Driven - Debt Collector 5

Driven by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Spoilers for previous Debt Collector books are unavoidable. We are at book five of nine in this "season". Driven (Debt Collector #5). If you've read this far, you will continue to read. I am giving only 3 stars for this book. I decided two chapters prematurely of a solid 4 star book. So, it's my character defect of sticking with decisions that ends up being unfair to this book.

I stopped reading and made notes about how the protagonist was becoming tedious and the minor characters more interesting. Also, I made notes about the audiobook reader's dramatization. Let's move along.

To avoid spoilers, I recommend this book. Events are interesting, exciting, there is big reveal, a big decision, an unexpected twist with the promise of plenty more tension and suspense.


Spoilers:
Lirium nags Ophelia about the history between her and Valac. She tells him to ask Valac. After hours of collecting and an obvious illegal payout Ophelia is finishing up with the client. Leaving Ophelia with the client, Lirium asks Valac if he can have a word. To Lirium's amazement Valac is forthcoming and honest.

Valac breaks down and tells Lirium a great deal of the drama that is Valac's life. The details reveal why he has the attitude that Lirium has thought is so detestable. It also answers the questions Ophelia would not answer about the history between Valac and Ophelia. By the end of Valac's confessions, Lirium has changed his opinions on a great number of things.

Lirium has been warned not to hesitate if Holek, the mob boss asks anything of him. Hesitation can mean certain death, either by Valac instantly draining all his life force or one of his thugs just shooting him. Nico, one of the persistent thugs in this "season" noticed earlier that Lirium is extremely reluctant to collect from children or young people.

Later Valac knocks on the locked door to Lirium's room. Valac never knocks so Lirium knows this will likely be his "test" with Holek.

After meeting Holek, Lirium is surprised when Holek praised him for all his good work. Looking around there is only Nico the thug, Valac, and Holek in the room. Lirium begins to relax suspecting this may not be a test after all.

Just after Holek finishes praising Holek he nods to Nico. When Lirium looks to Nico he has already turned and walked away. Holek starts explaining how this kid has stolen from him and how he hates it when people steal from him. Lirium notices Nico returning dragging along a skinny teenager. Lirium's first thought is, "He noticed I hesitated earlier, so now this is the ultimate test, killing a kid for stealing door keys to Holek's casino. Holek finishes explaining his distaste for the kid. Lirium knows what he will hear next. Valac's warning comes instantly to mind. Do not hesitate.

When Holek tells Lirium to drain the kid, he instantly takes two steps toward the kid. He tells himself, he doesn't have a choice. It is him or the kid.

Susan Kaye Quinn managed to win me back with the last two chapters of this book. I judged this book prematurely.

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