The Hostage (The Chicago Fire Trilogy, 1)

by Susan Wiggs

Book Overview

Deborah Sinclair is a beautiful, accomplished young heiress with a staggering dowry. But her fortune does her no good when, one horrible night, Chicago is engulfed in flames. Tom Silver will walk... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0778327841
• Release Date: June 2010
• Publisher: MIRA
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.6" x 1.2" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

How a tradegy can change ones life

This is a great story about how a tragedy and the things that come after it can change your way of life. This story has the main character kidnapped on the night of the great Chicago Fire. She was already wondering what she was going to do with her life do to another personal tragedy, she figured she was only trained to be "pretty" and not to even dress herself. This kidnapping teaches her a lot about herself. It is really fun to read about her change in attitude etc... and laugh as she learns things the hard way. At the same time it teaches her kidnapper a bit about himself, as well as a distant town learns not everyone with the same name is "evil". In the climax of the book you also learn alot about survival in the later 1800's and how things differ today. An excellent read. Not too much emphasis on the sensuality.

Not an easy book to read, but rewarding and well written!

This is my first Susan Wiggs book, and I am in awe of her talent. _The Hostage_ was a wonderful, emotional roller coaster ride. I was extremly involved in it. Let me say that the begining is a little hard to get through, but if you stick out it, _The Hostage_ is a very rewarding book to read, and you will be left with a silly grin on your face. If you don't like hard core romance, then this book may not be for you, but if you enjoy complex plots and interesting characters, I'd highly recomend you try this one out.On October 8, 1871, disaster struck Chicago. Amidst the chaos, four friends have their lives drastically changed. They are Phoebe, Lucy, Kathleen and Deborah. How they change and what happens to them is the basis of Susan Wiggs Chicago fire trilogy. _The Hostage_ is the first book followed by _The Mistress_ and then _The Firebrand_. Deborah Beaton Sinclair is the focus of _The Hostage_One night at the opera... who knew it could change your whole life? Deborah had a very traumatic experience there and realizes that she can not marry her fiance. She decides that she must ride into town and tell her father. Little does she know that her life is about to change forever.Tom Silver is a man bent on revenge. Aurther Sinclair, Deborah's father, is a murderer in his mind, and Tom comes into town from the remote Isle Royale with murder on his mind. While Deborah is confronting her father and the fire is raging outside, Tom bursts into their lives. By a mis-hap, Aurther is not killed, and Tom takes Deborah as his hostage for compensation. They travel to Isle Royale and Deborah sees first hand the disaster that her father's greed has caused. And, she and Tom are drawn towards each other as love spins it's complicated web. Will these two star crossed lovers ever end up together for their happily ever after? Will the devestated families of Isle Royale ever get some compensation for their loss? And what really did happen that fateful night of the opera?Oh, I just loved this book! The characters, the setting, the plot... everything. Let me clear the air and tell you that the first half of the book is really dedicated to letting you get to know the characters and their problems. But, when the romance does come into play at the second half, you feel that you know the characters so well that their love seems very realistic. Both Tom and Deborah are wounded souls, but they can help heal each other, and it is lovely to watch. It is so cool to watch Deborah awaken from the naive debutant she once was. I found myself cheering her on and hoping she would find her voice and her place in the world. Tom was very much the same. He too is wounded, but Deborah helps him see that life goes on and she teaches him how to love again.Susan Wiggs has just boosted herself up to one of my favorite authors. The way she develops her stories is amazing. Her characters are very well fleshed out and her settings come alive. Chicago has always been a

Susan Wiggs Delivers Again

After reading "The Horsemaster's Daughter" I had to go out and buy up all of the Susan Wiggs books I could find. I devoured "The Charm School," and "The Lightkeeper" was just as good. "The Hostage" does not disappoint. Deborah Sinclair is the daughter of a wealthy man who is obsessed with being accepted into Chicago society. His is "new" money, he was not born with it and he is unorthodox in his method of obtaining it, jeoparizing the lives of his workers. Some miners on the Isle Royale have lost their lives, so Mr. Arthur Sinclair has many enemies, one being Tom Silver, who seeks revenge.Arthur Sinclair sets his daughter up to marry Peter Ascot, and Deborah originally accepts the fact that although she does not love Peter, she will come to love him. One night at the opera changes that, however. The night she travels to her father's house to tell him that the bethroal is off, Chicago is consumed by a fire - and that is the night that Tom Silver picks to seek his revenge by attempting to kill Arthur Sinclair. Due to the confusion of the fire, Sinclair gets away, but Tom takes Deborah to Isle Royale as a hostage - and the story takes off from there.Ms. Wiggs peels the layers off Tom, who comes to have strong feelings for Deborah. The secondary characters are wonderful and vital to the story and I came to have feelings for them as well. The ending stayed with me for days and was just as it should be. Susan Wiggs weaves a wonderful tale. As a matter of fact, all her books are wonderful. She has never disappointed me. Now, I'm waiting patiently for "The Mistress," the second book of the Chicago fire trilogy.

A great writer pens a fantastic readread

In 1871, an angry and desperate Deborah Sinclair visits her wealthy father Arthur to demand he stop the marriage he wants for his daughter. Arthur, a self-made millionaire from his commerce dealings, wants the acceptance of high society. He sees Deborah through marriage to Philip Ascot as his ticket. Deborah knows no one ever refuses to do something that Arthur demands. Still, she tells him she will not marry the odious Philip. Their squabble remains undecided when the duo flees due to the spread of fire.Tom Silver plans to enact vengeance on Arthur for the devastation on his village caused by the industrial mogul's copper mines. Tom kidnaps Deborah, taking her to his remote island home. Though none of the islanders will help Deborah, she soon gains their respect by helping them with their chores. Soon Tom finds himself in love with the daughter of his enemy who returns his deepest feelings. Though she has broken through his heart that had been as icy as the blizzards that isolate the village, he still owes his villagers, but he no longer knows what to do.THE HOSTAGE is a beautiful relationship drama that brings life in a remote late nineteenth century American village to life. The story line is character driven and thus not for those who enjoy action-packed tales. The lead characters are a wonderful duo and the villagers add depth to the look at the era. Susan Wiggs is so good at the descriptions, the audience will winter garb just to feel warm while reading this endearing illuminating Americana romance.Harriet Klausner

An outstanding Read!

When I first heard of the subject matter of Susan Wiggs' latest novel, I was both intrigued and a bit skeptical. A hostage falling in love with her captor -- the plot has been done many times before and the subject seemed dated. A spoiled little rich girl and a rugged outdoorsman -- ditto. And, in less talented hands, the book might have been dated and nothing new. But given the gifted pen of Susan Wiggs this book works and works well. A more exciting beginning would be hard to find -- the story begins with the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The rest of the book takes place on the route up lake Michigan, through the locks to Lake Superior's Isle Royale, introducing the readr to a whole host of interesting characters. A heroine with a social consience, despite her privileged upbringing and a captor with a lot of heart - what else can a reader want? I can hardly wait to read the next two books in the series!