Covert Kill By Jason Kasper

An intense, intricate and ingenious military thriller, Covert Kill moves with the speed of a runaway freight train and packs an equally powerful punch.  It’s another excellent novel by Jason Kasper, who’s absolutely crushing this young series.

Following the explosive events of Last Target Standing, David Rivers and his team of deniable and expendable CIA contractors are sent to Nigeria to follow the trail of those responsible for the July 4th attack on the United States.  While in country, several American citizens are kidnapped by Boko Haram and held for ransom.  The US government will do anything for the safe return of the Americans being held captive, so despite a very narrowly defined charter for David and his team they’re turned loose to track down those responsible and help bring these folks home.  During this daring mission filled with improvisation and danger, they uncover a vast conspiracy that ties to their initial reason for being there in the first place.   Now the only question is whether the team will survive long enough to continue their original mission.  

There’s a lot to like about this book.  First, it’s jam packed with action.  The team is always on the move and bullets fly seemingly everywhere they go.  Second, not everyone sees eye to eye the whole time.  Which I find refreshing because it gets boring when everyone agrees all the time.  Plus, this way you learn more about what makes each character tick.  Third, the settings around Nigeria are not ones I recall experiencing in a military thriller and it adds another dimension to the already interesting storyline.  Finally, it’s jam packed with action.  Have I mentioned that before?  Because it’s the truth.

If Jason Kasper isn’t yet on your radar, you need to fix that immediately.  He writes highly entertaining, fast-paced military thrillers with strong action sequences that get your blood pumping.  This series has legs and is now entrenched on my must-read list going forward.  It should be on yours as well.  

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Sea Hawke By Ted Bell

Another smashing tale in the Alexander Hawke series! Sea Hawke is equal parts awesome and outlandish, capturing the spirit of the best 007 stories and then taking it up a notch.  It’s wildly entertaining.  

Lord Alex Hawke takes delivery of Sea Hawke, the world’s premier and possibly most expensive sailing yacht that doubles as a fortified warship with an armament that rivals any naval battleship.  For her maiden voyage, Hawke has decided to take 6 months to sail around the world to bond with his son Alexi and impart worldly wisdom on the young lad.  However, the trip has an ulterior motive at the behest of MI-6.  Communist states are attempting to form an alliance and must be stopped or WWIII is a distinct possibility.  So Hawke, his crew, and usual suspects including Pelham, Stokely Jones, Chief Inspector Congreve, Harry Brock, Thunder and Lightning and the like are thrust into the middle of world changing events, including stopping a coup d’état in Cuba and crashing a secret summit deep in the Amazon.  It’s a treacherous adventure on the high seas with nothing short of the fate of the world at stake.  

Ted Bell has a pleasantly unique writing style that’s hard to define and can take a few chapters to get used to, but it’s effective due to witty dialogue and clashes between titillating characters within a tremendously enthralling plot set in exotic locales.  In addition, the inclusion of real-life individuals such as Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk add playful realism to a story, that while plausible, is also quite mad (in a good way).

All told, Sea Hawke is another enjoyable romp around the globe with Lord Hawke and friends. A delightful mashup of James Bond, Captain Jack Sparrow, Richard Branson and the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World, Alex Hawke is the most interesting protagonist in the thriller genre today and this book is a lot of fun!

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The Body Man By Eric P. Bishop

Eric Bishop delivers a decidedly compelling debut novel with The Body Man.  I demolished it over a short 2-day period, propelled by various plot lines that urged me to pursue the denouement where everything would connect and the truth would be revealed.  It’s an entertaining, twisting thriller that deserves to be published and read by the masses. 

This book has great potential for a long-running series with characters that can continue to develop while unraveling nefarious plots and facing off against the powerful forces of evil.  The two main characters, FBI veteran Agent Eli Payne and fresh-out-of-Quantico probationary agent Kat Stone, succeed as an emerging partnership with witty banter and the ability to play off each other’s strengths.  The Body Man only scratches the surface of these two agents, and I anticipate there is a lot of depth to their backstories that I’m excited to see divulged in subsequent books.  

They say you make your own luck, and I have no doubt Mr. Bishop is working his ass off to do just that.  All he needs is a publishing house to see the passion and desire of this budding author and give him a chance.  I believe it’ll be a win/win/win for the publisher, the author and readers when that comes to fruition.  

