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Constable Sammi Willis #1
A Time to Run
The hunt is on
A GRUESOME GAME
A madman is kidnapping women to hunt them for sport.
A FRANTIC SEARCH
Detective Janine Postlewaite leads the investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Willis, determined not to let another innocent die on her watch.
A SHOCKING TWIST
The killer's newest prey isn't like the others. Sammi is a cop. And she refuses to be his victim.
A RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
A stunning, tautly written thriller from police officer turned writer, J.M. Peace.
A GRUESOME GAME
A madman is kidnapping women to hunt them for sport.
A FRANTIC SEARCH
Detective Janine Postlewaite leads the investigation into the disappearance of Samantha Willis, determined not to let another innocent die on her watch.
A SHOCKING TWIST
The killer's newest prey isn't like the others. Sammi is a cop. And she refuses to be his victim.
A RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
A stunning, tautly written thriller from police officer turned writer, J.M. Peace.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2015
19 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
April 25, 2017
A Time to Run is one of those books you just cannot put down. The action all takes place over a few days and the author builds the tension by reporting what is happening to each character at certain times during those days. One moment we are in the bush with Sammi running for her life, then we are with her partner who is going crazy with fear, then we are viewing the police and how far they have got towards discovering Sammi's whereabouts. It is a very satisfactory way of keeping the reader on the edge of their seat!
Apparently this is a debut novel but it has all the attributes of one written by a seasoned author. The pacing is excellent, the characters are well written and the police procedures are realistic, especially the paperwork! I found myself getting quite stressed when they were filling out forms instead of rushing out to find Sammi but of course that's the reality and by the by a great method for the author to use to ratchet up the tension.
This is a really good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes some excitement in their police procedurals.
Apparently this is a debut novel but it has all the attributes of one written by a seasoned author. The pacing is excellent, the characters are well written and the police procedures are realistic, especially the paperwork! I found myself getting quite stressed when they were filling out forms instead of rushing out to find Sammi but of course that's the reality and by the by a great method for the author to use to ratchet up the tension.
This is a really good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes some excitement in their police procedurals.
August 8, 2015
Now, this is what I call a suspense novel! It grabs hold of you and never lets up until the very end! I struggled to put this book down it was that good and if you don't bite your nails now then after reading this, there is a distinct possibility you will!
The protagonist 26yr old Sammi has an argument with her live in boyfriend Gavin, she needs some space so she decides on spur of the moment to drive 3 hours to her closest friend Candy's place. Candy is a more of a wild girl than Sammi but a girl's night out seems a good way to blow off some steam.
As the night goes on Candy gets wilder and Sammi decides it's time to go back to Candy's home and get some rest before leaving early in the morning for her afternoon shift the next day.
The next day, the ever reliable Sammi doesn't turn up for her shift or ring work to notify them she will not be in. She has been a police officer with the Queensland Police for 6 years and loves her job. Her boyfriend Gavin and her workmates realise that something is very wrong, perhaps even sinister.
As it turns out something sinister has occurred.... Sammi has been abducted by a serial killer who takes her out to the unforgiving Australian bush. He wants to play a terrifying game in which she is the prey and he is the hunter. He doesn't know she's a cop and will her training and smarts keep her alive?
The serial killer and his hunting game is what pure nightmares are made of! Everything that he says and does is the type of thing that a true psychopath would be possible of doing and saying. There times whilst the hunting game was occurring that I became aware that I was holding my breath and felt my pulse quicken.
Detective Senior Constable Janine Postlewaite from the Criminal Investigation Unti is put on the case and she will not stop at anything to find Sammi and bring her home safe. Her fierce determination shows no bounds and the police knowing one of their own is missing and more than likely has met with foul play puts them all into overdrive.
Both of the Police women Sammi and Janine are of strong character for different reasons. I really liked the contrasts of their different personalities and different police experiences which kept the story fresh as we went from each woman's very different roles in the story.
The author J.M.Peace is a police woman so as you can imagine all aspects of police procedures, interviews, working relationships, and the way they talk amongst themselves is all top notch! How am I so sure? I worked for the Police for nine years and everything that was said and done is exactly how it is done in Victoria also.
Do not be put off for a second that this is Peace's debut novel because she writes like a seasoned author.
I am a huge fan of Crime and Suspense novels but I can also be their biggest critic because of my love of the Genre. I have to say this is one of the best I have read in a long time.
J.M.Peace is a name to look out for, I can't wait for her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest Review.
The protagonist 26yr old Sammi has an argument with her live in boyfriend Gavin, she needs some space so she decides on spur of the moment to drive 3 hours to her closest friend Candy's place. Candy is a more of a wild girl than Sammi but a girl's night out seems a good way to blow off some steam.
As the night goes on Candy gets wilder and Sammi decides it's time to go back to Candy's home and get some rest before leaving early in the morning for her afternoon shift the next day.
The next day, the ever reliable Sammi doesn't turn up for her shift or ring work to notify them she will not be in. She has been a police officer with the Queensland Police for 6 years and loves her job. Her boyfriend Gavin and her workmates realise that something is very wrong, perhaps even sinister.
As it turns out something sinister has occurred.... Sammi has been abducted by a serial killer who takes her out to the unforgiving Australian bush. He wants to play a terrifying game in which she is the prey and he is the hunter. He doesn't know she's a cop and will her training and smarts keep her alive?
The serial killer and his hunting game is what pure nightmares are made of! Everything that he says and does is the type of thing that a true psychopath would be possible of doing and saying. There times whilst the hunting game was occurring that I became aware that I was holding my breath and felt my pulse quicken.
Detective Senior Constable Janine Postlewaite from the Criminal Investigation Unti is put on the case and she will not stop at anything to find Sammi and bring her home safe. Her fierce determination shows no bounds and the police knowing one of their own is missing and more than likely has met with foul play puts them all into overdrive.
Both of the Police women Sammi and Janine are of strong character for different reasons. I really liked the contrasts of their different personalities and different police experiences which kept the story fresh as we went from each woman's very different roles in the story.
The author J.M.Peace is a police woman so as you can imagine all aspects of police procedures, interviews, working relationships, and the way they talk amongst themselves is all top notch! How am I so sure? I worked for the Police for nine years and everything that was said and done is exactly how it is done in Victoria also.
Do not be put off for a second that this is Peace's debut novel because she writes like a seasoned author.
I am a huge fan of Crime and Suspense novels but I can also be their biggest critic because of my love of the Genre. I have to say this is one of the best I have read in a long time.
J.M.Peace is a name to look out for, I can't wait for her next novel.
Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest Review.
June 26, 2016
I enjoyed this book, A Time to Run: Constable Sammi Willis#1 so much, that the moment I finished it I picked up The Twisted Knot: Constable Sammi Willis #2.
It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I know JM Peace is a police officer, but this is so much better than I ever expected it to be. I have read other books by police officers turned writer, and largely they have been stilted; more like reading a police report than a gripping novel.
Forget that with JM Peace. She writes in a casual, relaxed fashion, but one that conveys the tension and drama when it is required.
What starts out as a girls night out for Sammi Willis following a row with her boyfriend Gavin, quickly turns into terror when she accepts a ride home with the wrong person. For this person is a madman; a man who hunts women for sport.
