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Maggie O'Dell #9
Hotwire
In "New York Times" bestselling author Alex Kava's new thriller, Special Agent Maggie O'Dell investigates the death of three teenagers, only to find herself in the middle of a conspiracy involving biological warfare.
On a crisp fall evening in western Nebraska, what started as a group of kids filming their drug-fueled party ends in an explosive light show, leaving the victims apparently electrocuted, with odd scorch marks being the only evidence. While Maggie tries to make sense of the dif-ferent stories, sifting through what is real and what is hallu-cination, she realizes that the surviving teens are being targeted and systematically eliminated.
Meanwhile on the East Coast, Maggie's FBI partner, R.J. Tully, and Army colonel Benjamin Platt are at the scene of a deadly outbreak, desperate to identify the pathogen that has infected children at a Virginia elementary school. Despite the miles that separate them, the two cases collide as Maggie, Tully, and Platt uncover secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the remote Midwest landscape.
On a crisp fall evening in western Nebraska, what started as a group of kids filming their drug-fueled party ends in an explosive light show, leaving the victims apparently electrocuted, with odd scorch marks being the only evidence. While Maggie tries to make sense of the dif-ferent stories, sifting through what is real and what is hallu-cination, she realizes that the surviving teens are being targeted and systematically eliminated.
Meanwhile on the East Coast, Maggie's FBI partner, R.J. Tully, and Army colonel Benjamin Platt are at the scene of a deadly outbreak, desperate to identify the pathogen that has infected children at a Virginia elementary school. Despite the miles that separate them, the two cases collide as Maggie, Tully, and Platt uncover secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the remote Midwest landscape.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2011
261 people are currently reading
2,227 people want to read
About the author
Alex Kava
68Ìýbooks2,533ÌýfollowersALEX KAVA IS A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the critically acclaimed Maggie O’Dell series and a new series featuring former Marine, Ryder Creed and his K9 dogs. Her stand-alone novel, One False Move, was the 2006 One Book One Nebraska. Published in over thirty countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Poland. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and International Thriller Writers. Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
December 3, 2016
In Hotwire, the latest and 9th instalment of Alex Kava's Maggie O'Dell's Series starts off with two puzzling but interesting cases that I thought were linked.....a teen party gone wrong in Nebraska and an outbreak of food poisoning in 2 schools. Sorry to say.....but they are not at all....in the end I wondered what the reason was for the two plots!!! The food poisoning plot felt pointless to me........
The story is well paced and there are some intriguing parts but in the end, we are again left dangling with unresolved issues........which left me really frustrated.
Still no development between Maggie and Benjamin Platt's relationship....it's still up in the air.
Most of the characters were forgettable with the only one exception......Lucy Coy, the local forensic pathologist.
This series seems to be losing some "momentum" for me..........the characters are becoming static and seem to be going nowhere.
Again, not a stellar addition to this series.
The story is well paced and there are some intriguing parts but in the end, we are again left dangling with unresolved issues........which left me really frustrated.
Still no development between Maggie and Benjamin Platt's relationship....it's still up in the air.
Most of the characters were forgettable with the only one exception......Lucy Coy, the local forensic pathologist.
This series seems to be losing some "momentum" for me..........the characters are becoming static and seem to be going nowhere.
Again, not a stellar addition to this series.
September 25, 2016
Maggie O'Dell takes a side trip from her conference in Denver to Nebraska where she's looking into some strange cattle deaths. Unfortunately, she stumbles into something much bigger and more sinister. Meanwhile, Benjamin Platte is called to assist the CDC's head of special responses when two schools are suddenly in the midst of a deadly outbreak.
As usual, the story begins with two puzzling but interesting cases that feel as if they will converge at some point but don't. Unfortunately, it's also afflicted again with a disappointing end where loose ties are left dangling. I find that frustrating and a tiresome approach to continue using. And, the author's politics seem to permeate each story: government is bad, private enterprise is always the white knight.
Even though the story moved at a really fast pace, it's not enough to overcome these unsatisfying conclusions. And yet, again, not any real profiling going on and Maggie's in another life threatening situation. Yawn.
As usual, the story begins with two puzzling but interesting cases that feel as if they will converge at some point but don't. Unfortunately, it's also afflicted again with a disappointing end where loose ties are left dangling. I find that frustrating and a tiresome approach to continue using. And, the author's politics seem to permeate each story: government is bad, private enterprise is always the white knight.