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The Unquiet Genius By Glenn Dyer

It’s late-1942 and WWII is raging with the Allies and Germany desperately and furiously working to be the first to develop the atomic bomb and take control of the war.  Meanwhile a brilliant physicist thought long dead by suicide is discovered by a plumber hiding out in an Italian monastery.  Word gets out, which kicks off an amazing race between the Germans, Americans, British, Russians, Italians and even the neutral Vatican, to be the first to find this genius who can single handedly turn the tide of the atomic arms race.  Enter Conor Thorn, a former US Navy man turned covert operative with the United States OSS.  Conor, with help from some of his friends, undertakes this dangerous mission to find the physicist and bring him to the Allied side.  However, finding this genius is only half the battle.  Convincing him to help build a weapon of mass destruction is another story altogether.

As a big fan of WWII non-fiction, The Unquiet Genius resonated deeply with me to the point where this book reads more like historical fiction than straight thriller.  That being said, it’s still quite an action-packed, thrilling race-to-the-finish novel with serious consequences and enough twists and turns to sow doubt into the mind of the reader as to how this episode will conclude.  Add in some really interesting characters – including a Nazi that you just can’t wait to see him get what’s coming to him - sharp dialogue, solid spy craft and a romantic relationship with an uncertain future, and you have all the makings of an enjoyable page turning novel that’s hard to put down.  

Also, The Unquiet Genius has the added benefit of making you ponder morals and ethics during wartime.  The reader finds themselves in the position of the Italian Physicist, trying to come to terms with if they should play a role in developing the atomic bomb.  If it ends the war and saves hundreds of thousands of lives, but at the expense of killing thousands of people, is it worth it?  Is it the ethical thing to do?  Or is it better to sit it out and let things happen without being involved?  Hard questions to answer for someone on how they should or should not use their intelligence and knowledge to impact the war.

The Unquiet Genius is a well-written, suspenseful and deeply researched thriller that thrusts you into the atomic arms race during the critical days of WWII. You’ll find yourself deeply invested in the mission, urging the Allies forward to beat the Nazi’s and Russians to the punch. Buckle up and get ready for the ride.

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Her Name Is Knight By Yasmin Angoe

Yasmin Angoe bursts onto the thriller scene with the release of her emotional, intense and unputdownable debut novel Her Name is Knight.  It’s powerful and visceral, packing a brutal punch that sticks with you long after completion.  And you don’t just read this book, you experience it with mind and soul.

Her Name is Knight features Nena Knight, a deadly assassin for a clandestine organization called the Tribe with the charter to fight for the betterment of the African continent and people.  Nena is a trained professional and executes those marked for “dispatch” with cool detachment that belies her inner turmoil. You see, Nena has survived unimaginable pain and suffering from her childhood to get where she is today.  The only solace is thinking that those responsible have paid with their lives.  But when the past re-enters her life unexpectedly, Nena understandably leverages old emotions to guide her decision making in a primal need to get revenge.  In the process, it puts those closest to her in mortal danger and Nena must rise up, overcome her triggers and once and for all put the past behind her…and six feet underground.   

How do I love Her Name Is Knight, let me count the ways…

One:  Great books make the reader feel something and Her Name Is Knight is so chock full of overwhelming emotion that it’s hard to even describe the feeling of reading this book.  What Nena goes through in her childhood induces fury, sorrow, angst, anguish, frustration, disgust and a sense of deep unfairness.  But as fate intervenes and gives her a chance at a better life those feeling morph into hope and rooting hard for Nena to be victorious while simultaneously praying there’s a scorching pit in hell reserved for the monsters who have hurt her.

Two:  Her Name is Knight has two parallel storylines – Before and After – delineated by a major event in Nena’s life.  And in a stroke of literary genius, the Before is written in the first person from Nena’s perspective and the After is in the third person. Which makes total sense based on the events in each part of the story, helping the reader to feel the immensely personal struggle Nena endures before her life changes and heads in a different direction.

Three:  This book moves at a breakneck speed, building tension until it explodes with hardcore action sequences.  That pacing and suspense makes it impossible to put down, yearning to know what will happen next.  In fact, I lost quite a bit of sleep reading Her Name Is Knight.  Which is possibly the best compliment/endorsement I can give because when you get lost in the pages and only realize how late it is once you finish the book, that’s the hallmark of a killer read.

Four:  I’m a sucker for a strong female protagonist and Nena Knight is Strong with a capital S!  To survive what she went through as a teenager to become a badass assassin with robust morals and values is incredible.  I cannot wait to see what she does next!

I could go on and on about this book, but I’ll sum up by saying it’s simply fantastic!  A must read by thriller fans.  Yasmin Angoe has the goods and this series has immense potential.  I’m eager to see what’s in store next for Nena Knight and if subsequent books are as good as this first one…look out!  Because we’ll be looking at the next big star in the genre.

