A Stranger At The Door By Jason Pinter

I was first introduced to Jason Pinter in 2020 when I received a complementary copy of Hide Away.  In that book, Jason introduced a strong female protagonist in Rachel Marin…and I’m a sucker for strong female characters.  As a result, I devoured Hide Away and had hopes the book would be the start of a long-running series due to Rachel’s combination of strength and resilience wrapped inside a caring mother.  Thankfully, Jason recently released a sequel titled A Stranger at the Door, a worthy sequel that further develops Rachel and the key characters around her.

In A Stranger at the Door, Rachel is now a forensics consultant with the Ashby Police Department.  This is a win/win as it gives her purpose and an outlet for her special set of skills while also providing the police with augmented capabilities via her expertise.  In parallel, Rachel and her family are still dealing with the aftermath of tragic events from their past when a teacher from the local high school is gruesomely murdered.  As Rachel gets involved in the investigation, nefarious forces behind the scenes will stop at nothing to hide the truth, putting everyone around her in mortal danger. Despite verbal and physical warnings to back off, and driven by the ideal that if she can unravel this deception then her family will finally have a shot at some semblance of normalcy, Rachel continues to push forward in a desperate attempt to solve the case and protect the people she loves. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and there are a couple of things that strongly resonated with me.  First, as a parent, Rachel’s drive to do anything to protect her kids forces me to think through what I would do in these situations.  Second, because a main portion of the plot involves taking advantage of susceptible and impressionable teenage boys, this book brought out a lot of emotion in me.  On both these points, this story really hit home with me as the father of two boys, one of which is a teenager about the same age as Rachel’s son Eric.  I found myself comparing my parenting style with hers, even though I’ve never experienced anything close to what her and her kids have gone through. It also forced me to confront my own parenting abilities and shortcomings with results I now either need to address or ignore (possibly to my peril). Lastly, it increased my level of concern for keeping my boys safe and away from those who don’t have their best interests in mind.  Heavy stuff you don’t necessarily expect from a thriller book. Thanks a lot Jason Pinter! (wink, wink)

On a lighter note, A Stranger at the Door is well written.  The story is compelling and moves at a rapid pace.  The character development is solid, both for the returning characters from the prior book and for the bad guys introduced in this story.  In summary, A Stranger at the Door is an excellent second installment in the series and one I’m excited to recommend to thriller fans of police procedurals and psychological thrillers.

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Someone To Watch Over Me By Ace Atkins (Robert B. Parker)

I have a confession.  My favorite book series of all-time is Robert B. Parker’s Spenser novels.  Yeah, I know that as far as confessions go this one isn’t all that newsworthy.  But given my love for the thriller genre and the great authors for whom I have professed my admiration, like bestselling authors Daniel Silva and Brad Thor to name just two, this confession might come as a surprise to some.  However, it’s 100% true.  I started reading Spenser books when I was in middle school after discovering the mid-1980’s TV series Spenser for Hire with Robert Urich & Avery Brooks. 

Spenser books have always delivered.  They are quick reads that offer intriguing stories, are filled with tons of sarcasm and include characters I absolutely love.  In fact, I would further confess that Spenser and Hawk are my all-time favorite literary duo.  They are fantastic characters that, because of the TV series, are easy to picture taking on the bad guys with vigor and without fear.  As such, I am forever grateful to Ace Atkins for taking the torch from the late, great Robert B. Parker to keep Spenser, Hawk and the gang alive and kicking ass.

The latest installment, Someone To Watch Over Me, starts with a teenage girl’s lost backpack but quickly turns into Spenser and his apprentice, the 22-year old Mattie Sullivan, going up against rich and powerful adversaries.  The more we learn about the targets of Spenser & Mattie’s investigation, the more horrifying events come to light, which naturally result in Spenser facing more danger…par for the course for him.  Thankfully, Spenser has the usual crew by his side – Hawk with heavy weaponry and intimidation, Susan Silverman with psychoanalysis and unconditional love, Quirk with the power of the Boston PD, Rita Fiore with legal prowess, and a new puppy representing the reincarnation of beloved Pearl – as they seek to righteously put an end to monstrous acts perpetrated by a smarmy rich couple.

This book has everything I’ve loved about Spenser novels since my childhood.  A fast-moving plot, Spenser seeking righteous justice for marginalized victims, sarcasm galore, undying love between Spenser and Susan, Hawk being a bad ass, sexual icon, and more. It’s a wonderful homage to the great works of Robert B. Parker and a worthy entry into the Spenser lexicon.  Ace Atkins is on a roll with the last 2 books in the series being the best since he took over in 2012.  I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us Spenser fans going forward.