Even though the story moved at a really fast pace, it's not enough to overcome these unsatisfying conclusions. And yet, again, not any real profiling going on and Maggie's in another life threatening situation. Yawn.
September 9, 2016
Hooray for another reasonably good book in this sometimes lacklustre series. Again Maggie is holding her own in the action stakes and not spending too much time mentally analysing her not very exciting personal life. (Ben Platt needs to get out of there right now. I am sure he could do better).
I am not a fan of the two stories running parallel technique especially when the author never bothers to tie them together properly at the end, but the book was compact, full of action and compelling. You just have to stick around and find out who is the guilty party. This is the kind of book you need to read on a plane or on the beach. It does not need much concentration and provides adequate entertainment.
I am not a fan of the two stories running parallel technique especially when the author never bothers to tie them together properly at the end, but the book was compact, full of action and compelling. You just have to stick around and find out who is the guilty party. This is the kind of book you need to read on a plane or on the beach. It does not need much concentration and provides adequate entertainment.
June 6, 2017
I really like how quick you can get through these books, there is not major things you need to concentrate on, there is no hidden text with in text. Just plain and simple action packed, mystery solving, ass kicking Maggie!
I usually read these books for one of two reasons. Either I'm in a slump and I know will get me right out. Or I'm pressed for time and my reading challenge is starting to show I'm behind.
So yes, I was feeling a slump coming on, and I grabbed ; the ninth book in the Maggie O'Dell series
writing just capture you and keeps you enthralled throughout!
I did come to realize that reading these books back to back tends to get boring - to much re-capping of what happened in previous books. So now I read one every so often, so that the story is kind of new and refreshing; instead of the boring - Yes, you've said that in the previous book
This was fun, and quick and yes I will read the next books in the series, just give me a bit of time to forget. :-)
I usually read these books for one of two reasons. Either I'm in a slump and I know will get me right out. Or I'm pressed for time and my reading challenge is starting to show I'm behind.
So yes, I was feeling a slump coming on, and I grabbed ; the ninth book in the Maggie O'Dell series
writing just capture you and keeps you enthralled throughout!
I did come to realize that reading these books back to back tends to get boring - to much re-capping of what happened in previous books. So now I read one every so often, so that the story is kind of new and refreshing; instead of the boring - Yes, you've said that in the previous book
This was fun, and quick and yes I will read the next books in the series, just give me a bit of time to forget. :-)
September 17, 2016
FBI Profiler Maggie O'Dell is sent to Nebraska to look into cattle mutilations. But when she arrives she is pulled into the investigation of a teenage drug party. Several of the teens are in shock, two are dead. On the other side of the country, Colonel Benjamin Platt is looking into the sudden illness of several school children. Is it food poisoning? The stomach flu? When another group of school children suddenly become ill, Ben must find what is causing an illness that may be fatal.
Alex Kava has given us two different mysteries. Both stories were fast-paced and held my interest. But, once again, Maggie O'Dell does something during the investigation that would get any other FBI agent fired. I don't understand why the author writes these situations into the series. It makes me want to throw the book against the wall.
I kept waiting for the two mysteries to somehow be part of one big conspiracy. That didn't happen, but I still enjoyed the individual stories. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
Alex Kava has given us two different mysteries. Both stories were fast-paced and held my interest. But, once again, Maggie O'Dell does something during the investigation that would get any other FBI agent fired. I don't understand why the author writes these situations into the series. It makes me want to throw the book against the wall.
I kept waiting for the two mysteries to somehow be part of one big conspiracy. That didn't happen, but I still enjoyed the individual stories. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
January 3, 2016
I thought this one was a bit boring. There were 2 different mysteries, which I hoped would connect at some point, but didn't. Instead we had Maggie doing her thing and then her sort of boyfriend doing his thing. I thought the resolution on both story lines were a bit anti-climatic. The only good thing was that Maggie found a new companion in Jake.
May 4, 2011
I narrated this book. I won't review or give anything away...but I think I can say that it was a whole lot of fun to perform this one. Great characters return and there are two parallel story lines that end in an interesting way. If you haven't checked out the Maggie O'Dell series...add it to your shelves!
April 3, 2012
RATING: 3.5 stars (this is a clear 3.5 stars and it took me a while to decide if I want to round it up or down).
