Meet BTB Reviewer Sarah Walton

 
 

Background: Hello everyone! I'm Sarah, and I do the segment "Sarah Says" and "Sarah Signs" for BTB. I really enjoy asking fun book related questions for Sarah Says. My goal is to ask fun questions that get people to talk about their love of books. As for Sarah Signs, that came about from my background of sign language. It started off as a fun question in the group of how cool would it be for me to do a review in ASL. This morphed into accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing readers to checkout my reviews, and great exposure for ASL. I absolutely love how Sarah Signs came about naturally, and I can't wait to do more! As for my book reviews, I still enjoy writing and telling people what I love about these novels. For me, it's about telling social media how great these novels are, and to get more people reading these books! Please checkout my reviews, and let me know what you think!

Go-To Author: Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson. Not only to they have the TIER ONE series with John Dempsey and Elizabeth Grimes, but they have expanded to multiple other series! My two favorite that they have are the Sons of Valor series with Chunk and Whitney Watts, and also the Shepherds series with Jed Johnson. This writing team can't be stopped!

Author People Should Discover: Connor Sullivan. He released his debut novel, Sleeping Bear, and it was so good!

Book You Would Recommend From 2021: Relentless by Mark Greaney. Like any Court Gentry novel, this one packs a punch!

Most-Anticipated Book Of 2022: Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz. They cliffhanger in PRODIGAL SON was brutal! Also, it's Evan Smoak. I Love Evan Smoak!

Favorite Local/Indie Bookstore: COAS Books in Las Cruces, NM. I love this store, because it is such a little giant! From the outside it looks so small, and then as you walk around, you just keep on walking, and discovering more books!

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View Sarah’s Latest Reviews (book pub. dates)

The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy (10/11/22)
Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger (8/23/22)
Rising Tiger by Brad Thor (7/5/22)
In The Blood by Jack Carr (5/17/22)
Short Mission by D.J. Scott (5/17/22)
Hostile Intent by Don Bentley (5/3/22)
Storm Rising by Chris Hauty (5/3/22)
Assassin's Edge by Ward Larsen (4/12/22)
Dark Angel by Andrews & Wilson (4/5/22)
Beneath The Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett (2/22/22)
Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz (2/8/22)
Song Girl by Keith Hirshland (1/21/22)
Targeted by Stephen Hunter (1/18/22)
Insurrection Day by Chris Hauty (1/4/22)
The Body Man by Eric P. Bishop (11/11/21)
The Last Protector by Simon Gervais (11/1/21)
Security Day by Matt Cricchio (10/17/21)
The Kill Box by Rip Rawlings (10/5/21)
Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills (9/14/21)
Assassin's Dawn by Ward Larsen (8/2/21)
Sleeping Bear by Connor Sullivan (7/6/21)
Target Acquired by Don Bentley (6/8/21)
Grasping Smoke by Michael Hearns (5/25/21)
The Devil’s Hand by Jack Carr (4/13/21)
The Beirut Protocol by Joel Rosenberg (3/9/21)
The Outside Man by Don Bentley (3/2/21)
Relentless by Mark Greaney (2/16/21)
Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz (1/26/21)
The Breaker by Nick Petrie (1/12/21)
Savage Road by Chris Hauty (1/5/21)
The Hidden Vector by Matthew Snyder (9/28/20)
Total Power by Kyle Mills (9/15/2020)
Collateral by Andrews & Wilson (9/1/20)
One True Patriot by Sean Parnell (9/1/20)
Assassin's Strike by Ward Larsen (8/18/20)
Near Dark by Brad Thor (7/21/20)
Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis by Keith Hirshland (5/1/20)
Savage Son by Jack Carr (4/14/20)
Without Sanction by Don Bentley (3/3/20)
Trust No One by Michael Hearns (2/9/20)
The Tech by Mark Ravine (2/3/20)
The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer (3/6/18)
The Treadstone Resurrection by Joshua Hood (9/17/19)
Veterans Day by Jack Stewart (querying author)

The Other Side Of Night By Adam Hamdy

The Other Side of Night by Adam Hamdy is by far the most enlightening novel I have read thus far in 2022. Hamdy’s writing style is so profound, and as I was reading this novel, I just knew I was reading something worthwhile. What makes this novel such a gem is that all of our perceptions as we start this novel are dashed as we continue to read. Nothing is what it appears. I feel that is the beauty of this read, for how Hamdy crafted this story was beyond incredible.  

