Buried Secrets (Nick Heller Book 2)

---

Hopefully, the next one I read will be better written, more believable, and features characters that have some depth. Nick has brought along his old work associate Dorothy, who is an ex-NSA employee and a digital forensics expert. He has also hired receptionist and office manager, Jillian Alperin.

Marshall Marcus is the richest guy in Boston. The case also brings him into contact with an old flame, Diana Madigan, who works for Child Abduction Rapid Deployment. His power over her is absolute. He has buried her alive with very little food and water, and sends horrifying live video feeds to her family over the internet. This kidnapper thrives on the fear he sows and as I read, I got chills down my spine. Nick knows that he must find Alexa because her time is running out, but he soon begins to realize that Marshall has been sandbagging him.

He never takes anything at face value, operating at full speed and he absolutely does not take any crap from anyone. We see this side in his relationship with his nephew Gabe, a surly teenager that Nick is especially fond of. Somehow in my book this makes him even more interesting. Most of us that read these series know that the heroes usually go through relationships like water. These are enjoyable, fast-paced reads. May 09, Jeff Miller rated it really liked it. Having read 3 of Joseph Finder's books before I was prepared for a taught and well written novel.

I was not expecting just how good this book was.

His novels I had read before involved corporate life and corporate espionage and this book is the second book with the "private spy" Nick Heller. I had not read "Vanished" the first book introducing him, but was able to read this novel without needing the backstory from the 1st novel. In this book a family friend contacts him after his daughter has gone Having read 3 of Joseph Finder's books before I was prepared for a taught and well written novel.

In this book a family friend contacts him after his daughter has gone missing and the plot starts to rapidly unfold as the circumstances involving the government and criminal organizations show how much danger the kidnapped girl is in.

Nick Heller is an intricate character without some of the trappings of the roguish hero. He's not James Bond who can do anything, but he does have a friend with the tech skills of Q to help him out.

Some of the bluffs with the villains were absolutely great as he was searching for information from people who would rather kill him than talk to him. As the plot builds up to one crescendo as it resolves your are lead into even a greater crescendo and the final fight scene had a memorable realistic taste to it. Now I have to get the first novel in the series. I received this book via the Amazon Vine program. Mar 30, Book Him Danno rated it really liked it Shelves: I enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me reading.

I took longer then usual due to leaving it somewhere and then having to really look for it. I would have given it a 5 star if the end of one character hadn't been so fast, he was a difficult person and then his demise was swift and why do the bad guys always feel the need to tell how they did everything and then end it? I did like that the real bad guy was extremely nasty, he made for someone you could really hate.

My blood pumped harder I enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and kept me reading. My blood pumped harder at the end with not knowing who was going to come up on top. This story was exciting and scary as the author took the reader to many seedy places, and holes in Boston I would not want to venture into on purpose.

Great descriptions of the area and having been to Boston recently I could really visualize the landscape.

Why are people the way they are and why are some of us so bad? Rich, poor, needy and scared, we all have more in common then we think and I like the way the author made everyone human in some way. To be super rich sounds great but then again a new set of problems emerges and so maybe not. I like Nick and think he makes a great character for more books, Dorthy is also likable and unusual. This is a thriller with just a bit of romance added in the mix. Great story and I look forward to the next Nick Hiller story.

Check out this book and his first in the series. Mar 30, Maria Elena rated it really liked it. Nick Heller is back! I read Buried Secrets within a couple of weeks of finishing Vanished and I have to say that this second book in the Nick Heller series is much more intense. In this instalment, Nick Heller is searching for Alexa, the kidnapped daughter of billionaire and family friend Marshall Marcus.

Alexa is being kept under some pretty horrific conditions which allows for some pretty gruesome scenes. Buried Secrets is another fast-paced, enjoyable thriller full of suspense from Joseph Finder. May 24, Thomas Waite added it. Joseph Finder's sequel to Vanished is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. When Alexa Marcus, the spoiled daughter of Marshall Marcus, a wildly successful money manager, is kidnapped from a Boston club and buried alive in a coffin equipped with an air hose and a video camera, Marshall asks his old friend, Nick Heller, to find her.

Buried Secrets

The search leads into an expanding world of "buried secrets," from Marshall's gold-digging trophy wife, Belinda, and his crumbling investment empire to allegations of gove Joseph Finder's sequel to Vanished is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. The search leads into an expanding world of "buried secrets," from Marshall's gold-digging trophy wife, Belinda, and his crumbling investment empire to allegations of government funding for covert operations and the Russian mafia.

Heller is witty and engaging, though at times he seems impossibly adept at combat. That said, Buried Secrets' suspenseful, expertly paced plot will satisfy you right up to its conclusion. Jul 25, Leona Romich rated it really liked it. Nick appears to be living in the shadow of his dad, but that is a good thing with a legit job as a private eye. He gets pulled into the search for his friends daughter that was kidnapped and buried alive with quite a few twists and turns along the way in her search and rescue.

Nov 22, Mel Ann rated it really liked it. One thing you want to see in a book is that the storyline actually is in order. Joseph Finder does an impeccable job at that. There were a few spelling typos and a few repeated words that I caught. The action was on point with the case and the villains and the hero were what I like to read. Fast moving, intriguing story line, lots of short chapters which simplifies bedtime reading.