If you haven’t read a Spenser novel before, I urge you to do so in 2021.  I don’t know what you’re waiting for. The series started in 1973 and there are now 48 books in the series.  48!!!!!  That’s insane.  But if you do decide to pick up one of these books, I promise you a fun story with wonderful characters.  Check it out.  You’ll be making childhood me very happy if you do.

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Bone Canyon By Lee Goldberg

This is the second installment of the Eve "Deathfist" Ronin series and a book I was looking forward to after Lost Hills took me by surprise earlier in the year. I wanted to see how Eve's character development would continue after she saved the day the first time around.

Bone Canyon picks up 6 weeks after Lost Hills concludes. Eve is recovering from injuries she sustained during her first murder investigation as a detective in the Robbery-Homicide Division of the Lost Hills Sheriff's station, which culminated in a daring escape and rescue from a raging wildfire. She's supposed to be taking it easy, working from a desk and focusing on her physical therapy. But when bones show up in the ashes of the wildfire, she refuses to sit it out. Then, a case that starts out as one potential homicide turns into a whole lot more with multiple victims. As Eve and her partner, Duncan "Donuts" Pavone, dig deeper and deeper, the cases become significantly more complicated as it implicates dirty cops who will stop at nothing to protect themselves from humiliation and lengthy prison sentences. As the heat turns up on the case, Eve must decide how far she wants to push it while coming under near constant attack by people who have sworn an oath to serve and protect.

Lee Goldberg does a nice job of crafting an action packed story into a 300-page novel that, at it's core, is a solid police procedural. There are multiple twists and turns to keep you guessing throughout. And when you think it's al wrapped up he hits you with a final twist that I didn't see coming, but in retrospect there are enough breadcrumbs throughout the story that it doesn't come out of nowhere. He also brings in a solid perspective on how law enforcement officers would react, act out against and even protect one of their own who is passionately working a case that could bring significant embarrassment to the department and fellow cops.

The author also attempts to develop Eve and the surrounding cast through their actions and decisions, but unfortunately I found the character development lacking. Eve's naïve, scorched earth lone wolf approach is over the top and wears thin pretty quickly. I like that she's a rookie and that she has a chip on her shoulder based on how she leveraged her celebrity to accelerate her appointment to homicide detective. I also like that she makes mistakes and shows some vulnerability. That adds a solid level of realism. And I'm generally a fan of strong female characters. However, it takes away from the story when she ignores everyone except her partner and won't listen to reason, continuously putting herself in difficult situations she should know better to avoid.

The other part of the story that doesn't work for me is Eve's family, namely her incredibly overbearing mother, constantly insisting that Eve cash in her fame and sign a Hollywood development deal for the rights to tell her story on the screen. It becomes a detractor from the plot with how often it comes up, including all the times her mother and other relatives hound her about wearing makeup when she talks to the press. Eve's mom is not likeable and, while I'm sure that's the intent, it's a bit much with how overly annoying she can be throughout the book.

All that being said, Bone Canyon is still a book I enjoyed and Eve Ronin a hard-nosed character with great potential. It's worth reading for the action and the plot twists alone. Just know what you're getting into. This isn't a Bosch-level police procedural, but to be fair that's a high bar to achieve and most books don't get there. Take it for what it is, a good story about corrupt cops with a strong female lead who's trying to do right to clean up the department while finding justice for the victims. If the author dials back Eve's tunnel vision, this is a series to watch going forward that can play with the big boys.

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American Traitor By Brad Taylor

January is a great month for new thriller book releases, and it’s become an annual tradition of mine to pick up the latest Brad Taylor book shortly after New Year’s Day every year. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to wait until 2021 to get a look at the latest Pike Logan adventure. I had high expectations since Brad is one of the best writers, and Pike one of the best operators, in the genre today. After devouring the book, I can honestly say this is one fantastic novel! American Traitor is a cerebral and elaborate story with a tangled plot that combines complex geopolitical shenanigans with that special Pike Logan magic badassery we all know and love.

American Traitor follows Pike and fellow Taskforce operator/now-wife Jennifer Cahill (aka Koko) as they head to Australia for vacation and some diving around the Great Barrier Reef. They’re hoping for a relaxing vacation visiting a friend and former Taskforce member, but with Pike nothing is ever that simple. No sooner do they get to their friend’s apartment than the bloodshed ensues, and this time Pike and Jennifer don’t know why they were targeted. They get involved as a means to protect their friend, but that quickly expands into a kinetic operation across Australia, then Taiwan, with the other illustrious Taskforce members joining in on the fun. As they dig deeper, they unravel an ominous conspiracy with global implications that could start a costly war with China. Now in a race against time, Pike and his team must stretch the limits of the Taskforce charter to save the world…again.

