| Think of a Number: A Novel |  | Author: John Verdon
Publisher: Crown
Category: eBooks
This item is no longer available
Rating:  125 reviews
Sales Rank: 328
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Edition: 1
Pages: 432
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
ASIN: B0036S4ATA
Publication Date: June 25, 2010
Add to Wishlist
Add to Wedding Registry
Add to Baby Registry
| |
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
David Baldacci Reviews Think of a Number David Baldacci was born in Virginia, in 1960, where he currently resides. He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Virginia Commonwealth University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. Mr. Baldacci practiced law for nine years in Washington, D.C., as both a trial and corporate attorney. He has published seventeen novels. Read his review of Think of a Number below: 
John Verdon has done something remarkable in his debut thriller, Think of a Number. He has successfully juggled every storytelling ball, character, atmosphere, prose, pace and plot, with the skill and assuredness of a veteran novelist at the top of his game. The writing is haunting and quotable, the twists expertly placed and infinitely plausible, the conjured locations vivid and memorable, the characters full of depth and promise. You can read the book as a game of cat and mouse, a ride of chilling suspense, or a literary repast, since it provides all in abundance. In the novel the set-up provides an intriguing dilemma. A man gets a letter that scares him to death by challenging him to think of a number. That catalyst soon speeds the reader and Verdon’s hero, Dave Gurney, a legendary and now retired NYPD detective, headlong into a mystery of the first order. I’m pretty adept at figuring out these types of stories and while I hit on a few twists before Verdon probably wanted me to, the major ones were stunning surprises. I read the last two-hundred pages in one sitting. I did this for two compelling reasons. First, to find out what the hell was going on. And second, just to enjoy the wonderful writing. Some novelists promise plot and pace and deliver it with lightweight characters and silly dialogue. Others get the characters spot-on but the story is mediocre and predictable. Verdon nails it all in his first novel. The villain is appealingly terrifying, smart and cunning while operating mostly in absentia, and that is incredibly difficult to accomplish. The answer behind the “think of a number” plot, most certainly a disaster in lesser hands, proves clever, winning and eminently believable. Verdon’s protagonist Dave Gurney is one for the ages, and readers everywhere will surely clamor to see this man again. Think of a Number gets full marks from me. And I think it will from you, too. Enjoy.
Product Description
An extraordinary fiction debut, Think of a Number is an exquisitely plotted novel of suspense that grows relentlessly darker and more frightening as its pace accelerates, forcing its deeply troubled characters to moments of startling self-revelation.
Arriving in the mail over a period of weeks are taunting letters that end with a simple declaration, “Think of any number…picture it…now see how well I know your secrets.” Amazingly, those who comply find that the letter writer has predicted their random choice exactly. For Dave Gurney, just retired as the NYPD’s top homicide investigator and forging a new life with his wife, Madeleine, in upstate New York, the letters are oddities that begin as a diverting puzzle but quickly ignite a massive serial murder investigation.
What police are confronted with is a completely baffling killer, one who is fond of rhymes filled with threats and warnings, whose attention to detail is unprecedented, and who has an uncanny knack for disappearing into thin air. Even more disturbing, the scale of his ambition seems to widen as events unfold.
Brought in as an investigative consultant, Dave Gurney soon accomplishes deductive breakthroughs that leave local police in awe. Yet, even as he matches wits with his seemingly clairvoyant opponent, Gurney’s tragedy-marred past rises up to haunt him, his marriage approaches a dangerous precipice, and finally, a dark, cold fear builds that he’s met an adversary who can’t be stopped.
In the end, fighting to keep his bearings amid a whirlwind of menace and destruction, Gurney sees the truth of what he’s become – what we all become when guilty memories fester – and how his wife Madeleine’s clear-eyed advice may be the only answer that makes sense.
A work that defies easy labels -- at once a propulsive masterpiece of suspense and an absorbing immersion in the lives of characters so real we seem to hear their heartbeats – Think of a Number is a novel you’ll not soon forget.
From the Hardcover edition.
|
| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 125
 I am thrilled to introduce Dave Gurney, retired homicide detective! June 13, 2010
Judy K. Polhemus (LA)
29 out of 34 found this review helpful
Edward X Delaney has long been my favorite detective in a crime fiction series. Until now....Allow me to introduce Dave Gurney, Ret. NYPD Detective, famous for catching serial killers, now the main character in "Think of a Number," by first-time novelist John Verdon.
Advice to Mr. Verdon: Keep those Gurney books coming. You've got a long, bright future with this character, his driven nature, and his smart wife. Can you tell I loved this book?!
So how does Dave Gurney compare with Det. Delaney? Gurney does not eat drippy tomato sandwiches over the kitchen sink nor does he drink exotic liquors or beers. But both men are very methodical, very minute in first figuring out how the murder was done, then finding the killer. Delaney had a dying wife, but Gurney has a very smart one. In fact, on at least two occasions, she provides the key to discovering the mystery behind two of the murders.
