Movieland By Lee Goldberg

Murder, politics and deception in the heart of Hollywood…oh my!  Movieland brings the heat and packs a punch like a shotgun blast to the face.   

A camper is killed and another injured in a shooting within Malibu Creek State Park, a location famous for the setting of many Hollywood movie productions.  Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan “Donuts” Pavone of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department pick up the case, with Duncan believing this is just the latest in a series of shooting incidents going back over a year.  However, politics being what they are, the powers that be refuse to admit there’s a connection and try to make this go away quietly.  But they still underestimate Eve’s dogged pursuit of justice and not letting anything stand in her way.  With her partner’s help, Eve continues her investigation and puts herself in the crosshairs once again.  Eschewing personal safety, she will not stop until the perpetrator is brought to account for his or her violent actions.    

Movieland continues the solid Eve Ronin series, now four books deep and finding its legs with another entertaining storyline, heinous crime and twisting investigation.  Eve continues to be developed as the headline character, though she’s still hardheaded and lacks the self-awareness to realize her approach makes her a target.  But you can see the potential for her to turn the corner as events unfold at the end of this novel.  Which I hope she does because at times she can be quite unlikeable and hard to root for despite her persistence.  However, she’s balanced out by her immensely likable partner Duncan who does a great job being Eve’s mentor, providing praise or the hard criticism of her performance when appropriate.  The pairing works very well to both toe the line of the department’s policies and challenge the status quo.  Add in a cast of characters who all add their unique personalities and perspectives, and you get a page-turning story that grabs your attention early and doesn’t let go until the case is solved.   

But perhaps the best part of the book is the inclusion of Councilman Netter as an important character in the plot, being mentioned something like 117 times throughout the novel.  I won’t say what happens to him, but fellow Best Thriller Books reviewers will probably tell you he deserves any harm that might befall him.  And even though Councilman Netter has a different first name than mine, I’m going to assume the character is named after me and claim my 15 minutes of fame.  Thank you, Lee Goldberg!  The check is in the mail :)

If you are a fan of strong female protagonists and haven’t discovered the Eve Ronin series, Movieland is a great place to jump in.  Page-turning plots, good characters, interesting crimes and more, all with the backdrop of Hollywood as a supporting character.  Check it out!

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The Local By Joey Hartstone

The very definition of a page turning novel, The Local combines the intensity of a murder trial with the fresh and unique angle of patent law to craft a marvelous and intense entry into the legal thriller genre.  It’s a cracking debut by Joey Hartstone, who like Chris Hauty is making the transition from Hollywood screenwriter to thriller novelist look way too easy.  

Welcome to Marshall, Texas, the patent lawsuit capital of the United States.  And here in the Eastern District of Texas, when you file or face a patent lawsuit, you need local council to give you an edge with the local jury.  James Euchre is the finest patent lawyer in town and the guy you want on your side when millions of dollars are at risk.  Euchre’s new client is Amir Zawar, a west coast tech genius who is facing a suit he believes is fruitless, which leads him to lose his cool at the preliminary hearing and threaten the judge while being restrained by the bailiffs.  So when that judge is murdered later that night, all signs point to this outsider as the clear suspect.  Amir is steadfast in his innocence and persuades Euchre to defend him despite his lack of experience with criminal law.  Euchre agrees because the Judge was his mentor and he wants to be a part of finding the truth behind who killed his friend, even if it’s his client.  The stakes are high and emotions are running hot with the truth hard to pin down.  It’s up to Euchre and his small but mighty legal team to get to the truth and ensure the right murderer is brought to justice.  

The Local is a top-notch legal thriller with a similar feel to some of the big names in the genre - Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer, John Grisham’s Jake Brigance and John Lescroart’s Dismas Hardy series.  It’s engaging, suspenseful and full of twists and turns.  It has a driven, intelligent, underestimated lawyer who doesn’t shy away from taking risks or letting the case become personal.  He also has a brilliant and funny investigator with a great nickname based on her former athletic prowess.  And lastly, it has wonderfully crafted courtroom drama with a prosecutor for whom there’s no love lost for Euchre.  Put it all together with the unique spin of patent law and it’s one of the most entertaining legal novels I’ve read in recent years.

I’m not sure if this is the start of a new series or if Hartstone will write standalone novels.  But what I do know is that this guy tells a hell of a story and you can sign me up right now to read whatever he writes next.  Don’t miss this book. I expect it to be mentioned among the best debut thrillers of the year.  

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Shadow Tier By Steve Stratton

Steve Stratton delivers a fast-paced, anything-goes revenge thriller with non-stop action that transports the reader back to the brutal drug wars of the late-90s.  

In Mr. Stratton’s debut Novel Shadow Tier, we’re introduced to Lance Wolf, an experienced military operator and strategist who immediately suffers tragic personal loss at the hands of the Sinaloa Cartel.  Rather than grieve the loss of those close to him, Wolf goes on the offensive, bringing his immense skill set, impressive array of colleagues, and relentless desire for retribution to bear against El Chapo and the Cortes family. Despite danger around every corner, Wolf will stop at nothing and risk everything to bring the fight to the cartel’s front door and obtain the vengeance he so desperately craves with every fiber of his being.  

There’s a lot to like about Shadow Tier.  First, setting the book in 1998 and bringing in El Chapo as a character are smart choices that differentiate this book from the many thrillers that take place in present time.  If you follow the news and are of a certain age (like me), then you’ll likely know ahead of time how the El Chapo storyline is going to play out.  But that just adds to the intrigue as you try to piece together the whole story.  Second, the pace is unforgiving and ruthless, where literally anything and everything will happen at a moment’s notice.  Especially when you least expect it.  And finally, the character development brings depth to every person who graces the pages of this novel. Each character is put through personal trials, must decide who they can trust, and is forced to evaluate their actions and relationships along the way. 

All told, Shadow Tier is the birth of a new elite black ops unit worth following.  The action sequences are solid, the character development on point, and the twists come fast and furious.  Mr. Stratton does an effective job of telling a compelling story, creating characters you want to follow, and wrapping up this initial installment of a broader story while showing a clear, high potential path forward for this series with limitless possibilities.  

If you’re a fan of the Don Winslow Cartel trilogy, this is the book for you. 

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Red Warning By Matthew Quirk

World War III hangs in the balance in Matthew Quirk’s Red Warning, a modern take on cold war doomsday scenarios, filled with an edge of your seat pursuit of the truth while trying to stop unimaginable loss of human life.  

CIA agent Sam Hudson is licking his wounds and recovering from a clandestine operation gone wrong, when he finds himself in the middle of a terror attack near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.  Any thoughts of this being a case of wrong place/wrong time quickly vanish due to a phone call he receives saying that the blood is on his hands.  Sam has a gut feel that this is the work of a Russian agent he’s dedicated his career to taking down and he won’t let anything stand in his way of finally getting his man.  Not the suspension from his job, suspicion that he’s somehow involved nor having no one he can trust will keep him from successfully capturing or ending the life of the operative named Konstantin.  With help from fellow CIA officer Emily Pierce, they must uncover and thwart the nefarious plot before it’s too late.  Otherwise, all out war between the United States and Russia is an absolute certainty.

Red Warning has a few key things going for it as a solid espionage/action novel.  First, it keeps you guessing deep into the story regarding who is involved in the operation.  Is it just the Russian spy and his team, is there an American traitor aiding and abetting, or is Sam even involved somehow?  The only way to find out is to get to the end of the book.  Second, the book contains fast pacing combined with an intricate plot that engages the reader throughout.  Third, the Russian’s planned attack is scary and realistic which adds to the intensity of the hunt.  And finally, this novel contains a strong female character in Emily Pierce.  She may be riding a desk inside Russia House at the CIA, but she is a certifiable badass with a big pair of metaphorical balls.

Matthew Quirk continues his streak of delivering intriguing spy novels that are engaging and entertaining.  If you’re a kid of the Cold War era, or just like a good US vs. Russia storyline, then pick up a copy of Red Warning and enjoy!

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Zero Hour By Don Bentley

Bulging with pulsating action, anxiety-inducing drama and exhilarating military operations, Tom Clancy Zero Hour offers a complete package of thrilling entertainment with a terrifyingly realistic scenario that should scare the crap out of everyone.  Don Bentley delivers another fantastic entry into the Jack Ryan, Jr. universe, keeping the Tom Clancy legacy alive and thriving with his fresh, no-holds barred, action-packed approach to the series.

Jack Ryan, Jr. and Lisanne Robertson are in Seoul, South Korea to interview a potential asset for the Campus when, as usual, trouble finds Junior in the form of a wave of violent attacks in the city.  After convincing John Clark to let him lead an operation to figure out who’s behind the hostile acts, Jack goes on the offensive with the help of a mysterious source, a couple of Green Beret snipers, a team of Navy SEALs and a bevy of hotshot Army helicopter pilots in a resolute effort to stop all-out war from breaking out, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and consuming the Korean peninsula.  

While the entire book is excellent, there are a few aspects of Zero Hour that really stand out.  First, Don Bentley’s signature of putting his characters through hell is once again prevalent throughout.  Jack doesn’t make it a handful of pages before being in the blast radius of a VBIED…and that’s just the beginning.  He’s tested physically, mentally and emotionally throughout the story with his wellbeing at risk and safety absolutely uncertain.  

Second, while North Korea has increasingly been the antagonists in thrillers the past several years, usually it’s in regard to direct conflict against the United States.  So having the plot focus on the Korean peninsula and the prospect of war between North and South was a slight, yet bold, change of pace that works very well.  

And last but not least, perhaps the most intriguing part of Zero Hour is how Don puts you in the cockpit of an Apache in a way not before seen in fiction.  Makes sense given Don’s prior occupation flying the celebrated attack helicopter, but it’s one amazingly extraordinary thing to fly them and another thing entirely to describe it in a way that makes the reader feel like they are in the middle of the action.  But he pulls it off perfectly.  Don flawless execution and attention to detail in writing these scenes leaves me in awe of the sheer amount of intelligence, multi-tasking ability and poise it takes to successfully pilot an Apache.  Respect!

Another impressive book by an impressive writer and induvial.  I’d say Don Bentley is a rising star, but that’s no longer accurate because he’s already right there with the best in the genre. Whether it’s writing in the Clancy universe or his brilliant Matt Drake series, Don can be counted on to bring the heat with everything he writes and has reached “automatic must read” status for thriller fans.  