***I was lucky to win a copy of this book through the GoodReads Advance program.***
Overall, I enjoyed the book, which has an interesting storyline; actually there are two main plots. In Nebraska, during a drug party in the woods, two teenagers were electrocuted and others were injured. FBI agent Maggie O'Dell has happened to be in the area investigating a strange case of cattle mutilation and she is called in on the teens case also. Meanwhile on the east coast, Maggie's friend, military Dr. Benjamin Platt and CDC's Dr. Roger Bix have to investigate a food-born outbreak in two public schools. Are these two cases connected or are we reading two stories? Unfortunately we don’t find it. I liked the fact that I couldn’t figure out which are the bad guys until the last quarter of the book. However, the novel ended a bit too abruptly with no real closure, and no real sense of what was truly going on.
I would have loved to see more character development. As a main character, Dr. Benjamin Platt’s character is very little developed. Also, I would have liked to learn more about Lucy as I found her character very interesting.
This is the first Maggie O'Dell story I read and, since this is the ninth installment in the series, I will go back and start from the beginning.
***I was lucky to win a copy of this book through the GoodReads Advance program.***
Overall, I enjoyed the book, which has an interesting storyline; actually there are two main plots. In Nebraska, during a drug party in the woods, two teenagers were electrocuted and others were injured. FBI agent Maggie O'Dell has happened to be in the area investigating a strange case of cattle mutilation and she is called in on the teens case also. Meanwhile on the east coast, Maggie's friend, military Dr. Benjamin Platt and CDC's Dr. Roger Bix have to investigate a food-born outbreak in two public schools. Are these two cases connected or are we reading two stories? Unfortunately we don’t find it. I liked the fact that I couldn’t figure out which are the bad guys until the last quarter of the book. However, the novel ended a bit too abruptly with no real closure, and no real sense of what was truly going on.
I would have loved to see more character development. As a main character, Dr. Benjamin Platt’s character is very little developed. Also, I would have liked to learn more about Lucy as I found her character very interesting.
This is the first Maggie O'Dell story I read and, since this is the ninth installment in the series, I will go back and start from the beginning.
July 31, 2012
Fantastic and yet I'm worried about sending my kids back to school to eat lunch. Alex has this way of taking real information and infusing such real fictional characters and storylines. Maggie's job is hard, dangerous at times and I can't help feeling like I'm between the pages living her life right beside her. I'm from Nebraska and so the references and locations are alive in my brain. I've been across the state from the East to the West in my travels to Colorado thus I can bring up the scenery so clearly, as I read this title. I can't wait to dive into the Kindle short and then
December 2, 2016
Absolutely awful! There is a suggestion the two separate plot lines somehow meet up, but it's pretty vague! My thought was that the students stumbled across an illicit chicken lab that was used to provide chicken carcasses to the USDA that made everybody sick, and that's why they were targeted....except the book then changes its mind and says the teens were killed by one of their friends who was upset at them for moving on with their lives when she wasn't. Huh?!?
If Maggie is an FBI serial killer profiler, why is she always investigating government conspiracies? I want a serial killer thriller! And if she isn't all that interested in what she's investigating, why should we?!!?
Luckily, the book was seriously short (they should not be charging full price for such thinly plotted bunk), so I didn't waste a huge amount of time on something totally stupid!
If Maggie is an FBI serial killer profiler, why is she always investigating government conspiracies? I want a serial killer thriller! And if she isn't all that interested in what she's investigating, why should we?!!?
Luckily, the book was seriously short (they should not be charging full price for such thinly plotted bunk), so I didn't waste a huge amount of time on something totally stupid!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2016
Hotwire
3.5 Stars
As with most of the recent books in the Maggie O'Dell series, the basic premise is excellent but the execution is only so-so.
The writing is fast paced (not surprising given the relatively short chapters) and the story is compelling enough to keep you turning the pages. Nevertheless, the various plot threads, including the attack on the teenagers in the forest, the food contamination and the government conspiracy, are all treated rather superficially and end up being a bit of a mish-mash.
Moreover, there is only some meager character development with regard to the personal lives of Ben Platt and Julia Racine rather than Maggie, which is disappointing.
It looks like the spark of brilliance that characterized the first few books in this series has gone out but I keep hoping that it will return.
