The Investigator By John Sanford

Every now and then you come across a strikingly unique character who allures you into a memorable stay-up-all-night-reading experience. That’s how I feel about Letty Davenport from The Investigator. 

A 24-year-old investigator newly instated by The Department of Homeland Security, Letty is offered the job to suss out a series of oil thefts. She teams up with an ex-Army master sergeant, John Kaiser, on the journey down to Texas where she crosses paths with a political group on a mission to drive out immigrants in a brutal display of terror and hostility involving an audacious plan to invade and lock down a small city for a nefarious endgame.

A fun fact about Letty is that she’s a gun enthusiast, which means there’s an abundance of accurate weaponry details and cool shootouts as Letty and John run across dangerous folks with ARs and shotguns, mindful that the story is set in Texas after all. 

The story builds upon the current political landscape in a logical and genuine manner without picking favorites. The central focus of the narrative lies with its realistic characters on both ends of the good-evil spectrum. Letty personifies the best of the people in this particular situation, cognizant and understanding of the political divides while sticking to her firm belief in rational thinking.

The action takes some time to kick in, but John Sanford keeps the pace fast and furious with relentless sleuthing that leads to constant breaks in the investigation for Letty and John to follow; smart investigating to demonstrate Letty’s mental acumen before showcasing her fierce combative skills. 

John Sanford knows how to make quite an impression on the readers as he flickers the mood from light to heavy remarkably well. With a fierce and independent protagonist, and a dark ending that beckons a great continuation of this story, The Investigator is one of 2022’s surprises that you simply must explore. No two ways about it.

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Assassin's Edge By Ward Larsen

Assassin’s Edge strikes a superb balance between detail-oriented storytelling and character-driven action. Ward Larsen changes up the David Slaton formula in an interesting manner that felt fresh and captivating.

The story introduces a brand-new threat for David Slaton to face on a global scale. When a US reconnaissance aircraft is brought down without any telltale signs of a conventional weapon and a Mossad agent’s abduction from the field links to the crash, Slaton is called back to investigate these events and unveil the enigmatic conspirators before World War 3 breaks out. With personal stakes for Slaton, he must venture to ice-cold Arctic amongst other exotic locations to catch up to a nebulous organization known as The Trident. 

Ward Larsen has done more than just the due diligence with technical aspects of modern-day combat. His stellar and advanced descriptions of naval vessels and weaponry compel you to visualize the outstanding settings with all the glorious details. That is not to say the urban combat sequences are any less superb. David Slaton battles enemies in the unforgiving expanse of Arctic ice-lands just as swiftly as he takes down underworld gangsters in Albania, all the way to battling a homegrown threat in Israel while utilizing every weapon he can get his hands on.

In contrast to the previous David Slaton thrillers, Assassin’s Edge is a more cerebral and darker thriller as we get to witness more of Slaton’s mental acumen in sifting through hidden clues and realistically gut-wrenching deceptions in a more espionage-than-action narrative. The intimate details of conducting espionage operations with the surreptitious tradecraft add a gripping layer of authenticity to the events that make you forget this is a work of fiction. Ultimately, this was an excellent choice as the finale opens up a multitude of potentially long-lasting follow-up stories to explore the dire consequences of what follows in Assassin’s Edge. 

2022 is lining up with great hits for the thriller genre and Ward Larsen has cemented a top spot already with this riveting and spectacular spy thriller. It truly deserves to be read in one-sitting. 

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Standing Alone By Stephen Leather

Standing Alone is a great indication of Stephen Leather’s continued reign on the action-thriller genre even after so many books. This was my first book by the venerable author and it was a blast to read.

Standing Alone features an angry SAS killing machine, Matt Standing, who’s blackmailed by an intelligence operative to fly to US and assassinate a former SEAL turned hitman and once Standing’s friend. Reluctantly, Standing enters America and visits the last known location of his target, a small town near California, where he gets involved with potheads, Russian gangsters, and a sinister conspiracy linked directly to his target. 

Stephen Leather emphasizes the necessity of economy of words when expressing details and emotions in a manner that realistically conveys the gravitas of each scene without going over the top.  From realistic conversations to intense heart-pounding moments with necessary bouts of levity, Stephen Leather has a way with words that’s a beautiful balance between fast-paced and wonderfully expressive.

