Steven Netter

Dead Ringer By Chris Hauty

Dead Ringer will scratch the conspiracy theory itch that resides inside all of us with a Da Vinci Code-esque quest for the truth with no less than history, cabals and zealous assassins standing in the way.  Chris Hauty has crafted a tale that blurs the lines between fact and fiction, adding fuel to the already decades-long smoldering fire of speculation regarding what happened at Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963.

There are many conspiracy theories about who killed JFK.  Now, an unlikely pair – a disgraced former Secret Service agent and a Jesuit professor – are thrust together by the murder of a mutual acquaintance who’s dying act was to ask them to finish her investigation into JFK’s death.  Sending them on the hunt for evidence long ago hidden that can only be discovered by those who can decipher the riddles and codes that protect the potentially explosive information.  But the pair are not the only ones on the hunt.  A nefarious cabal will do anything to keep the truth from coming out…including dispatching assassins to take out anyone who gets too close to figuring out who was really behind the JFK hit.  It’s a race between the forces of good and evil…with a bombshell revelation waiting to be discovered.

Hauty once again shows his masterful skill at taking readers on a journey of discovery through the blending of authentic events with imaginative storytelling that makes you wonder what’s real versus what’s fantasy.  It’s done in such a way that everything feels plausible, including the trademark Hauty gigantic twist.  Keeping readers guessing and thinking, forming our own theories and predictions along the way.

The vehicle for this adventure is strong but flawed characters grappling with their parts in this grandiose odyssey.  And along the way they must overcome many roadblocks – including those who believe they serve a higher purpose which gives them a mandate to do whatever it takes to thwart their adversaries.  Resulting in testing our would-be heroes’ resolve and courage to continue when giving up and saving themselves would be the wise and easy decision.  But their commitment to the mission comes first and, in the end, they are rewarded with revelations about what happened in the past…as well as revealing the strength of their own character and purpose as they find redemption.

Dead Ringer is a fantastic historical fiction account of one of the biggest events in US history.  It’s sure to be a hit with history buffs, conspiracy nuts and anyone who likes a good, fast-paced story that distorts the border between the believable and the imagined. 

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Leverage By Amran Gowani

You don’t have to be a finance bro to enjoy the investment of your time in Leverage, a dark and droll tale about money and power with the focus on what some people are willing to do to attain them…and just how far people will go to protect both.  Amran Gowani crushes this debut novel with a deep dive into Wall Street depravity and ill-gotten gains, the corrupting influence of wealth, and the lucrative trafficking of illicit information.

Ali “Al” Jafar is a star at infamous hedge fund Prism Capital, when he loses $300M on one investment in a single day.  Instead of firing him, the firm’s founder decides to back Al into a corner with a ridiculous scenario – either Al makes back the $300M in 3 months or he will frame him for insider-trading and have him sent to prison.  Battling depression and desperation, Al gets involved with a shadowy figure named Simon, who is willing to sell the type of information that Al needs to make big moves in the market and save his own ass.  But when Al realizes that even succeeding at this insane game won’t truly set him free, he decides there’s only one thing he can do…turn the tables on his rich and powerful boss.

Gowani does a brilliant job of exploring the finance culture and its cutthroat nature while maintaining the humanity of some characters and highlighting how others sold their soul a long time ago.  Leverage entertains with stories of misconduct, debauchery and megalomaniacs, but balances those out with an examination of being the “other”, mental health challenges, and the dynamics of the different types of relationships in people’s lives.  Resulting in a story with depth that is equal parts crazy intense and quite profound.  Leaving a lasting impact, you’ll be ruminating on for days to come.

Additionally, while this book is a work of fiction, it will have you thinking more skeptically about wild swings in stock prices and if anyone is behind the scenes pulling the strings.  Doing what great novels do – blurring the lines between make-believe and the real world. 

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Departure 37 By Scott Carson

Departure 37 reads like a spooky episode of The Twilight Zone.  Twisting and turning, exposing the audience to an extremely unsettling and improbable scenario that scares you enough to make you wonder if it’s more feasible than you realize.  Scott Carson has crafted a gripping, mysterious and chilling historical sci-fi novel that will leave you uneasy and reflective.  

Hundreds of commercial pilots receive calls from their mothers, begging them not to fly today.  While that’s concerning on its own, it’s even stranger considering that the mother’s deny making the calls…and some of the mothers are dead.  While the powers that be in the US government search for answers, a teenage girl in Maine finds a balloon at a famous B-52 crash site.  The balloon is carrying a strange note and an old watch that belonged to a brilliant physicist named Martin Hazelton, who worked on top secret projects for the US military over 60 years ago.  Now, everyone involved must play their part to figure out exactly what is going on…and stop a long dead cold war program from starting WWIII.

