The Mistaken

All Tyler Karras wants is to enjoy life with his expectant bride; what he gets instead is a graveside seat at her funeral. With the woman who killed her uncharged and still free, all Ty wants now is revenge. His brother, Nick, has dangerous connections and suggests a sadistic plan: grab the woman responsible and hand her over to his associates—sex-traffickers in San Francisco’s Russian Mafia. They offer Ty more than he dreamed possible. In exchange for the woman, they’ll finally let his brother leave the business for good—with his debt wiped clean and his heart still beating.

There’s just one problem: Ty kidnaps the wrong woman.

Now he must protect her from the very enemy he’s unleashed, but the Russians are holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal. Caught in a no-win situation, Ty must find a way to save himself, his brother, and the woman, but with the Russian Mafia, even two out of three makes for very long odds

*May Contain Spoilers*

Nancy S. Thompson takes the thriller genre to an entirely new level with her novel, The Mistaken. I was blown away by the characters, the plot, and the twists that tie them all together. 

Tyler Karras is the main character, a Brit who lives in San Francisco by way of Australia  He's the kind of man who walks the straight and narrow, never even attempting to bend the rules. He's full of love, passion, and the desire to help his younger brother become a better man. Though his life is full of misfortune. 

As his life slowly crumbles, Tyler adds weight to his own shoulders, taking the blame for the choices of others. Readers will connect with him easily at first, but the bond is strained when Tyler's actions turn him into a monster who dreams of nothing but revenge. 

Hannah Maguire, a character who shares the narration with Tyler throughout the novel, is the example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Though she's ripped from her own life and thrown into one filled with murder, the Russian mafia, and an emotionally ruined Tyler, Hannah is an astounding character. She remains strong throughout the turmoil she is forced into, showing love and forgiveness for those who are forsaken. 

She was definitely my favorite character and a very easy one to connect to. Though some of her actions were hard to understand, such as her developing feelings for Tyler after he kidnapped her and attempted to rape her. (Stockholm syndrome?) 

The plot was well-paced and a shocking realization that revenge really is a dish best served cold. With a warm heart and a sense of love still in place, it's hard to carry out the "justice" you wish to serve. Thompson explores this with Tyler, giving him the chance to avenge his wife and dead child, taking readers to the very edge of sanity. 

The Mistaken is a tornado of mayhem as revenge is sought after with the deceiving promise that justice will heal all wounds. 

Rating: 4.5/5 cups

The Mistaken