FNG By Benjamin Spada

Incredibly gruesome and violent – sometimes nauseatingly so – with non-stop action, FNG is an explosive new entry into the military thriller genre.  Featuring a high-octane battle between good and evil, Benjamin Spada pulls in elements of cinematic masterpieces such as The Rock and World War Z to craft an entertaining and visually provocative novel.

Cole West is a Sargent in the Marines and bored out of his mind riding a desk in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defense unit when a mysterious man named Captain Vaun pulls him out and makes him the F**king New Guy on a deadly black-ops team under the clandestine Black Spear organization.  Turns out, there’s a well-organized and well-financed outfit called “Terminal” filled with disgruntled veterans who possess a deadly bio weapon and are hellbent on using it to garner attention for their cause.  Now Cole, who has never seen combat before, is thrust into the middle of a violent and deadly battle between Black Spear and Terminal, one of only a handful of people who can stop the contagion from being released and killing an ungodly number of American citizens.  Being tested like never before while still wondering why he was really chosen for this team, Cole will have to step up and do what’s necessary to win the day…and maybe even learn what he’s truly capable of.

While the headliner of FNG has got to be the relentless and vicious action, the highlight is Cole West’s transformational journey.  He’s a guy out of his element, propelled forward by the necessity of the mission and a desire not to let his new teammates down.  He’s forced to evolve in a rapidly changing environment, one in which he’s not sure his values completely align.  But he keeps pushing forward and, in the process, learns that he has what it takes to be a member of this elite black ops unit.  Which is incredibly satisfying to witness…along with the number of rabid zombie-like individuals he kills along the way.

If you like military thrillers with gripping action, fascinating characters and ghastly death, then FNG is the book for you.  It has all of that in spades and is one hell of an absorbing ride from start to finish.  

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Other People's Secrets By Meredith Hambrock

A slow burning, character centric story, Other People’s Secrets elicits emotions ranging from sadness, anger and despair to hope, acceptance and satisfaction.  Meredith Hambrock’s stellar debut novel delivers a compelling read that is part sociological case study and part noir crime thriller.  

Baby has had a tough life.  She was found in a dumpster as a newborn, her adoptive mother died of a stroke, she’s stuck in a small town with little money and few prospects, has a summertime boyfriend who won’t commit, and the lakeside resort she lives and works at has just been sold to someone with grand plans of making changes that will alter the only home Baby has known.  But one thing Baby does have is fiercely loyal friends, who band together with her to plot and scheme to try finding a way to thwart the proposed changes in order to keep the resort the way it is.  But there’s more going on at the resort than her and her friends can possibly understand and while Baby has been a screw-up her whole life, this time she might be in over her head and lose everything she holds dear.  

For a good chunk of Other People’s Secrets, it’s a story about a group of people resistant to change and desperate to hold onto their version of normalcy.  Something many of us can relate to.  Getting comfortable with the status quo even if it doesn’t serve us, but unwilling and/or unable to take the  necessary steps to embrace the possibilities that come with the opportunity to evolve.  In this book, it’s about holding onto a one-sided relationship, the inability to accept changes to the workplace, and not seeing a bigger world is out there beyond this small town.  Desperation wafts off the pages like the stink emanating from a dumpster in a back alley.  And it makes you feel for the characters, wishing there was a way you could guide them to a better future.

But then there’s a point in the book, a big twist/revelation, where the story evolves into one about haves vs. have nots, good guys vs. bad guys and having the courage to make things right in the face of a dangerous foe.  And that’s when Other People’s Secrets kicks up a notch and moves from a dark tale of people down on their luck to an even darker tale of the little guy taking on those who would hold them down.  And that’s where the fun really begins.

Fans of stories featuring well developed characters who are the underdogs taking it to the man will especially love Other People’s Secrets.  It’s a strong debut by Meredith Hambrock and one that sticks with you for days after reading the last sentence.

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Kingdom Of Spies By Bevan G. Roberts

Terrorists threaten to turn an Indonesian province into an Islamic caliphate and threaten the national security of neighboring Australia in Kingdom Of Spies, an explosive thriller filled with violence of action and a tangled web of deception.  A rousing debut by Bevan G. Roberts, bursting onto the scene with a compelling storyline that will open the eyes of Western Hemisphere readers to security concerns and operations in Southeast Asia.  

Australian intelligence officer Jordan Carter is in Indonesia as part of a joint initiative between the two countries to fight Islamic extremism in North Maluku, mainly focused on keeping different factions fighting against each other rather than organize and become a bigger problem.  Only now there’s a rising threat from the Islamic State that is a potential game changer.  Which puts Jordan Carter on the offensive as his network and operations seem to be compromised.  As he takes more and more risks, a journalist desperate for a big scoop inserts herself into the action and gets a story that’s more than she bargained for.  With danger and corruption lurking around every corner, repelling the threat and surviving the action are no guarantee for anyone involved in this bubbling cauldron of violence.  

There is one main aspect to Kingdom Of Spies that makes this novel stand out, namely it’s the first novel I’ve read that focuses exclusively on Southeast Asia.  There are books that involve the region as a setting, sure, but this book is written from the perspective of Australian spies and journalists fighting an emerging threat in their backyard.  There’s no Americans or Europeans involved at all.  As such, it transcends simple entertainment by entering the realm of education, providing a glimpse into terrorist threats on the other side of the world and the resulting geopolitical alliances, challenges and ramifications.  Which is a fascinating and an intriguing departure from the usual focal points of the genre that are promoted in this part of the world.  Something a little different to thrill and excite fans of the genre.  

They say write what you know, and Bevan G. Roberts has done just that, skillfully leveraging his prior defense and foreign affairs experience to craft an absorbing and informative thriller with memorable characters, complex state of affairs and vicious exploits.  Kingdom Of Spies is one heck of a debut that has me excited to see what Mr. Roberts will come up with as an encore.  

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Real Bad Things By Kelly J. Ford

A twisting tale of murder, secrets and coming home to face the music, Real Bad Things will keep you guessing and surprise you with its emotional depth and honesty.  Kelly J. Ford has crafted a stimulating story that’s part crime thriller, part psychological exploration and part social commentary.

Twenty-Five years ago, Warren Ingram disappeared.  It was the latest in a string of male disappearances in Maud, Arkansas.  And despite people believing he got drunk and drowned, Warren’s stepdaughter Jane Mooney had confessed to murdering him.  With no body and no evidence, Jane was released and left town.  Now Warren’s assumed remains have been found after the river floods.  Jane comes back to Maud to await her imminent arrest.  But what really happened on that night twenty-five years ago?  As the investigation unfolds, secrets thought long buried come to the surface and the truth – for better or worse – will finally come to light.

Real Bad Things tackles several intriguing topics through the lens of a murder investigation – adolescent development and loss of innocence, domestic violence, being LGBTQ+ in the rural south, small town living and gossip, protecting those you care about, the haves vs. the have nots, and the pressure of keeping a secret.  All these themes seamlessly come together in a suspenseful whodunit story that makes you root for some characters to find peace while praying others get what’s coming to them.

Engaging and fast-paced with compelling characters, Real Bad Things is a superb and thought-provoking entry in the southern noir genre.  It may have been my first Kelly J. Ford novel, but it won’t be my last.

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Narco Assassins By Jason Kasper

Narco Assassins is an adrenaline-filled, no holds barred, lethal chess match featuring a race against the clock at breakneck speed to stop a global terror plot from coming to fruition.  Jason Kasper once again delivers a scary realistic plot chock full of violence and dire implications.

David Rivers and his covert team of CIA operatives find themselves in South America on the hunt for Sofia Lozano, a dangerous narcotics trafficker and assassin who consorts with known terrorist organizations.  Sofia’s latest client is planning a major event that will kill thousands of people, putting her in the crosshairs of David’s team.  Only there’s one major issue – they need to find her first.  But once they do, they’ll traverse the jungles of Columbia and the coast of Venezuela in tireless pursuit before she can offload her deadly payload and set in motion a devastating attack.  

