrap up of a story that I didn't really want to end.
LibraryThing member mchwest
Very good read! I hadn't read Sandra Brown for awhile and remembered how she always throws in a twist and turn in the plot and she didn't let me down! The characters were well set and the book kept you at a nice pace. Good mystery again, I really enjoyed it.
LibraryThing member JudithDCollins
MEAN STREAK by Sandra Brown, is a riveting and intense page-turner crime thriller with a sexy romantic suspenseful twist! 4.5 Stars

Heiress Emory Charbonneau, is a successful Atlanta pediatrician and disappears while training for a marathon in the mountains of NC, after a heated argument with her
Show More
 husband, Jeff (a jerk).

The police along with her husband (cheating husband, let’s add) begin to investigate her disappearance after her colleagues question why she did not show up for her appointments. Jeff does not really care for her running obsession, as he is too busy with his mistress, among other things.

Emory finds herself in a remote cabin in the wilderness, (yummy) with a mysterious and sexy man. Everything is weird, as he has no phone and she was hit on the head and passed out. Who hit her? He tells her— after the accident he brought her back to the cabin to make sure she is ok. She is unsure if she can trust this guy. When she feels better, they cannot leave, due to the weather conditions. She is drawn to this hot and mysterious guy.

All sorts of action, plots, and storylines, with some bad guys, near the cabin and Emory gets involved to help out an innocent girl.

In the meantime,—FBI Jack Connell is searching for a man and the two cases connect to this guy, which makes things more suspicious. And on the home front, the police start suspecting foul play as Jeff acts a little weird and after all his wife is wealthy. Readers will wonder which man is the real threat.

Full of drama, and action coming from all directions, with so many twists and turns with a cast of interesting and intriguing characters, and some sexy hunky scenes.

I listened to the audiobook and narrator, Jonathan Davis --he was quite good, with a sexy voice, creating more tension. (Everyone knows how picky I am about performers). He has also read some of my favorites, Baldacci and Connelly.

I enjoyed the reference to Winston-Salem, NC (native), and also the Buckhead area of Atlanta connection, (resided there for years). The novel reminded me a little of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica when the gal falls for the captor, with a different twist.

Fans of thrillers, fast pace and complicated plots with romantic suspense— will enjoy MEAN STREAK, and of course Brown’s captivating style! Wondering why it has taken me so long to get back to her books? Mmmm . . will need to catch up, soon.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kayceel
I had problems with this one, and unfortunately, the problems I have are hard to address without spoilers.

Main thing: for a doctor, the main character acted pretty stupidly, though this is the fault of poor writing/plotting. Stockholm Syndrome is *not* an acceptable seduction strategy, people.
Show More
 Unsurprisingly, I was the only one in bk club to feel this way. Granted, I should expect certain things from a writer like Brown (romance novel short-hand, so to speak), but this whole plot made me feel icky.

Side notes: the motivation for the hero's "on-the-run" situation is ridiculous, as is his sister's actions. Ugh.

However, the sex scenes - if you're able to overlook the creepy captor/captive elements - are pretty sexy.

Not recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Dawn772
A great romantic suspense with lots of fast paced exciting action from beginning to end. I was constantly guessing who done it and surprised many times throughout even by the romance. Pediatrician Emory disappears while training for a marathon and husband is prime suspect but she has actually been
Show More
 captured by a man with no name.
Show Less
LibraryThing member FictionZeal
Dr. Emory Charbonneau loves long distance running – in fact, she’s rather obsessed with it. It, among other things, has set off a series of arguments between her and her husband, Jeff Surrey. One thing that hasn’t been argued, but is the elephant in the room, is that Emory begins to sense
Show More
 that Jeff is having an affair. She goes from her home in Atlanta to the mountains of North Carolina for a weekend of training for an upcoming marathon that she has organized. She’s selected a rather rough terrain and begins training. She’s been running for some time, pushing herself, when she hears rustling behind her. Before she can react, she’s struck on the head. Lights out!

When she awakens, she assumes the man in the room is her abductor. He’s been taking care of her and assures her that he won’t harm her. But, he won’t even tell her his name. Severe fog had moved in overnight preventing her from leaving the cabin. So, she continues to heal from what she suspects is a concussion while the weather gets increasingly worse. She can’t even let Jeff know she’s alright. No phone; no cell phone service; no way to travel in this mess. But they soon have even more problems in the form of Mr. NoName’s neighbors.