When I received this novel, there was a press release with it, and it said the less the reader knows going into the novel the better. I will say, that was the most unique press release I have ever seen! But, I will give you all just a little bit of background to scratch that itch. 

Harriet Kealty is a disgraced former police officer, and she spends her days trying to clear her name. One day, as she purses through a bookstore, she comes across a second hand book with a chilling note penned on one of the pages. As Harriet tries to discern who wrote this, she comes across the information of a woman who died recently, and whose body has gone missing. Come to find out, her husband has committed suicide...his body has yet to be found as well. The couple have left their 10 year old son orphaned, who is now under the guardianship of Harriet’s once love, Ben Elmys. As Harriet digs into the death of this mother and father, Ben is woven tightly into this family's history, and he may have had something to do with this couple's death. In the center of it all, there is the 10 year old son, Elliot. Is he safe?

This novel was so beautifully written. I am just floored by Hamdy’s writing style. It is so poetic and graceful. Hamdy plays all the right notes throughout to orchestrate such a heartbreaking tail. He also poses such an existential question that will leave the reader pondering it for some time. I just can't get over this man's ability to craft a beautiful story. Just as a heads up to the reader, be prepared to shed some tears. I was a blubbering mess at the end of this novel! Do not, under any circumstances, miss this novel. It is a one in a million read, and it will stay with me for some time.

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Fox Creek By William Kent Krueger

I just had the pleasure of reading William Kent Kruegers’ latest Cork O’Connor novel, Fox Creek, and what a gem it was! Fox Creek is number nineteen in the Cork O’Connor series, and I had no problems picking it up without any past knowledge of this series. This novel was such an intriguing mystery with a plot set beautifully in a Native American community. 

This is a story about trusting who you are, and the depths a person is willing to go to find their true self. This plot is set in northern Minnesota along the border of Canada, and as we get such visceral nature scenes, the plot thickens as the intrigue is racked up!

We start this story with an ancient Ojibwe healer named Meloux, leading a stranger on a path to find who she truly is. Cork’s wife, Rainy, is with them when the healer receives a premonition that blood thirsty mercenaries are on their way with only one outcome on the horizon. Meloux has spent his entire life in these woods, so he leads Rainy and this stranger on a harrowing escape through these woods.

The mercenaries, with a gifted tracker among them, are hot on their trail, and Meloux will have to use every ounce of his experience in these woods to evade them. As it becomes clear to Cork that Rainy and the others are on the run, he must pull on every bit of strength and skill set he has as a former cop and tracker to find and save them. Can Cork keep his fears at bay, and keep his wits about him as he enters this most deadliest of games? 

Fox Creek was a very captivating read with an exciting cat and mouse story. It had a deep soul searching line of finding who you truly are weaved through that caused the reader to evaluate their own life. All I can keep saying about this read was that it was intriguing! After I finished it, I just sat there and had to ponder it all. It was beautifully written, and brought up issues that effect us all. This was my first time reading a novel by Kruger, and now I want to read more!

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Rising Tiger By Brad Thor

Brad Thor’s Scot Harvath series was only my second series in the thriller genre. Like a lot of thriller readers, I got my start in this class reading Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series, and while I was reading that, I kept on hearing this sensational buzz about Brad Thor’s series. The ‘Scot Harvath’ series is one of my longest continuous series that I have kept with, and I have not been disappointed! Harvath keeps on getting deadlier, and it has been such a thrill to follow him on this journey. 

Rising Tiger is the twenty-first installment in the Scot Harvath series, and Thor was not messing around when he penned this novel. Right from the first page the action is ratcheted up to a twelve, and it does not come down for a good while. I kept thinking what is the rest of the read going to look like after this killer opener, however, in typical Thor fashion, he did not disappoint! What followed was beautifully rendered scenes of India, and an intricate plot with earth shattering consequences. 