Coming to the action, Standing Alone features some of the most fun and explosive shootouts you’ll read. Matt Standing takes on violent mobsters and terrorists with swift double taps from his Glock 19. The finale feels like a supercharged John-Woo inspired action sequence with Standing dual wielding pistols and taking out bad guys in style. You could put cool techno music to the beat of the gunshots and it would play in sync.

The twists-filled ending presents numerous opportunities for exciting follow-up stories with a greater focus on espionage-laden narratives. I can’t wait to read more from Stephen Leather! 

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Dark Angel By Andrews & Wilson

Brian Andrews and Jeffery Wilson are no strangers to writing kickass military action thrillers brimming with real-operations-authenticity and keen imagination that’s not too far away from reality. Dark Angel marks a vastly different approach to traditional A&W stories with the inclusion of religious and supernatural elements.

Even though it is the second book in the Shepherd series, Dark Angel is essentially the origin story of Jedediah Johnson, who is invited to join the Shepherds organization, a tactical and spiritual warfare team to battle enemies of physical as well as supernatural dispositions through god-gifted abilities of special sights. When a former member of Shepherds organization and now satan’s dark angel is broken out of prison by an evil force to cause religious conflict between Muslims and Christians and usher in an age of darkness, Jed must lead his new command to stop the dark forces before their plan comes to fruition.

It’s easier said than done when Jed and his team have to fight through a horde of supernatural creatures that can’t be stopped with a few punches and scratches. The dynamic duo of Andrews and Wilson show off their action prowess with some hard-knuckled fisticuffs and aggressive shootouts with trendy and futuristic weaponry and tech right out of a Matthew Reilly book, setting the fierce and intense mood for the boiling narrative. 

The critical element of the story is the emphasis on faith and supernatural connections between characters that guide the heroes on the path to stopping the bad guys. It takes a while to get used to the spiritual vernacular if one’s not well versed with this niche genre but Andrews and Wilson keep the momentum flowing and the characters interesting for readers to follow easily. In the vein of Tier One and Sons of Valor books, a few subplots are introduced but left unresolved to be explored further in the future, keeping us on our toes as we excitedly await what befalls our brand-new team of spiritual warriors next. 

Dark Angel is a hopeful tale of the everlasting battle between good and evil, with a tantalizing fusion of religion and action that adds new twists to keep the fable burning bright. 

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The Treadstone Transgression By Joshua Hood

Joshua Hood energizes his action-heavy Treadstone series as he takes Adam Hayes on a wrecking-ball power-filled trajectory to Haiti for an asset extraction.

Recuperating from the wounds of the last book’s explosive finale, Adam Hayes is beginning to spend quality time with his family when his handler activates him once again to rescue an asset hunted by a corrupt CIA official and a cabal of global intelligence members using local Haitian resources as well as the Russia’s infamous Wagner group of mercenaries. After a jumpy landing, Hayes is thrust into a raging storm of bad intelligence and double crosses and he must fight his way out to survival in a slick and fun escapist storyline.

The Treadstone Transgression shines bright and loud with Joshua Hood’s highly imaginative action sequences. Brutal and sharp-detailed, each shootout and hand-to-hand combat sequence in the almost constant action narrative is a treat for adrenaline junkies who prefer visualizing the action in super crisp resolution, made possible by Hood’s smooth prose and profoundly accurate tactical and technical knowledge.  There is no shortage of tumultuous gunshots and vociferous explosions to keep the momentum rolling at high speed.

The action works extremely well because of the leading man. Adam Hayes is a fascinating hero with a troubled past as an assassin that sticks with him even in the present day in the form of a guiding voice in his head, a side effect from the medical experiments at Treadstone. A family man with hearts to mend and promises to live up to, Hayes’s vexing dilemma to choose between protecting his family and spending time with them hits a powerful keynote in the reader’s emotions that merits a strong attachment to Hayes’s actions and well-being even though he may very well be the unkillable terminator. 

The Treadstone Transgression is a stormy action-packed adventure with a dark protagonist and brutal action reminiscent of Netflix’s Extraction in terms of the stylish and unrelenting nature of the combat sequences. Joshua Hood revs up the RPMs in this fast and furious thriller. Buckle up!

