Burned

By David Hagberg

Book Overview

Patty and David Monroe have flown to Moscow to repair a business deal which has gone bad when it suddenly turns nightmarish. Shooting David and kidnapping Patty, their Russian business partners drive her to a ramshackle dacha twenty miles east of Moscow. There, her captors along with brutal Islamic terrorists will attempt to ransom her. Patty will face the most frightening ordeal imaginable.For the first time in history, FBI agents must work with Russian security forces. In an atmosphere of violent mistrust and political hatred, only their burning desire to rescue Patty Monroe will hold the operation together."Burned" is inspired by the horrifying ordeal of Yvonne Bornstein. Kidnapped in Russia in the 1990s by Islamic terrorists, Yvonne and her husband were held for ransom. During her captivity she was tortured, starved, and abused. Her captors were affiliated with early al Qaeda partisans. While this book is fiction, "Burned" captures the spirit of Yvonne's resistance and ultimate triumph."

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0765357518
• ISBN13: 9780765357519
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: Forge
• Length: 341 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.3" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

A tutorial in enmity

This is undoubtably the best book I have read by David Hagberg so far. The amazing thing is it is based on fact of a kidnapping that was performed in the 90's. I found it to be striking not only with the capture and holding of the hostage but the cooperation between the two countrys and their law enforcement was stellar. I only can hope that part is true and we can continue to function together as nations to wipe out these monsters that claim a loving religion but are still living in the fourteenth century and kill all that do not beleive in their doctrine.

All I can say is, 'Wow!' What a thriller...

'Burned' is something a little different than what Mr. Hagberg has given us fans of his novels in the past...and for those wanting another In Yer Face Kirk McGarvey Action-drenched thriller--do NOT let this one pass you by. Taking a story that is based on actual events definitely isn't what us fans are used to, nor what we were expecting, either...but having been 100% happy with his last dozen (or so) novels, I figured buying Burned wouldn't be too much of a gamble. As it turned out, I cashed in BIG time on my decision to buy. I have a nephew who did a tour of Russia as a Sports Exchange Student (wrestling) and after hearing just a couple minutes of what that country is like, the details I found in this book did not come as much of a surprise...as another reviewer also noted, making ANY plans to vacation in Russia probably ought to be seriously re-considered. The idea of being kidnapped in a foreign country has GOT to be on the mind of just about anyone who visit the confines of a country as un-stable as certain parts of Russia (in all fairness, not ALL of the country is horrible)...and yet people still go. Weird, huh? Personally I don't get it. If there is even a TINY chance I could get taken and held for ransom, I'm reasonably certain my destination plans would dramatically change...who knows? That may explain why I haven't gone too far from home for the last few years? Patti Monroe is visiting Russia on a business trip that she and her husband would rather not have to make, but its a business problem, and David (husband) is determined to make amends for his 'problem' as much as he can, given the circumstances. Without warning--literally--Patti's world is upturned and she finds herself a victim in a situation that she doesn't even fully understand. It becomes all-too-apparent that those responsible are associated with terrorists hell-bent on securing a nuclear weapon to be brought into the United States, all for purposes I believe we can all guess at--and probably be 100% correct. The resulting horrific treatment Patti receives is pretty graphic as well as disturbing--and for those who are offended easily by such frank descriptions, well, you could find reading 'Burned' to be difficult, at best. Whether or not you believe Patti and her resulting actions are believable, well I'll let YOU make that call...suffice it to say that I found the novel engrossing and very WELL told (as usual). Thanks again to Mr. Hagberg for making me glad I took a gamble on 'Critical Mass' all those years ago--for in so doing, I have become a lifetime fan. For THIS reviewer, the name Hagberg pretty much equals: guaranteed great read. 'Nuff said.

Scary Scenario!

