Dempsey By Andrews & Wilson

The saying goes.. there is “undercover” and there is “which way is up?”. After reading the latest from Andrews & Wilson, there is now a new level called “Dempsey Deep”. 

Dempsey is a dark, dangerous, and dynamic story full of suffering and sacrifice. Andrew & Wilson not only examine how an elite soldier could withstand the horrific physical environments they find themselves in, but go a step further and examine the psychological hell that is the battlefield of their own minds.

Task Force Ember is reeling after a “successful” mission in Ukraine and the disappearance of team leader John Dempsey. While still in mourning, the President has directed the team to hunt down and finally finish Arkady Zhukov, the Russian spymaster, and his last few Zetas.

While his teammates think he’s dead, Dempsey probably wishes he was. Imprisoned in one of the worst prisons in Russia, Dempsey is on an undercover mission from Vice President Jarvis. Using all of his grit and guile, John manages to form a few alliances within those walls and one outside he never thought possible. In order for his mission to succeed, he must team up with the man he wants to kill above all others. The risks have never been higher and any misstep could drag the major powers into a global war.

Andrews & Wilson continue to prove they are a singularly unique pair of men and writers. They somehow never seem to put out a book that is less than their previous ones. They are always improving their craft, either in the storytelling itself or their choices to explore new themes within this universe. Somehow, some way…  each story in this series keeps feeling as exciting and fresh as the first time I picked up Tier One.

Fans of the Tier One series have been screaming into the void for the past few years for the next installment of our favorite series. Andrews & Wilson heard those pleas and have rewarded our patience with what might be the best book in the already amazing series.

Now, to be fair to the guys… they haven’t been sitting idly by for the last couple of years and have blessed us with books in not one, not two, but THREE different series. All of which are deserving of your consideration if you haven’t picked those up yet. While I love the Sons of Valor, Shephards Series, and W.E.B. Griffin reboot… you never forget your first love and having Tier One group back together makes the pain of the wait all worth it. These boys deserve any and all success and awards in their future.

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Burner By Mark Greaney

Burner is a scorching hot read that should come with a fire warning because you will be… burning… through the pages. Bad jokes aside, this is a story that should be consumed in a single sitting. You should go ahead and clear your day now.

Mark Greaney adds a new wrinkle to Burner and delves more into the gray matter of the Gray Man.This story is full of heart, hope, and heaps of hot lead. Now, for the adrenaline junkies… fear not. Greaney provides some absolutely iconic action sequences, fight scenes, and vehicular pursuits in this one. The added bonus is that there is a bit more emotional turmoil within those events, making them that much more meaningful. And amusing.

When Court Gentry is manipulated into once again joining forces with the CIA to hunt down a drive containing Russian money laundering transactions, the last thing he expected was to be trying to take out the man his former lover is trying to keep alive. Initially on opposing sides of killing vs protecting Swiss banker Alex Velesky, Court and Zoya Zakharova must put their past behind them and future on hold in order to survive the present.

Velesky is on the run after stealing data from his employer that could expose a great deal of powerful people, both in the East and the West, and the dirty money that has been flowing across the globe. They will do anything to keep the information from coming out. That includes killing anyone and everyone tangentially related to those who have possession of the device. Caught between a GRU hit squad and CIA assassins, the unlikely trio must stay ahead of their pursuers if they hope to finish the mission, assuming they don’t end up killing each other before then.

I, for one, appreciate the continued evolution and humanization of Court over the last few books. The additional focus on the emotional and psychological trauma Gentry has suffered and is currently enduring has added another layer and level of tension and intrigue to these novels. Already a master at building suspense in his books, Greaney continues to push this series to new heights with deeper storylines. There seems to be no limit to his talent and no guessing what might be next in this iconic series.

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The Last Orphan By Gregg Hurwitz

The latest installment of the Orphan X series takes readers to places long time fans weren’t sure we’d ever see. In The Last Orphan, Evan Smoak comes up against a new type of threat and comes up against the most difficult enemy he’s ever faced… himself. Gregg Hurwitz continues to elevate the art of storytelling, creating a real sense of the coldness of the gun’s metal, the cutting sensation of an emotional dagger, and the angst of The Nowhere Man deciding the type of man he wants to be.

When the unimaginable happens, Evan is forced to take stock of his life. A single mistake leads to Evan’s capture. His only means of escape is to accept an offer from the President to take out a man capable of bending the rich and powerful to his will. Having sworn to himself to only use his skills against those who truly deserve it, Evan and his allies set off to investigate what is worth more to him - his set of rules or his own survival.

