The Baja Directive By Craig Hooper

Craig Hooper’s highly relatable and badass protagonist, Garrison Chase, leads an entrancing conspiracy tale where he faces off against a violent cartel leader as well as the President of the United States.

After saving the White House administration from the politically devastating events of the previous book, Garrison Chase is taking some well-deserved time off when he receives a personal off-the-books visit from POTUS, imploring Chase to quietly take out a vicious criminal who is running a sex-trafficking ring within a legalized immigration program between US and Mexico. Right off the bat, there are ill-omens for this unofficial operation but it isn’t until too late that Chase realizes the gravity of the murky situation he has dived face first into. Unable to trust official channels, Chase must fight for his life and uncover the truth before the trouble reaches home.

Craig Hooper lays down subtle clues and observations for astute minds to take notice of as he drives the story forward with a first person POV. The attention to detail pays off for the final revelation as readers uncover the mystery clue by clue in the front row seat with Garrison Chase. There is no straight forward predictable path to the heart of the conspiracy, an aspect that makes for a delightfully attention-grabbing experience.

The Baja Directive also doubles down on the action as Garrison Chase takes on highly trained adversaries gun running through the jungles of Mexico. The shootouts are described with a sharp visualization akin to actually being in the heat of the battle with Chase. The personal stakes hammer home an intense desperation for Chase to see the mission through and that intensity seeps into the high adrenaline sequences that grip you on the edge of your seats.

Treat your mind to a twisting and churning narrative and revel in the exotic dangers of battling a dangerous cartel with Garrison Chase. Craig Hooper does not disappoint in the slightest.

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Splinter Cell: Firewall By James Swallow

James Swallow brings back the legendary spy and assassin Sam Fisher with every bit of charisma and awesomeness of the Splinter Cell video games and books. As a huge fan of both, I was enthralled beyond words to see such exquisite rendition of the clandestine world of Splinter Cell universe with cool gadgets, cinematic-smooth action, and an audacious plot of a villain reminiscent of Bond baddies with a new take on weapon of mass destruction.

Set two years after the events of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Sam Fisher is training and evaluating the next potential group of Splinter Cell operatives when he finds his next trainee is none other than his daughter, Sarah Fisher. He has to put his reservations on hold when his supposedly dead nemesis is found working for an evil mastermind with a plan to plunge the whole world into panic and carnage using state of the art quantum computing to breach any firewalls in all sorts of essential infrastructure around the world. Sam Fisher must face his demons while guiding his daughter to embrace her own demons that come with the dangerous job of a Splinter Cell agent.

Splinter Cell games have some of the finest combat sequences and truly deserve just as fantastic action on paper. Luckily, James Swallow is well-versed in writing pulse-pounding action sequences and he brings his craft to Splinter Cell: Firewall with authentic and exquisitely creative shootouts and hand-to-hand combat with a multitude of fascinating gadgets and weapons from the games. Even James Bond would be jealous of Fisher’s toolbox. 

The grand scope of the narrative is augmented by a personal stake for Sam Fisher to see this mission through. Even though Fisher has been around for a while, his foundation as a protagonist is explored and built upon even further to highlight his unique personality that makes him stand out between so many other action heroes. Avoiding cliche pitfalls, James Swallow writes emotionally satisfying moments between father and daughter in such an unorthodox situation. Sarah Fisher as a Splinter Cell trainee has a wonderfully developed character arc that aptly sets her up for future stories without taking away any focus from Sam Fisher.  The deeply personal rivalry between Fisher and his nemesis adds a gritty edge to the story, resulting in a fulfilling and spectacular finale. 

Splinter Cell: Firewall was one of my most awaited books for the upcoming year and even with such high expectations I was mesmerized with the stellar storytelling. It’s everything a top-notch action-packed novel should be.

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The Night Shift By Alex Finlay

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Alex Finlay’s The Night Shift is the personification of “all thriller and no filler “. I started the first chapter in the afternoon and before I knew it, it was midnight and I was flipping the last page. 

The narrative opens up with the grisly murders of Blockbuster store employees on New Year’s Eve 1999. Only one girl survives the massacre. 10 years later, young girls working at an ice cream store are brutally murdered and yet again only one girl survives. The crime scene details are eerily identical, begging the question if it’s the same murderer as the one from 10 years ago. The mystique runs high throughout the narrative with awe-striking plot twists hurdling at you like meteoroids that keep you hooked on to watch the disturbing secrets unearthed in most spectacular fashion through good old sleuthing and killer instincts of the characters.

