Dead Reckoning By Rob Sinclair

Rob Sinclair’s Dead Reckoning hit me like a surprise freight train where I went in blind and found myself reading through a riveting crime drama with tactical action and an exciting protagonist.

Simon Peake is looking for a job. Fresh out of prison for dishing out justice in a violent manner, he says he wants a quiet life but falls in with an Irish mobster. It doesn’t help that he’s also attracted to the mobster’s niece but he makes it work. It’s only when his past catches up to him that he must find a way to protect those he loves before he finds himself in a precarious situation as a prey of those who have a vendetta against him.

Sinclair writes an all-engrossing story that captures the high tactical features of a military/espionage action read and infuses them with the gritty crime drama spectacle that I found very compelling, especially as a fan of Don Winslow’s work. This all rides on the perspective of Simon Peake as an underdog hero who tries to live a simple life after a lifetime of violence but just can’t catch a break. His dilemmas are meaningful and handled with messy and frustrating realities of life where the protagonist doesn’t get to play the hero and come out unscathed. 

Dead Reckoning brings you the perfect blend of drama and action with a captivatingly flawed but root-worthy protagonist of whom you’ll want to read more, as soon as possible.

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Blunt Force By Aiden Bailey

Blunt Force is an action-driven narrative that hits hard and fast like its name and dazzles you with cool and creative action sequences that you wish would be adapted for the big screen in the near future.

Aiden Bailey kicks off this new entry with an exciting action sequence much like a Bond movie where Mark Pierce battles a Russian assassin on rooftops and enclosed trenches in a fight to the death. Pierce is then assigned to do a deeper investigation of a leak that has powerful entities on the hunt for the material, killing any and all journalists associated with it. Can Pierce get to the surviving journalists and prevent the material from falling into the wrong hands? 

If nothing else, Bailey’s stories are full of adventure and adrenaline-pumping scenarios fleshed out for an immersive reading experience. Luckily, we’re treated to a lot more than action with stunning locales, high suspense, and intriguing characters, particularly the protagonist who continues to remain a mystery but with some new clues revealed to his enigmatic past. Fans of the series are in for a marvelous treat as Bailey takes the characters on the road across volcanic scenery and urban centers with bursts of energetic action. 

Blunt Force is an action fan’s thriller with just about everything you crave to read when you’re jonesing for an adrenaline rush. 

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Blood Feud By Martin Rooney

Blood Feud is a broiling tale of murderous rampage and unfiltered chaos. It’s these dark qualities that make Martin Rooney’s fiction debut a real killer.

Lee Cain is nobody’s idea of a hero. Abrasive, mean, maybe even a little bigoted, these are not necessarily heroic qualities. But he’s a fighter. Whether it’s cancer, drunks, assassins or a shadowy organization hell-bent on protecting their secrets of immortality, Cain will beat the heck out of anyone in his path. Bring it on for Lee Cain, the man’s a killer.

One of the most mesmerizing qualities of the narrative is its hard-knuckled action. You don’t really feel Cain’s ever in mortal danger, but that doesn’t prevent the amount of thrills delivered per page as Cain takes out his adversaries with brutal efficiency. The fight scenes are meticulously crafted with a punch-by-punch breakdown of each grapple, choke, and lock, powered by Rooney’s own skillset of MMA fighters. 

Lee Cain’s personality is a very bold and intriguing choice by Rooney. It’s not an easy decision to have a lead that doesn’t speak to the best of your qualities, but maybe that’s why the narrative works. The pulpy characterization fits the dark and violent core and works as a cautionary tale of a man subject to abuse and violence as a child who grows up to embody evil and hatred. That much is conveyed hauntingly well by Rooney through troubling flashbacks into Cain’s childhood.  

Blood Feud is just the beginning of what is shaping up to be an enthralling series and I am pumped to see this story fleshed out further with its set of very flawed and human characters and situations.

