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Available
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Publication
Five Star (2008), Edition: Unabridged eBook,
Description
A CIA case officer has been captured. The drugs used to subdue her have affected her memory. Who is she and why was she captured? Her escape leads her through the streets of San Jose and into the life of Steve Spaneas.
User reviews
LibraryThing member twylyghtbay
Received eBook in exchange for review. Doranna Dugan is a new author to me. I enjoyed the characters and plot. Action scenes were well written. No real romance or sex in the book, just a couple of bland kisses. The other reviews give summaries of the storyline which are accurate. I also appreciated
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the authored detail in types of weapons, how they were used and retrieved. Weapons descriptions eemed more realistic than some books I have read. Worth the time. I enjoyed the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member donna.douberly
Hidden Steel started off fast paced and didn't slow up as the story went on. Little bit of everything in this book. This story is about a captured Cia Agent and how she came back after memory loss. The people along the way that helped her as she tried to remember.
LibraryThing member Kaan_W
A very faced paced book occasionally a bit hard to follow. At times, there is too much dialogue between characters and not enough locations descriptions. Mickey, the main character, is a strong woman. She is human with doubts yet she preservers accomplishing her goals. The novel is not totally
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believable but enjoyable reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lynette.Williams
I received this book for free via Early Reviewers.
This book was an enjoyable trek through a world of mystery and intrigue. Hidden Steel follows a woman who awakens to find no memory of who she is or why she is handcuffed to a hospital bed in what is clearly not a hospital. She adopts the name
I finished this book in less than a day. An action/romance with no steamy scenes (yay!), it was interesting and well-crafted. As a fan of Ludlum's Bourne trilogy (the originals), this plot was not a new one to me. However, it was engaging and believable enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed the quirky heroine who didn't seem to just be created to be a strong woman. She seemed plausible with flaws and strengths and doubts and confidence and...life. Lovely reading.
This book was an enjoyable trek through a world of mystery and intrigue. Hidden Steel follows a woman who awakens to find no memory of who she is or why she is handcuffed to a hospital bed in what is clearly not a hospital. She adopts the name
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Mickey Finn from an overheard conversation among her captors. After an escape that shows she has some unusual skills, she makes her way to Steve's Gym where the owner assumes she is schizophrenic and off her meds. As her memory returns in tiny fragments and her former captors search for any signs of her whereabouts, Mickey finds in Steve a person she wants to trust.I finished this book in less than a day. An action/romance with no steamy scenes (yay!), it was interesting and well-crafted. As a fan of Ludlum's Bourne trilogy (the originals), this plot was not a new one to me. However, it was engaging and believable enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed the quirky heroine who didn't seem to just be created to be a strong woman. She seemed plausible with flaws and strengths and doubts and confidence and...life. Lovely reading.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Nowhere near as clunky as the blurb makes it sound, actually quite a nice cosy spy adventure, with very little romance. The premise is that a beautiful CIA agent finds herself suffering from memory loss and escapes onto the streets where she stumbles into a self-defence gym run by an Adonis who a
I remain unconvinced than amnesia allows you access to all of your skills whilst blocking the reasons why you acquired them. But allowing that as authorial license the partial recollections and odd memories are well handled, as is her frustration and anger. Steve's pain at not being able to care for everyone he comes into contact with is a little over the top, but his compassion shines through in a way that isn't often written. It was gratifying to read a thriller where the hero really has to recuperate after being wounded, and the bruises haven't stopped aching after the next paragraph. In some respect the whole CIA plot didn't make much sense at all and smacked heavily of conspiracy theories. It would have been possible to re-write this more believably using a different scenario, but it work just about, if you suspend your disbelief quite a bit. Steve's compassion didn't quite work so well when it came to killing the bad guys though. I can believe these things happen in the heat of the moment - the action scenes were well written - but given the amount of introspection that happened about other aspects, a moment or two to reflect on the passing of any human life would have been appropriate. I'm not a bit g fan of jumping between character view points, but it was always fairly clear when it was 'Mickey' and when Steve. The author did manage to keep a clear distinction between their points of view.
Enjoyable if you don't think to hard about the details. For a 'romance' there is no sex and very little else in the way of romance.