What makes The Night Shift such a unique experience is the brilliant character development coupled with a pedal to the metal plot. There are no grand action sequences as befitting the grounded murder investigation situation, putting the entire weight of keeping the story gripping and exciting on its believable characters and a breakneck pace. Luckily, Alex Finlay excels at mastering both in The Night Shift.

The Night Shift is a perfect crime-mystery thriller for fans, reminiscent of Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB series, but adding its own flair.

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Those Who Hunt Wolves By Harrison Taylor

Those Who Hunt Wolves caught my eye with its unique offerings. Genetically enhanced soldiers, corrupt financial institutions behind the most powerful heads of states, and a vengeful batch of mysterious characters on a mission to expose a dark conspiracy.  The book lives up to its promise, and then some. 

An unconventional thriller surely, but one that’s written with the supreme confidence and finesse of a skilled writer who knows how to keep the reader captivated without fail. Harrison Taylor expertly juggles numerous concepts from political intrigue to science-fiction. The narrative flows smoothly and purposefully through the pages, ensuring no sentence is wasted. Powerful dialogues build unforgettable characters, and jaw-dropping twists keep your mind running to calculate all the possibilities.

Adding sweet cherry on top, Harrison Taylor delivers some stupendous action sequences that pack the right punch for super-powered characters battling to the death in awe-inspiring scenes of gruesome combat. Taking advantage of the science-fiction angle, the author introduces cool weaponry and gadgets that elicit an audible WOAH when you read them in action. More importantly, the action is fueled by emotional ammunition to deliver a truly impactful cinematic sequence. 

Those Who Hunt Wolves is incontestably one of the top choices for the break-out thriller of 2022. As hard as I tried to read it at a casual pace, the charm of this neo-noir thriller had me laser-focused on it and nothing besides it. Full disclaimer: the femme-fatale is disturbing enough to keep you up a few nights afterwards. That’s how you write a deeply sinister character.

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Grim Measures By David Darling

David Darling’s crime thrillers hit you right in the gut with unrestrained brutality and grittiness. Grim Measures is a poignant story powered by terrifying emotions and a thought-provoking question of what lengths a doting father will go to in order to save his child.

John is a single parent, working hard to raise his daughter Ava on his own. His world is turned upside down when Ava is kidnapped from her room. With no leads in the investigation, John takes it upon himself to save her when the kidnapper orders John to kill the lead FBI agent on the kidnapping case in exchange for his daughter’s life, forcing John to choose between his morals and his duties as a family man.

Such an emotional topic would normally necessitate a full-length novel to properly explore the harrowing ramifications. However, David Darling remarkably paints an immersive and uncompromising portrait of John’s distress and his descent into despair in a short length. He also packs an impressive amount of realistic and cinematic action as John becomes quite the marksman with his wife’s Sig M18 and goes on the dark path of vigilantism. 

If you feel like refreshing your mind with a fine dark thriller that is guaranteed to be the pick-me-up on a dull day, I urge you to read Grim Measures. The ending will definitely catch you off-guard.

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No Second Chances By Rio Youres

No Second Chances cuts through all the competition in the vast ocean of thrillers with a sharp plot and larger than life characters wrapped in a stylized narrative that feels real and current.

Rio Youres writes a beautifully compelling story with all the bling and darkness of Hollywood we have come to love from Michael Connolly’s Bosch series. Luke Kingsley, a down on his luck actor after being accused of murdering his wife, crosses paths with a kind and wild young spirited woman, Kitty Rae, when she saves him from a suicide attempt. Kitty dreams of becoming a Hollywood icon when she is not working as a drug courier. When she runs afoul of a Nordic crime boss and social media celebrity, she has no one but Luke to help her escape from dangerous killers hellbent on punishing Kitty for her transgressions. For Luke, this offers a purpose in his life again as well as an opportunity to find out what happened to his wife. 

This is not your usual run-of-the-mill thriller. It ticks all the right boxes; riveting pacing, edge-of-your-seat action, and shocking twists that flip the narrative on its head. At the same time, it’s supercharged to convey the gut-wrenching emotions in a realistic tone that resonates with readers. The characters feel like they might be your next-door neighbors. The protagonists are given their due diligence in setting up rich histories that pave the way for their well-conceived choices, good and bad. 