When you start A Time to Run or its sequel, put up a DO NOT DISTURB sign. You won't want to be interrupted.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Publishers for the gift of a digital ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
It is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. I know JM Peace is a police officer, but this is so much better than I ever expected it to be. I have read other books by police officers turned writer, and largely they have been stilted; more like reading a police report than a gripping novel.
Forget that with JM Peace. She writes in a casual, relaxed fashion, but one that conveys the tension and drama when it is required.
What starts out as a girls night out for Sammi Willis following a row with her boyfriend Gavin, quickly turns into terror when she accepts a ride home with the wrong person. For this person is a madman; a man who hunts women for sport.
When you start A Time to Run or its sequel, put up a DO NOT DISTURB sign. You won't want to be interrupted.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan Publishers for the gift of a digital ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
July 21, 2015
The argument escalated between Samantha Willis and her long-time partner Gavin until he left the house for a run to cool down. Sammie decided she needed more than just a couple of hours break from Gavin – phoning her best friend Candy had her throwing some overnight bits and pieces into her car and heading the three hours to Candy’s place. Being a Friday night, Sammie knew the two friends would have a welcome night on the town – she hadn’t indulged in a long time, but it felt right after the frustration of yet another argument with Gavin. Several hours later after a few drinks Sammie’s thoughts had mellowed; they headed to a nearby pub for last drinks – but when it looked like Candy was tied up for the rest of the night, Sammie decided to catch a taxi back to her house to get a few hours’ sleep before heading back into Brisbane for work – her shift started at midday…
Gavin had continually tried to ring Sammie – but she wasn’t answering her phone. But as the hours counted down to when her shift began, he had an uneasy feeling that something was terribly wrong. Sammie would not miss work for anything – she was a cop and the ribbing she would get for just being hungover wasn’t something she would take a chance on. As the police began to get involved and Sammie was officially listed as a missing person, Gavin’s heart wrenching fear suddenly felt terribly real. What had happened to the woman he loved?
Detective Janine Postlewaite was lead in the investigation and immediately she felt a connection – this was a case she wouldn’t let go; she would find Sammie – her determination and fervour meant she had to succeed. But as the evidence mounted and the clues were slowly revealed, the police men and women weren’t hopeful they would find her alive. Was she the victim of a serial killer? Or was this just a random event? Either way Sammi needed to be strong; there was a madman out there and it was imperative they find him before it was too late…
Wow! A Time to Run is a brilliant debut thriller from Aussie author J.M. Peace! My heart was racing, the pages were flying past – I could not put this down. The plot is excellent; tautly woven and well executed, the tension continued to build in impressive waves. The setting in Queensland, Australia was wonderfully done; all in all a great police procedural. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this totally gripping thriller to all lovers of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ecopy to read and review. Thanks also to Reading, Writing and Riesling for my paper copy which I won.
Gavin had continually tried to ring Sammie – but she wasn’t answering her phone. But as the hours counted down to when her shift began, he had an uneasy feeling that something was terribly wrong. Sammie would not miss work for anything – she was a cop and the ribbing she would get for just being hungover wasn’t something she would take a chance on. As the police began to get involved and Sammie was officially listed as a missing person, Gavin’s heart wrenching fear suddenly felt terribly real. What had happened to the woman he loved?
Detective Janine Postlewaite was lead in the investigation and immediately she felt a connection – this was a case she wouldn’t let go; she would find Sammie – her determination and fervour meant she had to succeed. But as the evidence mounted and the clues were slowly revealed, the police men and women weren’t hopeful they would find her alive. Was she the victim of a serial killer? Or was this just a random event? Either way Sammi needed to be strong; there was a madman out there and it was imperative they find him before it was too late…
Wow! A Time to Run is a brilliant debut thriller from Aussie author J.M. Peace! My heart was racing, the pages were flying past – I could not put this down. The plot is excellent; tautly woven and well executed, the tension continued to build in impressive waves. The setting in Queensland, Australia was wonderfully done; all in all a great police procedural. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this totally gripping thriller to all lovers of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ecopy to read and review. Thanks also to Reading, Writing and Riesling for my paper copy which I won.
August 1, 2015
This really was a nail-biting, heart stopping thriller! When Samantha Willis (Sammi to her friends) storms off after a fight with her boyfriend to spend a night out on the town with her girlfriend, little did she know that one stupid move would have her literally running for her life. However, Sammi is smart and also a cop and so begins a battle of wits between the hunter and the hunted. When she goes missing and doesn't turn up for work her friends in the force also take it seriously and pull out all stops to battle against time to find her. That the author was herself in the police force is evident from the very authentic tone of the police investigation and the realistic description of Sammi's ordeal. This is an exhilarating, fast paced gritty thriller involving one of the creepiest serial killers of all time. Hard to believe this accomplished book is a debut novel!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book to read and review
January 9, 2022
I have had this book sitting on my Kindle app for quite some time and when I finally got to reading it I was pleasantly surprised to see it was set in Queensland.
Sammi is a police officer who after a night on the town with a friend finds herself at the mercy of a vicious killer who likes to hunt women out in the bush. She is completely at his mercy and desperately trying to outthink him to try and escape him.
Meanwhile her work colleagues are finding it strange that she has not turned up for her shift, will they be fast enough to react and start looking for her?
This was a fast paced book that I found very hard to put down. A very good thriller!
Sammi is a police officer who after a night on the town with a friend finds herself at the mercy of a vicious killer who likes to hunt women out in the bush. She is completely at his mercy and desperately trying to outthink him to try and escape him.
Meanwhile her work colleagues are finding it strange that she has not turned up for her shift, will they be fast enough to react and start looking for her?
This was a fast paced book that I found very hard to put down. A very good thriller!
August 25, 2016
I enjoyed this so very much, it was a non-stop thrilling adventure and for so much of the book my heart was in my mouth.
When we meet Sammi at the beginning of the book she gets into a fight with her boyfriend so she decides to head to the City (Brisbane) to go out with her friend and let loose and calm down before she heads home again. The night out gets a bit wild and they end up in some dodgey pub so Sammi decides to head back to her friends house. She goes looking for a cab and the barman offers to give her a lift... It is from here that the story gets going...
Sammi is abducted by the barman. She is smart. She is also a police woman so if anyone has a chance of getting out of this situation it is her. The rest of the book sees her being hunted by the maniac who has abducted her.
We also get to know the detective who is investigating Sammi's disappearance and also her boyfriend. Each of the perspectives is fantastic and it all feels so realistic.
J.M Peace is a servicing Queensland Police officer and you can really feel the authenticity to the procedural side of the book. For a debut novel this felt really good, it is a tight and compelling novel. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.
When we meet Sammi at the beginning of the book she gets into a fight with her boyfriend so she decides to head to the City (Brisbane) to go out with her friend and let loose and calm down before she heads home again. The night out gets a bit wild and they end up in some dodgey pub so Sammi decides to head back to her friends house. She goes looking for a cab and the barman offers to give her a lift... It is from here that the story gets going...
Sammi is abducted by the barman. She is smart. She is also a police woman so if anyone has a chance of getting out of this situation it is her. The rest of the book sees her being hunted by the maniac who has abducted her.
We also get to know the detective who is investigating Sammi's disappearance and also her boyfriend. Each of the perspectives is fantastic and it all feels so realistic.