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The Palace Of Sinners And Saints By Ammar Merchant

The Palace of Sinners and Saints is a brutally fun time for action readers who like their protagonist to be unabashedly awesome and badass. Ammar Merchant shows great talent in crafting powerful and feral action sequences that make a lasting impression, an impressive feat given that it’s his debut.

Irfan Mirza is a freelance operative who lends his violent and aggressive skillset to the cause of helping those in trouble. He was kidnapped as a child and indoctrinated into becoming a fearsome assassin who ultimately broke out of the mold to fight for the right reasons. When a despotic king in a Middle Eastern kingdom, known for suppressing his opponents by making them disappear, sets his sights on a woman, he is not aware that would be his undoing. For that woman is Irfan’s foster sister. Spiraling into a personal rampage, Irfan kicks off a mission to infiltrate a 12th-century Middle Eastern castle turned black-site prison with a small band of specialists. Never count Mirza out, especially as long as he breathes.

Irfan Mirza’s introduction goes down as one of the most smashing and captivating moments I’ve read. Suave and cool yet so feral and wild, it sets the tone for Mirza as a character. Merchant builds up the foundation for Mirza as a force to be reckoned with through showing us these character-making sequences as opposed to simply dropping anecdotes. It goes a long way in establishing this debut protagonist as one of the most compelling characters in the thrillerverse.

Merchant takes the road not taken by setting Irfan Mirza as a man hailing from Pakistan and a practicing Muslim. But these are far from brownie points to write a distinctive character. Ammar Merchant takes full advantage of this cultural shift in the genre to help flesh out Mirza as a complex and layered character who is flawed enough to actually exist yet has admirable qualities and principles from his culture that make him someone to root for, a gentleman in an ungentlemanly time.

There’s plenty of fuel in this action-packed ride with bike chases, hand to hand combat, shootouts, and after all, a full-blown infiltration into a castle with tons of explosions. However, my favorites have to be the bike chase being one heck of an adrenaline rush and all of the close quarters combat sequences where Irfan’s fighting style can only be described as that of a giant who simply tramples his opponents. 

Ammar Merchant made an immediate impression on me with The Palace of Sinners and Saints that not only kept me energized with action but also made me crave to know more about Mirza’s past as well as what he’ll be up to next. This is an exciting thriller that stands on its own unique takes on the fundamentals of the genre and I can’t wait to read what Merchant follows this up with next. 

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Tom Clancy's Line Of Demarcation By M.P. Woodward

M.P. Woodward flexes his prowess at creating kinetic and tense escalations that feel both inspired and fresh. Line of Demarcation is action-packed and engaging to the core.

Jack Ryan Jr. finds himself in Guyana when a US Coast Guard cutter on mission to open a sea lane between an oil field off the coast of South America and the refineries of southern Louisiana is destroyed. While Ryan is working to get a deal going for his company, Hendley Associates, he digs into a plot hatched by Russia’s Wagner Group and Venezuelan narco-terrorists that tie directly into the destruction of the US Coast Guard cutter. With stakes rising and conflicts running rampant, The Campus and its operatives must decode the secrets of the conflict before the United States of America finds itself in another war.

Line of Demarcation is a bona-fide Clancy thriller. Woodward captures the grand scope, the multi-character narrative converging on a single resolution, and the gritty action with what seems to be supreme ease on paper as every page reads so smoothly. There are some interesting throwbacks to classic Clancy moments that will have fans reminiscing about the golden days while appreciating the high standards of the modern continuation of this long running series. 

I love that Woodward tackles a fresh locale for Ryan Jr.’s latest mission, venturing readers into as much of a new environment as he does with his characters in this story. The renewed energy does wonders for the whole narrative as you learn new things while getting thoroughly entertained by the fast-paced taut chain of events that engage all your senses. 

Line of Demarcation is one of the most interesting and exciting Ryan Jr. stories I’ve read in the recent run and I am confident that the series is in safe hands with M.P. Woodward’s stellar direction.