The action is perhaps one of the finest and most realistic depictions of combat in a civilian capacity. Luke Kingsley’s weapons training for action movies gives him the advantage of knowing his way around weapons but doesn’t make him invincible. The shootouts, car chases, and fisticuffs cater to the physicality and backgrounds of the characters and are written with the cinematic flair of going the extra mile in visualization that elevates the reading experience for thriller aficionados.

Besides the fantastic heroes, the spotlight also shines on the distinctive villain. Johan Fly, an ambitious criminal with a strong social media following and a secret violent streak. His Nordic ancestry comes out in his proclivity to use a special axe in taking out his victims. Rio Youres’s bone-chilling descriptions of Johan Fly strike fear deep into readers and Luke and Kitty alike. Having a well-established and frightening villain is hard to achieve in a thriller but Youres makes it happen.

This is a once-in-a-year reading experience that actually nails every single aspect ranging from emotional depth to brutal action and transcends genres to appeal to all readers. Rio Youres’s No Second Chances is a phenomenal book from cover to cover and there aren’t many books like it. A must-read!

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Beneath The Stairs By Jennifer Fawcett

Beneath the Stairs is one of the creepiest thrillers I’ve read. Bone-chilling, haunting and addictive from the very first page when the author introduces a mysterious basement door in a house visited by brutal horrors, a door that leads to undeniable terror for the young kids who explore it on a dare but come out changed for life.

One of the best aspects of this spooky tale is the sustained mystique of what haunts the characters from their experiences in the basement. The buildup to the reveal is phenomenal, with multiple interweaving timelines and characters whose collective discoveries unveil the mystery only after the reader is thoroughly spooked by the supernatural horror elements yet not entirely certain about its true nature.

At the heart of the story lies a web of grounded human interactions between realistically formed characters with severe emotional baggage. As you read through the transformative journeys of the characters from teenage years to adulthood, you form meaningful attachments to them and become heavily invested in their survival as the story dives into perilous grounds. With complex and flawed character psyches, an intriguing question begins to take shape; what’s scarier? Ghosts, or the potential for humans to be disturbingly terrifying?

For readers who like to test their limits by staying up late with a truly scary story, Beneath the Stairs is the perfect choice to keep you awake past bedtime and peering over at the bedroom door periodically as your brain starts visualizing the strikingly eerie events courtesy of the author’s immersive writing.

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Mickey 7 By Edward Ashton

Mickey7 is a special story. It’s not entirely sci-fi, it’s not entirely thriller, but it’s a fascinating fusion of philosophical conundrums in a science-fiction setting with a machine-gun pace of a solid thriller.

Mickey Barnes is expendable; he has signed up to be the cannon fodder in scientific planetary explorations where the human touch is needed. He has died 6 times so far but wakes up in a new clone each time engineered from his body tissue. When an incursion with an alien species goes bad, he is rumored to be dead. He makes it out alive only to realize he has already been cloned. Mickey7, meet Mickey8. Only one can actually survive. Edward Ashton takes readers on an enriching journey with fantastic characters and exciting dilemmas with one big question; what makes you YOU?

Edward Ashton’s prose is beautifully elegant. The narrative digs deep into the feelings of Mickey Barnes and his unshakable circumstances that made him sign up to be an expendable. Even with interstellar travel and far too futuristic elements, Ashton explains every single detail in layman’s terms with vivid and familiar descriptions for every reader to visualize in the highest mental resolution possible. The first-person POV is fun and regal, establishing a strong connection between Mickey Barnes and readers where it naturally feels as if Mickey is talking to us.

I went in without knowing the nitty gritty of what to expect and perhaps this is the best way to dive into this book to be completely surprised by the sheer scale of the poignant storytelling with nuanced messages and parallels that hit you late at night and keep you in a perpetual state of marveling at the brilliance and ingenuity of this exquisite world that Edward Ashton has created and filled with life.  No wonder Hollywood has already started the process of bringing this book to the big screen.

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Margaret Truman's Murder At The CDC By Jon Land

Jon Land writes a terrifically suspenseful story in Margaret Truman’s Murder at the CDC, one that is sure to make you think twice about getting coupons in the mail. 

During a tour for high school students at The Capitol, a gunman opens fire with an automatic rifle and claims the lives of many young souls before being gunned down. Kelly Loftus of the Department of Protective Services, formerly a detective of Baltimore PD, comes across a trove of clues that hint at a less straightforward theory than that of a deranged gunman. Following her instincts, she pairs up with Robert Brixton, a man of many talents of the espionage persuasion. With a personal incentive for Brixton to get involved, they uncover and follow the clues all the way to a senator with an audacious and morbid plan in the works. 

The narrative twists and turns at a fantastic pace while developing its characters with a steady hand. The sleuthing/mystery elements of the story keep you hooked in as the Brixton and Loftus work the crime scenes and peek behind the curtains through intelligent curiosity that is perfectly in-line with the discoveries and conclusions of their investigation. There is heavy focus on establishing the main baddie of the story, diving into the makings of a man that could concoct such a twisted, deadly plan for his personal gains. While I would have loved to see Brixton and the bad guy interact more, the final confrontation still satisfied my appetite for a personal conflict between the two. 

Murder at the CDC grips you from the chilling first chapter and doesn’t let go until the resolution of the story as you try to crack the conspiracy from different angles alongside the protagonists. An ideal choice for readers looking to give their inquisitive brains a workout.

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Sierra Six By Mark Greaney

Sierra Six is an explosive entry in Mark Greaney’s Gray Man saga with a deeper than ever insight into Court Gentry’s psyche and roots. Testament to the outstanding writing found in these books, Mark Greaney brilliantly circumvents the traditional linear narration for an unconventional route this time as the narrative moves forward in two parallel chains of events, one for current timeline, and one for Court Gentry’s first ever mission with the infamous Goon Squad twelve years ago. 

After being branded persona non grata once again following the events of Relentless, Courtland Gentry is operating in the shadows as a hitman with strong moral codes. During a straightforward mission to plant surveillance bugs in the Turkish embassy in Algiers, Gentry gets more than he bargained for when he comes across a man who was supposedly killed twelve years ago. When Gentry takes a shot at his target, his cover is blown and his tech support for this particular mission, an Indian college grad, is captured. Racing against time, he follows the trail to India where he finds out his past isn’t done with him just yet. 

There’s no denying the appeal of vivid and breathtakingly awesome action sequences in the Gray Man books. Sierra Six pushes the envelop of realistic and cinematic shootouts and hand-to-hand combat without tipping into the unbelievable. Whether Gentry’s taking out his adversaries with lightning quick headshots or jumping from one building to another in a wild foot pursuit in the urban sprawls of India, the beautifully descriptive narration keeps you on the edge of your seat with its WOW factor.

Gray Man has always been an enigma for readers. Mark Greaney reveals trickles of Gentry’s past but never the complete picture. It comes as a huge game-changer that Sierra Six dives deep into the makings of Gentry as the withdrawn and relentless assassin with a penchant for undertaking the most dangerous contracts and missions. We see Gentry as a young singleton operator in his mid-20’s who has grown comfortable in operating on his own. Against the wishes of his handler, he is added to the Golf Sierra team, led by Zack Hightower, after the team loses a member during a time sensitive mission in Pakistan. This book is undoubtedly one of the lengthier Gray Man books, but for great reason as we get to see Gentry’s uneasy interactions with his team and his makings as a fluid and adaptive team-player with wisdom imparted on him by his experiences from his first mission with the Golf Sierra team, a mission that heartbreakingly molds him into an even more ruthless killing machine.

I noticed some inconsistencies with regards to location research and cultural and linguistic nuances. The story takes place predominantly in South East Asia, particularly India and Pakistan. Research on India was laudably extensive despite the COVID travel restrictions. However, descriptions of Pakistan and the spoken languages (Hindi-Urdu) felt a bit alien based on my exhaustive experiences in the region. This could have simply been a fluke due to aforementioned COVID restrictions but came as a slight shock as Mark Greaney’s writings have always captured and reflected realistic descriptions of environments and situations. 

Sierra Six fuels the readers with dangerously high doses of adrenaline from its rapidly evolving plot and escalating action sequences while grounding the story with pragmatic characters and unnerving threats of the modern world. Not only is this one of the best Gray Man thrillers so far, but will also undoubtedly be one of the most talked about thrillers for 2022. Buckle in for a reading frenzy because the Gray Man is back with a bang!

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City Of The Dead By Jonathan Kellerman

City of the Dead is an unconventional thriller, but certainly one of the most grounded and classiest police procedurals of the decade. With the charismatic LA backdrop for a slew of murders that may or may not be connected, the narrative is a slow burn but deeply insightful and irresistible.