What Lawrence Sanders does in the Deadly Sins series and Verdon in this (hopefully) new Gurney series is give the reader very human detectives with positive traits and negative ones. Gurney is very rational, logical, number-driven, and possessing a powerful work ethic that won't rest until the murder is solved and the murderer arrested.
"Think of a Number" is doubly tricky. What would you do if a mysterious letter arrived and the contents indicated that the writer knew of your secret history and could identify a number that he asks you to randomly pick right then. And voila! The number in the second envelope is exactly the wild, random number you picked out of 1000. Your number is 658; the number in the second envelope is 658. How in the world!!? And how does he know your past. You continue to receive communications from this unknown person, each more ominous.
The receiver is Mark Mellery, a college acquaintance of Gurney, one he barely knew, but one who knows Gurney's record for catching serial killers. Mellery is really frightened and pretty much begs Gurney to find out who the letter-writer, then telephone-caller is. Madeleine, Gurney's wife, pretty much begs him to not get involved. He is retired; they were supposed to do things together. She was a patient wife during all his absences of active duty cases when his steel-trap mind was working non-stop to solve serial murders.
Then there's the art teacher who is attracted to Gurney, despite his marital status and despite also having Madeleine as a student in the same art class. This class was Madeleine's effort to have them do things together in their retirement. But what annoys her is that this art teacher is encouraging Gurney in his new art effort. He takes photos of his serial killers and uses a photo program to enhance the killer look. Too chilling, too horrifying, too downright reminiscent of the killers' sick psyches. And this woman would hang these in her art gallery! And call him on pretext!
Oh, I could wax on all night about this book. Short version: Gurney is hooked. New York pays him as a consultant. There are murders and such spooky mysteries concerning each case. How are the victims related? What is the connection? Does Gurney maintain his record and solve them? You would think so, wouldn't you?
John Verdon, please keep Dave Gurney alive by writing another book! He is too fascinating a character, as is his smart wife, to let them rest in just one book!
Suspenseful Puzzle Mystery--Loved It! June 2, 2010
Janet Boyer (Pennsylvania)
15 out of 20 found this review helpful
"Do you believe in Fate? I do, because I thought I'd never see you again--and then one day, there you were. It all came back: how you sound, how you move--most of all, how you think. If someone told you to think of a number, I know what number you'd think of. You don't believe me? I'll prove it to you. Think of any number up to a thousand--the first number that comes to your mind. Picture it. Now see how well I know your secrets. Open the little envelope." - From Think of a Number
With a deviously dazzling premise, Think of a Number--an amazing new debut by suspense novelist John Verdon--teases the reader (and torments retired NYPD detective Dave Gurney) with a puzzling mystery: how can an anonymous person be able to guess the number someone is thinking (it's already written on paper!), not once...but twice?
And why does this individual demand an $289.87 "finders fee"--payable in cash or check? As if that's not bizarre enough, why do the checks end up returned to the person...uncashed?
Gurney and his wife, Madeline, move to upstate New York to create a new life that will mend their shattered hearts. However, when Gurney attends an art appreciation class at Madeline's invitation, the unexpected happens: he becomes enthralled with the instructor, and then begins a rather obsessive new hobby of re-touching photos of the serial killers he apprehended while on the NYPD.
With Madeline disappointed and disheartened at Gurney's plunge back into a world of sickos, his attention is further pulled away from her by an unexpected email from a former college classmate of Gurney's--a famous Self-Help author and guru named Mark Mellery who receives a puzzling letter from someone called X. Arybdis. Mark has no idea who this person is, but fears the threatening tone of the letter--especially since he was an alcoholic prone to blackouts before his spiritual awakening.
Mellery pleads with Gurney to help him, but since no crime has been committed--and Mellery doesn't want to involve the police for several reasons--Gurney's at a loss to what he can do. Yet, the letters and notes continue, and an increasingly alarmed Mellery (and intrigued Gurney) try to solve the puzzle on their own.
But when Mellery ends up dead at his retreat center--with boot prints leading away from the body and then disappearing in the middle of a clearing--Gurney becomes sucked into a vortex of deception and additional murders, and the clever killer's hatred of cops may find Gurney among the victims...
Let me just say I gobbled up Think of a Number. Not since Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter books have I been so entertained and freaked out. It's hard enough crafting compelling characters, believable twists and comprehensible mazes that engage readers, but newcomer John Verdon not only accomplishes all of this, but also writes with such fresh panache. In fact, I marveled at his crackling prose and ability to create well-drawn characters, not to mention an absolutely irresistible mystery!
If you enjoy well-written, suspenseful puzzle mysteries involving intelligent killers, a dose of psychological profiling, and a marriage worth rooting for--I believe you will LOVE Think of A Number by John Verdon. (I can't wait for his next book!)
