Background: Born and raised on the East Coast, I now live on the West Coast after stints in the Midwest and Southwest. Day job is working for a large tech company. Married for 20+ years with 2 kids nicknamed "The Clown Show." Huge sports fan, addicted to good food, appreciate live theatre and music, enjoy camping & hiking...oh yeah, I also love reading thrillers and military non-fiction.
Go-To Author: William Kent Krueger. His Cork O’Connor series is incredible. I started with Lightning Strike and then read the remaining eighteen books within a year. It’s a collection of great writing filled with suspense, emotion, wisdom and fantastic characters. Each book teaches me something, makes me think deeply about my own life and actions, and reading each one for the first time is like a spiritual experience. Then there’s William Kent Krueger’s standalone novels. Wow! They’re breathtaking literature. The River We Remember was one of my favorite books of 2023. Can’t wait to see what comes next from this fantastic author.
Author People Should Discover: James Byrne. If you haven’t read the first two books in the Dez Limerick series (The Gatekeeper and Deadlock), you are missing out! Action packed with a sarcastic wise-cracking protagonist whose skillset is something to behold. Incredibly fun thrillers! And rumor has it we’ll have a third installment later in 2024. So now’s a great time to jump on board because this series is poised to explode.
Books You Would Recommend From 2023:
1. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger. Beautifully written, heartfelt, emotional tale of self-discovery via a murder investigation in post-WWII America.
2. Moscow X by David McCloskey. Superb US vs. Russia espionage novel that goes toe-to-toe with classics like Hunt for Red October, Red Sparrow and The Charm School.
3. Dark Ride by Lou Berney by Lou Berney. A crime novel with heart that follows a stoner finding purpose and battling to help kids escape an abusive situation.
4. Calico by Lee Goldberg. Vivid, immersive and endlessly fascinating story that defies simple genre definition and will have you deeply invested in the characters.
5. The Guilty One by Bill Schweigart. Suspenseful, dark and twisty story with a serial killer on the loose leaving dead bodies in their wake.
6. The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon. Powerful, anxiety-inducing, haunting tale of an abducted woman who never quits trying to escape.
Most-Anticipated Book Of 2024: Spirit Crossing by William Kent Krueger. 2023 brought us a brilliant standalone WKK book but it was a year without Cork O'Connor. Now Cork returns in 2024 with this 20th novel in the series. I cannot wait to catch up with these old friends and see what mystery Cork is called upon to solve.
Favorite Local/Indie Bookstore: Powell's in Portland, OR. One of my favorite things to do is to get lost for hours in the stacks at Powell's, checking out their amazing selection of books. It's one of the largest independent bookstores in the world, but more importantly it serves as my happy place.
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View Steve’s Latest Reviews (book pub. dates)
Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz (2/11/25)
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Tom Clancy Defense Protocol by Andrews & Wilson (12/3/24)
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Bogey Spades by Jack Stewart (11/19/24)
The Last King of California By Jordan Harper (11/19/24)
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A Very Bad Thing by JT Ellison (11/1/2024)
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The Seventh Floor by David McCloskey (10/1/24)
The Elias Network by Simon Gervais (10/1/24)
Ashes Never Lie by Lee Goldberg (9/17/24)
The Accomplice by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson & Aaron Philip Clark (9/3/24)
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley (9/3/24)
Fatal Intrusion by Jeffrey Dever & Isabella Maldonado (9/1/24)
An Honorable Assassin by Steve Hamilton (8/27/24)
Spirit Crossing by William by Kent Krueger (8/20/24)
Tom Clancy Shadow State by M.P. Woodward (8/20/24)
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I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell (8/13/24)
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The Chamber by Will Dean (8/6/24)
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Bad River by Marc Cameron (7/23/24)
The Bang-Bang Sisters by Rio Youers (7/16/24)
Ladykiller by Katherine Wood (7/9/24)
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Ember by Andrews & Wilson (7/2/24)
Sentinel by Mark Greaney (6/25/24)
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Shadowheart by Meg Gardiner (6/18/24)
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Kingdom Of Spies by Bevan G. Roberts (9/1/22)
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Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger (8/23/22)
Firestorm by Taylor Moore (8/16/22)
Heat 2 by Meg Gardiner & Michael Mann (8/9/22)
The Last Sentinel By Simon Gervais (8/9/22)
The Neighborhood by Matthew Betley (8/9/22)
Tessa Goes Down by Jason Bovberg (8/2/22)
The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland (7/26/22)
The Last Paladin by P.T. Deutermann (7/19/22)
Things We Do In The Dark by Jennifer Hillier (7/19/22)
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Armored by Mark Greaney (7/5/22)
Rising Tiger by Brad Thor (7/5/22)
First Born by Will Dean (7/5/22)
Outside by Ragnar Jonasson (6/28/22)
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The Falcon by Isabella Maldonado (6/28/22)
