THE KIDNAPPING OF ALICE INGOLD

CATE HOLAHAN

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold, by veteran suspense writer Kate Holahan, lives up to its hype. A few have said that it could have been better. Still, the writer put her best foot forward in delivering a suspenseful novel with lifelike characters and a far-fetched but conceivable scenario.

Alice Ingold is a student at a California University and the daughter of wealthy parents whose dad spends more time in his ever-expanding tech business than with his daughter. As frequently happens 19 year 19-year-old college students have arguments with their parents. In this case, Allison has a blowout with her mother. Before the reader knows it, Alice is kidnapped. The readers may be led to believe that this is a typical kidnapping wherein the perpetrators want money in exchange for releasing their victim. However, this may or may not be the case as readers scratch their heads attempting to suss out the perpetrators' goal. The book examines artificial intelligence and modern technology as we know it, both the good and the bad. The book reads like a fast-paced crime novel, portraying characters as they might react to an egregious event like a kidnapped family member.

The story explores numerous facets of today's society while taking the reader on a wild ride into the minds of all involved. The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold is well worth reading for its insights into today's nonstop tech, human vulnerability, greed, and unpredictability.