When a woman is brutally murdered in her apartment along with an unidentifiable young man, Detective Milo Sturgis calls upon the brilliant expertise of Psychologist Alex Delaware to aid the investigation due to the disturbing nature of the crime scene. Starting from scratch, Alex and Milo unearth clues through logical and reasonable deductions that exhibit a true-crime investigation vibe as opposed to a pure fictional one. Both leading characters balance out the proper crime solving essentials, with Milo taking up the charge of hardcore door to door police-work while Alex calls upon his instincts to psychoanalyze the suspects and the crimes, marking a dynamic and memorable crime-solving duo.

Johnathan Kellerman writes an easy-to-follow prose with a kindred sense of relatability that works in perfect harmony with Alex’s first person POV. This is one of the rare few narratives where the setting takes a life of its own. LA’s vibrant and sometimes sinister aura is elegantly described with simple but effective words along with complimenting characters that seem so real and plausible that we begin to truly care for them. The dogged determination of the leads keeps you gripped with the anticipation of the big reveal that hits you like a freight train from the least expected direction.

If you’re yearning for something besides an ordinary thriller with cool tidbits about solving crimes the old-fashioned way and a surprisingly uplifting message, you can’t go wrong with City of the Dead.

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Dark Horse By Gregg Hurwitz

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Get ready for Orphan X’s darkest mission yet as he finds himself in a situation that tests him and his humanity like never before. Gregg Hurwitz never shies away from exploring the moral complexities of Evan Smoak’s struggle to keep a grip on his sanity in a world of unfiltered violence, but Dark Horse ratchets up the darkness inside the formidable assassin when he has no choice but to go over to the dark side.

Reeling over from the explosive cliffhanger of Prodigal Son with bombshell revelations, Evan Smoak is sought out by an unorthodox businessman who dabbles in the illegal drug industry. A far point from Smoak’s moral compass, Evan reluctantly steps in to help because a teenage girl’s life hangs in balance. From the get-go, there is a strong feeling reverberating from the pages that nothing is what it seems and sure enough, the truth rocks Orphan X’s mission from difficult to darn-near impossible. Perfect odds to showcase Smoak’s ingenuity and action acumen.  

Orphan X thrillers pack some of the best action sequences in recent thrillers and Dark Horse keeps that tradition going with realistic hand-to-hand combat and kinetic shootouts. Gregg Hurwitz also puts Evan Smoak in the spotlight as he goes through serious emotional dilemmas that put him through the wringer, giving an insight into his vulnerability like never before. The culmination is a big milestone in Evan’s extraordinary character development, one that will surely change things going forward.

Dark Horse is an incredibly meaningful story of self-exploration and what it takes to be humane against all odds, packed in a barrage of uppercuts, knife jabs, and hot lead flying in all directions. In typical Gregg Hurwitz fashion, the tense cliffhanger makes it barely humanly possible to wait until the next book!

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Restitution By John A. Daly

Restitution offers hard-hitting action spearheaded by a badass protagonist who talks the talk and walks the walk in a brutal story of surviving an unforgiving territory.

Sean Coleman is on a bachelor party run to Vegas with his brother-in-law, and the groom-to-be buddy. A chance encounter reunites Coleman with an old flame. What starts off as an innocent night with emotions running high, turns sinister as Coleman and his old flame are taken captive by a crime syndicate who believe Coleman to have come into money recently that belonged to the crime boss he helped put away. Coleman has to fight his way out of the desolate Nevada desert when he finds out his captor is a vile man on the path for restitution with a personal agenda against Coleman and his brother-in-law. The narrative takes place over the course of one night as Coleman uses all his wits and prowess with weapons and hand to hand combat to get the upper hand on his enemies in the harsh environment of rocky and dangerously slippery terrain with no time for caution.  

Even as I jumped in without prior knowledge of the previous books in the series, John A. Daly’s attention to familiarizing the readers with the characters through meaningful interactions and essential past-books-knowledge went a long way to get me hooked in quickly. As soon as the characters are established, the narrative cranks up the action to the maximum level throughout the remainder of the story with explosive and stellar shootouts that capture the frightening essence of realistic action sequences where the ammunition is numbered and each shot counts. Every kick, punch, and gunshot are written vividly and as clearly as an HD resolution for a truly impressive experience without getting in its own way.

