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Only the Strongest Survive Kindle Edition

by Ian Fox (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 801 ratings
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The novel opens with a hair-tingling scene, as two men kidnap Emely Donnovan, one of the wealthiest women in America, and bury her alive. What is behind this horrific crime?
Raised in a strict religious institution, Emely never knew her parents. Fearing a life of poverty, she starts up a small business that deals mainly with buying and selling stocks. Thanks to her extreme dedication and knowledge, the company grows over time into a major conglomerate. In her desire for ever greater financial security, this beautiful, ambitious CEO has accumulated a number of enemies.
But now she finds herself locked in the basement of a remote house in the middle of a forest, watched over by one of her captors who makes her buy and sell stocks for him so he can get rich. Her challenge to survive becomes even more complicated when Emely's captor falls in love with her. ...

Check out the great review I got from the independent Midwest Book Review:

Another intriguing opening marks Ian Fox's style, which is to grab the reader's attention from the first paragraph of description: "Emely Donnovan, the CEO of Donnovan Corporation, slipped out of her black Porsche Carrera GT sports car and hurried to the entrance of the office building. "Here are the keys, Mr. Kruger," she said to the porter. "The usual space, please."
The day proves anything but usual for fast-paced CEO Emely, one of the wealthiest women in America, when she is kidnapped and buried alive; and the story that evolves will delight mystery and thriller readers who would initially predict quite a different outcome from the initial events.
As Emely and her kidnapper evolve some unusual bonds, a strange dilemma comes to unfold: what happens when terrorism and a plot for financial gain changes to unexpected romance which is experienced on both sides?
There has been much written about emotional connections between victims and captors that evolve as a response to a struggle for survival on the victim's part - but none hold the depth and dilemma of ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVE, where the captor himself is drawn to his victim. At first the two are separated by their different objectives: hers to survive, his to reap financial gain: "When she lay on the bed or sat at the desk, she replayed the memory of what had happened to her. She thought about it so much that it gave her a headache. When she wasn't thinking she was crying, and when she wasn't crying, she was asleep.
John was not thinking of her. His thoughts revolved around the money that would soon be in his account. Every morning he rang his bank to check the balance. He knew that a transfer from abroad took at least three days, but still hoped that things would perhaps happen sooner."
Add to the budding romance other protagonists who have different interests in the changing situation plus swiftly changing motives and treachery and you have a story that follows no predictable path ... and herein lies its delight.
Ian Fox's writings will prove compelling to readers who seek complexity and difference in plots. ONLY THE STRONGEST SURVIVE is especially recommended for readers who, in the past, have read many thrillers with too few real surprises. Those who seek the thrill of the unexpected will
find Ian Fox's works satisfying on many levels: filled with the depth, detail and turns that you just don't find in too many novels nowadays.

Link: midwestbookreview.com/mbw/feb_12.htm#donovan
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  1. Print length
    217 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    November 19, 2011
  5. File size
    501 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006AO1QKS
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 19, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 501 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 217 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 801 ratings

About the author

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Ian Fox

Ian Fox

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Ian Fox was born in Slovenia (EU), and has also lived in the U.S.A., France, and Germany. He is fluent in English, French, and German. Because of his extensive international experience, his books are set in the U.S.A. or Europe. Ian’s books have enjoyed great success in Europe. He has published three crime (mystery) novels that have sold very well and been ranked among the top 100 most borrowed library books in Slovenia. He is currently working on two new novels. Enthusiastic readers write to him, saying they can’t put his books down and read them in a few days. Individual libraries have ranked his works among the top ten, sometimes even the top five most-borrowed books.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
801 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars FIVE STAR STORY THUMBS UP. LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2013
Verified Purchase
This story gripped me from the beginning and I wasn't able to put it down this is my first Ian Fox story and I will read more of his work the plot and the characters were well put together but I was worried that no one was looking for the kidnapped CEO Emely Donovan. The end was disappointing because I think she should have known that he is alive because he is the father of her child and he should be in prison for kidnapping it doesn't matter if they fell in love he kidnapped her!!!!!!!. It was a good book overall and a 5 star for me because I didn't want to put it down AWESOME, THRILLING,GRIPPING,ROMANCE,MYSTERY/THRILLER. MUST READ!!!!!!!!! THUMBS UP IAN YOU DID IT!!!
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Esther Eubanks
4.0 out of 5 stars Only the strongest survive
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2018
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Good mystery enjoyed reading it and getting to know what happened to the characters.if you like mystery I think you will enjoy this book.But also kind of a cliffhanger to me,Still a good mystery.
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Judith A. Lentz
5.0 out of 5 stars Survival
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2016
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Just couldn't put this book down. So well written. Held my interest. Enjoyed how things were kept together, not disjointed and cumbersome to follow the plot/characters. Readers who enjoy a good mystery with a bit of a love story must read this one.
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Cici
3.0 out of 5 stars Something doesn't ring true
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2012
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Something about this book just seems to be off balance. The story line is interesting and there is plenty of suspense and dramatic twists. But it just didn't quite gel for me.

