Dinuka McKenzieBesprekingen

An absolutely gripping read.

Kate is struggling with her return to work from maternity leave, but she knows how she would feel if her baby Amy was suddenly taken. There are so many other factors in Elissa Ricci's life, not the least being that her husband Aaron, supposedly at a conference, can't be contacted.

Kate's husband Geoff can't understand Kate's need to be at work, and to give her all to the job. And then other personal factors poke their noses in.

There are many false trails, many suspects, and battles with her colleagues add to Kate's exhaustion. And all the time the clock is ticking

Another Aussie author to look out for. This novel is her debut title, but there are already another couple (in the series) to look out for.

Detective Kate Miles is 36 weeks pregnant and should really already be on leave. This week though, she has 2 cases to take care of, and also her replacement to familiarise with the job.

There is a good Australian flavour to the novel, set in northern New South Wales. The cases and the stories surrounding them feel authentic at the same time as showing empathy to the people involved. There is also a good amount of back story to Kate's life. Characters are well drawn.½

Not for me - 2 and a half stars rounded up to 3. Listening to the audio, I lost interest quite a few times and didn’t feel spurred on to find out the resolution of this crime novel. Not exciting. I also found the narration quite jarring.

Here Kate works on a missing baby case which spreads out into a related domestic violence situation. I wanted to like this more than I did: Kate was constantly on the defensive, feeling undervalued by her colleagues, although at time she seemed to be her own worst enemy. I think I am team Geoff (her husband) - she was so careless of her own safety that it was touch and go each day whether she would make it home alive.

The actual plot, if you strip out all the politics and home life stuff was reasonably good, although it dragged on after some early twists and turns.

Taken is the second thrilling book to feature Detective Sergeant Kathryn Miles who was introduced in Dinuka McKenzie’s bestselling debut, Torrent.

Picking up several months after the dramatic final scenes of the previous book, Kate has just returned to work following maternity leave and is eager to return to active duty. A domestic disturbance call gives Kate the opportunity she needs to prove herself ready, and results in her being assigned as co-lead detective in an infant abduction.

Four month old Sienna Ricci, her mother, Ellisa reports, was taken from her home while she showered. As the team investigates, Kate’s partner becomes convinced the baby’s father, Aaron Ricci, is responsible for the abduction and she is taken off the case, even though Kate believes she has a viable alternative suspect in Jason Veliu, a violent man Kate recently had cause to arrest.

With a child’s well-being at stake, the tension is high in Taken. The plot is well thought out with several red herrings, though I found it relatively easy to discern who was responsible early on. The story has good momentum and there is action too as Kate finds herself risking her life in two separate confrontations with desperate people. Sensitive readers should be aware that domestic violence, adultery and postnatal depression are among the issues that are raised in the crimes Kate is investigating.

Kate is under a lot of personal pressure in Taken. While struggling with the effects of PTSD, she is also trying to find a balance between the needs of her husband and children, and the demands of her career. On top of this, the media have picked up on a story involving her father's late partner’s business activity which could implicate them both in a corruption scandal, amplifying her concerns about the family’s finances. Determined not to be seen as lacking, Kate doesn’t always make sensible decisions, but she acts for the right reason.

Suspenseful, fast paced and gripping, Taken is an excellent read, perfect for fans of Australian crime fiction from authors such as Jane Harper, Chris Hammer and Emma Viskic.½