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Sons of Valor II: Violence of Action By Andrews & Wilson

Chunk, Heels and the rest of the Tier One Navy SEALs are back in Sons of Valor II: Violence of Action, another killer military thriller that brings forth the trademark Andrews & Wilson action, violence and sarcasm we know and love.  

Picking up after the events of the first Sons of Valor, Chunk and team are in hot pursuit of any leads that will help them dismantle the al Qadar terrorist network when a SEAL on another team is killed in an ambush by a sniper.  Rumor has it the trigger-puller is none other than the infamous Lion of Ramadi who terrorized the American military during the Iraq War.  To make matters worse, details of the kill are posted online to taunt the American operators and strike fear in the hearts of their families.  This modern evolution of the battle space seems to signal an escalation of hostilities and that something big is on the horizon.  But Chunk and team are not ones to let the fight come to them.  They mount up and pursue their enemy with a dogged persistence and a no holds barred mentality that puts them on the path to stomping out the threat and getting vengeance for their fallen brother.  And this time, it’s personal!

I don’t know how they keep doing it, but Andrews & Wilson deliver yet again.  Sons of Valor II is non-stop, balls-to-the-wall action that starts with anxiety levels at a 10 out of 10 and builds from there.  The military operations are realistic, the intelligence gathering impressive and the banter uber-sarcastic (I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t).  Throw in some intense sniper vs. sniper engagements and the enemy bringing the fight to the home front, and you have a recipe for a nail-biting, suspenseful thriller that will have you sweating out the outcome and gasping for air.  

Sons of Valor II makes it two hits out of two in this new spinoff of the Tier One series.  A great addition to the Andrews & Wilson military thriller collection.  And for longtime fans, it offers up some neat surprises that are sure to please.  Chunk, Heals and the guys are here to stay and I can’t wait to see what shenanigans they get into next.  

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It Dies With You By Scott Blackburn

A gritty story about small town living and finding yourself, while reckoning with complicated familial relationships, It Dies With You is a gratifying debut novel from Scott Blackburn that that explores important life lessons such as tenaciously pursuing the truth, discovering your purpose, and that friendship transcends age when forged through shared experiences.  

Hudson Miller is a down-on-his luck boxer and bouncer/bartender who’s near broke and crashing at a friend’s apartment when he finds out his estranged father has been murdered.  Hudson has no love lost for his father and is shocked to hear he’s inherited some rental properties and a salvage yard.  With few prospects for making money, Hudson moves back to his small hometown of Flint Creek to take over the family business.  While getting the lay of the land, a gruesome discovery at the salvage yard leads Hudson to team up with Charlie, a grumpy employee/Vietnam veteran, and Lucy, a teenage girl searching for her missing brother.  Together, this unlikely trio will band together to investigate what happened to Hudson’s dad and Lucy’s brother, letting nothing stand in their way to discover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice.  

Fans of southern crime thrillers will want to run out and preorder a copy of It Dies With You. It’s well-written with solid pacing, good character development and a satisfying ending. An enjoyable reading experience all around. And I recommend you add Scott Blackburn on your list of authors to follow because he’s got the goods to keep producing compelling novels with characters you want to root for.

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Cold Fear By Brandon Webb & John David Mann

An intriguing, multi-layered, cerebral whodunit with bursts of vicious action, Cold Fear brings murder and mayhem – violently erupting like a volcano – to the idyllic, picturesque, and peaceful capital of Iceland.  The writing duo of Brandon Webb and John David Mann deliver another compelling and fast-paced thriller filled with stimulating characters, captivating mysteries, riveting action and fascinating outcomes.

Finn travels to Iceland on the hunt for members of his former Navy SEAL unit in a desperate attempt to figure out what happened on a mission in Yemen that left him disgraced, his best friend dead and innocents murdered.  While his usually flawless memory has little recollection of the events that night, his powers of observation and investigation are still strong.  In the process of putting these elite skills to use, he is drawn to an investigation into the mysterious death of a woman found under the frozen surface of a lake, surreptitiously assisting a brilliant Icelandic detective while trying to convince her he’s not a suspect.  And then more bodies start to drop in a place renowned for its lack of violent crime.  Turns out, Finn isn’t the only one on the hunt.  A dangerous contract killer is out to silence Finn before he can find the truth.  Will Finn be able to clear his name and fulfill his personal mission find those responsible for the reprehensible actions in Yemen and hold them to account?  Or will he be silenced before the truth can be made public?

At its heart, Cold Fear is a character driven novel.  It starts with Finn, an enigmatic man with a strong moral code and innate curiosity that leads him to want to help others, even when it takes him away from his primary focus.  He can’t help himself.  He’s drawn to service and it’s in his nature to solve mysteries by leveraging his training to bring answers to those who seek them.  Then there’s Detective Krista Kristjánsdóttir, a formidable and brilliant woman who uses a combination of experience, intuition and an unrelenting pursuit of justice to move an investigation forward despite facing monumental challenges.  She’s incredibly impressive and one of the top female characters I’ve read recently.  Next we have Boone, a former Navy SEAL and hyperaware, immoral psychopath on a mix of pharmaceuticals that make him immensely dangerous to anyone and everyone he encounters.  This dude is crazy and capable, a dangerous combination.  And finally, there are several wonderfully developed supporting characters that add so much to the story through their appearance and personalities.  It’s a cast of characters that bring a perfect balance to this story.