Topping off the constant action is a beautifully simple and linear story that keeps you on your toes with its unpredictability without venturing out into improbability. Keeping the locale fixed and grounded in this story prompted an emphatic focus on well-developed and enjoyable characters you actually care about. John A. Daly brings a charmingly vulnerable protagonist to the thrillerverse table without letting him be overshadowed by any other identical character.

Written in the vein of old-school stories of revenge, familial bonds, and relentless action, Restitution is a definite must-read.

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The Moscow Protocol By Terrence McCauley

The Moscow Protocol is an excellent addition to the pulpy adrenaline-soaked techno-thriller espionage series that Terrance McCauley has created and enchanted with unparalleled freshness and ingenuity. 

Following the events of the previous book very closely, The University, a secret US-based spy organization, is geared up for a war against its evil twin, The Vanguard, that aims to spread fear and chaos through acts of terrorism of the direst consequences. James Hicks, Dean of The University, plans a full-frontal offensive with intricate attacks on those that murdered his love. Recovering from his previous ordeal, Hicks guides his agents in the most conniving of ways to settle the score once and for all.

More often than not, thrillers focus solely on the protagonist and the antagonist and leave the rest of the characters to wither out. Terrance McCauley sidesteps this landmine and maintains an engaging atmosphere and personality for each asset in the University, resulting in a diverse bunch of characters that beckon you to care and root for them in their missions. While James Hicks is very much the main character of this series, you can’t help but admire his underlings as they impress you their distinctively captivating personas, courtesy of McCauley’s brilliance with writing a palatial roster of guys and gals for whom you would love to read any and all spin-off stories.

With the hostile nature of the plot nature comes knuckle-busting action. Terrance McCauley’s action sequences are exquisite in their lightening-pace and unbridled bloodshed with technical and tactical authenticity without going overboard with any of the equipment. The focus is on the kinetic and fluid situation with a healthy dose of chaos and adrenaline. 

With a direct connection to the previous books in the series, I highly recommend that you read The Moscow Protocol after having read the previous 3 books for the perfect emotional action-packed payoff to a smart and wildly unpredictable story arc.

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Code Green By Andrew Warren

Code Green is one of the best crosses between classic neo-noir storytelling and modern fast-paced action-fest thrillers. From underwater cave-diving harpoon shootouts to cinematic vehicular chases with blazing guns all around, Andrew Warren writes an excellent global and exotic spy thriller that is every bit as poignant as it is enthralling. 

Thomas Caine is back with a vengeance as he continues to dismantle a dangerous syndicate run by disgruntled intelligence gurus with an agenda to blackmail the most powerful heads of states. When a mysterious asset reaches out with promising and time-sensitive information, Caine must go out in the field once again and confront his haunting past, a mission that concludes with an emotionally empowering and fiery finale. 

Andrew Warren’s prose reads like beautiful poetry with vivid descriptions of the exotic locales and awe-inspiring action sequences that hold you in the hot seat. Globetrotting from Virginia to Singapore, all the way to Vietnam, Andrew Warren truly captures the unique and vibrant wavelengths of each setting as he catapults his protagonist into the line of fire with ingenious and unbarred shootouts, fisticuffs, and adrenaline-pumping pursuits that elicit a loud applause even at 3 in the morning. 

With a mostly Thomas Caine centric narrative, Andrew Warren makes full use of exploring the evolving psyche of his protagonist. Long time fans of this series are in for a treat as Caine’s characterization evolves in a meaningful realistic fashion, considering the harsh events he has been through in the previous books. Yet with all the emotional baggage, Caine still retains his spunky and somewhat dark charisma that will have readers following him wherever he goes. 

Code Green has enough smart twists and turns to keep you flipping through the pages long into the night with no intention of closing the book. By the time you figure out it’s already the next day, you’re so close to the resolution that you risk it all just to find out what happens next. Only a handful of authors can balance engrossing storytelling with high octane action, and Code Green is concrete proof that Andrew Warren is one of these authors.

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Road Of Bones By Christopher Golden

Road of Bones is truly a bone-chilling memorable horror tale set in the harsh and vastly unexplored setting of Siberia in a whole new atmosphere. It took me less than a day to finish it, despite my best intentions to take my time with it. Once the narrative picks up, it doesn’t let go of your attention until the haunting climax.