Jul 19, Darlene Quinn rated it it was amazing. Has become one of my favorite authors--great character, action, and heart. May 30, Julie rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is my first Joseph Finder book and it won't be my last. I'd recently been reading Lawrence Block's comments on how to do this well and Joseph Finder does it well.

He uses Nick's POV to keep certain things from the reader, things only Nick knows that contribute to the twists and turns the story takes. He uses the omniscient POV to show the reader what we need to know without giving anything away. I found I liked Nick Heller. Frankly, I get tired of main usually male characters in these types of thrillers whose abilities and breadth of knowledge border on superhero or superhuman status. I found Heller refreshing because not only does he not leap tall buildings in a single bound, he knows he can't. If you're addicted to the mile-a-minute thriller that moves at a nonstop pace and leaves you breathless from start to finish, you'll likely be disappointed with this one.

I was thoroughly hooked through the first third of the book because it's an interesting story and the characters are interesting. By the time I reached the middle, I was a little more anxious to see how it ended. I couldn't put it down by the time I got to the last third of the book and steadfastly ignored everything around me until I finished - at which point I was a little breathless. This book pretty much has everything.

There's a problem to solve and the clock is ticking. If it doesn't get solved, an innocent child will die. There's a little romance. For my book, you can't go wrong with Russian bad guys, and international financial shenanigans. Where would thriller fiction be without ex-military characters? Again, I'm going to have to be careful about not spoiling the story, but I will say that by the time you reach the last third of the book, you realize that Nick is going to have to work some magic because none of the many people who owe him favors or with whom he is willing to exchange favors are going to be able to help him bring this to a successful conclusion.

By this time, you know who the bad guy is - and that even the people who think they control him actually can't. In fact, at this point, almost everything is out on the table for the reader and only two real mysteries remain: This book is just under pages, so I felt the author could have developed the undercurrent of the story a little more.

I'm still a little confused about the financial shenanigans in the story. I think if Finder had gone into more depth and given the reader a better understanding of the motive, it would have enhanced the story, but it's not necessary to my reading enjoyment. When I read, I like a good plot and characters I can connect with, and this book delivers those.

The bad guy is very, very bad and the good guy is just good enough.

Joseph Finder’s new thriller, ‘Buried Secrets’

I would like to see Finder develop his secondary characters a little more, as well, and hopefully he'll do that as this series progresses. I haven't read the first Nick Heller story, but I probably will - and look forward to more from this author. I'd especially like to see more development of the kind of quirky characters that populate Nick Heller's universe. Jun 26, Beth rated it it was amazing.

There are people with too much money, the children of people with too much money who are held captive because of it, the FBI, some very, very bad people whose cruelty makes the Mafia seem childish, government skulduggery, the FBI, and it is the second in a series and I like to read series from the beginning. In its favor is the setting, Boston, my hometown, and it was a Goodreads giveaway. These two pros outweighed the six cons I only counted the FBI once. Nick Heller has set himself up in business as a private spy.

Marshall calls Nick in a panic. Someone has kidnapped Alexa, his seventeen year-old daughter and is holding her for ransom. Almost everything about this book is right. Nick Heller is not superman. His relationship with his assistant, Dorothy, rings true. She has skills that complement his and Dorothy is not young and not in his bed. Nick connects with a former girlfriend who works with the FBI but their mutual attempts to deal reasonably with their former relationship is grown-up.

One scene that locals will understand is a meeting between Heller and Senator Armstrong, the junior senator from Massachusetts, who lives on Louisberg Square, the ritziest address in the old money section of Boston, Beacon Hill. The only thing I did not like is the graphic violence that comes in toward the end of the book. Great suspense, good process peeling the mystery. Boy, is he a good writer. I like the way clues are discovered throughout the book instead of a tell-all at the end. I like neat things Nick does to get information. I have three complaints. The subject matter was tough to take.

A girl is kidnapped and placed in a coffin underground while waiting for ransom. Water, food, and air were supplied. There are several scenes with her crying and begging in panic and horror. I did not like reading those parts.

Order of Nick Heller Books in Publication Order

They still haunt me. Being bound and placed in a room would be easier for me to take. Unanswered questions about Taylor. Why did she do what she did at the beginning? What was happening with her at the end? I wanted to hear conversations with her and her reactions at the end. Why did her father do what he did at the end? I was annoyed with several cliffhanger hooks at the end of chapters.

Some reviewers complained about technical errors with GPS, infrared, and gun types. This is entertainment - not educational. I disagree with readers who want every detail fit for an encyclopedia. But I understand, authors would like to make all of us happy. And the ending was good for me. He needs to stop doing weird character voices. He did an awful voice for teenage Gabe in the first two Heller books. At least Gabe only had a small part in this book. Graham also used a weird high pitched voice for police officer Kent. He was weird doing Alexa in the coffin. Sure she was terrified, but Graham added weirdness.

I liked his female voice for Francine Heller. I suggest he use that voice for most females, just change the emotions. Graham adds weirdness by holding his breath - or something.