I’m immensely impressed with Brandon Webb and John David Mann.  The transition from writing non-fiction to fiction is not an easy one to pull off, yet two books into this series it’s clear they have conquered this feat with aplomb.  Steel Fear was a blindsiding hit for me last year and Cold Fear is a pleasant surprise as a wonderfully satisfying sequel.  When the third book in this burgeoning series is released next year, I will not be shocked at how good it is.  Because it’s clear, without a shadow of a doubt, that these guys have the goods to deliver distinctive, top-notch thrillers year in and year out.  Now’s the time to get into this series because it’s about to take off!

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The Handler By M.P. Woodward

Brilliantly crafted with precision, realism and anxiety-inducing tension, The Handler is one of the most exquisite and intricate spy novels I have ever read.  A smashing debut of epic proportions by M.P. Woodward that currently sits as the leader in the clubhouse for best debut novel of 2022.  

Iran’s nuclear program is in full swing and rapidly progressing towards achieving weapons-grade enriched uranium, but their progress is being sabotaged by a CIA mole who wants to keep his nation from becoming a nuclear power.  However, after suffering a personal tragedy the mole now wants out.  Meanwhile, the Russians enter the picture to help the Iranians accelerate their nuclear capabilities and now the level of danger increases significantly for the mole, necessitating a daring and treacherous extraction attempt.  Only there’s a catch.  The mole will only trust his old handler, John Dale, to communicate with and commence an exfiltration plan they hatched years ago.  But John left the CIA under a cloud of suspicion a while back and has no desire to re engage with an agency that doesn’t trust him.  The CIA recognizes the dire implications of a nuclear Iran and will do anything to bring Dale back into the fold to secure their Iranian asset.  So, they force Dale’s ex-wife and current CIA agent, Meredith Morris-Dale, to bring Dale in to save the day.  Which kicks off a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Americans, the Iranians and the Russians with nothing short of catastrophic consequences hanging over the world like a guillotine poised to drop on its victim.   

It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that M.P. Woodward spent years honing this story.  Because every character, action sequence, piece of tradecraft, and plot twist in The Handler are done with extreme care and purpose to ensure it fits the narrative of the story and the nature of each character.  Every detail seamlessly comes together with intention to play a part in the bigger picture.  There’s no wasted movement.  No superfluous actions.  Not a single hair is out of place.  The result is a near flawless, wonderfully written novel that sucks you in early, keeps you emotionally invested throughout, and sticks with you after completion.  Hallmarks of a great novel!

It’s obvious that M.P. Woodward’s experience in the intelligence and entertainment fields uniquely position him to be a successful thriller author.  But just because someone has the background doesn’t mean they will automatically execute.  Thankfully for thriller fans, M.P. Woodward has the goods and delivers big time with The Handler.  It will be exciting to see what he has in store for us next.  And with the way this book ended, there seems to be room for a sequel.  If that’s indeed in the cards, sign me up right now to be first in line to pick up a copy.  

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In The Blood By Jack Carr

Call Jack Carr the mailman because he always delivers and this time he brings the heat with deadly games of deception, danger and death.  In The Blood is a killer thriller that just won’t quit coming at you with non-stop action that will leave readers needing a cigarette upon completion.  

James Reece is back and it seems everyone is out to kill him.  After a commercial flight is blown out of the sky in Africa, Reece learns an old acquaintance was on that plane and he feels the urge to find those responsible and do to them what he does best.  Namely send them to meet their maker.  Additionally, he’s still on the hunt for the sniper that took out his friend Freddy Strain and fulfill a promise he made to Freddy’s widow.  As he searches for answers and the people he wants to kill, wave after wave of would-be assassins come after Reece, requiring him to use his unique set of skills to survive and continue his own hunt while trying to figure out who’s trying to take him out.  And it’ll take all the cunning, resilience and capabilities he possesses, in addition to some help from a few friends along the way, for Reece to emerge from the battlefield victorious once again.

In The Blood contains a multi-layered plot that propels the book forward with speed and purpose that seamlessly comes together in the end like a bullet from a sniper rifle tearing through the air towards its intended target.  It has intrigue, copious amounts of action, and twists galore.  In fact, there’s one scene that reminds me of the battle of wits from The Princess Bride, but with guns and co-conspirators instead of a mano a mano duel to the death using poisoned wine.  It’s an impressive chess match with each person thinking multiple steps ahead until one outwits and outlasts the other.  

Additionally, past, present and future collide with a bang in this novel.  Representing the past is a connection from Reece’s time in Iraq as a SEAL and increased insight into Reece’s father’s activities before his death.  The present is Reece’s deadly cat-and-mouse game with another sniper and surviving the onslaught of assassins sent by those who want to keep old secrets buried.  And the future comes into play with innovative AI technology and the looming possibility of Reece settling down with Katie to build a life away from the danger he’s known for so long.  Each one of these storylines could make a compelling book on its own, but they work incredibly well together to form an interwoven tale that doesn’t let up for a second.

