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prospects, decide to embark on a career of kidnapping. They rationalize that most kidnappings go wrong because kidnappers get greedy, kidnapping wealthy people and demanding huge ransoms. What if they played for small stakes, kidnapping wealthy individuals but asking for just $ 50–100,000? The ransom would be easy to get quickly in unmarked bills, and the stakes would be small enough that nobody would be bothered to pursue the matter further. "Far better to pull quick scores. Lower numbers, but higher volume. Snatch guys like Terry Harper, Martin Warner. Midlevel executives, hedge-fund managers, guys with enough money to make the job worthwhile, with families to pay the ransoms, but with no glamour to their names. No romance. Anonymous upper-class fellas who just wanted to see things returned to normal." The team moves from city to city for two years kidnapping people for small ransoms without getting caught or even pursued.
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Laukkanen didn't intend to create a novel series. But the two cops chasing the kidnappers, Kirk
Stevens, an agent with Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Carla Windermere, an FBI agent, made such a great team that Laukkanen's publisher and agent urged him to continue with the duo as
236:
in
October 2009. The financial crisis of 2008 had brought unemployment to 10 percent in the United States. That situation and a chance viewing of a television program on kidnappers gave him the idea for the book. The novel centers around four university students who, because of their poor job
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But Harper ignores the threats of harm to his family and goes to the police in spite of the small stakes. The cops get involved. And then the kidnappers make a huge mistake. They kidnap someone who has underworld connections. Pretty soon they have both the mob and the cops on their tail.
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with
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in creative writing in 2006. After graduation, finding work proved to be a challenge. He even applied to work as a driver for an escort agency, thinking it might provide interesting material for a novel. Finally he came across an ad in
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is a story about the marine salvage business. The book introduces a new heroine, McKenna Rhodes, skipper of a salvage tug called the Gale Force, and her efforts to rescue a capsized freighter in the northern
Pacific near Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
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was a finalist for the
Anthony Award for Best First Novel at Bouchercon 2013, the annual World Mystery Convention. It was also listed as one of the top 100 novels of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews. Laukkanen lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
272:, a novel about an ex-marine, a widow, who was discharged with PTSD, and an ex-convict who team up to rescue a dog named Lucy. Lucy is also the name of Laukkanen's own dog. This was followed by
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Although he knew nothing about poker, he was hired by PokerListings.com and jet-setted around the world for the next three years, covering matches in exotic locales like Monaco and Macau.
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Stevens is an older agent, happily married, while
Windermere is a young and dynamic black woman. There is a subdued sexual chemistry between them as they work to solve the case.
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The longest-running children’s choice book award and the only international award with young readers in both the United States and Canada participating in the program.
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Laukkanen's clever debut, the first in a new crime thriller series, compares favorably to Scott Smith's classic caper novel, A Simple Plan - Publishers Weekly
532:
Here it is not the criminals who are intriguing, but rather the victims who turn out to be far stronger and more remarkable than originally anticipated. -
490:
A fast-moving debut thriller with enough twists to fill a pretzel bag....Let's hope
Laukkanen writes more thrillers like this one - Kirkus Reviews
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179:(born February 20, 1983) is a Canadian mystery writer, the creator of the Stevens and Windermere series, among other novels. His first novel,
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Owen
Laukkanen’s latest thriller features a riveting, tense, and blazing-fast plot. . . his Stevens & Windermere series is solid, but
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A gut-wrenching tale filled with empathy for alienated teens. This may be the best yet in a first-rate series. -
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in 2018. Laukkanen comes from a sea-faring family—his grandfather, uncle and father all were fishermen—and
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Savage, cathartic...Laukkanen deftly mixes sharp social criticism with bleak white-knuckle suspense. -
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The writing is so crisp, the pages almost want to turn themselves. He's a terrific storyteller. -
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Canada’s largest recreational reading program administered by the
Ontario Library Association
841:"'Creep' Franchise Filmmaker Patrick Brice Heads Into 'The Wild' For HBO Max and Warner Max"
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One of the most assured new voices to hit the genre - Sarah
Weinman, Maclean's Magazine
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Mr. Laukkanen has written a first-rate thriller. - Muriel Dobbin, The Washington Times
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Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Readers Choice Award 2023 (Second Place)
296:(2021) was published under his name and was picked up for development with director
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Using the Pseudonym of Owen Matthews, Laukkanen has written two young adult novels:
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After six Windermere and Stevens novels, Laukkanen ventured into new territory with
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International Thriller Writers' Thriller Award: Best First Novel 2013 (nominated)
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International Thriller Writers' Thriller Award: Best Novel 2014 (nominated)
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Laukkanen has been turning out at least one novel a year since 2012.
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A blistering pace and a stomach-turning homicide-for-hire scheme. -
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Spinetingler Magazine Award: Best Novel New Voices 2013 (nominated)
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From a talk given by Laukkanen to the Maple Ridge Writers Group
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1149:"2013 Spinetingler Award Best Novel - New Voices Nominees"
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Action-loving readers will be thrilled with this one. -
719:"Author Owen Laukkanen looks for human nature in crime"
1059:"A Book Spy Review: 'Gale Force' by Owen Laukkanen"
628:
Forest of Reading White Pine Award 2022 (nominated)
562:is Laukkanen’s finest work so far. - Ryan Steck at
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292:, published in 2016. His third Young Adult Novel,
586:Anthony Award: Best First Novel 2013 (nominated)
1111:"Mystery Fanfare: 2013 Barry Award Nominations"
1084:"Kirkus Review: Gale Force by Owen Laukkanen"
589:Barry Award: Best First Novel 2013 (finalist)
8:
18:
1171:"Best Fiction of 2012: The Professionals"
891:"Owen Laukkanen's got a hit on his hands"
670:
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618:Barry Award: Best Novel 2016 (finalist)
154:Stevens and Windermere Series, The Wild
1233:"The 2022 Forest of Reading® Nominees"
839:D'Alessandro, Anthony (23 July 2020).