This story builds suspense and tension by moving between characters and timelines that are more than 6 decades apart.  With this approach, readers get a slow and steady drip of past and present information that converge at precisely the right time to illuminate the full truth and provide an emotional weight to what has transpired.  And while you’re trying to comprehend some crazy concepts you wouldn’t possibly imagine in your wildest dreams, you’re also feeling a strong connection to the tragic nature of almost every character contained within the pages of Departure 37. 

It’s a bit disorienting, but in the way that only good books can achieve by making you think and feel at the same time.  Especially if they leave you with a few questions in the end that keep you awake at night trying to parse out the answers.  And rest assured, Departure 37 will certainly stick with you long after you finish it. 

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Fallen Star By Lee Goldberg

Fallen Star is the most fun you can have while being immersed in a murder investigation.  It’s a deadly serious and dangerous investigation juxtaposed with sarcasm, humor and tasty cuisine.  Lee Goldberg delivers once again, crafting an unputdownable police procedural containing wonderfully constructed characters engaged in deception and political maneuverings within a pulse-racing plot.

LASD homicide detectives Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan “Donuts” Pavone are called to Malibu to investigate a dead body found in a fifty-five-gallon drum on the beach.  They quickly recognize the victim as a key player in an ongoing bribery and corruption scandal involving local politicians and businessmen.  And if that’s not enough, a helicopter crashes on the hillside behind Eve’s home that is connected to both the corruption case and Eve’s past.  Leading Eve and Duncan on a twisting and turning investigation that will have far reaching ramifications.  Including putting Eve’s life in mortal danger.

All Lee Goldberg does is churn out exceedingly entertaining books that you plow through like Duncan Pavone at a Las Vegas buffet, leaving you full, satisfied and with a smile on your face upon completion.  Fallen Star is just the latest example.  It’s chock full of intrigue, politics, crime, shady characters, misdirection, investigative twists, ethical dilemmas, and food.  Oh, and Eve continuously ignoring the sage advice of her partner, Captain and everyone else around her, resulting in putting herself in harms way time and time again. But while her actions are questionable, her instincts are undeniable and she gets results.  Along with some scrapes and bruises.

This has been a fantastically fun series and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.  It will be exciting to see where it goes next.  In the meantime, if you’re not already reading about Eve Ronin’s exploits with the LA Sherrif’’s department, you need to rectify that immediately.  And if you have, then do not miss this latest installment.  It’s excellent!

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Apostle's Cove By William Kent Krueger

Poignant, evocative and completely engrossing, Apostle’s Cove is a corkscrewing mystery that will exercise your brain and stir your emotions.  William Kent Krueger has done it again, delivering another impressive and moving story in this incredible series.  From the littlest details to the big picture, everything is crafted with precision and purpose to achieve storytelling perfection.

Cork O’Connor receives a call from his son Stephen, who tells him that while working for a nonprofit dedicated to freeing wrongfully convicted prisoners, he has come across a murder case involving an Ojibwe man whom Cork helped imprison.  A man who now appears to be innocent.  Cork is compelled to reinvestigate the case but must do so without the help of the very convict he put away, who has found purpose and peace behind bars.  As he digs deeper, old feelings that something was always off about this case arise and are further stoked when he becomes a target by those in Tamarack County who want to leave the past buried.  However, Cork will not be deterred in his quest to find the truth and defend his honor as a law enforcement officer and as a person with a strong moral compass.  Even if there are others who would do him harm to keep him from finally figuring out what happened 25 years ago.

Apostle’s Cove is structured in two parts:  part one is an uninterrupted flashback to the crime and the initial investigation and part two is the current day reexamination of the case.  Which makes this feel like two stories in one book that each provide an undisturbed narrative of the events as they happened, rather than a slow drip of info that goes back and forth between past and present.  Both methods can work, but in this case, it was the perfect choice to grab the reader’s attention and hold it throughout, essentially having us ride shotgun during both investigations and asking us to continuously theorize what really happened and who was involved. 

And it is one hell of a well-written story that has everything you would expect from a Cork O’Connor novel.  Crime, investigations, a divided community across Native American and Caucasian lines, tremendous character development, dangerous situations, gruesome and lewd descriptions balanced out with moments of love and tenderness, and the truth finally revealing itself after a twisting and turning examination where Cork seeks the help and wisdom of others. 

And of course there’s a healthy dose of family, spirituality, emotion and life lessons that make your heart feel full and your soul feel free as you close the back cover.  Marking the twenty-first example of William Kent Kruger’s literary brilliance in telling Cork O’Connor’s stories.  And resulting in the annual confirmation that this is the best, and my favorite, series in print today.