Rising Tiger opens mid mission with Harvath and his team pulling a high-valued assets and his family out of Afghanistan. After that blistering mission comes to a close, Harvath is tasked by a high ranking individual to India to solve a murder of a close friend of Harvath’s. As he blazes a path through India, Harvath keeps overturning rocks which leads to more unknowns. There is a plan that he must expose that not only has the Carlton Group in its sites, but also whole nations. Harvath, and a team he musters up along the way, must unmask this plan before it comes to fruition. 

After reading my first Brad Thor novel, I knew I was hooked. I have devoured each of his novels, and I have continuously looked forward to the next. Rising Tiger is an excellent addition to the Scot Harvath series that can only enrich the reader's experience of the love of this character, and also could be an excellent introduction to the series for a new reader. 

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In The Blood By Jack Carr

Jack Carr has made a name for himself as an author of gritty in-your-face action scenes, violence of action that could only be written from someone who has experienced it, and twisted plot lines that are a brain teaser to solve. I have come to look forward to Carr’s latest release, and In The Blood is no different! James Reece is a wickedly smart character with a deadly skill set which makes these novels such a pleasure to read. 

In The Blood kicks off with James Reece watching coverage of a terrorist attack on the news, only to figure out he knew one of the passengers. This passenger was traveling under an alias as she completed an assassination for Israel. Reece never thought he would see this women again after they worked together in Iraq. As Reece looks into this event, kill teams come out of the woodwork, and Reece learns that not is all as it appears. 

Reece must utilize every skill set he has learned from his time as a Navy SEAL and more, and he comes to lean on entities he never thought he would need to rely on to fight his foes. As hit team after hit team comes after Reece, time becomes a commodity that he must learn to spend wisely throughout this novel. This is a truly gritty and terrifying read that packs a punch! Also, be ready for that ending...mistrust and manipulation run deep. The question is, can James Reece out run it?

Jack Carr has crafted an amazing novel. He writes such heart-pounding visceral reads that spurs the reader to keep reading. The fight scenes are expertly written, and are a joy to read! I can’t wait for everyone to read this, and for Carr to release the next novel! It can’t come soon enough.

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Short Mission By D.J. Scott

Author D.J. Scott has penned his second novel in the McGregor and Moore series, and it stands on its own as a powerhouse of a read. Short Mission starts directly on the heels of the first novel in this series, Short Season, where they are left bloodied by their last mission to recover a stolen nuclear warhead. Mike McGregor is a Navy medical officer and Kelli Moore is a Marine Captain, both serving in the reserves for their prospective branches. Not is all as it appears with these two unlikely counter terrorism operatives, which makes them perfect for the president to augment with the CIA to crack difficult cases.

 The president tasks McGregor and Moore on a mission to uncover the perpetrator of several nerve gas attacks on American soil. This deniable mission will be overseen by CIA Officer, Jennifer Kim, who has just come off of a tough operation where her agent was killed. Everyone is coming into this monumental task with baggage from their last missions, but they are willing to do what needs to be done to protect America. McGregor and Moore are sent undercover to Britain to find a source who has information about this nerve gas attack. However, as their cover breaks, and more audacious attacks occur on them, these two unlikely operatives must tap into every source they can to solve this case before the next attack occurs. 

This was the first time I have read a McGregor and Moore novel, and I really enjoyed it. D.J. Scott has tapped into his background as a retired medical officer and an Iraqi war veteran to create a really intriguing story. It was one action-packed event after another that made it a heart-pounding read to the end.

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Hostile Intent By Don Bentley

It is that time of year, everyone! Don Bentley has just penned his third Matt Drake thriller, and it is an epic of a doozie! The thriller universe has come to pair Matt Drake with sarcasm to the third degree, and high flying action, and author Don Bentley has delivered that in his third novel Hostile Intent. It is common in the thriller universe to have “ripped from the headlines” plots, and readers have come to expect that in thrillers now, however, Bentley has taken that to a whole other level. With the war in Ukraine happening as we speak, I did not expect it to appear in novels for a few months. Bentley must have a crystal ball, because his novel revolves around a conflict in Ukraine. It was eerie to read about this in a novel, and watch it play out on the national stage. 

