The Dark Tide    by Andrew Gross Order:  USA  Can Harper, 2009 (2008) Hardcover, Paperback, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Karen Friedman's husband - a passenger on a train headed for New York City's Grand Central Station when the train blew up - was a hedge fund manager at the time of his supposed death. Charles' business dealings had lately turned shady and Charles hid his wheeling and dealing from Karen in an attempt to regain his losses and retain their life style. A hit-and-run accident is somehow connected to the fraud and Ty Hauck (a police detective in Greenwich, Connecticut) suspects it's more than an accident. He becomes enamored of the recent widow and vows to help her understand the questionable men who arrive at her door demanding to see Charles' papers. I don't want to give away the rest of the plot. It's too good. It moves at a fast pace and keeps the reader anxious to turn the next page. Author Andrew Gross has written five books with James Patterson, which puts him on a high plane. Some of the characters would not be on my Christmas card list. Boy, are they bad! Others might make it to one of my cocktail parties. Then there are the good ones. Karen is one of the good ones. She's a strong person who realizes the life she led with Charles was a lie. Hard to accept. But she moves on from there to become active in the investigation. This tale ranges from Greenwich to New York to the Caribbean, thrilling all the way. Dread at what happens next makes it hard sometimes to continue to read. A silent cheer goes up when the good guys make a point. I recommend The Dark Tide as a compelling read. 2nd Review by Hilary Williamson: Andrew Gross wrote The Blue Zone and co-authored five electrifying chillers with James Patterson, including 3rd Degree and Judge & Jury. Now he brings us another fast-paced modern thriller in The Dark Tide. One of its stars, Karen Friedman, initially lives the good life with her loving husband Charles, a talented energy hedge fund manager. They have two kids (Alex and Samantha) and a dog, and enjoy a ski house in Vermont and fancy family vacations. Then one morning Charles heads to the office and never comes home. There's a bomb on his train and Charles is one of the many victims. His family mourn his loss deeply. Ty Hauck, who heads the Greenwich Police Violent Crimes Unit, is divorced after a family tragedy and lives for his surviving daughter's visits. The morning of the bomb, he's called to the scene of a hit-and-run that turns out to be a murder - and the victim carries a note with Charles Friedman's name on it. This leads Ty to interview Karen. More killings follow. As time passes, odd things begin to happen to the Friedmans. Both Karen and Samantha are threatened by two sinister men (who tell Karen that two hundred and fifty million dollars are unaccounted for in the dealings of her husband's firm). After Karen calls the police, Ty arranges for a protective detail, and an attraction develops between Ty and Karen. Then, on the anniversary of the bombing, Karen finally forces herself to watch news reports of the event and suffers the shock of her life. She calls Ty, who takes personal time, and they pursue an investigation together - one that leads them to the Caribbean and into great personal danger from the Black Bear's well paid minions before it's all over. Andrew Gross gives his exciting thriller a theme taken straight from today's newspapers, taking aim at people who tell themselves that 'money is neutral'. I recommend The Dark Tide to you as a fast and entertaining read. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews