The Right To Remain By James Grippando

Twisting, turning and anxiety-inducing, The Right to Remain is a tense and complex legal thriller that makes you feel unsettled in the pit of your stomach while taking you on an emotional rollercoaster.  James Grippando masterfully delivers a compelling and modern tale that overflows with drama inside and outside the courtroom.

Elliott Stafford hires lawyer Jack Swyteck to help him through a grand jury summons in a murder case.  Ignoring counsel’s advice to assert his fifth amendment rights, his testimony results in his indictment.  Only then does Elliot refuse to speak.  To everyone.  Including his own lawyer, trying to defend him from a crime it seems he did not commit.  But Jack is undeterred, relentlessly digging for the truth that reveals a dark past which shines a light on Elliot’s motivations.  Now with an understanding of exactly how high the stakes are in this case, Jack must overcome a non-responsive client and an overzealous prosecutor to ensure justice prevails. 

There’s a current of intensity throughout The Right to Remain that results from the conduct of the characters.  It’s an uneasy feeling stemming from an accused man who seems uninterested in helping his own defense, a prosecutor whose bias gives them tunnel vision, family turmoil that brings to light behavior unbecoming of responsible parenting, and more.  And as the drip of critical information is provided, that feeling is amplified and leaves you wondering if a miscarriage of justice is inevitable.  Pulling you deeper into the story and increasing your investment in praying for specific outcomes for various characters.  Making it more satisfying when the blindsiding twists hit and your prayers are answered.

It's a triumphant novel to mark the 20th edition of this popular series.  But if you’re just joining the party, don’t fret.  The Right to Remain can easily be read as a standalone.  And then who knows?  Maybe you’ll like it so much it’ll give you 19 additional books to add to your TBR pile. 

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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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Robert B. Parker's Showdown By Mike Lupica

Suspenseful, honest, witty and engrossing, Robert B. Parker’s Showdown is a well-crafted modern take on this cherished five-decade long series.  Mike Lupica has given us another wonderful Spenser novel that provides new challenges for our old hero.  Delivering a thrilling no-nonsense detective story with the comforting dry humor and moral complexity readers have come to appreciate from our beloved Boston PI.

Spenser is pulled into a sensitive case by his friend and powerful attorney Rita Fiore.  Rita represents a young man whose mother was murdered and is now trying to find his birth father, with evidence pointing to controversial podcaster Vic Hale.  Given Hale’s anti-immigration position and the young man’s mother having entered the US illegally, this has the potential to be big news.  Especially with Hale about to sign a massive deal that will make some powerful people a lot of money.  Spenser, feeling responsibility to Hale’s father for having once saved his life, promises to take the investigation to wherever it may lead.  And despite death threats, shootouts and offers of big payoffs, he will not be deterred from finding out the truth. 

Showdown will appeal to long term fans of the series as well as those who are just looking for a good book to read.  It’s a timely story that features the ever-growing influence of podcasters while addressing several hot button topics such as immigration, money, power, and divisiveness within an investigation that includes paternity, murder, and capitalism.  It has it all!

And for those of us who have followed the series for decades, Showdown leans on a familiar formula of Spenser tackling a deadly serious case with his trademark sarcasm and playfulness to provide balance and entertainment.  Add in a healthy dose of Hawk, Susan Silverman, Rita and other long-time characters, and it feels more like visiting with old friends than reading a fictional book. 

No matter what your familiarity with Spenser and friends, Showdown is a book that provides entertainment while provoking thought.  Leading to a reading experience filled with juicy drama, amusement, reflection and fun within a thrilling package.

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The Second Son By Simon Gervais & Ryan Steck

The Second Son is an explosive rollercoaster thrill ride filled to the brim with haymakers and gut-punches.  Simon Gervais and Ryan Steck team up to deliver an action-packed, conspiracy-laden thriller that keeps you on edge throughout and leaves you reeling with an unbelievable ending.

Chase Burke is living a good and quiet life as a sommelier at a Michelin starred restaurant, trying to leave his checkered past behind him.  But that seems impossible after the death of his brother in a covert op, followed by the attempted kidnapping and murder of a US Congresswoman from his restaurant.  With the cops looking hard at his involvement in the potential abduction, Chase realizes his only option is to find out who’s pulling the strings in order to clear his name.  And while he can rely on his elite skillset from his military days to help him go on the offensive, he is wholly unprepared for the revelations he will uncover that rock his world. 

