Passion - Debt Collector 9

Passion by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I suspect anything said would have to be a spoiler to some degree with the conclusion of the both the "season" and the last book of the season. There are eight previous books to be easily spoiled with the wrong word. I only hope someone explains a "season" of books to me some day. Until then, this is a good conclusion to the "season".

Unlike TV series that leaves you hanging with the protagonist falling from an exploding airplane that is in flaming pieces above them… and they are strapped to an airplane seat without a parachute, this season one of Debt Collector concludes!

The good news is there is a season two, and it is available. It's just about a different debt collector.


I've followed Susan Kaye Quinn's writing career. She intended to have five seasons of Debt Collectors, I believe. Don't believe that's going to happen. I believe season two may end the series.

Funny story, J. Michael Straczynski may have been the first person I was aware of who pitched a 5 season series (Babylon 5) and just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong with that series.

I suspect "5 seasons" may have some cosmic curse on it. For the record J. Michael Straczynski is a superpower and manages to make the worst of circumstances come out like precious jewels but I wouldn't plan any "series" to last 5 years. In terms of writing that may be like breaking a mirror, while walking under a ladder as a black cat walks across your path. Still, I wish Ms. Quinn good luck on a 5 season run of Debt Collectors. I have read her "Kira" Mindjack Trilogy and recommend it. I have also purchased several of her other books.

Anyway, Goodread's says: "Lirium attempts to record a debt collector named Molloch in the act of transferring out a child, while stopping him before he can complete the job."

That's not entirely a spoiler for the series or the book!

Also, Lirium is making out with Elena while Dr. Brodskey is doing his first human trial. You may recall that in an earlier book in this season the good Doctor received a "payout" hit because his work was so promising in the field of health.

When Flitstorm, Lirium's supervising bean counter, is supposed to show up to get any information Lirium might have on Molloch, strangers arrive instead. They arrive with guns and at least one bullet strikes directly into the soul of all Lirium holds precious in this world.

So, I give Ms. Quinn this: There are several twists in this concluding book to the season. She has done an excellent job. Not as good or courageous as she did in book six, but she still brilliantly ties all the threads into a tidy bow of a conclusion that left me satisfied. A solid four star book and season.

It may seem odd that I so dearly love Dean Koontz's books and simultaneously feel so adverse to all things Stephen King. My dearest friends understand why and I believe Ms. Quinn's conclusion of Season One of the Debt Collector is evidence that she understand my aversion to King as well. Ms. Quinn may not write quite as well as Mr. King, but she understands how to finish a book infinitely better than Mr. King, and for that I am grateful, particularly since she does it so well.

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