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The Grave Artist By Jeffrey Deaver & Isabella Maldonado

Captivating and intense, The Grave Artist is a suspenseful thriller that grips you by the collar and won’t let you breathe until it concludes.  Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado have crafted a second straight banger with great characters, a gripping plot, sinister mystery and emotional attachments.

A newlywed is found dead in what appears to be a tragic accident but later discovered to be the result of foul play.  As agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner Jake Heron investigate, they find other similar crimes that point to an intelligent and methodical serial killer at large.  Dubbing him the Honeymoon Killer, they find the killer revels in the grief of the survivors more so than in the murder itself.   Now, Sanchez and Heron must use every tool and resource at their disposal – blurring the lines of legality – to quickly determine who this individual is before more innocent people are targeted and killed. 

Fast-paced with no wasted movement, The Grave Artist moves with purpose towards the inevitable showdown between good and evil.  Even though the reader knows who the killer is early on, there is plenty of intrigue and twists to keep the story exciting and far from predictable.  The enjoyment is derived through the process of being on the hunt for a serial killer…and having a front row seat to the will they/won’t they romantic undertones of Sanchez and Heron’s relationship.  Throw in a sentient AI program that helps accelerate the investigation and you have a bit of everything you could want in a thriller.

The first two installments of this series have been action-packed, anxiety-inducing and fun as hell.  The result of two great authors teaming up to create something new and entertaining.  Don’t sleep on this series!

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The Glass Man By Anders de la Motte

Suspenseful, intriguing and propulsive, The Glass Man hooks you early and keeps you riveted until the very end.  Anders de la Motte delivers another well-written, multi-perspective mystery with tremendous characters and a compelling plot that urges you to race to the finish to learn the truth.

Detective Leo Asker is a brilliant and dedicated cop whose been exiled to lead the Department of Lost Souls by a bitter rival.  Out of the blue, she hears from Prepper Per, her father, who needs her help figuring out how a dead body has turned up by his farm/doomsday compound.  Despite her very complicated relationship with Per, Leo feels compelled to help to ensure the right person is brought to justice.  Meanwhile, Associate Professor Martin Hill has traveled to Astroholm, the estate of famous business leader Gunnar Irving, commissioned to write a biography about Gunnar, his inventions and his company.  But Martin quickly suspects something dark is being hidden behind the shiny facade.  As Leo and Martin dig deeper to find answers to their individual questions, they’ll find there’s much more at play and that danger is lurking in the shadows.

As the second installment in this series, The Glass Man does a wonderful job of developing Leo, Martin and the supporting characters around them.  Diving deeper into Leo’s past and her strained relationship with her parents takes center stage, showing how resilient and strong she is while also providing insight into how she developed her keen skills of observation, preparation and tenacity that make her such a good detective.  And her investigation, rife with hard feelings, office politics, and personal potholes, is the perfect avenue for exploring who she is as a person and what she’s capable of.

It's also the interplay between Leo and Martin that adds depth and emotion to the novel.  They clearly care for each other and lean on one another for support and help in their individual pursuits, yet they are restrained and careful about being vulnerable in front of each other.  So, while they have mutual respect and a personal connection, there is also some tension and reservations that seem to be holding them back just a bit.  Which adds an undercurrent of “will they/won’t they” storyline to an already suspenseful tale.

Blending law enforcement investigations, academia, business pursuits, scientific advancements, urban exploration, survivalists and family drama into one thrilling novel, The Glass Man provides hours of gripping entertainment that’s sure to be as thought provoking as it is anxiety inducing.

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The Devil's Advocate By Steve Cavanagh

Intense, unsettling and mesmerizing, The Devil’s Advocate is an electrifying legal thriller with the pace of a runaway freight train that demands you keep reading as fast as possible to uncover the truth.  Steve Cavanagh has crafted a world-class story that is insanely engrossing while feeling horrifyingly plausible.

College student Skylar Edwards is found murdered in her rural Alabama hometown and the Sheriff arrests Andy Dubois, a young black man who worked with Skylar at a truck stop bar.  The evidence is overwhelmingly stacked against Andy and everyone believes he’s guilty.  Proving his guilt is the job of district attorney Randal Korn, who happens to have the most death penalty convictions of anyone in the history of the United States…and it’s not even close.  Eddie Flynn usually doesn’t take cases like this but is persuaded that something fishy is going on in Alabama and flies down from New York to defend Andy.  And the more Flynn and his team dig into the case, the more they are convinced that not only is he innocent, but that there’s a dangerous conspiracy at play that they must stop before many more innocent people die. 