3.5 Stars
As with most of the recent books in the Maggie O'Dell series, the basic premise is excellent but the execution is only so-so.
The writing is fast paced (not surprising given the relatively short chapters) and the story is compelling enough to keep you turning the pages. Nevertheless, the various plot threads, including the attack on the teenagers in the forest, the food contamination and the government conspiracy, are all treated rather superficially and end up being a bit of a mish-mash.
Moreover, there is only some meager character development with regard to the personal lives of Ben Platt and Julia Racine rather than Maggie, which is disappointing.
It looks like the spark of brilliance that characterized the first few books in this series has gone out but I keep hoping that it will return.
January 20, 2014
I've got mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand, Kava weaves a pretty complex tale of teen parties gone very wrong in Nebraska..is it aliens or government cover up? Maggie O'Dell is sent there to find out. Meanwhile, food poisoning in a school keeps Benjamin Platt on the east coast trying to determine how a mutating bacteria got into the school food supply. Government coverup or my personal theory, vegan nation's first attempt to take over the world.
My beef ( heehee) with this book was that these two plot lines don't come together or even overlap. There was plenty of threads to pull on the Nebraska tale and lots of tension, action and intrigue. If anything, it ended too quickly. The whole food poisoning storyline seemed boring and unnecessary in contrast.
Oh well. I'll just go toss out all my hamburger and keep watching the skies for a possible alien invasion now.
My beef ( heehee) with this book was that these two plot lines don't come together or even overlap. There was plenty of threads to pull on the Nebraska tale and lots of tension, action and intrigue. If anything, it ended too quickly. The whole food poisoning storyline seemed boring and unnecessary in contrast.
Oh well. I'll just go toss out all my hamburger and keep watching the skies for a possible alien invasion now.
December 8, 2013
What a better way to cover up murders than to blame it on the aliens - not really. This story takes place in Nebraska in the National Forest Park - will have to visit that area, sounds beautiful.
Good story line - food poisoning - and that is a terrible thing to have (went through that ugliness this past summer). From government cover ups to wrong cops - once again a good read, but also once again the book could have been another chapter longer, or maybe that's just me.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars onto "Fireproof" #10!
Good story line - food poisoning - and that is a terrible thing to have (went through that ugliness this past summer). From government cover ups to wrong cops - once again a good read, but also once again the book could have been another chapter longer, or maybe that's just me.
2 thumbs up and 4 stars onto "Fireproof" #10!
September 19, 2018
Number 9 in the Maggie O'Dell series, this wasn't the best book of the series, but it was still a really good read. I would give it 3.5* rounded up to 4*.
We join Maggie on a straight forward case of cattle mutilation in the outbacks of nowhere, where she is sure Director Kunze has sent her as punishment for being, well, her. (They don't get on). What starts as a straight forward case then turns deadly, when a group of teenagers are attacked in the forest whilst high of some drug they've managed to get hold of. A couple of the kids die, and Maggie needs to find out what happened, as each of the remaining teens are one by one found dead in odd circumstances.
On the other side of the coin, we have Benjamin Platt - swoon - who is working on a case of food poisoning in schools across America. Two very different cases?
A couple of the peripheral characters are in/mentioned in this one - Julia Racine, Director Kunze, Agent Tully, Gwen Patterson etc but mainly it's Maggie and Ben.
The cases are apparently linked - according to the blurb - but although I can see the very faint connection, I wouldn't have said they were linked, in the way you assume going in.
As usual, Alex Kava writes well and with feeling. I enjoyed the UFO/government conspiracy angle. I've not got too much to say about this one, it didn't blow me away, but I definitely did enjoy reading it. Onto the next!
We join Maggie on a straight forward case of cattle mutilation in the outbacks of nowhere, where she is sure Director Kunze has sent her as punishment for being, well, her. (They don't get on). What starts as a straight forward case then turns deadly, when a group of teenagers are attacked in the forest whilst high of some drug they've managed to get hold of. A couple of the kids die, and Maggie needs to find out what happened, as each of the remaining teens are one by one found dead in odd circumstances.
On the other side of the coin, we have Benjamin Platt - swoon - who is working on a case of food poisoning in schools across America. Two very different cases?
A couple of the peripheral characters are in/mentioned in this one - Julia Racine, Director Kunze, Agent Tully, Gwen Patterson etc but mainly it's Maggie and Ben.