The main character, Emely, is beautiful and intelligent. She has a Midas touch with the stock market, and uses every tool at her disposal to achieve even more success. I suppose the fact that her Mother died when she was born, and she was raised by nuns in an orphanage explains her detached attitude.

That her kidnapper, John fell in love is more understandable, as his back story develops. He obviously had a very troubled life, and was dominated by his older brother. For the first time in his life, he has someone he controls, and as Emely awaits her chance to escape, she becomes more cooperative so he will let his guard down. Her total dependence on him, and her submissiveness from a normally strong woman are things he has never had in his life, and it is plausible that he falls in love.

But some things in this book just don't dovetail. Emely is 49 years old, but it seems that there are several men head over heels "in love" with her, almost obsessively. She is depicted as a beautiful woman who is in good physical shape, thanks to her exercises. But she seems cold and aloof. I can accept her being admired and respected, just not the subject of so much unrequited love. The ending of the book was action packed, and full of twists and surprises, but I would have liked to see more loose ends tied up, especially with so many of the other characters who were key parts of the back-story. I never did know for sure what country this was supposed to be set in. Maybe it really doesn't matter, but I felt a further disconnect. Many things said USA, but other terminology, etc (like frequent use of "banknotes") wasn't common for USA, which probably is due to the author's International background and ties. And the amount of money earned in such a short time was totally unrealistic. Wouldn't that kind of activity ring alarm bells at several different regulatory agencies?

This is a work of fiction that is supposed to entertain for some hours, so I was able to brush off so many of the things that just seem implausible. In fiction, anything can happen, after all. In all this, I still haven't been able to pinpoint exactly why this book didn't appeal to me more. I think it is one of those books that appeal to some, but come across as flat to others. You'll have to decide for yourself.
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KOBAM
4.0 out of 5 stars Crime fiction with a twist of romance
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2016
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This novel features an unlikely plot and un-likable characters who are unhappy for a variety of reasons. Somehow in the midst of it all two very different people fall in love or something like that. It's odd but it works and the result is an enjoyable read.
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Angora
5.0 out of 5 stars Slow John, his nasty fat brother Ronald and money mongrel Emily each got what they deserved in this mystery
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2015
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I read all books that are criminal, murder, and mystery. Although the book started quickly with Emily being kidnapped it then slowed for several chapters....and I let it sit for a few weeks. When I picked it up the next time it was like starting a new book! The three major players -John, Ronald, his brother even more evil than John and of course Emily who started out as the money hungry mongrel all ended up where they belonged. The real question .....why did she name her baby........well, you will have to read it to figure that out!!
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GM
2.0 out of 5 stars Premise was good
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2013
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Story struggled in a few places and some details were problematic. One or two characters were dysfunctional. Editing could have been far better.
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NANCY LAWRENCE
5.0 out of 5 stars SURVIVE
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2012
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I LIKED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. IT WAS WELL WRITTEN AND EASY TO FOLL0W AND KEEP UP WITH. IT DID NOT JUMP ALL OVER THE PLACE. I WAS SORRY THAT JOHN HAD TO DIE BUT AT LEAST SHE HAD THE BABY. VERY GOOD BOOK TO READ.
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Top reviews from other countries

Seb Barrow
5.0 out of 5 stars Different.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 2, 2018
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A kidnapping with a few twists is the best way to describe this book. Cleverly contrived and written so it keeps you reading and wondering what is going to happen next.
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Caren Inkpen
4.0 out of 5 stars Only the strongest survive
Reviewed in Canada on November 25, 2013
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I enjoyed this book - easy read and great for a relaxing escape on a fall afternoon. I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.
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Wendy Wu
4.0 out of 5 stars Unusual.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2018
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Although this story seemed endless, it was well written and I did enjoy reading it. It was never going to be a happy ending.
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K. Siddiqi
3.0 out of 5 stars surviving the book
Reviewed in Canada on March 10, 2015
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Took me a long time to get thru this one. Good theme but too much detail, which made it a slow moving plot.
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Maramike
3.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2018
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The plot was interesting and had promise

For me though the reading experience was somewhat spoilt by a couple of issues.

Some of the events were just too implausible.

I found the speech stilted and rather artificial. It was only at the end of the book I found that English is not the authors first language which could be the reason.

Other than that a reasonable effort.
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