The Search (Eve Duncan Book 3)

I wish someone had told me that this story involved conversations with a dog. If I'd known, I would have left this book on the shelf. Now don't get me wrong. I love animals, and I especially love dogs. But I don't want to read a book that has someone reading their dogs thoughts and actually having a running dialog with the dog as if they were having a long conversation. That's a bit much to swallow unless the book is fantasy or horror or something, but not a mystery/thriller.
Now aside from the talking dog routine, the story itself was decent. The characters were likeable, the plot was interesting, and the scenery was okay. There was some suspense, but not enough to have you flipping the pages at warp speed. The obligatory romance was even plausible. In short, the story wasn't bad. The question is "would I recommend it?" Sorry for all you Johansen fans, the answer is no. Not unless you can overlook the talking dog. I found that too distracting to really enjoy what could have been a really good story.

Bleak and lacking. The story line could have used more creative writing. Predictable story and not very creative ending to it. Reuse of characters and old story lines.
To the author's credit I must say that the characters are real, and with this I mean they are not "super heroes" who escape from every imaginable dangerous situation, they are vulnerable and you feel it all through the story. Maybe the exception is the eccentric Multi-Millionaire Logan, but Sarah and Monty are nice characters anyone can relate to. The story, however, leaves much to be desired. I had read "The Face of Deception" and that kept me on my toes...definitely a page-turner. This story makes almost no sense. The reason why the "bad guy" does what he does, even though explained later in the story, still left me unsatisfied. I emphasize that I disagree with the reuse of characters into a significant role within the plot, to the point of being almost an indispensable element, which demonstrates the lack of substance in the story itself and seems to be filler content.
Overall an "entertaining" read, not memorable but ok! Specially when coming from Johansen. I'd expect more, but I can live with it :)
GS

I've been trying out thrillers lately to break away from horror for a bit and I decided to go with a female thriller writer so Iris Johansen caught my eye. I read the back of The Search and it seemed like a quick and easy read. I was right! This is a great, quick jaunt into suspense. The plot is a fast-paced thrill ride from beginning to end. I enjoyed the story and I will give Johansen a try again someday. This is a great book for a plane ride or beach trip or anyplace you just need to escape and discover a thriller that won't let you down. I have to admit there were scenes that made me tense up like a good suspense plot should. This is a great weekend excursion if you need time away from the real world.

Lately I've been disapointed in Iris Johansen's suspense novels, but this book has renewed my faith in her writing skills. This book features vivid characters from her previus two books books: Sarah Patrick, her search and rescue dog Monty, and John Logan. Logan is being hunted by a enemy from the past who is out to kill him. To rescue one of his men he practicly kidnaps Sarah and Monty. Unfortunatly getting rid of his old enemy takes longer than expected, and many of Logan's friends, and many more people that he doesn't know, are put in danger. Logan and Sarah, with the help of Monty, work together in this exciting story to bring down a madman.
As I said this book is really good. If you're like me and didn't like Iris Johansen's last couple books I think you'll be happy with this one. I also encurage those of you who haven't read any of Iris Johansen's books to read this one - you'll enjoy it.

This was a captivating novel from beginnig to end and I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.
Sarah Patrick and her Golden Retriever Monty have a special relationship, they understand each other. They work together as a search and rescue team to find bodies (alive or dead). Logan is a businessman with a problem. One of his research facilities has just been destroyed and an employee kidnapped. Logan calls on Sarah and Monty to go to South America with him to find the employee.
This is only the beginning and the stakes get higher. A ruthless murderer is determined to make Logan and anyone involved with him pay, and pay dearly. Sarah and Monty have to use their wits and courage to stay alive in this deadly game of cat and mouse.

I loved all of Iris Johansen's books, especially the Eve Duncan series. The endings are always ends in surprises and not what or who you thought the killer would be. I will be ordering and reading every Eve Duncan series...love, love, love!!!!

John Logan is in a desperate situation, his top secret project has been sabotaged, all employed are dead except for one man being held for ransom by a madman hell-bent on revenge. Logan knows he must rescue the man in order to find out what secrets he knows, and to save his life. For this mission to work, Logan will need the cooperation of the expert search/rescue team of Sarah Patrick and her golden retriever, Monty.
Sarah is not a big fan of Logan and is furious that she is forced to help him.
Once the mission has begun, Sarah realizes Logan's promises of safety may not be enough...for Sarah has become an object in the killer's plan.
The clock is ticking for Sarah and Logan to put a stop to anymore killings.
"The Search" is EXCELLENT summer reading. It is an exciting, fast-paced and well-written thriller, that all readers will enjoy.
Iris Johansen has scored another HIT, bringing back characters from her previous novel "The Killing Game".
A MUST read.
Nick Gonnella

The Search reintroduces characters from Ms Johansen's previous novels, (The Face of Deception and The Killing Game). I recommend reading the previous novels to get a better understanding of the characters in The Search. The story is about Sarah and her search and rescue dog Monty. Monty has a nose to find any person alive or dead. John Logan from the previous two books, has gotten Sarah and Monty's help to find one of his employees that was kidnapped. After the completion of the search. Sarah is targeted by a madman who wants to get revenge on John. Now it's a cat and mouse game for all of the characters. Excellent suspense and good romance keep you turning the pages for the shocking conclusion.

