Things We Do In The Dark By Jennifer Hillier

Featuring perhaps the greatest opening sentence in the modern history of the written word, Things We Do In The Dark is a brilliantly constructed thriller featuring murder, abuse, blackmail, and deception.  Jennifer Hillier has delivered another fantastic and unputdownable novel filled with secrets, scheming, suspense and surprises.

Paris Peralta is in a lot of trouble.  Her famous comedian husband is dead and she’s found covered in his blood holding a straight razor in the same room as the body.  Arrested and charged with murder, you’d think that would be the worst thing she’s facing. But the thing is, Paris has a secret past she wants to keep hidden and the media attention threatens all she’s done to build a new life for herself.   Meanwhile, Ruby Reyes is about to be paroled after spending 25-years in prison for murder and she knows exactly who Paris is and what she’s done in her past.  So while Paris is facing murder charges and would love to keep past history dead and buried, she must face everything head on once and for all if she wants to remain free from prison…and her past.

This is a well-crafted thriller due to two reasons: storytelling and characters.  The premise might not be super original – someone running from their past hopes it won’t catch up to them when something bad happens in the new life they’ve created – but the flow, the flashbacks, the emotions it elicits and the slow drip of information are done in a perfect and precise manner to keep you suspicious of multiple characters and their motivations.  And these characters…whoa baby.  They’re all flawed individuals with remarkable backstories, some of which will hit you in the feels.  They’ve been tested and have experienced personal pain yet hold out hope for the better life they seek and feel they deserve.  And that “better life” isn’t clean and pure in everyone’s case.  Which means you’ll support some characters while hoping others go to hell in a handcart.  Especially Ruby.  She’s a first-class grade A narcissistic bitch who deserves a one-way express ticket to hell.  But holy crap is she a fantastically conceived character in a book filled with complex, well-structured individuals. 

Jennifer Hillier proves again that she is one hell of a thriller author and that readers should have her on “automatic read” status anytime she releases a new book.  So make sure Things We Do In The Dark is on your TBR list and preorder a copy from your favorite bookstore. It’s most excellent and not to be missed. 

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We Lie Here By Rachel Howzell Hall

Everyone knows a family that has crazy drama and more than a few secrets.  It could even be your own relatives.  But let me tell you something.  No family has as much drama, or are hiding as many secrets, as the Gibson’s from Palmdale, California.  I’m talking next level stuff.  Rachel Howzell Hall takes family drama to the extreme in We Lie Here, a psychological mystery that boils the brain and has more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco.  It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful, dramatic thriller that begs to be consumed quickly with a relentless desire to learn the truth.  

Yara Gibson has come home to Palmdale to throw her parents a 20th anniversary party.  However, she would rather be anywhere but here.  Between her increased asthma attacks from the climate and dealing with her overbearing mother Barbara, this is not a stress-free vacation.  On top of everything going on, Yara receives a text from an unknown number stating the individual possesses life changing information and needs to urgently meet.  But before Yara can get the information, this person winds up dead.  Oh, and the individual is her mother’s cousin, whom she’s never met.  Anxiety levels immediately increase and Yara starts to dig into her family’s past, finding things that don’t add up and put her in growing danger.  But Yara won’t stop until she learns the truth.  A truth that will change things forever.  

To say We Lie Here keeps the reader guessing is a gross understatement.  It literally takes until the final chapter for the big reveal.  Meanwhile, you’re constantly evaluating the actions of each character, wondering what they’re capable of and questioning their motives.  Who’s lying?  What are they hiding?  Are things as they seem?  Is someone pulling the strings from behind the curtain?  Who’s capable of murder?  All great queries that you’ll change your mind on numerous times throughout the story.  And even if you think you’ve correctly guessed the answers to these questions, you won’t have strong conviction until the end because Rachel Howzell Hall introduces plenty of reasonable doubt to all your theories.