Kudos to Jack Carr for crafting an outstanding thriller that attempts to simultaneously tie up unfinished business, move the ball forward on continuing storylines and set up numerous possibilities for future stories.  It all comes together brilliantly in a novel that’s the best in the James Reece universe since The Terminal List.  Given the high level of the other books in the series, that should tell you this one is exceptionally good.  Don’t miss it.

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The Island by Adrian McKinty

A combination of Deliverance and Survivor set in Australia, The Island is a brilliantly deranged tale of fear, family and persistent resistance.  Adrian McKinty has delivered another psychological thriller that puts parents in impossibly terrifying situations to see how they would react when the lives of their young children hang in the balance.  

Tom is a renowned surgeon who’s invited to speak at a medical conference in Australia and decides to bring his kids and new wife Heather along for a family vacation, hoping quality time together will help the kids warm up to his second wife after the tragic death of their mother.  During their travels before his big keynote speech, they take what’s supposed to be a quick sightseeing trip to secretive Dutch Island, only to end up in the middle of a heartbreaking accident.  Finding themselves trapped and at the mercy of a secluded, closely-knit local family, they must first bargain for then fight for their lives in an unfamiliar and harsh land.  Despite incredibly long odds and step-children who don’t trust her, Heather must summon the courage, cunning and survivalist skills necessary to outwit, outplay and outlast those who will stop at nothing to keep her from ever leaving The Island.

As a big fan of Adrian McKinty’s last book, The Chain, I was eagerly awaiting this hotly anticipated novel.  And it didn’t disappoint.  In fact, it’s another banger of a thriller.  An exhilarating and dire “us vs. them” scenario with seemingly no way out but through the danger.  The skills that Heather must bring to bear against the island’s inhabitants are impressive, showing that individuals are capable of great feats when their backs are up against the wall.  And the family she is battling…oh boy!  They are unscrupulous, mysterious and possibly inbred. Definitely gave me flashbacks to the movie Deliverance.  All that was missing was the banjo.  

The Island is a fast-paced, fucked-up novel for fans of suspense, horror and witnessing people out of their element adapt and overcome the odds. Adrian McKinty has a second straight hit on his hands and thriller fans are the great beneficiaries.

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The Murder Rule By Dervla McTiernan

A fast-paced novel filled with righteousness, duplicity and seismic twists, The Murder Rule is a killer thriller that begs to be consumed in one sitting.  Dervla McTiernan has produced an absorbing, unputdownable legal and psychological thriller that compels you to keep reading in pursuit of the truth.

Hannah Rokeby is a 3rd year law student who transfers from the University of Maine to the University of Virginia in order to volunteer for the Innocence Project, an organization run by noted Professor Robert Parekh, with the objective to exonerate falsely convicted and imprisoned individuals.  Hannah is drawn to the high-profile case of Michael Dandridge, a man convicted on suspect evidence of raping and murdering a young mother eleven years ago.  The team assigned to this case is full, but Hannah is motivated and not above trickery and deception to worm her way into the inner circle.  Is she just that motivated to help save this innocent man from death row?  Not quite.  Her objective is more sinister.  She wants to sabotage the case to make sure he doesn’t get out.

This story is a wonderful concept for a novel.  It’s based in the reality that our justice system is flawed and sometimes incarcerates innocent people, requiring organizations like Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative to challenge the system and win freedom for the falsely convicted.  It then adds in the juxtaposition of the idealism found in some college students with dreams of changing the world against the pragmatism and school of hard knocks that shapes the worldview of others.  Next, it incorporates how the rich and powerful get to play by a different set of rules versus the poor and downtrodden.  Lastly, it shows how important it is to keep an open mind to not allow confirmation bias to give you tunnel vision towards a singular outcome; that it’s critical to consider all available alternatives and explanations.  So while this is a work of fiction, it is grounded in storylines and concepts that we experience in the real world.  Resulting in The Murder Rule being more than a thriller – it’s an authentic mirror held up to reflect our society.

This may have been my first Dervla McTiernan novel, but it certainly won’t be my last.  Well-written with incredible pacing and compelling characters, The Murder Rule captured my full attention early and never let go.  Now I hope and wish for this book to kick off a new series, because it has massive potential with an unlimited number of miscarriages of justice storylines for a captivating protagonist like Hanna Rokeby to pursue.

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Hostile Intent By Don Bentley

Sarcastic, rambunctious and flirtatious, Don Bentley’s Hostile Intent is a treacherous romp across Europe with Matt Drake and Frodo winning friends and influencing people everywhere they go.  Or maybe not exactly that.  But they do link up with others.  Some of whom they join forces with.  Others who want them dead.  But in the end, it’s all about the friendships they make along the way.  Ok, not really.  Hopefully, there will be time for forging bonds with new acquaintances later.  But first, Matt and Frodo must find a way to survive a multi-pronged onslaught while saving the world from total annihilation.  Dodging copious amounts of lethal ammunition headed in their direction as if they are lead magnets.  Simple, right?  As anyone who has read this series knows, nothing is ever simple when Matt “Danger” Drake is involved (side note: if Danger isn’t his middle name, it absolutely 100% needs to be).