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Watch Dogs: Stars & Stripes By Sean Grigsby & Stewart Hotston

Watch Dogs: Stars & Stripes is a fun-spirited adventurous thriller balanced skillfully with a serious subject matter and grave consequences. Aiden Pearce exudes a lot of Jack Reacher vibes as a deliverer of justice but with a mastery of technology that makes for some riveting action sequences and crafty moments.

Aiden Pearce, more popularly known as The Vigilante, prowls the shadows with his 1911 pistol and his smartphone with the power to hack into almost any software and use it to teach the corrupt individuals a smacking lesson. A secretive branch of US government enlists Pearce’s help, albeit reluctantly, to investigate the recent thefts of human-augmentation tools and put an end to the white supremacist group behind the attacks. Unable to say no to a righteous cause, Pearce and his handler/old friend Jordi Chin follow the clues all the way to the Oval Office where the leader of the white supremacist group aims to unleash the final horrific step of a diabolical plan.

Watch Dogs: Stars & Stripes is a continuation of Aiden Pearce’s origin story from the Watch Dogs video game. However, the authors ensure that even readers unfamiliar with the video game will be able to step into this tech-oriented narrative with a strong foundation of the past events and an even stronger anticipation of the unveiling of the smart and engaging new storyline. That being said, it is absolutely a huge treat for the video game fans as we read Aiden Pearce control cranes, vehicles, and all sorts of electronics in quick-witted fashion during shootouts with shotgun-arms against bulletproof chest augmentations and rpm-revving car chases to gain the upper hand in a show of cinematic and stunning action sequences on a grand scale. By the end, you’ll wish for a big budget movie to incorporate these scenes.

Aiden Pearce is a force to be reckoned with. His sly wittiness is matched evenly by his strong moral and emotional center which adds arresting gravitas to his personality. His allegiance to ethics above any institution makes him the kind of inspiring character that’s sorely needed today. The authors have done a splendid work of mapping his video game personality to an even more expansive and exhaustive platform in this thriller. 

Watch Dogs: Stars & Stripes is pure entertainment in the most exciting way possible. From ingenious and bizarre tech to a mind-boggling plot, this thriller is going to rock you on the highest setting.

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Wild Card By Stephen England

Wild Card belongs in the VIP portfolio of the thriller genre that exclusively caters to the most terrifying stories, made so by the uber-realistic story and characters that make you pause and wonder if you’re actually reading a factual account rather than fiction. Stephen England brings his A-game with a flashback story of Harry Nichols as he begins his descent into the pit of darkness that comes with the territory of fighting monsters in the abyss.

It’s 2007 in Germany and Harry Nichols is assigned to aid the capture and rendition of an asset who has fled from Turkey. What should have been a simple snatch and grab operation blows up into a much bigger mission as a terrorist plot is unveiled to strike at Americans. Against the ticking countdown to impending doom, Nichols must work with his German allies to stop the attack. Before the end of the plot, Nichols is further molded into the dark rule-breaking blue-eyed operator who we’ve come to love and fear.

While most of Stephen England’s stories pack copious amounts of hard-hitting action, Wild Card dials down on the combat and instead tunes into the desperation and tension of uncovering the full scope of the terrorist plot in a highly believable turn of events that will have you biting your nails to the stub while you wrack your brain in overdrive to predict the unpredictable; one of the trademark elements of a Stephen England story. Harry Nichols’s evolution is one of the most impactful and Wild Card indulges intriguing insights into his character as a relatively less weathered paramilitary officer hardened by the brutality and frustrated by the political bureaucracy that clogs the well-oiled machinery of operations. The despair and panic seep clean through the pages into the hearts and minds of the readers for a truly immersive read without pushing any bigoted or racist agendas, rather presenting thoroughly and respectfully researched characters and situations.

Wild Card is utterly brilliant and gripping to the very end, presenting itself as an excellent gateway into the riveting Shadow Warriors series. One of 2022’s most highly awaited books, standing up to high expectations and even surpassing them.

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Shadow War By A.M. Adair

A.M. Adair is back with another hot action ride, kicking off the narrative with a tense and adrenaline-pumping action sequence and setting a violent and gripping tone for the latest Elle Anderson thriller, Shadow War.