David and Patti Monroe have traveled to Moscow to salvage a messed up business deal. David has married Patti who comes from a wealthy Boston family. David's business ventures have resulted in disastrous consequences causing them to be on the verge of financial disaster. Once again David has made a horrible investment choice. He is to meet with the Russian businessmen to save losing a fortune. When they leave the airport they are taken out to the countryside. David is shot in the back of the head. Patti is taken hostage and held at a house in a city in Russia. To her horror she finds out that her captors are affiliatef with Chechan terrorists who have strong ties to al-Quaeda. Her hostages want $20 million dollars. They are going to use the funds to slip a nuclear device in the United States. The Moscow police and the FBI are on the case. Both immediately start jockeying for who has jurisdiction in the case. In the meantime Patti is beaten,starved and raped by her captors. Meanwhile the law enforcement agencies are searching desperately for Patti. The FBI even calls upon their vast crime fighting resources to aid in the search. The ransom demands also prove to be tedius. There is also a surprise ending in the book. This is a very good book. I would definitely cancel vacation plans to Russia.

Burned

Mr. Hagberg writes thrillers and they are among the best books I've read but I have to say Burned was truly an amazing book. It's based on experiences that Yvonne Bornstein went though and if only half of what the character Patti Monroe went thru is true, Ms. Bornstein is truly an amazing woman with courage that has no bounds. I always pick up David Hagberg's books, usually don't even read what they are about as I know I'm going to love it. This book pulls you in from the beginning and keeps it's hold on you. In the book, Patti Monroe goes to Russia with her husband to fix a business deal that went wrong, she is kidnapped by Chechens tied to Al Queda and over the next eleven days, this woman is raped, beaten and tortured and brutalized beyond belief. What makes her such an amazing woman is how she continues to fight and refuses to go down without a fight. There are not many heroes out there that we can look up to but Ms. Bornstein is truly one of them. I was so touched by her ordeal and her strenght, I went to her website to read through it and I have ordered her book. I truly wish I could meet this woman in person, she is a woman we all can be proud of, man or woman, you can't help but admire her and be touched by all she went through. The FBI worked with the Russians to rescue her, they all worked together for a common good instead of against each other. I strongly suggest you read her book after reading Burned. I couldn't stop reading till I finished, I just had to keep going. An amazing book and an amazing woman.

David Hagberg's best book

David Hagberg's best book-5+ stars David Hagberg is a good writer of suspense thrillers and without a doubt Burned is his best book to date. Based loosely on the true life ordeal of Yvonne Bornstein who was kidnapped in Russia by Islamic terrorist and held for ransom, Mr. Hagberg writes a compelling thriller pulling out all the stops. He links the Russian Mafia, Islamist terrorists, the Russia Internal Affairs (police), Russian Special Forces (Spetsnaz) and the American FBI in an all out hunt for the kidnapped American woman-Patti Monroe. He breaks the fast paced novel down into an intense 11 day search. During those tension filled 11 days Patti Monroe is forced to suffer maximum brutality at the hands of the kidnappers. Death and pain is her constant companion. The Russian police and American FBI finally join forces to successfully located where the kidnappers have Mrs. Monroe held. But still the story evolves into a dramatic conclusions of twists and turns. Well done Mr. Hagberg. Good, tight, realistic story of Russian brutality in a world where life is cheap and living is an ordeal of maximum endurance. Very good character development. Each character literally comes alive as the story evolves. It was interesting to see how Mrs. Monroe coped with her dreadful situation. I also enjoyed how Mr. Hagberg developed the inner workings of the Russian police department. Unlike America, they are given much freer rein to deal with criminals and corruption. The working together of the Russian police and American FBI was also interesting. A brutal, graphically violent novel. Strong language. All germane to the story and well done. No gratuitous sex. All in all a tough, gritty story of what it would be like to be kidnapped by violent men in Russia. Strong recommend. This book will get your attention and hold it all the way through. A real page turner-I read it in 2 ½ nights. Good for that next long trans-Pacific or trans-Atlantic flight. This is David Hagberg at his absolute best.