J.M Peace is a servicing Queensland Police officer and you can really feel the authenticity to the procedural side of the book. For a debut novel this felt really good, it is a tight and compelling novel. I can't wait to read the second book in the series.
July 5, 2015
My View:
This is the perfect Australian(based in Qld)authentic voiced, police procedural.
I loved this read – with its authentic police voice, its gripping narrative, its wonderful strong female protagonists and its Queensland setting.
The details of policing/investigating that the author shares with the reader are intriguing and realistic. Too often crime fiction novels or movies/TV series based on crime fiction skip a lot of these type of details, giving their protagonists the power to do as they please, how they please. This narrative reveals the reality of the work, chapters alternate between settings in the police station where we see the hard work being played out and the legal requirements being adhered to juxtaposed against scenes of Sammi in the forest, scenes of the practical against the tense, emotional and terrifying.
Jay Peace subtly weaves important lessons into this narrative when she chooses a cop as the victim of this crime; consciously or unconsciously her voice is saying “this could happen to you, if it can happen to a cop it can happen to anyone.” She is saying don’t blame the victim, it is not her fault she was targeted, blame the perpetrator.
The pace is fast, the tension grows as we race to find Sammi. The reader often finds themselves asking “what they would do if in this situation.” Sammi is practical, focussed and realistic, the hint of paranormal/Angels adds an extra dimension to her character and to the read. Is she hallucinating? Is she dreaming? I loved this element of the story – just a wisp of “other worldly” adding interest and asking questions that the author lets you answer.
A great debut novel that only leaves one question unanswered, when is the next book in this series ready for release?
This is the perfect Australian(based in Qld)authentic voiced, police procedural.
I loved this read – with its authentic police voice, its gripping narrative, its wonderful strong female protagonists and its Queensland setting.
The details of policing/investigating that the author shares with the reader are intriguing and realistic. Too often crime fiction novels or movies/TV series based on crime fiction skip a lot of these type of details, giving their protagonists the power to do as they please, how they please. This narrative reveals the reality of the work, chapters alternate between settings in the police station where we see the hard work being played out and the legal requirements being adhered to juxtaposed against scenes of Sammi in the forest, scenes of the practical against the tense, emotional and terrifying.
Jay Peace subtly weaves important lessons into this narrative when she chooses a cop as the victim of this crime; consciously or unconsciously her voice is saying “this could happen to you, if it can happen to a cop it can happen to anyone.” She is saying don’t blame the victim, it is not her fault she was targeted, blame the perpetrator.
The pace is fast, the tension grows as we race to find Sammi. The reader often finds themselves asking “what they would do if in this situation.” Sammi is practical, focussed and realistic, the hint of paranormal/Angels adds an extra dimension to her character and to the read. Is she hallucinating? Is she dreaming? I loved this element of the story – just a wisp of “other worldly” adding interest and asking questions that the author lets you answer.
A great debut novel that only leaves one question unanswered, when is the next book in this series ready for release?
May 12, 2017
Samantha Willis (26 Jahre alt, Polizistin) hat Streit mit ihrem Freund Gavin. Spontan besucht sie ihre Freundin Candy in Brisbane, Die beiden wollen sich einen schönen Abend machen und besuchen eine Bar. Samantha möchte dann früher zurück nach Hause als ihre Freundin und hat vor, sich ein Taxi zu nehmen. Dann jedoch nimmt sie das Angebot eines Mannes an, der sie nach Hause fahren möchte. Stattdessen aber setzt er Samantha unter Drogen und fährt mit ihr in den australischen Busch. Hier setzt er Samantha aus, denn er will sie jagen und anschließend töten!
Mein Leseeindruck:
Dieser Thriller ist das Erstlingswerk der Autorin, die selber eine Polizistin ist. Somit ist es eigentlich kein Wunder, dass wir in diesem Thriller viel von der Polizeiarbeit erfahren. Es geht hier nicht nur hauptsächlich um Samantha und ihren Entführer, sondern eben auch viel um die Suche nach ihr und die damit verbundene Ermittlungsarbeit der Polizei.
Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen, dass wir verschiedene Blickwinkel kennenlernen. So bleibt die Geschichte auch immer spannend, denn sowohl Samanthas Überlebenskampf im Busch als auch die fieberhafte Suche nach ihr sind sehr fesselnd erzählt.
Die Charaktere, allen voran die Hauptprotagonistinnen Samantha und die Polizistin Janine, sind sehr sympathisch und authentisch. Ich habe mir ein gutes Bild von allen machen können und empfand die Handlung durchaus als realistisch.
Für ein Erstlingswerk ist es ein wirklich sehr gelungener, sehr spannend erzählter Thriller mit einer Handlung, die mir teilweise Gänsehaut beschert hat.
Ich hoffe, die Autorin wird noch viele weitere Bücher schreiben, denn ich mag sowohl ihren Schreib- als auch Erzählstil.
Mein Leseeindruck:
Dieser Thriller ist das Erstlingswerk der Autorin, die selber eine Polizistin ist. Somit ist es eigentlich kein Wunder, dass wir in diesem Thriller viel von der Polizeiarbeit erfahren. Es geht hier nicht nur hauptsächlich um Samantha und ihren Entführer, sondern eben auch viel um die Suche nach ihr und die damit verbundene Ermittlungsarbeit der Polizei.
Mir hat es sehr gut gefallen, dass wir verschiedene Blickwinkel kennenlernen. So bleibt die Geschichte auch immer spannend, denn sowohl Samanthas Überlebenskampf im Busch als auch die fieberhafte Suche nach ihr sind sehr fesselnd erzählt.
Die Charaktere, allen voran die Hauptprotagonistinnen Samantha und die Polizistin Janine, sind sehr sympathisch und authentisch. Ich habe mir ein gutes Bild von allen machen können und empfand die Handlung durchaus als realistisch.
Für ein Erstlingswerk ist es ein wirklich sehr gelungener, sehr spannend erzählter Thriller mit einer Handlung, die mir teilweise Gänsehaut beschert hat.
Ich hoffe, die Autorin wird noch viele weitere Bücher schreiben, denn ich mag sowohl ihren Schreib- als auch Erzählstil.
March 10, 2018
This was a fast-moving Australian crime debut that dialled up the thrills and a page-turning atmosphere while leaving me feeling a little wanting when it came to character, especially early on.
The plot is one you may have seen in episodes of shows like Law & Order: SVU in recent years: a madman abducts innocent women and takes them to a remote, forested wilderness to 'play' by releasing and hunting them at his leisure. Then the latest kidnapped woman has enough courage/moxie/luck to survive and it becomes a race against time as the cops try to close in before she's killed too. So far, so one-hour television crime drama.
The twist here in Peace's debut is that the latest victim is herself a cop. So we have cops trying to find out what has happened and identify a killer, and a cop struggling to survive inside his sick 'game'.
It's an intriguing and potentially powerful set-up, though Peace - herself a former policewoman - has a few rookie storyteller stumbles in the execution, which dilute the depth and strength of her tale. There's a tendency to info-dump and spell everything out for readers, in straightforward prose which reads a little cliched at times rather than having subtext or energy to it. Perhaps because of this, the characters seem a little 'thin', caricatures or cyphers rather than rounded human beings that draw you into what's happening in their lives. Fortunately the set-up is intriguing enough that there's plenty of 'I wonder what'll happen?' tension and page-turning drive to pull readers through, despite these flaws.
