Books › Knock Out
Knock Out
First published 2009 · 512 pages
A high-octane blend of procedural thrills and paranormal suspense where fiercely protective agents race against time to save a gifted child.
What it feels like
Reading this thriller feels like strapping into a high-speed chase where the stakes are intensely personal and tinged with the supernatural. The narrative moves at a propulsive clip, driven by a chilling cat-and-mouse game between a deeply sinister, cult-like family and fiercely protective law enforcement. There is an eerie, atmospheric tension woven through the procedural elements, thanks to the paranormal abilities at the center of the manhunt. Despite the dark premise of child endangerment and buried bodies, the overarching mood is one of reassurance; the reader is always anchored by highly capable, deeply bonded protagonists who will stop at nothing to shield the innocent. It is a perfect fit for readers who love their fast-paced FBI manhunts served with a side of psychic intrigue and melodramatic, edge-of-your-seat action.
- Mood
- tense
- eerie
- high-stakes
- chilling
- Tone
- urgent
- protective
- suspenseful
- melodramatic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- protecting the vulnerable · the burden of gifts · corrupt bloodlines · found family and safety
- The writing
- Direct, fast-paced, and dialogue-heavy, prioritizing narrative momentum and cinematic suspense over literary flourish.
- The arc
- Begins in a state of terrifying vulnerability and desperate flight, building to a reassuring, action-packed triumph over sinister forces.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave high-stakes FBI thrillers featuring fiercely protective heroes and a compelling dash of paranormal intrigue.
Content notes
- child endangerment
- murder and secret burials
- kidnapping
- cult-like family dynamics
About the book
FBI agents Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock are back in this electrifying thriller from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author.Seven-year-old Autumn Backman has a gift: She can communicate telepathically with others. Not everyone, mind you, but with a select few with whom she shares a special kinship. When Autumn and her mother, Joanna, take her father's ashes to be buried in the family plot in Brickers Bowl, Georgia, the child witnesses a horrifying sight: her grandmother and two uncles, burying a pile of dead bodies in the middle of the night. They head to Titusville, Virginia, to seek the help of an old family friend, but Autumn senses they need assistance on a grand scale. Using her telepathic powers, Autumn calls a man she'd seen only on television: FBI agent Dillon Savich. But before Savich and his wife and partner, Agent Lacey Sherlock, can get on the scene, Autumn and Joanna flee, fearing the retribution of her uncle Blessed. A huge manhunt ensues, with Titusville Sheriff Ethan Merriweather racing to reach the girl before Blessed can get his hands on her. Blessed's got big things planned for Autumn and her gift, and he'll stop at nothing to force her into his growing army of exploited children. Savich, Sherlock, and Merriweather face their most elusive foes to keep Autumn out of harm's way—before it's too late.
Description from Open Library.
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