Set only a few minutes after the events of The Deeper Shadow, Elle Anderson is targeted by a hit squad on orders of a renegade former CIA officer with a vendetta against Elle. Cut off from official resources, she has only her team to rely on as she takes the fight to her enemy. Outgunned and outnumbered, Elle and her team have to utilize every bit of their training and skillset to come out on top in this suicide mission.

Elle Anderson is a certified badass and there’s no denying her profound impact in the thriller genre. A.M. Adair writes with an experienced hand of someone who has persevered through a plethora of tough situations as her protagonist does, both physically and emotionally. Elle Anderson’s journey as a weathered spy is not without the realistic depiction of the toll of violence on the human psyche regardless of how necessary it may be. Never during any part of the story did I feel Elle to be superhuman. That’s not to say the action sequences were anything less than fantastic. A.M. Adair elevates both the quality and quantity of cinematic and tactically impressive shootouts with cutting edge weaponry.

Shadow War is highly entertaining and utterly captivating with its smart plot and awesome characters, balancing fun with grounded emotional depth to create a memorable read. You’ll be hard pressed to keep your jaw from dropping.

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Shadows Reel By C.J. Box

C.J. Box’s latest Joe Pickett novel wades into the territory of abhorrent Nazi secrets paving a violent path for some unpalatable characters on a mission to contain those secrets. 

The Pickett family is getting ready to host their thanksgiving dinner when a brutal murder shakes up their quiet town once again. Joe Pickett’s tenacious nature to step out of his employment boundaries as Game Warden to investigate the murder pays off when Marybeth Pickett receives an anonymous donation of a Nazi memorabilia with photographs exposing a hidden conspiracy. Meanwhile, Nate Romanowski is hot on the trail of the man who attacked his wife and child and took his falcons from the events of the previous book. 

C.J. Box maintains the admirably relatable approach to writing Joe Pickett and his family. As Game Warden, Joe is not neither a spy nor an assassin; he has undoubtedly matured from his previous experiences but still retains the very human element that has made Joe Pickett an iconic and charming protagonist. Arguably the bigger star of this thriller is Marybeth as she plays the most prominent role in solving the murderous mystery, an unexpected but welcoming change. 

While Joe and his wife take up the cerebral aspect of the thriller, Nate’s hunt for his nemesis takes care of the action as he closes in on his nemesis who has a diabolical plan to cause chaos and unrest throughout the country by utilizing political rallies and divisions. 

Shadows Reel is a character-driven narrative with a simmering pace that develops the story gradually through character interactions, leading to a realistic final showdown that wraps up the plot neatly.

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The Baja Directive By Craig Hooper

Craig Hooper’s highly relatable and badass protagonist, Garrison Chase, leads an entrancing conspiracy tale where he faces off against a violent cartel leader as well as the President of the United States.

After saving the White House administration from the politically devastating events of the previous book, Garrison Chase is taking some well-deserved time off when he receives a personal off-the-books visit from POTUS, imploring Chase to quietly take out a vicious criminal who is running a sex-trafficking ring within a legalized immigration program between US and Mexico. Right off the bat, there are ill-omens for this unofficial operation but it isn’t until too late that Chase realizes the gravity of the murky situation he has dived face first into. Unable to trust official channels, Chase must fight for his life and uncover the truth before the trouble reaches home.

Craig Hooper lays down subtle clues and observations for astute minds to take notice of as he drives the story forward with a first person POV. The attention to detail pays off for the final revelation as readers uncover the mystery clue by clue in the front row seat with Garrison Chase. There is no straight forward predictable path to the heart of the conspiracy, an aspect that makes for a delightfully attention-grabbing experience.

The Baja Directive also doubles down on the action as Garrison Chase takes on highly trained adversaries gun running through the jungles of Mexico. The shootouts are described with a sharp visualization akin to actually being in the heat of the battle with Chase. The personal stakes hammer home an intense desperation for Chase to see the mission through and that intensity seeps into the high adrenaline sequences that grip you on the edge of your seats.

Treat your mind to a twisting and churning narrative and revel in the exotic dangers of battling a dangerous cartel with Garrison Chase. Craig Hooper does not disappoint in the slightest.

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Splinter Cell: Firewall By James Swallow

James Swallow brings back the legendary spy and assassin Sam Fisher with every bit of charisma and awesomeness of the Splinter Cell video games and books. As a huge fan of both, I was enthralled beyond words to see such exquisite rendition of the clandestine world of Splinter Cell universe with cool gadgets, cinematic-smooth action, and an audacious plot of a villain reminiscent of Bond baddies with a new take on weapon of mass destruction.