Peace crafts a good sense of pace in A TIME TO RUN; I found myself whirring through the pages even as I was sporadically pulled out of the story by some of the things mentioned above. There's plenty going on as Constable Sammi Willis tries to survive in the Australian bush, and Detective Janine Postlewaite battles all sorts of challenges to investigate her disappearance.
Overall A TIME TO KILL improves throughout, and builds to a very solid finish. A good 'airport thriller' or 'beach read' that I could being successfully adapted into an exciting film or TV movie. It has a good hook, an atmospheric small-town and rural Australia setting, and plenty of action.
The plot is one you may have seen in episodes of shows like Law & Order: SVU in recent years: a madman abducts innocent women and takes them to a remote, forested wilderness to 'play' by releasing and hunting them at his leisure. Then the latest kidnapped woman has enough courage/moxie/luck to survive and it becomes a race against time as the cops try to close in before she's killed too. So far, so one-hour television crime drama.
The twist here in Peace's debut is that the latest victim is herself a cop. So we have cops trying to find out what has happened and identify a killer, and a cop struggling to survive inside his sick 'game'.
It's an intriguing and potentially powerful set-up, though Peace - herself a former policewoman - has a few rookie storyteller stumbles in the execution, which dilute the depth and strength of her tale. There's a tendency to info-dump and spell everything out for readers, in straightforward prose which reads a little cliched at times rather than having subtext or energy to it. Perhaps because of this, the characters seem a little 'thin', caricatures or cyphers rather than rounded human beings that draw you into what's happening in their lives. Fortunately the set-up is intriguing enough that there's plenty of 'I wonder what'll happen?' tension and page-turning drive to pull readers through, despite these flaws.
Peace crafts a good sense of pace in A TIME TO RUN; I found myself whirring through the pages even as I was sporadically pulled out of the story by some of the things mentioned above. There's plenty going on as Constable Sammi Willis tries to survive in the Australian bush, and Detective Janine Postlewaite battles all sorts of challenges to investigate her disappearance.
Overall A TIME TO KILL improves throughout, and builds to a very solid finish. A good 'airport thriller' or 'beach read' that I could being successfully adapted into an exciting film or TV movie. It has a good hook, an atmospheric small-town and rural Australia setting, and plenty of action.
August 15, 2015
Sammie is a police officer in a small town in Queensland. The book opens with Sammi and her partner, Gavin, having a fight. Sammi storms off to have a girls night out with her friend and unfortunately, things do not go according to plan. A Time to Run is told from the perspective of Gavin, Sammi, Janine (the lead detective), and at times, the perpetrator. This is an incredible read and probably the best thriller book I have read so far this year. The suspense is maintained right until the end and I found it really difficult to put down. All the characters were well developed and I liked each of them (except the bad guy!). Sammi was a strong, determined and gutsy woman and a great main character. J.M Peace was a former police officer and this gives the novel an authentic feel. The only reason this was not 5 stars was because I found the dialogue toward the end to be a bit stilted. Though this could really reflect more about me than the actual writing. Other than that (which was a really minor thing) I loved this book and I eagerly await another novel from this author. More like 4.5 stars.
July 25, 2020
Me ha parecido un buen libro sobre todo para ser la primera novela de la autora.
A sido una lectura amena y ágil.
Me ha gustado mucho la protagonista(Samantha Willis) que es una policía y utiliza todos sus conocimientos en sobrevivir a un psicópata. Él cual la a secuestrado y llevado a un bosque para darle caza y así satisfacer sus necesidades mas perversas.
‼️Ademas un detalle curioso la escritora es una policía en la vida real y eso se hace notar en la novela por que lo hace todo mas realista.‼️
Volveré a leer mas novela de la autora no tengo dudas.✔️
¡LO RECOMIENDO!
A sido una lectura amena y ágil.
Me ha gustado mucho la protagonista(Samantha Willis) que es una policía y utiliza todos sus conocimientos en sobrevivir a un psicópata. Él cual la a secuestrado y llevado a un bosque para darle caza y así satisfacer sus necesidades mas perversas.
‼️Ademas un detalle curioso la escritora es una policía en la vida real y eso se hace notar en la novela por que lo hace todo mas realista.‼️
Volveré a leer mas novela de la autora no tengo dudas.✔️
¡LO RECOMIENDO!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2017
Una historia muy adictiva que nos habla de un asesino en serie que se divierte cazando mujeres. Esta escrita de una forma muy sencilla, por lo que es la típica historia para pasar el rato pero de una forma muy efectiva.
Se nota que la autora es agente de policía, ya que todo lo relacionado con la actividad policial es muy detallado.
Se nota que la autora es agente de policía, ya que todo lo relacionado con la actividad policial es muy detallado.
June 24, 2017
Vertiginosa novela, narrada a un ritmo trepidante, que no decae en ningún momento. Narración en estricto orden cronológico, de los tres días en los que Sammi, una de las protagonists, está desaparecida. Los capítulos se van alternando entre tes espacios distintos: lo que le pasa a la propia Sammi, lo que sucede en el pueblo donde ejerce de policía (con su pareja y sus compañeros) y las investigaciones que la brigada especial lleva a cabo.
No tiene el aliciente de averiguar quién puede ser el culpable, ya que se sabe desde el principio; aunque tiene otros alicientes: el qué, el porqué, el cómo: y sobre todo, saber como acaba todo.
Los carácteres de los protagonistas están definidos lo justo y suficiente para sustentar la trama, si exceptuamos a la propia Sammi, ya que por su situación, es con la que más conocemos sus pensamientos y motivaciones.
Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que me esperaba.
No tiene el aliciente de averiguar quién puede ser el culpable, ya que se sabe desde el principio; aunque tiene otros alicientes: el qué, el porqué, el cómo: y sobre todo, saber como acaba todo.
Los carácteres de los protagonistas están definidos lo justo y suficiente para sustentar la trama, si exceptuamos a la propia Sammi, ya que por su situación, es con la que más conocemos sus pensamientos y motivaciones.
Me ha gustado mucho más de lo que me esperaba.
July 7, 2015
Hands down one of the best books I've read all year.
This review originally appeared at: http://mycupandchaucer.com/a-time-to-....
Police procedurals and I have a tenuous relationship. Countless times I’ve been lured in with a deceptive blurb or the ‘you must read this’ cries of a friend, only to remember halfway through that I find the detail of police procedurals too dense to stay interested. I’ve seen A Time to Run described as a police procedural, and to a certain extent it is, but it is expertly balanced with a gripping and thrilling mystery to solve and doesn’t get weighed down by the details. Basically, it’s a police procedural, but a really, really, really good one.
The author is a serving police officer and this brings a refreshing authenticity to the writing. This isn’t a non-cop author showing you all the things she knows about policing; it’s a no-nonsense, realistic account of how missing persons cases are investigated and it’s written by an author who demonstrates an accomplished writing style not frequently seen in a debut novel. Peace draws from what she knows to create a wonderful cast of police officers. While the story does regularly switch viewpoints, all but the viewpoint of the suspect is a cop’s perspective, even the victim who is a cop herself. Quite frankly, it’s pretty heavy shit. But it’s good shit. The kind that keeps you up all night, racing towards the finish line because you need to know what happens.