When Matt Drake is asked for by name in the US embassy in Vienna, heads are turned and questions are raised for what is the intent of that inquiring party. This person has critical information about a Russian intelligence operation, and they need to talk with DIA’s top case officer Matt Drake. As Drake attempts to set up a meet with this person, assassins start coming out of the woodwork, throwing a wrench in the cog each time they meet. As details come to light, Drake, Frodo, and his team are in a race to prevent World War III from gaining a hand hold. 

Hostile Intent was a terrifying read that was well paced, funny, and packed one heck of a gut punch. As a reader, I have come to love Matt Drake and his trusted confidant, Frodo. This latest installment has solidified my love for these two characters, and added more layers of complexity that makes this series so intriguing to read. Not only was this a fast paced read, but including a conflict in Ukraine was the icing on this terror cake! Hats off to Don Bentley for having the foresight to have his plot revolve around this. Hostile Intent is a stellar read, and a great addition to the Matt Drake series.

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Storm Rising By Chris Hauty

Chris Hautys’ third Hayley Chill novel, Storm Rising, is a force to be reckoned with. Hauty has created a protagonist who is a force unto herself, and has a strong presence to propel the story forward. The events in Storm Rising are earth shattering, and it’s up to Hayley to stop it. 

After the events of the last novel, Hayley has left Washington D.C. to immerse herself in martial arts training. However, Hayley cannot quail the tenacity within her, and she is off again to uncover the events that lead to her fathers death. With a strange ciphered document found under the kitchen floorboards in her fathers home, Hayley sets off to the Southwest to uncover what this all means. 

With the go-ahead from her handler, Hayley uncovers a toxic subculture within the military of white supremacy. As Hayley works to uncover this conspiracy to possibly change the very fabric of this nation she has sworn to protect, can Hayley trust the people she is working with? How deep does this go?

Storm Rising is a whirlwind in-your-face read. I got a kick out of some of the locations that Hayley went to. It’s fun to have a location mentioned in a novel near where you live! It definitely added an extra level for me.

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Assassin's Edge By Ward Larsen

Ward Larsen has created one of the most beloved characters in the thriller genre: David Slaton. Slaton is an individual with a specific skill set learned from one of the premier intelligence organizations out there, the Mossad. He is an assassin who wants to live a normal life, but can not leave that part of his past behind. It either seeks him out, or he hunts it down. After Slaton leaves Mossad, the CIA snatches him up, and uses his skills for particularly difficult assignments. This partnership leads to a nail biting edge of your seat read!


In Ward Larson’s eighth David Slaton novel, Assassins Edge, multiple catastrophic events happen on an international scale, which leave the CIA scratching their heads. When a lead ties these events to Israel’s Mossad and to America’s CIA, David Slaton is pulled from his family to help solve this dilemma of a mission. As the plot thickens, it comes to light that an individual with the code name Lazarus, is the person behind the scenes orchestrating all of this. Lazarus is not a stand off player; he has a very personal history with the Mossad, and it changes things for David when he finds out. Slaton, CIA, and the Mossad are in a mad dash to stop the ultimate end game of Lazarus, and the masters he serve, before world war three is unleashed. 


Assassins Edge was a nail biting read! I really enjoyed watching how all these separate events were related and then came together at the end. The cast of characters are great in this read. We see characters that have been involved with this series for the beginning be pushed to the limits, and we see characters that were introduced later in the series rise to the occasion. Assassins Edge is a stellar read that I can not wait for everyone to devour themselves!

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Dark Angel By Andrews & Wilson

Fans of the thriller genre know the writing team of Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson. They have fused together their combined experience of their military backgrounds to create two of the most anticipated military thriller series in the business. Add to that, each has their own stable of impressive novels they have penned individually that has created buzz in various genres. This writing portfolio is impressive in and of itself, however, Andrews and Wilson did not stop there. They have increased their reach in the thriller genre with the Shepherds series of “Military Action and Supernatural Warfare” thrillers. They crashed onto the scene of supernatural warfare with Dark Intercept, and now they are about to release their second novel of the series, Dark Angel, and I couldn’t be more excited for this!

In Dark Angel, we are back with former Navy SEAL Jedidiah “Jed” Johnson. The events of the first novel have shaped him, and he is ready to join the elite warriors known as the Shepherds. Jed heads to training expecting it will be a walk in the park. In a complete reversal for him, he is put through his paces as a new team leader, and he comes to recall what it takes to create a brotherhood among elite warriors. 