This is pedal to the metal storytelling at its finest.  The Devil’s Advocate is full throttle from start to finish, powered by the emotional dread of an innocent man being put to death by a corrupt system manipulated by powerful people with an agenda.  And only a knight in shining armor, with a relentless will and balls of steel, can mount a challenge that maybe just maybe can thwart the inevitable.  That’s Eddie Flynn.  Along with a few of his ethically principled and integrity-driven colleagues, Flynn shows tremendous courage and virtuousness, unwilling to flinch in the face of mortal danger, to do what’s right and help the little guy stand a chance against a stacked deck.  Making him a character that you connect with and root for with your entire being.  Especially as he sticks it to those who think they’re too smart to be foiled.

The Devil’s Advocate will fill you with anxiety and foreboding before concluding in immensely satisfying fashion and restoring a smidge of faith in humanity.  A book that begs to be read in one sitting and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions.  A masterclass in storytelling by the great Steve Cavanagh.

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Dead Line by Marc Cameron

Intense action and extreme weather fill the pages of Dead Line, a thriller you feel as much as you read.  Marc Cameron has crafted a high-stakes novel that’s chilling in more ways than one. 

Deputy US Marshals Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki are pursuing a dangerous fugitive and his associates across Alaska, with the goal of arresting him and sending him back to Missouri to stand trial for the capital murder of his pregnant wife.  Simultaneously, a vicious mob boss hellbent on revenge has sent a team of killers into the frigid Alaskan wilderness to track down and kill the witness – and her former lover – who put her father in prison.  Cutter and Teariki are tasked with checking in on the witness, who hasn’t reported in as scheduled.  Which they quickly discover is not a breach in protocol, but a deadly serious situation with the man in witness protection at risk of being found and killed.  Leading to a race against the clock through ungodly freezing temperatures to stop the hit squad, resulting in an explosion of lethal violence.  And if the bullets don’t kill you, exposure to the elements surely will. 

Cutter’s manhunting and tactical brilliance are again on display as he thrusts himself and his law enforcement partners into the middle of treacherous operations with the single objective of bringing criminals to justice.  But his emotional side is explored more in Dead Line than perhaps any other book in the series due to his emerging romantic relationship with his brother’s widow Mim, as well as having to reconcile his feelings about his long-lost mother who finally returns to his life.  It’s this exploration of his emotions and psyche that takes this superhuman hero and gives him a soft, relatable side that connects with the reader.

But make no mistake, the star of this show is the Alaskan weather.  Tracking down killers in the middle of the wilderness during winter is hard enough. Try doing it when it’s possibly too cold for an airplane to transport you without the fuel freezing solid midair.  Or while riding a snowmobile when the temperature is -72 degrees Fahrenheit.  And that’s before the wind chill puts the real feel closer to -130 degrees.  Yes, the Alaskan landscape and unimaginably flesh-freezing elements take center stage and impact every action taken by every character.

It's another exciting and bone-chilling adventure in the great Arliss Cutter Series.  But maybe read it on a warm, sunny day to take the edge off.  Because you will definitely feel the cold in your bones as you immerse yourself in this frosty story.

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Fade In By Kyle Mills

Fresh and incredibly relevant to today’s geopolitical landscape, Fade In is a slow-burn thriller that meticulously sets the scene and challenges your view of global power before exploding with violence that leaves you stunned.  Kyle Mills has delivered a powerful novel with a unique protagonist that will keep you riveted while asking you to ponder moral quandaries between bursts of action. 

Salam al-Fayed, aka Fade, wakes up in the hospital after taking a sniper bullet to the spine.  Unable to move and a shadow of the formidable Navy SEAL he used to be, he wishes for death.  But then he’s resurrected, receiving the best rehabilitation money and technology can provide, as long as he signs on to the paramilitary unit of a shadowy organization run by a billionaire with designs on changing the world order.  Now recovered, Fade joins a team hunting a reclusive Chinese scientist who has announced the imminent release of a virus that will wipe out over 10% of the population.  Up against the clock and facing an unknown enemy force, Fade locks in and gets down to what he’s best at – succeeding at impossible missions where others will certainly fail. 

Fade is a tremendous character, matching an elite tier one skillset with a nihilistic attitude that allows him to operate with freedom and a lack of concern for personal consequences because of coming back from near death on multiple occasions.  He has a moral compass that seems to have some flexibility to it. He’s an independent thinker who doesn’t blindly follow orders and he’s also unafraid to challenge those in who sign his paychecks.  So, while a powerful entity will want to use him as a tool to further their agendas, Fade will not do so without serious consideration first.

Additionally, this novel makes you think about significant topics in today’s world.  Things like the vulnerabilities of an aging population and the desires/frustrations of younger generations who inherit the world for better or worse from their elders, the traditional power of sovereign nations vs. the emerging power of wealthy and influential individuals, and the grand possibilities of technological advancements in the field of human performance and lifespan elongation in relation to the ethical usage of such technology.  Don’t worry, there’s plenty of bullets flying, hand to hand combat, and explosions contained within the pages of this book to excite an action junkie.  But it’s a thinking man’s/woman’s thriller.  Pensive and exhilarating.  The best of both worlds. 