The cases are apparently linked - according to the blurb - but although I can see the very faint connection, I wouldn't have said they were linked, in the way you assume going in.
As usual, Alex Kava writes well and with feeling. I enjoyed the UFO/government conspiracy angle. I've not got too much to say about this one, it didn't blow me away, but I definitely did enjoy reading it. Onto the next!
April 13, 2024
2 Stars. Not even average. I expect much more from Kava and O’Dell. Not much more to say. The characters, mystery and subject matter were boring. I ope the next one is more like I have come to expect.
November 15, 2024
Was okay. Have not read any of the other books in the series � wasn’t aware it was part of a series. Was fine to read as standalone, tho. Two parallel stories. I thought both were interesting. They never exactly intersect but they are related. Made me think about becoming a vegetarian.
August 25, 2011
I won this book from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.
I haven't had the pleasure of reading any of the other books in the Maggie O'Dell series, but I did enjoy reading this one!
This book reminded me of Patricia Cornwell's books with a female heroine. It encompasses two seemingly unconnected crimes, the first of which Maggie "stumbles" onto, while investigating cattle mutilation in the Nebraska forests. A group of kids were found, some injured, some dead, after a party they were having in a remote area. They had been experimenting with the drug Salvia and had described seeing flashing, shooting lights, much like fireworks, after taking the drug. All of a sudden, electric voltage ran through the air, killing two kids and injuring several others. Maggie happened to be in the area and becomes the lead investigator at this site. At the same time, in Virginia, Maggie's "friend" Colonel Dr. Pratt was called in to investigate a second outbreak in that area, of school children falling violently ill after eating their school lunches. Everything is tied in together as a big cover-up of U.S. governmental secret operations. Maggie and Dr. Pratt solve thier prospective cases and bring about justice.
This was a good book, one that I had trouble connecting the dots with until the last third of the book, when everything came together. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I haven't had the pleasure of reading any of the other books in the Maggie O'Dell series, but I did enjoy reading this one!
This book reminded me of Patricia Cornwell's books with a female heroine. It encompasses two seemingly unconnected crimes, the first of which Maggie "stumbles" onto, while investigating cattle mutilation in the Nebraska forests. A group of kids were found, some injured, some dead, after a party they were having in a remote area. They had been experimenting with the drug Salvia and had described seeing flashing, shooting lights, much like fireworks, after taking the drug. All of a sudden, electric voltage ran through the air, killing two kids and injuring several others. Maggie happened to be in the area and becomes the lead investigator at this site. At the same time, in Virginia, Maggie's "friend" Colonel Dr. Pratt was called in to investigate a second outbreak in that area, of school children falling violently ill after eating their school lunches. Everything is tied in together as a big cover-up of U.S. governmental secret operations. Maggie and Dr. Pratt solve thier prospective cases and bring about justice.
This was a good book, one that I had trouble connecting the dots with until the last third of the book, when everything came together. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
November 14, 2015
Teenagers tripping while
hanging in the trees,
some die and some get hurt-
investigates Maggie.
Pretty average. Not so bad, not so good. It became so stalling at the second half that I started reading alternate chapters. But the characters and specially the protagonist Maggie are very well written. Otherwise it is a same old type mystery novel.
hanging in the trees,
some die and some get hurt-
investigates Maggie.
Pretty average. Not so bad, not so good. It became so stalling at the second half that I started reading alternate chapters. But the characters and specially the protagonist Maggie are very well written. Otherwise it is a same old type mystery novel.
January 27, 2012
I will review this at a later time--it is one of a series whose main character is Maggie O'Dell an FBI profiler and you should pretty much read them in order--I have read most of them.
January 5, 2016
Great 9th book in the Maggie O'Dell series
April 3, 2025
I finished this one feeling pretty disappointed overall. What is promised to be two connecting mysteries featuring Maggie O’Dell and her (kind of?) romantic interest Benjamin Platt never synch together.
Platt’s story is totally useless overall, and ends up weighing the book down with mentions of previous characters in the series the author has abandoned but doesn’t want us to think she has by throwing in cursory mentions. Not to mention, the storyline doesn’t even resolve itself to any kind of satisfying conclusion.
O’Dell’s story, while more complete doesn’t feel fleshed out. A lot was left on the table, and I feel like the series has dipped since killing off Cunningham and shoehorning in Platt in some kind of attempt at a personal life for Maggie. It all feels a bit lackluster.