I was completely floored by the ending. I started crying from page 200-ish and didn’t let up until the end. The relief I felt when the case was closed (no spoilers, but obviously a case has to be closed) was palpable. I reacted a bit like this once I read the final word:
In A Time to Run, Peace has created two compelling and strong female voices. Sammi, the police officer who is abducted, is the kind of person you’d want in your ‘end of the world, the zombies are here’ squad. She’s resourceful, calm, and rational. She’s most certainly not a robot and she does demonstrate the array of emotions I suspect most abduction victims experience, but she’s cool-headed and her viewpoint sections are chillingly believable. She is adamant that she was targeted–there is no victim-blaming to find here, and this is a poignant tip of the hat to current events in Australia. (Hey, Sunrise, I’m looking at you.) The other important viewpoint cop, the cop on team Find Sammi, is Detective Janine Postlewaite. Janine is badass, and I found myself hoping that Peace drew on some of herself for this character. If I ever suffer the unfortunate fate of being abducted, I hope a detective like Janine Postlewaite tries to find me.
Readers from South East Queensland will have the added thrill of recognising suburbs and landmarks in the story. As a former resident of Brisbane, I found the locational familiarity to be super creepy. This could be anyone, maybe even someone I know, such is the way A Time to Run is written. If you like police procedurals, pick up this book. If you like strong female characters, pick up this book. If you like tense reads that grip you and don’t let you go, pick up this book. If you believe in the power of Australian authors, pick up this book. Heck, just pick up this book.
This review originally appeared at: http://mycupandchaucer.com/a-time-to-....
Police procedurals and I have a tenuous relationship. Countless times I’ve been lured in with a deceptive blurb or the ‘you must read this’ cries of a friend, only to remember halfway through that I find the detail of police procedurals too dense to stay interested. I’ve seen A Time to Run described as a police procedural, and to a certain extent it is, but it is expertly balanced with a gripping and thrilling mystery to solve and doesn’t get weighed down by the details. Basically, it’s a police procedural, but a really, really, really good one.
The author is a serving police officer and this brings a refreshing authenticity to the writing. This isn’t a non-cop author showing you all the things she knows about policing; it’s a no-nonsense, realistic account of how missing persons cases are investigated and it’s written by an author who demonstrates an accomplished writing style not frequently seen in a debut novel. Peace draws from what she knows to create a wonderful cast of police officers. While the story does regularly switch viewpoints, all but the viewpoint of the suspect is a cop’s perspective, even the victim who is a cop herself. Quite frankly, it’s pretty heavy shit. But it’s good shit. The kind that keeps you up all night, racing towards the finish line because you need to know what happens.
I was completely floored by the ending. I started crying from page 200-ish and didn’t let up until the end. The relief I felt when the case was closed (no spoilers, but obviously a case has to be closed) was palpable. I reacted a bit like this once I read the final word:
In A Time to Run, Peace has created two compelling and strong female voices. Sammi, the police officer who is abducted, is the kind of person you’d want in your ‘end of the world, the zombies are here’ squad. She’s resourceful, calm, and rational. She’s most certainly not a robot and she does demonstrate the array of emotions I suspect most abduction victims experience, but she’s cool-headed and her viewpoint sections are chillingly believable. She is adamant that she was targeted–there is no victim-blaming to find here, and this is a poignant tip of the hat to current events in Australia. (Hey, Sunrise, I’m looking at you.) The other important viewpoint cop, the cop on team Find Sammi, is Detective Janine Postlewaite. Janine is badass, and I found myself hoping that Peace drew on some of herself for this character. If I ever suffer the unfortunate fate of being abducted, I hope a detective like Janine Postlewaite tries to find me.
Readers from South East Queensland will have the added thrill of recognising suburbs and landmarks in the story. As a former resident of Brisbane, I found the locational familiarity to be super creepy. This could be anyone, maybe even someone I know, such is the way A Time to Run is written. If you like police procedurals, pick up this book. If you like strong female characters, pick up this book. If you like tense reads that grip you and don’t let you go, pick up this book. If you believe in the power of Australian authors, pick up this book. Heck, just pick up this book.
August 5, 2015
From the grim Prologue to the nail-biting conclusion, this novel with take you on a thrill ride as our Protagonist is put through her paces – in more ways than one.
With a looming feeling of inevitability after the opening, we are introduced to Samantha Willis (Sammi). The last thing she is expecting after an argument with her boyfriend, Gavin, sees her slamming out of their house and going to her best friend in Brisbane, is to be deserted by Candy in favour of two good-looking blokes out for a good time - then again, she should have expected it from Candy who is a fun-loving, party animal who loves men and booze.
In the early hours of the morning, after being dragged to another pub and indulging in her own company while Candy rips it up on the dance-floor, she rejects advances made by the over-friendly barman and decides to make her way back to her best friend’s apartment to get some sleep.
Waiting outside for her taxi to arrive, the barman, taking off after his shift, approaches her and offers a lift. Somewhat reluctantly she accepts.
When she doesn't arrive home the following day to carry out her shift, Gavin raises the alarm after which the reader is thrown into Sammi’s fight for survival and the police attempts to find her.
As Detective Janine Postlethwaite finds herself heading an investigation where similarities between unresolved cases and this one arise, Sammi has already been plunged into a game of life and death with the kidnapper raising the stakes by putting her on the clock!
Wow! That’s all I can say!! A serving member of the Queensland Police Service, J.M. Peace (simply known as “Jay”) has given us a tense crime novel that is authentic in both its Queensland setting and police work.
It’s not often that we catch a glimpse into the lives of our Australian cops as they go about their work and Jay’s years of experience in the service have gained her an advantage as she portrays the detail surrounding their investigative processes and procedures. Her attention to detail, rather than simply adding arduous padding to the narrative, adds an educational element as she puts her cop background to good use but, it was the terrifying situation that Sammi found herself in, along with her compelling voice, that drew me in.
I really liked that Jay has structured the novel with chapters and scenes broken down into time-frames. Signalling changes in point of view and time shifts, these chapter and scene breaks make the story flow seamlessly, keeping it going at a steady pace and increasing the tension as the clock counts down.
Sammi is a sharp-witted and resourceful protagonist; our villain is smart and cunning as he engages her in the ultimate game of cat and mouse but Detective Janine Postlethwaite is a force to be reckoned with.
An absorbing plot filled with tension, this is a cross-country race of a debut that is sure to thrill you making it quite obvious that Jay has not only written what she knows but about a job that she is passionate about.
With a looming feeling of inevitability after the opening, we are introduced to Samantha Willis (Sammi). The last thing she is expecting after an argument with her boyfriend, Gavin, sees her slamming out of their house and going to her best friend in Brisbane, is to be deserted by Candy in favour of two good-looking blokes out for a good time - then again, she should have expected it from Candy who is a fun-loving, party animal who loves men and booze.
In the early hours of the morning, after being dragged to another pub and indulging in her own company while Candy rips it up on the dance-floor, she rejects advances made by the over-friendly barman and decides to make her way back to her best friend’s apartment to get some sleep.