Set two years after the events of Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Sam Fisher is training and evaluating the next potential group of Splinter Cell operatives when he finds his next trainee is none other than his daughter, Sarah Fisher. He has to put his reservations on hold when his supposedly dead nemesis is found working for an evil mastermind with a plan to plunge the whole world into panic and carnage using state of the art quantum computing to breach any firewalls in all sorts of essential infrastructure around the world. Sam Fisher must face his demons while guiding his daughter to embrace her own demons that come with the dangerous job of a Splinter Cell agent.

Splinter Cell games have some of the finest combat sequences and truly deserve just as fantastic action on paper. Luckily, James Swallow is well-versed in writing pulse-pounding action sequences and he brings his craft to Splinter Cell: Firewall with authentic and exquisitely creative shootouts and hand-to-hand combat with a multitude of fascinating gadgets and weapons from the games. Even James Bond would be jealous of Fisher’s toolbox. 

The grand scope of the narrative is augmented by a personal stake for Sam Fisher to see this mission through. Even though Fisher has been around for a while, his foundation as a protagonist is explored and built upon even further to highlight his unique personality that makes him stand out between so many other action heroes. Avoiding cliche pitfalls, James Swallow writes emotionally satisfying moments between father and daughter in such an unorthodox situation. Sarah Fisher as a Splinter Cell trainee has a wonderfully developed character arc that aptly sets her up for future stories without taking away any focus from Sam Fisher.  The deeply personal rivalry between Fisher and his nemesis adds a gritty edge to the story, resulting in a fulfilling and spectacular finale. 

Splinter Cell: Firewall was one of my most awaited books for the upcoming year and even with such high expectations I was mesmerized with the stellar storytelling. It’s everything a top-notch action-packed novel should be.

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The Night Shift By Alex Finlay

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Alex Finlay’s The Night Shift is the personification of “all thriller and no filler “. I started the first chapter in the afternoon and before I knew it, it was midnight and I was flipping the last page. 

The narrative opens up with the grisly murders of Blockbuster store employees on New Year’s Eve 1999. Only one girl survives the massacre. 10 years later, young girls working at an ice cream store are brutally murdered and yet again only one girl survives. The crime scene details are eerily identical, begging the question if it’s the same murderer as the one from 10 years ago. The mystique runs high throughout the narrative with awe-striking plot twists hurdling at you like meteoroids that keep you hooked on to watch the disturbing secrets unearthed in most spectacular fashion through good old sleuthing and killer instincts of the characters.

What makes The Night Shift such a unique experience is the brilliant character development coupled with a pedal to the metal plot. There are no grand action sequences as befitting the grounded murder investigation situation, putting the entire weight of keeping the story gripping and exciting on its believable characters and a breakneck pace. Luckily, Alex Finlay excels at mastering both in The Night Shift.

The Night Shift is a perfect crime-mystery thriller for fans, reminiscent of Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB series, but adding its own flair.

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Those Who Hunt Wolves By Harrison Taylor

Those Who Hunt Wolves caught my eye with its unique offerings. Genetically enhanced soldiers, corrupt financial institutions behind the most powerful heads of states, and a vengeful batch of mysterious characters on a mission to expose a dark conspiracy.  The book lives up to its promise, and then some. 

An unconventional thriller surely, but one that’s written with the supreme confidence and finesse of a skilled writer who knows how to keep the reader captivated without fail. Harrison Taylor expertly juggles numerous concepts from political intrigue to science-fiction. The narrative flows smoothly and purposefully through the pages, ensuring no sentence is wasted. Powerful dialogues build unforgettable characters, and jaw-dropping twists keep your mind running to calculate all the possibilities.

Adding sweet cherry on top, Harrison Taylor delivers some stupendous action sequences that pack the right punch for super-powered characters battling to the death in awe-inspiring scenes of gruesome combat. Taking advantage of the science-fiction angle, the author introduces cool weaponry and gadgets that elicit an audible WOAH when you read them in action. More importantly, the action is fueled by emotional ammunition to deliver a truly impactful cinematic sequence. 

