When you’re snow skiing in the mountains you might think of falling and breaking a leg or spraining an ankle. Most likely you think you’ll be all right though. After all, you’re an expert. You certainly have no idea that you’ll never ski again, for you’ll soon be dead.

But this is exactly what happens to Thomas K. Burke, in Author Walter Danley’s crime, suspense novel THE TIPPING POINT. The assassin doesn’t enjoy ending a life. It’s his job. From the opening scene to the final page, the author takes the reader on a journey of adventure, mystery and intrigue, as more victims are murdered, and motives are sought. We meet a cast of characters, each with his/her own agenda.

One thing that slowed the story down for me was the detailed description, like eye color, hair color, height, etc. A little is good, but sometimes it’s okay to let the reader picture the character. One thing I decided about the characters: I wouldn’t trust any of them.
If you like a good mystery with lots of suspense then pick up a copy of

THE TIPPING POINT. If you’re squeamish about blood and guys and women that… well be prepared.

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When a business associate is murdered while they’re vacationing together, Garth Wainwright is drawn into a murderous web of corporate deceit, scandal, and murder.
Who would want the partners murdered and why? As the body count and revelations increase, Wainwright, with a little help from his friends, is just the man to get to the bottom of this murky business.

This is an odd complaint about a book but there was an excess of words for me. Unnecessary explanations, descriptions, and time spent in a character’s rambling thoughts justifying various actions etc…. As there are plenty of engaging characters involved in intrigue, action, and mystery in interesting locations to keep readers turning the pages, this is more a conflict between personal taste and writing style than story criticism. THE TIPPING POINT actually has quite a bit going for it but, unfortunately for me, the words got in the way.
Reviewed by IvyD for Manic Readers ( )

* Before the book was in its finished state, I received the ARC of the second edition of The Tipping Point to review; therefore, my comments are based on the unpolished product. *

Debut novel, The Tipping Point by Walter Danley, begins with murder and continues from there with corporate greed, intrigue, conspiracy, suspense, and more. There are many questions that come up which the reader will want answered before reaching the last page. Even though there were a few contradictions in the story, sidetracks and extra information that drew the reader away from the main story, and times when it was hard to follow who was speaking, the main thread carried through. It was set in the 1970′s, so the reader may find some subtle sexism that seems to be accepted by the characters.

Instead of my dwelling on the problems with the editing of this story, and inconsistencies which I hope have been corrected in the final edits, I would suggest – if you enjoy a novel such as I described in the first sentence of the above paragraph – you give this book, The Tipping Point, a try.

You will meet Wainwright, who, after one of his partners is murdered, tries to uncover the corrupt undercurrent he discovers that prevails in their multimillion-dollar company. There are more deaths, threats, fraudulent dealings, love affairs, an illusive hit-man, and many well-developed characters to follow through it all.

The Tipping Point is not a straightforward tale, but one that is tangled and interesting to read. It is fast-paced where needed, and dramatic. Even with my habit of noticing flaws as I read, this was a story I wanted to follow to the end. I’m usually a good guesser at ‘whodunit’, but this one kept me guessing as to whom was behind the murders and conspiracy.

Readers will be satisfied with the ending Walter Danley wrote to The Tipping Point. Because of his fans’ requests, the author is working on a sequel. ( )

Author Walter Danley spins a mystery/thriller/suspense tale reminiscent of John Grisham's The Firm in The Tipping Point, the first novel in his debut series. (The Tipping Point is being revised and re-released in anticipation of the second book in the series, and I read an Advance Review Copy.)

The Tipping Point introduces Garth Wainwright, a strong, intelligent, snappy-dressing man's man and 70's-style hero, along with a supporting case of characters you will not soon forget. Wainwright and his associates are well-paid partners in the largest real estate investment firm in the country--a multi-billion dollar corporation that has built a solid reputation for operating at the highest moral and ethical standards.

Sadly, the firm's internal climate has begun to sour. When one of the firm's partners, an expert skier, suddenly dies in a skiing accident, Wainwright is deeply suspicious and determines to find out what really happened.

Shocking truths about several founding partners come to light, and when another partner dies amid mysterious circumstances Wainwright gathers his most trusted associates to hypothesize potential motives for the murders and pore over company records. What they discover is a breach of trust which places the firm itself in jeopardy.

Who is responsible?

The Tipping Point traces Wainwright and company's unraveling of the mystery. This smart, sexy thriller contains interesting characters, detailed descriptions and heart-pounding action scenes. There are mysteries revealed within the mystery as the plot unfolds and the very tangled web is exposed. There's also a touch of romance, along with international travel.

The action scenes are deftly crafted and can easily be viewed in the mind's eye. Each chapter opens with a famous quote applicable to the action that follows, and many interesting facts are sprinkled throughout the book. The pace lags in the middle, with more technical dialogue than action, but picks up again to deliver more surprises before the end.

Fans of Ian Fleming and John Grisham will enjoy this book.

Valorie Cooper
member, National Book Critics Circle

The Tipping Point is a crime mystery about a corporate assassination and the possible involvement of the victim's partners in his financially convenient demise. I have to admit that I felt it started a little slow, with far too much background information explained in the first chapter. We begin from the assassin's point of view, but pov changes several times. The killing itself was very effectively written when we got to it, but again the background information gave the impression of the killer's mind being all over the place as he waited for his prey rather than focused on his work.

The story itself looked to have plenty of substance, but the second chapter switched to first person pov and I was hard pressed to work out whose eyes we were seeing through. That and a high-powered businessman using the term "y’all" was very distracting. There was also some inconsistency of past and present tense to further divert my attention from the action.

We're given quite a lot of back story and description of characters, during which I kept wondering why the police didn't inform the widow of her husband's death, but by the end of the third chapter the story really gets going and I began to get caught up in the intrigue.

We still get back story in the form of flashbacks, but the segments are shorter. I actually quite liked the aside about how the main character acquired a cat. There's a fair bit of sexual innuendo and a lot of character development. Also some very visual travel and descriptions of places that I thought were well done. I do tend to glaze over a little in corporate boardroom situations but that's me, nothing wrong with the writing. The corporate dynamics are essential to the plot and the writing itself is very good. My impression is that the author is well-educated and the editing is pristine.

I don't believe in giving away endings in reviews, but the ends get tied up and the reader is left satisfied. Those who enjoy a good crime mystery should find plenty to like about this book. ( )