The emotional growth and transformation of Evan Smoak over the last few books has added a new and important dimension to this already stellar series. The impact and effect that Mia, Peter, and Joey have had on Evan allows Hurwitz to raise the stakes even higher than he was able in previous installments. The humanization of The Nowhere Man is now a pivotal part of each story and we are all better off for it.

That being said, don’t let the focus on the emotional side of this story make you think that it is not a top notch action thriller. You like guns? Got ‘em. You like knives? Got ‘em. You like seemingly innocuous items used to kill a man? Got ‘em! There is more than enough action to carry this story on its own, but adding in the moral and ethical quandary that Evan finds himself in, The Last Orphan is everything you’d expect coupled with things you didn’t even know you wanted in a thriller.

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Reckoning From The Shadows By Puja Guha

Reckoning From The Shadows is a tantalizing tale chock full of conspiracy, compromise, and a coup. Puja Guha’s intimate knowledge of the area adds that extra level of detail, bringing this fast paced, action packed story to life.

This is the fourth installment in the Ahriman Legacy series, featuring former intelligence officer Petra Shirazi and the Ahriman, a reformed assassin. The pair are attempting to live a normal life in Paris, when a former CIA colleague renters their lives threatening to expose long buried secrets if they do not assist her in tracking down a former team member turned mole. Intel points to the rogue agent setting up shop in Burundi working for the Chinese as they look to secure a massive energy project in the East African country. As they inevitably are in the world of politics and power, things are never what they seem.

Guha utilizes her personal and professional experience to make the places she describes seem to jump off the page. Her unique worldview and perspective on the inner workings of politics and power dynamics of the region, coupled with a succinct and efficient writing style makes this entire series a must read for espionage thriller fans.

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The Bullet Garden By Stephen Hunter

The Bullet Garden is a masterful mashup of historical fiction, espionage, and a sniper vs sniper showdown. Stephen Hunter employs all of his vast writing skills in this epic story, expertly pricking your emotions like the barbed wire lined hedgerows of the bocage slashed the soldiers battling for every inch of land on the page.

Set in the summer of 1944, the American advancement across France after D-Day has come to a swift and deadly halt. More than any physical damage the German tanks and mortars can inflict, it’s the psychological toll of sniper attacks that has left the GIs unable to move beyond the unofficial boundaries.

Frustrated with the current state of affairs, Gen Eisenhower orders his intelligence services to rid the battlefield of the silent killers. Earl Swagger, of the USMC and hero of the Pacific campaign, finds himself assigned with the incredibly difficult and urgent task to do just that. What he finds is the politics and policy wonks of the OSS are out for his blood as much as any German at the end of a long gun. With no clear idea of who he can trust, Swagger only has one choice… finish the job, no matter the cost.

I’ll be the first to tell you that I do not often read historical fiction, but The Bullet Garden has a timeless feel to it. The tactics and technology may be of a bygone era, but the emotions, the comradery, and the danger are every bit intriguing and engaging as any modern thriller. I was sold initially on the mano e mano sniper battle, but Hunter went and sprinkled some spies in the mix and gave us one hell of a read. With shades of Bands of Brothers meets Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy…there is very little not to like in this sprawling narrative.

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The Devil's Ransom By Brad Taylor

The Devil’s Ransom is not only a ‘ripped from the headlines’ story, but Brad Taylor seems to have delved into our collective psyches and wrenched out our darkest fears as well. Full of kinetic action showing Pike Logan and his team at their very best, the plotline is cleverly balanced out with ethical and moral quandaries that will have you debating long after you’re done with this book. This might be the most balanced and thought provoking installment of this iconic series.

As the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the most important CIA asset in the war on terror finds himself in need of assistance and looking for a way out before the Taliban capture and kill him. While on a research/cover trip for Grolier Recovery Services in neighboring Tajikistan, Pike and company find themselves as the closest team capable of pulling off the extraction. What they didn’t count on was having their legs cutout from under them when the Taskforce’s technological resources are shut down due to a sophisticated ransomware attack. Saddled with not only rescuing the asset, Pike and his crew must now hunt down the hackers responsible for the cyberattack that leads them from the mountains of central Asia to the aquatic beauty of the Adriatic sea. 

