Double Down (as C J Axelrod)
Alex Cole was the King of Hollywood.
He had it all. Good looks, fame, fortune and the power that comes with being one of the most famous actors in the world. Alex was adored by audiences worldwide, and despite losing his parents in a horrific plane crash when he was only a teen, he managed to avoid all the pitfalls of young stardom and grew to become a true American idol.
Then, after an attempt on his life, Alex's team decide that he needs more protection. While trying to keep the actor safe, his team unknowingly plunges Alex into a nightmare of murderous intrigue where the actor has to fight for his very survival.
4 out of a 4-star rating: Double Down by C.J. Axlerod is a 250-page thriller novel. The book revolves around a Hollywood star Alex Cole. Alex was shot and received a threatening letter. Strange things happened every time Alex made a public appearance. This distressed him and his team.
Diana Trent, his manager, watched a video of Aaron Peterson doing impressions of Alex. To ensure Alex’s safety, Diana came up with an idea to use Aaron as his body double while making public appearances. His resemblance with Alex confused even the people close to him, except Diana. The look in Aaron's eyes made her extremely uncomfortable. She wasn’t too sure about Aaron but soon realized that she was being too paranoid. Aaron Peterson was assigned the job to be Alex’s doppelgänger and was trained to do so. Aaron, though looked like Alex yet was very different from him. Is hiring a doppelgänger really a good idea? Who shot Alex? Can Alex survive?
The book is filled with suspense and is very intriguing. It is fast-paced and well written. The author used flashback scenes to let readers dive deep into the characters’ personalities. The characters are developed and realistic. It also mentions the childhood experiences, traumas faced by characters to give an understanding of their behavior. The book is impressive both in its plot and in the author’s meticulous attention to detail. Every chapter, every page adds more to readers' curiosity. The author’s writing style, usage of literary devices, and real-life Hollywood examples make it even more riveting. It opens a window for the readers to look into a glamourous and extraordinary life of a Hollywood star. The book is full of surprises. This kept me interested and glued to the book.
The story is narrated from the third-person omniscient perspective, providing an in-depth insight into what’s going on in the characters' minds. The book does not contain a lot of errors and is professionally edited. The story was quite unpredictable and it ends with a shocking revelation.”
FIVE STARS: Great Thriller “Double Down by C J AXELROD is a well written thriller about a high-profile actor who must go to extreme lengths to make sure that he is safe. Alex Cole is a leading man in Hollywood. He has played many different parts and is now enjoying the fame and fortune that comes with an actor of his caliber. He is on top of the world, until one day he thinks he hears a car backfire outside. Then his arm goes numb, and he starts to feel the blood rushes from the wound. Someone has tried to kill him, and to make it even worse they left a note stating that the next time they find him they would finish the job. Alex and his team decide that hiring more bodyguards may not be enough and decide to hire a body double to take his place in public events. The double is named Aaron, and from the beginning there is something about him that is off. Alex realizes that the double who was hired to protect him may be more dangerous than the bullet that almost took his life.
This book takes off right away and does not slow down. Alex is developed well early on which makes it easy for the reader to get invested in him as a character. The narrative moves fast and does a good job of keeping the reader interested. I would highly recommend this to fans of thrillers and mysteries.”
FIVE STARS: Witty and different, the book is hard to put down "Double Down by C J Axlerod is a murder thriller with an extraordinary combination of thrill and suspense and a unique touch of sarcasm. The story revolves around Alex Cole, a Hollywood celebrity, the unlucky target of a violent assault. And this incident changes his life permanently. Despite hiring a protection squad, Alex realizes from numerous incidents that he could only count on himself. Unless he wishes to face what is ahead, he must take matters alone on his shoulders.
Although the idea of a bodily duplicate is not new, Axlerod has pioneered the core idea to life through his evocative descriptions of incidents. You will love it for sure!"
FIVE STARS: A Worthy Novel to Read “Double Down is a crime mystery with a twist of ironic humor. Alex Cole is an action actor who is dedicated to his fans, though someone is trying hard to kill him. Taking on a double to ensure his reputation and public status is intact; Alex never dreams of the havoc Aaron causes in his life. What would you do if you knew you could get away with it since you assumed someone else's identity? Alex learns the hard way that his safety comes with a price.
C.J. Axlerod creates a fascinating story as a famous actor duplicates his image to stay safe, but at what cost? Creating a double has its dangers. This story twists down paths you don't expect. I was intrigued by the creative action the characters take to achieve their goals. This is a novel worth reading.”
FOUR STARS: Concept was very original and intriguing “This was one of best surprises of the year, I have a great time with it and I can safely assure you that you must read this masterpiece. I did something I rarely do after I finish a story, I start from the beginning right after I reach the end of it.
I think the concept was very original and intriguing; a high profile actor gets shot and his team resolves to find a double to make the world seems everything’s okay, everything seems fine at first, but the ‘stunt double’ is not as innocent and clean as it appears.
The many twists of this story surely caught me off guard several times during my lecture sessions, I was impressed by how the author successfully managed to keep impressing the reader with a lot of consistent twists, everything is so well realized and grounded, the situations they have to cover, it’s so chaotic and engaging you definitely need to pick this up”.
FIVE STARS: I Struggled To Put It Down “This was such an intriguing story that I struggled to put it down when I had to go about my daily life! Every chapter left me wondering what was going to happen next and wanting to read "just a bit more". I was constantly trying to figure out how it would end and was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected twists and turns.
After movie star Alex gets shot at, his team decides hiring a body double would be a smart idea to keep the star out of harm's way while having his double attend all of his social events impersonating him. The plan seemed to work, but there was something off about Aaron, his double, that left everyone with an uneasy feeling.”
FIVE STARS: Sometimes Evil is much closer than you know “A Hollywood actor is the unfortunate victim of an attack and his life is forever changed. Alex, even though he hires a team of security to protect him, learns through more events, that he can truly only ever rely upon himself and he needs to take things into his own hands if he wants to survive what’s coming. The use of a body double is used often in literature and in movies, but the author has brought the concept to life in his vivid description of scenes. You can almost hear the creepy music being piped in as Alex is facing off with Aaron. A great book!”
FIVE STARS: Great Read “Wow! What doesn't happen in Hollywood? This fast-paced action thriller was on it from the get-go! Intense writing mixed with tinsel town hoopla made for a great read. Amazing plot twists as to the mighty movie moguls and what they won't do to keep production rolling. A famous actor taking on a body-double to insure his safety comes with a heavy price to pay; and that expense is metered out through the pages of this novel. Unique storyline that will thrill readers of this genre.”
FOUR STARS: Great Story “I really enjoy thrilling and mystery stories that will keep you on the edge and had me reading every page until I reach the last page. Double Down is such a great book with a solid and amazing plot and characters. The pacing is one thing, but I really liked the direction of how the story developed and how the author built the story that really gets you invested in finishing the entire story. Greatly recommended!
FIVE STARS: Glamor, Intrigue and Suspense “Double Down is about the cost of being a celebrity when people close to you use secrets against you to bring you down. The book is filled with aggression from beginning to end and parallel weaves a subtle romance. It is fascinating how a raw talent is molded into a superstar and then all hell breaks loose.”
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