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The Last Protector By Simon Gervais

On the heels of the exceptional Pierce Hunt trilogy, the venerable Simon Gervias kicks off a new series with The Last Protector and thriller fans will certainly want to grab a copy ASAP.  It’s got everything you could possibly want in a top-notch thriller – conspiracy, deceit, world-changing technology, mercenaries, family, love, a badass protagonist, smarmy bad guys, a plethora of ass kicking and killing…and a French sommelier.  

Meet Clayton White.  Clay is a former Air Force Combat Rescue Officer and current Secret Service Special Agent in charge of the protection team for Veronica Hammond, a world-class archeologist, daughter of the Vice-President Elect and childhood friend who also happens to be a woman he’s desperately in love with despite knowing it will likely crater his career.  When he thwarts an attack on his principal/lover, Clay starts digging to find out who would want to kill Veronica and what possible motivation they might have.  Subsequent events put him on the path to getting vengeance, but much is revealed along the way that put old allies in a different light and unveil that his father’s untimely death in Afghanistan 6 years ago was more than it originally seemed.

Clayton White is a lead character you can root for, ruled by his heart and sense for right vs. wrong.  He’s willing to go out on a limb for those he cares for, even if it puts him in an untenable situation.  Plus, with his tier one skillset he can really bring the pain to the enemy in a number of ways.  And with this book ending with this mission wrapped up nicely but with some unresolved issues remaining, there are numerous avenues for this series to take going forward.  An exciting proposition that has me drooling with anticipation for the next installment in 2022.

Once again, Simon Gervais delivers a well-written, fast-paced and action-packed novel that you can’t put down, cementing him in the top tier of writers in the genre today.  Anything he writes is in the “must-read” category and this book is no exception.  Pick up a copy this November and move it to the top of your TBR pile.  You can thank me later. 

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Gated Prey By Lee Goldberg

Violent crimes and desperate criminals and homicide detectives, oh my!  Lee Goldberg delivers an intriguing, fast-paced, satisfying novel in Gated Prey, the third installment in the Eve Ronin series.  

Eve Ronin, and her lovable Ding Dong consuming partner/sensei Duncan Pavone, are leading a sting operation to catch the culprits of a string of violent robberies in high income neighborhoods.  While their efforts are successful, the unexpected deadly outcome leaves a lot to be desired and is impossible for someone as doggedly relentless as Eve to call the case closed and let it go.  As the investigation ensues and Ronin/Pavone catch another brutal case, Eve once again ignores the advice from her veteran partner and goes full bore in the close-minded pursuit of justice ahead of her own wellbeing, putting herself in the crosshairs of those she’s pursuing as well as those in the Sheriff’s department who want nothing more than to see her fail…or worse. 

Gated Prey focuses on developing Eve as a homicide investigator with incredible determination and natural instincts.  Which is a refreshing change of pace after the prior novel concentrated, too much in my opinion, on her family pushing her to explore Hollywood options to tell her story and cash in on her fame.  While this book does continue to move the ball forward on the Hollywood angle, it’s done so as a smartly crafted and small sub-plot that fits nicely within the main story.  This allows for a return for what made the first book in the series so enjoyable – following a strong, but inexperienced and flawed female protagonist kick ass and stop at nothing to get justice.  Eve’s still a stubborn, hard-headed, single-minded pain in the ass whose methods pisses off just about everyone she encounters, but there’s no denying that she cares about the victims and gets results.  And maybe there’s a tiny glimmer of hope for her to find balance in her life that will allow her to maintain her effectiveness and keep her from burning out.

This is a series to keep an eye on if you’re a fan of police procedurals, formidable female characters, and stories with great pacing. You can jump in on any book, though reading it from the beginning will add depth and understanding. There are a lot of directions Lee Goldberg can go with the characters and storylines after the events of Gated Prey, so I suspect we’ll enjoy following Eve’s career for a long time to come.

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I Know You By Claire McGowan

A cleverly designed and well executed thriller, I Know You will keep you on the edge of your seat until the truth is finally revealed.  Claire McGowan delivers a strong and intriguing novel that makes you feel the pain and desperation of being accused of crimes you didn’t commit.

Rachel Caldwell is walking her dog when she stumbles across a dead body in the woods near her home in the British Lake District.  While most people would call the police, Rachel’s first instinct is to run away as fast as she can.  You see, last time she was found at the scene with dead bodies she was accused and convicted of murdering 3 members of the Safran family for whom she nannied, incarcerated on death row for several years before being exonerated and released.  And once the victim is identified, Anna, the estranged wife of her current boyfriend, realizes her instinct was correct since she’s now the prime suspect.  Trying to keep her past from coming to light, thinking it’ll make her look even guiltier than the police already believe given the mounting evidence pointing at her, Rachel must figure out on her own what happened to keep herself out of prison once again.  