The intersection of drugs and terror are front and center, with the bad guys and gals playing by their own set of rules while the good guys have bureaucratic and legal constraints set upon them.  Which then necessitates the operators on the ground to color outside the lines and lie by omission or tell half truths to get the job done without being handcuffed – figuratively and literally.  That’s the inconvenient truth that Jason Kasper highlights in Narco Assassins.  Hunting terrorists is a dirty job with a lot of gray areas and requires the occasional need to step over a government-defined line in the interest of protecting normal citizens from death and dismemberment.  And doing so puts the operators in a precarious position with their superiors.  Which makes them even more heroic because they do what’s necessary, caution and consequences be damned, in order to fulfill their oath and life’s mission to stop evil and put the perpetrators six feet under.  Oh, and there’s a ton of kick ass gun battles included in the book too with enough ammo sent down range to please the most hardcore military thriller enthusiasts.

Jason Kasper continues to impress with his ability to craft a compelling storyline with intriguing characters.  If you’re not reading the Shadow Strike series yet, Narco Assassins is a great entry point.  But be warned, it’ll increase your TBR pile because you’ll want to go back and read the prior three thrillers in the series.  Which is a good use of your time anyway so go ahead and read them all.  They’re fantastic.

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Fox Creek By William Kent Krueger

I will never be as good at anything in life as William Kent Kreuger is at writing exquisitely touching and soul restoring novels.  If that wasn’t obvious after the prior 18 books in the Cork O’Connor series, it’s abundantly clear after Fox Creek, a profound and gratifying story about perseverance, wisdom, redemption and following your heart to do what you think is right even when it puts you in harm's way.  

Henry Meloux and Rainy Bisonette are leading a woman through a sweat to help her find answers that she hopes will save her marriage.  But when hired guns approach Henry’s home seeking this woman, he senses their presence and malevolent intentions, allowing him and the women to escape into the wilderness.  Using wisdom and experience he’s gained over more than a century of life, Henry guides the women through the Boundary Waters, leaving minimal tracks, in an attempt to outwit and elude these men that mean them harm.  Meanwhile, Cork O’Connor is on the case to identify these men and track them down before they can harm his friend, his wife, and this stranger who seeks their help.  A race against time, Cork will need to get to the bottom of why these mercenaries are after this woman and those he cares about before it’s too late.

To classify Fox Creek and the Cork O’Connor series as a thriller would be doing a disservice to them because they’re so much more than a simple label.  Yes, they have crimes and mysteries that need to be solved and provide plenty of suspense to keep readers riveted.  However, the brilliance of this series is the deeply contemplative life lessons taught through the lens of the Anishinaabe people and Henry Meloux specifically.  Providing readers with introspective moments to process concepts like patience, tolerance, love, listening, not quitting when things are tough, standing up for what you believe in, doing the right thing even when it’s hard, and more.  And through these instances of enlightenment, you fall deeply in love with the characters.  They become a part of your family.  People who you don’t actually know, and don’t actually exist in the physical world, but for whom you care deeply and can’t help sharing the joys and sorrows of their lives as if they are right beside you on a daily basis.  

There’s no limit to the superlatives that can be utilized to describe this series.  It is the most engaging, thought provoking, beautiful, poignant, wise and overwhelmingly heartwarming series of novels I’ve ever read.  It goes well beyond entertainment.  I learn something new every time I pick up one of these books.  They make me evaluate my attitude and approach to life, make me want to be a better person and inspire me to reach out to the elders in my life to soak up their wisdom.  And I just can’t get enough.  In fact, I read my first Cork O’Connor book, Lightning Strike, in August of 2021 and was so moved that I proceeded to read the other 18 books in the series over the next 11 months.  I crave this series like a thirsty man yearns for water.  It’s deeply satisfying on an emotional level, the perfect prescription to heal what ails you.