Hostile Intent kicks off with Matt Drake on a well-deserved vacation and in a…uh…let’s say…randy mood, looking at his wife as if he’s a fat kid and she’s a triple chocolate cake in the bakery display case.  But just as he’s about to put his carnal plans in motion, duty calls in the form of a walk-in at the US Embassy in Vienna who uses a code phrase that only Matt would recognize.  So off he goes to Austria to meet with this man who calls himself the Irishman and brings critical intelligence about an emerging conflict.  But before the Irishman can share details of what he knows, he’s kidnapped by Russian operatives, kicking off a battle against time in which Matt must try to save this person to whom he owes so much, learn what he knows and then rush off to stop nothing short of World War III from commencing.  All in a day’s work for the venerable DIA agent.

There’s a lot more I’d like to say about the plot of this book, but I want to avoid spoilers.  So I’ll leave it at this: Don Bentley is one hell of a prognosticator and could not have written a more timely thriller if he was actually Biff Tannen, traveled to the future, came back to present day with a DeLorean full of history books and then sat down to write a novel.  To Don I say, “Well done, sir!”

Do not miss Hostile Intent.  That’s an order!  One which I cannot possibly enforce.  So, I’ll just ask you nicely to preorder a copy now and get ready for the ride in May.  Please and thank you.  And I know you’ll enjoy it because it’s a stunning book.  Don Bentley continues to churn out witty and sarcasm filled page-turning hits with brilliant storylines that are tons of fun to read and keep you on the edge of your seat.  And the Thrillerverse is a better place for having Matt Drake in it, sprinting headlong into dangerous situations without a thought to his own safety.  He’s just trying to do right by the world and make it a better place.  That’s a hero we can all wholeheartedly embrace.   

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Storm Rising By Chris Hauty

Rejoice!  The best female protagonist in the genre, and all around badass, Hayley Chill is back!  And this time she must stop all hell from breaking loose in Storm Rising, an edge-of-your-seat cinematic thriller merging Hayley’s professional responsibilities and personal quest into a single mission with nothing short of the United States as we know it hanging in the balance.  

Hayley Chill has retreated to the familiar territory of West Virginia to train as an MMA fighter, improving her hand-to-hand combat skills as she takes some “down time” after the shocking events in Savage Road.  Not one to sit idly for long, Hayley decides she must figure out the mystery surrounding her father’s reappearance and untimely death. Finding clues at his former home and with sanction from the deeper state organization she serves, Hayley sets off on a quest deep in the heart of Texas to seek answers to her father’s role in something called The Storm.  In the course of her unrelenting investigation, bodies seem to drop everywhere she goes as Hayley pieces together a massive white supremacist driven conspiracy to effectuate the succession of several states in the American southwest.  Now it’s up to her to single handedly thwart a modern-day Civil War while facing the hard truth about her father’s past…and her own future. 

There’s something special about Chris Hauty’s unique ability to craft a story.  This isn’t new.  We know this from the incredible Deep State and Savage Road novels.  But it’s reaffirmed in Storm Rising.  And it goes beyond a strong plot that’s action packed and moves at the speed of light.  Although that certainly helps.  But what’s perhaps his biggest and most unparalleled talent is the insanely brilliant way Hauty crafts and develops characters.  Whether it’s main, supporting or seemingly inconsequential characters, Hauty gives each of them a story that only someone in complete love with his characters can achieve.  And the way he can convey a character’s life story in less than a page is nothing short of <insert chef’ s kiss GIF here>.  There’s nothing else like it in print today.

Ok fine.  A very strong argument can be made that Hauty’s best skill is unloading major twists on his unsuspecting readers. And I can’t combat that claim.  Fact is, I don’t know how Hauty keeps doing it.  But the Master of Epic Twists strikes yet again in Storm Rising.  There are several twists along the way, but this time he waits until the end to unleash an unholy, fucking brutal gut punch that has me shook and will undoubtedly draw comparison to the ending of a critically acclaimed movie that will remain nameless to avoid spoiling the experience for others.  But when you read it, you’ll know.

All this is to say that Storm Rising is one helluva thriller.  Chris Hauty is batting 1,000 with three phenomenal novels out of the gate, catapulting him to the upper echelon of the genre and into the rarefied air of “take the day off of work, clear your calendar, read in one sitting on release day” territory.  I recommend you do just that.  Preorder Storm Rising today and block May 3rd to immerse yourself in the Hayley Chill experience.   

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Cold Snap By Marc Cameron

A tale of good versus evil set in intensely harsh conditions with survival a 50/50 proposition, Cold Snap will seep deep into your bones and set up residency like the unforgiving subzero temperatures of the wild Alaskan backcountry.  Marc Cameron’s fourth book in the Arliss Cutter series will have you on the edge of your seat, wrapped tightly in the warmest parka you can find, wondering if the venerable US Marshall has finally met a situation he cannot control and overcome.

While Anchorage police find dismembered body parts and kick off a search for a serial killer, Arliss Cutter is summoned to northern Alaska to transport several prisoners back to Anchorage to face justice.  However, this routine assignment quickly turns into a fight for survival when the bush pilot hired for the transport makes a detour to check on a friend who’s gone radio silent at a research outpost, providing an opening for the prisoners to attempt their escape.  In the process, the plane is blown up and now Cutter, the pilot, the prisoners and 3 researchers are stranded in the freezing wilderness with little shelter, no communications capabilities and a huge grizzly bear stalking their every move.  Meanwhile, one of the prisoners is more than meets the eye and is scheming to overpower Cutter to maintain his freedom.  It’s a desperate fight for survival from the elements…and the dark nature of man.  