Thriller fans will enjoy Fade In on its own merits but will also be excited for the potential of where this series can go in the future.  It’s set up for more intriguing plots, ethical inquiries and exhilarating action.  Can’t wait to see what Kyle Mills delivers next.

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The Elias Enigma By Simon Gervais

Action-packed, suspenseful and anxiety-inducing, The Elias Enigma is a full throttle thrill ride filled to the brim with fisticuffs, shootouts, chases and international intrigue.  Simon Gervais proves once again why he’s one of the best in the genre, delivering a well-crafted cinematic story that will make you hold your breath with every pulse-pounding moment.

After an unsanctioned operation to Kenya to eliminate a personal threat that raised more questions than answers, Caspian Anderson (code name: Elias) is back in action in France surveilling the CEO of an important defense technology start-up.  However, this operation goes sideways as multiple factions with different agendas collide in their operations targeting the same individual.  With no clarity on who’s who in the zoo and an inability to trust anyone, Caspian and his team must work alone to untangle this complex web and stop foreign powers from completing their mission to acquire game-changing technology that would put the US at risk of deadly attack.

The Elias Enigma is just a damn good book that you can’t put down.  It’s got action, it’s got emotion, it’s got conflict, it’s got multiple international players with different agendas, and it’s got heart.  In addition, as the second book in this series, it does a great job of using the plot as a vehicle to add depth and development to the main characters, providing more insight into their motivations, emotional states and capabilities.  Furthermore, Gervais does a brilliant job of taking these extraordinary individuals and making them relatable, forging a connection with the reader that makes them live and die with every action, rooting for our valiant protagonists to win the day. 

In short, this novel is well-written, contains fantastic characters, and is tons of fun to read.  All of which is completely unsurprising for a Simon Gervais thriller.  He always delivers and I can’t wait to see where he takes this series next.

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The Medusa Protocol By Rob Hart

Rob Hart has done it again!  The Medusa Protocol is another stunningly unique and bad-ass thriller that combines brutal action and perilous circumstances with heartfelt moments and commitment to self-improvement.  It’s the most fun you can have watching assassins trying to not kill people.

Astrid has missed several Assassins Anonymous meetings and the group is concerned, not knowing if she’s still alive.  When a pizza covered in olives is delivered to their secret location, they know Astrid is still above ground and in need of help.  Then the pizza delivery is immediately followed by a kill team looking to eliminate these dangerous former assassins who have taken the pledge never to kill again.  After finding a way through this dangerous situation, Mark, Booker and the others set out to locate Astrid and enact a rescue plan.  But infiltrating a black site on a remote island covered in poisonous snakes to save a member of their “family” without taking a life will test their skills and their resolve like never before.

Most thrillers put the protagonists in an untenable position surrounded by enemies with blood lust in their eyes, then have the good guys kill everyone as they make their escape or stalk their prey.  But The Medusa Protocol is not like most thrillers.  First, the main characters are former assassins who were addicted to killing and are now trying to reform themselves through putting their lethality behind and making amends to the living relatives of those they dispatched.  With so much blood on their hands, it’s hard to say they’re the “good guys.”  Second, because they’re in recovery they cannot kill again and still maintain their sobriety.  So when Mark, Astrid, Booker and the others are put into incredibly dangerous situations, they must fight their way out by hurting, disabling, neutralizing and maiming, but not killing.  A less than ideal situation that takes a lot of skill and dedication to the program to avoid caving to temptation and relapsing into their murderous ways. 

The result is fantastic action sequences filled with creativity, fisticuffs and thoughtful violence with a purpose that is spawned from a moral clarity of those who are trying to be a little bit better every day.  So when vicious predators interrupt their attempts at salvation and a peaceful existence, they act like the rest of us and just do the best they can with the hand they’re dealt.  It just happens to be that their best is a lot more physically punishing and potentially incapacitating with higher risk of death than what the general population experiences on a daily basis.  But growth is in the learning and attempting to do better, right?  And if a few bodies drop in the process, who’s going to put up a fuss?  I’m certain thriller fans will be quite alright with it.

Two books into this unique series and it’s already one of my favorites in the thriller genre.  And the great news is Rob Hart’s got the chops, storylines and characters to continue entertaining us for many books to come.  I can’t wait to see what’s next!

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King Of Ashes By S.A. Cosby

Dark, deep and devastating, King of Ashes packs an emotional punch by exploring powerful dualities–brutality vs. tenderness, good versus evil, loyalty vs. treachery and virtuousness vs. criminality.  It’s another magnificent thriller with intricate and layered characters emanating from the prolific pen of literary master S.A. Cosby. 