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Tokyo Black By Andrew Warren

Andrew Warren is my go-to author whenever someone asks me to suggest a thriller series where action is cinematic, breathtaking, and plentiful while driving the story. I remember eagerly reading the first paragraph of Tokyo Black without any idea of what I was getting into. I just had a feeling this was going to be something special. Fast-forward to the re-release of his debut, and I stand by my words.

Thomas Caine works in the shadows. As a former CIA asset, he was trained to be unstoppable. When he’s set up by local criminals in Thailand, he has to bargain with the devil, his old spymasters, and undertake a dangerous mission that leads him to Tokyo where he gets on the hunt for a fanatical terrorist cult hellbent on seeing their propaganda flourish.

Andrew Warren consistently captures the cinematic vibe of spy thrillers. His attention to detail with the environment and atmosphere not only adds gravitas to the intense situations but also gives the locations their own genuine personalities as much as the characters in the narrative. This plays out wonderfully as Warren takes readers through the brightly-lit streets of Tokyo through the eyes and ears of Thomas Caine. Couple this with fast-paced crisp action sequences that leave an indelible mark on your memory and elevate the narrative, and you’ve got Tokyo Black. It’s the beginning of one of the best spy action series you’ll read and Thomas Caine will quickly become your go-to CIA operator.

There’s no going wrong with Andrew Warren’s stellar writing and Tokyo Black is definitive proof of this fact. Follow Thomas Caine on a death-defying adventure that neatly balances cinematic action and realistic characters. 

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Shot Clock By Andrew Bourelle

Andrew Bourelle puts the pedal to the metal in this riveting sports-centered action thriller with a suspenseful core and engaging characters. Shot Clock is an interesting read with a cinematic flair.

Caitlin Glass lives a somewhat active life as a cop in her small-town with a husband and kid, reminiscing about her athletic days when she used to live for the hoops. Still bittersweet about the injury that got to her, she reacquaints with a face from her past, now a basketball star, Garrett Streeter. His brother’s been kidnapped and the kidnappers want to control the spread over the games. With time running out, Caitlin steps into the murky underworld of sports to find Garrett’s brother before he slips up in the game of his life.

Andrew Bourelle springs up the narrative with intense bouts of energy, with emotional resonance interspersed in-between the action and suspense to give the story a heart as well as brain. Her motivations feel both inspiring as well as deeply humanly complex that drive the action as much as the criminal investigation. The twists hit you in the face and the non-stop pacing leaves you breathless from the ride. It’s a sight to behold, reading how Bourelle interweaves kinetic scenes of basketball between gritty shootouts and combat, instilling a sense of urgency that does justice to the race-against-time trope. 

Shot Clock is one of the most engaging and fresh crime thrillers you’ll read this year and you’ll be wanting to read more of Bourelle’s stories as soon as you’re done with this one.

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A Thousand Natural Shocks By Omar Hussain

A Thousand Natural Shocks is psychological suspense at its finest, tingling with unsettling paranoia and fear of both the ailments affecting the protagonist, and the protagonist himself.

Omar Hussain weaves a complex and layered story about a news reporter, Dash, who is desperate to forget his past. He finds himself in a cult that promises to help him be reborn without the burdens of his past. As Dash begins to lose parts of his memory, he also starts to lose his grasp on reality, unsure if he’s chased by a serial killer or a face from his past. At the same time, he finds that the cult has its own selfish and immoral reasons for wanting to give people a fresh slate. With time running out, can Dash make sense of all that’s happening to him or will his intense desire to forget his past overpower him into oblivion?

The narrative is chock full of surprises and misdirects that grow so authentically that you’re caught completely off-guard by the gut-punches that make their way off the pages. This thriller is best described as a poignant exploration of trauma and grief in the guise of a character-focused thriller where you are following a very flawed, human, and compelling character on a very personal journey into the depths of hell unlike what you’d expect. There’s subtle social commentary about the world we live in, particularly about the extent we’d go to to not feel pain and hurt and sadness, all wrapped neatly underneath the simmering suspenseful atmosphere of trying to make sense of what’s the real deal with the protagonist. Omar Hussain times his reveals superbly for the maximum payoff and even if you somehow saw them coming, the resonating nature of the twists will still hook you in after the fact.