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penchant for looking after stray souls. Instead of a cheesy romance however the focus is very much on the amnesia and piecing together her life, and why she should be looking after/out for a girl names Naia. I remain unconvinced than amnesia allows you access to all of your skills whilst blocking the reasons why you acquired them. But allowing that as authorial license the partial recollections and odd memories are well handled, as is her frustration and anger. Steve's pain at not being able to care for everyone he comes into contact with is a little over the top, but his compassion shines through in a way that isn't often written. It was gratifying to read a thriller where the hero really has to recuperate after being wounded, and the bruises haven't stopped aching after the next paragraph. In some respect the whole CIA plot didn't make much sense at all and smacked heavily of conspiracy theories. It would have been possible to re-write this more believably using a different scenario, but it work just about, if you suspend your disbelief quite a bit. Steve's compassion didn't quite work so well when it came to killing the bad guys though. I can believe these things happen in the heat of the moment - the action scenes were well written - but given the amount of introspection that happened about other aspects, a moment or two to reflect on the passing of any human life would have been appropriate. I'm not a bit g fan of jumping between character view points, but it was always fairly clear when it was 'Mickey' and when Steve. The author did manage to keep a clear distinction between their points of view.
Enjoyable if you don't think to hard about the details. For a 'romance' there is no sex and very little else in the way of romance.
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LibraryThing member aggie52
I got this book to review via e-books. At first, I found it hard to get into. The main character "Mickey" starts out as a captive of an unidentified group who, in trying to obtain information from the main character, have given her an experimental drug, as a truth serum. Rather than accomplishing
Early on she escapes from the captors and finds her way to an gym in a rundown part of town. This gym is being used by a man "Steve" to train young street people in the art of self defense to that they can defend themselves against the neighborhood toughs.
As the book progresses, Mickey discovers skills that she wasn't aware that she had and she also slowly remembers fragments of events in her past, particularly a woman named Naia. Mickey's attempts to learn how Naia is, why the kidnapping group had taken her and who they are, are the driving force of this book.
Mickey and Steve get into all sorts of troubles and escapes in this pursuit. Although there were parts of the book that I found slow and that some of the excapades bordering on the unbelievable, overall, I found it to be interesting and enjoyable.
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this goal, the drug has caused amnesia. While becoming conscious, she hears the words "Mickey Finn" and assumes that they are talking about her. She then uses this name throughout the book, even though she learns of other names associated with her. Early on she escapes from the captors and finds her way to an gym in a rundown part of town. This gym is being used by a man "Steve" to train young street people in the art of self defense to that they can defend themselves against the neighborhood toughs.
As the book progresses, Mickey discovers skills that she wasn't aware that she had and she also slowly remembers fragments of events in her past, particularly a woman named Naia. Mickey's attempts to learn how Naia is, why the kidnapping group had taken her and who they are, are the driving force of this book.
Mickey and Steve get into all sorts of troubles and escapes in this pursuit. Although there were parts of the book that I found slow and that some of the excapades bordering on the unbelievable, overall, I found it to be interesting and enjoyable.
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LibraryThing member jadavid
Mickey wakes up in a strange room handcuffed to a cot. She doesn't even know her name or why she is there. She does find out that someone wants information. Information that she doesn't remember. After escaping and trying to figure out who she is, she meets Steve. He thinks she is off her meds and
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wants to help her. They have quite an adventure together. I have read other books by Ms. Durgin and I have to say this is my favorite. Show Less
LibraryThing member carod
Hidden Steal is a romantic suspense action novel by Doranna Durgin A young woman wakes up and finds herself a prisoner of unknown kidnappers who have given her a drug which has erased her memory. Giving herself the name "Mickey Finn" she escapes her captors and sets out to figure out who she is an
I have read other novels by this author and enjoyed them and I was not disappointed in this book as well. Mickey is a funny and intriguing character. She can also kick some serious ass. Steve is not your usual alpha male romance lead. He is compassionate and caring. I enjoyed the humour and light romance elements in the novel. The book was fast paced and a quick read. The action scenes were well described. Some of the elements of the novel were pretty unbelievable (the actions of the CIA operatives for example) but I willingly suspended my disbelief and enjoyed the ride.
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why she was kidnapped. She gets help from Steve Spaneas, the owner of a gym in a rough part of town. In the course of uncovering the mystery about herself, she finds some unexpected and scary skills as well as some dangerous enemies. I have read other novels by this author and enjoyed them and I was not disappointed in this book as well. Mickey is a funny and intriguing character. She can also kick some serious ass. Steve is not your usual alpha male romance lead. He is compassionate and caring. I enjoyed the humour and light romance elements in the novel. The book was fast paced and a quick read. The action scenes were well described. Some of the elements of the novel were pretty unbelievable (the actions of the CIA operatives for example) but I willingly suspended my disbelief and enjoyed the ride.