Felix Teigland, an American documentary producer, takes a road trip along with his friend and investor to a town in Siberia known to be the coldest place on Earth in the hopes of making a brand-new documentary capturing its spooky history and local folktales. The journey takes them on a lengthy highway connecting the desolate town to the rest of the civilization, a highway that serves as a burial ground for prisoners of the Russian Gulag. Once they reach the town, they observe no presence at all; Home-cooked meals left untouched, belongings left behind, and footsteps leading to the dark forest nearby. Only a little girl is left behind who remains in catatonic state. Quickly, the visitors are exposed to a horror unlike any they’ve experienced before, a horror borne of supernatural elements that will stop at nothing to get to them. 

Christopher Golden’s Road of Bones rivals the best of the horror genre. The powerfully vivid descriptions of the extremely cold terrain fill you with a deep-rooted sense of gratitude for the warmth radiating from a sunny forecast. There is an eerie awareness of impending doom from the very first sentence of the story. As the story progresses, the characters become more relatable, the situation more immersive, and the fear more palpable. Ordinarily, supernatural horror thrillers can feel disconnected from reality. However, the behavior of the characters in the tense situations make you question what would you do in such a predicament in a manner that pushes away the disbelief.

Road of Bones thrills and scares with no bounds. The fact that the highway known as Road of Bones actually exists with a horrible backstory lends credence to the storyline. You’ll be thinking about this haunted fable long after you’ve finished it. A surprising but undoubtedly stunning read from start to finish.

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Undermoney By Jay Newman

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Undermoney marks the debut of Jay Newman with a unique perspective on political espionage thrillers.  Most of the modern ones deal with narratives about moles and large-scale attacks with a healthy amount of action sequences to progress the story. Jay Newman takes a page out of Jason Matthews’ Red Sparrow series of using natural conversations and seductive character interactions to drive the readers through the story. However, Undermoney differentiates itself by casting a bright spotlight on the role of giant finance machines operating behind the scenes of power plays on a global scale. 

The story focuses on a team of former US military members who plan the ultimate heist to steal untraceable money from a Middle Eastern warzone. The money is geared towards propelling one of their own into the White House to fundamentally restructure America’s domestic and foreign policies. The problem isn’t pulling off the heist, rather it is making that money clean enough to use in the electoral campaign. This predicament allows the readers to gain mind-blowing insights into the intricacies of cleaning black money and stock manipulation shown in vivid details and realistic timeline as part of the narrative.

The book is packed with fascinating economic tidbits that expose the reader to the vast and epic world of financial operations. As a result, the story feels less like a work of fiction and more like a top-secret account of real people in the current cutthroat socio-economic environment controlled by ruthless spies and unhinged business men. The twists and turns are wonderfully unpredictable and the ending is a dark culmination to a smartly unconventional story that rightfully demands your full attention to understand the nuances of the characters’ motivations and endgames. The narrative does slow down midway, but Jay Newman keeps the entertainment high throughout with informative nuggets of financial wisdom as well as an attractive aura of watching the team game economic sanctions in ingenious ways. 

Jay Newman has opened the doors for a potentially superb and creative series with Undermoney and I am eager to see how he continues the story. No doubt this will cause quite a stir as it hits stores early next year!

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Targeted By Stephen Hunter

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Targeted is a highly entertaining action narrative with a retro 80’s vibe emanating from Stephen Hunter’s old school style while taking on a modern political theme.

Bob Lee Swagger is served a notice to attend a congressional hearing that aims to highlight the increased gun violence in America, using Swagger as a political scapegoat. What starts off as a courtroom drama quickly escalates into violence when a group of Chechen fighters invade the premises to gain hostages and strongarm the authorities into giving them transportation and money to safety. Swagger along with a mysterious delta operative on the outside must swiftly take out the threats before the bad guys can escape.

Stephen Hunter’s strong and attention-grabbing writing takes an unflinching stance on violence, creating a prolonged tense environment as Swagger is trapped with the hostages in close proximity to bloodthirsty villains. The weaponry details flow like descriptions of mythical tools, clear and imaginative to be understood by all readers regardless of their knowledge bases with the different types of ammunition and weapons. The action sequences develop smoothly with the cool precision of an expert marksman under the chaotic cloud of heavy fire. The shootouts and close quarter combat take Bob Lee’s age into consideration in order to present a realistic challenge for Swagger to overcome in practical fashion. 

