No Plan B By Lee and Andrew Child

No Plan B is another no-frills knuckle-dragging Reacher classic. There is no limit of head busting Jack Reacher will deliver to reach the truth and deliver justice. This is one that Lee and Andrew Child blend effortlessly with unmatched intrigue and with some of the most clever criminal money-making schemes. They somehow intertwine multiple storylines and will easily captivate readers with their immense talent. 

Reacher is just doing his thing, floating from town to town like any normal drifter would do, until he witnesses one of the most brutal murders capable by a human. Fast forward to a chase that leads to unfamiliar surroundings, Reacher recovering and the bad guys nowhere to be seen. The information that Reacher gathers in the hunt for the truth to what really happened to Angela St. Vrain leads to a trip from Colorado to Mississippi. While Reacher is investigating, he runs into Hannah Hampton, who just happens to be connected to another person that is vital to finding the truth. Together, the two will be tried and tested to see how far they will go to determine the truth. 

Jed Starmer is a down on his luck foster kid who is absolutely fed up with his current situation. If he can survive the decision he is going to make, it will change the course of his life forever. As if there wasn’t enough that the Child’s are throwing your way, Lev Emerson is a devoted businessman that is going to have his world turned upside down. The truth collides at an unexpected location with the most bizarre, organized crime rings you could ever dream up. Lee and Andrew Child blend countless fight scenes with intriguing dialogue and keep you guessing the whole way.

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The Blackbriar Genesis By Simon Gervais

One of the most talented authors is at it again with a fiery and stellar adventure in The Blackbriar Genesis. Simon Gervais supplies everything you need in this Treadstone based thriller with stellar plot creation, supreme character development, and some of the most badass action scenes around. 

The need for a dark program arises after one of the United States Deputy Secretaries is almost gunned. Treadstone is falling by the wayside, or already has, it really doesn’t matter. Blackbriar is now the new fresh toy in town with Helen Jouvert and Donovan Wade globetrotting doing America’s shadowy work. Jouvert and Wade are on a mission to figure out what is going on when a long vetted Treadstone agent is killed and the plans for meetings and travel itineraries are showing up about American dignitaries. Jouvert and Wade must battle through a number of conflicts and numerous bad dudes as they try and figure out the connection between the Russians and the Mexican based cartels. Why would the two be teaming up and why is an American social media addiction going to lead towards the hopeful downfall of a nation? 

Gervais is a writing gunslinger, delivering shot after shot of clever dialogue and endless intrigue. Do yourself a favor and check his work out. I have been a fan since Mike Walton, and I have waded through the Pierce Hunt and Clayton White destruction, and this is just another feather in the cap as he continues to impress. The storyline is always refreshing, locations unmatched, and the way he draws you in is so simple. He is worthy of all the praise you'll be sending him soon and he is so deserving of writing a Robert Ludlum universe thriller. The plot is murky at first, intentionally, then the action reaches a peak tempo for a majority of the story and won’t leave you asking when the fires are starting to burn. Simon Gervais will light a fire under your butt and you’ll absolutely love it.

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The Other Side of Night By Adam Hamdy

In the most mind-blowing read of 2022, Adam Hamdy has created one of the most fascinating books I have read in an extremely long time. The Other Side of Night is not for the faint of heart, nor is it to be missed. Coloring outside of all the lines, Hamdy creates a psychological research project on mind, body, and the universe. Hamdy has outdone himself and I firmly believe that The Other Side of Night is worthy of all the accolades and praise it receives. Not only was the story brilliant, but the class that Hamdy brings to the pages is captivating.

Former Detective Harriet Kealty is about to go on the trip of a lifetime, and she doesn’t even know it. Kealty is on a small bookstore when a chance meeting with an older gentleman leads to a terrifying message found written in a book. This message, one with no context to anything, is Kealty’s ticket on an emotional roller coaster ride. One that leads through heartbreak, mischief, and a world of unknown. 

Harriet is battling the loss of a man that changed her world. Ben Elmys doesn’t die, but one day when she had herself ready to take the next step, he breaks her heart. Oddly, Elmys doesn’t quit leaving poems and clues for Harriet as she begins her private investigation into the deaths of an orphaned boys’ parents, who just happened to be best friends with her former beau. As the hunt for the truth in the deaths of David and Beth Asha continues, Harriet must face the death of another trusted partner. Life around her changes at a very fast rate, and while she must focus on the things she can’t have but so desperately wants.  

Life doesn’t end the way you think it will. David and Beth Asha found that out, and it is Harriet Kealty’s responsibility to find out why things aren’t as they seem. The journey to redemption for Harriet is a mind-altering adventure that will force you to want every bit of it to be real. You won't want it to end, and you might ask yourself a question: what would I give up to have this one thing happen again? 