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LibraryThing member telanus
Received eBook in exchange for an honest review.
It's a romantic inspired action suspense novel. the writing for me was great better than what I thought at the beginning. THe Lead character Mickey is a believable character that one can have sympathy with as her flaws is "human".
The end is a bit
It's a romantic inspired action suspense novel. the writing for me was great better than what I thought at the beginning. THe Lead character Mickey is a believable character that one can have sympathy with as her flaws is "human".
The end is a bit
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predictable but over all it's a fun read Show Less
LibraryThing member Sahar17
Easy read! I really enjoyed this book. It was a light read, but a really good story. I really enjoyed that you find out the story as the main character Mickey does. All in all, a great book to read if you are traveling!
LibraryThing member fpdyme
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Super enjoyed this book! Typical spy plot with an amnesiac twist - not so straightforward you have the whole plot figured out in the first 20 pages, not so intricate you have to take notes. Clear, fluid writing with likable and believable
Super enjoyed this book! Typical spy plot with an amnesiac twist - not so straightforward you have the whole plot figured out in the first 20 pages, not so intricate you have to take notes. Clear, fluid writing with likable and believable
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characters (love that they take turns being the "damsel in distress"!). Just a hint of romantic undertones. Glad I took to time to read it and look forward to more of this author's books. Show Less
LibraryThing member Conkie
This is an excellent story! The action starts quickly and never slows down. If you like lots of suspense with some romantic overtones, you'll LOVE this book. The H/H are believable, realistic characters, though not ordinary in their life pursuits.
I never go into detail, especially for books I
This may not be fair of me to say, but I have been really surprised at the quality of the independently published books I've read. If I hadn't won them through LT's Early Reviewers, I wouldn't have read some incredible books by authors I'd never heard of. Now, my list of authors to read is growing once again.
Read Hidden Steel by Doranna Durgin!
I never go into detail, especially for books I
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like, as it's easy to read into one's words, some of the plot-line.This may not be fair of me to say, but I have been really surprised at the quality of the independently published books I've read. If I hadn't won them through LT's Early Reviewers, I wouldn't have read some incredible books by authors I'd never heard of. Now, my list of authors to read is growing once again.
Read Hidden Steel by Doranna Durgin!
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LibraryThing member CathyGeha
This is a story that captured me from the very beginning. I was wondering what would happen next with each page I turned. In some ways it reminded me of the movie “The Long Kiss Goodbye” with Geena Davis although it was definitely different. This story is one of a woman who has lost her memory
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and is in pursuit of it while being pursued by others. I loved that though she found a male to help her Mickey really was the stronger of the two in many ways. What is not to like about a kick-ass female capable of taking care of herself even though she is not quite sure who she is? I rooted for “Mickey” and Steve throughout the book and loved the depth of character both were given by the author. Show Less
LibraryThing member bboxfan
Durgin avoids the romantic thriller trap with an easily readable story of a woman's search for her stolen memory.
LibraryThing member Kyelea
I enjoyed this book and could see my students reading this. The action and plot stayed focused and keep you reading to find out what will happen next. I took it on a trip with me and had moments when I didn't want to put it down.
LibraryThing member rjlouise
I had a tough time getting into this book, for some reason. I was all set to get into it, but I just kind of plodded through the first little bit. I think that had to do more with a fatigue at the set up (amnesiac finds a hot guy and gets into wacky hijinks) than the writing, ultimately. The pace
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does pick up, thankfully, and the payoff is better than the set-up. Also, the multi-narrator effect is handled very well. Over-all, a decent showing, if not everything I had hoped it would be. Show Less
LibraryThing member WinonaBaines
I got this book to review via e-books.
The story line is straightforward. Mickey wakes up in a strange room handcuffed to a bed and suffering from amnesia. How she escapes and discovers the truth of who she is and why she was abducted is the basis of the story. Along the way, she meets Steve who
Even though this is a thriller, it was an enjoyable read. The main characters, Mickey and Steve, were engaging and interesting. There is just enough humor, romance and interesting twists and turns to keep the story moving along.
The story line is straightforward. Mickey wakes up in a strange room handcuffed to a bed and suffering from amnesia. How she escapes and discovers the truth of who she is and why she was abducted is the basis of the story. Along the way, she meets Steve who
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initially shelters her and then gradually becomes her partner.Even though this is a thriller, it was an enjoyable read. The main characters, Mickey and Steve, were engaging and interesting. There is just enough humor, romance and interesting twists and turns to keep the story moving along.