Those Who Hunt Wolves is incontestably one of the top choices for the break-out thriller of 2022. As hard as I tried to read it at a casual pace, the charm of this neo-noir thriller had me laser-focused on it and nothing besides it. Full disclaimer: the femme-fatale is disturbing enough to keep you up a few nights afterwards. That’s how you write a deeply sinister character.

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Grim Measures By David Darling

David Darling’s crime thrillers hit you right in the gut with unrestrained brutality and grittiness. Grim Measures is a poignant story powered by terrifying emotions and a thought-provoking question of what lengths a doting father will go to in order to save his child.

John is a single parent, working hard to raise his daughter Ava on his own. His world is turned upside down when Ava is kidnapped from her room. With no leads in the investigation, John takes it upon himself to save her when the kidnapper orders John to kill the lead FBI agent on the kidnapping case in exchange for his daughter’s life, forcing John to choose between his morals and his duties as a family man.

Such an emotional topic would normally necessitate a full-length novel to properly explore the harrowing ramifications. However, David Darling remarkably paints an immersive and uncompromising portrait of John’s distress and his descent into despair in a short length. He also packs an impressive amount of realistic and cinematic action as John becomes quite the marksman with his wife’s Sig M18 and goes on the dark path of vigilantism. 

If you feel like refreshing your mind with a fine dark thriller that is guaranteed to be the pick-me-up on a dull day, I urge you to read Grim Measures. The ending will definitely catch you off-guard.

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No Second Chances By Rio Youres

No Second Chances cuts through all the competition in the vast ocean of thrillers with a sharp plot and larger than life characters wrapped in a stylized narrative that feels real and current.

Rio Youres writes a beautifully compelling story with all the bling and darkness of Hollywood we have come to love from Michael Connolly’s Bosch series. Luke Kingsley, a down on his luck actor after being accused of murdering his wife, crosses paths with a kind and wild young spirited woman, Kitty Rae, when she saves him from a suicide attempt. Kitty dreams of becoming a Hollywood icon when she is not working as a drug courier. When she runs afoul of a Nordic crime boss and social media celebrity, she has no one but Luke to help her escape from dangerous killers hellbent on punishing Kitty for her transgressions. For Luke, this offers a purpose in his life again as well as an opportunity to find out what happened to his wife. 

This is not your usual run-of-the-mill thriller. It ticks all the right boxes; riveting pacing, edge-of-your-seat action, and shocking twists that flip the narrative on its head. At the same time, it’s supercharged to convey the gut-wrenching emotions in a realistic tone that resonates with readers. The characters feel like they might be your next-door neighbors. The protagonists are given their due diligence in setting up rich histories that pave the way for their well-conceived choices, good and bad. 

The action is perhaps one of the finest and most realistic depictions of combat in a civilian capacity. Luke Kingsley’s weapons training for action movies gives him the advantage of knowing his way around weapons but doesn’t make him invincible. The shootouts, car chases, and fisticuffs cater to the physicality and backgrounds of the characters and are written with the cinematic flair of going the extra mile in visualization that elevates the reading experience for thriller aficionados.

Besides the fantastic heroes, the spotlight also shines on the distinctive villain. Johan Fly, an ambitious criminal with a strong social media following and a secret violent streak. His Nordic ancestry comes out in his proclivity to use a special axe in taking out his victims. Rio Youres’s bone-chilling descriptions of Johan Fly strike fear deep into readers and Luke and Kitty alike. Having a well-established and frightening villain is hard to achieve in a thriller but Youres makes it happen.

This is a once-in-a-year reading experience that actually nails every single aspect ranging from emotional depth to brutal action and transcends genres to appeal to all readers. Rio Youres’s No Second Chances is a phenomenal book from cover to cover and there aren’t many books like it. A must-read!

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Beneath The Stairs By Jennifer Fawcett

Beneath the Stairs is one of the creepiest thrillers I’ve read. Bone-chilling, haunting and addictive from the very first page when the author introduces a mysterious basement door in a house visited by brutal horrors, a door that leads to undeniable terror for the young kids who explore it on a dare but come out changed for life.

One of the best aspects of this spooky tale is the sustained mystique of what haunts the characters from their experiences in the basement. The buildup to the reveal is phenomenal, with multiple interweaving timelines and characters whose collective discoveries unveil the mystery only after the reader is thoroughly spooked by the supernatural horror elements yet not entirely certain about its true nature.

