On the Run

By: Iris Johansen

Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck

For eight years, single mother Grace Archer has been living a picture-perfect life raising her daughter on a horse farm in the small town of Tallanville, Alabama. Watching Frankie grow into a talented and confident young girl has made Grace as happy as any mother could hope to be. Happy enough, even, to forget the past. But the past never quite goes away. Which is why a certain charismatic man also moved to Tallanville eight years ago to watch over her.

But when violence threatens to shatter Grace and Frankie's idyllic home, the waiting is over. The ghosts of the past have returned. And they're hungry for blood. Now Grace must resume an identity she thought she had cast off forever, and match wits with an opponent as deadly as he is cunning. The prize: an extraordinary secret that only she can unfold. The forfeit: losing the thing more precious to her than life itself.©2005 Johansen Publishing LLLP; (P)2005 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Johansen blends action, suspense and family values.... Readers may expect a sequel."--Publishers Weekly


“[A] suspense story with feminine appeal!”--OK! Magazine

very good

I have all Iris Johansen's books, and this one is one of my favorites and I was happy to find it in the audio unabridged form. I now have many of her books in audio unabridged form (I detest the abridged form of audio and refuse to purchase any abridged books, I will not even listen to them for free!). I was so excited to see Wait until Midnight was out in audio (another of my favorite books) and then just as I was going to purchase it I saw that it was abridged....darn it anyhow....so disappointing....of course I did not buy it.

Amazing

The narrator does awesome. I have always liked this story but the narrator really brought it to life.

On the Run leaves you breathless ...

Dramatic, Captivating, with slow entrancing sensuality. The slowly, evolving romance, intertwined with the exciting narrative, a superb Johansen classic. A solid 5 star winner.

If you're looking for action, look elsewhere

I was intrigued by the story line and the online summary convinced me to download and listen to it. Overall, I was disappointed. Not to be sexist, but it was obvious that the book was written by a woman. To clarify, the author spends too much time developing the sexual tension between the two main characters (Grace and Kilmer) and Grace’s ‘motherly instinct’ is prevalent throughout. This is not necessarily a bad thing – if you want to read a book that is more about the characters and how they “feel” more than an action book. I wanted the latter so I was left flat and wanting more action. The story was too much about Kilmer and Grace than developing an action-packed story.

The other thing that was somewhat unrealistic was the dialogue with Grace’s daughter (Frankie). I have three children (who are well above average intellect) and I do not find myself conversing with them in the almost silly, frank manner of the book. Nor do they discuss things in the manner in which Frankie does in the story. The whole interaction between Grace and Frankie got too monotonous and superficial (for me).

The last point I will make is that you are almost two-thirds through the book before you discover the significance of “the pair” (you will have to find this out for yourself – I won’t spoil it for you). So, you think finally the story will pick up, and it does, but still not enough. The ending seems a bit anti-climatic and is wrapped up too abruptly. I kept waiting for a surprise thinking that surely it’s not over just like that. But it was – except for the story of how are things resolved for Kilmer, Grace and Frankie. That part of the story continued to drag on for almost another half hour.

Not a bad story overall, but it was just not what I was looking for.

Disappointed

I was very disappointed with this book. I've read (not listened to) other books by her & liked them. This one made it obvious that she has reverted back to her Harlequin days. She spent too much time exploring their "should I do him/her, or not" feelings instead of developing the plot, the characters personalities, & some ACTION!!!