After decades in “Corporate America,” Paul, his wife and two young boys take the leap and move away from the hectic rat race of the northeast to begin a new life in the Florida Keys, a life free of long commuting, never-ending deadlines, clawing and scratching and working for “The Man." This new life is built on dreams of running a successful business built from the ground up. A better quality of life focused on family and love. A life they can call their own.
The family settles in and the old cannery that Paul transforms into a restaurant and bar is successful and running smoothly. Life is calm and pleasant and everything Paul and his wife hoped it would be.
But even the best laid plans can unknowingly allow a twisted and tortured mind to creep in. Acquaintances made on an internet social group, even when common interests bind the group members together like pregnancy and the birth of children, uncover a psychopath bent on assuming another's life that they feel rightfully belongs to them - and nothing will stand in the way - not even being Bound By Birth.
Readers who enjoyfast-paced thrillers have and will enjoy BOUND BY BIRTH, a novel that combines fiction with the reality of literal identity theft, yielding a story as compelling as the latest headlines.
Quite the non-stop thriller all the way to the end, February 14, 2010
Randall has shown real creative writing talent in his first book. All the characters come to life in the pages, drawing the reader into their lives and making you gasp for breath as the killer does the unthinkable. It is amazing how Randall takes the ordinary, every day aspects of life and twists it such that it leaves the reader a little spooked for our own lives. I can't wait for his next book to come out!
C. Metzger
Could not put it down!, January 31, 2010
Outstanding suspense thriller. Extraordinary character development. Fun, fast-paced, unpredictable, absolutely could not put the book down. Superb first novel. Two thumbs up!
J. Plaut
When are they making a feature film?, January 8, 2010
A mesmerizing read with a continual series of twists and turns. On the edge of your seat book, just wait until it becomes a film... we just might have hand on face - peeking through our fingers!!! If Mr. Wheeler's writing style is anything like fine wine; then his first book is fabulous, the second book ought to be awesome! Anxious reader awaiting next novel.
B. Shirey
Suspenseful, great reading, December 21, 2009
A first book that proves that the author has many more to write. Good character development that brings you to a close with an ending that is a surprise.
D. Pritchard
Fantastic Read, December 11, 2009
Loved the book, lots of suspense and action. Just a fantastic read; lots of fun.
B. Pumphrey
Loved this book!, December 10, 2009
Loved this book!! It was so real. The author sucked us into the story line from the beginning, and was very hard to put down once you started. It makes you think twice about the people you meet. Ended good too!!!! Left us hanging.... lol I love that... Can't wait for the next one.
L. Breeden
Great Read, November 6, 2009
I very much enjoyed the book. It has plenty of twists and turns, action, with a solid storyline.
W. Vasquez
A Must-Read Thriller, November 1, 2009
The plot was intriguing from the start -- how many people do we innocently meet everyday and invite into our lives without a second thought? Well, this novel depicts the dark side of such encounters. It's a thrilling, must-read that is hard to put down once you've started. Randy's writing draws the reader in right away and quickly endears you to the characters making one very afraid for what might be coming next.
D. Heun
Fantastic book, October 19, 2009
I loved this book right from the beginning!! It pulls you in immediately, making you feel that you are reading a true story about a family that is stalked by a seemingly innocent woman who is really a psychopath! I couldn't stand her from the second she was introduced. Randy forces you to think twice about the people we invite into our lives and that first impressions can often be deceiving and dangerous. I didn't want the book to end and cannot wait for the next one!!
K. McLaney
awesome book, couldn't put it down!!, October 11, 2009
Randall Wheeler's first book was a real page turner and I finished it in one day. Bound By Birth was chocked full of suspense in a real- life setting. The characters were so real--it's almost as if I knew them! The unpredictable twists and turns made reading this book a real pleasure. I cannot wait to read his second book. Way to go Randy!!
W. Kopazna
Fabulously rich in character, September 4, 2009
Randy has done a marvelous job of developing rich and intriguing characters in this initial foray. His imagination and knack for fantasy are a foundation for some of less-than-conventional situations he describes. This book gives some very unique insight and is a must-read for anyone who has been or will be "bound by babies."
G. Blume
1st novel worthy of 2 reads!!!, August 21, 2009
Randall Wheeler's 1st novel is a gem of a thriller!!
From the prologue to the final page, I was mesmerized by the story line. If you are a PC user, you will surely be looking over your shoulder anytime you are on-line!....
Fascinating, timely and destined to be a killer movie! (a modern Fatal Attraction meets Cape Fear!) I would definitely read another book by this author!
A. Patterson
Bound By Birth - A Must Read, July 21, 2009
An avid reader of fictional work, I simply could not put this book down. Living a happy and content life, Paul and Jill find that their lives are instantly turned inside and out by a series of mysterious events. This loving family and close knit couple find inner strength when they need it the most. Wheeler's writing is captivating. I'm looking forward to the sequel. Congratulations on this must read captivating book!
