| Thriller |
| Suspense |
| Fiction |
Summary
Summary
"A total white knuckle, stay-up-all-night thrill ride. Enjoyed the heck out of it!"
--Harlan Coben
"A top-notch thriller writer."
--Chicago Sun Times
"A master of no-nonsense, good, old-fashioned suspense."
--Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Jefferson Key
A writer "in the company of Child and Coben" (Connecticut Post), New York Times bestseller Andrew Gross is the acclaimed author of The Blue Zone, Eyes Wide Open, and other exceptional suspense thrillers. Now, with 15 Seconds, he delivers an electrifying, lightning-paced story of a desperate man on the run, trying to save his family from the faceless enemy that's determined to destroy them all. A gripping tale of a life turned upside-down in 15 Seconds, Gross's stunner is a must for fans of James Patterson, David Baldacci, Jeffery Deaver, Lisa Gardner, Nelson DeMille, Tess Gerritsen, or anyone who likes action and suspense done to perfection.
Author Notes
Andrew Gross was born in 1952 in New York City. He grew up in Manhattan and attended the Barnard School for Boys. Both his father and grandfather were successful clothing manufacturers; they ran the Leslie Fay Companies. Gross received a degree in English from Middlebury College in 1974. In 1982, he received a Masters in Business from Columbia University. He attended the Writers Program at the University of Iowa.
The draft of his first book Hydra, a political thriller, was completed in 1998. After dozens of rejections from agents and ultimately publishers he received a phone call from James Patterson. Gross met with Patterson and discussed the early concepts for what ultimately became the Women's Murder Club series. Gross worked with Patterson on several books in this series, including Second Chance and Third Degree, both of which were bestsellers. Then, they branched out on different themes together, co-authoring the bestsellers, The Jester, Lifeguard, and Judge and Jury.
In pursuing his solo career, Gross wrote such works as The Blue Zone, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list in the United States. A year later, It was followed up by The Dark Tide ( 2007), which was nominated for Thriller of the Year by the International Thriller Writers Association. The Dark Tide featured the Gross fictional detective Ty Hauck of Greenwich, Connecticut, who became the lead character in his corruption and political conspiracy-based bestsellers Don't Look Twice and Reckless. His titles 12 Seconds and Everything to Lose also made the New York Times bestseller list. The One Man was published in August 2016. His latest bestseller is The Saboteur.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
At the start of this chilling stand-alone from Thriller Award-finalist Gross (Eyes Wide Open), an overzealous police officer named Martinez stops cosmetic surgeon Henry Steadman, who's on his way to a Doctors Without Borders conference, for a minor traffic violation outside Jacksonville, Fla. Soon after placing Henry under arrest, Martinez decides to let him off with a warning, but before Henry can leave the scene, somebody in "an old-model blue sedan" drives by and shoots Martinez in the head. Henry, fearing he'll be accused of the murder, panics and drives away. The object of an intensive manhunt, Henry becomes increasingly mired in more violence. A chance call puts him in touch with a community outreach officer, who finds Henry's story credible and senses a conspiracy when other cops refuse to consider evidence of his innocence. Some readers may find Henry's initial behavior unconvincing, but once he goes on the run, the plot turns thrillingly realistic with a surprising resolution. Agent: Simon Lipskar, Writers House. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A taut thriller from Gross (Eyes Wide Open, 2011, etc.) about misplaced vengeance. A stoned young woman accidentally kills a mother and child with her car and goes to prison. Elsewhere, plastic surgeon Henry Steadman is stopped for a traffic violation on his way to a medical conference. The traffic cop hassles him far out of proportion to the offense, and while they argue, a stranger drives up and shoots the cop. Soon, a friend of Steadman is also dead, and Steadman is the only suspect in both killings. Police may shoot him on sight if he tries to turn himself in, so he decides to track down the shooter's car instead. Meanwhile, he becomes increasingly aware that someone has set him up. He is a nonviolent man who doesn't even own a gun, and he has no known enemies. While he desperately tries to find an ally to help him prove his innocence, his unknown enemy ups the ante. Steadman is a flawed but resourceful hero who has more than his own life at stake, while his antagonist operates on a perverted logic that makes him both fearsome and believable. This story begins in high gear and never downshifts as it often swerves to show the world through the villain's eyes. To him, merely killing Steadman won't be enough. The doctor must suffer as much as possible first. It all works up to a frightening finale that Gross handles with masterful skill. Fans of the genre will love this one. It's a fast, fun read with crisp dialogue and a tight plot. If you're a bedtime reader, you might as well plan on staying up late, because you'll be itching to learn how it ends.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Henry Steadman is one of the good guys. He's a divorced plastic surgeon who spends his vacations in Nicaragua volunteering for Doctors without Borders. Today he's in Jacksonville, Florida, for a medical convention: golf with a college buddy, deliver the keynote speech, then a date with an attractive pharmaceutical sales rep. But Henry can't find the hotel and in his confusion blows a light and is pulled over. Then the day really goes to hell. A sedan pulls up beside the officer; the driver shoots, kills the officer, and speeds away. Henry panics and takes off in pursuit, despite the instruction of the 911 dispatcher to remain at the scene. Big mistake on Henry's part because he's soon the suspect, even more so when his would-be golfing partner is also murdered. Henry has gone from respected doctor to desperate fugitive in less than an hour. He realizes he was set up, but by whom and why? Gross, who has collaborated with James Patterson on five best-sellers, turns out a page-turning, roller-coaster of a novel with a likable if sometimes foolish protagonist.--Lukowsky, Wes Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Plastic surgeon Henry Steadman's well-ordered life suddenly turns into a nightmare when the state trooper who stopped him for a speeding violation is killed by a drive-by shooter. Now a suspect and the target of a manhunt, Steadman finds that the old friend he's contacted for help has just been shot to death. Then the man who put the whole setup in motion threatens the life of Steadman's college student daughter. Protesting his innocence and desperate to rescue his child, Steadman reaches the police hotline, where his call is taken by community outreach director Carrie Holmes, who's recently suffered her own losses but takes on his cause at some risk. Verdict Characterizations aren't the strong suit for Gross (Eyes Wide Open), a former James Patterson coauthor. But he excels at plotting, and a strong plot motivated by vengeance drives this thriller. With its rising body count and nonstop action that builds to a harrowing climax, this is an adrenaline-fueled ride, with special appeal for fans of Gross and Patterson. [See Prepub Alert, 1/16/12.]-Michele Leber, Arlington, VA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