What makes American Traitor one of Brad Taylor’s best books to date is that it’s much more than a large body count at Pike Logan’s hands. Yes, there is plenty of action and dead bad guys along the way to make die-hard fans happy. But this book is so much more than an action thriller. In fact, I believe it’s more of a political thriller combined with a spy thriller. There’s a great deal of insight into Pan-Asian politics with the plot exploring Chinese espionage activities in Australia, the nine-dash line in the South China Sea, the tenuous China/Taiwan relationship and the United States ambiguous diplomatic policy towards Taiwan. These elements make for a compelling story that moves between key characters on multiple sides of the equation until it all comes to a head with an explosive conclusion.

In addition, this book represents a transition point in the series. After the events of Hunter Killer (the previous Pike book), George Wolffe is pressed into action as the new leader of the Taskforce and Brad does a great job of developing him as a character. It would have been easy for George just pick up where Kurt Hale, the prior Taskforce leader, left off. Instead, he is shown to be his own man with more political savvy and a penchant to let Pike work his magic with a little less oversight. George is also faced with the Taskforce charter possibly evolving in a new direction, which requires a different approach. We’ll have to wait and see how George develops over the next few books, but I’m intrigued to see how he progresses and deals with Pike’s unique skillset of pushing the boundaries of authority and mission approval.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of American Traitor. It’s the latest in a long line of absolutely bankable great thrillers by Brad Taylor. It has everything you could want: politics, action, espionage…and Pike taking out everything and everyone standing in his way of mission success. In addition, it feels like a book that is predicting one of the next big world-shaping conflagrations. I’m willing to bet that we’ll see real life actions that mirror the plot of this book. Hopefully not to the same extent, but we’ll just have to wait and see. So read about it now and be prepared for what’s to come!

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Savage Road By Chris Hauty

Savage Road is a worthy sequel to Deep State and represents the second straight triumph right out of the gate by Chris Hauty.  The story picks up after the chilling ending of Chris’ debut novel, driving the United States into a deeper state of chaos and peril as events of a cyberattack nature unfold (glorious puns intended).  I will refrain from sharing more plot details because Savage Road (and Deep State for that matter) is so good that I highly recommend starting it with little-to-no pre-knowledge of the plot so as to achieve maximum brain explosion upon reading.

Yes, I know that my last sentence above essentially tells you to stop reading my review.  Not a smart strategy for a reviewer, but no one ever accused me of being smart.  Nevertheless, if you take my advice, please come back after finishing Savage Road to read the rest of this review and then hit me up in the comments and/or on Twitter with your thoughts.  However, if you’re a rebel and feel compelled to continue reading, I’ll explain a few reasons why this book is awesome and destined to be included as one of the best thrillers of 2021.

Reason #1: Hayley Chill is one of the top female protagonists in the thriller genre today.  There’s something about her as a character that is mesmerizing and inspiring.  She’s strong, honorable, intelligent, patriotic, and unrelenting.  But her greatness goes beyond those adjectives.  Perhaps it’s that Hayley has earned everything she’s ever achieved in life.  She’s had no advantages and hasn’t expected any.  She’s scraped and clawed for everything. And despite the hardships of her rural West Virginia childhood, or maybe because of those experiences, she’s been able to excel physically and intellectually to the point where she was hand picked for clandestine operations of critical importance to the United States.  Yet she keeps being underestimated and strategically uses that to her advantage to outwit her opponents.  Hayley’s playing chess while others with elite backgrounds and superior education are playing Candy Land.  And I’m here for all of it.

Reason #2: If you’ve already read Deep State, you know that Chris Hauty hit readers with one of the most massive, jaw dropping twists ever to grace the pages of a thriller. Well, in Savage Road he continues to surprise and shock the reader by including multiple bombshell twists.  I lost count after 4 or 5 huge “HOLY F*&KING S%!T” moments.  The story is brilliantly crafted to maintain suspense and then throw you for a loop just as you think you have things figured out.  It’s a master class in how to entertain readers and differentiate versus other political thrillers.

Reason #3: Chris Hauty leverages his experience as a screenwriter to paint vivid pictures with his prose that leads the reader to easily visualize the setting, characters, and emotions.  It’s like watching a movie in your mind.  I don’t know how he does it, but it adds a ton to the experience. Additionally, Chris has a “unique narrative device” where for some supporting characters as they exit the story, he provides a short glimpse into the rest of their lives.  I absolutely love this concept.  Adds a lot to the overall character development throughout the book.

So…in case you can’t figure it out, I absolutely loved Savage Road and highly recommend you pick up a copy ASAP!  Savage Road is a tremendous political thriller with great character development and twisting storylines that keep the reader on the edge of their seat.  If you’re not yet on the Hayley Chill bandwagon, now’s the time to jump on!