Waiting outside for her taxi to arrive, the barman, taking off after his shift, approaches her and offers a lift. Somewhat reluctantly she accepts.
When she doesn't arrive home the following day to carry out her shift, Gavin raises the alarm after which the reader is thrown into Sammi’s fight for survival and the police attempts to find her.
As Detective Janine Postlethwaite finds herself heading an investigation where similarities between unresolved cases and this one arise, Sammi has already been plunged into a game of life and death with the kidnapper raising the stakes by putting her on the clock!
Wow! That’s all I can say!! A serving member of the Queensland Police Service, J.M. Peace (simply known as “Jay”) has given us a tense crime novel that is authentic in both its Queensland setting and police work.
It’s not often that we catch a glimpse into the lives of our Australian cops as they go about their work and Jay’s years of experience in the service have gained her an advantage as she portrays the detail surrounding their investigative processes and procedures. Her attention to detail, rather than simply adding arduous padding to the narrative, adds an educational element as she puts her cop background to good use but, it was the terrifying situation that Sammi found herself in, along with her compelling voice, that drew me in.
I really liked that Jay has structured the novel with chapters and scenes broken down into time-frames. Signalling changes in point of view and time shifts, these chapter and scene breaks make the story flow seamlessly, keeping it going at a steady pace and increasing the tension as the clock counts down.
Sammi is a sharp-witted and resourceful protagonist; our villain is smart and cunning as he engages her in the ultimate game of cat and mouse but Detective Janine Postlethwaite is a force to be reckoned with.
An absorbing plot filled with tension, this is a cross-country race of a debut that is sure to thrill you making it quite obvious that Jay has not only written what she knows but about a job that she is passionate about.
July 19, 2015
A thrilling debut by J.M. Peace, A Time to Run tells of what happens when a police officer turns victim. As a serving police officer, Peace would have many experiences in policing and the challenge was to put all this in a book that engages the reader. And… it was so furiously engaging, I finished it in a day (a long time ago, I could’ve said, ‘in one sitting’, but with a job & 2 little ones… “a day” basically means “1 sitting”).
Samantha (Sammi) Willis is a dedicated police officer. You would expect that as such, she would be very aware of just how easily one becomes a victim. You would have thought her to be extra vigilant. This was the first part I struggled with in this novel. However, considering the circumstances (the drinks, the late hour, the weariness, the possible threat of something worse), I guess, sometimes, you’d let slip and ‘trust’ a stranger. Unfortunately, this time, it doesn’t turn out so good for Sammi.
An extract relating to the above paragraph can be found on J.M. Peaces’s blog, here
A Time to Run spans over one weekend. I compare it to 24 (tv series) but 72 instead. There’s a ‘snapshot’ of the day/time (bold headers) before each unfolding event. Each was short and sweet with alternating perspectives between Sammi, the bad guy, and the ones looking for them. This structure sets the pace and tone of the story -it was fast, tight, and exhilarating. There were a couple of instances that I thought she was fact-dropping about policing but that’s basically 2 sentences in 228 pages -they were kind of woven into the story but still stood out to me so that could’ve been done differently.
I found A Time to Run to be very realistic. I like that the ending isn’t all rosy, that such a horrific event will affect a person’s functions terribly and that the law isn’t perfect. I think the author has been very successful in being very convincing through multiple perspectives despite their varied backgrounds and very different intents. Overall, a terrific debut that will leave you wanting more. Thankfully, Peace is working on a sequel…or two!
Thanks to Macmillan Australia for copy of book in exchange of honest review
Samantha (Sammi) Willis is a dedicated police officer. You would expect that as such, she would be very aware of just how easily one becomes a victim. You would have thought her to be extra vigilant. This was the first part I struggled with in this novel. However, considering the circumstances (the drinks, the late hour, the weariness, the possible threat of something worse), I guess, sometimes, you’d let slip and ‘trust’ a stranger. Unfortunately, this time, it doesn’t turn out so good for Sammi.
An extract relating to the above paragraph can be found on J.M. Peaces’s blog, here
A Time to Run spans over one weekend. I compare it to 24 (tv series) but 72 instead. There’s a ‘snapshot’ of the day/time (bold headers) before each unfolding event. Each was short and sweet with alternating perspectives between Sammi, the bad guy, and the ones looking for them. This structure sets the pace and tone of the story -it was fast, tight, and exhilarating. There were a couple of instances that I thought she was fact-dropping about policing but that’s basically 2 sentences in 228 pages -they were kind of woven into the story but still stood out to me so that could’ve been done differently.
I found A Time to Run to be very realistic. I like that the ending isn’t all rosy, that such a horrific event will affect a person’s functions terribly and that the law isn’t perfect. I think the author has been very successful in being very convincing through multiple perspectives despite their varied backgrounds and very different intents. Overall, a terrific debut that will leave you wanting more. Thankfully, Peace is working on a sequel…or two!
Thanks to Macmillan Australia for copy of book in exchange of honest review
April 21, 2016
This book gets straight down to business. So much so that at first I was thinking, "oh dear, am I ready for this story?"
It was late at night when I started reading and I was in bed...another couple of pages and I will put it down...
Several chapters later I was up and putting the kettle on to make a cuppa and take back to bed to read some more...no way I could put it down now!
Sammie and her boyfriend Gavin have been together for three years, they live together and have a very close and loving relationship where they share and talk to each other about anything.
Gavin has made a suggestion to Sammie which she doesn't much care for and their talk has escalated into one of their full blown arguments with Gavin indignantly storming out of the house with the dog in tow.
It's nothing too serious, they do this fairly regularly to let off steam, and once the air is cleared they get over it and get on with things, it works for them.
On this occasion though, Sammie is a bit more indignant herself and not yet ready to let it drop, she wants to stew on it a bit longer, and she wants Gavin to as well.
She picks up the phone and rings her friend Candy to organize an overnight get together, a girls night out...just to let her hair down and unwind a bit before coming back home to forgive Gavin.
Before Gavin returns she is in the car with her packed overnight bag and heading off on the two hour drive to Candy's place...
Settle yourself in now for a page turning reading session as this story unfolds with unrelenting tension which has you envisaging all of the horrible possibilities ahead.
You won't want to put this down as it gets you so fully engaged in the unfolding events.
WoW, for a debut novel this is impressive, riveting right from the start it keeps building until the very end.
This is a new Aussie author to watch out for and I have no qualms about recommending this book to lovers of the mystery/suspense genre. 5★s
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy to read and review.
January 24, 2016
J.M. Peace's debut novel A Time to Run is both a blood-chilling thriller and a police procedural (working against the clock). It is fast paced, with the main action taking place over the course of 4 days. The date and time headings of each section adds to the sense of urgency.
Set in south-east Queensland, police officer Samantha (Sammie) Willis doesn't return home after a blow-up with her partner Gavin and impulsive night on the town with her bachelorette friend, Candy. She has been abducted by a cold-blooded serial killer who takes her to a remote state forest and gives her an hour head's start before ruthlessly hunting her down. Will Sammie be able to outwit a man with a gun and savage attack dog? Will her fellow police officers be able to find her in time?