There are two aspects to I Know You that work really well.  First, it’s how the story goes back and forth between current day and flashbacks.  This approach allows for a slow drip of clarity, doling out puzzle pieces one at a time to build suspense while you build your own hypotheses.  Which leads to the second great aspect of keeping you guessing all the way until the end.  Even when you think you’ve figured it out, the book offers new information that seeds doubt in your mind, leading you to flip flop on your opinion multiple times for who killed Ana and what happened in the Safran home 20 years ago.  So even if you actually do figure it out early on in the book, you won’t be sure until the end.  It plays games with your mind and makes you question what’s right in front of you.  A great trait of a solid murder mystery.

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Security Day By Matt Cricchio

Security Day refers to the weekly supply convoy that everyone – the US Military and local populace alike – relies on in the Uruzgan province during the Afghan war.  To ward off attacks by the Taliban, the US has entered into a lucrative financial arrangement with Afghan General Mir Hamza Khan to protect the trucks as they traverse the desert.  However, as the American’s start planning for their withdrawal from the area, General Khan is faced with a threat to his wealth and power and will do anything to keep them both.  Enter Dan Bing, a new intelligence agent with a desire to prove himself despite those around him counting the days until they go home.  He recruits spies to help him prove General Khan is dirty and working against the US while taking their money.  But nothing is simple in Afghanistan and everyone is at risk during this high-stakes cat-and-mouse game.  

Matt Cricchio leverages his real-world experience as an interrogator and spy handler in the US Navy to deliver a compelling story about dubious allies, treacherous enemies and competing agendas in the Uruzgan province during the war in Afghanistan.  Featuring fantastic characters at all levels of social, economic and military status, Security Day provides an intriguing look at the strategy and movements of the key players within a life-and-death chess match where trust is essential yet impossibly elusive.  

And given Security Day is based on a true story, the reader will wonder how much of this book occurred as written vs. what was fictionalized for effect.  I’d love to ask the author directly, but this 100% smells like a “I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you” situation and I have no doubt that Matt Cricchio has the ability and means to follow through on that statement.  So, let’s put that wondering aside and just appreciate Security Day for what it is – a well-constructed, twisting and turning tale navigating the ambiguity of war where everyone puts their own self-interests and self-preservation above all else. 

Security Day puts you on the ground in the middle of the action to feel the desperate struggle for survival of all involved, providing a deeper understanding of what it must be like to make critical decisions when faced with nothing but difficult/bad options in a war zone.  Fans of military thrillers, especially those set in Afghanistan, would be well served to pick up a copy of this novel and learn from the author’s on-the-ground experience.  

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The Kill Box By Rip Rawlings

Last year, Lt. Col. H Ripley “Rip” Rawlings caught me by surprise with Assault By Fire.  I described it as “an action packed, balls-to-the-wall thriller that doesn’t let you breathe for a moment.”  Well, The Kill Box is all that and a bag of chips.  A worthy sequel that kicks major ass and cements this young series as one of the absolute best in the military thriller genre.  

The Kill Box picks up where Assault By Fire left off.  Russia is attempting to transition from invasion to occupation of the United States but is still facing pockets of relentlessly determined military resistance on the East Coast and through Appalachia.  Perhaps the biggest impediment to Russia’s near perfect plan is Marine Lieutenant Colonel Tyce Asher and his band of men and women from the 150th Cavalry Regiment in West Virginia.  Asher and team, despite heavy casualties and limited supplies, continue to bring the fight to the Russians using insurgency techniques learned from the enemy they fought in previous wars where the United States was the superior force.  When the exiled Vice President of the United States calls from Canada with a critical mission, Asher must find a way to outsmart the enemy and stop a potentially catastrophic plan in the works.  However, the Russians seem to be a step ahead at every turn, leading Asher to conclude there’s a mole in his ranks.  With the odds long to begin with, Asher now must contend with leading his team into bloody conflict while trying to root out the mole.  As casualties mount, it’s a deadly battle of wits to see who will be victorious on the battlefield.  Nothing short of freedom for the United States and her citizens is at stake.  

Once again, Rip Rawlings delivers a peerless strategic and tactical military masterclass in thriller novel form.  The Kill Box puts the reader smack dab in the middle of raw unadulterated warfare to feel the intense pressure of every decision, the abject pain of every bullet tearing through flesh and the sheer desperation of combat where failure is not an option.  Despite the fictional nature of the book, it feels incredibly realistic and as if it should be taught at a military academy or war college to enlighten military leaders on potential approaches and maneuvers for future battlefields.  

If you call yourself a fan of the thriller genre, then you must read The Kill Box and automatically add this series to your TBR pile upon every new release.  You won’t find a grittier, more descriptive military thriller anywhere.  Rip Rawlings has the goods, translating his military experience into amazingly cinematic novels and thriller connoisseurs are the grateful recipients of this gift.

