"15 Seconds", by Andrew Gross

This is definitely a chilling thriller and one that kept my attention from start to finish. The story is intensive and I devoured it in no time. What a thrill ride this book offers.

It opens with a bang and then on it never lets up. Mainly told in first person narration and by giving us third person perspective not only Mr. Gross shows us how he is a maestro in balancing different point of views and also how his writing can masterful orchestrates sequenced leaps in time and able to manage revelation and indirection beautifully. I was glued to each page as the suspense mounts and the stakes grow larger and larger.

Now that I piqued your curiosity time to meet the protagonist. Dr. Henry Streadman, a famous Boca Raton plastic surgeon and owner of several pain- management clinics is on his way to a medical conference in Jacksonville FLA. Soon after leaving the airport and on his drive to the hotel he is stopped by a sheriff’s deputy for a minor road infraction. Bullied by the officer who threaten him as a major criminal he flees for his life after gun shots are heard and Henry only sees a dead police officer hunched in his patrol car…….Suddenly he is a wanted man…

Now that you have an idea where this story is heading I will let you read and enjoy it without saying more.

This is a great read that hooks you right from the start and moves at a frenetic pace. The chase is a reminder of that other innocent but hunted doctor in “The Fugitive”. Henry also has help in proving his innocence, Carrie Holmes who works at the Sheriff’s office makes his life on the run easier. But first they have to find who is behind all this and by the end they eventually acknowledge they clearly are dealing with an insane person….

There are lots of players in this game of cat and mouse and lots of chilling twists to entertain us. This plot is not overly complex but is very captivating. Some may say we have a stereotypical nice guy as a protagonist who at time does hilariously stupid moves, but he is very likeable. Carrie is an innocent young woman eager to help an innocent man and get to the bottom of the mystery. The crazy murderer is adamant to dishing out his own justice and finally we have a few insignificant minor players added to the mix.

“15 Seconds” is a spine chilling thriller I enjoyed passing time with.