Seventy Times Seven

by Brandt Dodson

Book Overview

The next fast-paced suspense novel in the Colton Parker Mystery series, from Brandt Dodson, author of Original Sin. Lester Cheek had everything a man could want. A beautiful home, thriving business... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0736918108
• ISBN13: 9780736918107
• Release Date: August 2006
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Awesome!!

Fabulous book. Reminds me of the early days of Robert Parker only I think Dodson's writing is better. His books will all be in my permanent collection.

A Colton Park Mystery

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (12/06) Colton Parker is a private investigator who has recently lost his wife Anna in a car accident after a family argument and who now finds himself struggling to be a good father to his thirteen year old daughter, Callie. Callie is a typical teen with the common issues most teens have with parents while growing into adulthood. However, with the loss of her mother, Callie now struggles with the loss of her own self-image. She is no longer the star on the soccer field or the honor student she once was. She has now even tried to take her own life and is no longer the popular teen she once was. Callie resents her father because she heard the argument between her parents before her mother left the house and suffered in the unfortunate and fatal car accident. As a private investigator, Colton has been asked to find a missing person, the wife of Lester Cheek, who has disappeared without a clue as to why or where she might be. Lester is heartbroken and desperately wants Claudia's safe return. Colton digs into his assignment and makes some quite unexpected discoveries amidst life threatening dangers. If you like suspense and intensity, you will not be disappointed. When Colton finally pieces together some of the puzzle, he is painfully reminded of his mother abandoning him so many years ago as a young child on the steps of the local hospital, only to be shuffled from one foster home to another. He desperately wants Callie to have a better home life than he had, but can he change the pattern that has been set in motion? "Seventy Times Seven" is a story about the importance of forgiveness. It is about Callie forgiving her father, Colton forgiving his absent mother, Beverly, when she abandoned him, and Lester forgiving his wife, Claudia, for her past. The story of the prodigal son helps Colton realize where all healing must begin. God's love covers all our failures if we only seek forgiveness. "Seventy Times Seven" is full of suspense, intrigue and drama, but it carries a message worth hearing. We have all sinned and have needed to seek forgiveness at some point in our lives. I found Brandt Dobson's work to be enjoyable and meaningful, and I recommend it to other adults who enjoy mystery stories with a message. This book offers more than just entertainment.

fast paced suspense

Colton Parker is a private investigator with a struggling business, a troubled daughter, and very little money. Lester Cheek, who was known as Cheek the Geek in high school, has a beautiful home, a thriving business, and a missing wife. Parker agrees to look for Claudia, Lester's wife, but all the signs say she chose to leave. Then Claudia's car is found with bloodstains in the trunk and it looks like Lester is right. Something has happened to her. The search for Claudia locks Colton into a race againt time against a cold-blooded international hit man in an effort to stop a murder for hire. Seventy Times Seven is a fast moving story with a tight plot and pulse racing suspense. Brandt Dodson's Colton Parker is one tough Private Investigator. He always leaves the reader looking forward to the next book.

Minimalist Perfection

Dodson's "Original Sin" was one of my favorite discoveries of the last year: a gritty mystery, told in sparse style, with snappy dialogue along the lines of Elmore Leonard, and a beating heart beneath the tough guy exterior. I wondered if he could pull it off again, in his second Colton Parker mystery. And I wasn't disappointed. Although "Seventy Times Seven" takes a bit longer to snare the reader, it becomes an even better mystery than its predecessor. This time, Private Investigator Colton is trying to find a missing woman. The initial suspicions that she has merely run off from her wealthy, but homely, husband seem like run-of-the-mill stuff--until Colton begins stumbling upon some very intriguing contradictions. Along the way, he is dealing with his own wife's passing and his teen daughter's resulting depression. The estrangement between father and daughter is portrayed with minimalist perfection, spliced between surprises and action from the larger plot. There are some rich rewards in this story, particularly for those who have read the first book. Nevertheless, this is a stand-alone mystery, and even new readers to the series will be able to follow along. I love the poetic prose of authors such as James Lee Burke, but Dodson never tries to be something he's not. He writes more along the lines of Chandler and Leonard, while still serving up a story of God's forgiveness in the midst of harsh realities. Colton Parker is a skeptic, but one slowly turning toward the light. With the third installment due in January '07, I'm assured to kick off the new year with another satisfying Dodson mystery.

Seven Times Seventy

This is the 2nd book in the Colton Parker series. If you have not read the first book "Original Sin" check it out it is an excellent debut by this author. Colton is like anyone else trying to balance time for his daughter and trying to keep a roof over their heads. In this 2nd book Colton is hired by Lester Cheek an owner of several retails chain stores to find his missing wife Claudia. The events that unfold bring Colton into a dangerous and emotional adventure. Great unpredictable reading that keeps you excited about turning the next page. I am excited about the 3rd book due out the Jan of 2007.