Peace switches between Sammie in her desperate attempts to keep alive and the police's efforts to find her. Peace herself is a police officer and draws on her own knowledge and experience. While there is some temptation in the first few chapters to weight the story with back history, for the most part the story is fast-paced and gripping. Peace doesn't gloss over the gruesome details and the couple times we access the antagonist’s point of view are particularly chilling and at other times, following the police investigation, it felt a bit clinical. On the other hand, Sammie is a strong and resourceful character and my strong desire to see her survive all the challenges, from the killer to the terrain, keep me turning the pages.
A solid read which gives some interesting insights into police procedures, survival techniques and the mind of a serial killer.
Set in south-east Queensland, police officer Samantha (Sammie) Willis doesn't return home after a blow-up with her partner Gavin and impulsive night on the town with her bachelorette friend, Candy. She has been abducted by a cold-blooded serial killer who takes her to a remote state forest and gives her an hour head's start before ruthlessly hunting her down. Will Sammie be able to outwit a man with a gun and savage attack dog? Will her fellow police officers be able to find her in time?
Peace switches between Sammie in her desperate attempts to keep alive and the police's efforts to find her. Peace herself is a police officer and draws on her own knowledge and experience. While there is some temptation in the first few chapters to weight the story with back history, for the most part the story is fast-paced and gripping. Peace doesn't gloss over the gruesome details and the couple times we access the antagonist’s point of view are particularly chilling and at other times, following the police investigation, it felt a bit clinical. On the other hand, Sammie is a strong and resourceful character and my strong desire to see her survive all the challenges, from the killer to the terrain, keep me turning the pages.
A solid read which gives some interesting insights into police procedures, survival techniques and the mind of a serial killer.
July 5, 2015
* Copy courtesy of Pan Macmillan Australia *
A Time To Runis a tense crime thriller set in the Queensland bush featuring a cop-turned-victim and a Wolf Creek-style killer.
A Time To Run is a police procedural written by a serving Australian police officer and is a fast-paced novel with action on every page. The events in the book take place over a single weekend and this was such a tight and quick read, I found myself finishing it in record time.
What I enjoyed most of all though was the quick-thinking and problem-solving skills displayed by the victim Sammi. A police officer herself, Sammi is horrified to find herself drugged and kidnapped, but doesn't panic. Instead, she switches on her 'cop senses' and does everything she can think of to stay alive.
Sometimes when I'm reading a crime novel, I think to myself: "oh no, why don't you do this," or "that's stupid, that'll never work." This doesn't happen in A Time To Run, here I was continually thinking: "ohhhh, what a great idea" and "oh, I didn't think of that."
There is a real sense of the Australian outback in the novel and two smart and tough characters to get behind, Sammi and Detective Janine Postlewaite. A Time To Run is a debut novel for J.M. Peace, and fans of the crime and thriller genre will love this Australian offering.
A Time To Runis a tense crime thriller set in the Queensland bush featuring a cop-turned-victim and a Wolf Creek-style killer.
A Time To Run is a police procedural written by a serving Australian police officer and is a fast-paced novel with action on every page. The events in the book take place over a single weekend and this was such a tight and quick read, I found myself finishing it in record time.
What I enjoyed most of all though was the quick-thinking and problem-solving skills displayed by the victim Sammi. A police officer herself, Sammi is horrified to find herself drugged and kidnapped, but doesn't panic. Instead, she switches on her 'cop senses' and does everything she can think of to stay alive.
Sometimes when I'm reading a crime novel, I think to myself: "oh no, why don't you do this," or "that's stupid, that'll never work." This doesn't happen in A Time To Run, here I was continually thinking: "ohhhh, what a great idea" and "oh, I didn't think of that."
There is a real sense of the Australian outback in the novel and two smart and tough characters to get behind, Sammi and Detective Janine Postlewaite. A Time To Run is a debut novel for J.M. Peace, and fans of the crime and thriller genre will love this Australian offering.
June 20, 2017
Trigger warnings: kidnapping, murder, rape, animal deaths, mentions of a murder victim having been attacked by a dog.
For a debut crime novel, this was pretty solid. The author is a serving police officer, so the police procedural side of things is definitely on point. The pacing was good, I liked Sammi as a character. However, there were times when the writing was a little...clinical, perhaps?? It wasn't dry, it was just lacking emotion or tension or something??
And honestly, I think it might be partly the fact that I picked this book up because the sequel looked intriguing. And, like, just knowing that there was a sequel removed a lot of the tension from the story. So. It was a solid 3 star book, and I'm definitely interested in picking up the sequel.
For a debut crime novel, this was pretty solid. The author is a serving police officer, so the police procedural side of things is definitely on point. The pacing was good, I liked Sammi as a character. However, there were times when the writing was a little...clinical, perhaps?? It wasn't dry, it was just lacking emotion or tension or something??
And honestly, I think it might be partly the fact that I picked this book up because the sequel looked intriguing. And, like, just knowing that there was a sequel removed a lot of the tension from the story. So. It was a solid 3 star book, and I'm definitely interested in picking up the sequel.
May 30, 2017
Entretenido. Tal vez no me sorpendió tanto porque recientemente vi un capítulo de Archivos del FBI donde se presentaba un caso con el mismo argumento. Está muy bien escrito, la trama es ágil, directa y sencilla.
August 13, 2015
There's a lot of crime fiction out there that is all about the investigator and the protagonist, but A TIME TO RUN tips that right on it's ear, setting up a scenario in which an investigator (cop) is the next victim of a mad, dangerous man who makes a sport out of hunting down the women he's abducted.
So, not a book for those readers that find that concept of the randomly selected victim and the barking mad, vicious killer too much. Particularly as this killer is appalling and very clever about it. It's not until a cop goes missing that a very dedicated policewoman sees some connections between her sudden vanishing, and that of a number of other women.
Sammi (Samantha Willis) is a cop who after yet another fight with her boyfriend, huffs off to Brisbane for a night out with a girlfriend. Said girlfriend hooks up, and Sammi goes home on her own, only to be offered a ride, and well, abducted. When she comes to, she's in the bush, and a madman wants her to run so that he can track her, and ultimately kill her. Not realising that his latest victim is a cop, not bargaining on her determination and cleverness.
The author of A TIME TO RUN, J.M. Peace, is a working cop in Queensland, so the procedural and investigation side of this book is spot on, without being bogged down in the sorts of detail that can sometimes plague write what you know scenarios. The pace, on both sides of the coin here, is tight, taut and unrelenting. Sammi's fight to survive in the bush is mirrored exactly by Detective Janine Postlewaite's determination to find her alive come what may. Of course early on there's a slight possibility that Sammi's boyfriend might have had something to do with it, although that's quickly resolved, and the real perpetrator identified. Finding him is another matter altogether, and here the way that the police networks work is used to great effect. There's also more than a hefty hint at the end about the frustration that police feel when the court system sees things in an altogether different light, and no glossing over the after-effects of an ordeal like Sammi's.
Whilst it makes perfect sense that the training police undertake would help a lot maintaining calm, thinking through possiblities, and being physically and mentally able to react when cornered as she was, it would have been perhaps a little more comforting to think that the police investigating would have been as diligent had the abductee been any woman - not just a cop. To be fair though, it was the knowledge of a colleague's personality, and behaviour that rang alarm bells in the first place.
