Creative Arts (paperback); ISBN: 0-88739-200-8
Seized is aptly named. Somewhere around page 70 the book captured me. I'm not exactly sure what did it, but all of a sudden I couldn't read Seized fast enough. As for fixing dinner, well, the family was on its own until I finished. Luckily, I'm a fast reader.  

In Seized, Shockey creates a seemingly idyllic life for main characters Mark and Rhonda Colter. Then, he systematically tears this life apart, piece by piece. Very soon the reader can't help but ask, why are these things happening to such nice people? What did they do to deserve this?  

Meanwhile, the secrets in Mark and Rhonda's past threaten to tear them apart. Can they come clean with each other before disaster strikes one last and terrifyingly final time? 

The jacket copy makes no secret of the fact that a textbook example of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder plays a key role in Shockey's fast-paced, gripping plot. Symptoms and information about his debilitating disorder are woven tightly into the narrative, but Shockey does it so well, you never get the feeling you're being forcibly "educated" on the subject.  

Instead, the background Shockey provides adds greater depth to the characters without taking away from the main story. The fact that after reading the book I came away with a better understanding of the problem was almost accidental -- at least on my part. 

So, if you like a well constructed, fast paced mystery with a touch of true love mixed in, grab a copy of Seized before it grabs you. Just start reading it when you have an uninterrupted block of time. Your family and friends will thank you.  

Susan Yonts-Shepard

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