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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Cry Havoc By Jack Carr

Jack Carr knocks this one out of the park!  Cry Havoc is an explosive and emotional thriller with elements of historical fiction that pulls no punches and leaves you shaken as the brutally unforgiving events of war unfold.  It’s a masterclass in blending storytelling with real-life events, expertly blurring the lines between fact and fiction. 

It’s 1968 and the Vietnam War rages on.  The USS Pueblo has been captured by the North Koreans.  The Soviets are supporting the North Vietnamese and recruiting spies everywhere.  And Tom Reece is a Navy SEAL attached to a highly classified group named MACV-SOG, running operations across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.  And Tom is convinced there’s a leak that is giving the enemy key information that puts his team at risk every time they operate.  Thrusting him into the middle of the action on multiple fronts that involve intelligence and military operations, all of which put those he cares about in harm’s way and could get him killed. 

What makes Cry Havoc a special thriller is the amount of care Jack Carr put into crafting this compelling narrative.  It’s obvious that an incredible amount of research was done to get every little detail exactly right, which serves to honor those brave men and women whose sacrifice and heroism inspired different parts of this story.  Giving off a feeling that writing this book was much more than just writing a novel, rather it’s a deeply personal and important mission for Carr.

The result is a highly engaging saga that captures your attention and keeps you hooked throughout, turning you into an addict who can’t flip pages fast enough to get your next fix.  It’s an emotional rollercoaster filled with moments that will make you gasp, exclaim expletives, fist pump and shed tears.  Taking you from the jungle to the streets, waterways and hotels of a war-torn Vietnam to experience the conflict from different perspectives while you cheer on our heroes and pray for the demise of the enemy.

They say war is hell and in Cry Havoc you will see why that is, as you get a front row seat to the underworld of bloody combat operations. 

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The Whisper Place By Mindy Mejia

 

The Whisper Place starts as a slow burn, constantly building pressure and intensity before erupting in a panic-induced race to the finish that will have you reading at warp speed with a frantic need to learn the outcome.  Mindy Mejia has crafted an emotionally gripping and severely unsettling thriller that will fray your nerves and exercise your heart. 

Charlie walks into the office of Celina Investigations and drops a large bundle of cash on the desk, asking Max Summerlin and Jonah Kendrick to find his missing girlfriend.  But there’s a catch – he doesn’t know her real name.  It’s the type of case that Max, a former police officer, and Jonah, a psychic detective, are perfectly suited to explore.  As they investigate and learn about the missing woman’s past, their concern and sense of urgency explode and create a desperate need to find her immediately.  Before it’s too late.

The third book in this series, The Whisper Place does a good job of continued character development to advance the narratives from the two prior books while also representing a good starting point for new readers to jump in.  It’s a thriller that thrives on the actions, emotions and relationships between the individuals in the story, using their relatability to build strong connections with the readers that gets them fully invested in the outcome.  So, when the story kicks into high gear, increasing the danger and the possibility of multiple characters not surviving, you’re all in and have a visceral need to rocket ahead to get to the conclusion.  Hoping for the best but fearing the worst.  A feeling that only the best thrillers can pull off.  And this thriller is one not to be missed.

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Denied Access By Don Bentley

Mitch Rapp is Back!!!  And all is right in the world.  Except it isn’t.  Which is, of course, why Rapp is once again let loose to deploy his lethal skillset.  Taking readers on a white-knuckle, violent journey to defeat a worthy adversary with visions of vengeance on their mind.  Don Bently has delivered a masterful espionage thriller with a relentless pace, ruthless impact, and razor-sharp execution.  A tale where spycraft and intense action collide on every page, with every decision laced with brutal consequences.

