Off the Chart

Passion and intrigue heat up the Florida Keys as Thorn and Alexandra Rafferty face down a brutal killer bent on destroying everything they hold dear In the widely acclaimed "Blackwater Sound," James W. Hall brought together his two protagonists--the dark, hardbitten Thorn and the feisty Miami cop Alexandra Rafferty. But before Alexandra came into Thorn's life, there had been Anne Joy, a beautiful woman escaping from her violent past in the languid life of the Florida Keys. That past includes Anne's sadistic brother Vic, now a modern-day pirate whose murderous crew is terrorizing the Gulf Coast. Vic is obsessed with his sister and will do whatever it takes to drive Anne's lovers, past and present, away from her--even murder. This obsession puts Vic on a collision course with Thorn and everything Thorn values, including the daughter of his closest friend. From the lushness of the Florida Keys to a nightmare climax on the tropical coast of Central America, "Off the Chart" is vintage James W. Hall.

About the Author :
James W. Hall is the author of eleven novels, including "Blackwater Sound." He lives in Key Largo, Florida, with his wife. John Bedford Lloyd, a graduate of Yale's School of Drama, has appeared in a host of major motion pictures, including "Crossing Delancey," "The Abyss," "The Manchurian Candidate," and "The Bourne Supremacy." His television credits include "Law & Order," "Spin City," and "The West Wing." His critically-acclaimed audiobook narration includes reading for authors such as Michael Crichton, Nicholas Sparks, Paul Doiron, and Atul Gawande, among others. In reviewing John's performance in "Better" by Atul Gawande, published by Macmillan Audio, "AudioFile" magazine declared, "John Bedford Lloyd's deep, rich voice delivers just the mix we look for in doctors--knowledgeable, authoritarian tones mixed with the warm, comforting style that characterizes a great bedside manner."

Review :
"In the crowded and talented pool of South Florida suspense writers, James Hall pretty much has the deep end to himself. Out of reach for most, it's a place of nameless primal fears and murky evil, from which Hall shapes compelling characters in riveting stories. You get caught up in the light and color, the movement of the unfailingly taut action, but you are always aware of something very old and dark beneath it all. His latest novel is wonderfully disturbing in just this way...all of which make the carefully crafted, darkly resonate Off the Chart stay with you." -Miami Herald "It's because of skillful, solid authors such as Hall that Florida mysteries are no longer an anomaly, but one of the staples of contemporary crime fiction...Hall's examinations of good and evil, obsession and the power of love are richly Off the Chart, a fine addition to the author's superior body of work." -South Florida Sun-Sentinel "After years of tussling with metaphorical pirates of every stripe, fly-tying South Florida swashbuckler Thorn finally gets to go up against the real thing...the combination of world-class villainy, exotic locations, quick-march pacing, and studly heroism also suggests Thorn's channeling James Bond."-Kirkus Reviews "A fast-paced rollercoaster ride filled with suspense and never-ending tension...Don't start this book before bed-unless you want to stay up all night reading."-Romantic Times