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07 October 2010

Book Review
Let me first say this -- you have to have thick skin to deal with this book.  It's laden with sexually graphic detail and language since the primary character is a homicide detective with an addiction to sex.  Generally speaking, he's not opposed to internet porn, prostitutes, and the like.  (Is this a trend for what I've been reading this week...?)

Hayden Glass is an LAPD homicide detective and in the prior book, he's encountered some fairly gruesome situations in which he's looked at as a hero by the public, but his file is completely sealed.  Only he and a few others know what he really did.  He's got some time off right now (forced medical leave), and he's making use of it by finding someone he really likes...who he happens to have met through an internet porn site, and then met in real life after obsessively traveling to San Francisco.  He is a "recovering" sex addict, after all.

Cora is the girl he's met online, and he likes her a lot.  He thinks there's more between them, and maybe so.    Not only does he like her, but she happens to be a primary link to a sex slave trade that's run by the Russian mafia.  But right now, she's gone missing after being brutally taken from Hayden right in front of him, and he wasn't able to do anything about it.

If you can get past the graphic subject matter and those first few pages particularly (literally, page two would make Tiger Woods blush), then you're in for a well written mystery/suspense/thriller.  Although it's gritty and disturbing, Stephen Jay Schwartz finesses the images to keep you thoroughly unsettled but racing to find out who's behind the corruption supporting the sex slave trade, and more importantly, where Cora is. It's also a fascinating portrayal of a character who has a debilitating and ruling addiction that he's at the early stages of overcoming. Fans of Stephen Jay Schwartz and his character, Hayden Glass, won't be disappointed.

This is the second book for the Hayden Glass character, but you can read this as a stand alone.  There's enough references and background provided to not make you confused and wonder what happened in the first book, but only enough to make you want to go pick it up and read it.
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...GIVEAWAY ALERT...
I received Beat, by Stephen Jay Schwartz from Ashlee at PR by the Book, so many thanks to her.  The book was released on September 28, but thanks to Ashlee, I have THREE FREE COPIES to give out -- all I need is for you to enter a comment to this post with your email address.  As I always say, you don't have to be a follower, but I love feeling the love...
Entries accepted through Thursday, October 14, 2010, and winner announced Friday, October 15, 2010.
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About the Author (from the author's Amazon site)
Los Angeles Times Bestselling Author Stephen Jay Schwartz spent a number of years as the Director of Development for film director Wolfgang Petersen (whose credits include Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Troy) where he worked with writers, producers and studio executives to develop screenplays for production. Among the film projects he helped developed are Air Force One, Outbreak, Red Corner, Bicentennial Man and Mighty Joe Young.

Stephen's own film work has exhibited at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, the Directors Guild of America, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
He also worked as a screenwriter and freelance "script doctor," developing concepts, treatments and feature films for independent film producers. His writing credits include Inside the Space Station, narrated by Liam Neeson and produced as a "Watch with the World" special for The Discovery Channel.
Boulevard, a very dark crime thriller set in present-day Los Angeles, is Stephen's first novel. His second novel is due out in Summer, 2010. In addition to writing novels, Stephen plans to direct feature films through his production company, Picaro Entertainment.

Stephen Jay Schwartz currently lives in Southern California with his wife and two young boys. Learn more about Stephen by visiting his website at stephenjayschwartz.com. Stephen also blogs regularly at the crime/thriller author blogsite www.murderati.com.

Visit the author's site by clicking here.

Happy Reading!
Coffee and a Book Chick

16 comments:

  1. Hi Natalie,

    I got to meet Stephen a few months ago and he gave me his first book, BOULEVARD. I haven't finished it but am liking it. It'd be great to have BEAT lined up for when I'm done.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    elyse AT popculturenerd DOT com

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  2. I need another hit of Schwartz. Does that make me an addict?

    tangleweb7-beat AT yahoo DOT com

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  3. Very nice site, saving it as favorite. Yes, I would love to win one of the Beat giveaways, if not hey, I'll be ok, I found your site. I read Boulevard, and looking forward to Beat. It is interesting to follow and admire, or even like a character, who is laden with flaws. Regards.
    zamaldun@yahoo.com

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  4. I'm not sure that one's for me, so I'm not going to enter. Great review!

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  5. This sounds interesting!

    tediousandbrief at gmail dot com

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  6. After I was done hat shopping I decided to stop on by to show off my new piece.

    Oh, dear this sounds like a book for me! Although, I could never admit to a sex addition *blushes*

    Mad Scientist

    madsteampunkery.blogspot.com

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  7. This does indeed sound gritty, and I haven't really read anything fitting this description, though your review really does intrigue me. Please enter me in your giveaway. The book does sound really good!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

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  8. I agree 100% with you! I have linked your review in my review I just posted! Thank You!

    Don't enter me, I have read this one.

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  9. I would love to read this book—please enter me to win!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  10. I would like to read this book, it sounds really good.
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

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  11. This sounds quite gritty and interesting .. so sign me up for the giveaway!

    Going to look up his first book and see what it behind the rave.

    Loved the review and refreshing to see it POP out of the page.

    Here's my email for giveaway & have signed on officially as follower. I've been popping back through the past, without the Tag ;)

    aisleb@hotmail.com

    Good luck to everyone and sending good karma out to all!

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  12. Hey Nat, I'd love to give the book ago!

    mashimaro_18(@)hotmail.com

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  13. I would love this book... I hope I can win this...

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  14. I can handle graphic language and content as long as it is essential to the story .. I've had some issues with gratuitous, unnecessary violence and language in a couple of extremely mediocre books that I've had to review. :) THIS one, however, sounds great! Count me in!

    Julie @ Knitting and Sundries
    knittingandsundries(at)gmail(dot)com

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  15. this looks like an interesting book. I would love to be entered. thanks!


    giveawaymommy at yahoo.com

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  16. Thanks for all of your entries! The contest is now closed and winners have been announced!

    ReplyDelete

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