Roman Carruthers returns to his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia after learning his father is in a coma.  That’s when he discovers his brother Dante owes a big debt to a vicious local gang and his father’s car accident was a message being sent.  Roman, a smart and talented financial guru with a track record of making his clients lots of money, strikes a deal with the gang leaders to make them more money than his brother owes them.  But these are merciless gangsters who quickly show Roman he is in over his head and one false move will result in the death of everyone he loves.  Using every bit of his intelligence and, along with the help of a ruthless fixer, Roman enacts a plan to turn the tables on these gangsters to get his family out of the crosshairs.  But achieving victory may mean damning his soul to an eternity in hell.

What would you do for your family?  Would you give up your life of luxury and risk everything you’ve worked tirelessly to build in order to save a family member who gets sideways with dangerous people?  Would you adopt an “us or them” mentality, even if it means breaking the law and crossing lines you can never uncross?  These are some of the deep questions at the heart of King of Ashes that propels the story forward towards an explosive conclusion.  Setting Roman on a dark journey that is fueled partially by unconditional loyalty and love, and partly by unyielding guilt and pain.  Descending deep into hell in an attempt to find salvation for his brother and forgiveness for himself.

King of Ashes has everything you would expect from a Cosby novel.  Beautiful prose.  Exceptional storytelling.  Multifaceted, well-developed characters.  Complex relationships.  Savage violence.  Gut wrenching moments of truth.  Conflicting emotions.  And blindsiding twists.  With an ending that will stick in your mind for a long time.  It’s gritty, haunting and outstanding.  A worthy addition to Cosby’s brilliant crime fiction catalog.

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The Palace Of Sinners And Saints By Ammar Merchant

Unapologetically brutal, batshit crazy violence packed into insane action sequences, The Palace of Sinners and Saints goes hard from page one and doesn’t stop until the pile of dead bodies is sky high.  Ammar Merchant has crafted a viciously entertaining thriller with a protagonist who’s a bull in a China shop with only one goal – total destruction of anything in his path.

Irfan Mirza has been trained as a killer since he was a child.  Now a freelance mercenary, he’s travelled to a wealthy Middle Eastern kingdom on a personal mission – find and liberate someone close to him whose been taken captive by an autocratic King who silences his critics without mercy.  Along with a small team, Mirza sets off on a suicidal rescue mission to infiltrate a heavily fortified medieval fortress in the middle of the desert, rescue his target and get the hell out of there with his life.  And if he maims and kills a large number of enemy combatants along the way, even better.

There’s nothing subtle about this story or Irfan Mirza.  It’s in your face, smash mouth, direct action.  No tricks or gimmicks.  The author lays bare exactly what needs to happen and what Mirza is capable of, then then proceeds in a straight line of aggression and ruthlessness towards an outcome that will result in the annihilation of one side or the other.  No compromise, no negotiation, no partial victory.  Either Mirza succeeds or he dies.  And he’s ok with that given he has no fear of death.  Which partially stems from his incredible physical gifts and impressive skillset but also comes from his experience and his faith.

It’s incredible to watch Mirza work.  Fist fights, motorcycle chases, knife work, gun battles, explosions and more fill the pages of The Palace of Sinners and Saints.  And while it delivers exciting, pulse-pounding action from start to finish, it also simmers with emotional depth, humorous moments, and undercurrents of romance that need further exploration.  Which will be exciting to watch develop if/when this turns into a series.  And it should.  Because Mirza is a great character, and Ammar Merchant can really craft a story.  Whatever comes next will be an automatic must read.

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Nightshade By Michael Connelly

Nightshade is a propulsive, engaging and suspenseful thriller by one of the absolute best crime writers in the business.  Michael Connelly delivers yet another winning book featuring a hard-nosed detective involved in solving hard-hitting crimes.

LA County Sheriff's Detective Stilwell runs the station on Catalina Island, a post he’s been exiled to because of past actions and department politics.  Despite the usual lack of excitement that goes with chasing petty crimes, Stilwell is making the best of the situation…until a dead body is found submerged in the harbor.  Combined with an investigation into buffalo mutilation on the island, Stilwell finds himself in the middle of the action once again.  At first partnering with his colleagues on the mainland, then ignoring protocol and investigating on his own, Stilwell is determined to close these cases and bring those responsible to justice.  But what he doesn’t count on is the revelation of the evil that lurks on the island and the personal ramifications his crusade will cost him.