A Thousand Natural Shocks is a brilliant debut that slowly builds a momentum capitalizing on the emotional pain, paranoia, and unpredictability of the protagonist to engage all your senses as you dive into a dark and disturbing world of darkness where we run away from our emotions instead of facing them. It’ll leave you doing some soul searching. 

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The Ratcatcher Of Berlin By James Stejskal

Journey into the electrifying past of espionage at the height of the Cold War with James Stejskal’s The Ratcatcher of Berlin.

Moscow Rules were something the spies had to accept operating behind enemy lines. But one murder lights the keg for unrest among the intelligence circles in the streets of Berlin. Pursuing the killer, a Special Forces team must take the fight to the enemy while navigating the treacherous path of spycraft. 

Stejskal paints an incredibly vivid portrait of life in the late 50’s in East Berlin. Every shadow, every secret meet, every tread of unknown footsteps, all play out like a memory you’re remembering rather than simply reading about it. The atmosphere is rife with palpable tension and simmering chaos tinged with paranoia and terror. Stejskal focuses heavily on realistic espionage tradecraft and emotional stakes for the characters that elevate the targeted action and high intensity of the plot. 

The Ratcatcher of Berlin is a dark thriller that captures the quintessential vibe of realistic espionage with heroic characters in a race against time. 

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Nightshade By Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly introduces a new hero for our times with a plethora of twists and turns in a riveting narrative. Nightshade is the type of police procedural that embraces the taut pacing that comes with being a bit rogue. 

Detective Stilwell enjoys the low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island after a tumultuous outing in the mainland that drove him out to the relaxing waters. That serenity is broken by the discovery of a dead body weighed down at the bottom of the harbor. This comes in while Stilwell the theft of an artifact from an exclusive club on the island. As Stilwell investigates his original case, it quickly bubbles up to reveal a conspicuous connection to the recently discovered body. Not one to sit on the sidelines, Stilwell launches his investigations on both fronts, following the dangerous threads of the cases to the point of intersection marred by danger.

Connelly aptly builds this narrative as a slow-burn with ample time for readers to get a great feel for Stilwell as a charming protagonist. He’s the right blend of a rule-follower and a rule-breaker for the right and admirable moments that are explored wonderfully in both the small and big moments throughout the narrative. The efficiency of each plotline to advance the story with a simmering pace, woven expertly by Connolly to intersect at the most impactful moments.

A blistering thriller that keeps the police-procedural and suspense genre kicking with gritty twists, exciting sequences, and a kickass new hero, Nightshade is a must-read for all fans of Michael Connelly and those who like to kick back with smart and gritty thrillers. 

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Rogue Frontier By Jason Kasper

Rogue Frontier is the most explosive and action-packed tale by Jason Kasper. There’s so much to unpack in this latest entry in the series but the story never loses its momentum in keeping you hooked in from the opening action sequence. 

Shadow Strike team finds themselves on a simple reconnaissance mission in Pakistan when the stakes rise to the point of an all-out war brewing between Pakistan and India. Having gained knowledge of a plot by a nebulous organization pulling strings from the shadows, the team must uncover the actual threat before the warring nations go past the point of no-return.

Kasper continues to evolve his characters as they take on different challenges in their missions and lives and fleshes out strong and immersive emotional arcs for each of the leading heroes even while they are immersed in pedal-to-the-metal action. There’s so much to say about the hardcore action, tactical to the very core. Whether it’s vehicular combat, overcoming ambushes with pistols, or a full-blown door-kicking battle, you’re guaranteed to read this book in a single sitting.