Kudos to Rachel Howzell Hall for crafting this intricate, anxious, winding tale centered on family drama.  While I certainly hope the vast majority of people haven’t experienced this level of family dysfunction, everyone can easily find a way to relate with interesting family dynamics.  Which makes it easy to connect with certain characters, building hopes in the reader for what they want to see happen to/for certain individuals.  And you’ll just have to read all the way through to see if those hopes become a reality. 

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Armored By Mark Greaney

With the intensity level dialed up to an 11, Armored is a thriller that reads like a hit summer blockbuster film.  Mark Greaney has absolutely and unsurprisingly nailed the start of a new series with a smart, capable and determined, yet imperfect, protagonist that you root for with all your heart to succeed.  

Josh Duffy is a mall cop trying to make ends meet and support his family.  But he’s more than meets the eye.  Previously he served in the Army and then as a close protection agent and elite operator, until a mission went bad in Lebanon and he lost his lower left leg saving one of his protectees.  So when he bumps into an old friend who gives him an opportunity to get back into the game, he jumps at the chance to see some action and make serious money he desperately needs.  The only catch is that he’s joining a private military contractor that has a less-than-stellar reputation.  But Josh needs the money and he signs on for a mission deep into Mexican cartel country to protect government and United Nations officials attempting to negotiate a peace.  There’s no chance this will be a walk in the park.  The only question is how bad it will be and if Josh and his fellow operators survive the inevitable violence.

There are numerous features that make Armored a hell of a read.  The military weapons, gear, vehicles and tactics come across as impressively authentic.  The Sierra Madre Mountains acts as its own character, providing an unforgiving locale with danger lurking around every turn, peak and valley.  The characters – whether it’s Duffy, the other contract operators, the delegation they’re charged to protect, the cartel leadership and sicarios, and others – are expertly crafted and developed to fit the story flawlessly.  The plot is powerfully treacherous, driving anxiety through the roof and testing the characters in incredible ways.  And the writing is sublime, hiding motives until the perfect time to reveal game-changing twists that increase your desire for certain characters to be victorious while simultaneously praying for others to face an imminent and permanent demise.  It’s straight non-stop action with no let up, providing hours of high-speed entertainment.

Mark Greaney is one of the absolute best in the business, so it’s expected that everything he writes will be pure gold.  However unfair it is to assume greatness will be attained with every novel, it’s a product of his own consistent success and ability to raise the bar time and time again.  Incredibly, Greaney unflinchingly continues to produce banger after banger after banger.  I don’t know how he does it, but thriller fans are the great beneficiaries.  And Armored is the latest gift he’s given to us readers. 

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Rising Tiger By Brad Thor

Gripping, action-packed and containing a fresh storyline/setting that you can’t help but think is a geopolitical prediction of the future, Rising Tiger is a humorous yet deadly serious thriller featuring an unleashed Scot Harvath on the warpath.  Brad Thor has once again used his incredible knowledge, research and understanding of the world landscape to craft an extraordinary novel that I certainly wouldn’t be shocked to learn is closer to reality than one might expect. 

An American diplomat on a secret mission to India is murdered and Scot Harvath is tasked with the investigation.  Harvath teams up with Vijay, a streetwise, wisecracking retired Indian law enforcement officer who works for the US Embassy, to navigate the seedy underbelly of India’s criminal element in search of answers.  Along the way they cross paths with the beautiful and brilliant Asha, a rising star for India’s vaunted foreign intelligence agency RAW, who is on the hunt for those responsible for downing a military helicopter and also for an attempt on her life.  Are these isolated incidents or do they have connections that tie to increasing hostilities from a certain neighboring country?  Together, the three will have to act fast to uncover the answers they seek, get revenge for their fallen compatriots and thwart a potential war with global implications.  

Using India as the backdrop for this story and the context behind it are both brilliant choices by Thor.  In a time where many thrillers are reigniting the cold war narratives between the US and Russia, Rising Tiger offers something different.  It still contains the exceptional tradecraft, witty sarcasm and colorful characters you expect from a Brad Thor novel, but it also offers up a fresh take on the geopolitical landscape with a setting that provides an incredible range of locations, from luxurious hotels to dangerous slums, in which Harvath can operate.

