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Helpless

by Daniel Palmer

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
12112223,675 (4.02)3
Fiction. Suspense. HTML:

In Daniel Palmer's electrifying, emotionally charged thriller, a high school soccer coach finds his world upended by shocking accusations and long buried secrets. . .

Nine years after he left Shilo, New Hampshire, former Navy Seal Tom Hawkins has moved back. It's not an auspicious homecoming. Tom has returned to raise his teenage daughter, Jill, following the murder of his ex-wife, Kelly. Despite Tom's efforts to stay close to Jill by coaching her high school soccer team, Kelly's bitterness fractured their relationship. But together, they are on the mend, and life in Shilo is starting to shape up into something approaching normal.

Normal doesn't last long. Shilo's police sergeant makes it clear that Tom is his chief suspect in Kelly's death. In the days that follow, an anonymous blog post alleges that Coach Hawkins is sleeping with one of his players, Internet rumors escalate, and incriminating evidence surfaces on Tom's own computer and cell phone. Soon the FBI and police are investigating Tom for what appears to be a very disturbing and unprecedented series of crimes.

Someone is out to frame Tom—someone capable of destroying everything he loves without laying a finger on him. As he races to prove his innocence, he must unravel a tangle of lies about his family, the friends and colleagues he thought he knew, and about his past. For deep amid the secrets he's been keeping—from a troubled tour of duty to the reason for his ex-wife's death—is the truth that someone will gladly kill to protect. . .

"Warning: once you start reading this novel, you will not stop! Palmer has concocted an adrenaline fueled thriller as former Navy SEAL Tom Hawkins races against the clock to save his daughter, clear his name, and confront old enemies who know exactly where to strike and how to hurt." —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author

" Slam-dunk readable, scarily real, and emotionally satisfying. If you're looking for a hero to root for; an innocent man charged with unspeakable crimes; an everyday town riddled with secrets, and a desperate father with everything on the line, look no further than Helpless." —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author

"A high speed thriller. . .Helpless is edge-of-your seat reading." —LisaScottoline, New York Times bestselling author

"If Palmer's second thriller doesn't generate tingling spinal columns, then nothing will. Superbly crafted characters and catchy prose will keep readers turning the pages." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Palmer's sophomore effort, following Delirious, is every bit as gripping as the first, maybe more so. Palmer scores with a terrific thriller that has it all." —Library Journal (starred review)

"A gripping thriller." —Booklist

"A compelling and deeply puzzling thriller. . .Palmer has a gift with realistic characters and a writing style that guarantees a sleepless night." —The Associated Press

"A well-written, well-plotted thriller. Don't miss this one!" —RT Book Reviews

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» See also 3 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)
Thriller
  BooksInMirror | Feb 19, 2024 |
Smart, sophisticated and unsettling, fast-paced thriller. As you read you will feel "Helpless" for Jill and her father Tom as they have no control on their lives no matter what they do.
( )
  jothebookgirl | Jan 3, 2017 |
No one writes “complex” better than Daniel Palmer, as reiterated in Helpless. A web of deception, revenge, a frame up of sexual crimes, drugs, kidnapping, and a behind the scenes complicated twisted scheme for an intense and gripping suspenseful ride. How far will a parent go to protect their child?

The novel opens with Lindsey Wells, age fifteen, (sexting) a nude photo of herself to her boyfriend, Tanner (for his eyes only, right), as she thinks this is better than sleeping with him, as she has to keep him interested. Little does she know her photo among other girls, will go viral across the internet and will end up on a child-porn website which later links to Tom.

Former Navy SEAL Tom Hawkins has moved back to New Hampshire to raise his teenage daughter, after his ex-wife, Kelly dies under mysterious circumstances. He and his daughter are not on the best of terms; however, things get worse, as he soon finds himself being charged with being a rapist, drug smuggler, child pornographer, and accused of sleeping with his 16-year-old daughter Jill's, best friend Lindsey.