Meanwhile, an individual who has intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the Shepherds organization has escaped prison with help of the Shepherds enemy: The Dark Ones. In the mists of training, Jed learns about the treachery Nicolas Woland committed; of the betrayal in and out of the organization that has left a mark. As Jed goes through training, he starts to experience visions of a massive attack that will take place overseas. Jed and his team are deployed to try to thwart an enemy who knows no boundaries, and who will push this yet to be tested team to the brink. Can Jed and the Shepherds stop the plans of The Dark Ones before it comes to fruition?

Dark Angel was such an amazing read. Not only was it an expertly written thriller, but the story line lent itself to a heart-wrenching experience for all the characters; a plot line that compelled me to devour this book in quick time. The action sucked me in, and the emotional heart strings were plucked in just the right way all throughout! Even with the supernatural aspect involved, the story line still felt grounded in real life, and I did not feel lost in another world. It felt like it could be happening in my world completely. The Shepherds series is a must read for anyone looking for a new line in the military thriller genre!   

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Beneath The Stairs By Jennifer Fawcett

Jennifer Fawcet has just exploded on the scene with her chilling horror/suspense thriller debut, Beneath the Stairs. I am not one to read horror/suspense novels, however, this novel sank it’s claws in me and urged me forward to read it! This novel stayed with me long after I put it down. I kept on picking up again to re-read parts so I could dissect its meaning! Fawcet created a world of characters that are broken and flawed, and as the novel progresses, the reader grows to care for them, and are invested in what happens to them. We feel every heartbreak and setback they experience, which adds to the thrill of this novel. 

 In a small upstate New York town, there is an abandoned house in the shape of an octagon, aptly named “The Octagon House”, hidden deep in the woods. The Octagon House was the scene of a gruesome murder of a man who killed his wife and two daughters. For generations after, kids have been daring each other to walk into this house. When 14-year-old Clare and her best friend Abby venture into the house one summer night, both girls were greatly impacted by the experience, but Abby left a part of herself in that house forever. 

Years later, both girls are estranged from each other, but Claire gets word that Abby is in a coma after venturing back to the Octagon House to commit suicide. Claire returns to her home town to attempt to uncover what has held a stranglehold on this house, and everyone who has entered it. As Clare digs deeper, a haunting past attached to the house comes to light. And let me tell you what…it’s a spine tingling reveal after reveal! 

Beneath the Stairs is a superb debut by Jennifer Fawcet. I am not one to read horror/suspense, but something convinced me to pick it up and read it. I was not disappointed. I was terrified most of the time, and I found myself speed reading so I could find out what happened! I will be reading this again so I can savor the stellar reveals! Regardless if you love horror/suspense or not, I highly recommend picking up Beneath the Stairs.

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Dark Horse By Gregg Hurwitz

dark-horse-gregg-hurwitz-best-thriller-sarah-walton.jpg

Gregg Hurwitz. Any diehard fan of thrillers knows that he has penned probably the most kickass assassin in the business; Evan Smoak AKA Orphan X. Taken from an all-boys group home in East Baltimore at the age of 12 by an ultra-secretive government entity to train the ultimate deniable assassins, Evan has a skill set none in the program possesses; the ability to be deadly yet still maintain his humanity. 

Hurwitz has created a character that not only can kill in the most lethal fashion, but also must navigate the monthly HOA meeting in his building: a scenario where he has not the slightest idea of how to navigate! Evan Smoak is such a unique character because he is an individual looking in through the window; trying to do good with this odd skill set without the slightest idea of how to be “normal”. Hurwitz has made a name for himself for creating a character we have yet to come across as an assassin, and the plots he weaves for his characters are second to none!

In Gregg Hurwitz seventh Orphan X novel, Dark Horse, we pick up several months after the explosive cliffhanger of the previous novel Prodigal Son.  Evans’ “fortress of solitude” has been decimated, and he is slowly picking up the pieces. Evan is semi-back to being The Nowhere Man, but he is not looking for the next mission. When an unlikely caller contacts Evan for help, it causes Evan to question what he does. 