This is a relentless story that can easily be read as a simple action thriller, but Taylor’s addition of another layer took my reading experience to another level. What sets this book apart from the rest of the series is the increased attention to the internal debates and decisions that team members are forced to grapple with as the stakes continue to ratchet up. Taylor does an amazing job taking the reader into those positions alongside our favorite characters and had me wondering throughout what I would do in their situation.

Also, if you weren’t jealous of the research trips that Brad and the DCOE take each year, you will be after this one. The details and local knowledge is top notch and he definitely has me yearning for some Croatian gelato despite the fact that it’s the middle of winter right now.

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Everybody Knows By Jordan Harper

Revoltingly realistic and excruciatingly exciting , Everybody Knows is a masterclass of a LA-noir story that should be given instant classic status. Jordan Harper manages to craft scenes that almost seem tangible while forcing our psyches to battle through the gray morass that is the moral code in the world of “black-bag” fixers.

Mae Pruett, publicist by trade and keeper of secrets by necessity, is a woman who seeks to hold back the dark, rather than radiate the light. The high profile PR firm she works for doesn’t so much as promote the good stories in their clients lives, rather they focus on killing bad ones in the cradle. Mae has no qualms about working for “The Beast”, a loose conglomerate of LA’s rich, powerful, and well connected, and is compensated accordingly for her ability to compartmentalize the horrors she bears witness to.

When her boss and mentor is gunned down outside a renowned and reviled Beverly Hills Hotel, everything changes. Mae throws herself into the investigation, hell bent on determining who is responsible and bringing the whole thing crashing down on their heads, no matter the costs.

Everybody Knows is an intimate look at the modern concept of right and wrong, good and evil, just and inhumane. There is no shining night here. No pure hero of impeccable standing. There are only people, wonderfully created with layer upon layer that seem to blur the lines like the smog that hangs over the City of Angels obscures the setting sun. The crime narrative in this book is enthralling all on its own, but it’s the questions Harpers forces the reader to grapple with that really set this book apart for me.

At the end of the calendar year I often find myself thinking back to the earliest books in the year trying to remember how I really felt about them. I won’t have that issue with Everybody Knows. This book is going to stick with me. Harper will certainly be on my (and many others) best of 2023 lists.

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A History of Fear By Luke Dumas

Wickedly wonderful and enjoyably evil,  A History of Fear is a tale of the tortuous journey one man takes into the depths of his own personal hell. Lucas Dumas crafts a compelling story sure to satisfy the deepest desires of psychological thriller fans.

A twenty five year old American is not the first thing that comes to mind when someone might ask you to picture the most infamous murderer in Scotland. Grayson Hale, or the Devil’s Advocate as the tabloids would come to call him, did not fit the profile for violence nor was he the type of person to seek attention. His claim that the Devil made him slaughter a classmate ruined any chance of that..

Serving a life sentence for the crime, Hale is found hanged in his cell. A handwritten manuscript holds the secrets, but will it simply show the rantings of a madman or in the end… was this mild mannered man telling the truth?

Dumas utilizes an interesting structure for the story, leaning heavily on a first person viewpoint as readers watch the slow and inevitable trainwreck that is Hale’s mental state. Supplementing the horrors of the main storyline are snippets of the research and interviews from an investigative journalist as well as court documents. We are sucked and enveloped as the exploration of Hale’s personal anguish, we are snapped back to reality in these perfectly placed interludes that force us to form our own theories on Hale’s sanity.

Fans of horror, psychological thrillers, and general crime can all find elements of their preferred subgenre within these pages. If you like it when things take a darker turn, then you simply must read A History of Fear.

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Red Winter By Marc Cameron

If Red Winter is a preview of the new direction of the Jack Ryan Sr. series, you can go ahead and take my money now for the next dozen installments. Marc Cameron has written a stunning throwback story with all the hallmarks of tradecraft and intrigue of the early Clancy thrillers, but enhances the experience by mixing in the genre’s contemporary focus on the mental and emotional forces characters must overcome.

Cameron transports us back to the height of the Cold War to 1985 Berlin. A lowly state department employee is accosted and given evidence that an East German is looking to defect with the promise of revealing vital secrets to the CIA. With suspicions of a mole on the west side of the wall, the US has no choice but to play ball. Admiral Jim Greer has no hesitation bringing in Jack Ryan and Mary Pat Foley to validate the claims and extract the defector right under the nose of the Stasi. Always one to hedge his bets and protect his assets, Greer dispatches John Clark to cover the duo as they look to complete their mission. Unfortunately for Ryan and Foley, their intended jaunt into the East is leaked before their arrival and the Ministry for State Security is waiting for them. Clark, arguably the most lethal man alive, is forced into playing the “fixer” role from the shadows when the situation calls for it. 