That’s not to say that Rogue Frontier is only about the action. The unsettling suspense that there’s something more to the story than what’s playing out initially keeps pinging at you until the ending where you connect all the dots for an epic setup for the next book. The stakes are higher than ever as the narrative takes a personal turn for the Shadow Strike team in a way you wouldn’t see coming. I’m terrified for what comes next but equally excited and counting down for the next entry.

Rogue Frontier is the book you want to read when you need to feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins. The action is second to none and the plot continues to twist and turn and pays off handsomely while setting up an even more intense plot for the next entry. 

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Senseless By Ronald Malfi

Ronald Malfi writes an eerie and jolting narrative of crime and horror with his signature style of personally elegant storytelling. Senseless is dark, absorbing, and totally engaging.

What do a detective, writer, and a self-proclaimed human fly have in common? Each lives their fair share of horrors and darkness that reside in the night city of Los Angeles. Gruesome murders strike the heart of the city and bring together their stories and lives in a tapestry of mystery and suspense.

Ronald Malfi is one of the most talented writers I’ve come across, one who manages to conjure the rawest and darkest essence of humans while connecting to the supernatural in a way that feels most plausible to our spirits if not to our minds. While he hints at certain supernatural phenomena in this story, he keeps the narrative grounded and twisting, leveraging smart and intuitive plot developments that define more realistic and plausible scenarios and only sprinkling creepy moments of doubt and horror where they bolster the story. The writing is supremely elegant and stays with you with its subtle phrases that speak to you with something akin to magic. It’s the darkness of this story that holds you captivated by the book, whispering to you to flip the page just once more each time.

Senseless is an intriguing story on multiple levels, driven to an unexpected and disturbing conclusion through the eyes of various characters whom you want to trust but just can’t because of their darkest secrets. 

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The Price Of Everything By Jon McGoran

It’s so pleasant to read an action thriller that peels more layers than the average narrative. That’s the feeling I experienced reading Jon McGoran‘s The Price of Everything. It’s an action thriller through and through, but it also punches above its weight to speak about the state of our world and where it’s all heading, no matter how oblivious we may be.

Armand Pierce is a courier working for The Guild under a strict set of rules, chief being that a courier must never allow their package to be snatched. Pierce takes his job seriously. So seriously that when the contents of his package mysteriously disappear en route to his destination, he is highly motivated to find out what happened at the expense of mounting bodies at his feet. When this mystery begins to spiral out of control into a world-changing conspiracy, Pierce finds himself in for a ride, hunted by his own folks as he hunts for the truth.

I commend McGoran for creating an intelligent and effective thriller that walks a fine line between total sci-fi and ultra realistic narrative. The result is a moody and atmospheric thriller that reminded me a little bit of Blade Runner crossed with wondering how Jason Statham’s Transporter would be if set in the near future. The action sequences are vivid in their nature, using much of the modern weaponry to help thriller fans visualize the scenes effectively, maybe too effectively as Pierce uses knives, Glocks, throwing spikes, and a metal chain of his surgically embedded cuff. The action is plentiful and slick with great cinematic sequences to hold your attention.

It’s also more than an action thriller. It’s a cautionary tale of resource exhaustion, human greed, and the desperate desire to reverse the damages which may come at a heavy cost. The book is aptly named as it subtly illustrates the price of everything we must do to protect mankind, the later we act, the costlier it gets. McGoran conveys these nuanced truths without being preachy or overbearing. It’s the right balance of entertainment and education.

The Price of Everything is an exciting, engaging, and all-consuming thriller that is the bestest of what you expect to read in a bona-fide entertainer. 

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Hard Town By Adam Plantinga

Adam Plantinga takes a page out of John Wick but ensures his own distinctive flavor of writing with just as much badassery. Hard Town is a must-read for action thriller fans seeking that adrenaline rush that comes with cinematic elements of action, suspense, and adventure.