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Red Warning by Matthew Quirk (6/7/22)
Zero Hour by Don Bentley (6/7/22)
Sons of Valor II: Violence of Action by Andrews & Wilson (6/7/22)
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Cold Fear by Brandon Webb & John David Mann (6/7/22)
The Handler by M.P. Woodward (5/31/2022)
In the Blood by Jack Carr (5/17/22)
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The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan (5/10/22)
Hostile Intent by Don Bentley (5/3/22)
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Cold Snap by Marc Cameron (4/26/22)
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The Fifth Bandit by Jason Kasper (4/5/22)
Dark Angel by Andrews & Wilson (4/5/22)
Once A Thief by Christopher Reich (4/5/22)
The Missing Piece by John Lescroart (3/29/22)
Wild Card by Stephen England (3/15/22)
Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett (3/8/22)
The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer (3/8/22)
Persian Tomcats by Mitchell Boling (3/1/22)
Sisters of Night and Fog by Erika Robuck (3/1/22)
Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik (3/1/22)
No Second Chances by Rio Youers (2/22/22)
Blue Fire by John Gilstrap (2/22/22)
Beneath the Stairs by Jennifer Fawcett (2/22/22)
The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart (2/22/22)
Sierra Six by Mark Greaney (2/15/22)
Dark Horse by Gregg Hurwitz (2/8/22)
Undermoney by Jay Newman (1/25/22)
The Runaway by Nick Petrie (1/18/22)
Targeted by Stephen Hunter (1/18/22)
End of Days by Brad Taylor (1/11/22)
Insurrection Day by Chris Hauty (1/4/22)
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins (1/4/22)
The Maid by Nita Prose (1/4/22)
Covert Kill by Jason Kasper (12/21/21)
Sea Hawke by Ted Bell (12/7/21)
The Body Man by Eric P. Bishop (11/11/21)
The Unquiet Genius by Glenn Dyer (11/8/21)
Her Name is Knight by Yasmin Angoe (11/1/21)
The Last Protector by Simon Gervais (11/1/21)
Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg (10/26/21)
I Know You by Claire McGowan (10/19/21)
Security Day by Matt Cricchio (10/17/21)
The Kill Box by Rip Rawlings (10/5/21)
Wolf Point by Ian K. Smith (10/5/21)
I Am Not Who You Think I Am by Eric Rickstad (10/5/21)
Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark (10/1/21)
City on Fire by Don Winslow (9/21/21)
Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills (9/14/21)
Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan (9/14/21)
Last Target Standing by Jason Kasper (9/14/21)
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell (9/7/21)
The Necklace by Matt Witten (9/7/21)
You Can Run by Karen Cleveland (8/31/21)
Lightning Strike By William Kent Krueger (8/24/21)
The Family Plot by Megan Collins (8/17/21)
The Island by Ben Coes (8/17/21)
A Different Dawn by Isabella Maldonado (8/10/21)
Holdout by Jeffrey Kluger (8/3/21)
Down Range by Taylor Moore (8/3/21)
Assassin's Dawn by Ward Larsen (8/2/21)
Loser Baby by Jason Bovberg (8/2/21)
False Witness by Karin Slaughter (7/20/21)
Black Ice by Brad Thor (7/20/21)
The Cellist by Daniel Silva (7/13/21)
Steel Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann (7/13/21)
Falling by T.J. Newman (7/6/21)
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (7/6/21)
Sleeping Bear by Connor Sullivan (7/6/21)
Survive the Night by Riley Sager (6/29/21)
Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap (6/29/21)
Sirens of Memory by Puja Guha (6/29/21)
Suburban Dicks by Fabian Nicieza (6/22/21)
Bath Haus by PJ Vernon (6/15/21)
Shadow Target by David Ricciardi (6/15/21)
Target Acquired by Don Bentley (6/8/21)
Sons of Valor by Andrews & Wilson (6/8/21)
The Spy Devils by Joe Goldberg (5/26/21)
Arctic Storm Rising by Dale Brown (5/25/21)
Treason Flight by T.R. Matson (5/11/21)
Manistique by Craig Terlson (5/6/21)
Basil's War by Stephen Hunter (5/4/21)
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (5/4/21)
Six Weeks To Live by Catherine McKenzie (5/4/21)
Bone Rattle by Marc Cameron (4/27/21)
Sooley by John Grisham (4/27/21)
Judgment at Alcatraz by Dave Edlund (4/27/21)
A Gambling Man by David Baldacci (4/20/21)
The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean (4/20/21)
The Devil’s Hand by Jack Carr (4/13/21)
The Bounty by Janet Evanovich (3/23/21)
Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison (3/9/21)
The Beirut Protocol by Joel Rosenberg (3/9/21)
Win by Harlan Coben (3/6/21)
The Outside Man by Don Bentley (3/2/21)
Dark Sky by C.J. Box (3/2/21)
Crimson Phoenix by John Gilstrap (2/23/21)
Relentless by Mark Greaney (2/16/21)
The Unwilling by John Hart (2/2/21)
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan (2/2/21)
Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz (1/26/21)
The Breaker by Nick Petrie (1/12/21)
Someone To Watch Over Me By Ace Atkins (Robert B. Parker) (1/12/21)
A Stranger at the Door by Jason Pinter (1/12/21)
Savage Road by Chris Hauty (1/5/21)
American Traitor by Brad Taylor (1/5/21)
Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg (1/5/2021)
Black Irish Blues by Andrew Cotto (12/30/2020)
Drone Strike by David Austin (11/25/2020)
Time to Hunt by Simon Gervais (11/10/2020)
Assault by Fire by Rip Rawlings (9/29/2020)
Total Power by Kyle Mills (9/15/2020)
Assassin's Strike by Ward Larsen (8/18/2020)
Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby (7/14/2020)
The Order by Daniel Silva (7/9/2020)
The Silver Waterfall by Kevin Miller (6/4/2020)
Savage Son by Jack Carr (4/14/2020)
Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (4/7/2020)
The Dead Don't Sleep by Steven Max Russo (11/17/19)
Veterans Day by Jack Stewart (querying author)
