Friday, January 3, 2014

Randy says: "Completely Unique in So Many Ways"




Flashback [Kindle Edition]

Kevin Mark Smith 

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He’s on the verge of making his dreams come true… Then a dream, a dead client, and a mysterious stranger shatter his world… 

Kenneth Cartwright, Attorney at Law, is a success by all the world’s standards. He’s even landed the client that will earn him the law partnership he desperately craves. Yet, a simpler, happier life haunts his dreams, making him regret his life choices. Just as he begins to see hope of that life becoming reality, those connected to his wealthy client begin dying. Can Kenneth solve the murders before success destroys everyone he loves? 

Kenneth’s nightly flashbacks are to a simpler life, one not nearly as successful as the one he’s living. Why does he wish the dreams were reality? More important, why do the dreams feel more real than reality itself? Will the trappings of success destroy him and everyone he loves before he discovers the truth behind his dreams? 

Stacy stumbles across a sad yet successful lawyer in a coffee shop. How can someone who looks so successful be so empty? As their friendship grows they discover there’s more to life than just success, and that the love of money truly is the root of all evil. Will they survive the evil closing in? Will Ken finally discover the joy he’s been missing in his life?







4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Completely Unique in So Many Ways September 2, 2013
By Randy
Format:Paperback
I'm still trying to determine the right genre for this book. If you read it and can identify this for me, I'd be in your debt.

Spoiler Alert! There is nothing I can tell you about "Flashback" that won't ruin this crazy (I can't say it or it would give too much away) thriller, romp through multiple XXXX, and even includes a romance with an XXXXX.

I can tell you that I prefer to be very regimented about my sleep, going to bed at the same time every night. "Flashback" got in the way of my discipline.

Some might call this a legal thriller. So we have criminal investigations, corporate shenanigans, smart lawyers, outstanding PI's, dead bodies, bombs, chases, romantic interludes, spiritual interventions, and so much more.

Some books are easily compared to others. Some authors are easily pegged. I really can't think of any book I've read which brings more complexity to the story, yet does it in such a way as you can "almost" always follow it. I say the almost part with kindness. A lesser author who had the same wild imagination could have easily confused his audience beyond hope of redemption.

Like any good Christian novel, you have a chance to think about the implications of the actions, failures, and successes of the characters. But for those who prefer a light touch on the morality play aspect, Smith delivers here, too. There is no doubt where Smith stands, and there is a great message, but it is not delivered with a sledge hammer. And the message never requires deviating from the natural feel of the circumstances.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Reading and Wondering August 27, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition
Flashback by Kevin Mark Smith is a narrative from the mind of a money hungry lawyer or, at least, that's what it seems to be when you first delve into the novel. Kenneth Cartwright lives in his corporate world, a highly paid attorney, sought after by many wealthy clients. He has all the material possessions he could ever want or hope for until he meets Stacy. Then there are the dreams he has of a home, wife, and kids. As a reader, I was as intrigued as he was to know which world was real and which was fantasy, although it seemed obvious ... at first.
Smith writes a intriguing look at hunger for material possessions and lonliness versus contentment with necessities and a life aside from work. This was a good story, kept me reading and wondering.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Ending! August 29, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Affluent Dallas attorney, Kenneth Cartwright, was living a life driven by his passion for success. Something he thought he'd acquire by becoming the lawyer his grandfather had been.

But on a hot Monday morning, taking a break in a coffee shop, Ken questioned himself if the path he had chosen so many years before had been the right one. An overwhelming sadness enveloped him as memories of another life, one with a wife and children, clouded his vision.

His dream life and now life parallel each other in most ways, but veered off at the outcome. That's when he meets Stacy. A few days later Ken received a referral and a multilayered case riddled with fraud, deceit, and murder. As he falls in love with Stacy, he discovers there's more to life than wealth and achievement.

Mr. Smith writes a very compelling novel. There's edge-of-your-seat suspense as well as a depth in character development that has the reader identifying with the players in this gripping saga. The unexpected ending completes the story.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Story That Lingers August 27, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition
I have found another "favorite" writer.

Kevin Mark Smith writes about a wealthy attorney, dissatisfied with the lack of meaning in his life.

The facinating part of this story for me was the unexpected plot twists. I'm getting pretty good at figuring out the end of a story. That doesn't keep me from enjoying the book though, because I love this type of challange.

However, this book did not go at all as I expected. And yet the story lingers in my mind. Something every author hopes for and so few succeed.

Good job Mr. Smith. I eagerly await your next novel.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Grab your seat and hang on for the ride! September 16, 2013
Format:Kindle Edition
I guarantee you I did not see this one coming! That's how I felt at the end of Kevin Mark Smith's Flashback. The surprise twist at the end will leave you reeling. In between, get ready for a roller coaster ride complete with all the twists and turns of the best legal thrillers out there including murder, espionage, money laundering, spy tactics and more. When you add in a love story and dreams that seem more real than reality, you have all the ingredients for a great read. You won't want to put this one down.

Watch out John Grisham, Kevin Mark Smith is knocking on your door and I will be watching for his next book with great anticipation.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read September 15, 2013
By Carlene
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a unique book. With elements of romance, fantasy, mystery, and suspense, "Flashback" defies neat categorization into a specific genre. The layers peeled away like an onion, continually surprising me. There are dastardly villains--but hold on! Things are almost never what they seem. Which character is a hero or a villain? What is real and what is imaginary? What really matters in life? Not only did I find this book hard to put down, now that I've finished it I can't quit thinking about it. That's when I know the author really made an impression! "Flashback" could be read as sheer escapism, or taken as a profoundly philosophical work. Either way, I think you'll love it. I did.

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