Kurt Argento is living the quiet life after the bloody dark events of The Ascent where Argento had to fight his way out of a prison filled with hardened criminals let loose in the claustrophobic setting. He’s minding his business when a woman reaches out to ask him for his help in investigating the disappearance of her husband in the small isolated town of Fenton, Arizona. While he’s initially skeptical of dipping his toe back into the world of danger, the conspiracy behind the town’s funding, supplemented by an overly equipped public safety team complete with specialized tactics and sophisticated weaponry leads Argento to believe there’s more at stake. As he finds himself drawn into the vicious circle of violence, he knows there’s only one way out of the sinkhole, he has to unravel the knots even if it may cost him and those close to him dearly.

Adam Plantinga keeps things interesting with his protagonist by putting him in a very different disposition than when we saw him in his debut. The change of scenery and stakes lend themselves to a fun bit of unpredictability as we go on this journey with Argento without any guidance but the clues of the unraveling conspiracy. The visualizations of the environment and the situations expressed through a gentle but pressing prose evoke vivid images that not only make the story feel real but also create a taut atmosphere where you feel you’re right there with Argento as he lays down some well-needed justice. The action takes a while to explode but when it does, it’s well worth the short wait. Adam Plantinga takes the time to set up convincing and lasting motivations for Argento’s burst of violence, capturing the raw emotion that only comes from a place of extreme terror and unbridled violence.

Hard Town packs hard hitting thrills and punches with intriguing moral dilemmas interspersed between suspenseful bits of crime solving and ass-kicking. You’ll be reading this without wanting to take even the smallest of breaks. 

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Deadly Vision By T.D. Severin

Deadly Vision is an excellent amalgamation of psychological, conspiracy, and medical thrillers that works on multiple levels of educating the readers on the intricacies of medicine in the age of advancements and entertaining thriller fans with non-stop pacing.

Dr. Taylor Abrahms is a pioneer in the newly developed field of medical virtual reality. His efforts with the Virtual Heart Project, a cutting edge process of microsurgery using technology that lets doctors virtually enter the patient’s heart for most precise life saving treatments, lands him in hot waters with the political assassins who wish to prevent Taylor from getting the green light on his research. With a presidential election on the horizon that centers around politics in medicine, the hidden forces take matters into their own hands to stop Taylor one way or another.

T.D. Severin writes like a pro as he puts Taylor in dangerous predicaments. His knowledge of hospital administrations and medical breakthroughs make for a riveting read that beckons your interest in finding out more about the cutthroat politics happening behind the scenes on the battleground that is the field of medicine. Not having a great deal of knowledge about the nature of this field, I was hooked by the medical technologies being used today and the intricacies involved in bringing these breakthroughs to the general public. I came out of the book with a greater respect for the pain-staking work that researchers and scientists lead just to keep their work afloat.

Aside from the technical aspects, I loved the psychological blend of paranoia and horror that felt like a genuine surprise as I read through the pages. It’s so creepy at times that it genuinely catches you off guard. The story however remains rooted in Taylor’s grit and determination to see his work come to life and it’s this tenacity that makes him the perfect underdog character to root for when all odds are stacked against him. The suspense cuts like hot knife through butter as readers along with Taylor try to figure out where the real threat will come from, for proper twists and turns when they hit. As a man whose combat proficiency is non-existent, reading Taylor adapt to the violence and savvy street-thinking feels like a reward for readers as a genuine evolution of his character. 

Come for a gritty medical thriller set in modern day America and stay for the wild and unpredictable moments that make for a page-turning sleepless night or two as you speed through the narrative to find out what happens next. Deadly Vision is a surprise hit for me and I would urge you to try it for yourself, especially if you haven’t tried your hand at a medical thriller before.

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The Memory Ward By Jon Bassoff

The Memory Ward is a haunting exploration of how our memories make us who we are and to what extent we may go to hold onto them, even the bad ones.

