Speaking in Tongues

After some research I think that, perhaps, Speaking in Tongues was not the best book to commence my Jeffery Deaver reading experience with! Although particularly easy to read – there is a style to his words which allows the story to flow effortlessly across the page – on the whole I felt there was something basic lacking in the premise; plausibility possibly, it was just too glib for my liking.

It is the story of a fractured, dysfunctional family who, through this anomaly, is now vulnerable to a psychotic revenge. When Megan, the angst-driven teenage daughter of divorced couple Tate (once a high-powered attorney) and Bett (now a successful business-woman), fails to appear at a rare family gathering, both parents uncharacteristically show more unite to find her; believing she has been kidnapped rather than simply running away. As they begin their search they need to become, once more, a working family unit. Thwarted most cleverly at every turn by a mentally-unstable and delusional adversary this, then, requires a leap-of-faith and a depth of feeling in each other, sadly-lacking previously, to drive them on – whilst unearthing, on the way, many deeply buried secrets and past hurts, for everyone involved.

Filled, overwhelmingly, with characters displaying all of society’s major social demons, it is also the tale of two men with silver-tongues, and the use of this rhetoric to manipulate the vulnerable, the weak and the damaged. But it is this manipulation, to my mind, while so central to the plot, which detracts from the heart of the story – fictional context aside, it is highly questionable, and just too improbable that all these characters would fall so effortlessly to this honey-tongued madman’s dialogue; and so quickly and absolutely. Furthermore, I just didn’t care all that much about the characters; to really worry about the consequences of events, to fret about their circumstances and to fear for their ultimate outcome.

Fundamentally, this wasn’t, what I would describe as, an-edge-of-the-seat read. I was involved enough to desire to uncover the reason, the basis, for the attack on Tate’s family; I was invested enough that small results surprised me but, overall, I felt there was opportunity wasted: to build much greater suspense within the fabric, to add more dimension to the characters and to supply much more depth to the tale. Ultimately, I think I would read other, more lauded books by Jeffery Deaver instead; and while not suggesting this book has no redeeming features, I would not have been at all vexed to have omitted it from my reading list.

(Dec 21, 2008) show less

From the same author as Lost in Translation and done in the same format, this is a lovely collection of idioms from around the world, each one illustrated, with an explanation of the idiom's meaning.

Some translate pretty straight-forwardly, like the Portuguese To feed a donkey sponge cake, or my personal favourite (one I use but didn't know the origins of), the Polish not my circus, not my monkeys. Some require a bit more explanation, like the Persian/Farsi I will eat your liver, which actually is used as a term of endearment and an expression of deep love.

My only complaint is the same one I had with Lost in Translation: the lack of a phonetic guide to pronunciation. It's less important here, as most of these are full phrases, but show more for languages that don't use the Roman alphabet, either a pronunciation or at least a transliteration would really round out the collection's usefulness. show less

For a book that's only 333 pages, it sure is packed with edge of your seat suspense, and twists. It is nice to read a book that keeps you guessing.
The only flaw I can find with the book is the lack of personality in the characters, mainly the main characters. They just felt... cookie cutter. (Pissed off teenager, out of touch parents, blah, blah , blah. The story was well written enough to keep you interested despite that fact. I enjoy Deaver's smooth and flowing writing style.
I guess I have one more negative thing to say about it after all... The ending fails to tie up a thing or two.
**SPOILER ALERT**

(Does Josh survive? Is there any permanent damage? Do him and Megan get back together? What about Eckhard and Dr Hanson? Where they show more cleared and released? And Detective Konnie, how much trouble was he in? I could go on, but you get the idea.) show less

Deaver is one of my go to authors for suspense. This title did not disappoint. The story telling was excellent as usual and enough little turns in the plot to keep your interest up.

Tate Collier is a divorced trial lawyer who became a gentleman farmer and lives in rural Virginia. His lifelong hero had been his Grandfather, a judge. He had great ambition to become the best and make his Grandfather proud of him. But, as a brilliant trial lawyer, he had learned how to use words lie weapons and had sent a mentally handicapped young man to prison for life and the young man was gruesomely killed in prison. He had also lost his wife and daughter in a divorce so he gave it all up and turned inward. His ex-wife and daughter suffered from his neglect while they were married and even now, as his daughter has grown into a 17 year old teenager named Megan.

Aaron Matthews, a brilliant (can I use that word twice in one book show more review?) psychologist, has turned his talents from healing to revenge. He is just as able to use his training and words to manipulate people into believing black is white as Tate Collier is. And he uses his talent to kidnap Megan Collier. Why? And can Tate and his ex-wife overcome the past to work together to rescue her? Will Megan be psychologicall damaged by this psychopath? Will she live to tell her parents what she really thinks of them? Can Tate Collier face what he's done?

This book is not as good as the Lincoln Rhyme novels but better than the Garden of Beasts novel. I did finish it and was pleased with the ending. show less

Speaking in Tongues is a standalone thriller by Jeffery Deaver which was first published in 1999.

Tate Collier had once been of the finest trial lawyers and prosecutor in the state even gaining recognition in the Washington Post. Now he was a divorced gentleman farmer in Virginia, with a teenage daughter he occasionally visits.

Megan Collier is a troubled teenager who has an inner crazy Megan that she sometimes listens too and does some crazy things. She now has to attend court appointed therapy session and when Dr Peters steps in she believes things are on the ‘up’ for her.

Aaron Matthews is a brilliant psychologist who is willing to use his talents for darker purposes and he has decided Tate Collier must suffer. Matthew’s plan show more unfolds and it begins to have a terrifying effect on the Collier family and using his skills he manages to destroy the family.

This is an excellent and engrossing story. show less

Before reading this, I listened to an abridged audiobook version of it a few months ago, and it was a good story for my commute. The reader was good at heightening suspense, although not very good at implying female voices, especially teens (and there was too much “like…” in the teen talk). There wasn’t a lot left out in the abridgement; one scene in particular that really did not contribute to the storyline. I’m not a big fan of mysteries and psychological thrillers, although this one was okay, despite being a bit far-fetched and predictable. The title implies religious connotations that the story does not have.