Points for speedy chapters and flow, but story wise this was a big miss for me.
Platt’s story is totally useless overall, and ends up weighing the book down with mentions of previous characters in the series the author has abandoned but doesn’t want us to think she has by throwing in cursory mentions. Not to mention, the storyline doesn’t even resolve itself to any kind of satisfying conclusion.
O’Dell’s story, while more complete doesn’t feel fleshed out. A lot was left on the table, and I feel like the series has dipped since killing off Cunningham and shoehorning in Platt in some kind of attempt at a personal life for Maggie. It all feels a bit lackluster.
Points for speedy chapters and flow, but story wise this was a big miss for me.
November 11, 2019
finished yesterday the 10th of november 2019 good read two stars it was okay kindle library loaner first from kava for me did not think the actions of the antagonist were adequately explained in the case of the teenagers in the national forest at least one visual was not developed past its initial placement and the motivation of the antagonists was not developed...one is left to assume this that the other...i guess. i dunno. and when i consider some of the other plot elements...considering the title now...and one of those visuals...shakes head.
March 7, 2020
I don’t know if I ever read a Kava book but it certainly wasn’t the last. A very clever and fast paced storyline with only one question; what on earth happened? At first you believe some aliens have infaded an illegal highschool gathering in the woods. In the end it turns out to be something very complex and sinister.
I bought this book in a charity store so I didn’t know it was part of the Maggie O’Dell series. Yet you can perfectly read it as a stand alone story.
I bought this book in a charity store so I didn’t know it was part of the Maggie O’Dell series. Yet you can perfectly read it as a stand alone story.
May 5, 2018
Dit was het eerste boek van Alex Kava dat ik las en ik kan niet anders zeggen dat het me positief heeft verrast. Het heeft een goed verhaal en een prettige schrijfstijl waardoor ik door het boek heen heen gevlogen ben. Het begin van het boek deed me een beetje denken aan een aflevering van de X-files. Al met al smaakt het naar meer en wil ik de andere boeken over Maggie O’Delll ook gaan lezen.
September 4, 2018
Well I've found another new mystery thriller writer, Alex Kava.
Hot Wire was my first introduction & I must say, it was GOOD!!!
Where do I start??
Maggie is called to Nebraska on a cow mutilation case, and from there she stumbles on another case involving some kids in the forest, that appears to have been attacked. Who knows what happened.
But Maggie, is sure going to find out.
Meanwhile back in DC, 2 contaminated food out breaks at different school has Julia, Platt, & Bix scrambling to find the cause.
What The What??
It only gets better from here. I won't ruin it for you. I'll let you read, Hot Wire for yourself.
As for me, I'm going to read another of her works, Stranded.
I'll definitely let you know about this one too.
Until my next review, Happy Reading!!
Ciao 💋
Hot Wire was my first introduction & I must say, it was GOOD!!!
Where do I start??
Maggie is called to Nebraska on a cow mutilation case, and from there she stumbles on another case involving some kids in the forest, that appears to have been attacked. Who knows what happened.
But Maggie, is sure going to find out.
Meanwhile back in DC, 2 contaminated food out breaks at different school has Julia, Platt, & Bix scrambling to find the cause.
What The What??
It only gets better from here. I won't ruin it for you. I'll let you read, Hot Wire for yourself.
As for me, I'm going to read another of her works, Stranded.
I'll definitely let you know about this one too.
Until my next review, Happy Reading!!
Ciao 💋
February 21, 2018
An intriguing story with twin plots. Very good series by one of my favorite authors.
July 25, 2015
I like Alex Kava's Maggie O'Dell series. I like the fact that the books are set at various locations around the country � and NOT ones that are commonly used by other novelists. (This one is largely set in western Nebraska, for example.) I like the fact that the heroes � while likeable � have their flaws, and the bad guys have some redeeming social qualities � not enough to actually be considered redeemable, mind you, but enough to provide some color to characters and organizations that many lesser writers would paint in black and white.
However, after reading a few (or listening to them read to me in audio book format), I find that “mystery� is a misnomer. I can usually determine who the culprit(s) is/are well before the end of the book, and any “surprise� is either in the “how� it is determined or because I missed out on additional members of what turned out to be a conspiracy.