This book is all gas, no brakes.  The Second Son is non-stop action and suspense that creates a sense of urgency to find out what will happen next.  It doesn’t allow you to catch your breath for even one moment, and you’ll find your blood boiling and blood pressure rising on multiple occasions.  It also contains a fair bit of emotion through the exploration of family dynamics and the consequences of choices previously made.  All of which makes for a phenomenally crafted, brilliantly executed and well-rounded thriller.  One that absolutely needs to be inserted into everyone’s TBR pile come November. 

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The Adversary By Andrews & Wilson

The Adversary might be Andrews & Wilson’s best book to date, which isn’t something I say lightly given how many ridiculously good novels they’ve published.  But it’s true and, furthermore, this latest installment is without a doubt my favorite in the Tier One series.  It’s incredible and a strong contender for thriller of the year due to insane action sequences, psychological mindfuckery, and a ton of raw emotion within a brilliantly crafted story that vociferously screams “team and mission above self.”  A message we all benefit from hearing again.

John Dempsey and his Ember team are in Taiwan on their way to a meeting with a Taiwanese intelligence officer when it all goes sideways.  Their asset is killed, a member of the team gets seriously injured and Ember’s comms and cyber field agent is taken by Chinese operatives.  Putting Dempsy on the warpath, willing to do anything to get his teammate back before disappearing into mainland China forever.  With the help of a SEAL team in theatre for training exercises, Ember attempts a daring rescue mission to get their man back without kicking off WWIII.  And to make it more complicated, Dempsey’s son Jake Kemper – who thinks his dad, Jack Kemper, is dead – is a newly minted nugget on the SEAL team involved in the operation.  Making this a high stakes mission in more ways than one. 

If you’ve read the prior Tier One books before (and if you haven’t, what the hell are you waiting for?), then you know you’re in store for a nonstop, high-octane, action-packed ride that sets your hair on fire and drops you in the middle of life and death battles.  But there’s three things that elevate The Adversary into the rarified air of truly exceptional thrillers. 

First, witnessing Dempsey’s progeny, Jake Kemper, not only ascend to the SEAL teams but also show a bit of Dempsey in his decision making and bold actions is something to behold.  It’s the proverbial apple not falling far from the tree, but without the son having a chance to be molded and mentored by the father.  So, it’s also a study in nature versus nurture.

Second, the main antagonist will send shivers down your spine and cause a visceral reaction.  He has a calm, almost clinical demeanor that amplifies his evilness more than if he was an unhinged lunatic.  Instead, his words are simply a matter of fact, stating a chilling destiny you cannot run from, voicing unnerving promises that evoke a primal dread.  It’s quite unsettling.

Third, this story is overflowing with emotion.  Anger and love.  Desperation and hope.  Fear and joy.  Regret and pride.  Selfishness and selflessness.  Cruelty and kindness.  It’s all there, increasing the intensity of what these characters are experiencing.  Especially between father and son.  Creating strong emotional connections so that you don’t just read what they’re going through.  You will feel it in your soul. 

Do not miss The Adversary.  It’s one hell of a story that’s a must read for anyone calling themselves a thriller fan.  A heart-thumping, emotionally stirring and exhilarating tale that is so completely engrossing that everything around you will fade into the background.  One of the best books you’ll read this year.

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The Tin Men By Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille

The Tin Men is an intensely terrifying look at the future of warfare that will freak you the hell out.  This high-stakes, vivid and disquieting thriller will challenge your thought process on the use of AI and robots in the military setting, giving you consternation and a severe case of angina.  This novel is a gift from Alex DeMille and his late father, Nelson DeMille, offering one final, profound and entertaining story from the pen of the great literary master for readers to devour.

Army CID Special Agents Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor are sent to investigate the death of a chief scientist who oversees a deep black war games program featuring a platoon of Army Rangers and a few dozen lethal autonomous weapons – aka killer robots.  Brodie and Taylor quickly ascertain that the situation they find themselves in is quickly deteriorating.  The Rangers are being pushed to the limits of their physical and psychological well-being, the robots are acting well beyond their supposed software limits, deception is rampant, and everyone is a suspect.  In the middle of the desert and without the ability to contact the outside world, Brodie and Taylor must not only determine who killed the scientist, but also find out who and what is behind this secret program.  Because if they are unsuccessful, everyone on this base will die and these next-gen weapons systems will be unstoppable.   