On paper, Aragon Urrea is not a good man. He is the leader of a major drug dealing operation in South Texas. However, he acts as the patron of the area: offering legitimate employment, and protecting the residents of his town. Urrea also has a beautiful daughter that is beloved by him and the community. However, when she is kidnapped by a brutal cartel, and held in their armored compound in Mexico, he is helpless to save his daughter. Urrea turns to the only person with the skill set to get this done: The Nowhere Man. 

Before Evan accepts a Nowhere Man mission, he always checks that the mission is worthy. Is this person deserving of his help? At first glance, Urrea is not an upright man. However, something in Urrea’s plea to find his daughter reaches Evan. Evan starts to look into Urrea, and finds a common thread to himself that Evan never knew existed. In working with someone with as violent of a past as himself, Evan gets the opportunity to ponder his future. If someone with as questionable a past as Urrea can have a new beginning, can Evan? 

In every new Orphan X novel, Hurwitz seems to throw Evan into a new and impossible situation. In Dark Horse the question for Evan is, is he worthy enough to have a future with hopes and dreams? Can an individual with his training and past have various aspirations beyond what he does now? This is a heartbreaking read with killer action, and crazy plot twists that I didn't see coming. Basically, a typical Gregg Hurwitz read!

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Song Girl By Keith Hirshland

I recently discovered Keith Hirshlands’ writing, and I could not have been happier! Hirshland writes great mysteries with a fun quirky twist that makes them a hoot to read. His characters are intriguing, and he always finds a way to tie them together that leaves my jaw on the floor. Hirshlands’ novel, Song Girl, was all of this and more. I relish when an author can pen multiple story lines that seem separate, but are brought together in the end. The crazier the plot, the better, and Song Girl delivered this story line. 

Detective Marc Allen has had enough of his time in Raleigh, North Carolina with the Police Department. Having seemingly cracked two murders that he was assigned to solve, something is eating at him with this conclusion. Allen feels that the true murderer is still out there clear and free: Teri Hickox, the adopted daughter of the man who confessed to these murders in a note after committing suicide. Unsure how to proceed, and needing a change of scenery, Allen ups and moves to Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Allen is working for the Colorado Springs Police Department, and fostering new friendships. One friend is Hannah Hunt, who after suffering a head trauma, can only speak in song titles. This is not the only strange thing to happen to Allen. Homeless people around the Springs are showing up dead in mysterious ways, and Allen can’t seem to shake this may be tied to a case from Raleigh. Can Detective Marc Allen solve this case before the killer rides off to find their next victim? 

Song Girl is a captivating mystery with a tantalizing plot with a tenacious detective, and a confident killer. I enjoyed this read for the plot twists. You know it’s good when you tell yourself the lie “one more page” or “one more chapter”! Keith Hirshland’s novel, Song Girl, is the mystery novel you need in your life!

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Targeted By Stephen Hunter

Stephen Hunters’ latest Bob Lee Swagger novel, Targeted, is an intriguing political thriller. This was my first time reading a Swagger novel, and my interest is piqued! Targeted has all the ingredients for a stellar read: congressional hearing, prison escape, Revolutionary War flashbacks, long range shooting, and much more. I really enjoyed Hunters’ writing style. It was highly descriptive in a way I have never seen before. It painted a great story, and kept me laughing even at some stressful moments. 

In Targeted, an aging Swagger is peacefully recuperating from a gunshot wound obtained from the last novel. Swagger has had an illustrious career, and with that has come the title of hero. Some in congress do not like the title being attached to someone in Swagger’s choses occupation. Wanting in incriminate him, and make an example out of him, Swagger is summoned to a congressional hearing on “reckless endangerment” by an anti-gun congresswomen. 

Unbeknownst to everyone at the trial, a deadly gang of unknown Eastern European origins, has escaped from prison with the single minded goal to get out of America. Once they figure out that a congressional hearing is happening just down the road from them, they figure what better hostages to take and have their demands met. However, they don’t factor in that they have an extremely deadly sniper in their midst. Swagger shows that even though he may be up in years, he still has a trick or two up his sleeves. 