This may be the start of a new series, but it delivers the signature gritty, raw intensity that makes Connelly’s crime novels so compelling.  Stilwell is a strong character with a clear moral compass, an indefatigable work ethic and the tunnel vision required to be a great investigator, even if it puts him at odds with his peers and superiors, and impacts his personal life.  He also likes Jazz music.  Sounds like another beloved Connelly detective, doesn’t it?

By moving the main setting to Catalina, Nightshade provides a distinctive setting, new characters and fresh storylines to pursue that differs from Connelly’s Bosch and Ballard books.  It’s a great move to open this new avenue for Southern California crime exploration.  Something that feels familiar to old fans but also provides an entry point for new readers.  There are numerous possibilities for where this series can go, which should excite crime thriller fans.  And who knows, maybe there’s potential for a Connelly universe crossover in the future. 

Anyone who loves a good crime novel will seriously enjoy Nightshade.  It’s a strong, intriguing, intense thriller that moves with pace and purpose.  And if you happen to be a Connelly fan already, this one is sure to impress.

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Kaua'i Storm By Tori Eldridge

Kaua’i Storm is an intriguing, layered and suspenseful story that educates as much as it thrills.  Tori Eldridge does a masterful job blending historical context and Hawaiian traditions into a traditional mystery that engages the reader’s brain from start to finish.

National Park Ranger Makalani Pahukula is back on Kaua’i after spending the last decade on the mainland.  Back for her grandmother’s birthday celebration, she’s thrust into a search for two of her cousins who have gone missing.  Fearing something nefarious is at play – a feeling that’s only heightened when hunters find a dead body in a forest reserve – she desperately investigates and searches the island she grew up on, bringing up difficult feelings of being disconnected from the land and the struggles of her family.  Undeterred by those who resent her help and the increasingly dangerous weather conditions, she will stop at nothing to solve this mystery and hopefully return her cousins safely to her family.  And in doing so, maybe she will be able to reconnect with her homeland and find a new level of love and peace with her family. 

Kaua’i Storm expertly takes the reader on a journey through the Hawaiian culture and the critical importance of ‘ohana (family) and 'āina (the land).  It’s part history lesson and part love letter to Hawaii that educates the reader and serves the story well, patiently setting the stage for what’s to come in the thrilling conclusion of this book and future installments of this series.  By understanding the lives and struggles of Makalani’s family and others like it, it brings a deeper connection to the characters and elicits stronger emotions as conflict arises and the outcomes remain uncertain. 

Interwoven in the family drama is a suspenseful thriller that showcases Makalani’s impressive skillset as a Ranger.  Her strength, intelligence, resiliency and stubbornness are on full display as she attempts to track down her cousins and spare her family from a potentially heartbreaking situation.  She’s a strong, but flawed and conflicted protagonist with a lot of potential.  Someone whose journey is only beginning and will be fun to watch her development in the future.

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Into The Gray Zone By Brad Taylor

Gripping, tense and adrenaline-charged, Into the Gray Zone brings that classic Pike Logan magic to the other side of the world in a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Brad Taylor delivers another compelling and explosive mission in the latest installment of this outstanding series.

Pike Logan and his Taskforce team are providing security for a clandestine meeting between the head of the CIA, members of India’s intelligence agency and an Indian Billionaire, when terrorists attack their location.  After the attack is thwarted, it is shrugged off as a minor incident by the meeting principals, but Pike believes there’s more at play.  Getting authority to check it out, Pike and team become entangled in an international power struggle for political and economic control that crescendos with a race-against-the-clock hostage rescue mission and shootout between multiple factions.  With innocent lives hanging in the balance, Pike will stop at nothing – including releasing the beast within – to ensure mission success and the safety of those he’s committed to rescue.

This is another stellar Pike Logan novel with everything you would expect – kinetic action, dangerous situations, Pike pushing the limits of his Taskforce authority, Knuckles charming the pants off a beautiful woman, and Jennifer being the voice of reason.  It also contains Taskforce team members shedding blood and signs of Pike losing the battle against his inner beast and going apeshit in ways that scare the others.  Combine all of that with an intriguing plot about rare earth metals and geopolitical maneuverings with India and China in the mix, and you get a fast-paced, action-packed, realistic plot that will have you holding your breath and sweating the outcome. 

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Cold Burn by AJ Landau

Provocative, sobering and potentially prescient, Cold Burn is a compelling combination of thrilling action, Native American culture, and climate science.  A.J. Landau (pseudonym for the writing team of Jon Land and Jeff Ayers), delivers a thought-provoking and heart-pounding novel that exercises your mind and your nerves in equal measure.

Theft of Native American artifacts.  Suspicious deaths in the Everglades and Alaska.  The mysterious deaths of a submarine crew.  A billionaire with designs on getting to Mars.  A Russian general with grandiose plans.  It’s all connected, and only National Park Service ISB special agent Michael Walker and FBI special investigator Gina Delgado can put the pieces together and stop catastrophic events that would reshape the world…and possible end life on Earth as we know it.