This is a military thriller wrapped inside a crime thriller with psychological thriller sprinkled on top.  It is suspenseful, tension-filled and jam packed with misdirection and unanswered questions that keep you guessing until the end when it explodes in ruthless violence.  It has fantastic characters, tests your views on morality, and moves at a breakneck pace.  It also really messes with your head and makes you desperately hope that our government isn’t actually working on a program like this.  Because if they are, no one is safe. 

The Tin Men is a relentless thrill ride.  Tight as a Terminator’s death grip, and just as impossible to escape.  A brilliantly constructed story that will increase your heart-rate and exercise your brain.

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The Tourists By Christopher Reich

The Tourists will have you on edge from start to finish with a suspenseful, pulse-pounding and timely story that plows ahead at breakneck speed.  Christopher Reich has delivered another thrilling and engaging novel filled with intrigue, emotion and action.

Mac Dekker is moments away from proposing to the love of his life, when she disappears from a Parisian restaurant without a trace.  But this is no ordinary couple.  Mac is a retired CIA Special Agent and Ava Attal was once a deadly Mossad operative.  Suspecting foul Play, Mac leverages his special skillset to track down anyone who might know what happened to Ava and to interrogate them for helpful information.  This leads to not only finding out where Ava is being held, but also that her abduction is part of a bigger operation involving a nuclear weapon that is to be imminently deployed by a ruthless Qatari prince to derail a monumental international treaty.  With the clock ticking down, it’s up to Mac to rescue the woman he loves, save the lives of thousands of innocent people and stop a catastrophic attack from irreversibly changing the world for the worse. 

This is just a good-old entertaining and intense race against the clock thriller with twists and turns thrown into the mix at perfect moments.  It features a highly skilled and reluctant thriller trying to save the woman he loves and, in the process, stop a devastating attack from occurring.  It contains a narcissistic, rich, power-hungry bad guy who is easy to hate.  And it focuses on the immensely complex topic of Middle Eastern geopolitics, where allies and enemies are not always what they seem.  All of which comes together masterfully to create a compelling, dramatic, and riveting tale sure to engage readers’ minds and pull on their heartstrings.

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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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Down in High Country By Montana Kane

Mysterious, quirky, flirty and spiritually refreshing, Down in High Country is a thrilling and entertaining romp through a loveable mountain town and its dark underbelly of criminal activity.  Montana Kane continues this highly enjoyable series by delivering another engaging, humorous, sensual and intriguing story.

Private Investigator Brandy Martini is hired by a couple to find out if their daughter, the enchanting Kara, is involved in a cult.  Given Boomville, Colorado has a bevy of eccentric characters, Brandy has her work cut out for her during an investigation that requires her to distinguish from the usual strange conduct versus potentially criminal behavior.  Meanwhile, Brandy is looking over her shoulder for a dangerous stalker that haunts her dreams while also fighting her own romantic feelings for the local police lieutenant.  Filled with drum circles, open mike nights, concerts, weed café openings and entrancing scents, Brandy must navigate many obstacles in order to get to the bottom of what’s rotten in Boomville and maybe finally find her place in this distinctive town.

You’ll fall in love with this colorful cast of characters, each one bringing their uniqueness to the fabric of a wacky community.  Providing a whimsical balance for Brandy’s intense focus on being a reliable professional.  That’s not to say the main character can’t let loose in her own way.  But while she’s on the job it’s the supporting characters – the house of bong, the well-intentioned sister, the enigmatic sheriff’s deputy, the buxom bartender, the elderly weed café owner and her weed-growing son, and many others – who make this tale so delightful and spirited while Brandy is doing the serious work of tracking down dangerous criminals who are targeting the very fine citizens of Boomville. 

Down in High Country is simultaneously thrilling and charming.  Chasing danger and pleasure in equal measure.  A book that keeps you guessing from start to finish while inviting you to become a part of an enchanting and adventurous little society.

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Red Tide By M.P. Woodward

Red Tide is an explosive, emotionally powerful, and frighteningly realistic military thriller that should alarm readers with how plausible its events feel.  Blending traditional warfare with innovative technologies, M.P. Woodward delivers an epic saga filled with strategy, combat, covert ops and heroic acts of valor.  It’s phenomenal!

