Stealing People by Robert Wilson, a Mysterious Review.

Review: Charlie Boxer, a freelance consultant and an expert in kidnappings and his ex-wife Detective Inspector Mercy Danquah are drawn together to investigate the disappearance of six children, in Stealing People, the third mystery in this series by Robert Wilson.

The connection between the six abducted children is the fact that their parents are billionaires from around the globe who have great power in their respective countries. The consortium that executed the capture of these children was exceedingly well organized as all of the children were taken within a thirty-two hour period. They believe the parents are abusing their power in the politics of the government of their country by using corruption and crimes against humanity. This includes terrorist attacks, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A phone call to each parent was made demanding a payment of £25 million for "expenses" — not a ransom. In each case this call was the first the parent knew about their child being abducted.

Separately, Boxer has been hired by a young woman searching for her missing father, Conrad Jensen. His investigation leads him to believe that Jensen, a billionaire in his own right, is involved in some way with the kidnapped children investigation that DI Danquah is leading. Jensen is a cynical ex-military intelligence agent with suspicious ties all over the world. Plus, he has all the money he needs to organize this kind of plot. When Mercy and Charlie's daughter goes missing, the stakes are raised. Mercy and Charlie must work quickly to find the victims before one by one they are tortured and killed.

Stealing People is a gripping suspense thriller. The complex storyline is handled well at a pace that keeps the tension simmering at all times. Of particular note is the relationship between Charlie Boxer and Mercy Danquah; though divorced, they share a common passion and their commitment to it is laudable. Their personal story is interwoven into the overall story exceptionally well. This multi-faceted novel is definitely worth seeking out.

Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of Stealing People.

Acknowledgment: Europa Editions provided a copy of Stealing People for this review.

Capital Punishment
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Hardcover), March 2013
ISBN-13: 9780547935195; ISBN-10: 0547935196

Stealing People

A Charles Boxer Thriller by Robert Wilson