JP Bloch brings us a very intriguing novel about identity theft that really makes you wonder about the many different topics that are brought up in his book, Identity Thief. When you look at the title of the book you think that this story will deal with someone’s identity being stolen, but JP Bloch weaves so many emotional and scarring issues into one roller-coaster ride of a novel.
This novel introduces us to Dr. Jesse Falcon, whose identity is stolen, and he goes through endless hoops to discover who exactly the person is that is causing him so much turmoil. At times you feel sorry for the thief because he is doing this because he has no other choice and needs money fast. His cheating wife is wicked, he needs to protect his son from a crime that was committed, and he wants to have full custody of his son; so backed against a wall and with only a short time, he uses his computer skills to get quick cash. The events that transpire, after the first time that he steals the first couple of thousand dollars from Dr. Jesse Falcon, tie all the intertwining stories and characters together in a nice little bow, with redemption for those that need it, and a second chance for those most deeply affected by the events in the novel .
What really sets this book apart from other books that I have read is that as soon as you start reading the book you are thrust head first into a world of action. The characters are already in motion, the troubles have begun and you really don’t get much of a background of each character. So how exactly do you understand and learn about the characters? You start to learn more about the characters from the flashbacks, the actions of the characters, and what they are thinking. Being that we already have a victim of molestation and a murder within the first ten pages of the book, I was thrown off by the fast paced nature of the book a bit, but I’m the type of person that uses books to escape and I really felt like this departure from the usual slow and steady form of drawing the reader in very refreshing. JP Bloch keeps us guessing with the turnarounds, deceitfulness, and the hidden plans from many of the characters. At first, some of the characters seem like they are just there as supporting characters, when in fact you later find out they have also been making plans while lurking in the shadows.
It is not easy being a victim of identity theft, but it is easy to be on the other side, spending money that is not yours. JP Bloch has a few tips to make sure that you don’t become a victim of identity theft: secure your trash, secure your social security number, don’t tell your life story online, be as secretive as possible, and take identity theft serious. You really don’t know who is going through your trash or your social media accounts; therefore, it is equally important to cut up your old credit cards and any other mail into small pieces before throwing them out. Also, it’s very important to have secure passwords. Make sure that your passwords are not words or numbers that you regularly use, like family, pet names, or birth dates, because this makes it easier for people to steal your information. You don’t want to end up like Dr. Jesse Falcon.
Identity Thief by JP Bloch is published by Bacon Press Books and is available through Amazon for purchase. While there, make sure to check out some of the other books that JP Bloch has penned like Finding Your Leading Man (St. Martin’s Press, 2000), Best Murder of the Year (St. Martin’s Press, 2003), and Murder By Design (2004) among many others.
Twisted Talk: Have you read any of JP Bloch’s books? Will you go and pick up a copy of Identity Thief? Discuss below!