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The Maze By Nelson Demille

John Corey is back! Nelson DeMille has resurrected Corey after a seven-year hiatus. The Maze has John Corey right back into the thick of it, solving crimes, picking up all the ladies, and working up the best quips in the genre. The Maze hits a little different than the heart-pounding terrorist hunting John Corey stories of past, but he is back to doing what he does best. 

We find Corey at his uncle’s place recovering from yet another injury fueled adventure, waiting for death to visit him in the form of Islamic terrorists or the Russian SVR, depending on who he upset more. Minding his own business, a long-lost love interest shows up with a potential job lead. Detective Beth Penrose is not a stranger to Corey as the two had an up and down relationship, see Plum Island, prior to Corey leaving for NYC to work higher profile cases. Nevertheless, she walks back into his life, and right into his bedroom, maybe his heart too. 

Corey takes whatever bait Penrose drops in his lap and due to the unfortunate deaths of multiple women in a local area, he is coerced into taking a job as a consultant at a local PI service looking to have a hot- shot agent on the payroll. Corey meets a group of sleazy guys and very flirtatious and hot-to-trot ladies who work for the odd but successful PI business owner Steve Landowski. As Corey learns his new surroundings, his relationship with Beth Penrose becomes dangerous. It all comes to a head when John confides in Beth and Police Chief Sylvester Maxwell that he is going on a treasure hunt for damning evidence of every major law enforcement official and politician in the local area. John Corey must once again fight for his life, while bringing those who are committing heinous acts of violence, to justice. 

DeMille weaves a fine balance of cringeworthy moments with some of the most fascinating internal dialogue you will ever read. DeMille brings speed and fascination to not only the story, but to one of the greatest thriller characters there is. His ability to keep you laughing from start to finish only helps to highlight the trials that Corey has faced in his criminal wrangling career. This is the most sarcastic John Corey has ever been, and you will love it. 

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Righteous Prey By John Sandford

In John Sandford’s 32nd Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport adventure, a team of filthy rich Bitcoin billionaires hunting down well renowned assholes. Talk about one hell of a plot line, one where the betterment of the planet is at the forefront of a group of killer’s minds. Sandford brings to life a story of necessity in the eyes of the rich, who feel justice is better served by the powerful, and money equals power. 

Sandford dreams up a team of highly intelligent billionaires, who all happen to have Bitcoin ties. In ‘The Five’, an overall team of six people, five are boots on the ground stalking and hunting their prey, while Vivian Zhou is a methodical woman with money on her mind leading the team. Teaming up as the impromptu leader of this rag tag group of deep-pocketed elites, Zhou cleverly delivers headline breaking news updates as the pompous assholes are sequentially murdered and left with nothing but numbers on their foreheads. 

As the different members of ‘The Five’ conduct decisive and breath stealing murders, Zhou is helping to ensure that the crew is following protocols to prevent any type of law enforcement tail. While one member finishes his clean up and getaway, he decides he is worthy of a trophy from his victim which will eventually come back to haunt him.  Virgil Flowers, Minnesota Law Enforcement Agent, and U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport are on the case. Flowers has a budding writing career about to take off, he hopes, while Davenport has full pockets due to his luck at a previous software company. The investigation continues and the murders continue to happen across the United States. Flowers and Davenport are keen on stopping the murders while trying to fully understand the motives of the killers.  

A very fun and entertaining read by Sandford which was my first in his Flowers and Davenport series. The comradery between the two is great as their actions speak louder than their words. They take chances to break the case, which adds a very daring and dangerous aspect to the monotony of stakeouts and greasy burger joints that law enforcement personnel must deal with in the day-to-day. This is one of those books that flows seamlessly and effortlessly and will leave you easily satisfied. Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport are one dynamic duo on the case for justice in Sandford’s wild ‘Asshole Murder-fest’ by Bitcoin billionaires. 

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Treasure State By CJ Box

Cassie Dewell is back and doing her best in the private investigation world. Following what was a contentious shooting of a uniformed officer in her previous encounter with death, Dewell is at the forefront of a long and mysterious hunt for a conman swindling millions. 

Cassie Dewell has a long and well notarized career in law enforcement, even though it is overshadowed by actions of others along the way. From being a rookie cop being taught by an experienced veteran to the life of a private investigator, she has seen the worst in humanity. This isn’t a Lizard King follow up, this is a story of redemption for those who have lost everything. Only if she’s able to put the pieces together and find the culprit. 

Candace Fly, widowed millionaire, is living her best south Florida life when Marc Daly comes along and woos her to no end. His charm, appeal, ability to listen, and capacity to indulge her need for attention leads to a large sum of money in the wrong hands, never to be seen again. Fly elicits the business of J.D. Spengler, a Tampa Bay private investigator to hunt down Mr. Daly. After a few weeks of city hoping on the victims’ dime, Spengler quits answering his phone. Cassie Dewell is called upon to put Dewell Investigations on the job. Cassie hops in and takes charge of the weird situation surrounding the missing man and the missing millions. 