While Foley and Ryan are battling against the bitter cold in Europe, the Nevada desert is heating up after a highly secretive aircraft unexpectedly crashes. A deep cover East German operative tasked with surveillance of the nearby airfields is one of the first to the scene, absconding with a piece of the radar shielding technology that may turn the war from cold to hot.

I’m not sure if Red Winter is a one off, but I certainly hope not. With the Jack Ryan Jr. series in great hands and being able to continue present day adventures, the idea of revisiting some of our long time favorite Clancy-verse characters in their prime sounds absolutely amazing. The ability to look back on history with modern eyes and explore previously unknown exploits of the time should provide an unlimited number of potential stories. And even if this is a one off, we’re the better for it. Marc Cameron has thrown his hat in the ring for "book of the year" with this late entry.

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Whisper Of A Gypsy By J.T. Patten

I’ll be the first to tell you that Horror is not my usual read and I wasn’t sure what to expect from Whisper of a Gypsy and going in blind made it that much more fun. J.T. Patten is known for writing hard hitting, gritty action thrillers and that was on full display in this one. The pacing and violence was on full throttle, but wIth a bit of the supernatural added in, the stakes and danger come at you at a unique angle, making this one heck of a read.

Dwight Skinner, a neurodivergent child, believes he has superpowers. While the rest of the world sees his mental challenges as something to be overcome, there are those who know it’s  the blood in his veins that gives him his power. When a tragic death and subsequent attack brings a strange older man into Dwight’s life, the dark secrets of the past begin to reveal themselves. With death and mayhem following Mr. Mortimer, or so the old man is called, Dwight and his mother are swept up in a world of magic and mystery that only true Gypsies are privy to.

The inclusion of details from past events, particularly those parts that are often not merely glossed over, but have been completely excluded from history classes, was a welcome inclusion and increased the angst and anxiety I felt throughout. Patten should be applauded for bringing attention to this matter. While dark and vicious at times, this is a book for fans of history, action, and horror.

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Rebellious Son By Joe Goldberg

Rebellious Son is one hell of a read and Joe Goldberg brings the heat with a constant supply of action, witty exchanges, and a wonderfully complex plot. Bridger and his Spy Devils are up against worthy advisories as they seek to disrupt the global drug trade and track down a man they were sure they had already killed.

When a series of bombs explode across Europe, it is clear an infamous and long dormant terrorist named Specter has returned to the scene. Wes Henslow, the founder of the CIA’s counterterrorism center and Bridger’s mentor, is hell bent on finding “The Bombmaker” and putting him in the ground, even if it’s the last thing he does. To do that, Wes needs the help of the Spy Devils. Bridger’s mother May, a CIA legend in her own right, tries to dissuade him from assisting Wes in his hunt. Loyalties and wits are tested as the Spy Devils race around the globe following clues and trying to not get blown up in the process.

What sets this series apart is the utterly unique idea of a covert spy organization having not only an existing, but THRIVING, social media presence. While not serving as prominently in the second installment of the series, it’s still a cool addition to the genre. Adding that to the intriguing storylines, fantastic writing, and some of the funniest dialogue you’ll find in the genre, you have yourself a thriller that shouldn’t be missed. Goldberg supports his story by employing a heavy dose of information from his past profession, proving there is no substitute for experience and that the Devil is in fact… in the details.

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Dark Fall By Andrews & Wilson

The third installment of the Shepherds Series will have fans on a knife’s edge from start to finish. Andrews & Wilson continue to craft emotional, action packed stories that draw readers in and never let them go. Dark Fall is the most terrifying book of the trilogy.

When a Peruvian village and its inhabitants are reduced to ash in seconds, Jedidiah Johnson and Bravo team are called in to investigate whether or not the apocalyptic scenes are the work of a man made weapon or a punishment from on high.

The extraordinary rendition of a Chinese scientist proves that while the weapon might be the work of humans, the Dark Ones have their fingerprints all over it. While Jed and his team risk life and limb to secure the game changing weapon, Victor and his followers have multiple targets in mind and the attacks land closer to home than the Shepherds could ever imagine.

