I was somewhat disappointed in this installment of Bear and Jack's adventure in Costa Rica. For one, the story telling was done by Bear instead of Jack and after reading many books in this series, I felt confused at times and had to pause to get it straight. It just isn't the same as when Jack is narrating through the story! I also feel that when Jack narrates, he has a quirky sense of humor and is quick-witted in his comments and dialogue...that aspect seemed to be missing in "Ripple Effect".

As for the storyline, the "prize" continued to move and change to different characters making it difficult to determine which one deserved to be killed first. The story moved slower than previous installments and now it looks like there will be a continuation to pin down the final target - he is also suspected of being a back-stabber with his own agenda and using Jack and Bear cater to his whims. Thorne also appears to be a little smarter than the duo and should make the hunt more dangerous and devious. There also seems to be some open-ended situations with some of the "bad" characters leaving readers hanging on their status.

Mr. Ryan, this wasn't one of your best works...however, I like Bear and Jack Noble and will continue to read the next installments as they come out. Also, go back to using Jack for the narration! ( )