Cassie is close with a guy by the name of Kyle Westergaard. After saving him from being kidnapped when he was younger, Kyle is on the hunt for the untold millions in gold from ‘Sir Scott’s Treasure’. Kyle is a gentle soul that doesn’t mean anyone any harm while he continues to try Cassie’s patience, but what he lacks in ability to interact with people is a plus with his ability to listen. Is he going to break the case for Cassie? 

Montana is known for a lot, resources, beauty, and being wide open but it will bring the walls closing in it will feel like a trap. Cassie Dewell will have to use clever deception and relentlessness to find the truth while watching her back every step of the way. With millions in gold to be found and millions taken from unsuspecting people, Dewell is in a life-or-death adventure that will change history forever. C.J. Box is as exciting as they come and he sets up Cassie Dewell to make a reputation nationwide if the case can be solved. 

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Oath Of Loyalty By Kyle Mills

Kyle Mills has done it again. Mitch Rapp is back and more cunning than ever. Mills has elegantly crafted Rapp into a well thought out artist of misdirection and vengeance and without a doubt will have Oath of Loyalty flying high amongst the greatest Vince Flynn thrillers ever written. He has found a way to show a more mature and confident Rapp, even after all the feats that he has accomplished. 

After the end of Enemy at the Gates, Mitch Rapp has had his circle of friends infiltrated and that is mind-blowing. The people that he swore to protect and those that gave him the means are no longer on Rapps team. Risking his life to protect Nicholas Ward, the world’s first Trillionaire was something that Rapp needed to do, but what comes even more important is protecting the people that he loves. 

As if the bromance between President Anthony Cook and Mitch Rapp wasn’t already a giant dumpster fire, Irene Kennedy is no longer in charge of the CIA and his own country is out to get him. Cook designates Darren Hargrave as the new CIA Director, who is a giant fanboy of the President’s. As the two of them plot their little scheme to rid the world of their problems, Rapp goes on a hunt to find who is causing him and Claudia problems. Guatemala, Spain, Uganda, and Washington, D.C., all locations that can be potential warzones, especially when Mitch Rapp is there, are frequented to prevent absolute catastrophe. Rapp must contend with notorious groups of mercenaries, terrorists, and financiers of dark world wet work to ensure the safety of him and his family. The trick for staying alive is to turn the hunted into the hunter and Mitch Rapp is up for the challenge. 

Mills has built up Mitch Rapp on the solid foundation that Vince Flynn created through his many years of NYT Bestselling writing. Rapp doesn’t seem to have any literary flaws, as an individual Mills has brought the redemption fed Rapp out of his safe space into a whole new world of opportunity. Rapp has gone from a continent hopping, gun slinging tool of war to a man of potential wealth with his friends and family. He is now devoted to those around him and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. His companion and sidekick Claudia, the wife of a former assassin, is no stranger to the realm of death and danger and is more than just a homemaker as she helps coordinate deaths callings once again. Rapp’s ability to control the situation in any of the action scenes doesn’t feel overbearing and Mills has been able to naturally feed the fire that Rapp necessitates and desires, while being truly organic. 

Mitch Rapp has been through hell and back and Mills gives him another ticket in Oath of Loyalty. Those who have crossed Mitch Rapp are about to take a dirt nap, their only choice, what kind of soil do they want as a bed? I can confidently say that this was one of the most enjoyable Rapp adventures I’ve ever read; I feel I say that after every book. Oath of Loyalty will test your patience as to why Rapp wouldn’t just bring an end to those who have crossed him, but do not fear, for Mitch Rapp has a plan. Mills has surpassed all my expectations and continues to do so with seemingly no effort at all and this should be an easy read to satisfy your Mitch Rapp addiction.

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Narco Assassins By Jason Kasper

Jason Kasper is back again with Narco Assassins, the fourth installment in the Shadow Strike series starring David Rivers. Rivers and team are on the forefront of the war on drugs and narco enthusiastic terrorists and are doing what agency contractors are paid to do, hunt. 

Rivers, along with the team of decorated veterans turned CIA contractors are running day to day life down in Columbia. Being on the hunt for one notorious drug trafficker isn’t all glory and accolades as the team searches for Sofia Lozano. The team runs into roadblock after roadblock and the first one stops them fast, losing one of the best leads they had, with a bullet to the head. 

Finding the notorious drug runner quickly becomes harder than the team expected to be as it takes them from the city streets of Columbia to rain-soaked jungles, and into even more trouble with drug running narco subs and back road shootouts. The search for Lozano twists and turns through one jailed narco sub pilot and his penance for alcohol and women, along with a back-room club owner who wants someone’s head in his hands. While the group dodges bullets and failed leads, one thing they can’t dodge is the impending case of fear or tracking down the most lethal nerve agent in the world. Near perfection is what this group must deliver and if not, the world will know they failed.