Andrews & Wilson are masters at the three book story arc and their skill is on full display here. There is just enough backstory to entice readers who have not read the previous books to go back and read those, while not over explaining it to those who have been on board since Dark Intercept. Several of the long running storylines are fully fleshed out and Dark Fall left me feeling fulfilled and hopeful that we will continue to see more of Jed and Shepherds organization.

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The Blackbriar Genesis By Simon Gervais

The Blackbriar Genesis is a welcome addition and the piece you didn’t know was missing from the Ludlum universe. Simon Gervais brings the action and intensity from the first sentence and keeps you pinned back in your seat as you watch your (sure to be) new favorite duo unravel the global conspiracy they find themselves entangled in.

When a deep cover Treadstone agent is assassinated, Blackbriar counterintelligence agents Helen Jouvert and Donovan Wade are sent in to investigate. The thread they continue to pull leads to some of the most brutal and ruthless men on the planet. Each of the agents has their own interesting and complicated past, but the pair will need to bring all of their skills together to not just find those responsible for the attack, but to simply stay alive.

Creating a completely new fictional counterintelligence agency would be difficult to do on its own, but to have to tie in the history and components of other series would be that much harder. To take it up a notch, imagine then doing so within the world of Robert Ludlum and all the weight and expectation of that. Simon Gervais had his work cut out for him. Luckily, Simon just keeps getting better book after book. The man can flat out write, crafting compelling stories with interesting characters, with plots that are supplemented and elevated by his personal and professional experiences. There is an authenticity to his writing that shines through his works and engages the readers like few others.

If you, like me, had not been fully immersed in the Ludlum universe in a while, then this is the book to welcome you back.

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Their Final Cry By Dea Poirier

Their Final Cry is a haunting and horrifying look at the human capacity for willful ignorance and the evil that thrives in that darkness. With a slow boil pace, Dea Poirier deftly turns up the heat at just the right moments, splashing action across the page until the stunning conclusion.

If, like me, you are into dark, police procedurals with highly complicated protagonists, then the Detective Harlow Durant series was written specifically for you.

What makes this series so unique and chillingly good is Poirier asks the simple question, “what would it be like if my detective had the darkest secret of them all?”. With that premise in mind, the exploration of Harlow’s past is every bit as intriguing and twisted as the cases she works in the present. 

When the body of a teenage girl is discovered on an abandoned farm in a small upstate New York community, Harlow is called in immediately from her work hiatus to investigate. Whether she’s mentally ready to return after her last case is of little consequence when the closest person in her life needs help.

Harlow’s partner is already working a cold case at the same farm, after human remains were found in a cellar. The pair must determine if the newest victim’s body being dumped there is a coincidence or a warning to leave the past buried.

To complicate matters, Harlow is being hounded by a journalist on the verge of publishing a new book about her serial killer father. As she tries to put the past behind her, the case takes a dramatic turn for her partner when he recognizes a piece of evidence at a crime scene. With this new bit of information, he seeks to find answers to the traumatic event that shaped his life.

For fans of Will Dean’s Last Thing To Burn, this book gave me very similar vibes with the key difference being the point of view. While Dean’s focused on the experience of the victims, Poirier flips that on its head and explores what impact that kind of evil hidden in plain sight would have on the investigators and community at large.

And like all good books in a series, this can be read as a standalone… BUT… I highly recommend picking up the first couple books for a richer understanding of Harlow’s past and what makes her tick.

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The Other Side Of Night By Adam Hamdy

The Other Side of Night is a genre and mind bending story that will leave readers contemplating the subject matter long after the final word is read. What starts as a compelling criminal thriller drastically morphs into an existential examination of self, sacrifice, and survival. 

Dismissed and disgraced, former police officer Harriet Kealty finds herself lost and in search of meaning. When she stumbles upon a scribbled call for help in a used book, everything changes. With her instincts pinged and her psyche in need of something to focus on, this potentially meaningless message leads somewhere and, more importantly, to someone she never imagined. With a child’s well being on the line, she won’t back down in her investigation regardless of the personal and professional ramifications.

Adam Hamdy’s flowing, almost lyrical, prose is easy to get lost in. Unlike my usual reading style, I found myself savoring each page, rereading paragraphs, and dissecting every word written. I didn’t simply want to process what I was reading, I  wanted to experience it. Despite moving at a fraction of my normal pace, I still managed to finish this incredible story in the course of two late night sessions.