I loved this book. The main character Sarah was great - stubborn, smart, and determined. Monty the dog was completely lovable. The story had lots of twists and turns some which I did not see coming. The supporting characters were great and added a lot to the story. (I really want a Galen story now!) I would definitely recommend this book to fans of suspense and thrillers.

Actually they do more than one! Eve and Joe (and Jane) make a short appearance.

A blast from the past is haunting Logan and his enterprises. Sarah and Monty also rescue a wolf that Sarah names Maggie and Monty thinks is beautiful!

Very twisted plot!

This was my first Johansen book, and in the beginning I was pleased with it -- strong female character able to fend for herself, the interesting S&R sideline, difficult locations, dealing with the tough emotions of death from disaster. And then, out of the blue, it became a romance novel. The rich guy had to save her, she's no longer her own person, it's all about the guy's first wife, he's dragging her everywhere against her will -- to me, it was a total let-down. I kept hoping the wolf would chew off Logan's foot or something and Sarah would rediscover herself, but alas, they're getting married and she'll be a billionaire and never have to break a fingernail again rescuing orphans out of mudslides. Blech!

Having previous read and enjoyed Iris Johansen's books with the Eve Duncan character, I was very disappointed with this offering. In her previous books when she introduced the John Logan character, I had mixed feeling about him. I felt like he was supposed to be a likeable good-guy character and he just doesn't come off that way to me. I just don't like the guy or care about him. The Monty (dog) and Maggie (wolf) romance was so completely stupid and unbelievable,that I almost shut the book right then and there. This book was BORING, BORING, BORING. Never did figure out what "search" the title was even talking about.

This was my first Iris Johanson book (actually I listened to the audio tape). I did not find this to be much of a thriller -- in fact it is nothing more than a mediocre romance. The plot was contrived, unbelievable and the story just did not sustain my interest. I didn't care for Cynthia Nixon's narration -- she portrayed Sarah as a whiny woman with a huge chip on her shoulder, and Logan as a macho idiot. The best and most likeable character was Monty, the dog (although the dog/wolf story was totally ridiculous!) My advice is not to bother with this one. Since I only listened to this while exercising, it wasn't too much of a waste of my time.

This was my first Iris Johanson book (actually I listened to the audio tape). I did not find this to be much of a thriller -- in fact it is nothing more than a mediocre romance. The plot was contrived, unbelievable and the story just did not sustain my interest. I didn't care for Cynthia Nixon's narration -- she portrayed Sarah as a whiny woman with a huge chip on her shoulder, and Logan as a macho idiot. The best and most likeable character was Monty, the dog (although the dog/wolf story was totally ridiculous!) My advice is not to bother with this one. Since I only listened to this while exercising, it wasn't too much of a waste of my time.

I would recommend you read the previous books by Ms. Johansen (involving John Logan and Eve Duncan) before reading The Search. I liked this book thought the plot was great. However, I thought alot of detail was left out. I would have liked more information on why certain things happened near the end. Will not spoil it for those who have not read it. If you have read Ms. Johansen previous books and enjoyed them you will like The Search. Hopefully, she will continue the John Logan and Sarah Patrick relationship.

THE SEARCH is a fast and entertaining story of "The Bickersons", search and rescue worker Sarah Parker and John Logan, the indefatigable billionaire who verbally spar with each other until they submit to the unevitable. Their change in attitude toward each other is just in time to confront the villain who is trying to destroy a secret research plant. Golden Retriever Monty, Sarah's panting pal, falls in love with a wolf in a sub-plot from this converted romance author.

When you start reading about Logan you can really hate him. But when you understand why is he that way you'll be fond of him. The story of why and how Rudzak kills Chen Li lacks in imagination but is still good. Another interesting thing is that Logan has a super-security team and they have many blunders that could happen often to a non-professional security team. Albeit in the book they said that are very professional. So this is a real part of the story.

The end of the story -who is the bad guy- you'll know at half book. But how ends the book is really appalling.

I can easily say that IJ is good among writers.