From The Enemies of My Country, Last Target Standing, and Covert Kill, Kasper has made the Shadow Strike series worth reading and Narco Assassins is a great addition. This covert action team keeps dodging death in a narco driven world, while Kasper will keep you glued with fresh locations, great commentary, and some of the best plot lines. Kasper delivers an action-packed thrill ride full of cleverly-placed curveballs. I absolutely love his writing and cannot wait for the next adventure.

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Heat 2 By Meg Gardiner & Michael Mann

In a revival of one of the most action packed and hard-hitting scripts ever written, Michael Mann has teamed up with Meg Gardiner for an explosive immersion into the lives surrounding the famous Los Angeles heist of Heat. I recently caught up on the drama of Heat and was absolutely disappointed in myself for never having seen it after receiving the advance copy of Heat 2. Very thankful for this early look at such great hard work and collaboration, bringing some closure to the table for Vincent Hanna and Chris Shiherlis. 

If you need a recap of Heat, the original Michael Mann thriller from 1995 starring Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, and Val Kilmer among others, the first few pages do an amazing job giving you the cliff notes review. Mann and Gardiner sum up the previous crimes in perfection to give an amazing jump off point. While Vincent Hanna has been on the hunt for criminals for years, his life outside of law enforcement has taken a back seat while he has been examining and understanding crime scenes. Hanna hails from Illinois and is no stranger to dangerous situations as he used to work in the Chicago arena with his own pain easing vices. 

McCauley and crew are strictly businessmen looking for opportunities to score, and one major score leads to a border crossing trip that leaves one teammate dead and the money gone. Weeks of planning down the drain and lives uprooted forever over a failed attempt. Fast forward, Hanna, now a detective with the Los Angeles PD, is trying to find justice for a locally killed woman of the night when a chance meeting digs up his past failures. Not only does he have a score to settle, but he lays it all on the line for finality.

Chris Shiherlis is on the run from the L.A. heist that gets everyone in the crew killed but himself. Using Nate’s contacts and cutouts, Chris makes his way to Mexicali and into support of the Liu family organization. A crime family with global aspirations turns Chris into an asset and builds a home away from everything he knows and loves. While away from Charlene, or Cinnamon as she used to go by, you see growth in Shiherlis as he navigates the muddy waters of family, career, and life and death. Shiherlis must fight the internal battle knowing his wife and son are no longer beside him, while he fights to maintain organizational structure to a family that isn’t even his own. The battle for survival goes worldwide for Chris, and he must make a decision that no man should ever have to make. 

Mann and Gardiner bring to life a story of love, lies, and loot. Critical junctures in every character’s life come and go with such palpable authenticity and energy. The stage that is built for Neil McCauley and his crew is one of ambition, loyalty, and danger, and while only one of those men survives, the lessons he learns follow him everywhere. Unending treachery and the pursuit of justice drives Vincent Hanna to the limits and succeeds at making him one of the most hardened and misunderstood characters I’ve enjoyed in quite some time. I wish I could pinpoint one character that makes this book tick, but every single character has traits of grace and reason, while the path of cold-hearted crime is one best showered in green.

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The Last Sentinel By Simon Gervais

Simon Gervais has been delivering heart pounding, action packed reads every single year. I can’t remember the last time I went any length of time and didn’t have one of his thrillers to enjoy. Whether it is Mike Walton, Pierce Hunt, or his latest in Clayton White, there hasn’t been anyone to match the pound for pound match-up that Gervais brings to the ring.

Clayton White has a past that follows him everywhere, one that might have something to do with his future father-in-law. Former head of the Joint Special Operations Command and now Vice President of the United States, Alexander Hammond has secrets that he needs to keep locked away. Those secrets have come looking for retribution and for blood. 

Clayton White, former Air Force Combat Rescue Officer, was part of a daring mission a year prior that lead to the death of General Mohsen Ashtari. Ashtari’s son Nader, now one of the more influential members of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, oversees one of the more spirited attempts at payback directed at Hammond and White. Gun boats and snipers lead to more than one altercation as their lives are threatened and Veronica Hammonds life is changed forever. Reza, Ashtari’s other son, has made the pursuit for dealing death a bucket list moment and will not settle for anything less. 

White and friend Pierre Sarazin team up for a pond jumping op following breadcrumbs left by Reza. Pierre and Clayton are in for a tremendous battle in London at the home of Adaliya Oxley. Oxley and White also have a past that complicates everything. As pieces start to come together and become clearer, White must save his fiancé and her friends one more time. As if the amount of trouble Clayton White has been put through, working with Alexander Hammond is one of tremendous disgrace for him and a handshake deal is about to be thrown out of the window and only the future will tell who lives and who dies. 