Hank Davies is a postal worker in the quiet town of Bethlam, Nevada. He’s grown accustomed to the routine and mundanity of the people there. But when a chance encounter leads to a discovery that the letters he has been delivering are all empty, he starts to connect the dots between it and many other unsettling moments that he previously brushed up. When adding it all up, it becomes clear something just doesn’t fit in Bethlam. Whether it’s the people, his bedroom wall, or that faintest feeling that no one is who they say they are, Davies goes down a disturbing path of horrific revelations that’ll give you goosebumps for weeks.

Jon Bassoff superbly weaves together stories within stories, like a Russian nesting doll that continues to unwind a twist that you just won’t see coming. Not only do you feel weirded out by the premise, but the details that Bassoff introduces cleverly through the eyes of the characters make it all the more compelling and real, enough to make you feel you may actually grasp the sheer panic off the pages. The prose is masterfully organized to ensure the final reveal hits you like a freight train at the most opportune moment.

Drawing you in one hook at a time before fully ensnaring you into a paranoid frenzy that subtly explores what our memories mean to us and how we are more shaped by them than we imagine, The Memory Ward is a book you’ll be compelled to finish in one-sitting. Imagine reading a cross between The Truman Show and The Stepford Wives, but made even more bone-chilling that fuels your dreams for nights to come. 

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Where The Bones Lie By Nick Kolakowski

Where The Bones Lie is a terrific noir thriller packed with wit and realism. 

Dash Fuller is a man who’s solved more Hollywood problems than one can imagine. He knows where the skeletons are buried, because he’s shoveled the dirt on most of them. This has left Dash burnt out and cynical, until he comes across a chance for redemption in the form of Madeline Ironwood. She is searching for clues that could lead her  to her father’s killers. Jaded but adamant about doing something right, Dash accompanies Madeline on a treacherous mission through the dark heart of Hollywood, which hides secrets from the city’s bright lights.

Nick Kolakowski adroitly captures the mysteriously captivating - both attractive and horrifying - vibe of the underbelly of Hollywood. He makes the city a living breathing creature. There’s a sense of urgency and excitement in every scene as Dash and Madeline tumble down the rabbit hole. Dash resonates as a man who’s broken, but not out. His spirit speaks to how the most damaged of all of us can find redemption. This is how Kolakowski makes the narrative feel both grand and personal.

Buckle up and prepare for a riveting ride through the gritty streets of L.A. with memorable characters involved in numerous twists and turns, which compel you to solve the mystery. Be warned, you will have to dive inside Dash’s mind and wrestle with his pain, suffering and sardonic rage. Noir thrillers have never been better! 

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Barrington Books
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Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
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The Poisoned Pen

Don't Tell Me How To Die By Marshall Karp

Marshall Karp ratchets up his signature dark humor and amps up the twisty, suspenseful turn of events that turn the story on its head in the best way possible. Don’t Tell Me How to Die is Karp in his element.

Maggie Dunn is running out of time. She has a wonderful family and everything she wants, except for time. Before she departs, she wants to set her family up to live wholesome long lives with a new wife to her husband and a new mother figure to her kids. This sets her down a path where things may have started off with good intentions but the execution of Maggie’s plan turns sour and dark just as it did with her past.

Known for writing sarcastic and sardonic characters that use humor to mask the pain and shame hidden underneath, Karp fashions Maggie Dunn as a painful character with her streak of bad decisions that paradoxically make her more relatable as a character. Her checkered past and twisted albeit understandable preparedness for departure from this world create interesting dynamics for the story to naturally evolve from a drama to a crime thriller that slowly simmers, initially without a clear indication of the plot until the narrative goes from 0 - 100 in the blink of an eye. As we follow Maggie’s descent into a dark hole, we can’t tear our eyes away from the book because the suspense is brilliantly cooked on low but palpable heat that slowly gives way to chaotic events unfolding just when you least expect them. 

Don’t Tell Me How to Die is a departure from typical crime thrillers as it ventures down the lane of a family drama before it switches gears and hightails into an intense and creepy story all the while keeping you guessing as to what is really going on. Marshall Karp does not disappoint. 

