Synopses & Reviews
What is the price for one mistake?
Two strangers on a train.
A taste of temptation.
A life thrown terrifyingly off course.
Successful ad exec and loyal family man Charles Schine has never missed the 8:43...until today. He's late for his usual ride, but he's right on time for his worst nightmare.
Sitting across from him on the 9:05 is the type of woman he's only dared to dream about. He takes a risk, breaks a vow, and soon his life is spiraling violently out of control. He betrays his family. A man is murdered. And a small fortune is lost. Now Charles must begin the most perilous journey of all the fight to get his life back on track.
Review
"Full of twists and surprises." Newsday
Review
"[N]ot so much a novel, as an ingenious little machine that seizes you, intrigues you, titillates you, and finally cuts you loose, a bit bewildered but with a smile on your face....Derailed is popular fiction at its slickest and should find a multitude of readers." The Washington Post
Review
"The buzz is warranted...one of the most exciting thrillers in years....With its clean prose, high-velocity plotting and just the right amount of emotional shading darkening its sharply drawn characters, this novel is the bomb." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
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"[P]reposterous, compulsively readable....Irresistible hokum written with an obvious eye on Hollywood..." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"[A] one-note, depressive style, with the writing veering from bland tough guy to poor man's poetic....Siegel's over-the-top tone and the flatness of his characters detract from the improbable yet intriguing plot." Booklist
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"[A] riveting story in which the prose glides as effortlessly as Charles's descent into hell....The immensely satisfying plot is marked by multidimensional characters, a highly original structure, an ever more gripping duel, and authentic details..." Library Journal
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"The novel is a whopper of a story....This thriller was made for a long plane trip. Just keep your eyes on the page." USA Today
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"Derailed sure derailed me for a couple of nights. What a neat, twisty, well-written thriller! James Siegel has arrived in high style." James Patterson, author of Along Came a Spider
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"[A] book that scares, angers, repulses and leaves you hoping for a happy ending....It is an entirely plausible story and that's what really frightened me." BookReporter.com
Review
"There is something to be said for quick reads that hold your interest, even though they don't fool you. Escapism is as good as any reason to read a book, so enjoy Derailed for what it is." Denver Post
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"Derailed is very effective....Siegel shows himself to be every bit the writer [James] Patterson is. Really creepy, very scary." New York Daily News
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"[S]uperficially entertaining and easily consumed....[T]oo often, [Derailed] ask[s] us to take a leap of faith without tying the bungee cord to anything substantial, like reality. (Grade: B-)" Entertainment Weekly
Synopsis
For Charles Schine, it began as a quiet, ordinary day with a simple commute to work . . . until he meets the seductive, mysterious Lucinda Harris -- an encounter that will irrevocably wreck his life. From multi-talented writer James Siegel comes a highly charged, suspenseful tale of murder, betrayal, and revenge. Warner Books is proud to present Siegel's newest thriller, featuring rich characterizations and a scintillating plot that builds to an explosive climax sure to stun readers.
Synopsis
The New York Times bestselling thriller about a businessman whose life becomes a nightmare when he gets involved with the wrong woman on a train is now in paperback. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Clive Owen (Croupier, Closer) and Jennifer Aniston (Friends).
About the Author
James Siegel is vice chairman, senior executive creative director and member of the Board of Directors of BBDO New York and is one of the agency's top creative talents. His work includes such accounts as Visa, Frito-Lay (Tostitos), Charles Schwab, Office Depot, and Pepsi Twist, where his contributions have played a significant role in enhancing the agency's creative reputation. Siegel holds a B.A. from the City University of New York. He lives on Long Island in New York.