Review of Restricted Options
Posted: 11 Apr 2022, 05:18
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Restricted Options" by Tom Oglesby.]
Restricted Options is a crime and murder mystery written by Tom Oglesby. Set in Rio, Brazil, this novel follows the lives of Mark and his wife, Sara, as they try to solve the murders of their beloved expatriate friends. Mark and his wife, Sara, take a flight from Houston to Rio for Mark’s new assignment as the president of Titan’s affiliate company based in Brazil. Mark has been assigned to preside over the negotiations and bids that would see Titan partner with a Brazilian oil giant, Petrobras, in oil exploration ventures. The assignment means a lot to Mark, as it will greatly impact his career growth. Mark is also ecstatic to meet his colleague and best friend, Norm Nielsen, also working and living in Rio. However, not long in Rio, Mark discovers the bodies of Norm and his wife, Lisa, brutally murdered in their apartment.
Consequently, he informs the local law enforcement, but the investigation comes to a dead end and is dropped due to insufficient incriminating evidence. However, Mark could not agree to that and was determined to find justice for his slain friends. Bit by bit, with the help of his FBI friends, he begins to piece together the pieces of the puzzle, hoping to put the perpetrator(s) to justice one day. How will Mark balance his business obligations and new-found sleuthing duties? But one thing was for sure: this was going to be a tough, dangerous mission, full of turns and twists, and success was far from guaranteed.
There were many things I liked about this book. First, I liked how the author presented the possible perpetrators and their motives early enough in the story. The various possible suspects kept me guessing until the book’s later chapters, after which things started to make sense. The characters’ backgrounds were also sufficiently given. I also liked how the author exquisitely incorporated factual, informative details about Rio and Brazil. With this, readers will have a credible feeling of how it is to live in Brazil, especially Rio. Everything from the exotic places to the Brazilian hospitality industry was breathtaking. I also appreciated that the author added the pronunciations and translations of common Portuguese phrases used in the book. This added to the richness of the story. The ending was also a pleasant surprise and is not something I could have predicted earlier when I started reading this book. Although there were hints, I didn’t realize them until after a final reveal in the ending, thanks to the author’s expertise in weaving mystery. I also loved the book’s title and cover art. The deeper I entered the book, the more I realized how thoughtful they were.
What I liked the most about this book were the scenes that featured the bidding and business negotiations. As someone in a business profession, I found the scenes engaging, eye-opening, and informative, and I learned a lot from the bidding parties and business negotiations. The fact that I could relate to and identify with most of the characters who engaged in the business negotiations added to my enjoyment of this exceptional novel. There are, indeed, many things to learn from them, and I believe many professionals working in the business field will love that aspect as well.
Overall, I did not find anything to dislike about this novel. It was perfectly edited since I did not find any errors. Therefore, it is my pleasure to give it four out of four stars. I believe it deserves the perfect rating for the author’s apparent literary prowess and exceptional execution.
I recommend Restricted Options to fans of well-executed crime and murder mystery. Business professionals, investors, company executives, and any other reader interested in bidding and business negotiations will also relate to most parts of the book and appreciate it greatly. Furthermore, readers who like to discover new places will love Rio and Brazil’s informative, factual details incorporated by the author.
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Restricted Options
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Restricted Options is a crime and murder mystery written by Tom Oglesby. Set in Rio, Brazil, this novel follows the lives of Mark and his wife, Sara, as they try to solve the murders of their beloved expatriate friends. Mark and his wife, Sara, take a flight from Houston to Rio for Mark’s new assignment as the president of Titan’s affiliate company based in Brazil. Mark has been assigned to preside over the negotiations and bids that would see Titan partner with a Brazilian oil giant, Petrobras, in oil exploration ventures. The assignment means a lot to Mark, as it will greatly impact his career growth. Mark is also ecstatic to meet his colleague and best friend, Norm Nielsen, also working and living in Rio. However, not long in Rio, Mark discovers the bodies of Norm and his wife, Lisa, brutally murdered in their apartment.
Consequently, he informs the local law enforcement, but the investigation comes to a dead end and is dropped due to insufficient incriminating evidence. However, Mark could not agree to that and was determined to find justice for his slain friends. Bit by bit, with the help of his FBI friends, he begins to piece together the pieces of the puzzle, hoping to put the perpetrator(s) to justice one day. How will Mark balance his business obligations and new-found sleuthing duties? But one thing was for sure: this was going to be a tough, dangerous mission, full of turns and twists, and success was far from guaranteed.
There were many things I liked about this book. First, I liked how the author presented the possible perpetrators and their motives early enough in the story. The various possible suspects kept me guessing until the book’s later chapters, after which things started to make sense. The characters’ backgrounds were also sufficiently given. I also liked how the author exquisitely incorporated factual, informative details about Rio and Brazil. With this, readers will have a credible feeling of how it is to live in Brazil, especially Rio. Everything from the exotic places to the Brazilian hospitality industry was breathtaking. I also appreciated that the author added the pronunciations and translations of common Portuguese phrases used in the book. This added to the richness of the story. The ending was also a pleasant surprise and is not something I could have predicted earlier when I started reading this book. Although there were hints, I didn’t realize them until after a final reveal in the ending, thanks to the author’s expertise in weaving mystery. I also loved the book’s title and cover art. The deeper I entered the book, the more I realized how thoughtful they were.
What I liked the most about this book were the scenes that featured the bidding and business negotiations. As someone in a business profession, I found the scenes engaging, eye-opening, and informative, and I learned a lot from the bidding parties and business negotiations. The fact that I could relate to and identify with most of the characters who engaged in the business negotiations added to my enjoyment of this exceptional novel. There are, indeed, many things to learn from them, and I believe many professionals working in the business field will love that aspect as well.
Overall, I did not find anything to dislike about this novel. It was perfectly edited since I did not find any errors. Therefore, it is my pleasure to give it four out of four stars. I believe it deserves the perfect rating for the author’s apparent literary prowess and exceptional execution.
I recommend Restricted Options to fans of well-executed crime and murder mystery. Business professionals, investors, company executives, and any other reader interested in bidding and business negotiations will also relate to most parts of the book and appreciate it greatly. Furthermore, readers who like to discover new places will love Rio and Brazil’s informative, factual details incorporated by the author.
******
Restricted Options
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes