Cheap Don't Say a Word (Book) (Andrew Klavan) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Don't Say a Word

A suspenseful read...
that I enjoyed by Andrew Klavan, I first read "Don't Say a Word" in 1992. With the 2001 movie starring Michael Douglas (probably good in the role, although I don't equate him physically with Nathan Conrad), I decided to revisit the book I once enjoyed before I see the movie (probably on DVD when it comes out). I was not disappointed. Klavan writes a suspenseful tale, but also tells the story of a very old-fashioned modern day marriage between Conrad and his admirable wife Agatha, a romance that is disrupted when his young daughter is kidnapped.

Central to the suspense is the tie in to a new patient of Conrad's, Elizabeth Burrows. The mystery encompasses her relationship to the kidnappers, who are observing the Conrad's from the apartment across the way, while pretending they have hidden a camera and microphones in the Conrad apartment.

Klavan uses an interesting author's palette, telling the story by the use of various points of view for various chapters, weaving the story as viewed by Conrad, Agatha, Elizabeth, and the head of the kidnapping gang, a cruel man known as "Sport".

The book is hard to put down, because your expectation is not of a happy ending. Klavan focuses more on events and dialogue than he does on character motivation and development, which makes for a brisk, page-turner of a suspense novel.

Klavan is an interesting author, formerly a journalist, of many suspense novels, and this, one of his oldest, is also one of his best.

Enjoy!

---

Seamy book about psychotic and sadistic criminals.
"Don't Say a Word," by Andrew Klavan, is an unpleasant book about a trio of perverted criminals who kidnap a little girl for strange reasons of their own.

Dr. Nathan Conrad, a successful psychiatrist, lives in a luxurious Manhattan apartment building with his beautiful wife, Agatha, and his five-year-old daughter, Jessie. He has a new patient, an angelic-looking young woman named Elizabeth, who is accused of murder. Suddenly, Nathan's life is turned upside down. His child is taken from her bed in the middle of the night. What are the kidnappers after? Do they want money or do they want something else?

There is no mystery as to who the perpetrators are. Klavan spends a great deal of time familiarizing the reader with the revolting individuals who revel in torturing both adults and children. That is one of the main problems with this book. The scenes in which these characters are depicted masturbating, cursing, and torturing others are absolutely disgusting. I have read many thrillers featuring sadistic criminals, but few authors dwell at length on the perversions of these individuals.

"Don't Say a Word" fails as a suspense novel. The reader can see where the story is heading long before the end of the novel. The plot is incredibly melodramatic and completely unrealistic; the ending is way over the top.

"Don't Say a Word" doesn't work as a thriller and the repulsive scenes featuring the twisted minds of the criminals make it a book well worth avoiding.

---

Spread The Good Word About Dont Say A Word
I would like to start off by saying that this is a really great book. It's exciting throughout and the end has a nice unexpected twist. Andrew Klavan begins the book telling two stories. One about a man named Sport, the other about a man named Conrad Vernon. At first the stories don't seem to be connected at all, but the author begins to weave the two together. By mid book the plot is revealed and Sport has kidnapped Conrad's daughter. The rest of the book is a high excitement ride as Conrad attempts to meet Sport's demands, with hopes of getting his daughter back. I realize that's a rather vague summary, but i don't want to give away any part of the book. I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars because once you start it you'll have a really hard time putting it down again. It's really well written and not at all predictable, but it does have some material suitable more for older kids. Obviously elementary school kids aren't probably reading 310 page novels, but this is more of a high school age book. All in all I'm definitely recommending the book, and I'm very glad I chose to read it.