Cold Snap is fantastic and my favorite in the series so far.  There are multiple plot lines – search for a serial killer, surviving the Alaskan wilderness while fending off desperate criminals, looking deeper into Ethan Cutter’s death, and a budding romance for Lola – that work well together to provide excitement, intrigue, and meaningful character development.  Readers get to see a supremely confident, capable and seemingly infallible Arliss Cutter put to the test in an extreme way with an uncertain outcome, showing his vulnerability and making him more relatable while also marveling in his mental and physical fortitude.  We also get to witness Lola Teariki’s evolution as a US Marshall and as a person, being a party to her unflinching loyalty to Cutter as well as having a front row seat to a budding romance with a young Anchorage PD officer.  And finally, Marc Cameron once again does a masterful job of making Alaska more than just the setting, but a living breathing character of its own that tests everyone in a way that you can feel, despite sitting comfortably in a warm and safe location.  

Marc Cameron delivers yet again with Cold Snap, reaffirming what thriller fans have known for years – that anything he writes is a must read.  The Arliss Cutter series continues to get better and better, with Cold Snap being the best one yet.  And with the continued development of Cutter, Lola and the characters around them, combined with the many possible storylines featuring the great state of Alaska, this series has unlimited potential to thrill fans for years to come.  

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Assassin's Edge By Ward Larsen

With pacing as fast as a hypersonic missile and a realistic storyline with dire international implications, Assassin’s Edge will have you biting your nails as you urge David Slaton to thwart the commencement of World War III.  

Three seemingly unrelated events occur in short order – a US spy plane drops out of the sky off the coast of Russia, a Mossad operative is kidnapped in Kazakhstan and a US naval ship collides with a freighter and sinks in the Black Sea.  Additionally, the two incidents involving the US military include technological failures that are hard to explain.  Even more strange is that a source named Lazarus provided info regarding these incidents just before they happened and witnessed the abduction of the Mossad agent.  Coincidence?  The US and Israel don’t think so and activate David Slaton to help get answers.  As he circumnavigates the globe collecting evidence, he finds more than just a connection.  Someone is on a quest for personal retribution against Israel’s spy organization while simultaneously a shadow organization with access to terrifying new technological capabilities is hellbent on starting a global war.  Now it’s up to Slaton to stop these evildoers before it’s too late.

Assassin’s Edge has everything you want from a David Slaton novel – exceptional tradecraft, hard hitting action sequences, spot on military details, and a twist or two to keep you on your toes.  But what makes this book special is that Ward Larsen has upped his game to a completely new level by seamlessly combining complex geopolitical intrigue and a quest for revenge with plausible game-changing futuristic weapons.  Add in a plot that intensifies with every page and emotional anguish felt by several characters and you have a world-class thriller that checks all the boxes.  All of this results in Assassin’s Edge being the best book yet in Larsen’s David Slaton series.  Which is saying something given how fantastic the prior books have been.

Ward Larsen delivers yet again and proves he’s an author that flies in the same stratosphere as the best in the genre. All military thriller fans should be reading his books, especially fans of Tom Clancy, Daniel Silva, Brad Thor and Mark Greaney to name a few. And if you’re not yet familiar with this series, Assassin’s Edge is a great place to start.

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Ways To Die In Tokyo By Thomas Ran Garver

Filled with violent action and a lot of heart, Ways to Die in Tokyo is a tale about how you sometimes need to hit rock bottom before you can find redemption.  Thomas Ran Garver has crafted a novel with an exceedingly compelling plot and intricate characters that is a lot of fun to read.

Hank Fisher is a down on his luck MMA fighter living in Tokyo.  He’s on a losing streak, has been kicked out of his training gym, has no money and hasn’t seen his ex-wife and two kids in a couple of years.  In fact, he doesn’t even know where his family is living.  So when the PI he hired to find them demands more money before revealing their location, he takes a high paying Yakuza bodyguard job for what’s supposed to be a simple meeting.  But the meeting goes south and Hank is now on the run, wanted by the Yakuza for stealing millions of Yen and by the cops as a murder suspect.  To make matters worse, everyone he turns to for help ends up seriously hurt or dead.  Now Hank needs to figure out a way to survive the murderous gangsters hot on his trail, clear his name, and ensure the safety of his family. 

Beyond the relentless pacing, non-stop action and numerous twists and turns, the most fascinating aspect of Ways to Die in Tokyo is the relatability of Hank Fisher.  Which is quite a feat given most of us can’t relate to fighting MMA, being chased by the Yakuza, being accused of murder by the Japanese police or being completely shunned by our family.  But what readers can connect with is Hank’s struggle to climb out of the hole that has become his life and his desire to make amends with his family.  He shows growth throughout the novel and takes responsibility for his past actions.  Yes, it might be a little easier to do that when your live is in mortal danger and you’re unsure you will survive to see another day.  But he still shows the self-reflection and desire to make things right that we all have gone through at times in our lives.  Which, when added to the awesome and viscous events that unfold throughout the book, make for an exciting read with a main character you fervently root for.

A novel with great characters and a fast-moving plot, look no further than Ways to Die in Tokyo if you’re in need of a highly entertaining, vicious and thrilling story.