Hotwire is no exception. Teenagers at a clandestine outdoor party in western Nebraska are electrocuted. School kids in Norfolk are sickened after eating their school lunch. WHAT is going on? Is there a connection? (Readers of this genre will, of course, anticipate that they MUST be, or they wouldn't be occurring in the same book!)
I treat the Maggie O'Dell series like popcorn. Enjoyable, but not filling. A quick snack, which I could certainly skip, but won't because I find it enjoyable.
RATING: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
However, after reading a few (or listening to them read to me in audio book format), I find that “mystery� is a misnomer. I can usually determine who the culprit(s) is/are well before the end of the book, and any “surprise� is either in the “how� it is determined or because I missed out on additional members of what turned out to be a conspiracy.
Hotwire is no exception. Teenagers at a clandestine outdoor party in western Nebraska are electrocuted. School kids in Norfolk are sickened after eating their school lunch. WHAT is going on? Is there a connection? (Readers of this genre will, of course, anticipate that they MUST be, or they wouldn't be occurring in the same book!)
I treat the Maggie O'Dell series like popcorn. Enjoyable, but not filling. A quick snack, which I could certainly skip, but won't because I find it enjoyable.
RATING: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
January 26, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, the action was moderately paced, with some slow but nice moments. Still in love with the slowly evolving hopefully romance between Maggie and Ben. I really liked the character of Lucy, hope to see her in a future book maybe. It was so nice to see Maggie relax for maybe the first time in the series (except for that back rub in the last book). I really felt like Maggie let her walls down with Lucy and just trusted, beyond anything I have witnessed so far with Maggie. I mean even her best friend Gwen does not have the effect on her, that Lucy did.
Now unto the book subject and how I felt about it. Whenever teenagers get together for a drug party, there will be trouble and even death is possible and in this case, its exactly what happened, but the actual what happen, is a mystery and when the survivors from the party start dying in "accidents" and suicides, there is confusion beyond words.
Now unto the book subject and how I felt about it. Whenever teenagers get together for a drug party, there will be trouble and even death is possible and in this case, its exactly what happened, but the actual what happen, is a mystery and when the survivors from the party start dying in "accidents" and suicides, there is confusion beyond words.
February 13, 2014
I had some mixed feelings about this book. Once again it is an easy to read, well written novel but I don't like it as much as the other Alex Kava books I've read.
To put it simply and avoid confusing people with my lack of explaining skills I liked one of the story lines but not the other.
This is a bit of a spoiler but....
I really enjoyed the party of the story following Maggie O'dell. It was an interesting and complex investigation into teenage parties and government conspiracies with a hint of suspected alien activity. I like the way it keeps you guessing right through the very end.
On the other hand I found the other story line relating to the food poising a bit slow and uninteresting. It lacks the action Characteristically shown in Alex Kavas writing and to be honest I considered skipping those chapters.
To put it simply and avoid confusing people with my lack of explaining skills I liked one of the story lines but not the other.
This is a bit of a spoiler but....
I really enjoyed the party of the story following Maggie O'dell. It was an interesting and complex investigation into teenage parties and government conspiracies with a hint of suspected alien activity. I like the way it keeps you guessing right through the very end.
On the other hand I found the other story line relating to the food poising a bit slow and uninteresting. It lacks the action Characteristically shown in Alex Kavas writing and to be honest I considered skipping those chapters.
November 6, 2017
This book grabbed me from the get-go! At first, I thought O'Dell was in search of aliens. Come on, admit it, some of you did too. :-) But then, common sense set in and I slowly realized that answer couldn't be that far-fetched. It's a lot of fun to decipher Alex Kava's books because you know that even though you think you know the answer, something else thrown into the mix and you're thrown off track again.
The only problem I have with the characters is someone stepping in to take over Maggie's heart (i.e., Platt). I was so ready for Nick, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I've very protective of all the characters and when one sets out to tip the balance, well I tend to get a bit angry.
Alex Kava delivers a hard punch as she's done with the last 8 books I've read. My favorite author by far! Thank you.
Yolie
The only problem I have with the characters is someone stepping in to take over Maggie's heart (i.e., Platt). I was so ready for Nick, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I've very protective of all the characters and when one sets out to tip the balance, well I tend to get a bit angry.
Alex Kava delivers a hard punch as she's done with the last 8 books I've read. My favorite author by far! Thank you.
Yolie
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