Out of Range

Starred review from April 22, 2013
Steinberg, the creator of the TV series Without a Trace, makes his fiction debut with a high-action thriller that stands out in a crowded field. In part one, set in 2005 Uzbekistan, journalist Charlie Davis covers a mass protest against the government in the provincial capital of Andijan. With him is his politically progressive British wife, Julie, who’s pregnant with their first child. When government forces open fire on the protestors, Charlie and Julie are both wounded, though not critically. Six years later in Los Angeles, where the couple have settled after their recovery, Julie is kidnapped while stuck in freeway traffic after a trip to Disneyland with their two kids. Certain that someone from their past in Uzbekistan is up to no good, Charlie sets out to rescue Julie with all the determination of a Vince Flynn or Brad Thor hero. Good backstory, original characterization, and a cinematic prose style add up to an exciting read. Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

May 15, 2013

An intriguing idea gets lost in tepid writing and melodrama in this first novel from one of the creators of the hit TV show Without a Trace. Six years after being shot while covering a political uprising in Uzbekistan, journalist Charlie Davis has established a stable life in California with his wife, Judy, and their two children. Charlie believes he has left Uzbekistan behind until his wife is kidnapped, and all signs quickly point to events that transpired during the couple's time in that country. Charlie is soon drawn into the fray, first in figuring out what happened to Judy, then in trying to rescue her. VERDICT Drawing on an excellent premise, the book gets off to a rousing start that, unfortunately, descends into the unbelievable. Readers will have to suspend disbelief as they watch a mild-mannered journalist somehow transform into an action hero as the book works toward its inevitable conclusion. This title will appeal to readers who enjoy popcorn thrillers that aren't going to challenge them much, but Steinberg's debut could have been so much better. [See Prepub Alert, 12/14/14.]--Craig L. Shufelt, Fort Erie P.L., Ont.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
Steinberg, known for creating the popular TV series Without a Trace, delivers a moving and suspenseful first novel. Charlie Davis and his wife, Julie, barely escaped a riot in Uzbekistan six years ago. Charlie was there as a reporter, and after he and Julie got out with their lives, he vowed to never put himself or his family in harm's way again. That oath has slowly drained the spark from their marriage, to the point that Julie contemplates leaving Charlie. On a trip to Disneyland, Julie disappears, leaving the kids locked in the car. As Charlie tries to find answers to her kidnapping, he soon realizes that she was keeping major secrets from him. The police consider those new facts enough motive for Charlie to have arranged the kidnapping himself. Tense and intriguing to the last page, this domestic thriller promises a bright future in crime fiction for Steinberg. Recommend this to fans of Harlan Coben and Lisa Unger.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)