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Wolf Point By Ian K. Smith

A tale of corruption, crime and cover ups, Wolf Point is a gritty look at the dark underbelly of Chicago politics and the dirty games played by those of privilege and means. Ian K. Smith delivers a strong second installment in a new crime series that is not to be missed.

Walter Griffin, a prominent black Chicago politician, has been dead for 2 years of an apparent suicide that his family does not accept as the real cause of death.  Enter Ashe Cayne, a former member of the Chicago PD and current private investigator, who is convinced by the family and his own network of confidants that Walter was likely murdered.  As Ashe digs into the case, he starts poking around events and people that others would prefer to stay in the shadows.  Despite the increasing danger, Ashe won’t give up until he finds out the truth and gets delayed justice for the Griffin family.

There are a couple of key aspects to Wolf Point that resonated with me.  First, Ashe is a work in progress as a person.  Despite being intelligent and well educated, he’s reeling from his fiancée leaving him and has a complicated relationship with his father.  These things humanize him and help the reader connect to him despite his super investigative powers.  Second, I’m a huge fan of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser series and this book has heavy Spenser vibes.  It features an unassumingly intelligent and well-read private investigator who’s smart ass wisecracks get him into physical altercations that he can back up with his boxing skills, someone who navigates by their own moral code and drive to never give up until a case is seen to fruition and justice is done, a man who exudes sexuality that belies his tough exterior, and has a badass friend/sidekick who shows up with a big gun when most needed to watch his back and take care of business.  Sounds a lot like Spenser and Hawk to me.  The main differences are that the races are switched and it’s Chicago instead of Boston.  The result of these fascinating parallels to anyone who’s read a Spenser book is instantly connecting with the characters as if this has been a long running series, adding quite a bit to the enjoyment of this novel.

Also, if like me you don’t know who Ian K. Smith is then I recommend you Google him.  This guy is way impressive with a resume that goes far beyond writing a couple of thrillers.  Educated at Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth and U of Chicago.  Doctor.  Author of bestselling diet and nutrition books.  Co-Host and medical contributor on the Rachel Ray Show.  Appearances all over television and featured in numerous print articles.  Served on the Presidential Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.  And much more.  Dude is legit and having him throw his hat into the thriller genre is exciting.

Well written with solid character development, Wolf Point is definitely worth picking up and the series will be one to watch going forward. Fans of crime novels, especially those that feature a duo like Robert B. Parker’s Spenser and Hawk or CJ Box’s Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski, will want to get in on this series early. It’s off to a promising start!

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I Am Not Who You Think I Am By Eric Rickstad

Part murder mystery, part psychological mind-fuck and part coming of age story with a smidgeon of horror thrown in for good measure, I Am Not Who You Think I Am is one hell of a dark and twisted ride from the diabolical mind of Eric Rickstad.  

At eight years old, Wayland Maynard witnessed his father commit suicide with a shotgun and finding a note that says “I am not who you think I am.”  Reeling from the trauma and dumbfounded by the meaning behind the note, Wayland keeps that note secret until eight years later when he starts to believe it wasn’t his dad who killed himself that day.  Unable to shake the feeling that things aren’t as they seem, Wayland kicks off his own investigation with the help of two friends with the goal to find the truth about what happened to his dad.  Along the way, Wayland becomes suspicious of everyone, uncovers secrets that shatter his beliefs and leads to unimaginable discovery that alters his life forever in an irrevocable manner.  Sometimes, it’s truly better to let the truth lay dead and buried.

This book is wonderfully messed up and feels like a great psychological thriller flick from the 1980’s, which makes sense since the bulk of this story takes place in the mid-80’s.  But it’s more than just the time period and small-town setting.  It’s a bunch of little things – a powerful family who basically owns the town, using microfilm to do research at the library, kids having the autonomy to wander around with minimal adult supervision, landline phones, creepy mansions on the hill, and more – that come together to weave a tale that’s simultaneously fresh and familiar. 

A fast-paced page turner that's hard to put down, I Am Not Who You Think I Am will keep you riveted and guessing throughout. Erik Rickstad delivers the goods in this book that’s sure to provide eerie and brain busting entertainment to readers looking for a disturbing psychological thriller to sink their teeth into.

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Under Color Of Law By Aaron Philip Clark

Under Color of Law is a dark, gritty, no holds barred crime novel that shines a spotlight on corruption and systemic racism within the Los Angeles Police Department.  Aaron Philip Clark has written a book that’s equal parts entertaining and important.  A significant and thought provoking read for the times we’re living in.