L. Force
Like a Full Throttled Steam Engine, July 20, 2009
Don't let the title fool you. This is one of those books that starts out calm and unassuming then throws you against the wall and knocks you out. When you wake up you have no idea what the heck happened or how you got the there! Mr. Wheeler has touched a nerve when it comes to creating an evil, hate from the moment you meet her character in Jen. With the slow burn of Baldacci to the crackling writing of Patterson, Mr. Wheeler lets the story unfold in a methodical and natural manner. Before you know it, you're 75% through the book and panting to finish it. I found myself rushing to lunch, not to eat, but to see what comes next! A true winner of a first try.
B. Milano
A fun, captivating read, July 15, 2009
I don't typically read fiction but was steered toward this book and thoroughly enjoyed it! A few pages in, I got attached and read the entire book in a day. The action starts pretty quickly and doesn't end until the very last page. The story is so real that you wonder how much of it is truth. You'll think long and hard before you sign up on social media sites ever again! If you like thrillers or novels, this book is for you. A great read for bed or the beach!!! I highly recommend it!
C. Duszak
Outstanding!!!!!!, July 11, 2009
This book was absolutely outstanding. It had me so totally consumed that I just could not put it down. Excellent story and excellent writing. I cannot wait for the next book to come out!!!!! Great work!
B. Wheeler
The following comments have been made at www.authonomy.com—a site for authors who review and comment on each other’s books.
Great, addicting book! You sure how to grab the reader and make them want to keep reading. The writing style is very natural and you handle the descriptive scenes well. I really enjoyed what I read. The opening was sad but it made me invested in the story quickly.
Missy 03/10 - www.authonomy.com
Wow, this was riveting. It certainly grabs the reader by the throat and holds on tightly. I only meant to read one or two chapters and ended up reading all four. This is just the sort of book I would like to curl up with. Jen is one scary character. As you write, one should think carefully about who one hooks up with on the net.
The prose is crisp and clear without undue recourse to metaphor and simile to mar the fast pace. The characters are well rounded with the characters leaping off the page. The children in the first chapter are tragic.
You have the perfect dramatic arch with the inciting incident, rising tension, climax, lull and hook or cliffhanger.
Katy 03/10 - www.authonomy.com
This is one well drawn sociopath. No conscience whatsoever, crafted well, the entire story leads us from the horror of the evil woman, to the warm and loving charm of Paul with his kids, and filled in with his thought of his wife Jill.
Then we plunge into the twisted nightmare of the sick psycho who has plans to turn their lives to hell. I may have to rethink Facebook....this could do for chat-sites what "Fatal Attraction" did for fidelity. Frightening and oh so very possible. reader beware....this one will make your safe little worlds a damned site scarier. Well done
Suzannah Burke 03/10 - www.authonomy.com
What an awful mother!!! I found myself wanting to strangle her myself!!! Great character development and pace! When you can bring out the human emotions in your reader, you have an excellent story! I'm backing you for sure! May you have success in publishing!
Marie03/10 - www.authonomy.com
Bloody hell, what a cracker of a start, I thought I had it rough growing up, you seem to have the knack of taking the reader by the hand (Forcefully) and guiding them through every 'nook and cranny' in your story, you also ( I hope you don't mind me saying so ) seem to speak with a high degree of insight, Congratulations on a fine bit of storytelling,
Andy03/10 - www.authonomy.com
Awesome read. Polished characters and dialogue that engage the reader from the first word.
C W 3/10 – www.authonomy.com
WOW talk about excellent pacing - you have a gift - polished descriptive prose and suspense make this a compelling read!
Liz3/10 – www.authonomy.com
I've read everything you have up, and really wanted to read on. This is a great book. Your pitch tells us that the story is not only unusual and original, but very exciting, too, and the book is even better than the pitch suggests. Your first chapter is chilling and frightening. Paul is such an admirable, likable character, and as you take us into his family and let us get to know the kids as well, it's a breath of fresh air after the horrible woman in the first chapter. But then you drop some subtle hints that there is going to be a link up, and suddenly there the woman is again, finding her way into the house, imagining that she'll take over Jill's place in the family. This is truly dreadful. When we go back to Paul, and then Jill, the phone call from Jenn, as we now know she's called, is a move into horror, which we can only hope won't come to the frightening result that seems only too possible. Your writing is excellent, easy to read, but gripping and compelling when appropriate. This is a thriller which deserves to go places.
Gerry McCullough 3/10 – www.authonomy.com
Mr. Randall Wheeler your book is UNPUTDOWNABLE. I want thank you so much for inviting me to read this. This is expert storytelling and you capture the feeling so well.
Yasimin 3/10 – www.authonomy.com
The first couple of chapters flowed well. I really liked the way you have started this novel - plenty of suspense to make the reader on the edge of their seat.
DP Walker 3/10 – www.authonomy.com
A very sad start, I am sad, really sad for those two children, and you have written it extremely good. it cannot get better than this. your writing is so gripping and stylish that one would fall in love with your story, I do.
Shah 3/10 – www.authonomy.com
If you're an author or publisher, you've come to the right place. BookBuzzr provides one of the most comprehensive set of book-marketing technologies and services in the world. We're constantly adding new features in a race with ourselves to build technologies that will help your books fly out of book-stores.