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Drone Strike By David Austin

Having read David Austin’s Tehran’s Vengeance in 2019, I was eagerly anticipating the release of Drone Strike – the second book in the Joe Matthews series. Tehran’s Vengeance was a surprise debut novel that I absolutely loved. It had tons of action, a realistic but bold plot, and solid characters. I was expecting the same things from Drone Strike and David Austin didn’t disappoint. Drone Strike is a fantastic political/military thriller that held me in suspense throughout, leading to several audible gasps and cheers escaping my mouth as events unfolded.

In Drone Strike, Russia undertakes an audacious false flag operation with sky high ambitions. They set out to steal a CIA Reaper drone with a compliment of Hellfire Missiles. The objective? Use the drone to cause destruction and mayhem in the Middle East with the United States taking the blame. If successful, Russia stands to elevate their own stature and influence in the region. The question is, will they succeed and alter the course of global affairs? Or will Russia end up like Icarus, flying too close to the sun only to crash and burn?

In comes Joe Matthews and his 5-man unit of highly capable CIA Protective Resource Group paramilitary operators. Their primary function is to “protect Agency officers in high-risk locations around the world.” However due to the course of events, they’re tasked with foiling Russia’s plans, bringing the perfect combination of lethal skillsets and personal motivation that makes them the right men for the job. It won’t be easy as they must go up against the very same Russian Spetsgruppa “A” elite unit that ambushed them previously, inflicting serious harm to their unit and operation. And if that wasn’t hard enough, they also have a foreign asset in-theater in dire need of assistance from Joe’s team due to risking his life to support the mission. It’s a massive understatement to say a lot is riding on Joe’s capable shoulders. But failure is not an option!

There’s a lot to like about Drone Strike. The writing style is smooth and easy to follow. The action sequences are intense, plentiful and graphic. The plot is equal parts insanity and realistic. And the character development is excellent across the board from Joe Matthews, to the bad guys to the President of the United States. And that character development is critical since at its core this book is character driven. The actions and emotions of the main and supporting characters feel authentic rather than contrived. This lends a higher degree of believability to what’s transpiring throughout the book and leads the reader to become more invested in the story.

Drone Strike is terrific and I highly recommend you jump on board the Joe Matthews train sooner rather than later. He’s a fantastic character that fits in the genre right next to the likes of Scot Harvath, Pike Logan, Matt Drake, John Dempsey and others. I’m excited to see where Joe Matthews goes from here, but I promise you this series is going to be a fan favorite for a long time!

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Black Irish Blues By Andrew Cotto

In Black Irish Blues, Caesar Stiles returns to his hometown in New Jersey after years away spent wandering the country.  Now back home, he’s purchased the town’s only bar with the goal to refurbish it and in the process end his Sicilian family’s curse…and possibly find redemption for himself.  However, things are never simple and Caesar is simultaneously pulled in two directions – (1) the dark criminal underworld to make amends for his late brother’s prison snitching and (2) as a private detective doing a favor for his cop friend by seeking a man who presumably faked his own death and skipped out on his wife with most of their money.  Now, Caesar must use his powers of observation and clever intellect to navigate the complex situation while staying safe and true to his values. 

Having grown up in the New York/New Jersey area, it was easy to make a connection with settings and characters that had a familiar look and feel to the memories of my youth.  But even for those who have never been to that part of the country, there are several aspects of Black Irish Blues that are easily relatable to all readers – reuniting with a friend you haven’t seen in ages but picking up where you left off like you just talked yesterday, the nostalgia of returning to your hometown and seeing landmarks that were important to you growing up, running into an old crush, seeing how people have changed over the years, navigating difficult family relationships, and even just the simple joy of a well-cooked meal.  It’s these kinds of things that allow the reader to make strong connections with the characters in the book, developing feelings and rooting for how you want their story to play out.  

But building a strong connection with the characters isn’t automatic.  It takes a gifted writer who genuinely loves his/her individual subjects to give them the appropriate depth, complexity and personality.  And Andrew Cotto clearly cares about his characters as evident by both the overt and nuanced thoughts and actions they undertake.  In fact, you can’t help but sense this book is deeply personal to the author as each page oozes emotion through these individuals as events unfold.

At its essence, Black Irish Blues is a beautiful story about family, redemption and debunking the myth that you can’t go home again.  Andrew Cotto delivers a quick, witty and impactful read that will give you all the feels and leave you satisfied as you close the back cover.