At the heart of the story lies a web of grounded human interactions between realistically formed characters with severe emotional baggage. As you read through the transformative journeys of the characters from teenage years to adulthood, you form meaningful attachments to them and become heavily invested in their survival as the story dives into perilous grounds. With complex and flawed character psyches, an intriguing question begins to take shape; what’s scarier? Ghosts, or the potential for humans to be disturbingly terrifying?

For readers who like to test their limits by staying up late with a truly scary story, Beneath the Stairs is the perfect choice to keep you awake past bedtime and peering over at the bedroom door periodically as your brain starts visualizing the strikingly eerie events courtesy of the author’s immersive writing.

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Mickey 7 By Edward Ashton

Mickey7 is a special story. It’s not entirely sci-fi, it’s not entirely thriller, but it’s a fascinating fusion of philosophical conundrums in a science-fiction setting with a machine-gun pace of a solid thriller.

Mickey Barnes is expendable; he has signed up to be the cannon fodder in scientific planetary explorations where the human touch is needed. He has died 6 times so far but wakes up in a new clone each time engineered from his body tissue. When an incursion with an alien species goes bad, he is rumored to be dead. He makes it out alive only to realize he has already been cloned. Mickey7, meet Mickey8. Only one can actually survive. Edward Ashton takes readers on an enriching journey with fantastic characters and exciting dilemmas with one big question; what makes you YOU?

Edward Ashton’s prose is beautifully elegant. The narrative digs deep into the feelings of Mickey Barnes and his unshakable circumstances that made him sign up to be an expendable. Even with interstellar travel and far too futuristic elements, Ashton explains every single detail in layman’s terms with vivid and familiar descriptions for every reader to visualize in the highest mental resolution possible. The first-person POV is fun and regal, establishing a strong connection between Mickey Barnes and readers where it naturally feels as if Mickey is talking to us.

I went in without knowing the nitty gritty of what to expect and perhaps this is the best way to dive into this book to be completely surprised by the sheer scale of the poignant storytelling with nuanced messages and parallels that hit you late at night and keep you in a perpetual state of marveling at the brilliance and ingenuity of this exquisite world that Edward Ashton has created and filled with life.  No wonder Hollywood has already started the process of bringing this book to the big screen.

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Margaret Truman's Murder At The CDC By Jon Land

Jon Land writes a terrifically suspenseful story in Margaret Truman’s Murder at the CDC, one that is sure to make you think twice about getting coupons in the mail. 

During a tour for high school students at The Capitol, a gunman opens fire with an automatic rifle and claims the lives of many young souls before being gunned down. Kelly Loftus of the Department of Protective Services, formerly a detective of Baltimore PD, comes across a trove of clues that hint at a less straightforward theory than that of a deranged gunman. Following her instincts, she pairs up with Robert Brixton, a man of many talents of the espionage persuasion. With a personal incentive for Brixton to get involved, they uncover and follow the clues all the way to a senator with an audacious and morbid plan in the works. 

The narrative twists and turns at a fantastic pace while developing its characters with a steady hand. The sleuthing/mystery elements of the story keep you hooked in as the Brixton and Loftus work the crime scenes and peek behind the curtains through intelligent curiosity that is perfectly in-line with the discoveries and conclusions of their investigation. There is heavy focus on establishing the main baddie of the story, diving into the makings of a man that could concoct such a twisted, deadly plan for his personal gains. While I would have loved to see Brixton and the bad guy interact more, the final confrontation still satisfied my appetite for a personal conflict between the two. 

Murder at the CDC grips you from the chilling first chapter and doesn’t let go until the resolution of the story as you try to crack the conspiracy from different angles alongside the protagonists. An ideal choice for readers looking to give their inquisitive brains a workout.

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Sierra Six By Mark Greaney

Sierra Six is an explosive entry in Mark Greaney’s Gray Man saga with a deeper than ever insight into Court Gentry’s psyche and roots. Testament to the outstanding writing found in these books, Mark Greaney brilliantly circumvents the traditional linear narration for an unconventional route this time as the narrative moves forward in two parallel chains of events, one for current timeline, and one for Court Gentry’s first ever mission with the infamous Goon Squad twelve years ago. 