China makes their move on Taiwan to secure the world’s most important semiconductor manufacturing factories and thwart a deal that would have sent the most advanced chips to the United States.  China goes a step further and lays claim to a large portion of the South Pacific, setting up a naval blockade and threatening action against anyone who approach them.  So, when a US Navy submarine pops up in Taiwanese waters, all hell breaks lose and kicks off naval and arial hostilities between the Americans and Chinese.  At the forefront of this conflict is retiring Rear Admiral Will Cole and his family of “fighting Coles” who all have a critical role to play in turning the tide of the war.  Because if they don’t succeed in destroying the Chinese fleet and retaking Taiwan, the world order will be changed forever. 

What makes Red Tide stand out versus other top-notch military thrillers is how multifaceted it is.  At its core this book is about a vicious and bloody war between world superpowers.  But it’s so much more than that.  First, it dives deep into economics by exploring the criticality of the semiconductor industry and the world’s ever-increasing demand for compute power and AI microprocessors, as well as examining how venture capital investments play a crucial role in defense programs and military innovation.  Second, it’s a study on knowing your opponent, avoiding being tethered to old ways of doing things, and how outside the box strategic thinking will keep you from being too predictable while giving you an edge against your adversary.   Third, it shows that everyone, no matter what their station in life, can make a difference and play a big part in achieving something extraordinary.  Whether you’re an admiral, active duty or reserve military, a military spouse, an investor, a private sector employee, a hospitality proprietor or a vacationing pensioner, every single one of us can help change the world if we speak up and act when we see something. 

All these concepts come together to add tremendous depth to a story filled with some of the best war gaming and hostilities you will come across, conducted by a masterfully crafted cast of characters who understand their mission with complete conviction and will not be deterred from victory.  Resulting in action that elicits a strong emotional response while you fervently root for a successful outcome, even while you intellectually understand not everyone will come through unscathed. 

This is THE military thriller of the year and storytelling at its finest.  Absolutely not to be missed by fans of the genre.  A brilliant piece of (hopefully) fiction from M.P. Woodward. 

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The Proving Ground By Michael Connelly

An enthralling and engrossing legal thriller, The Proving Ground puts you in the jury box to adjudicate a tragic murder and the perils of unchecked technology.  Michael Connelly once again delivers a brilliant, emotional and timely story that will make you ponder the ethics and applications of AI as it comes barreling down the tracks with unstoppable momentum.

Mickey Haller moves from criminal to civil law as he files a suit against an artificial intelligence company alleging their negligently trained generative AI product led to a teenage boy murdering his ex-girlfriend.  Joined by his usual team and journalist Jack McEvoy, Haller must dig through an avalanche of discovery documents, uncover key witnesses and convince them to testify, and overcome roadblocks and setback as he battles a powerful entity with everything to lose.  And when it seems it’s all too much to overcome, Haller still has a few tricks up his sleeve from his criminal defense days he hopes will turn the tide.  That is, if those tricks don’t land him in contempt of court first. 

While moving into the civil court arena is something new for the Lincoln Lawyer, Haller’s relentless approach and antics are unchanged and on full display.  However, his mission to hold a tech company accountable and win favorable judgment for his client can be seen as more righteous than defense law.  Allowing readers to unapologetically root for him to stick it to the 800 pound gorilla who’s claiming no wrongdoing in the face of a grieving mother.  So when Haller is playing in the gray areas and stepping over the line, it feels more than ok because the forces of corporate greed are stacked against him and that’s not something most of us can abide.  Because we all love an underdog story.

All told, it’s another virtuoso performance by the Lincoln Lawyer that adds something special to this already brilliant series.  You’ll stand up and cheer for Haller as he maneuvers, cajoles, jumps over roadblocks, dodges haymakers and fights with everything he’s got to win for his client.  Incredibly well done by the great Michael Connelly.   

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The Art Of A Lie By Laura Shepherd-Robinson

The Art of a Lie will keep you on your toes as you navigate the twists and turns of an intricate battle of wits between the sexes.  Larua Shepherd-Robinson’s tale of love, fortune, deceit and regret in 18th-century England is completely engrossing, seductively tantalizing and deliciously scandalous. 

Hannah Cole’s husband has been murdered, and she is struggling to keep her life from falling apart.  Her confectionary shop is barely making money, she’s in debt and unable to access her dead husband’s frozen funds, and the local magistrate considers her a prime suspect in her husband’s murder.  Enter William Devereux, a handsome and suave gentleman claiming to be a friend of Hannah’s late husband.  He steps in to help her with legal and business matters, giving Hannah hope for a prosperous future.  But not all is as it seems with William, and Hannah will have to figure out whether to follow her brain or her heart. With devastating consequences awaiting if she makes the wrong decision, Hannah must act carefully.