Gervais delivers yet again with fantastic action sequences and brilliant mind games. His ability to connect the past and tease the future prevents me from putting his books down. Clever dialogue and unmatched creativity bring The Last Sentinel to life, showing the dedication and resilience of Clayton White. You won’t be disappointed with any of Simon Gervais' writing, which is exactly why I recommend everything that he has written for you to read.

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FNG By Benjamin Spada

Benjamin Spada debuts a fun, energetic, and action-packed adventure in FNG. 

Sergeant Cole West is a stout United States Marine. Fact. Sitting behind a desk, shuffling papers at battalion headquarters is what all Marines dream of when they serve their country. False. Enter Captain Vaun of the most hidden and closely kept secrets the United States Government has to offer, Black Spear. Vaun, one of the Black Spear squad leaders, takes West on a mind-blowing trip into the world of dark operations. 

Cole West isn’t a loner; he seems like any other Marine you would meet. He has his fair share of issues from the past he has worked through, or so he thought, but that is why he is chosen. He’s got a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear background in the Corps; the kind of job that isn’t needed every single minute of the day. The job starts getting messy day one though. As one of the most highly provocative film producers in the U.S. has his body turned to mush, the Black Spear squad is immediately tasked with moving the contaminated remains of the deceased when all hell breaks loose. Literally. 

What ensues is a battle against a very disgruntled group of former government employees under the name of ‘Terminal.’ They are heavily armed, financially set, and more than willing to die for their cause. They just happen to have on their hands one of the violent and toxic substances on the face of the planet. No one is safe, not even the President. The will of the team to defend the country from these mad men is the only thing preventing a tragic ending to the sanctity of the United States. 

Spada delivers on every page of FNG with violence and speed. The characters are intriguing and well thought out. The storyline follows along with recent issues plaguing specific government agencies and their unwillingness to ensure premier care is given to their charges. He creates fantastic action in realistic locations and really draws you in with the increasing danger. If you think you would like military action blended with a side of biological weapons, topped off with a tiny bit of The Walking Dead, you’ll love this.

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The Last Paladin By P.T. Deutermann

P.T. Deutermann adds another breathtaking adventure to his collection that will be sure to leave you pleased. The Last Paladin drives home heroism detailing the naval battles of legend. Deutermann leaves nothing to imagination as he vividly outlines the terror of war time combat and will leave you rooting for the little ship that could from start to finish.

We follow the harrowing tales of the USS Holland, a Destroyer Escort coming from the Atlantic fleet to the Pacific Ocean to assist in the maritime fight during World War 2. Through the lens of the Commanding Officer Mariano deTomasi and Executive Officer Ephraim Enright, the story tells of the scars that must be endured following the vicious attack on Pearl Harbor. The Holland is being reassigned to a different coast to help support war efforts and deTomasi and his genius XO Enright (who goes by EEEP) begin the daunting yet critical task of anti-submarine warfare operations. With hundred ship formations off in the distance preparing for land invasions in the Pacific theater, Holland attempts to find a Japanese picket line of submarines and prosecute them as necessary.

Bad weather, broken equipment, and never really knowing if they are being hunted from the depths are all part of everyday routine. Feeling as if they’re being left out on an island, the crew of the Holland must pick and choose their battles wisely while never failing to be respectful of the enemy. The overwhelming feeling of impending doom ebbs and flows as the viciousness of the battles they must face are captured through the lens of the ship’s photographer. Evidence being necessary to catalog combat, the true horror of war is apparent, and it shows no mercy. 

Manicured procedures and well-oiled equipment are always necessary to ensure that things have a higher degree of potential success, but the USS Holland runs on coffee and cigarettes. The CO and XO must equally pursue the objective with clarity, or the crew of the USS Holland won’t be surviving. 

Deutermann delivers one of the most authentic takes on historical fiction. Telling the story from both the CO and XO’s perspective adds an astounding amount of internal and external tension to the story and makes for an unbelievably great book. The ability to counter the hostility and peril that surrounds every situation is unmatched. Dramatic open ocean sea battles along with the desire from one man for vengeance lead the crew of the Holland into dangerous waters. Not only do heroism and treachery have a seat at Deutermann’s table, but the sacrifices made by the crew in what would become one of the greatest victories to ever occur during World War II. 

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Upgrade By Blake Crouch

Following a string of hard-hitting action thrillers by some of the genre’s best authors, I have given my mind a break and took on a new style thriller that I typically don’t read. I chose Upgrade by Blake Crouch in what I thought was a techno-futuristic thriller, but what I came away with was much more than that. If you have never heard of Crouch, he’s the author of the Wayward Pines Trilogy that was adapted for television on Fox in recent years. Along with that, his more recent Dark Matter is being turned into an Apple+ streaming series soon. 