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Time To Hunt By Simon Gervais

The Pierce Hunt series might only be 3 books in, but I've been a fan since the beginning and each book has been fantastic. Time to Hunt is phenomenal and in my opinion the best in the series so far! I devoured it in one day. The action starts early and is unrelenting throughout, making it impossible for the reader to catch his/her breath, compelling you to keep reading to find out what happens next. It's simply unputdownable. Plus, the plot is well thought out and offers enough twists to keep from being predictable. This is a story of betrayal, honor, loyalty and justice, with a dash of family thrown in as well. Oh, and did I mention that Pierce Hunt is a bad ass? He is! He's quickly become one of my favorite characters in the thriller genre. He's got a great moral code and will do anything to complete the mission and protect those around him. Pretty awesome qualities that make you root hard for him to succeed.

Highly recommend getting a copy of Time to Hunt. You'll love it as much as I did if you're a fan of Jack Carr, Mark Greaney, Brad Taylor, Ben Coes, etc.

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Assault By Fire By Rip Rawlings

After co-authoring the the hit global Military opus Red Metal with Mark Greaney, Retired USMC Lieutenant Colonel Rip Rawlings released his first solo novel Assault By Fire in September 2020. I was excited to check it out after absolutely loving Red Metal last year, finding it to be a fitting ode to the Tom Clancy classics I grew up reading. After reading it, I'm happy to report Assault By Fire is an entertaining, action packed, balls-to-the-walls thriller that doesn't let you breathe for a moment.

The novel follows protagonist Major Tyce Asher, a US Marine who loses his leg in Iraq and then is denied his request to return to the sandbox, but is put in charge of training a joint reserve Marine/West Virginian National Guard unit. This assignment isn't what Asher wants, but it turns out to be exactly what America needs when Russia invades the US and he is forced to lead an insurgency against a stronger, more numerous occupying force. Asher and his rag tag band of Marines and National Guardsmen join up with locals, mountain men, other military units and a couple of retirees to fight back. Along the way they use unconventional methods to bring the fight to the enemy in an effort to save the country they love.

The book starts with a short setup, focusing on Tyce Asher's backstory and developing Russia's rationale for the insane idea of attacking America. But once the fighting begins, it never lets up. It's non-stop action that goes beyond mere battlefield engagements. In addition to the raw, visceral military confrontations, this book also has quite a bit of emotion and solid character development. Asher is forced to rise above and grow into a leader needed for the immense moment in front of him. He leans on the guidance of several key players, some he knows from his unit, others he just met. But they all add to the story in meaningful ways.

There are several twists and turns that leave the outcome in doubt for much of the book and an ending that seems to signal a sequel is in the works. If that's the case, sign me up! I'm a Tyce Asher fan and I want to see where this story takes readers going forward. Assault By Fire has the potential to be the beginning of a new long-running military novel franchise that fans of Tom Clancy, Andrews & Wilson and Marc Cameron will enjoy immensely.

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Total Power By Kyle Mills (Vince Flynn)

I'm a huge fan of the series and dove into the latest installment with high hopes. I'm happy to report this book blew me away, beat my expectations and is likely in the running for best thriller of 2020.

This book deserves to be read without knowing much about the plot. All I will say is that a terrorist plot knocks out the United States power grid and chaos ensues, requiring Mitch Rapp and team to go to extraordinary measures to save the country from total annihilation. Kyle Mills did an amazing job crafting a plot that is scary realistic and didn't feel like fiction at all. In fact, it resulted in me starting to increase my preparedness for a long-term power outage. That's how real and visceral it feels. Simply put, Total Power freaked me the hell out! It seems like this could happen in real life and if/when it does we'll all be in serious trouble.. That's about the best compliment I can give for this book...that it's not that hard to visualize the events and subsequent terror genuinely occurring in our lifetime.

On top of that, I continue to love what Kyle does to evolve Mitch, Scott Coleman and the other key characters while introducing new compelling characters and bad guys. There is one part in the book that I know is going to spark some concern about how Mitch handles himself, but I personally didn't have a problem with it. He's handling business and won't let anyone or anything get in his way to save the US from catastrophic loss of life. To me, that more than justifies his actions.

This book has it all. Great action, tons of intrigue, a race against the clock, international ramifications, and Mitch kicking ass and taking names. I could not put it down and was in awe about how good the book was throughout. Kyle Mills is an evil genius and I'm so happy he's crushing it on behalf of Vince Flynn. Highly recommend reading Total Power!

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Assassin's Strike By Ward Larsen

Ward Larsen nails this book, his seventh novel about the secretive and principled spy David Slaton. In this latest installment, David is brought back into the fold by the CIA as repayment for safe haven for his family in the US. What starts out as an extraction mission turns much more complicated as a false flag operation becomes apparent with one Middle Eastern country at risk of a chemical weapons attack.