-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot
A Rattling Good Thriller April 9, 2010
mostserene1 (USA)
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
In lesser hands - say, the hands of the typical bestselling author - this would be a formulaic, albeit well-crafted, thriller that might adequately occupy your time on a plane flight or vacation. But in the surprisingly capable hands of first-time author Mr. Verdon, the thriller has been elevated to the empyrean of Novelists. Verdon reanimates the skeleton of the mystery thriller formula - good guy catches bad guy while negotiating family issues and office politics - by emphasizing the combination of deductive and inductive reasoning employed by the protagonist, a retired NYPD detective, in solving crimes. And the protagonist brandishes those reasoning skills to full advantage.
As the plot has been summarized by other reviewers, I will focus on a couple of aspects that, in my opinion, set this novel apart. Firstly, it is extremely well-written. The language is not ornate, but it is evocative and a pleasure to read. And gripping, as well. There were chapters so propulsive I had to pace myself in order not to race through the book.
Secondly, the plot devices were diabolically clever. If you happen to possess knowledge of probabilities, you may tumble to one of the tricks. Nonetheless, I suspect you will find it enjoyable to ponder, as the protagonist does, the "how did he (or she) do it?" puzzles.
Thirdly, the relationship between a grizzled ex-cop and his wife is not new terrain, but Verdon illuminates superbly the dynamic of a hyper-rationalist - someone who lives in his head - with a more normal, emotionally balanced partner. This was, in my view, authentically depicted.
Okay, enough with the numerically prefaced paragraphs (he did say Think of a Number (*_*). But I do have two more points to make. There is a meeting, the first of two, that takes place with the protagonist and the DA, Chief of Police, and a flock of other law enforcement types. This scene was hilariously spot-on, and so artfully drawn, it alone virtually justifies the purchasing of the book.
And then there is a confrontation toward the end (I will be vague to avoid a Spoiler) where the protagonist deploys a technique so psychologically counterintuitive one of the characters, completely realistically, I might add, remains skeptical, even upon explanation. Nowadays authors blithely, even recklessly, create protagonists who purport to "think outside the box" and many, many authors adorn their characters with a variety of minor quirks (drinks too much, smokes too much, drives a Porsche, etc.) to convey the unorthodox hero. But in Think of a Number, Mr. Verdon has conceived an individual who comes as close to actual unconventional thinking as, well, as the public is likely willing to accept in a law enforcement officer.
To conclude, this is a thoughtfully rendered mystery/thriller of the first order. I realize that my review dissents from those of some of my esteemed Vine colleagues, and this is my very first Vine review, so please keep these facts in mind as you make your purchasing decision. I, for one, would have paid full price for this book, and am recommending it to my law enforcement friends. Thank you for reading my review.
Note to the Author: Please feel free to contact me for a couple of minor corrections (this is an uncorrected copy).
Truly Engaging Debut Mystery July 31, 2010
Librarian (USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
John Verdon's debut novel, "Think of a Number," is a rare treat that contains a fascinating plot and honest characters. I found myself drawn into the puzzle just like with an Agatha Christie novel, and I wasn't disappointed.
At the heart of the plot is the first taunting letter received by recovering alcoholic and new-age guru Mark Mellery that tells him, "Think of any number up to a thousand--the first number that comes to your mind. Picture it. Now see how well I know your secrets. Open the little envelope." When Mark opens the smaller envelope enclosed in the letter he sees the number 658, the very number he had conjured up in his mind. Then he receives another note in the same handwriting, but this one is in rhyming verse. Mark is terrified. He knows there are periods in his past that he can't remember, people he might have hurt. So he looks up his old college classmate and former detective, David Gurney, now retired from the New York State Police after an illustrious career and living with his wife, Madeleine, in upstate New York. But even before they can meet, Mark receives another note, also in rhyming verse. Gurney agrees to look into the matter but, before Gurney can discover the sender, Mark Mellery is murdered and the detective in Gurney needs to know why.
Although the murder mystery is the meat of this story, I found the characters of David and Madeleine Gurney to be people I can believe really live and struggle to love in their farmhouse outside of Walnut Crossing, New York. Dave Gurney's view of his marriage and family ring true, and Madeleine's personality and tensions with her husband come across as real. I truly hope to meet this couple in another narrative, hopefully in a mystery as engaging as "Think of a Number."
A review from a normal person - not a professional critic August 6, 2010
easy reader
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am not a professional review critic, so this is short and sweet. I thought this book was great, especially considering it was his first novel. I was looking for an easy read that I could put down when I was distracted by my kids, and pick back up the next free moment I had. The characters were very interesting, and not the same old mystery cast. Double bonus - it's only $3.99. Quite the entertainment for that price! Thanks, Mr. Verdon, for your first novel, and I hope to see another hit the kindle store soon!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 125
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. CatharsisBooks.com | Safe Shopping | 
|
|
|
|