When a black police recruit turns up dead, Detective Trevor “Finn” Finnegan is assigned the case with orders to make this a top priority.  As the investigation unfolds, Finn, who is also black, is forced to navigate a minefield of racial justice protests, police department politics, and his own past actions in order to find justice for the murdered recruit.  Finn’s complicated past and present collide, muddying his future prospects and putting him in dangerous situations that may cost him his career or even his life.

Fans of crime thrillers, and the work of Michael Connolly specifically, should absolutely pick up a copy of Under Color of Law.  There are definite Harry Bosch vibes in this book with parallels between Detective Finnigan and Detective Bosh working doggedly to get justice for the underserved while fighting against the system.  That being said, this book stands on its own merit through the viewpoint of a black detective probing the depths of systemic racism in policing, the lengths to which the police brotherhood will go to unconditionally cover for their own, and this detectives own struggles, motivations and complicity within the system that’s beyond simple repair.  As a result, Aaron Philip Clark has delivered a novel that feels like nonfiction, holding up a mirror to society and policing in this country and asking difficult questions through the actions of the characters within its pages.

Chock full of suspense, intrigue, societal issues and conflict, this noir whodunit novel brings the high hard heat with the start of a new series that promises to hit hard topics head on. A really good book that makes you think and sticks with you after completion. I’m excited to see how thriller fans react to Under Color of Law and can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.

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City On Fire By Don Winslow

I’ve been stunned into near speechlessness.  Don Winslow’s City on Fire is utterly incredible!  This book delivers the goods and then some.  A masterclass in exceptional storytelling with intense pacing and deep, complex characters thrown into a pressure cooker filled with crime, murder, and mayhem.  An epic start to a new trilogy by one of the best crime writers of all-time.  

City on Fire centers around a mob war between Irish and Italian factions in Providence, Rhode Island in the later half of the 1980’s.  All it took was a tiny spark of perceived disrespect between made men, initiated by the introduction of a gorgeous woman, to blow up previously cordial business dealings and tranquil personal relationships.  The result is a vicious game of one-upmanship with escalating violence and retribution that leaves a wake of dead bodies across New England with no real winner.  Only pain and suffering on every side.

City on Fire explores numerous themes like family, honor, loyalty, values and codes, love and loss in the way that only Don Winslow can – through the creation of realistic characters that are put into impossible situations where choices are fraught with dangerous consequences no matter the decision.  And while Don might be telling a tale that shines a spotlight on the psyche and actions of old school wise guys, he does so in a way that’s easy relatable for everyday men and women even if they’re normal upstanding citizens who wouldn’t know a gumar from an envelope or a no-show job.  Because all of us understand and have firsthand experience with the importance of family, of having your friend’s back, of unconditional love, of making hard and sometimes unpopular decisions, and of unbearably heartbreaking loss.  Which creates a strong emotional connection between the reader and the characters, allowing us to really experience what’s happening to those on the page and sometimes even sympathize with, or even root for, hardened criminals who we’d ordinarily say deserved a heaping serving of karma.

And holy hell is this novel well-written.  Don is a genius with the pen.  Everything is sublime.  The setup, transitions, details, dialogue, action, character development, and pacing are all exquisite.  Throw in several huge twists to go along with gut wrenching conflict that you see coming but are powerless to stop and its near perfection.  A cinematic masterpiece in hardcover form.

The best books always leave you with a book hangover as you contemplate what just occurred.  Well, City on Fire does that and more.  Like the aftermath of a week-long bender in Vegas with the boys, this book will stick with you for a long time.  

I look forward with great anticipation to City of Dreams, the next installment of this blockbuster story.  My only hope is that September 2022 hurries up and gets here already.  The wait is going to be brutal and I’m dying to know what happens next!

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Enemy At The Gates By Kyle Mills

Kyle Mills has done it again!  Enemy At The Gates is a tension-filled, action-packed, conspiracy-laden masterpiece with a stunningly ruthless twist that will have you doubled over in pain like you’ve taken a body blow from a heavyweight boxer.  

Enemy At The Gates picks up where Total Power left off.  Life in America is returning to normal, there’s a new President in the Oval Office and Mitch is at a crossroads trying to figure out what he wants to do next.  He feels a strong draw to a quieter life with Claudia and Anna, getting out of the CIA and diving back into the world of competitive triathlons to provide him with the challenge his goal-oriented mind requires.  However, it’s never that easy to leave and there are several things that reluctantly keep him in the game – trying to figure out the new president’s agenda and if he should have a role with the administration, a missing immunologist being hunted by an African terrorist organization, a mole infiltrating CIA databases, attacks against the world’s first trillionaire whose lofty philanthropic pursuits are poised to change the course of humanity and, last but not least, loyalty to Irene Kennedy as she asks for his involvement.  And as Mitch Rapp is wont to do, he goes all-in.  And with the help of Scott Coleman and a few other friendly faces, Mitch devises an intricate and exquisite plan to solve multiple problems with one operation, leading to a final showdown of epic proportions.