This book has a compelling story with a lot of action and great development of the main/new characters in this book. The pace is perfect, blending wonderful story telling with the right level of anxiety as the race to the finish unfolds. In addition, Ward does a brilliant job of storytelling without giving away all the details of the plot too quickly. Definitely has twists and turns and a few "oh man!" moments throughout that add greatly to the book. It also has some signature Ward Larsen aviation technology/tricks that you come to expect from the former US Air Force pilot.

I loved Assassin's Strike and I highly recommend it! Ward continues to be one of the underrated writers in the Thriller Genre. If you like books by authors like Mark Greaney, Brad Taylor, Brad Thor and Daniel Silva, then you will enjoy Assassin's Strike.

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Blacktop Wasteland By S.A. Cosby

Blacktop Wasteland is my #1 book for 2020. I’ve read it multiple times and it’s exquisite, providing an emotional thrill ride that sticks with the reader well after the last page has been turned.

Blacktop Wasteland follows Beauregard “Bug” Montage, a man trying to live an honest life and do right by his family under increasingly difficult circumstances in rural Virginia. He’s married with 2 sons, has a high-school daughter from a prior relationship and runs his own garage. However, the garage is losing money due to stiff competition, his daughter needs money to go to college and one of his sons needs braces. Out of options, Bug gets lured back into “the life” by Ronnie Sessions, a man he has worked with before but has major beef with from being shorted in a previous score gone bad. However, desperate and with the promise of a big payday, Bug agrees to plan a diamond heist and puts his exceptional driving skills to the test as the wheelman of a 3-man team. While the score is big, it doesn’t go as planned and things just keep getting worse, pulling Bug deeper into the abyss. He now must make a choice about his real character as he sets events in motion to get out of this alive while protecting his family from hard men wanting to do them harm…or die trying.

There are several reasons I love Blacktop Wasteland. First, this is a character-driven story and SA Cosby does a masterful job developing characters with great depth. Each character is more than they seem when first introduced, building layer upon layer of their personalities and motivations as the story progresses. Which leads to the second thing that’s great about the book, creating emotional connections. I found myself incredibly emotionally invested in the story – rooting for Bug, cursing out Ronnie, feeling for Kia, and more. Despite never having experienced anything close to what these characters go through, I was thrust into their shoes and felt what it was like to be them. As events unfolded, it became more than reading the words on the page. I could feel the action, the pain, the hope and the helplessness. And this happens because of the third reason this book is incredible, SA Cosby’s writing genius. He provides incredibly vivid descriptions, settings, similes and metaphors via world-class prose. Turn to any page in the book and you’ll find beautifully crafted sentences that transport you into the story as if you’re there. Lastly, because of the vivid writing, it feels like you’re watching a movie that should be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. It’s so brilliantly written that it automatically creates a picture in your mind and emotions in your heart. And once the book ends, you’re left with a book hangover, thinking through everything you just experienced. Only the best books can create that feeling.

I highly recommend Blacktop Wasteland as a must read and S.A. Cosby should immediately be added to your list of authors whose books you automatically preorder whenever they have a new release on the way.

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The Order By Daniel Silva

I'm a huge Daniel Silva fan and the Gabriel Allon series, for my money, is the best series in the spy genre. So every year when a new Gabriel Allon novel is released, I say I'll read it slowly & savor it. And every year I fail miserably, flying through it. No different with The Order. I loved it! Though I will admit that the last few books in the series were, in my opinion, a bit better because they were more traditional Allon tales whereas The Order is more DaVinci Code-ish, a departure from what we've come to know and love from Daniel Silva. That's not to say this book isn't great because it is. The writing is beautiful, the story is well crafted and the characters well developed. there are several plot twists and a satisfying ending. Additionally, this book seems to set up a transition for Gabriel, which is critical to take into account since the big picture and future of Gabriel Allon is important in the context of this long running series.

Long story short, Daniel Silva is the master and he delivers another entertaining, beautifully written story. To me, this is hands down the best series in print today. Highly recommend starting from The Kill Artist and reading all 20 books. Can't think of a better use of your available reading time.

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The Silver Waterfall By Kevin Miller

The Silver Waterfall is much more than a book, it’s an immersive experience.  Author Kevin Miller thrusts the reader into the cockpits of WWII bombers and fighters during the Battle of Midway to feel every incoming shot from enemy ships, every exploding anti-aircraft shell and every enemy fighter trying to gain position to blow you out of the sky.  Even better, the reader gets to experience these sensations from both the American and Japanese sides of the war, bringing a higher level of humanity and moral ambiguity to the battles that you wouldn’t get from reading only about the American side of the story.  

What makes this book so compelling can be summed up in one word: perspective.  In addition to the book providing viewpoints from both countries in the Battle of Midway, it also does a brilliant job of telling the story from different levels of the military. The book follows Admirals, XOs, COs, fighter pilots, bomber pilots and gunners.  Each character has a different role and a different take on the mission and the war.  By providing insight into different levels of the military within the context of one major battle, the reader gets a richer experience through holistic storytelling that allows you to piece together the bigger picture.