And let’s take a moment to talk about the characters.  You know what badassery to expect from Scot Harvath, so that’s not a surprise.  But Vijay and Asha in particular are exquisitely developed and perfectly compliment Harvath in every way.  Their exchanges are witty and contain dark humor that match the situations they find themselves in.  They possess intelligence, tenacity, honed skillsets and just enough crazy to make them critically good at their jobs. And they possess courage and heart in abundance, making it easy to root for them to emerge unscathed from malevolent situations.  

None of this is a surprise to fans of Brad Thor’s work.  He delivers year after year and has constructed another wonderfully entertaining novel, the result of a simple, yet flawlessly executed formula:  take an unexpected setting and add in well-crafted characters, a fresh storyline and constant no holds barred action.  Simply put, the master has done it again.  Rising Tiger is fantastic!

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First Born By Will Dean

With an intriguing plot, identical twins and idiosyncratic behavior, First Born is a top-notch psychological murder mystery with blindsiding twists that hit you in the face like a coin-filled sock.  Will Dean has produced an absorbing thriller guaranteed to keep you hanging on every word and action, where nearly everyone is a viable suspect with motive to commit murder.

First Born follows the peculiar, risk-averse and routine-driven Molly Raven as she travels to New York upon learning of her identical sister Katie’s death.  When the police deem it a homicide, Molly starts her own investigation by diving into the world her adventurous and extroverted sister inhabited.  Molly quickly finds herself outside her comfort zone and feeling lost without her other half, yet continues to push forward to help the police find the culprit and put them behind bars.  But as answers start to present themselves, it becomes apparent that Katie wasn’t the person Molly believed her to be.  And like her monozygotic twin, Molly may have a few secrets of her own.

Will Dean has once again delivered a dark, twisted and slow-burning thriller that will bust your brain trying to figure things out.  It’s filled with intricate character development.  From the twins to their parents, the suspects, and even the guy selling smoothies out of a roadside cart, each person that graces the pages of First Born adds depth and value to the story via their well-crafted backgrounds and motivations.  Throw in some seriously big reveals along the way and the result is a glorious character-driven thriller that keeps readers guessing while also cheering for the demise of certain individuals due to their unscrupulous actions.  

I’ve quickly become a fan of Will Dean’s writing.  Last year with The Last Thing To Burn and this year with First Born, he’s provided two compelling yet different thrillers that show his versatility within the genre.  His character development is superb, his writing style is effortlessly engaging and his signature ability to string readers along until dropping game-changing twists is world-class.  I can’t wait to see what explodes out of his diabolical mind next.

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Outside By Ragnar Jonasson

Tense, chilling and filled with suspense, Outside is one hell of a messed-up story about survival in the harsh elements of a remorseless terrain as well as from dangerous secrets that find the light of day.   Ragnar Jonasson has delivered a layered and unrelenting thriller that contains a slow but constant drip of “oh shit” moments, giving readers no choice but to keep turning pages with an urgent desperation to find out how the story ends.

Four friends set off on a hunting trip in the Icelandic highlands when the weather turns against them and they’re stuck in an unforgiving blizzard.  Fortunately, they are able to find emergency shelter in a small cabin.  But it turns out they’re not alone.  And perhaps even more frightening, dark secrets start coming to light that threaten to tear them apart.  So while they are safe from the elements for the moment, they might not be safe from each other.  And one thing is for certain.  They’re not all coming out of this alive.  

In a well-conceived and perfectly executed concept, Jonasson tells this story chapter by chapter from the point of view of one of the four friends.  He progresses the story seamlessly while lending a different voice and perspective to each chapter.  This technique is highly effective as it shows the thought processes and increasing anxiety each one of them is going through.  Which significantly ratchets up the suspense and tension felt by the reader.  