Others have said this is the book of the year and if I’m honest, I cannot disagree. As a father, a son, and a husband let me just say this… The Other Side of Night will imprint itself on every reader differently and will do so again and again each time it’s read. Like never being able to step in the same river twice, this book will strike a different chord each time it finds it’s way into your hands, because you will never be the same person you were the previous time. There is something magical about that and I think it deserves to be celebrated.

The Other Side of Night is not a book of radically new ideas, but it is singularly unique.

The Other Side of Night is not a book of overwhelming action, but it will have your heart rattling your ribcage.

The Other Side of Night is not a stereotypical love story, but it will make you feel emotions you thought long dormant.

The Other Side of Night is a book like any other, just words on a page… but it is somehow so much more than that.

My greatest hope for you is that you come away after having closed the book for the final time and feel the way I did… that you are overwhelmed with a sense of contentment, empathy, and love.

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The Maze By Nelson DeMille

There are few fictional characters that I enjoy reading more than John Corey. The off the chart levels of sarcasm, cutting wit, and (often time inappropriate) internal dialogue makes these books absolute pleasures to read. Sometimes offensive, but always well meaning… there is so much to love about Corey’s shenanigans and they are on full display in The Maze.

The list of John Corey’s previous jobs is longer than my… usual reviews. While we were first introduced to Corey as a NYPD Homicide Detective, he is now officially retired from the Diplomatic Surveillance Group, and they are not sorry to see him go. The one job title he never entertained adding to his resume was that of Private Detective. That is until his former flame Detective Beth Penrose uses a job offer at a local PI firm to entice him to stay out in Long Island for a summer of sun and fun, clothing optional of course. When Corey agrees to hear the pitch, he quickly discovers that something more is going on and it might be related to the increasing numbers of dead bodies being found along a stretch of beach not far from his current location.

With relationships blurred by shifting allegiances, Corey finds himself in a labyrinth of corruption and conspiracy that go to the very top of the political and legal structures in the area. When the only way out is through, Corey will have to fight his way out of the physical and emotional entanglements he finds himself trapped in.

The overall plot of The Maze is not groundbreaking in its own right and readers should understand that this is definitely a character driven novel. Luckily there are few characters like John Corey. DeMille continues to amaze me with his insights, prose, and hilarious one liners. Long time fans of the series should be excited to get their hands on this one.

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A Mourning Song By Mark Westmoreland

A Mourning Song is a swashbuckling saga, slashing its way through the shady side of southern society, sustained by savagery, sentiment, and sass. Mark Westmoreland is a gifted storyteller with a flowing writing style that seems to transport readers through the pages like the smell of an impending thunderstorm carries on a southern breeze. 

A year after the traumatic events of A Violent Gospel, Mack Dooley is a man unable to heal his mental wounds, deciding the blackness at the bottom of a whiskey bottle is preferable to the dark visions in his dreams. When a home invasion forces him to track down Marshall, his missing brother, he must start in a place he never wanted to return to. When Peanut Bohannon, the criminal kingpin of Tugalo County lays out the struggle between his family and a barbarous band of criminals going by the name Ghostface Devils, the Dooley brothers find themselves squarely in the middle of the action. Regardless of the existing animosity between Mack and his brother, the Bohanons, and the ghosts of his past, he must put it all behind him to protect his family and in the south, nothing short of God comes before that.

To say I was excited to get my hands on this book is an understatement. At any mention of the completion of final edits, I was borderline pestering Westmoreland for an early look. Ok, I was pestering him. I was just that anxious to see what the Dooley brothers had gotten themselves into. With highly authentic characters, plausible criminal activity, and intense action sequences, this is just one of those series that you get mad at when you flip the last page because you just have to know what happens next. 

If you have any interest in Southern Crime, then you need to pick up Westmoreland immediately. With his creativity and engaging writing, this is a series that will only continue to get more interesting and better as time goes on.

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Toxic Effects By Joel Shulkin

Toxic Effects is more than just a medical thriller. As you would expect there is a heavy focus on what is going on in Cristina Silva’s cranium, but in the second book in the series more attention is paid to Detective Wilson as he tries to solve a series of murders. With complex and intertwining plotlines, there is more than enough intrigue to keep readers guessing until the very end.

The follow up to Adverse Effects explores the aftermath of the conclusion of that book. Neuropsychiatrist Cristina Silva struggles to come to terms with the voice in her head, which just happens to be her former identity. As her mental state deteriorated she forced Detective Gary Wilson out of her life, but not out of her heart.