While the book stands up on it’s own, the big takeaway is the transitional nature of the storyline.  And this isn’t unique in the genre right now.  There are several beloved characters of long running series that are advancing in age – Mitch Rapp, Gabriel Allon and Scot Harvath to name a few – that are at a transitional point in their lives/careers where they can’t operate the way they used to.  That presents the authors with a massive and risky challenge to figure out where to take the characters and storylines.  Which is what Kyle Mills attempts to do with Enemy At The Gates and I applaud him for focusing a good deal of the plot around Mitch contemplating and exploring that next step with opportunities that go beyond the obvious CIA management track.  Time will tell where Mitch lands and what will fulfill him going forward, but this is a solid step in that direction.  Additionally, there are a few unsettled plot lines as the book concludes which, while frustrating to those who like things wrapped up neatly in a bow by the last page, is actually great news as it keeps Mitch Rapp in our lives and gives us another Rapp adventure to look forward to next year.  Which is all we can ask for.

Finally, Enemy At The Gates is another brilliant example of how Kyle Mills has made Mitch Rapp novels his own while still reverently staying true to the foundation and legacy set by Vince Flynn.  It’s a great mixture of what long time fans love about Mitch combined with Kyle’s unique anything goes, dark humor, expletive-laden, action-packed, conspiratorial style.  This novel is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser and on many best books of the year lists.  Don’t miss it!

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Her Perfect Life By Hank Phillippi Ryan

Keeping you guessing until the very end, Her Perfect Life is a compelling and well-crafted thriller filled with conflict, turmoil, and choices past and present that bring dire consequences.

Lily Atwood is beloved by her fans.  An Emmy-winning television investigative reporter and single mom with a young daughter, she seems to have it all.  But Lily has a secret from her past that she and those around her will do anything to protect in order to maintain the perception of her having the perfect life.  When an anonymous source who has previously provided good tips starts feeding Lily info about her own past, she wonders if anyone truly knows the truth of what really happened many years ago.  As she seeks to understand the motivations of those around her, Lily must decide how far she is willing to go to safeguard her image and leave the past in the shadows.

Despite the fame of the main character, something most of us will never understand or experience, Her Perfect Life explores themes that everyone can relate to –the desire to craft a positive professional reputation, caring about how others perceive you, owning your own narrative, keeping professional and personal lives separate, and the importance of family.  Which allows the reader to connect to the characters and the story on a personal level, even if we might not have a lot in common with them at a surface level.

This was somehow my first Hank Phillippi Ryan book.  Mea culpa.  But it won’t be my last as I finally experienced what others have been talking about for years – strong writing and terrific storytelling within dynamic character-driven thrillers.  Hank skillfully leverages her experience as an award-winning reporter in Boston to bring an accurate representation to the characters and journalism profession in the book.  And the result is a realistic, edge of your seat story with cinematic qualities that draws in the reader and gets them invested in the outcome.  

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Last Target Standing By Jason Kasper

An intense, heart-thumping, race-against-the-clock military thriller filled with bold action, multiple plot twists and dire global implications.  Filled with realism and authenticity from author Jason Kasper’s experience as a former Green Beret, Last Target Standing is a bright and blistering new entry into the thriving military thriller genre.

David Rivers and his team of fully deniable and expendable CIA contractors are sent on top secret mission to kill the alleged mastermind behind an attack on US Soil.  It just happens that this individual is hiding in the mountains of rural China with danger lurking around every corner from a high altitude insertion via the peaks of Afghanistan to drug traffickers en route, violent separatists surrounding the target, and the Chinese government itself who wouldn’t take too kindly to this kind of US military action on their soil.  With a mission this risky and fraught with danger, you’d expect not everything to go to plan.  And you’d be right.  Leaving Rivers and his team of former mercenaries to improvise and make judgment calls that could either uncover a broader conspiracy or start World War III.  

Beyond the stimulating storyline, great action sequences and intriguing characters, perhaps the aspect of this novel I appreciated the most was the linear nature and singular focus of the story.  It’s a refreshing change of pace from novels that jump around, have a bunch of subplots, and force the reader to connect numerous dots.  Instead, Last Target Standing has a clear focus and makes it easy for readers to fully immerse themselves in the present situation without trying to figure out how it plays into a bigger narrative.  

Fans of Kyle Mills, Andrews & Wilson, Jon Gilstrap and Brad Taylor will want to check out Last Target Standing and closely follow the series as it progresses.  Two books in, Jason Kasper has something brewing that promises to grow into something worth being mentioned with the big names in the genre.   

