Moving Target (Alison Reynolds)

by J. A. Jance

Hardcover, 2014

Call number

MYST JAN

Collection

Genres

Publication

Touchstone (2014), Edition: First Edition, 352 pages

Description

B. Simpson teams up with Sister Anselm to investigate a suspicious accident that has left a teen prison inmate severely burned, while in England, Ali Reynolds investigates the decades-old murder of Leland's father.

User reviews

LibraryThing member delphimo
This is the first book by J A Jance that I have read, and I enjoyed the novel. I strongly disliked the use of an initial instead of a name. This feature will probably prevent me from reading more of the long list of J A Jance novels. I always enjoy a novel that has one than one plot, which this
Show More
book contains. This is an advance and unedited copy, and the book contains many errors. I felt the characterization of Ali Reynolds to be a little weak. In the beginning, I felt that Ali was a young woman in her 20's or 30's, when Ali is probably in her 50's. I guess that the books covering Ali Reynolds need to be read in sequence, so I missed many of the events of Ali's life. I never felt that any of the characters are flesh and bones. The book is fast moving with plenty of action.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Lively and quick read. Interesting new character, a young computer whiz, hopefully he will sustain.
LibraryThing member hailelib
The latest book featuring Ali Reynolds, her friend/employee Leland, and her fiance B. Simpson. The novel is fast moving with several things going on. Lance Tucker, who should be in his last year of high school, is incarcerated in a juvenile detention center because he hacked into his school
Show More
district's computer system to protest a new policy. There he is set on fire while decorating the Center's Christmas tree and is seriously injured. B. was part of the investigation that fingered Lance and he feels that he needs to know what really happened since he doesn't believe the official theory. Meanwhile Ali and Leland are in England so that the elderly Leland can reconnect to his estranged family. There they start investigating the circumstances of the death of Leland's father decades before.

As usual there is a lot going on below the surface with car crashes, blackmail, kidnappings, computer hacking, and organized crime even gets a look-in. The book was OK but I'm not sure I want to read any more books about Ali. There just seemed to be something lacking here. I'd rather see a new Sheriff Brady story than another one in this series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member grumpydan
Dealing with the stress of her upcoming wedding, Ali Reynolds travels to England with her longtime assistant Leland and investigate the very old murder of Lelands’ father (who Leland was once accused of committing). Meanwhile back in Texas, Ali’s finance, B. Simpson, investigates the burning of
Show More
a teenager who is incarcerated for hacking into his school’s computer system. He has created a program that someone wants and is willing to kill for it.

With the two plots aside, this was your average mystery with little suspense. Although, it is the ninth book in the series, I still felt that it was long winded and uneventful. I enjoyed the English storyline more than the cybercrime in Texas but still felt that unattached to the characters. I guess diehard fans of this series will appreciate it, but to me it was satisfactory.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mikedraper
There are two story lines in this novel.
Ali Reynolds, police academy trained reporter goes to England with her elderly majordomo, Leland Brooks. There is to be a family gathering in the Brooks family.

Leland had left England decades ago after he feared there would be repercussions about being gay.
Show More
Soon after he left, his father changed his will and deleted Leland from receiving anything in his estate. His father died a short time later.

Ali learns that Leland's father was murdered, a secret that Leland didn't know about. Now Leland asks her to get further information about.

The other portion of the story involves a boy named Lance Tucker who is in jail after hacking into his school's computer system. The boy was scheduled to be released when he is badly burned in a fire.

Lance had developed a new computer program and Ali's fiance, B. Simpson, fears for Lance's safety. Simpson is the owner of High Noon, a company dealing with computer innovations.

There are a number of surprises and an acquaintance of Lance is murdered. There is someone after his computer program but it's difficult to know who are the good guys or the bad guys.

The plot moved along nicely in the case about Lance. The story of Leland's father's murder was slow and not very suspenseful.

I enjoyed Ali working on both mysteries in the days up to her wedding.
Show Less
LibraryThing member khiemstra631
The ninth Ali Reynolds book in which Ali is about to marry B. Simpson but first goes off to England with Leland Brooks, her eighty-something retainer. The idea is to reunite Leland with his long-lost family. While there a couple of crimes present themselves for Ali's attention, including the
Show More
attempted murder of a teenage computer hacker. A good read for series fans but not necessarily a good starting point for those new to the series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jo-jo
I can't pass up a good suspense novel every now and then and that is exactly what I expected when requesting this one. Although it did contain action and suspense, it seemed to be a different level of excitement than I am accustomed to from this genre. The story seems to revolve around young Lance,
Show More
a young computer geek who was actually tried and convicted for hacking into the school district's computer program.

Lance created a software program assisting him with his hacking abilities that many agencies would like to get their hands on. If Lance is not willing to give up the program easily, many are willing to do whatever is necessary to obtain the program. Lance becomes worried not only for his own life, but the lives of his family members, as others who have had access to the program start turning up dead. He just got out of jail for his cyber crime and now being confined to a hospital bed he has no way to offer protection to his loved ones.

People from different walks of life suddenly show up around Lance, offering help or protection. He struggles to figure out who he can trust but finally makes the right decisions in the end. His decisions will set his entire family on a path of financial independence for the rest of their lives.

I don't know why I had a problem with this audiobook. I listened to the first couple of discs without retaining much at all. Finally around the fourth disc I found myself enjoying the story, but not loving it. I muddled through it as I was to a point where I really wanted to know how it turned out, but then the last couple of discs were like jibberish to me once again. I know I wouldn't have enjoyed reading this one, but I can't say the listening experience was enjoyable either.

With themes of murder, mystery, and cyber crimes, you may enjoy this book much more than I did. I did find some enjoyment out of it as I didn't give up and wanted to see how it ended. I recommend this book for personal leisure or as a book club selection for those enjoying the thriller genre.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sleahey
nearly 18, Lance has only a short time before he'll leave the juvenile detention center where he was sent for hacking into his school's computer. Seriously burned in what is labeled an accidental fire, he is brought to Sister Anselm's and Ali's attention by B. Simpson who feels responsible for the
Show More
boy's plight. B is also aware that the teen is a computer genius who may be in extreme danger because of ;his hacking and computer abilities.
Show Less

Pages

352

ISBN

1476745005 / 9781476745008
Page: 0.2024 seconds