Back to Jeff – yes, he is having an affair. In fact, he took full advantage while Emory was away for her weekend. However, Sunday came and went and she still wasn’t home. He hesitated to report it; he just thought she was punishing him after their argument. Once he does report it, the officials begin to suspect him. He’s got what they consider motivation.

This is Sandra Brown’s newest novel. I can’t lie; I loved it – all of it! All of the characters, like them or hate them, were fleshed out very well. Each new chapter was a new adventure. There was not one moment that I didn’t look forward to what was going to happen next. The twists, and there were a few of them, were delightfully played. There was one scene toward the end in which the logistics didn’t seem to fit. To explain it further would be to give away a spoiler. As a side note, there are a lot of bad Amazon reviews. Not all, but many of them stem from the preview that was being offered as a free kindle download. There are also reviews for sale on Amazon that cause even more confusion for buyers. Many people thought they were getting the book. So if you download Mean Streak, please be careful what you’re getting. I rated Mean Streak at 4.5 out of 5.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jbarr5
Mean Streak by Sandra Brown
Emery and Jeff are married. He is a financial adviser and she is a runner and physician and they've fought about her schedule, specifically her running training.
Story alternates from present to the past. She wakes up in a cabin with a man and has no idea how she got there
Show More
 but has a concussion and he claims he found her and brought her there to recuperate. The fog keeps them there as he won't risk his life to drive down the mountain.
Her husband is too busy with his new sexual partner to pay attention that his wife has been gone for more than her 2 day trip....and does finally file a missing persons report with the local cops.
FBI Jack is on a trail of a man of interest from years ago and we find out how this is related to Emery's case.
Emery is not able to find out who has taken her or much of anything else as she recovers from the injury. She finds she is part of something bigger- she is forced to steal medical supplies and they drive on icy roads to help them out...
Cops are investigating Jeff as he has missing time slots...
Fast paced action and adventure that holds your interest til the very end when it all becomes clear-or does it, as to who killed who.
At times it's hard to follow along as there are many characters and at the beginning you are following many stories.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Show Less
LibraryThing member B.J.O.
If you are looking for an edge of your seat, up all night reading, suspenseful romance; then look no further, Mean Streak by Sandra Brown should be your next read! With endless twists and turns, this book reminded me of one of my all-time favorites, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.

This is the type of
Show More
 read where you must question everything, dissect every line, and be cautious not to be tantalized by the low hanging fruit. Moreover, it makes the passion all the more decadent and raw, when you're constantly questioning the characters' mores and motivations, making your heart and passion fall for what should be forbidden and undoubtedly what common sense tells you to be wary of. But in fiction like in life, you can't help who you fall in love with. Sandra Brown is a wiz at this writing style, which is one of my all-time favorites.

Dr. Emory Charbonneau, is in a relatively loveless marriage. A pediatrician and marathon runner, she is a Type A personality who approaches everything in life with her incredible drive and motivation. The fact that she is heiress also allows her to support numerous charitable causes and she is very well liked and respected in the community.

When she disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina, while training alone for a marathon, it launches a massive manhunt. Bad weather conditions, however, make finding her difficult, and form the perfect excuse, or is it motivation, for the loner who finds her to keep her in his secluded cabin.

The authorities question why Emory's husband, Jeff, took so long to report her missing. Soon motives abound, but they still can't find her due to the inclement weather. Emory, in turn, suffering from blunt head trauma, which may have been caused by a fall or something more nefarious, doesn't know what to think when she gains consciousness and believes herself to be the captive of a man who can, at best, be described as a conundrum. Violent and yet clearly kind to her, and secretive to the point of even refusing to disclose his name, while yet inspiring her to spill her secrets. She's drawn to him and wants to trust him, and yet she's determined to escape him.