Logan Ramsay has an extremely demoralizing past, but he has atoned for it by joining the Gene Protection Agency (GPA) and removing gene editing criminals from the streets. Logan Ramsay is the son of one of the world’s most notorious criminals. She was an accidental criminal though, as she engineered an insect to combat a crop infection, she ended up creating the world’s worst famine. After killing over 200 million people, the son of Miriam Ramsay has a bit of a past that follows him everywhere.  

After a simple arrest in Denver, CO, the team from the GPA goes on a door kicking adventure, where Logan's life changes forever. What Logan thought he knew about life is changing, inside of his head, and in the world in front of him. The people that he thought he knew are no longer the same. His mind begins to change as he becomes aware of what happened on a fateful night in Denver. Along with his mind changing, physical attributes are starting to be a cause of concern.

The life that Logan lives changes as the fight for humanity starts to rest on his shoulders. The human evolution over decades and centuries that Earth is accustomed to is about to get trashed by gene altering infusion and for the world to survive Logan Ramsay must let go of the past and the future. The legacy that he thought his mother left changes, the family he has is left behind, and the family that left him behind is out to kill him. Logan is on a path that he can’t break away from because is he does, humanity might just end. Lies and deception are just the beginning as the family that caused the world to hurt is about to make history again. 

Crouch delivers a science project on steroids that will leave you gasping for breath. This was an extremely fun and well-organized thriller that has plenty of action, great characters, and one of the most refreshing storylines I’ve read in a while. Logan Ramsay isn’t the hero that you want him to be, but he is the hero that most of the world needs him to be at just the right moment. 

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Fatal Witness By Robert Bryndza

There have been a few years between The Girl in the Ice and Fatal Witness, but Erika Foster is back. 

Fatal Witness’ dark and terrifying beginning leaves a family torn and blood everywhere. Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster of the London Metropolitan Police is tasked with catching a killer. Foster has been battered and bruised before and she’s lost a husband to the crimes that she still battles day in and day out, but she doesn’t quit. 

Bryndza brings horror and reality together into a twisted and dark story of survival. The battles the characters face are no different than anyone else in this world, but by intertwining those with the brutal murders of young women, Bryndza creates drama at every turn. The characters are complex enough that you don’t know who is guilty and who isn’t, and there is no shortage of misdirection while Foster and team unravel the truth. The word gritty has been used in a ton of reviews that I read for Bryndza’s thrillers, and it more than personifies the style of storytelling that he brings to the table.

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Rising Tiger By Brad Thor

Scot Harvath has been one of the most adventurous and hardened characters that the thriller genre has been privileged to have of recent years. Gracing the top of the New York Times Bestseller list numerous times, Brad Thor has been instrumental in bringing superb content to the fiction industry. His ability to command your attention and bring life to the pages have been a couple of the reasons that I have always looked forward to his work. 

Miles apart from normal everyday life, the Ladakh scouts, one of India’s most prized regiments is attacked with savagery and brutality that the world has never seen. A friendship of years between Scot Harvath and a former brother in arms is cut short by a bullet. While the start is hair raising and mind blowing, Harvath is in the thick of it. Fighting alongside a team of Special Operators in Afghanistan to extract an Afghan intelligence asset, Harvath must make a daring escape to find out why the world is turning into chaos all around him. 

While India is a large country with an enormous population, there are always some very bright stars that stand out and you meet one of those in the character of Asha Patel. As part of India’s federal intelligence service, Asha is part detective, part vengeance while she is dedicated to finding the truth to what happened to the Ladakh scouts. While Harvath is teaming up with Vijay Chabra, one of the best sidekicks you wish you ever had, to hunt down a killer, the insanity ratchets up even more. Nicholas, the Troll, is attacked and now the man responsible for helping Harvath catch those responsible is in the crosshairs of an unknown enemy. 

Asha and Scot happen to frequent an establishment around the same time and what blossoms is the partnership needed to right wrongs. Along with Vijay’s incredible acting skills, the perseverance of Asha, and the don’t mess with me attitude of Scot, the list of people at fault are now standing in front of a speeding truck. 

Brad Thor is back diving deep into a fresh locale with real geopolitical implications, leading Scot Harvath on a trip of resolve and retribution. Gritty action scenes, teamed up with real world problems faced head on by a cast of remarkable characters are just a small glimpse of Thor’s great writing. Rising Tiger is another Thor standout and should definitely be on your to be read list. 

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Movieland By Lee Goldberg

Goldberg is back and he’s going to put you into submission. No, not Bill Goldberg, but his younger and not as strong little brother, Lee Goldberg. Okay that’s a lie too, they are in no way related. But Lee can certainly write. After I found Eve Ronin, his young cheeseburger-eating hot-shot detective, she was hunting down criminals in the gated communities of Los Angeles in what was her third adventure. She’s still slugging away at her day job though, and at the Lost Hills Sheriff's station there is no guessing what the next emergency is that will come up in the 4th book, Movieland.