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Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Wolf Six By Alex Shaw

Alex Shaw is back with a pedal to the metal action thriller packed with espionage, twists, and suspense with a distinctive hero.

Ruslan Akulov, codenamed Wolf Six, was conscripted into Russia’s most covert Special Forces unit ‘The Werewolves’. A Ukrainian born in Moscow, Akulov breaks out of the corruption and goes to work on his own terms as an assassin targeting those who he deems as evil. When he gets caught up in a bank robbery in Chicago, he’s exposed to the forces that are hunting him, both the bratva and the CIA, for their own reasons. Caught between a rock and a hard place, he must navigate through a blizzard of bullets, twists, and untangled yarns of his past finally catching up to him.

Shaw is no stranger to writing kickass stories and he brings his plethora of experience here with strong action and an emotional character arc for the protagonist who stands out in the sea of similar characters with similar skill sets in the thrillerverse. Akulov echoes the sentiments of the average person stuck in a war they were manipulated into. The narrative becomes less of a national conflict and more of a personal war against good and evil. When push comes to shove, Akulov deploys his special skills to expertly take out his antagonists in finessed yet gritty action sequences that are a blast to read.

Wolf Six keeps you raving for Akulov to escape the most harrowing situations and come out at the top when all odds are stacked against him. It’s bold, strong, and unforgiving in its violent nature and an unnerving mission to entertain you.

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Purchase Wolf Six
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

Midnight Black By Mark Greaney

I remember asking Mark Greaney about The Gray Man’s possible descent into darkness. He is a gritty character, but he manages to maintain his composure in the toughest of situations. But say he loses his cool, if something could do that, how would he react? Mark Greaney may have stretched out a year or two, but he wrote a whole book to answer this line of questioning. And that book is Midnight Black.

In the explosive finale of The Chaos Agent, Zoya Zakharova was kidnapped by the Chinese and delivered to the Russians who had been hunting her for her allegiance to The Gray Man. With his lover spirited away to a harsh winter-ensuing Russian gulag, The Gray Man will stop at nothing to get her out of there, even if it means going into the abyss of death and destruction without any hesitation. But he may just be walking into a deadly trap orchestrated by an ambitious man looking to claim the sweet reward of being the one to deliver the fatal blow to the legendary assassin.

We’ve seen Gentry bruised, shot, and sullen before, but never this dark and unhinged. Greaney shakes things up for the characters and the readers who’ve been following The Gray Man on his escapades across the world. Something inspiring could be said about how the Gray Man sticks to his guns (metaphorically speaking, he can even kill with bare hands when he’s not sneaking his way in) as he tries to get into a police state that’s waging a war. Yet at the same time, Greaney sets a very somber and chilling tone from the very first chapter that’s certainly one of the most badass openings to an action thriller with a touch of noir that takes a master of the craft to truly nail.

Speaking of badass, this book is packed with great cinematic action that only raises that awareness of grittiness you feel just from reading the synopsis of the book alone. I was mesmerized by playing out the opening action sequence in my mind, thinking of how it feels like the perfect blueprint to adapt to the big screen (They really oughta make Gray Man 2 now). Midnight Black is a literary juxtaposition: grand and explosive in scale, yet it is so personal and intimate. From icy car chases to foot chases on trains to visceral shootouts, it’s a whole bucket of fun!

I wish I could say more but then it would be spoiling a lot. I will say, be prepared for friendly faces to pop back in to lend The Gray Man a hand when he needs it the most. The way Greaney fuses the lone solitary nature of Court Gentry with his ultimate acceptance of relying on those he can trust is one of the major reasons that Midnight Black is a thriller with emotionally- bruising gut punches. I am so excited to see how Mark Greaney continues the arc of his characters from this point onwards. It has to be one of my favorite Gray Man stories yet, with a nostalgic sprinkle of the old school Gray Man but with the nuanced evolution of his foundations over the years.

Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.

Purchase Midnight Black
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen

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