With the recent collapse of the Soviet Union, the CIA finds itself in the crosshairs of a US Congress that is considering shutting them down.  As interim CIA director Thomas Stansfield fights for his organization’s future, a Russian intelligence leader is running a multi-pronged operation that paralyzes the CIA’s Moscow Station, imprisons the wife of an American case officer, and assassinates old adversaries.  Meanwhile, Mitch Rapp’s vacation is cut short when he and his girlfriend are targeted by covert operatives, which thrusts him into the middle of an escalating espionage battle between the US and Russia.  Now Rapp, with the help of his Orion program colleagues, must pull off an audacious life-threatening mission to stop the Russians, settle old scores, and thwart an all-out war from breaking out in Europe. 

Denied Access picks up after events of Kill Shot, completing the Mitch Rapp origin trilogy that starts with American Assassin.  Going back to that timeframe is a brilliant choice by Don Bentley for a couple of reasons.  First, it’s a target rich environment from a historical perspective with the recent fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and remnants of the cold war still present.  All of which provide a fertile ground for intriguing storylines and chaos for our hero to navigate.  And besides, who doesn’t love a United States vs. Russia Spy vs. Spy tale?  That never gets old.

Second, it provides new insights and early character building for Rapp and friends, something you wouldn’t expect for characters that have been in our lives for over 25 years.  In a stroke of genius, Bentley gives fans the gift of going back in time and witnessing a young Mitch Rapp develop as he tries to figure out who he is as an operative and as a person, attempting to reconcile his desire for a long-term romantic relationship with being an assassin.  But it’s not just Rapp whose development Denied Access explores. Readers also get a glimpse into Thomas Stansfield’s WWII exploits and a front row seat to his current-day maneuverings that lead to his ascension to DCI.  We get to witness Irene Kennedy’s incredible intellect on display as she blossoms into Stansfield’s primary confidant, as well as her fearlessness going into the lion’s den that is Moscow Station.  And then there’s the chance to learn more about Stan Hurley’s cold war exploits, which serves to add more depth and intrigue to an already fascinating man.

In addition to the memorable time period and the impressive character development, Denied Access provides one hell of an espionage story with multiple moving parts that tie past events from WWII and the cold war to the book’s current setting in a way that suspends you in a constant state of tension.  And it goes beyond the agent running, violent action and high-stakes operations, which are naturally intense.  Even the political theater and intelligence game-planning discussions are loaded with urgency and friction that adds to a sense of foreboding.  Which is further enhanced by an excellently created, cold and calculating enemy that is not to be underestimated.

Add it all up and Denied Access is a masterful tale that adds depth and excitement to one of the most important thriller franchises in print today.  A phenomenal addition to this beloved series that long-time Rapp fans are sure to savor, while also providing an easy on-ramp for new readers to discover why Rapp is on the Mount Rushmore of thriller protagonists. 

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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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Sons Of Valor IV: False Flag by Andrews & Wilson

Sons of Valor IV: False Flag escalates the suspense and intensity to heart pounding levels, challenging you to read as fast as humanly possible to urgently learn the ultimate endgame.  It’s relentless anxiety-inducing intrigue and balls-to-the wall action from start to finish.  Andrews and Wilson deliver another exceptional thriller that is impossible to put down.

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia has been killed, and Israeli Mossad agents are accused of the outrageous crime.  The US sends an investigative team, including analyst extraordinaire Whitney “Heels” Watts, to determine who is really behind the murder and share the findings with the world before the Middle East explodes into violence.  Meanwhile, Tier One Gold Squadron led by Keith “Chunk” Redman is deployed alongside a team of Israeli operatives to locate and eliminate all terrorist and military threats.  It’s a race against the clock with nothing short of all-out war – and the existence of the Jewish state – at stake.

Given current events in the complicated Middle East, this book brings an unsettling level of realism and believability that strikes fear in the reader’s heart.  It’s not hard to imagine the machinations of certain countries and factions, because we’re living through it real time.  We can only hope that in real life there are badass operators like Chunk and his team out there keeping us safe and thwarting the nefarious forces of evil.