After being branded persona non grata once again following the events of Relentless, Courtland Gentry is operating in the shadows as a hitman with strong moral codes. During a straightforward mission to plant surveillance bugs in the Turkish embassy in Algiers, Gentry gets more than he bargained for when he comes across a man who was supposedly killed twelve years ago. When Gentry takes a shot at his target, his cover is blown and his tech support for this particular mission, an Indian college grad, is captured. Racing against time, he follows the trail to India where he finds out his past isn’t done with him just yet. 

There’s no denying the appeal of vivid and breathtakingly awesome action sequences in the Gray Man books. Sierra Six pushes the envelop of realistic and cinematic shootouts and hand-to-hand combat without tipping into the unbelievable. Whether Gentry’s taking out his adversaries with lightning quick headshots or jumping from one building to another in a wild foot pursuit in the urban sprawls of India, the beautifully descriptive narration keeps you on the edge of your seat with its WOW factor.

Gray Man has always been an enigma for readers. Mark Greaney reveals trickles of Gentry’s past but never the complete picture. It comes as a huge game-changer that Sierra Six dives deep into the makings of Gentry as the withdrawn and relentless assassin with a penchant for undertaking the most dangerous contracts and missions. We see Gentry as a young singleton operator in his mid-20’s who has grown comfortable in operating on his own. Against the wishes of his handler, he is added to the Golf Sierra team, led by Zack Hightower, after the team loses a member during a time sensitive mission in Pakistan. This book is undoubtedly one of the lengthier Gray Man books, but for great reason as we get to see Gentry’s uneasy interactions with his team and his makings as a fluid and adaptive team-player with wisdom imparted on him by his experiences from his first mission with the Golf Sierra team, a mission that heartbreakingly molds him into an even more ruthless killing machine.

I noticed some inconsistencies with regards to location research and cultural and linguistic nuances. The story takes place predominantly in South East Asia, particularly India and Pakistan. Research on India was laudably extensive despite the COVID travel restrictions. However, descriptions of Pakistan and the spoken languages (Hindi-Urdu) felt a bit alien based on my exhaustive experiences in the region. This could have simply been a fluke due to aforementioned COVID restrictions but came as a slight shock as Mark Greaney’s writings have always captured and reflected realistic descriptions of environments and situations. 

Sierra Six fuels the readers with dangerously high doses of adrenaline from its rapidly evolving plot and escalating action sequences while grounding the story with pragmatic characters and unnerving threats of the modern world. Not only is this one of the best Gray Man thrillers so far, but will also undoubtedly be one of the most talked about thrillers for 2022. Buckle in for a reading frenzy because the Gray Man is back with a bang!

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Purchase Sierra Six
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

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

City Of The Dead By Jonathan Kellerman

City of the Dead is an unconventional thriller, but certainly one of the most grounded and classiest police procedurals of the decade. With the charismatic LA backdrop for a slew of murders that may or may not be connected, the narrative is a slow burn but deeply insightful and irresistible.

When a woman is brutally murdered in her apartment along with an unidentifiable young man, Detective Milo Sturgis calls upon the brilliant expertise of Psychologist Alex Delaware to aid the investigation due to the disturbing nature of the crime scene. Starting from scratch, Alex and Milo unearth clues through logical and reasonable deductions that exhibit a true-crime investigation vibe as opposed to a pure fictional one. Both leading characters balance out the proper crime solving essentials, with Milo taking up the charge of hardcore door to door police-work while Alex calls upon his instincts to psychoanalyze the suspects and the crimes, marking a dynamic and memorable crime-solving duo.

Johnathan Kellerman writes an easy-to-follow prose with a kindred sense of relatability that works in perfect harmony with Alex’s first person POV. This is one of the rare few narratives where the setting takes a life of its own. LA’s vibrant and sometimes sinister aura is elegantly described with simple but effective words along with complimenting characters that seem so real and plausible that we begin to truly care for them. The dogged determination of the leads keeps you gripped with the anticipation of the big reveal that hits you like a freight train from the least expected direction.

If you’re yearning for something besides an ordinary thriller with cool tidbits about solving crimes the old-fashioned way and a surprisingly uplifting message, you can’t go wrong with City of the Dead.

Follow Kashif on Twitter or contact him via the site.

Purchase City Of The Dead
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)

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

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