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LibraryThing member terrygraap
A wonderful read by Doranna Drugin. It was about a CIA agent helping a foreigner going to school at Stanford in California. The agent fights her way back from losing her memory the bring down the girl's father's enemies her father's regime.
LibraryThing member txtoga
This book was awarded to me through the February LibraryThing Early Reviewers List. The first time that I started reading this book, I had difficulty getting into it. When that happens, I generally set the book aside and come back to it later which is exactly what I did with this one. While the
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beginning is a bit slow, the story and characters were well developed and the action increased further in. I did enjoy it though not as much as I'd hoped. I'll probably try another of this author's books to see if that is her standard style. Show Less
LibraryThing member spbooks
I lasted about 2/3 of the first chapter and couldn't bear to read anymore. The writing sounds as if the author is trying very hard to be literary and it just doesn't work. Maybe there's a good story in there somewhere, but just couldn't stay with it long enough to find out.
LibraryThing member Carolannhill
If you enjoyed The Borne Identity and Covert Affairs, you'll probably like this book. A woman wakes up in a room, handcuffed to a bed, and has no memory of how she got there, who her captors are, or even who SHE is. I don't want to give the rest of the story away... just read the book. This is a
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great read, even though it is not great literature. It's a fun, fast, action packed read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_Nolan
Imagine waking up in a hospital in handcuffs. And you don't know who you are! That's Anna, the heroine in this very interesting and fast-paced book.
LibraryThing member mcdenis
Undercover agent (AKA Mickey)recovers from her drugged kidnap to save her contact Naia who is the daughter of a middle-eastern king. Naia, in turn, saves her father’s kingdom. The plot is a fast action scenario with clever strategies, a great demonstration of womanpower and an almost romantic
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ending. An absorbing read… Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Mmm. I don't know why Durgin's romances never seem to click with me, when I love her SF&F so much. Good story, nicely done characters, solid backstories - and not matching ones, which I've seen too often recently, but they linked up - interesting setup...and somehow my overall reaction is meh. I
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like amnesia stories. Mickey is a kickass heroine, on several levels (physical, mental, emotional...). Steve was fun, and fit with her perfectly. Naia was great, trying to break out of the mold she'd been so firmly developed in. And...nothing. Part of it was that we didn't get to see Mickey discover who she was - that came after the climax. Another bit was a couple running gags that didn't work (the bed jiggled and then she giggled...but when we got to see a waking-up from her point of view, no giggle or reason for it). And just when was she Jane? Her "station name" - but not the name in her business, nor the one with which she interacted with Naia.... I'm glad I read it, I doubt I'll bother to reread. Show Less
LibraryThing member BellaFoxx
A woman walk up in a hospital bed with no memories. She believes she is there against her will for two reasons, she’s not in a hospital and she is handcuffed to the bed. She overhears someone talking, believing they are talking about her and hearing the name Mickey, she takes that name and keeps
Listed as an action, suspense, and romance book, this book hits the mark on all three fronts. Mickey turns out to be a CIA case officer (action) but she has lost her memory and has no idea what she is or what she is working on (suspense), while running away from the ‘bad guys’, she stumbles into Steve Spaneas’ gym (romance). Although I generally don’t like romance in my action books, this had a ‘touch’ of romance, nicely done and didn’t distract.
Another thing about this book is that even though some of it seemed a little far fetched, most of it was believable. Mickey gets dehydrated and famished, and proceeds to pass out. Which is what humans do. There was none of this, “I’m in terrible shape, I’ll just outrun these criminals in peak physical condition.” going on. It’s fiction, but it has to make sense.
I would recommend this as a quick, fun, action packed story.
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it even when she learns they were talking about how they drugged her.Listed as an action, suspense, and romance book, this book hits the mark on all three fronts. Mickey turns out to be a CIA case officer (action) but she has lost her memory and has no idea what she is or what she is working on (suspense), while running away from the ‘bad guys’, she stumbles into Steve Spaneas’ gym (romance). Although I generally don’t like romance in my action books, this had a ‘touch’ of romance, nicely done and didn’t distract.
Another thing about this book is that even though some of it seemed a little far fetched, most of it was believable. Mickey gets dehydrated and famished, and proceeds to pass out. Which is what humans do. There was none of this, “I’m in terrible shape, I’ll just outrun these criminals in peak physical condition.” going on. It’s fiction, but it has to make sense.
I would recommend this as a quick, fun, action packed story.
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Language
Original language
English
Physical description
251 p.; 23 cm
ISBN
1452442258 / 9781452442259