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The Fifth Bandit By Jason Kasper

Fast-paced, intense, and explosive, The Fifth Bandit will have you breathless as you witness a heist crew try to pull off an audacious and impossible job with nothing less than their lives at stake.  

The Sky Thieves, led by mastermind and expert thief Sterling Defranc, find themselves in the crosshairs of someone called the Mentor who wants to put an end to the careers – and lives – of this talented band of celebrity criminals.  And while the Sky Thieves would very much like to remain upright, they face two big obstacles.  First, they don’t know the identity of the Mentor.  Second, the Mentor has incredible wealth, resources and reach at his/her disposal.  But as the old saying goes, “the only way out is through.” So, the Sky Thieves engage in a cat-and-mouse game to uncover the identity of the billionaire hunting them down with the goal to steal items of incalculable value from that individual that will also highlight the Mentor’s unsavory business dealings.  But this heist is unlike anything they have faced before and could be too much for them to pull off.  But if they somehow find success, the Sky Thieves just might turn the tables on their enemy and come out victorious while remaining among the living.  

If, like me, you haven’t read the prior books in the series, you can expect to feel a little behind as the book starts off by picking up a previous storyline.  But it doesn’t take long to get into the plot, understand the situation facing the main characters and then get engrossed in the fight for survival and incredibly daring heist that follows.  Yes, it probably helps to have read the prior books, but I can attest to the fact that this book is intriguing and enjoyable on its own merits.  Which makes you want to go back and read the prior 3 books in the series to see what other capers this crew pulls off.

Jason Kasper might not be one of the most well-known authors in the thriller genre, but the guy can write a hell of a story with great pacing, intrigue and protagonists you root for.  Whether it’s this Spider Heist series or his Shadow Strike series, you know by picking up a book by this author you’re guaranteed a well-written, enjoyable experience.  If you’re searching for a new thriller author to check out, look no further. Pick up a book by Jason Kasper and prepare to be entertained. 

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Dark Angel By Andrews & Wilson

A compelling story combining spirituality and the supernatural with tier one operators and hard-hitting action sequences, Dark Angel provides a front row seat to witness the age-old battle of good versus evil in a way you likely haven’t experienced before. The dynamic duo of Andrews & Wilson delivers a stimulating faith-based military thriller that will take you on a journey beyond this world where anything is possible, and light must stomp out darkness to maintain the fragile balance of today’s society.

Dark Angel represents the origin story of Jed Johnson’s membership in the Shepherds organization, a collection of tier one operators teamed up with spiritual guides and watchers with the preternatural ability to see events unfold and communicate telepathically with those tasked to thwart would-be evildoers.  Jed, a former Navy SEAL himself, goes through an intense boot camp with his new team that provides new physical, mental and spiritual challenges the likes of which he’s never experienced before.  While learning to harness his capabilities on this world while tapping into a higher plane of consciousness, Jed’s team is sent on a mission to stop the forces of hell from successfully executing a plan to throw the religious world into chaos and bloodshed.  It’ll take every bit of Jed’s training, along with the extraordinary talents of all his teammates, to defeat the powerful and determined enemy to reign victorious.

Filled with advanced technology and weaponry, intense combat scenes, hard-to-kill demons, badass operators, and telekinetic children, Dark Angel offers a little something for every Thriller fan. Kudos to Andrews & Wilson for marrying their belief systems of faith and military service into a fast-paced, well-written novel. By doing so, their passions and authenticity leap off the pages of Dark Angel and produce a uniquely powerful story sure to resonate with those who embrace strong spirituality and belief in the supernatural.

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Once A Thief By Christopher Reich

Simon Riske is back!  This suave former criminal turned exotic car restorer and international man of mystery is thrust into the middle of a delicate high-stakes operation within the world of the uber-wealthy.  Featuring a blazing fast pace, deception around every corner, dangerous criminals, expensive cars, billions of dollars at stake and a chance for retribution, Once A Thief is a thriller that truly has it all.

Seemingly on top of the world after the $100 Million sale of an old Ferrari he restored, Simon Riske is brought back to reality rather sharply when the buyer claims the original gearbox still exists and therefore Riske has fraudulently represented the authenticity of the car.  Now on the hook to make things right or face a price that would bankrupt him, Riske finds himself in a complicated situation that brings him face to face with a Russian criminal he helped bring to justice and puts him on the wrong side with allies in British law enforcement.  Which leads him to embrace the old adage “if you can’t beat them, join them.”  Meanwhile, Riske crosses paths with a woman investigating the violent death of her father, a financier whose business may not be on the up and up.  Realizing their situations are connected, Riske and this woman team up, risking their lives to find justice and retribution while attempting to take billions of dollars of ill-gotten gains off the board.

The fourth book in this criminally underrated series, Once A Thief is a great continuation for fans of the series while simultaneously offering a perfect entry point into the Simon Riske universe for new readers. It’s a fantastic thriller that keeps you guessing with more twists and turns than a mountain road in Italy. Christopher Reich has delivered an insanely fast-paced book that implores you to keep reading to find out what happens next, as if the fate of the world rests on the outcome. And to some extent it might. So strap in, push the pedal to the floor and take off on this epic adventure where anything and everything is possible.

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