Thriller fans, don’t let the prospect of a drama set in 1700’s England keep you from picking up a copy of this book.  It’s charming, fast-paced and fascinating.  A crime novel disguised as a romance story that is more cons and mystery than it is love and lust.  The plot is fantastic, the writing superb and the uncertainty of the final outcome drives everything forward at top speed.  But it’s really about the characters.  Individuals who are so intriguing and engaging that you connect deeply with them and care about their fate, knowing they possess both good and bad intentions and continuously rooting for their better selves to prevail.  Rooting for love and redemption while fearing heartbreak and tragedy. 

The Art of a Lie is a suspenseful emotional rollercoaster that ropes you in and gives you a hell of a ride before leaving you spent in the end.  A tasty tale of love, loss, crime and cons.  It’s fantastic!

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Declared Hostile By Jack Stewart

Gripping, explosive and intricate, Declared Hostile gets your heart pumping with intense action sequences wrapped around a frightening scenario that will give you chills.  Jack Stewart has once again crafted a high-octane story that oozes authenticity in the sky and bleeds intrigue on the ground. 

NCIS Special Agent Emmy “Punky” King is doggedly investigating a conspiracy that possibly links Russian operatives with a curiously obscure corporation and the President of the United States.  Meanwhile, Colt Bancroft and his team are sent into Ukraine on a desperate mission to thwart the Russians from retrieving long lost suitcase nukes and selling them to terrorists.  Despite the distance between them, Punky and Colt’s missions are interconnected, and their success is critical to avoiding a catastrophic event from thrusting the world into disarray. 

Combining covert operations, conspiracies, compromised politicians, Russian aggression in Ukraine, and kinetic action featuring investigators, fighter pilots, and special forces into one exciting narrative results in one hell of a compelling novel.  The stage is patiently set, the characters developed with care, and every detail meticulously placed before a flood of action and anxiety propel the reader forward towards a payoff that’s both satisfying and exceptional.  It’s political/military thriller storytelling at its finest.

Jack Stewart’s fourth Battle Born book delivers the goods with another well-written, entertaining, been-there done-that legitimacy that thriller fans will love.

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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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Final Strike By Jason Kasper

Final Strike is timely, intense and devastating.  A thriller that makes you hold your breath, fearing the worst from start to finish.  Toying with your emotions through explosive action, high-stakes drama, relentless tension and gut-wrenching results.  Jason Kasper crushes this tenth edition of the Shadow Strike series with a story that will leave you in pieces. 

The CIA is disbanding Project Longwing, but first David Rivers and his team must infiltrate Iran to locate and take out the world’s most wanted terrorist.  The mission goes awry early with catastrophic consequences and requires Rivers and team to adapt on the fly, putting them in mortal danger and pushing them to their limits.  And in the process, they uncover a plot that is larger and more nefarious than their intelligence had suggested.  Requiring them to throw caution to the wind and make a desperate attempt to thwart these evil plans, understanding it likely means not all of them will make it out alive.  But this team has never played it safe and will go to extreme lengths to finish their mission.  No matter the cost. 

The timing for releasing this novel could not be more perfect.  It features several aspects of current events – Iran, terrorism, B-2 bombers and clandestine missions.  And while the storyline is not the exact same thing as what’s happening currently in the Middle East, it makes for a surreal and more vivid reading experience when you compare and contrast it to real life events happening in parallel.

Additionally, with this book potentially being the last in this great series, Kasper holds nothing back.  Testing the team like never before.  Slinging led with desperate abandon, defying orders more than normal and fighting like hell for their brothers.  It’s powerful stuff.  A journey into hell and back.  Certain to leave you shattered in the end.

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The Persian By David McCloskey

Thrillers don’t get timelier than The Persian, an intensely suspenseful high-stakes espionage chess match between the intelligence agencies of Israel and Iran.  David McCloskey delivers a dramatic and surreal reading experience during this movement in history, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if this story contains more fact than fiction.