The Detective finds himself in a similar romantic state as he tries to bury himself in work, unraveling the mysterious deaths of a string of high school students. The only things connecting the death were the boys displaying heightened mental capabilities and erratic behavior immediately before their deaths, as well as mention of a hooded figure that has them scared for their lives.

Trying to start fresh, Cristina begins her new job at the Longwood Memory Center, unfortunately she cannot escape her past. Her contact at the FBI informs her that an assassin is eliminating anyone previously connected with ReMind, the pharmaceutical company she previously worked for. All signs point to the shadowy criminal enterprise Zero Dark is back. The only question is, is she next on the kill list?

Similar to the first book in the series, there is a lot going on in this story and readers will need to pay attention to keep the names and voices/personalities straight. Having read the first book in the series, I was able to slide right back with no problem, but if it’s your first book then it might take a few chapters. Overall, I enjoyed the story and was continually impressed by the author's ability to combine complex medical information without slowing down the pacing.

With multiple personalities, memory gaps, stolen identities, and killers running amok, this is not your typical medical thriller and a nice change up to the typical detective stories.

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

Oath Of Loyalty By Kyle Mills

Twenty books into the series, we’ve seen Mitch Rapp hunt down about every terrorist plot imaginable. Then Kyle Mills looked at the state of the world and wondered… what if Mitch was the enemy being tracked by the full resources of the US government? How would he employ what he’s learned over his career to keep himself and those he loves alive?

Oath of Loyalty is as action packed as it is terrifyingly timely. The peril is constant, the writing superb, and the ending left me wanting to track down Kyle to sneak a look at the (insanely) detailed outline for the next one.

The world has changed since readers were first introduced to the incomparable Mitch Rapp. With the War on Terror all but finished and the United States fracturing along imaginary political lines, the premier counterterrorism agent finds himself short on purpose and unsure of how his future might take shape. President Anthony Cook sees Rapp as a real danger, not just politically, but to his actual life. Irene Kennedy manages to broker an uneasy truce in which Mitch must leave the country, but Cook and his minions will leave him alone.

However, the truce is too fragile to hold when Cook’s sycophant of a security adviser convinces him Rapp is not a man he can let live if he wants to stay in power. With an ingenious plan of leaking Claudia Gould’s real identity to her enemies who thought her dead, the President has a plan to neutralize Mitch without his fingerprints showing up.

Like all the best laid schemes of men, the universe has other thoughts on the matter. When a new breed of assassin, known as Legion, is hired by one of Claudia’s enemies, Rapp is forced to adapt to the increasingly dangerous situation and try to find a way to turn the tables to his advantage. Not an easy task against a highly creative killer who has never failed. 

This is the type of book that catapults an iconic series in a new and fantastic direction. Kyle Mills is taking the Mitch Rapp series boldly into the future and there is absolutely no one I’d rather see in command.

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Murder By The Book
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(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

They Come At Knight By Yasmin Angoe

They Come at Knight is one of the most balanced thrillers I’ve read all year. There is a plentiful amount of action to keep any adrenaline junkie satisfied, but all the blades and bullets are offset with enough emotional and interpersonal turmoil to touch even the most stone hearted individual. This is exactly the type of book I’ve come to expect from the supremely talented Yasmin Angoe.

As an assassin for the Tribe, a powerful organization intent on improving the lives of African people, Nena Knight dispassionately dispatches those the council deems necessary. When a mission goes sideways and the threats to the organization become more personal, Nena must find a deeper part of herself to keep those she loves from harm.

For those of you who follow me on social media, read my review of Her Name is Knight, or have talked to me about books at all… you know how much I love Nena Knight as a character and appreciate Yasmin Angoe’s skills as a writer. The second installment of this series was everything I was hoping it would be.

After having my soul crushed in the first book, watching Nena begin to heal was the emotional salve I needed. Yasmin impressively utilizes Nena’s personal story to illustrate the history of the African diaspora, the importance of understanding cultures' role in our everyday life, and the power that a united people could wield.

I was genuinely concerned… curious… contemplative about how Yasmin was going to outline enough of Nena’s backstory to solidify the emotional attachment for new readers without spoiling the insanely good manner in which Her Name is Knight was written. My worries were all for not, as Yasmin proves once again why her books are must reads and Nena Knight is one of the best characters in the thriller genre.

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Purchase They Come At Knight
(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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