Ronin is a unique character, she comes from a father that was non-existent, a mother who thought she was something far grander than she really was, and with a law enforcement career that has rocketed off to a start. She is not a very likable amongst other precincts as she helped tackle the crooked cop issues plaguing the greater Los Angeles area. They also don’t like that she has shot to unreachable heights in no time at all and even has her own television show in the works. 

Eve is about to be on her own soon. Duncan Pavone, her husky buffet loving sidekick, is only two weeks away from retirement from the sheriff’s department. As for their sunset case, it is as wild and crazy as one could ever guess. A random shooting in Malibu Creek State Park turns deadly and it starts to unravel a long deceptive story of hate, corruption, and crime. The political landscape in California is no stranger to drama and Ronin’s job is to sift through the garbage to get to the truth. The truth involves sex, money, and lies along with a dead local political figure, crooked cops, and one of the largest cover ups known to the area. The insanity follows from LA to Las Vegas and back, through hilltop mansions, to trailer park hideaways. 

Ronin is a no-nonsense dedicated detective that must fight for her own life again as she attempts to expose the betrayal surrounding her. Eve has been dependent on her donut loving partner for years and with his retirement right around the corner she has some decisions to make. Can she handle the near-death experience that Goldberg throws her way? Eve has become a far better detective due to the trials she has faced, and this is just another trip that will test the perseverance and tenacity in one of LA most fierce detectives. 

Goldberg crafts another story of hard-nosed resolve while showing just how vulnerable Eve Ronin can be. She is a mighty strong independent character with a whirlwind past of emotions. Goldberg continues to write easy, fun, fast-paced thrillers that have you cheering from the sidelines the whole way.

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Zero Hour By Don Bentley

Bentley is no stranger to the thriller scene after the phenomenal start to his career with his Matt Drake series, and because of that, his stint as a Clancy estate writer has the highest of expectations from me. Following up the hair-raising Jack Ryan Jr. adventure Target Acquired, he brings a deadly battle on a peninsula that has been primed for explosion for years. Pull those belts tight, Zero Hour is going to get crazy. 

Jack Ryan Jr. would be one of the most polarizing figures in the United States if people knew who he was. As the son of the President, you would think he has media following him everywhere, when in fact, Jack Ryan Jr. is a mythical ‘Campus’ operator/analyst roaming the world over keeping his country safe. While overseas with Lisanne Robertson, his something more than a girlfriend but not yet affirmed with the status conversation, South Korea turns deadly in an instant. While sightseeing in Seoul following a long flight, the heat picks up as Ryan sees what is either a flash mob or a riot starting. Police and EMS personnel arriving on scene seem to show that this is going to be a rowdy bunch until the world unexpectedly turns upside down. 

Ryan does what any one from ‘The Campus’ would do, he acts, saving people and variably changing the lives of those around him. As his adventure is just beginning, ODA 555 is conducting real life training scenarios in South Korea as well. ODA members Jad Mustafa and Cary Marks are specialists in dealing death when they run  into funny business that plagues the Korean peninsula. By doing what they are all trained to do, they unwillingly link up as terror strikes everywhere in downtown Seoul. 

As the story unwinds you meet another host of special operators with an endless amount of witty rhetoric and timely firefights. The story continues to build and build and there is a point where you believe puppet hands are in play but that the North Koreans are the aggressors in every single way. While you are struggling to play this out in your mind and help the team decide what they need to do, Ryan, ODA 555, and the other operators are attempting to stop one of the most egregious acts of violence seen in recent times. If they do not execute a flawless mission of redemption the Korean peninsula will never be the same. Is it World War III or the complete inexistence of a neighboring country?

The battle takes on new fronts with terrifying helicopter combat, infiltration to areas that typically do not like Americans, and the race to save the most unlikely captive. I cannot stress that last point enough, the creativity that Bentley drops on every page is unmatched and relentless and Jack Ryan Jr. is at the top of his game right now. Bentley lures you in with his perfected balance of detail and drama, delivering treacherous territory for Ryan and Robertson to navigate and a world full of unknowns for you to enjoy!

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Red Warning By Matthew Quirk

Matthew Quirk sets up a very desirable spy thriller with some of the most fascinating story telling I’ve read in quite a while. After having been hooked by Quirks previous works, The Night Agent with Peter Sutherland, and Hour of the Assassin starring Nick Averose, I was ecstatic to get my hands on this one, and it does not disappoint. 

We find Sam Hudson doing what he does as a spy when his world is turned upside down in Geneva. Prior to serving in the CIA, Hudson was an Army Ranger, so he is no stranger to death. While being trained to deliver death and probably deal with loss is common amongst the type of people he works with, the breakdown of expectations in Geneva have left a long-lasting feeling of dread and failure. Failures of epic proportions and those that lose agents are typically career enders, that’s why Hudson is kicking at home for a while. But then a phone call changes everything. 

