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Jim McGhee
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Option #1: A Sci-Fi Thriller with Star-Crossed Lovers and an alien called Allen (Options) Kindle Edition

by Jim McGhee (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

He may be the first human ever contacted by an alien

But Joe just wants to finish his breakfast in peace.

Then a huge man with a gun really spoils his day

And one of his closest friends is murdered.

Jess would know what to do but she dumped him.

He just has to get her back…

Because the world could be about to vanish into a black hole

And she’s a whole lot smarter than he is…

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  1. Book 1 of 1
    Options
  2. Print length
    124 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 13, 2024
  5. File size
    2.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D4RY3YX2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (June 13, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 13, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 124 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 7 ratings

About the author

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Jim McGhee

Jim McGhee

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Jim McGhee's a former award-winning environmental journalist.

Home is East Lothian near Edinburgh, Scotland, though he's currently based in the South of France, the main setting for the DI Barney Mains series.

After a full-on career as a campaigning newspaper reporter, he and wife Jean launched their own recruitment company in central Edinburgh and for twelve fun-packed years worked closely together alongside their brilliant team - without spilling a single drop of blood.

The Alpes-Maritimes and Var departments, on the other hand, have provided a host of dramatic locations just perfect as inspiration for the odd spot of fictional gore.

Locals, blessed with scenery ranging from unspoilt mountain villages to the classic palms-and-marinas coast, claim that they can be swimming one moment and ski-ing a little over an hour later. It's a claim not yet put to the test!

Besides, when not writing or travelling, Jim's more likely to be off on a hike in the hills with his ever-ready buddy, Jack the Irish Terrier.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
7 global ratings

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Things Are Not What They Seem
4 out of 5 stars
Things Are Not What They Seem
Clever tale with an interesting take on many different thoughts regarding time, space, the Universe, aliens, the government, and more. I enjoyed the characters and storyline; some fun little twists in there. I would however recommend the reader be fluent in British slang. It also helps to understand the impression many Brits have of the Scottish. I like the book but felt it was almost a set of ideas woven together that individually could have made for much deeper stories. Worth the read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • John R. Mcghee
    4.0 out of 5 stars Saving what future
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2024
    Enjoyable alien visit plot twister. Main character subplot gives some reality balance and subtle humor to the catastrophic potential explained in Option #1.

    But the interesting ending has more of a reincarnation flavor than an alien culture to me. Thanks to BOOK SIRENS for this free copy of the book. I am submitting an honest voluntary review.
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  • Holly AW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Do you like the TV show Resident Alien?
    Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
    If you do, I believe you’ll like this book. I’ve read several of the DI Barney Mains thrillers by Mr. McGhee and enjoyed those. When this book became available as an advance review copy, I thought why not try it? I’m glad I did, and here’s why.

    The basic premise is that an alien being makes contact with our male protagonist Joe while he’s living in the south of France. Joe is struggling as a freelance photojournalist and his girlfriend Jess, a journalist herself, recently left him and returned to Scotland. This alien has important information for Joe, who manages to lure Jess back to France to help him figure out what the alien – whom he names Allen – really wants. IF he’s really an alien but you’ll need to read the book to find out what is going on. It’s a fast read with humor – again, if you’ve seen Resident Alien, you’ll know what I mean – and quite the twist or two included. Mr. McGhee’s talent in writing detective thrillers is helpful as he has constructed a plot full of mystery as well as science fiction.

    Joe is a lovable lunk who more often than not messes things up, and Jess is bright, ambitious, and level-headed. Even better, she has a job with an expense account! Their interaction as they confront this idea that maybe they’ve made first contact drives the plot along. The story is complete, although I could see where a second book might evolve from this one. The characters are well drawn, including Allen, who provides several humorous moments. This book is written by a Scottish author so you may see some UK words and spellings throughout the book, but nothing to keep the reader from enjoying the story. All in all, whether this is just a one-off or the start of something more, Option #1 is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours of your time.

    I received an Advance Review Copy of Option #1 for free. I leave this review freely and with pleasure.
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  • ullegust
    3.0 out of 5 stars Smart sci-fi with a twist
    Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2024
    I’m a big fan of Jim McGhee’s DI Baines so maybe I had a too high expectation on this book.

    This is a totally different story, even if it takes place in the same country and has a male main character. The similarities ends there though. This is a kind of science fiction with a twist. It’s smart and has an anti hero, which I think is great, but I can’t with a clear conscience give more than three stars.

    It’s an interesting and fun storyline, but it never really took off for me. I think mostly due to the fact that I never got interested enough in the characters.

    This book has new to me characters of course and sometimes it takes time to ”get” the characters in a book, but unfortunately I never felt any connection to any of them. Joe felt bland and Jess came across as a bit unpleasant. Allen was plain weird, which I guess comes with the territory, and Marvin, who’s Marvin?

    This is MY take on the book, I think there will be others who will appreciate it more.

    I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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  • Cinzia
    4.0 out of 5 stars Things Are Not What They Seem
    Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024
    Clever tale with an interesting take on many different thoughts regarding time, space, the Universe, aliens, the government, and more. I enjoyed the characters and storyline; some fun little twists in there. I would however recommend the reader be fluent in British slang. It also helps to understand the impression many Brits have of the Scottish. I like the book but felt it was almost a set of ideas woven together that individually could have made for much deeper stories. Worth the read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
    Customer image
    Cinzia
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Things Are Not What They Seem

    Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024
    Clever tale with an interesting take on many different thoughts regarding time, space, the Universe, aliens, the government, and more. I enjoyed the characters and storyline; some fun little twists in there. I would however recommend the reader be fluent in British slang. It also helps to understand the impression many Brits have of the Scottish. I like the book but felt it was almost a set of ideas woven together that individually could have made for much deeper stories. Worth the read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
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  • Wolf O'Rourc
    4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing story with slow middle
    Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
    Option #1 has an intriguing premise with an unusual way for first contact. The heavy use of dialect went on longer than I cared for, particularly since Apple Books failed to decode some of the slang. As an interesting twist the main character has to rely on his ex to solve the initial mystery.

    Unfortunately, after that the story turns into talking heads throwing out information without much else happening. That Jim did so little with the Côte d'Azur setting particularly disappointed me.

    The story does redeem itself in the last third where it finally lives up to its thriller billing with an unexpected twist on the alien trope and a lot of action to save the world, or my rating would have been lower.

    I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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  • Sharon Storm
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hodgepodge of themes
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024
    This seemed like a hodgepodge of Mars Attacks, Men in Black and other dark humor with a sci-fi angle. Joe and Jess are journalists and a former romantic couple, but why they were ever in a personal relationship made no sense to me. Allen’s explanations of what was happening went on for too long.

    The ending was very abrupt, maybe because Jim Ghee is planning a follow-up. I enjoy the plots and humor of his Barney Mains books and hope he’ll continue that series. One of these is enough for me.

    I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.
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