Targeted is a terrifying political thriller. Hunter penned a haunting read that mirrors what is happening today. To read this happening to a decorated war hero was hard at times, and it definitely causes the reader to pause and ponder the issue at hand. I also enjoyed the Revolutionary War flashback stories sprinkled throughout. It gave the story a fascinating historical read feel, and it created an almost origin story for Swagger. All in all, I greatly enjoyed Targeted, and I am intrigued enough to go back and read more of Stephen Hunters’ novels.

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Insurrection Day By Chris Hauty

Chris Hauty is back with a new novella featuring fan favorite Hayley Chill. Hayley is back with all her smarts as the Deeper State’s best agent in Insurrection Day. Hauty beautifully showcases Hayley’s smarts in this installment as she races through the Capital and the streets of DC.

As an insurrection seizes the Capital, Hayley Chill is in the vicinity, and rushes in to help. As she and a Capital Police Officer help a senator and his aids out, Hayley comes to figure out who has truly orchestrated this insurrection on hollowed ground. Hayley must out smart and out run this foe before they take what was stolen from the capital, and deliver it to nefarious hands.

Hauty is great with depictive scenes to where I feel that I am right there running along with Hayley! Outside of the Capital riot, it ended up being a delightful chase read. Hauty expertly sets up what is next for Hayley, and I can’t wait to see what she will be up against next!

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The Body Man By Eric P. Bishop

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Eric Bishop explodes onto the thriller stage with his debut novel, The Body Man. We meet Ralph Webb, who is not who he appears to be. Living under an alias that the majority of people in his life know him as, Webb does a very important job for the office of the President of the United States: he protects the office and the secrets of the most powerful person in the country. When he is taken by nefarious actors, Special Agent Eli Payne and Agent Kat Stone of the FBI are paired together to find the wayward Secret Service agent, before what is in his head sees the light of day. 

This is a great debut novel! Bishop crafts a thrilling read with colorful characters that suck the reader into the pages. I can’t wait for this novel to be published for the thriller world to get in on the action! 

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The Last Protector By Simon Gervais

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Simon Gervais has just penned his latest series, the Clayton White series, and he has not let off the gas from his past novels that readers have come to love! Gervais’s latest novel, The Last Protector, is a smartly written novel centered around political intrigue, espionage, and love. Any fan of Gervais‘ Pierce Hunt series will need to add The Last Protector to the top of their To Be Read pile! 

In The Last Protector, we are introduced to Clayton White; a former Air Force Combat Rescue officer turned Secret Service agent. Clayton runs routine escort missions for politicians now, and has been tasked to protect the Vice President Elects’ daughter, Veronica Hammond (who just happens to be his girlfriend). While at an awards gala to honor Veronica for her achievements, a group of South African mercenaries employ a daring attack on her, and Clayton is the only person to stand in their way. As the novel progresses, a spotlight is put on Veronica’s latest work, and on her fathers past. All is not what it appears and a devious plan is afoot to cover up past political dealings. 

The Last Protector was a great introduction to Clayton White. He is deadly, charming, and witty! He is a character that is relatable, and that we can totally believe his tactical prowess. Clayton White is a character that the reader will love! The plot was also innovative. It was a new take for me on political intrigue, and how far an entity will go to protect their interests. The Last Protector is a stellar introduction to Clayton White, and I’m excited for the Thrillerverse to read this one!

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Security Day By Matt Cricchio

Matt Cricchio has penned a gritty and raw in-your-face novel in Security Day. This was such a unique take on a war novel based in Afghanistan that I have never seen before. Security Day gave a never before seen perspective on the daily life of the Afghani people; we witness their daily struggle to survive, and this is weaved into an intriguing story of local politics as the U.S. Military prepares to withdraw from the area. 

Dan Bing is an intelligence agent fresh out of school, and eager to prove himself on his first deployment to Afghanistan. Dan arrives at a village that relies heavily on a weekly supply run called “Security Day”. This is a massive convoy that shepherds supplies for the U.S. Military, and the citizens of this area. An Afghani General named Mir Hamza Khan runs this convoy, and provides security from attacks from the Taliban. Security Day has made him the unofficial king of this area, and as word goes around that the Americans will be withdrawing from the area, Khan starts taking strategic steps to ensure that the Americans stay. 