An even more imminent threat is revealed, and Emory joins forces with the mysterious man who soon has her questioning her own sense of right and wrong and causing her to engage, in arguably criminal behavior. The traumatic experience that they share, and the culmination of numerous days spent with this enticing, perplexing stranger, cause her emotions to be so exposed and their joint intensity is so overwhelming, that their shared passion is inevitable. But the next day, the cold stranger returns and deposits her back to her old life. Leaving her to explain the unexplainable and potentially leaving her in the cross hairs of an even graver danger.


I already knew the genius of Sandra Brown's writing. Mean Streak, in fact, was the book that I was looking forward to the most of all the August releases. Delightfully, Ms. Brown continues to deliver 5-star reads, and Mean Streak is no exception, that's why she's earned a place on my auto-buy list!

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member doseofbella
Mean Streak
By: Sandra Brown Pages 409
Grand Central Publishing February 2015
Copy Courtesy of Goodreads First Reads
Reviewed By: tk

Prepare yourself.

A knight in shining armor or a predator, that is what Dr. Emory Charbonneau must decide as this stranger cares for her in a mountain cabin the middle of
Show More
 nowhere. Not aware of how or why she is with him, alone and terrified…is he her savior or is she a victim of this mystery man that refuses to let her go.

What can say about this story. I am almost speechless. Sandra Brown has again created a heart pounding intense thriller that you just can not put down. Her rich moving characters, both good and bad, become people you could possible know from your neighborhood, but never suspected the kind of secrets they hold. Just when you imagine the outcome…another mind-blowing tense, sharp twist changes all thought you may have had and leaves you breathless. 5/5
Show Less
LibraryThing member bigorangecat
Will be honest--didn't finish it. Couldn't finish it! Silly, clichéd and disappointing.
LibraryThing member Randall.Hansen
First time reading Sandra Brown, and wow. Great storytelling, with some excellent and enjoyable twists and turns. Can't reveal too much, but it's a mystery/thrill about a young doctor from Atlanta training for a marathon who decides to train in the mountains... when something bad happens. Almost
Show More
 lives up to the page-turner, but certainly one of the best reads of 2015. Will DEFINITELY look into reading more of her work.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mrssweetiebear
Good story. Fast and entertaining. I liked the two main characters. But too many twists at the end that didn't quite make sense. And worse than that, what happened to the dog? I'm one of those who like the T-Shirts say, "I don't care who dies in a movie as long as the dog lives." Well at least the
Show More
 dog doesn't get killed by the hillbilly scum brothers, but its fate is not disclosed either. A star taken off for that oversight.
Show Less
LibraryThing member pennsylady
4.5

The only Sandra Brown I love is Rainwater...
however, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Audio is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
A satisfying, if a little predictable, mystery novel from Sandra Brown. A doctor and wealthy heiress, Emory Charbonneau's disappearance while running on a remote mountain trail causes a stir and her husband quickly comes under suspicion. Meanwhile, Emory finds herself in a mountain cabin with a man
Show More
 who is frustratingly tight-lipped about who he is. Well-paced, and with plenty of revelations along the way, this makes for a good mystery.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Claudia.Anderson
good mystery, a little too much sex
LibraryThing member lrobe190
"Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the
Show More
 search for her. While police suspect Jeff of "instant divorce," Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won't even tell her his name. She's determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive. Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can't turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law. As her husband's deception is revealed, and the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer."
(summary from ISBN 1455581127)

Mean Streak is suspenseful and keeps you guessing until near the end as to who the assailant is. Sexual tension is high, but I felt that the romance part of the plot was a bit far-fetched. Several sub-plots move the action along and partially add to the story, but aren't really developed very far. This is an entertaining suspenseful romance and a quick read. Great for vacation!
Show Less
LibraryThing member jtsolakos
The story line kept me interested. Thought the lead character was a little too good to be true but I did not see who the real nemesis was and for that reason was really happy to have read this book.
LibraryThing member Headinherbooks_27
Great book. Finished in one day. Surprised me with all the revealing twists at the end !
LibraryThing member Tiffy_Reads
Another great Sandra Brown novel. Loved this one. Couldn't hardly put it down. Great plot, suspense, and twists.

Language

English

Original language

English

Original publication date

2014-08

Physical description

416 p.; 9.1 inches

ISBN

1455581127 / 9781455581122

Similar in this library

More

Amazon.comLibraryThingMARC view
Page: 0.1565 seconds