White hot heat, blood and human limbs, and the call that changed the life of one man. It changes him, it forces action that was maturing inside of him. Sam Hudson is a changed man after he sees innocent people killed because of the mysterious man that others have tried to catch. Innocent Americans are now suffering because he couldn’t do his job properly. 

In what seems like a ghost hunt that those before him have risked career and life for, Hudson succeeds at becoming an outcast. If not for the friendship of Emily Pierce, and the lone night the two partook in months ago, he would be a man on an island. The dedication to preserving life and ensuring safety of Americans is not for the faint of heart and Sam Hudson is the epitome of the word ‘hero’. Who is in charge of the destruction that could potentially cause World War 3? Who wants America to pay? There is so much misdirection, you don’t know who is good and who is bad. 

Death follows Hudson and Pierce throughout, but this isn’t your classic action flick. There are plenty of spy type adventures going on. Not your classic Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd ‘Spies Like Us’ spy stuff, but more of the early Bourne style, dark web of lies kind of stuff. The little things that Quirk does to draw you in are remarkable, little tidbits that are useful but don’t tell the full story. He continually gives you moments where you think the whole case is going to be blown up, but he drags you a little further. This one doesn’t have an overarching amount of action and I am okay with that. Quirk does everything right in creating an authentic spy story that risks the lives of millions.

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

Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson have been steadily writing great books that have kept fans in the thriller world satisfied for years. Knocking out pulse pounding thrillers time after time, I find myself waiting for those A&W release dates. In Sons of Valor 2: Violence of Action, the follow up to the terrorist operated Chinese drone adventure, we follow Lieutenant Commander Keith ‘Chunk’ Redman and his band of merry men/kick ass operators doing what they do best, hunt. 

Chunk and team are back on the grind for the bad guys as Navy SEALs are being targeted overseas while conducting missions. Mysterious conditions surround fatal operations as snipers are present conducting ambushes that lead to the team of Chunk and Whitney ‘Heels’ Watts scratching their heads. While the retaliation continues against the SEALs, interrogations of a high-level terrorist turn the whole story upside down. 

Utilizing contacts across numerous alphabet agencies in the American government, Watts finds a seemingly quiet British group willing to help after they realize that they are after the same things. Tracking numerous subjects who have been jet setting across the globe, Watts and Chunk find out that some attacks are probable and are forced into action. After a debacle in one of the most luxurious cities on the planet, the team makes their way home only to run into trouble again on their own doorsteps. This gets personal, and no one is immune.

Andrews and Wilson have been producing NYT Bestseller worthy thrillers year after year and this one should be a solid contender. They have the talent and whit to compete with all the big-name authors that grace bestseller lists year after year. Incredible action scenes, gut check decision making, and incredible character development drive this mind-blowing ass kicking tour brought to you by America’s finest. The tact and ability to emotionalize their stories make them hard to put down. Do not miss this.

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The Handler By MP Woodward

In a career that saw duties in Naval Intelligence, followed by US Intelligence operations, M.P.Woodward has seen a lot, probably more than he can talk about. But this, this was insane. This was a debut of epic proportions that is clearly pacing the field and will be sure to leave you amazed. Woodward defies logic of most debuts by creating cinematic quality on every page, and I hope this is the first of many knockout stories he gifts us.

Following the Iranian desire to increase production of ‘yellowcake’ to hold the necessary materials to create a nuclear weapon, Meredith Dale and former husband John are thrust into action. Meredith is recovering from the unfortunate failure of losing an asset in Dubai when the past comes calling. The man once run by John Dale, the supposed mole in Iranian centrifuge operations has reestablished communication and wants the one thing the CIA doesn’t, John.

John and Meredith have a meeting to discuss that his services are being requested, he doesn’t want to help. Case closed right? Wrong. As if his permanent vacation from the CIA couldn’t have been ruined anymore, he’s attacked on American soil by a foreign intelligence service. Things start to spin up quickly and you get to meet the not so smart team players that Meredith works with. Unbeknownst to the group, there are multiple spy agencies running operations against each other trying to find the suspected mole. The people that John and Meredith are trying to stay away from are always one step ahead which could lead to a potential all-out war between non-friendly countries. The United States, Iran, and Russia are all in a covert game of cat and mouse and it couldn’t be any better.

John Dale must fight for his life on the road to redemption with the CIA while trying to recover a former asset who is in the world's largest pickle. The amount of character background and development is perfect and the timeline and setup for the finale are brilliantly paced. The Dale’s face constant Jason Bourne style action and deceit with lives on the line. Woodward brings the heat in The Handler and will put a check in every box that you would expect from an experienced veteran author. Do not miss out on this one.

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