Kamran Esfahani, a middling dentist in Stockholm, agrees to work with Israeli intelligence and returns to his home country of Iran, opening a dental clinic while secretly carrying out covert missions for the Mossad.  As his involvement deepens from moving weapons to orchestrating abductions, he walks an increasingly dangerous line.  After orchestrating a complicated recruitment of a woman with a vendetta against Israel, Kam gets exposed during a daring operation and is thrown into a notorious prison under the control of a ruthless figure known only as the General.  Now, after years of torment, Kam is forced to write a final confession.  But he’s still clinging to one buried truth.  One that he is prepared to take to his grave.

The Persian is a masterfully constructed espionage thriller.  The characters are fantastically crafted, the plot patiently developed, the tension consistently building, the little details perfectly placed and the ending befittingly emotional.  Despite the story starting with the knowledge that Kam is in an Iranian prison, there is so much of the story that needs to be revealed.  Taking readers on a journey that starts as a slow burn before accelerating to top speed and exploding with adrenaline-fueled action and emotional fallout.  And just when you think you know how the story ends…bam!  You’re hit upside the head with shocking revelations that leave you reeling.

This is another novel soaked in authenticity and dripping with realism from the pen of David McCloskey.  A fantastic and complex tale of violence, vengeance and the no holds barred world of international espionage.

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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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Crooks By Lou Berney

Crooks is a riveting tale of a one-of-a-kind crime family’s forty-year run of corruption, scams, transgressions and business dealings.  Lou Berney delivers an extraordinary tale that is unlike anything you’ve ever read.  It’s engaging, sinful and wickedly entertaining.

This is the story of the Mercurio family.  The patriarch is Buddy, a Vegas mob guy, and the matriarch is Lillian, a charming woman with criminal proclivities of her own.  After fleeing Vegas to avoid their imminent demise, they surface in Oklahoma City and start a disco that seemingly prints money through legitimate and illegal activity.  And their five young children are all involved. Which sets each one off on a different path to either embrace or escape their family’s dark history.  Kicking off a trip through four decades that checks in on each member of the family at different times, showing how their past has shaped their future…for better or worse.

The structure of Crooks storytelling is fascinating.  It starts with the parents, then shows the family together in their early years, before transitioning to focus on each one of the kids individually at different points in time.  The story builds chronologically, but through the actions and exploits of each individual character before moving to the next one at a later date.  Allowing for a deep dive into each character, developing their story and showcasing their life choices without interruption or distraction from what the others are up to at that moment.  And while there is some overlap of the characters in some of the sections, this book can be viewed as 7 separate short stories that come together to form a complete novel through the common thread of exploring a single family’s life through the years. 

It’s a unique method to keep the intrigue levels high and to create a sense of urgency for the reader to want to move forward in order to learn each character’s story.  Kudos to Lou Berney for coming up with this concept and executing it so well.  It makes for an absorbing and exceedingly interesting reading experience.

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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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Washington Field By F.X. Regan

Washington Field goes hard from start to finish, ramping up the intrigue and danger throughout the frenetic-paced and action-packed plot that keeps you guessing until the rousing finish.  F.X. Regan has delivered another exhilarating thriller filled with authenticity and suspense. 

A lobbying firm with deep ties to the Republican National Committee experiences a data breach of their systems followed by one of their IT specialists found murdered in a Washington DC alley.  The potential ramifications to the current President are huge and the FBI won’t touch the case, having been accused of being too “political” and impacting past elections.  But the Assistant Director of the Washington Field Office knows there’s more to this story and pulls in CJ Hawk, a former special agent turned PI, to investigate under the radar.  But Hawk doesn’t do anything quietly and quickly finds himself running and gunning in the middle of a clusterfuck of politics, foreign intelligence services, and unsavory individuals.  And one thing is clear; the truth will only come out if Hawk can find it.  He’ll just have to dodge bullets and protect those he cares about first.

CJ Hawk is the star of the show and one of the more interesting protagonists you’ll find.  He’s driven by mission and morality but has no problem working in the gray areas and dropping bodies when necessary.  However, he’s filthy rich and doesn’t need to be inserting himself into dangerous situations.  Yet he can’t help it, maybe because he’s addicted to the adrenaline rush or possibly because he’s making up for getting booted out of the FBI.  Or it’s just in his blood to thwart evil doers and use his substantial finances to his advantage to do good. 

Regardless of his motivation, he’s the central figure in this non-stop thrill ride that propels readers forward at warp speed with a burning desire to find out what’ll happen next and who’s the ultimate villain in this story.  Washington Station is stimulating, engaging and entertaining from start to finish.  

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

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

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