Additionally, the character development in this book is superb.  Bringing more depth and layers to existing characters and their relationships while introducing others who add to the story.  And like the real world, no one is safe as these men and women put their lives on the line to defend freedom around the world.  Which keeps the reader on edge throughout, bringing a lump to their throat and a tear to their eye on more than one occasion. 

This latest installment in the Sons of Valor series is phenomenal.  Filled with action, danger, international intrigue and tons of flying lead, it’s a pulse-pounding reading experience. 

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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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Edge Of Honor By Brad Thor

Gripping, explosive and adrenaline-fueled, Edge of Honor is a timely thriller with nothing less than the fate of the country hanging in the balance.  Brad Thor’s latest novel ignites your patriotic spirit while delivering hard-hitting action and high-stakes intrigue within a masterfully-written package.

Scot Harvath and his wife Sølvi are back in the United States after traveling abroad for the last 6 months.  On their way to the Norwegian embassy, they witness a violent attack on peaceful protestors outside the Vice-President’s residence and immediately jump into action, neutralizing the threats.  But that’s only the beginning, pulling them both into a deadly conspiracy aiming to permanently damage the country.  With no idea who he can trust, Harvath pulls together a small but mighty team to determine whose behind the violence and to take the fight to their front door.  Hoping like hell he’s not to late to stop the carnage that threatens to send the US into chaos.

Last we saw our hero, Harvath was retiring to enjoy married life with Sølvi.  Leaving readers anxious that we’d seen the last of our beloved character kicking ass and taking names.  However, fear not my friends, because it turns out Brad Thor has crafted a highly engaging story that blends elements of our current political and social climate with a fictitious attack that thrusts Harvath back into the hot seat, slinging lots of lead downrange and taking out a bevy of bad guys involved in a massive conspiracy to reshape America. 

Well, at least let’s hope this story is fiction.  Because let’s be honest, Brad Thor’s track record of predicting future events is cause for concern.  They don’t call him the “King of Faction” for nothing.  So maybe keep your heads on a swivel just in case.  And in the meantime, sit back, relax and enjoy this entertaining novel while relishing the latest display of Harvath’s deadly awesomeness.

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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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Tom Clancy Line Of Demarcation By M.P. Woodward

Fast-paced and action-packed, Line of Demarcation is a dynamic geopolitical and covert action thriller that blends business and bullets, integrity and deceit, and good versus evil.  M.P. Woodward constructs another engaging and entertaining Tom Clancy novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seat.

Jack Ryan Jr. travels to Guyana to secure a strategic partnership for the “white side” of Hendley Associates following the discovery of a significant offshore oil field.  At the same time, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter is mysteriously destroyed while establishing a vital sea route between the new oil reserves and Gulf Coast refineries.  As Jack Jr. delves deeper, he uncovers a complex web involving Russian mercenaries and Venezuelan narco-terrorists, all intent on destabilizing the region.  Amid shifting alliances and hidden threats, Jack must navigate this treacherous landscape to prevent a potential conflict that could escalate into war.

Line of Demarcation starts as an intriguing real-world business trip before transforming into a kinetic action thriller, with both parts being equally fascinating.  Witnessing Jack Jr. conducting legitimate business and trying to navigate the complexities of another country’s political system – feeling the highs that accompany the expectation of completing a lucrative deal and the lows of disappointment when the deal is on the brink of collapse – is a relatable feeling that reminds us that he’s no superhero.  And then he gets thrust into the action, along with a few friends from the Campus, to save innocent people, expose a conspiracy, extract a friend and colleague from a dangerous situation, and stop a cartel kingpin and foreign operatives from starting a war with the United States.  Which is when the fun really begins with tensions flaring, bullets flying and a day in need of saving.  Throw in a connection to events that occurred in Clear and Present Danger, and this book delivers everything long-term Clancy fans could want in a current-day continuation of this beloved universe.

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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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