Additionally, the inhospitable environment that is Iceland in the winter brings an added dimension to Outside, almost as if the setting is its own character.  You don’t just read about the icy wind, the harsh conditions, the inability to see farther than a few feet in front of you, or the distressing feeling of being stuck in a blizzard.  You experience them as if you’re there right beside the characters.  You involuntarily shiver from the cold being described on the page, even if you’re sitting in your temperature-controlled home, office or favorite reading location.

Outside will leave you reaching for a warm blanket and a mug filled with a steaming hot beverage, wondering how you would react if thrust into this situation and pondering if your own friends are hiding massive secrets from you.  It’s a mind-bending mystery that burrows inside your head and sets up shop, refusing to leave even when you’ve finished the book.  If you want an intense and fucked up story, look no further.

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Lethal Game By John Gilstrap

Containing ceaseless violence that elicits a strong desire for vengeance, Lethal Game is an excellently crafted book that will really piss you off before you fist pump in triumph.  John Gilstrap has delivered another winning novel in the Jonathan Grave series, filled with action and emotion that hits hard and never relents.

The team at Security Solutions find themselves in the crosshairs of would-be assassins.  Jonathan Grave and Boxers are targeted during a hunting trip to Montana while Gail Bonneville and Venice Alexander fight for their lives back home in Fisherman’s Cove, Virginia.  While dodging bullets the team must figure out who is behind the attack, which is no easy task given the very long list of enemies they have made over years and years of covert operations.  As they figure out who’s pulling the strings and why, these special-ops veterans transition from defense to offense to take the fight right to the enemy.  Which is bad news for the bad guys.  Because the Security Solutions team is the best there is and they always get their man.

The best thrillers evoke an emotional reaction to the events unfolding in the story and Lethal Game has this in spades.  The ruthless brutality of the lead assassin, the vicious attacks on the good guys, targeting a beloved elderly character, children in harms way and more all conjure intense feelings of anger, disgust, contempt and wanting revenge.  There are times I had to put the book down and take a few deep breaths to calm myself before I could continue.  That’s the hallmark of a very good thriller.

After fourteen books in this series, it’s abundantly clear that John Gilstrap has mastered the creation of fast-paced, action-packed, highly entertaining military style thrillers.  Each book is non-stop from start to finish and guaranteed to be an enjoyable experience.  One of the more underrated and engaging thriller series in print today.  If you haven’t read one of the Jonathan Grave novels, you’re missing out.  But the good news is that Lethal Game is a great place to start!

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The Falcon By Isabella Maldonado

The Falcon is an intense and distressing thriller packed with excitement, action, investigative brilliance and stomach-churning crimes.  Featuring a strong Latina female protagonist leading a manhunt to stop a vile sociopath, this novel will have you screaming at the good guys/gals to find the bad guy and end him ASAP.

A sexual predator is snatching female co-eds off the campus of a prestigious university in Phoenix and a special FBI unit is called in to help identify the culprit to put a stop to his heinous activities before more victims show up dead.  For Special Agent Nina Guerrera, this case is personal in more ways than one and she will stop at nothing to bring the perpetrator to justice.  But she’ll need to conquer her own fears and personal history, remaining focused and objective, in order to do her job well enough to end this psychopath’s reign of terror. 

Now three books deep, this series is seriously underrated.  The character development is strong, the villains are revolting and the storylines are anxiety-inducing and fist-clenching.  Nina Guerrera is a tough, yet flawed protagonist that you want to root for and the FBI team she’s a part of compliments here well with their admirable skills and passion.  And the way Isabella Maldonado crafts the story makes it incredibly difficult to put the book down due to the intensity and knowledge that twists are imminently incoming. 

Fans of serial killer, crime thrillers and novels starring bad ass women should absolutely read The Falcon.  It’s engaging, enraging and enthralling.  As is the whole series.  Now’s a great time to get into this series because Nina Guerrera is here to stay, both in print and in an upcoming Netflix movie featuring Jennifer Lopez.  Don’t miss out!

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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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