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The Night She Disappeared By Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell strikes gold again with The Night She Disappeared, a wonderfully intense and suspenseful psychological thriller filled with drama, emotion and characters who are more than meets the eye.  

Tallulah and Zach, a young couple with a one-year old baby, go out for date night and leave their young son Noah with Grandma Kim.  As the next day dawns, Tallulah and Zach have not returned, and Kim finds out no one has seen them since a party the night before at a house dubiously named Dark Place.  Fast forward 2 years they still haven’t been found when detective novelist Sophie has moved with her boyfriend from London to the country.  While out for a walk in the woods, Sophie sees a sign that says “Dig Here” and obliges, finding an engagement ring.  Curious, she starts to investigate the disappearance, finding new leads on the cold case that bring hope to Kim that they might finally find out what happened to her daughter and boyfriend.  As the Sophie digs, game changing secrets come to light and the investigation gains momentum until the truth of what happened that night, and leading up to that night, is finally revealed.

Lisa Jewell expertly weaves together a compelling story with two separate timelines – two years earlier when Tallulah and Zach disappear and present day with Sophie investigating their disappearance – that converge in the end with the big reveal.  This approach brilliantly ratchets up the intensity and suspense, propelling the reader forward with desperate urgency to find out what happened in the past and how it’ll finally come to light in the present.  Add in every parent’s worst nightmare – your child disappearing without a trace – and The Night She Disappeared is edge-of-your-seat stuff that keeps you guessing with a consistent drip of twists and turns and several gasp-inducing moments.  

The reasons Lisa Jewell is a New York Times Bestseller are on full display in The Night She Disappeared.  It’s an extremely well written thriller with fast pacing and an intriguing story that twists your brain into knots trying to figure out what occurred and how it’ll conclude.  It’s fantastic from start to finish and highly recommended for fans of top-notch psychological thrillers.

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The Necklace By Matt Witten

No parent should ever have to bury their child.  It’s unnatural and against the regular order of things.  And as a parent, I can confirm this is our worst nightmare.  All you want to do is keep your kids safe and watch them grow up to lead fruitful, successful lives.  Well, The Necklace takes the unholy nightmare of losing your child and multiplies it by a factor of 10.  Thanks a lot Matt Witten.  How am I supposed to let my kids out of my sight ever again after reading this book?

The story follows Susan Lentigo in present day as she travels to North Dakota to witness the execution of the man convicted of raping and killing her seven-year-old daughter Amy.  Throughout her travels, she flashes back to events 20 years ago surrounding this heinous crime that forever altered her reality.  Along the way, she starts to question the convicted murderer’s guilt and suspects someone else is getting away with defiling and killing her daughter. Susan digs down deep to find the strength to seek the truth and will stop at nothing to ensure justice is properly done for Amy.

What makes The Necklace so powerful, beyond the nightmare fuel of losing your child, is how the emotions ooze off the page and burrow into your brain.  You easily feel Susan’s depression, despair and desperation.  She’s never fully recovered from Amy’s death and how her life has fallen apart since, nor can you blame her.  She’s got no money to her name and clings to the hope that watching the execution will finally allow her to move on, though you doubt that’s going to do it.  And when she starts to think things aren’t as they seem, she is willing to leave rational thought at the side of the road to do anything and everything, no matter how distasteful you might find her actions, to determine if the right person is on death row.  

If you like character-driven stories that provide an emotional experience, The Necklace is for you.  However, if you’re a parent be warned.  You’ll be faced with the fear of losing your kids and thinking about what you would do in Susan’s situation.  But then realize its fiction, give thanks that you’re not in that position and give your kids a huge hug.

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You Can Run By Karen Cleveland

You Can Run is another hard-to-put-down, twisting, fast-paced espionage thriller from the talented mind of former-CIA counterterrorism analyst Karen Cleveland.  Leveraging her experience working in the intelligence community, she crafts a gripping story that is equal parts plausible, engaging and frightening.

You Can Run brings two women together, each with an insatiable motivation to do whatever is necessary to achieve success – a CIA analyst trying to protect her family and a reporter looking to publish the most explosive scoop of her career.  Together they must leverage their individual areas of expertise to unravel a deep conspiracy and expose those who are pulling the strings, before the powers that be hurt the people close to them and start a war that threatens to wreak havoc on the world.

A compelling and suspenseful thriller, You Can Run will take over your brain as you try to piece together the conspiracy while also contemplating how far you’d go to protect your family. And just when you think you have it figured out…you find out you actually don’t know anything when Karen Cleveland drops in a diabolical game changing twist. Trust me, this one will stick with you and make you question everything.

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