On its own, the murder and theft investigations and military action storylines would hold their own against any traditional thriller.  However, Cold Burn differentiates itself by interweaving those elements in a bigger story about humanity’s connection to nature and how ambitious pursuits that don’t consider the consequences can kick off an irreversible chain of events that could have dire long-term consequences.  And adding in the juxtaposition of modern military operations and aerospace pursuits versus indigenous worldviews and sacred relationships with the land, result in a book that carves out its own unique, intriguing niche in the genre.

This is the book for readers looking for something more than just a thriller.  It’s pensive, spiritual, scientific and suspenseful.  An exciting and frightening adventure that you’ll hope isn’t a glimpse into our future.

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Fever Beach By Carl Hiaasen

Wild, highly entertaining and immensely gratifying, Fever Beach is American sociological and political satire at its finest.  Carl Hiaasen has crafted a no-holds-barred, over-the-top, laugh out loud story that grips you early and propels you forward at high speeds with an insatiable thirst to see how it all unfolds.

Dale Figgo, a hapless extremist so incompetent he was kicked out of the Proud Boys, whose misguided antics – including defacing the wrong statue during his participation in the January 6th storming of the Capitol – set off a chain of absurd events. His already disastrous life collides with Viva Morales, a resourceful woman recovering from a brutal divorce who reluctantly rents a room from Dale, and Twilly Spree, a millionaire with a short fuse, difficulty letting things go, and a penchant for putting people in their place. As Viva and Twilly unravel a scheme involving dark money, corruption, shady dealmaking, and right-wing extremism, they encounter a bevy of crooked, bumbling and inept people that are out to shape the political landscape in their image.  Can they pull it off?  It’ll take a miracle.

Fever Beach is a character driven story, and whoa boy there are some amazing characters introduced in the pages of this novel.  White supremacists who don’t know their ass from their elbow.  Wealthy eccentric philanthropists with hidden agendas.  A congressman who can’t stop stepping in the shit and who keeps asking daddy to clean up his messes.  A rich man with an anger management problem who easily gets restless and seeks to teach others a lesson.  A woman in the middle of it all who is just trying to put her life back together after her ex-husband ran off with all her money.  And that’s not to mention an underage prostitute, a Jewish hitman, a corrupt local politician, child construction laborers, and a bevy of Floridian racists.  It’s a dash of the good, with a smorgasbord of the bad and the ugly, with most characters not getting the results they desire but receiving the outcome they certainly deserve.  Which makes for a straightforward yet twisting novel that builds anticipation to high levels before delivering a satisfying conclusion that makes the journey through the Floridian underbelly totally and completely worth it.

It’s witty and fun.  A riotous ride through Florida’s uniquely bizarre culture and citizenry that takes deadly serious and polarizing issues and lampoons them in a way that elevates the Florida Man meme to an artform.

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Hidden In Smoke By Lee Goldberg

Gripping and intense, Hidden in Smoke is a combustible story that moves at a scorching pace and will ignite the thrill of the hunt in readers’ minds.  Another fantastic book by Lee Goldberg, one of the most bankable authors in the genre for engaging, fun, smooth novels containing great characters and intriguing plots.  All he does is churn out one great story after another. 

An arsonist is setting fires at apartment buildings across Hollywood.  Then a massive fire shuts down a major Los Angeles freeway.  And just like that, arson investigators Sharpe and Walker are in the middle of the action, charged with finding those responsible.  Could it be the same person causing havoc across the city or is there something more diabolical at play?  Meanwhile, an old acquaintance of the two investigators is back in the fold and doing what he does best.  Namely scheming and thieving.  But this time, it could come back to burn them.

This third installment in the Sharpe and Walker series is as compelling and absorbing as the prior two.  The banter between the two investigators is entertaining, their strengths are perfectly complimentary, and their investigative approaches are vastly different.  But they form a brilliant team that gets the job done, usually with Walker having to make nice for all the people pissed off at Sharpe.  It’s the interplay between the duo that makes this book, and this series, so much fun to read. 

It also helps that the storylines are fire (pun intended) and the books well researched and written.  I mean, it’s not often that someone throws together a serial arsonist, a world class cat burglar, delicious BBQ, big pharma, street artists, and the craziest museum you’ve ever heard about into a single book.  But Goldberg pulls it off, seamlessly weaving it all together – and throwing in a few surprises and fan favorite characters – to construct a story that is equal parts amusing, anxiety-inducing and satisfying.

If you’re not reading Goldberg’s stuff, what are you waiting for?  Get on it.  Because I promise you a good time.  And whatever he writes next, I’ll be first in line to grab a copy.

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