Nick Heller(Series) · OverDrive (Rakuten OverDrive): eBooks, audiobooks and videos for libraries

But for general narration and emotional interpretation Graham is good. This is book 2 in the Nick Heller series. For a list of my ratings of other Joseph Finder books see my 5 star review of Paranoia. Aug 06, Miles rated it really liked it Shelves: When private investigator Nick Heller returns home to Boston to set up his own agency, he soon gets an urgent case closer to home than expected.

Alexandra Marcus - teenage daughter of hedge fund titan and Heller family friend Marshall Marcus - has been kidnapped. But it's no ordinary kidnapping - she has been abducted by professionals, buried alive in an underground casket, a video camera streaming her desperate pleas live over the internet. With a limited supply of food and water, time is quickl When private investigator Nick Heller returns home to Boston to set up his own agency, he soon gets an urgent case closer to home than expected.

With a limited supply of food and water, time is quickly running out. Nick is determined to catch the perpetrators but when Marcus is arrested by the FBI for fraud, accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, Nick realises that he has some powerful enemies who may have the motivation to go after his daughter and a conspiracy that reaches up to the very highest levels of government. Nick must play a dangerous game if he hopes to flush out those responsible before Alexa is buried for good Full review on my blog: There are no discussion topics on this book yet.

Videos About This Book. Or maybe a professor of Russian history. Born in Chicago, Joe spent his early childhood living around the world, including Afghanistan and the Philippines. After taking a high school seminar on the literature and history of Russia, Joe was hooked. He went on to major in Russian studies at Yale, where he also sang with the school's legendary a cappella group, the Whiffenpoofs and likes to boast that he sang next to Ella Fitzgerald, an honorary Whiffenpoof. He was recruited to the Central Intelligence Agency but eventually decided he preferred writing fiction.

This book is no longer in print. So he wrote his first novel — the only way he could legally tell the whole Armand Hammer saga. Trained in the Special Forces, Nick is a high-powered intelligence investigator — exposing secrets that powerful people would rather keep hidden. He's a guy you don't want to mess with. He's also the man you call when you need a problem fixed. Joe lives in Boston with his wife, daughter, and a needy golden retriever, Mia, a dropout from seeing-eye-dog school.

Other books in the series. The Nick Heller books in chronological order currently take place in the same order they were published. Nick Heller is a character introduced by thriller award winning author Joseph Finder.

Publication Order of Nick Heller Short Stories

The American writer has a wide range of best-sellers, like Paranoia,Company man,Killer instinct and High crimes. Joseph Finder falls in the class of the most successful thriller novelist in this day. He was born on October 6th in Chicago Illinois. His parents were constantly moving from Afghanistan and Philippines during his early childhood before permanently moving to the U. Harvard University was the foundation he needed to launch his career. While in Harvard Joseph studied Russian History. What is ironic is that Joseph never intended to become a novelist.

In fact, his ambition was to be a spy. This was probably due to the fact that he grew up in Afghanistan and his interest in Russian history. The second book is a continuation whereby the previous connection leads to a coup in Russia. The books became an international hit instantly. He was immediately recognized as one of the best spy thriller writer of all time. Having gotten this positive review Joseph published more thrillers namely, the Zero hour, Extraordinary powers and High Crimes.

The New York Times named him the master of a complex suspense formula. Nick is a intelligence officer with the special forces or what many would call a private spy. His work is to uncover secrets that powerful individuals would rather have buried. In the process, Heller finds himself at the center of a storm of conspiracies that are life threatening. He however has no choice but to find ways of helping the people he cares about as well as ensure he completes his missions.

He has a stubborn nature and will always uncover any hidden truth,lies and conspiracies. Vanished begins the story of spy Nick Heller. The plot starts with a young couple Lauren Heller and her husband Roger Heller. They go out one night only to be brutally attacked by unknown assailants. A couple of hours later, Lauren is in a coma at the hospital and her husband is missing. The hospital staff are not aware of a another patient apart from her. Nick is younger brother to Roger and the task falls on him to find Roger. His training in the special forces gives him the confidence that he will find Roger soon.

However the case ends up not being easy at all. He discovers another dangerous life his brother had that could threaten the lives of Lauren and her son. The behavior of his contractor also seems quite suspicious. Horrible secrets begin to surface. As if that is not enough Heller finds out that there are some powerful people hell bent on keeping this information secret. Nick has to do everything to protect his family and also find his brother.

Unknown to him is that he is taking on a most lethal enemy. Buried Secrets is yet another breathtaking Nick Heller series. The plot begins when Nick returns to his home in Boston. He is approached by an old friend Marshall Marcus. What is worse is that her face is all over the internet in some sort of underground coffin buried alive where she is slowly dying. The kidnappers are professional so there is no evidence of her location.

• Travels in the Great Desert of Sahara, in the Years of 1845 and 1846
• La Bibbia dei Bambini - Fumetto Nascita di Gesù (Italian Edition)
• Sold as a Slave (Penguin Great Journeys)
• The Infinite River
• Story as Case Study: The initial research methodology
• The Duke of Tallis
• Savage Girls and Wild Boys: A History of Feral Children