A TIME TO RUN's a debut novel and it's hard to tell if there's a series in the making - around Postlewaite, Willis or both of them somehow, but given the writing style of this author, and her expertise in the field, it will be interesting to see where this goes.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
So, not a book for those readers that find that concept of the randomly selected victim and the barking mad, vicious killer too much. Particularly as this killer is appalling and very clever about it. It's not until a cop goes missing that a very dedicated policewoman sees some connections between her sudden vanishing, and that of a number of other women.
Sammi (Samantha Willis) is a cop who after yet another fight with her boyfriend, huffs off to Brisbane for a night out with a girlfriend. Said girlfriend hooks up, and Sammi goes home on her own, only to be offered a ride, and well, abducted. When she comes to, she's in the bush, and a madman wants her to run so that he can track her, and ultimately kill her. Not realising that his latest victim is a cop, not bargaining on her determination and cleverness.
The author of A TIME TO RUN, J.M. Peace, is a working cop in Queensland, so the procedural and investigation side of this book is spot on, without being bogged down in the sorts of detail that can sometimes plague write what you know scenarios. The pace, on both sides of the coin here, is tight, taut and unrelenting. Sammi's fight to survive in the bush is mirrored exactly by Detective Janine Postlewaite's determination to find her alive come what may. Of course early on there's a slight possibility that Sammi's boyfriend might have had something to do with it, although that's quickly resolved, and the real perpetrator identified. Finding him is another matter altogether, and here the way that the police networks work is used to great effect. There's also more than a hefty hint at the end about the frustration that police feel when the court system sees things in an altogether different light, and no glossing over the after-effects of an ordeal like Sammi's.
Whilst it makes perfect sense that the training police undertake would help a lot maintaining calm, thinking through possiblities, and being physically and mentally able to react when cornered as she was, it would have been perhaps a little more comforting to think that the police investigating would have been as diligent had the abductee been any woman - not just a cop. To be fair though, it was the knowledge of a colleague's personality, and behaviour that rang alarm bells in the first place.
A TIME TO RUN's a debut novel and it's hard to tell if there's a series in the making - around Postlewaite, Willis or both of them somehow, but given the writing style of this author, and her expertise in the field, it will be interesting to see where this goes.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
November 21, 2017
Bueno...debo decir que Lisbeth Salander elevó mucho mis estándares de heroina en la novela negra y por lo tanto la protagonista de esta historia no me conquistó completamente.
Primero: para ser una policía experimentada, fue muy ingenua.
Segundo: no creo que Sammi fuera tan tenaz como la quisieron vender, creo que más bien tuvo muchísima suerte...bueno...ella era la convención anual de toda la buena suerte del mundo.
Tercero: fantasmas buenos?.....NOOOO, NOOOO!
Una historia forzada y a la que le faltó más suspenso, menos mal no hay que invertirle mucho tiempo porque se lee rapidito.
Primero: para ser una policía experimentada, fue muy ingenua.
Segundo: no creo que Sammi fuera tan tenaz como la quisieron vender, creo que más bien tuvo muchísima suerte...bueno...ella era la convención anual de toda la buena suerte del mundo.
Tercero: fantasmas buenos?.....NOOOO, NOOOO!
Una historia forzada y a la que le faltó más suspenso, menos mal no hay que invertirle mucho tiempo porque se lee rapidito.
August 23, 2020
Me ha gustado, la trama un poco angustiosa y a contrarreloj pero la historia está bien narrada y contiene todos los ingredientes necesarios para disfrutar de un buen thriller.
May 30, 2017
Es el típico libro que sólo con la portada y la sinopsis, me llama la atención inmediatamente. Y la verdad es que en general me ha gustado; me lo he leído en dos días. Lo peor es que ya sabemos de qué trata desde el comienzo y no hay demasiadas sopresas, por no decir, ninguna... Así que entretenido pero la verdad es que esperaba alguna vuelta de hoja hacia el final.
October 10, 2017
El inicio del libro me emocionó demasiado, no pude dejar de leer porque quería saber en qué terminaba toda la tensión que se estaba desarrollando, pero lamentablemente en el camino la persecución fue haciéndose aburrida, predecible y estática. Entretenido, pero nada más.
February 22, 2020
Un thriller de los que "no meten paja", van al grano y logra un ritmo trepidante y muy ágil debido a los capítulos cortos narrados por distintos personajes. A pesar de saber quién es el asesino desde el principio, esto no hace que se pierda interés en la lectura.
Muy recomendable.
Muy recomendable.
January 17, 2018
Buena idea, muy rápido de leer, pero escaso en detalles sobre la historia de Sammi, en mi opinión
August 5, 2015
I finished this in two nights. If it hadn't been so late last night, I might have kept reading, that's how into this book I was.
I enjoy crime novels, especially when there's a serial killer to hunt down. This one is a bit different because as the book begins, we know in the first chapter who the killer is - the Barman at a pub where police officer Sammi is 'blowing off steam' on a night out with the girls. We also learn the stakes very quickly as Sammi is drugged and kidnapped, and once the killer has her at his mercy out in in the bush, he shows her photographs of his previous victims.
Possibly, as a female reader, I got more out of this book and enjoyed it more than (say) my husband, who read A Time To Run before me. I think this is because it's easier for me to identify with Sammi, faced up against a large male attacker and the attacker's huge brute of a dog, in the middle of nowhere and told to 'run for her life'...
For myself and my hubby, the lack of 'hunt' for the killer was the only aspect of the book we found disappointing.
Sammi's resourcefulness is amazing. She has a whole heap of courage, and her flight through the bush and her nights trying to avoid the killer, and avoid hypothermia made for turn-the-page reading.
A real clue to me as to whether I've enjoyed a book or not, is if I find myself sneak-peeking the right hand page as I turn to a new page... and this one had me doing this all the time :)
As a debut novel I thought this was really good. Readers who like suspense and police drama, without too much drag through procedure and forensics, will enjoy A Time To Run.
If you like more of a 'hunt' for your killer, red herrings, false alarms, all that kind of thing, then possibly this isn't quite right for you.
I enjoy crime novels, especially when there's a serial killer to hunt down. This one is a bit different because as the book begins, we know in the first chapter who the killer is - the Barman at a pub where police officer Sammi is 'blowing off steam' on a night out with the girls. We also learn the stakes very quickly as Sammi is drugged and kidnapped, and once the killer has her at his mercy out in in the bush, he shows her photographs of his previous victims.
Possibly, as a female reader, I got more out of this book and enjoyed it more than (say) my husband, who read A Time To Run before me. I think this is because it's easier for me to identify with Sammi, faced up against a large male attacker and the attacker's huge brute of a dog, in the middle of nowhere and told to 'run for her life'...
For myself and my hubby, the lack of 'hunt' for the killer was the only aspect of the book we found disappointing.
Sammi's resourcefulness is amazing. She has a whole heap of courage, and her flight through the bush and her nights trying to avoid the killer, and avoid hypothermia made for turn-the-page reading.
A real clue to me as to whether I've enjoyed a book or not, is if I find myself sneak-peeking the right hand page as I turn to a new page... and this one had me doing this all the time :)
As a debut novel I thought this was really good. Readers who like suspense and police drama, without too much drag through procedure and forensics, will enjoy A Time To Run.
If you like more of a 'hunt' for your killer, red herrings, false alarms, all that kind of thing, then possibly this isn't quite right for you.
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