The villains bring the 80’s flavor to the narrative, with bad English and half-cocked plans that are ripe for imploding in their faces. Perhaps an intentional choice on the author’s part, but the bad guys felt like a weak match for Bob Lee Swagger. 

Stephen Hunter’s prowess with historical fiction shines bright in Targeted with an insight into the 1700’s as Bob Lee Swagger’s heritage is traced back to an ancestor as part of a sub plotline that Swagger is imbued with a killer gene. The narrative jumps back and forth between the two timelines, subtly complimenting each other with similar situations that pave the way for a fulfilling resolution.

Targeted is a hard-boiled all-killer narrative that tackles multiple fronts of storytelling using a well-handled mesh of action, drama, and suspense. 

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The Runaway By Nick Petrie

Nick Petrie’s The Runaway is a slightly different approach to the Peter Ash series than expected. All the core elements that make the books so entertaining and engaging are in abundance, but this time the narrative is equally personal for Peter Ash as it is for the true star of this emotionally jarring story, Helene. 

Helene is a nineteen-year-old living in an awfully deserted town with an abusive caretaker. Desperate to escape a terrible fate, she hitches a ride with a charismatic drifter. What she doesn’t know is that the drifter is no better than the torturous fate she thought she had escaped.   Nick Petrie’s vividly immersive scenarios make you feel the gut-wrenching horror she faces at the prospect of being trapped in a vicious relationship against her will. 

When she crosses paths with Peter Ash, she tries to escape the clutches of her abusive partner. Ash’s good-natured tendency to fight bullies makes him her best hope to get to safety. Right off the bat, the situation seems dire for both Peter and Helene as their pursuers seem to be adept at combat tactics, pushing Ash to unleash his barely-contained inner wolf to match up to his unforgiving and brutal adversaries. 

There’s no shortage of crisp fast-paced action sequences from cool car chases to bloody shootouts as Peter goes full-Rambo on his enemies by making the most out of any and all resources at his disposal. The beautifully descriptive backdrops to the action sequences make for breathtaking cinematic moments. However, the story actually belongs to Helene more than Peter. Her transformative journey, as disturbing as it is empowering, is done justice as Nick Petrie does a fantastic job of keeping her away from the stereotypical damsel-in-distress trope.

The Runaway is a powerful action-packed story that portrays the unflinchingly true nature of evil while balancing an inspirational embodiment of heroism that is more necessary today than ever. A real treat for all thriller fans.

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End of Days By Brad Taylor

End of Days is a rock-and-roll entertainer with the ever-witty Pike Logan and his formidable team pitted against a group of religious fanatics led by a serial killer, who belongs in the most-deranged category of killers. 

When a former Mossad spymaster is assassinated, all signs point to Iran as the culprit. Digging deeper into the assassination unearths a darker conspiracy, one perpetrated by members of The Knights of Malta to fulfill the prophecy of bringing about the end of days through an all-out war. Aaron and Shoshana enlist the help of Taskforce just days before Pike and Jennifer’s wedding day to stop a global catastrophe. All in a day’s work for our favorite characters.

End of Days reminds readers in no uncertain terms why Brad Taylor is one of the most talked about authors today. His focus to detail when it comes to describing spycraft techniques with in-depth execution is second to none. This is one of the few books where I enjoyed the tactical planning and slow-burn style of missions as much as the resulting crisp and swift action sequences.

Another critical component of this narrative is the evolution of all the beloved characters in the Taskforce series. Reflecting back on the earlier books, Pike Logan has become more of a tactician and spymaster than a door-kicker. The sustained and evolving maturity in his thought-process and actions paves the way for a smarter reading experience as the narrative inspires readers to think along with Pike and his team in concocting the right tactical plan for a given situation. That being said, Pike Logan is still the fearsome operator we’ve come to love, keeping his darkness in check with sarcastic quips and a strong bond with his new bride, Jennifer.

End of Days is one of the darker stories by Brad Taylor, but it’s aptly balanced by tension-cutting humor between Pike and Shoshana as they butt heads on how to approach the missions. While Shoshana is motivated by a bloodlust, Pike’s preferences are more subtle. This conflict leads to a lot of hilarious banters between the two and periodically cools down the otherwise constantly heated storyline. 

Brad Taylor’s work is tinged with eerie prophecies and End of Days feels like a scary foretelling of events to follow soon enough. There is no excuse to miss out on this!

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