This story really lured me in right from the beginning. I was so drawn in by the relationship between Sarah and her rescue dog. I loved the almost psychic dynamic between the two. The dog became one of the strongest characters in the book to me, and I fell in love with him.

The action and romance kept the story flowing at a great pace. I loved the story and I think all romantic suspense readers will enjoy it as well.

The Search is another great book to the series of Eve Duncan. I've enjoyed this series. I would finish one book and couldn't wait to pick up the next book in the series! Like the other books, this one would keep you wanting to find out what happens in the next chapter and then the next and so on. I good and quick read!

Its obvious that the author knows very little about Columbian forests or gunfights or poker or dogs. This book might charm readers who enjoy romances and who have never been in a jungle, never played poker, never gave thought to the way battles are actually fought and have no experience working with dogs. I normally enjoy books about dogs, but I made the mistake of reading The Search immediately after reading one of Susan Conant's mysteries. Susan Conant's dogs have personality and seem real. The dog in The Search never seems real.

Iris Johansen is a really good writer. She certainly knows how to create characters that seem real.

Logan and Sarah pulled me into this intriguing story from the sheer strength of their strong, independent, charismatic personalities. But the author's skill in plotting is what kept me turning the pages.

A dynamite story with realistic twists and turns! And what a romance; a very satisfying ending.

I expected much more from this book. For one thing it covered a subject that I love and have an affinity for - search and rescue dogs. But instead I found the book stiff and not believable. There seemed too many loose ends, and some things in the book didn't make any sense. I also found the writing simplistic and the suspense was not developed - it never seemed to keep my interest anyway. Maybe it's the genre - I'm not a fan of romantic suspense, and that should have kept me away from this book. But read it I did, and I did not like it.

in her latest outing, johansen does stretch it a bit to make 298 pages-but, it does merit an afternoon of reading time. focusing on sarah&monty's talents (hence the title...)as search and rescue for atf, johansen takes you for a fast paced, and morbid ride, running from logan's past. the plot fits together, and has well placed revelations that may or may not be surprises, depending on how much you read mystery novels. and the romance between logan and sarah certainly keeps the reader wondering how they are going to get and stay together, because, as we know, they will! if you liked the previous novels, you will like this one too-even if it is not as original and eve doesn't appear too often-still good to have.

I enjoyed this book. Being an animal lover, I surely related to the bond that Sarah and Monty had together. I also related very much to her independent character and "set in her ways" point of view. Her need to help people no matter what was admirable and believable. Just look at the people from Sept. 11th. The fact that she became involved with Logan is totally understandable. The story keeps you guessing and I like the way it was pulled together toward the end. The villian, Rudzak, could have been just a bit stronger in my opinion. All in all, I truly enjoyed this book. I will "search" out more of her books in the very near future.

I was hoping for more. Iris Johansen had begun to make a name for herself in a new genre. But in this book she reverts back to her roots of romance novels. I would have preferred to stayed with the forensic anthropologist. I felt it was deceptive in it's description. It is more a romance novel than a thriller. If you are looking for a good forensic thriller, I would skip this one and read her other book "Face of Deception".

Do you like romance novels? Do you call your dogs your babies? This is the book for you. The thriller aspect of this book is far overshadowed by the romance portion, and the annoyingly repetitious mentioning of the dog could possibly drive most readers over the edge. This was my first Johansen novel, and it most certainly will be my last. Two stars for actually wrapping up the story without leaving too many loose ends.

Iris Johansen has done a wonderful job with her newest suspence novel. After "The Killing Game" I very much wanted to know what would happen to Logan, and "The Search" meets all my expectations. Read this book! But remember that it's the third in a series! Read "The Deception" and "The Killing Game' first. It makes "The Search" much more involving.

Every single book that she writes gets better and better. I love that Iris is writing her latest books with a golden retriever in it. I love goldens! There was non-stop suspense, great characters and a wonderful conclusion. I was dissapointed when I saw it was only 298 pages, because I had the book done in about 3 hours. I am looking forward to your next one Iris.

This book was GREAT. I have been reading Iris Johansen for a short while. I have loved the story of Eve . Now, she wrote of Sarah and trusty dog Monty. I am so glad she did. Each book I read I think its her best but her stories just keep getting better. I couldn't put this book down, I read it in less then 24 hours, Yes,I work. I am now starting the fourth book of Eve ..You gotta read her,she is good.