And the coup de grâce – this book is historical fiction.  The events and characters are real.  The experiences are real.  The damage to planes, ships and people are real.  In fact, the individuals in the book have life stories that either end in the waters of the Pacific Ocean or continue on for many years (the author shares the stories of major surviving characters after the war).  It takes a lot of talent to utilize real characters and a real battle, add in tons of research and flying acumen, then add fictionalized context on what each character feels and does.  But Kevin Miller does it quite impressively.

I highly recommend The Silver Waterfall to fiction and non-fiction fans alike.  It’s a fantastic WWII story about a pivotal battle that we’ve all learned about in history class, but provides a unique perspective that I found fascinating and believe you will too. 

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Savage Son By Jack Carr

Jack Carr has quickly become one of my favorite authors. So when I won an advanced copy of Savage Son through Goodreads, I felt extremely privileged and lucky. Both The Terminal List and True Believer were in my Top 5 books from 2018 and 2019 respectively, so Savage Son had a lot to live up to. And I'm happy to report it not only lived up to Jack's prior books, but it blew them away! It's magnificent!

As always, I don't talk about too many specifics in this review in order to avoid giving anything away. But here are several reasons why I love this book:

1. The continued development of James Reece. The Terminal List is a balls to the wall thriller from start to end. We get to meet Reece under the darkest of circumstances and cheer him on as he gets revenge. In True Believer, we learn more about what makes Reece tick as he strives for redemption and I believe this book is his true origin story. Then we get to Savage Son. Reece is trying to figure out his life and all kind of hell breaks loose...again. He's still a kick-ass former SEAL who knows his way around weapons and tactics. But you also get to see his evolving feelings towards those around him as he tries to determine what he wants to do next. He's been through great trauma in the past, so to see his emotional healing take place, even as it gets interrupted, is really great character development.

2. The bad guys. There are 2 main bad guys - Oliver Grey and Aleksandr Zharkov - who play important but different roles in the book. They're both solid bad guys for different reasons. Oliver is the cerebral one who plays a big role in Reece's past and knows he's in Reece's cross hairs so he wants to direct a preemptive strike. Aleksandr is a sick mofo SVR director/son of a mob boss who feels Reece will finally provide a worthy opponent to his "game." Why do I call him a sick mofo? You have to read to find out but you won't be disappointed. Don't think I've ever read a book with a bad guy who does what Aleksandr does for fun.

3. The action. There's plenty of action in Savage Son, but there are two main "battle" scenes - one in Montana and one on a Russian island in the Bering Sea - that are just fantastic. They're intense and memorable for different reasons. I'll leave it at that so I don't give anything away.

4. The Hastings family. We already knew that Raife is a bad ass and a good dude. But his family is equally as impressive and I love them! Not just for what they continue to do for Reece, but because they're awesome people who can handle themselves in a crisis and are always there for the ones they care about. I want to be friends with them.

5. Reece's diversity of kills. I love how Reece can kill his enemies in different ways. And the ways he eliminates his targets in Savage Son are amazing. I definitely cheered out loud and fist pumped a few times as the unsavory characters met their demise.

6. Reece's journey at the end. I won't go into details, but when you think Reece has done what needs to be done on Medny Island, there's more. He goes on an epic 6-month journey through harsh terrain to finish the job and get info that hopefully sets up the next book. It's balls-y and insane and awesome.

I can go on and on extolling the virtues of this book, but I'll sum it up with this. Jack Carr has the goods. I said it after The Terminal List. I said it again after True Believer. But it's never been more evident than after reading Savage Son. It's his best book to date and I expect we'll continue to be seeing amazing things from Jack going forward. He's the next big thing in the thriller genre and everyone needs to get on board ASAP. It's like being able to say you were there from the beginning with Tom Clancy.

Lastly, I've heard Jack mention on several occasions that this is a book he's wanted to write since the 6th grade. To have this story in your mind for all that time, get it published, and absolutely nail it within an inch of perfection must be an amazing feeling. Which is awesome because as good as this books is, Jack Carr is an even better human. It's awesome to see great things happen to great people.

Bravo Jack!

