A Killer's Code By Isabella Maldonado

Filled with intrigue, twists and a never-ending sense of urgency, A Killer’s Code keeps you in suspense while you join the frantic pursuit to solve this mystery.  The third installment in the Daniela Vega series is another action-packed adventure that will exercise your brain and accelerate your heart rate.

Hitman Gustavo Toro is dead, but he planned to take others down with him upon his demise.  He left a video to be watched by the FBI in the event of his death, which requires Special Agent Daniela Vega and her team to decode cryptic clues and hunt down the evidence Toro left behind that will expose the malevolent forces directing his actions for years.  But they’re not the only ones searching for this evidence.  The very mastermind behind Toro’s nefarious orders is desperate to get there first and ensure he can continue to operate and maintain his riches and power.  What follows is a deadly race to the finish where everyone’s in danger, secrets are exposed, and lives will be changed forever. 

Dani Vega is undoubtedly the star of the show, her impressive skillset and intellect on full display along with being her unapologetically authentic self.  She is asked to not only crack daunting codes using her impressive brain and prior training, but she’s asked to lead tactical planning and execution in dangerous situations to leverage her prior military service.  Vega is one of the strongest most capable female protagonists in the genre and she kicks major ass on this case. 

Additionally, there are several other aspects of A Killer’s Code that elevate this book to a high level.  First, Vega’s boss Steve Wu delivers a masterclass in leadership and political savviness, navigating a difficult relationship with his direct superior that results in a successful outcome on the case and elevating his career prospects in the FBI.  Second, the development of supporting characters is fantastic.  From Vega’s genius brother Axel to NYPD detective Mark Flint to Vega’s mother and others, each character adds depth and purpose to move the story forward.  And finally, there’s Gustavo Toro.  The arc of this hitman’s story and the possibility of redemption for someone who has done so many despicable things are an incredible feat that can only be pulled off by an exceptional author.  And Isabella Maldonado is absolutely at the top of her game. 

A Killer’s Code is a top notch, fast-paced novel that flies by in the blink of an eye.  Once you pick it up, you’ll find it incredibly difficult to stop.  Another explosive and exciting thriller from the pen of Isabella Maldonado. 

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Tom Clancy Defense Protocol By Andrews & Wilson

Intense, action-packed and politically charged, Tom Clancy Defense Protocol is a high-stakes chess match between world powers on the brink of war.  Andrews and Wilson deliver a smashing hit of a story filled with intrigue, suspense and non-stop tension.

Chinese President Li Jian Jun has ordered a military operation that will secure his legacy – reuniting Taiwan with mainland China.  The plan is audacious, dangerous and Minister of Defense Qin Haiyu believes it to be disastrous for China.  Risking everything, Qin reaches out to the Americans in an effort to protect the country he loves from becoming a global pariah.  While President Jack Ryan works the diplomacy angle and prepares for war with his cabinet, John Clark is tasked with forming an international team similar to Rainbow Six to extract Qin and the American asset hiding him.  Simultaneously, Navy Commander Katie Ryan, the president’s daughter, is deployed to Taiwan to collect intelligence and find a way for the US to thwart the Chinese President’s plans.  Tensions are high and rising, and it’ll take everyone working together – and a little luck – to stop a bloody war from commencing.

Defense Protocol is told from the point of view of various individuals under extreme pressure, providing multiple perspectives that coalesce around a single narrative of attempting to avert a catastrophic war.  Giving the reader insight into the thinking of people at all levels – from the President of the United States and the Chinese Defense Minister at the top end, to US and Chinese Naval ship Captains in the middle of the action, to John Clark and a Chinese CIA asset in the shadows, to Katie Ryan and her team gathering intelligence and figuring out what the other side is going to do.  Every single person plays a vital role in the story and by highlighting each of their voices and actions the narrative is enhanced, making for a propulsive read that’s hard to put down.