As always IrisJohanson has done it again. This is one of her best books yet. The story plot is great, and keeps your interest all the way through. It is exciting and unforgettable with a great ending. I loved it. Marie

I finished this book in about 5 hours primarily because as another reviewer noted, the book had to be stretched to make 384 pages. While I have enjoyed Johansen's books in the past, this latest one (as well as the one introducing Sarah Parker) was extremely disappointing. I'm sorry I paid to get a hardcover. While the plot had potential, the relationship between Parker and Logan was superficial at best. Without a lot of character development, it stretched credibility to believe that Logan would fall in love with Parker in the span of a week or so. I really like both of these characters and would look forward to a good book about them. The cover jacket states that Johansen is working on another book. I'll be more cautious next time and wait for the paperback.

Same as most Johansen books. Female and male counterparts fight each other and then she is physically attracted to him and they fall in love. One of the reasons I don't care for books written by women.

Having recently discovering this author I got online and ordered all I could afford of her fantastically told tales. With this one I wept and laughted and this is exactly what I need as I am sitting here with a broken arm and I need to suspend reality for a while. Not an expert on her yet but her characters were alive and I could feel their presence. A good tale well told. Won't say much about plot as it has a GREAT ending.

The Search is an excellent read. Iris Johansen is one of the few writers that I now buy in hardcover. The book's main characters are a real treat. Sarah and her dog Monty, a search and rescue team that seem to be able to read each others minds, were introduced by Johansen in the "Killing Game". They team up with Logan, a major player in both "The Face of Deception" and "The Killing Game".The result is a story that takes your emotions on a roller coaster ride. The author writes with such a descriptive talent, it's hard to remember that your reading fiction. You don't have to read her prior books to "get" this one, but you should because this author hasn't written a loser yet!

normally one cannot re-read a mystery but the characters are so compelling here that you can reread it just for their company.OK I admit it, I like the dog the best.. but so what? the dog has empathy for people so why shouldn't I have empathy for the dog and his difficult tasks?

Ms. Johansen has restored my faith in her ability as a great writer. "The Search" has the smoothness of plot that "The Face of Deception" and "The Killing Game" seemed to lack. I enjoyed those books but "The Search" leaves you much more satisfied. There is more character development and the research on rescue units was phenominal. I wish it had been a little longer but all of the loose ends were tied up before the last sentence.

I enjoyed Iris Johansen's book The Search, very much. The story is gripping though sometimes a little far-fetched, but her characters Sara and her dog Monty are excellent. A problem I found in the book, though, was in the beginning there was an earthquake in Turkey and Ms Johansen had a young Turkish girl clasping a cross necklace she was wearing around her neck. Turkey is an Islamic nation, and the percentage of Christians who live there is very small, and they live almost exclusively in the two major cities. She may have left many people with a very false impression. A little research would have saved her from this mistake and the sort of unsettled feeling it gave me for the rest of the book.

Unusual for Iris Johansen, this book gets off to a slow start. The characters are tense and lovable at the same time, however I found this book to be slower paced in the beginning and therefore harder to get into the story. Once you get into the middle of the book, it becomes more interesting and faster paced. I did like the story, but it was not quite as good as her previous books.

This is a gripping suspense novel. Iris Johansen has combined search and rescue with international terrorism to create a novel that keeps you at the edge of your seat the whole time. I did not put this book down until I finished it.

I thought this book was very good. Good story line and enjoyed the characters as well.It was the first book I've read by this author.I'm in the process of trying different authors and I have to say that I will definitely be reading more.

This series was easy to read with great charaters, it keeps you interested while wondering if somehow, sometime you will meet up again. The suspense and romance marry together quiet well in this book its worth looking out for the rest of the series.

Fast-paced book and a few interesting characters (including a golden retriever). But the plot was confusing and unnecessarily convoluted, and most of the characters themselves were oddly uncompelling.

Iris Johansen's contemporary novels are very well written and intertaining. She manages to make a suspensful story with a bit of romance--instead of a romance with a bit of story. Her three thrillers are fun because they are sequels and yet deal with new people and situations. I would definately recommend this book.

Iris Johansen's "The Search" is fabulous. The intertwining of several story lines keeps the listener riveted. Unlike many other mystery books, this one has realistic plots and happenings and constantly keeps the listener on edge. I love the fact that it was challenging to anticipate what would happen next. An A++++ book that I highly recommend. I can't wait to listen to all of Johansen's others.

This is one great book and held my complete attention for days.I continually read the book,every minute I could,not wanting to go to bed,work or sleep.All three of the books,The Face Of Deception,The Killing Game,and The Search have been totally captivating that I cannot wait for the next book to be sold.A have to read for everyone that enjoys true reading from a great author.This was the best one yet.

what ever else - in this book and others, iris j. writes really compelling descriptions about the villians.

so many of her books have themes of responsibility vs. self-interest and criminality, good vs. evil. we all know these __________ (fill in the blank for yourselves) are out there - and hope they will never get anywhere near us.