DEAN KOONTZ

Born – July 9, 1945Hometown – Everett PennsylvaniaMarried Gerda October 15, 1966NO Children

THE PROTAGANIST Mitch Rafferty

He is so devoted to finding his wife. Really nice, good spirit All around friendlygood guy

Antagonists

Anson Jimmy Null Julian Campbell

Mitch Rafferty

He will risk everything he is and has for his Wife.He is just a simplelandscaper, yet shows how capable he is of fighting back

Favorite Character

Least Favorite Character Anson

Betrays Mitch and Stabs him in the back. Sells Child porn to get rich quick.

Mitch Rafferty is the owner of a small landscaping company.

He is married to Holly, they are both around 27years old. Holly

Landscaping tools

Exposition

Mitch Rafferty’s wife, Holly, gets kidnapped and he is told to raise 2 million dollars to get her back. He realizes his brother Anson has the money but is betrayed and discovers that Anson gets his money through an illegal Internet company that downloads untraceable adult and child pornography. Eventually he captures Anson, ties him up, steals the money, and heads off to pay the ransom and get Holly back.

Rising Action

After much difficulty Mitch acquires a gun and arrives at the drop point. The kidnapper talks to Mitch, and Holly is able to distract the kidnapper while Mitch shoots him, but doesn’t initially realize that he had a bullet-proof vest on. The kidnapper then chases Mitch and Holly with a motorcycle but Mitch shoots him in the head.

Climax

Mitch and Holly leave and go to the cops, where it is all taken care of.

Falling Action

The book ends with an epilogue. It is Mitch’s 32nd birthday. We learn that Anson’s boss Julian Campbell has been murdered in prison and Anson is currently on death row. Mitch and Holly have two children and will eventually have a third, and Mitch's business is doing well.

Resolution

Setting

Occurs in present time

Occurs in Orange County, Cal.- Mitch’s hometown by parents and brother.

THEMES Greed – Most of the world today is

consumed by greed and envy which could be a good social issue for discussion

Power of Love- How far are people willing to go for the ones that they love, another good topic

Kidnapping – Kidnapping is occurring all around us and is a big deal.

RATING I would give this book an 8 because it

keeps your attention through out the whole book. No slow parts, great writing.

Social Issue - Kidnapping

Introduction Judge Simon Goldstein said, “…the

crime of kidnap is, after murder, the vilest and foulest crime known to English criminal law” (Houston)

800,000 missing each year (Houston)

Statistics Every 40 seconds in the United States, a child is reported

missing or abducted. Of child victims of kidnappings, 40% are killed, 4% are never

found, 71% are taken by a stranger and 29% are taken by a slight acquaintance

In 80% of abductions by strangers, the first contact occurs within a quarter mile of the child's home. In many cases, the abduction does, too.

Of abducted children who are ultimately murdered, 74% are dead within three hours of the abduction (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1997)

Effects on the Victims That Survive When kidnapped the victims can

experience a variety of things such as: Stockholm Syndrome Dissociative Disorder

Past Case Patty Hearst was kidnapped by a group

called SLA and was later found robbing a bank with them.

It was later said that she was friends with them and liked them when actually she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome

YouTube - Patty Hearst on why she didnt run

Newspaper Article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/worl

d/americas/18haiti.html

Poem The Kidnapping by Rosemary J. Gwaltney And when the great dark hand stretched out its claws

Devouring her girl-child, six years old - yet Wet-winged and tender, dew-damp and dear;A rupture of her deepest Spirit's core Triggered molten lava rivers - Thickly churning down the steepImperial mountains of her years of devotion. Burning ravaging scars across wide Wilderness valleys of hideous new emptiness. Cooling and hardening, imprisoning her Solidly beneath the crust.

YouTube - Daughtry "All These Lives" Child Abduction Video

Song showing some missing children over the years.

We all need to pay more attention to the missing people and make a better effort to help in the community with kidnappings.

Bibliography “Patty Hearst Biography.” Patty Hearst Biography. Wikipedia,

1982. Web. 26 Feb.2010http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/Patty-Hearst/biography

“Juvenile Kidnapping-A Rare Occurrence.” Kidnapping Statistics and Prevention. 26 Nov. 2008. Web. 26 Feb. 2010. www.kidnappingstatistics.com

Houston, Daniel W. “Kidnap and Ransom: Crisis Management Introduction (Part 1 of 2).” www.riskvue.com. Mar. 2003. Warren, McVeigh & Griffin, Inc. 24 Feb. 2010 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/917935/Salt-Lake-girl-taken-from-her-home.html