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Strike Me Down By Mindy Mejia

I really liked Strike Me Down. It's a wonderfully written whodunit mystery that has you guessing throughout as to who is to blame. I changed my mind several times throughout the book as I tried to determine the culprit, but figuring it out was elusive which is a sign of a good book. And I personally loved having a strong female accountant/amateur kick boxer as the hero. Yes that's right, the main character of this thriller is Nora, a forensic accountant by trade and bad ass kick boxer by night. I know this sounds like a weird occupation/combo for a thriller protagonist but it gives the reader something quite different versus the usual male military or law enforcement bad ass, and it works well in this book. As a finance person myself, it's cool to have a protagonist who loves numbers & spreadsheets. That's my jam and it's a pleasant surprise to read a fast paced, action-packed page turning thriller with someone who is a little bit like me. Ok, I'm not nearly as athletic or even a tenth of the bad ass that Nora is, but that's not the point. The point is that Mindy Mejia wrote a fantastic book with good character development, multiple twists and turns, page turning action and a fresh concept - what more can you ask for from a thriller? Great book by Mindy Mejia. I'm a fan.

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The Dead Don't Sleep By Steven Max Russo

Intense and violent with several oh-shit moments, The Dead Don’t Sleep is a deadly cat-and-mouse game between septuagenarian Vietnam veterans that makes you contemplate the long-term effects of war on the men who fight in them.  Steven Max Russo has delivered a captivating tale of everlasting camaraderie and vengeance that has no statute of limitations.

Frank Thompson is a Vietnam veteran who just lost his wife of more than 45 years.  Alone, grieving and adjusting to his new reality, he decides to visit his nephew Bill in New Jersey.  While there, the two of them go trap shooting and run into someone who believes they recognize Frank from the war.  Unfortunately, the man remembers who Frank is, which dredges up past events and hard feelings despite the nearly 50-years since they served together.  Teaming up with two other combat veterans from the same unit, they go on a road trip with the intent to hunt and kill Frank as retribution for what they believe he did to another member of their unit in Vietnam.  However, Frank is not any ordinary veteran.  He possessed elite skills that he not only deployed against the enemy, but he used to train the very men who want him dead.  Preparing to face off against these three men, Frank will have to summon his old skillset to defend himself and survive the upcoming attack while also reckoning with a past that never seems to leave his side.  

The Dead Don’t Sleep is an exploration into the psyche of men who physically return from war but can’t fully disconnect from it mentally and emotionally.  Some are haunted by what they experienced while others miss the action and adrenaline rush that combat provides.  Some want to leave the killing behind and do everything they can to forget what they witnessed whereas others relish the idea of continuing to be the harbinger of death.  In this book, these two types square off and offer a glimpse into how differently people handle the aftereffects of war.  

And despite these men being old and grey, they bring the fight to each other in an action-packed, strategic way as if they were still in the jungles of Vietnam.  Which provides one hell of a visual that would easily translate to the big screen.  I can see a younger, but still old Clint Eastwood as Frank defending himself from his would-be executioners played by the likes of Dennis Hopper (if he was still alive), Joe Pesci and Danny Trejo.  Or pick your favorite elder actors and picture them hunting each other in the back country of Maine as if they were 50 years younger and on an officially sanctioned mission from the US government.  Despite the dark subject matter, The Dead Don’t Sleep would make a fun, powerful and intense movie. One that I would like to see.

Kudos to Steven Max Russo for crafting a compelling, intriguing novel with well-developed characters and a unique plot.  A book with a storyline that is a departure from modern military thrillers, but one that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

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Veterans Day By Jack Stewart

Give me a good story with characters I care about and I’m a happy man.  I want a book to provide an escape from the routines of daily life and allow me to make an emotional connection with the characters.  And if I’m very lucky, the book will also make me think and/or teach me something new.  Veterans Day by Jack Stewart achieved all of this and more.  It’s a theological and mystical Jack Reacher-like novel with an absorbing plot, mysterious characters, plenty of action, and several gasp-inducing twists to keep the reader on their toes.  

Veterans Day combines military operations, vigilante justice and the spiritual world into one story about losing yourself before finding redemption via faith, action, and forgiveness.  Ronan Doyle is a compelling protagonist who hits rock bottom before facing various trials he doesn’t understand but are ultimately the path to salvation.  Following his journey is inspiring and you can’t help but root for him while he fights the forces of evil to not only to save the day, but to save himself in the process.  Thankfully Ronan has a guardian angel – and an unanticipated kick-ass female partner – on his side to help him find the way.

Honestly, Veterans Day book was not at all what I was expecting and a bit out of my spiritual comfort zone.  However, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It felt intimately personal, with the author reflecting on a long, distinguished military career and the people he’s encountered along the way, which came out in the writing and made it easy to connect with the plot and characters.  As such, I flew through the book in less than 24 hours. It’s a good story that will resonate with all thriller fans, but I suspect those with deep faith and spirituality will find a higher plane of gratification from this book.  

Count me in as a Jack Stewart fan and I will be rooting for him to land a publishing deal.  Thriller fans deserve to read his well-written work.

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