As Dan starts working sources and rubbing shoulders, he finds that there are those in the military who have fallen for Khans lies and deceptions to keep Security Day running. As Dan works with a young family man from the area, Toor Jan, he comes to find out the situation on the ground is not as black and white as it appears. Dan must cut through all the red tape to get what he has learned to the powers that be, and to have them believe him. To get this done, Dan and Toor Jan must work together in a very dangerous game of spies and corruption. 

Security Day is a must read for anyone who loves to read military thrillers. This was such a unique take on the genre, and I highly enjoyed it. It’s sobering to read what life is like in the villages of Afghanistan. That aspect added a level of realism that I have yet to encounter in other novels. Security Day is not to be missed, and I can not recommend it enough! 

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The Kill Box By Rip Rawlings

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Lt. Colonel H. Ripley Rawlings (retired) has written another absolutely stellar read in his second Tyce Asher novel The Kill Box. This intense war novel kept the tempo screaming throughout with blistering battle scenes, and detailed character development. I needed a thrilling novel to devour, and The Kill Box fit the bill effortlessly. 

The Kill Box picks up a few months after the ending of Rawlings first novel, Assault By Fire where Russia has invaded the USA. What is left of the US military stateside, is slowly being bled of supplies, and has turned to civilian providers for dwindling resources. All the while the Russian war machine is running at full speed. However, the US has something Russia doesn’t have: grit, determination, and the will to get our country back. 

In The Kill Box Tyce Asher, and what is left of his platoon, have been handed a mission from what is left of our government to stop a vicious plan from the Russians to wipe out what is left of the US military. Asher and his platoon will need to enlist every ounce of cunning and strength they can to carry out these orders. Russia will throw a wrench in these plans with their own cunning tactics: a mole who is just as smart as they are deadly. Let me tell you what, this character was the main driving force for me to finish this novel so fast! It was equal parts fear and fascination with what this character would do next. 

The Kill Box was even better than Assault By Fire, and I thoroughly enjoyed that novel. The Kill Box leaves you with the perfect level of burning question, yet leaves you feeling satisfied at how it ended. I will be anxiously awaiting the third novel by Rawlings to see what happens next!

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Enemy At The Gates By Kyle Mills

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Sarah’s American Sign Language (ASL) Review

Kyle Mills has cemented himself as the king of edge-of-your-seat, punch-you-in-the-gut political thrillers in his latest Mitch Rapp novel Enemy at the Gates. Not only did he take over the Mitch Rapp series after Vince Flynn’s passing, he took this series to a whole other level. Mills brought to the table an already established writing career with 11 novels on his own, and 3 novels from the Robert Ludlum world. Kyle Mills’s father was also an FBI agent, so he brings that insider knowledge to this series that only a first hand account could bring. Vince Flynn’s series could not be in better hands. 

In Enemy at the Gates, we see America after the power was reestablished at the end of Total Power. The world order is slowly regaining strength, and America has a new president. Anthony Cook and his wife are the new power couple in DC, and they have plans for the White House. 

In Enemy at the Gates, we see Mitch Rapp in a whole new light; he has a chance to start a new life away from the agency. He has a chance to have a family, and he is ready to just walk away from it all. 

As he is settling into his new role, word gets out that a high level mole has accessed files on the CIA servers on the world's first trillionaire, Nicholas Ward. This mole has covered their tracks well, so Irene Kennedy turns to the only person who can help: Mitch Rapp. Rapp is tasked with protecting Ward, and isn’t above using him as bait to find this mole. As Rapp works to find this mole, he comes face to face with the modern politician: no loyalties to America, and the desire to stay in power no matter what. President Cook is one of those politicians, and he is a black hole in and of himself; with the ability to suck you in without your knowledge into his thinking. As the risk on Ward’s life increases, Rapp gets closer to finding the mole, and the reveal is beyond shocking! 

I can’t even put into words how good Enemy at the Gates was. Kyle Mills brought this novel back to the political thriller that Vince Flynn did so well. It’s rather terrifying to have politicians as villains, but it sadly represents our current political climate, so it added to that fear factor. It broke my heart on the reveal of the mole. It really showed the devastating power of President Cook, and this blind desire to follow him no matter what. Can this president be the final straw for Rapp? Will he be enough to cause Rapp to pass the baton to the next phase of operators? All in all, Enemy at the Gates is not to be missed!

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

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