Andrews and Wilson have absolutely crushed their first two Jack Ryan books.  Both are modern and exciting while honoring the classic elements of what made Clancy novels so compelling.  Looking forward to seeing what they have up their sleeves for the next one.  No doubt it’ll be another must read.

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The Last King Of California By Jordan Harper

Dark, gritty and filled with relentless tension, The Last King of California is the rare book that violently assaults all five senses.  You don’t just hold the book and read it.  You hear, smell and taste it.  A complete sensory experience you won’t soon forget.  Providing another proof point that Jordan Harper is at the top of his game and one of the best authors in the business.

Luke Crosswhite comes to the realization that he’s not cut out for college and returns home, a place he has complicated feelings about.  It’s the location of The Combine, a gang his father founded and manages from prison through Luke’s uncle on the outside.  Luke tried to run away from The Combine, but as he reengages with the crew, he realizes this is his family and exactly where he needs to be.  When another brutal gang demands they join up or be destroyed, Luke embraces his destiny and leads the fight to save The Combine and the people he cares about.  Resulting in a violent encounter where everything and everyone could be destroyed.  But there’s no stopping the inevitable.  And Luke will fight to the end for his family.  Blood is love. 

This is a book you feel with your entire being.  A barrage of body shots that leave you weak in the knees.  No gimmicks, no major twists, just a straight descent into hell where hope and dreams go to die, and pain is all that’s left.  It’s also a brilliant study in human behavior – how people evolve (or don’t) over time, how their sense of loyalty will drive their decision making even if it might be self-destructive, and how the environment you’re living in can significantly impact and drive your conduct.  It also explores group versus self, asking great questions about the power of the collective versus the will of the individual. 

And yes, there’s tons of violence.  Guns, drugs, explosions, knives, fire, torture and death.  Nothing and no one will be left unscathed.  Leaving you sweaty and completely spent like you’ve just gone 12 rounds with a heavyweight boxer.  Feeling the effects of this literary tour de force for days and weeks afterwards.  Intriguing, contemplative and haunting.  That’s the powerful gift The Last King of California will leave you with. 

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Once Upon A Time In Boomville By Montana Kane

Witty, playful, explosive and absorbing, Once Upon A Time in Boomville combines alluring and provocative affairs of the heart with a deadly serious race against the clock to stop murderous intentions.  Montana Kane’s third book in Brandy Martini series once again brings the heat with her trademark flirtations, suspense and satisfying endings.

A bigtime Hollywood production with the hottest director in the business has picked Boomville as the location for a blockbuster film filled with A-list celebrities and locals as extras.  But a string of escalating mishaps is putting the safety of the cast and crew, not to mention the entire movie, at risk.  Enter local private investigator Brandy Martini, given an ambiguous producer title and the charter to quietly investigate these incidents to find the person or persons responsible so, as they say, the show can go on.  But Brandy herself becomes a target and must navigate movie star eccentricities, Hollywood hopefuls, romantic entanglements and increasingly violent events to catch the saboteur before someone ends up dead.

This book is a hell of a good time.  From an intriguing investigation with more questions than answers to the underlying current of sexuality that permeates the entire story, there isn’t a single dull moment.  Readers are riding shotgun throughout – rubbing elbows (and other body parts) with celebrities, chasing down leads, and trying to stop a catastrophic disaster from occurring on set.  Throw in a town full of quirky locals with Hollywood dreams, an old gumshoe providing support, the “will they/won’t they” between Brandy and Lieutenant Pritzky, and a Malibu hot tub make out session, and Once Upon A Time in Boomville has more than enough action, “ACTION!” and “action” (if you know what I mean – wink wink) to keep readers riveted from start to finish. 

If you haven’t discovered the Brandy Martini series yet, what are you waiting for?  It’s a supremely underrated trilogy (so far) that screams fun, flirty and fascinating.  No time like the present to jump on this train and enjoy the ride.

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Follow Steve on Twitter or contact him via the site.

Purchase Once Upon A Time In Boomville
(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