The Husband, by Dean Koontz

Mitch, a 30-something gardener, gets a call from a stranger who claims to have kidnapped his wife - a claim the man quickly proves. But Mitch can get his wife back unharmed, the man says, so long as he does two things: say nothing to the cops about the call or the kidnapping, and pay a ransom of two million dollars. Mitch protests that he doesn't even have a fraction of that money. The kidnapper tells him to wait for further instructions...

This is a great premise, and the plot goes in some interestingly unexpected directions. (The kidnappers do not intend for Mitch to rob a bank or some such to get the money; the wife is a lot less of a helpless victim than it seems at first.) ) There's a plot turn that a lot of writers would have used as their shocking conclusion, but it happens about halfway in here, then the repercussions play out.

The book feels exactly like watching a satisfying action-thriller with a high concept, so much so that I'm surprised it's never been made into a movie. It would be a fun one.

I glanced at this on my way to putting it in the used book sale box, then read a chapter, then read a little more, then ended up reading the entire book in one sitting. It would be a good book to read on a plane.