217:looking for a writer to report on the
1328:University of British Columbia alumni
1263:Pacific Northwest Library Association
868:"Owen Laukkanen: The Forgotten Girls"
745:"The Criminal Mind of Owen Laukkanen"
682:"Anthony Awards Winners and Nominees"
7:
1297:Owen Laukkanen's blog: #ProjectNomad
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686:Bouchercon: World Mystery Convention
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598:Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2012
1190:"ITW 2014 Thriller Award Nominees"
717:Chau, David (September 19, 2012).
700:"Best Fiction of 2012 - Thrillers"
14:
1040:"Review: The Watcher in the Wall"
914:"Book Review: The Professionals"
889:Weinman, Sarah (March 9, 2012).
809:. New York: Putnam. p. 21.
912:Dobbin, Muriel (May 11, 2012).
245:heroes in a continuing series.
1130:"2013 Thriller Award Nominees"
1057:Steck, Ryan (March 20, 2018).
210:University of British Columbia
177:Owen Matthew Sellers Laukkanen
104:University of British Columbia
39:Owen Matthew Sellers Laukkanen
1:
1338:Writers from Windsor, Ontario
968:"Review: Criminal Enterprise"
743:Medley, Mark (May 10, 2012).
320:Stevens and Windermere series
268:In 2019, Laukkanen published
1259:"Official 2023 YRCA Winners"
763:"Articles by Owen Laukkanen"
950:"Review: The Professionals"
932:"Review: The Professionals"
1354:
847:. Penske Media Corporation
1022:"Review: The Stolen Ones"
1004:"Review: The Stolen Ones"
450:How to Win at High School
407:Little, Brown and Company
397:Little, Brown and Company
288:, published in 2015, and
286:How to Win at High School
163:
1323:Canadian mystery writers
805:Laukkanen, Owen (2012).
780:Laukkanen, Owen (2012).
232:Laukkanen began work on
208:. He graduated from the
16:Canadian thriller writer
540:The Watcher in the Wall
471:Plaudits for the novels
366:The Watcher in the Wall
1333:Writers from Vancouver
192:Laukkanen was born in
29:
1212:Princeton Book Review
1153:Spinetingler Magazine
304:'s streaming service
219:World Series of Poker
95:Bachelor of Fine Arts
28:
1208:"Barry Award - 2016"
918:The Washington Times
784:. New York: Putnam.
723:The Georgia Straight
1147:Lindenmuth, Brian.
1028:. February 1, 2015.
1010:. January 26, 2015.
974:. December 6, 2012.
603:Criminal Enterprise
495:Criminal Enterprise
424:G. P. Putnam's Sons
380:G. P. Putnam's Sons
376:The Forgotten Girls
370:G. P. Putnam's Sons
360:G. P. Putnam's Sons
350:G. P. Putnam's Sons
340:G. P. Putnam's Sons
336:Criminal Enterprise
330:G. P. Putnam's Sons
986:"Review: Kill Fee"
938:. January 9, 2012.
845:Deadline Hollywood
414:Stand-alone novels
280:Young Adult Novels
181:The Professionals,
30:
1239:. 15 October 2021
1237:Tundra Book Group
1063:The Real Book Spy
1046:. March 15, 2016.
1008:Publishers Weekly
990:Publishers Weekly
956:. March 29, 2012.
936:Publishers Weekly
866:Laukkanen, Owen.
816:978-0-399-15789-9
807:The Professionals
791:978-0-399-15789-9
782:The Professionals
767:PokerListings.com
581:The Professionals
576:Award nominations
564:The Real Book Spy
528:Publishers Weekly
515:Publishers Weekly
476:The Professionals
326:The Professionals
252:Subsequent Novels
234:The Professionals
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48:February 20, 1983
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443:Owen Matthews
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151:Notable works
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1266:. Retrieved
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1241:. Retrieved
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1215:. Retrieved
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1313:1983 births
1268:20 November
1243:20 November
1217:20 November
851:19 November
466:Teen, 2016)
456:Teen, 2015)
228:First novel
142:young adult
84:Nationality
1307:Categories
1094:January 7,
1068:January 7,
665:References
560:Gale Force
553:Gale Force
420:Gale Force
262:Gale Force
258:Gale Force
215:Craigslist
188:Background
76:Occupation
44:1983-02-20
895:Maclean's
460:The Fixes
290:The Fixes
276:in 2020.
194:Vancouver
127:detective
92:Education
54:Vancouver
623:The Wild
508:Kill Fee
430:The Wild
346:Kill Fee
294:The Wild
137:thriller
87:Canadian
68:Pen name
436:, 2021)
426:, 2018)
409:, 2020)
399:, 2019)
382:, 2017)
372:, 2016)
362:, 2015)
352:, 2014)
342:, 2013)
332:, 2012)
206:Ontario
202:Windsor
159:Website
117:mystery
1175:Kirkus
1044:Kirkus
972:Kirkus
954:Kirkus
813:
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62:Canada
636:Notes
110:Genre
1270:2023
1245:2023
1219:2023
1096:2020
1070:2020
853:2023
811:ISBN
786:ISBN
300:and
168:.com
36:Born
441:As
306:Max
302:HBO
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