If this is not enough he is being targeted by an old military pal who was involved in smuggling heroin from Germany with the dead wife.

From sexting rings, naked pictures, frantic teens, a fetish market, drugs, murder, kidnapping, and the ability to destroy people’s reputation, using technology-- piling up making the story a little unrealistic at times. However, some nice family dynamics with father-daughter, and a much needed lesson and warning for teens and parents alike, in today’s social media world.

Even though the novel was suspenseful, with many twists and turns, I did not feel it was as good as some of Palmer’s other books. Possibly due to listening to the audiobook narrated by Phil Gigante, not as captivating a voice as Peter Berkrot, which is superb.

Looking forward to reading Delirious, next and back to Peter, once again. (please keep using Peter). I have read all Palmer's newer books, and making my way backwards to some of the older ones. If you have not read Palmer, you are in for a treat!
( )
  JudithDCollins | Nov 27, 2014 |
Loved this book! Could not put it down. There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the very end. This was my first time reading Daniel Palmer. ( )
  KellyReeder | Jan 31, 2013 |
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
I got this book as an 'Early Reviewer' but it took a long time to get through it. The plot is a bit too much cloak and dagger, too inflated, much to L&O: SVU. It appeared as if Palmer tried to garner attention for this book by using high-profile themes, (Navy SEAL, sexting) but unfortunately failed. Not a favourite. ( )
  kristincedar | Jan 10, 2013 |
Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)
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Fiction. Suspense. HTML:

In Daniel Palmer's electrifying, emotionally charged thriller, a high school soccer coach finds his world upended by shocking accusations and long buried secrets. . .

Nine years after he left Shilo, New Hampshire, former Navy Seal Tom Hawkins has moved back. It's not an auspicious homecoming. Tom has returned to raise his teenage daughter, Jill, following the murder of his ex-wife, Kelly. Despite Tom's efforts to stay close to Jill by coaching her high school soccer team, Kelly's bitterness fractured their relationship. But together, they are on the mend, and life in Shilo is starting to shape up into something approaching normal.

Normal doesn't last long. Shilo's police sergeant makes it clear that Tom is his chief suspect in Kelly's death. In the days that follow, an anonymous blog post alleges that Coach Hawkins is sleeping with one of his players, Internet rumors escalate, and incriminating evidence surfaces on Tom's own computer and cell phone. Soon the FBI and police are investigating Tom for what appears to be a very disturbing and unprecedented series of crimes.

Someone is out to frame Tom—someone capable of destroying everything he loves without laying a finger on him. As he races to prove his innocence, he must unravel a tangle of lies about his family, the friends and colleagues he thought he knew, and about his past. For deep amid the secrets he's been keeping—from a troubled tour of duty to the reason for his ex-wife's death—is the truth that someone will gladly kill to protect. . .

"Warning: once you start reading this novel, you will not stop! Palmer has concocted an adrenaline fueled thriller as former Navy SEAL Tom Hawkins races against the clock to save his daughter, clear his name, and confront old enemies who know exactly where to strike and how to hurt." —Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author

" Slam-dunk readable, scarily real, and emotionally satisfying. If you're looking for a hero to root for; an innocent man charged with unspeakable crimes; an everyday town riddled with secrets, and a desperate father with everything on the line, look no further than Helpless." —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author

"A high speed thriller. . .Helpless is edge-of-your seat reading." —LisaScottoline, New York Times bestselling author

"If Palmer's second thriller doesn't generate tingling spinal columns, then nothing will. Superbly crafted characters and catchy prose will keep readers turning the pages." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Palmer's sophomore effort, following Delirious, is every bit as gripping as the first, maybe more so. Palmer scores with a terrific thriller that has it all." —Library Journal (starred review)

"A gripping thriller." —Booklist

"A compelling and deeply puzzling thriller. . .Palmer has a gift with realistic characters and a writing style that guarantees a sleepless night." —The Associated Press

"A well-written, well-plotted thriller. Don't miss this one!" —RT Book Reviews

.

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