Fox Creek on its own is phenomenal and worthy of any reader’s precious time.  But if you’re looking for gripping tales that explore humanity, our connection to the natural world, and to some degree the meaning of life, I urge you to read this entire series start to finish.  It’s a truly lovely experience. 

My deepest gratitude to William Kent Krueger for writing such meaningful stories with wonderful characters that have found a special place in my heart.  Now, please hurry up and write the next novel because I’m starting to feel a bit thirsty.  

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Firestorm By Taylor Moore

A classic David vs. Goliath story set in the Texas panhandle, only if David is an elite operator with a special set of skills and Goliath is an evil foreign-backed corporation raping the earth. Firestorm delivers an emotional experience that will infuriate readers before delivering a satisfying release.  Kudos to Taylor Moore for crafting a page-turning, entertaining and timely story that hits you in the feels. 

After DEA Special Agent Garrett Kohl successfully pulls off a dangerous mission to capture a cartel leader, he returns home to the Texas High Plains to find a different kind of trouble.  Talon, a powerful energy company, has secured the land rights to his ranch and is about to start mining for rare earth minerals.  Furthermore, the high level and aggressive nature of Talon’s security team puts Kohl’s family and friends in harm’s way.  Fearing his land will be demolished, the environment polluted and the endangerment of everyone he cares about, Kohl goes on the offensive and takes the fight – figuratively and literally – to Talon with nothing short than expelling them from his land, an acceptable outcome.  He just better do it quickly before everything he cherishes is destroyed. 

The second book in the Garrett Kohl series, Taylor Moore does a fantastic job of developing all the characters by putting them through difficult trials to see what they are made of.  In fact, this book is all about fighting for what’s right. Whether it’s fighting for a budding romantic relationship or taking on a heartless company, organizational bureaucracy, corruption or the rich and powerful, if the cause is just then the lesson is you must go all-in to fight.  And thankfully, if you have the means to fight and can successfully come out the other side, you’ll be better for it.  In that way, Firestorm is the epitome of the old adage “whatever doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger.”

That being said, rarely have I been so mad reading a book as I was watching Garrett, Lacey, Asadi and their friends and family get bulldozed by a malicious corporation. It’s quite exasperating to watch good people get bullied by ruthless individuals with more money and power who couldn’t care less about the damage they do as long as it’s good for their shareholders and bottom line.  But despite the anger welling up inside while witnessing the callous actions directed at Kohl and crew, it’s worth it when the bad guys get their comeuppance.  It just makes it sweeter.  

The hallmark of a great book is the ability to make the readers feel what the characters are going through on an emotional level.  To build a connection and lead the reader to engage with not only their head, but also their heart.  Firestorm nails this concept wholeheartedly.  Combined with great pacing, a thrilling story and virtuous characters, it makes for an excellent novel.  Taylor Moore clearly has the goods and I can’t wait to see where he takes this burgeoning series next.

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Heat 2 By Meg Gardiner & Michael Mann

What do you get when you pair an Oscar-nominated filmmaker with an Edgar Award-winning author, give them the direction to write a novel that expands the universe of an iconic movie, and then get out of their way?  An insanely intense, action-packed, balls-to-the-wall, extraordinary motherf**king piece de resistance!   That’s what.  Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner have crafted a truly legendary thriller that is literary genius and bound to be a visually stunning cinematic experience.  Simply put, Heat 2 is astonishingly brilliant.

Spanning from 1988 to 2000, Heat 2 serves as both a prequel and sequel to the 1995 movie Heat, seamlessly moving between storylines that provide a look back at Neil McCauley and his crew pulling off daring heists in the Midwest and south of the border, a window into what becomes of Chris Shiherlis after the ill-fated Far East National Bank job that left him a wounded fugitive in the film, and Detective Vincent Hanna’s never ending pursuit of justice over the entire time period.  It also introduces another crew led by a psychopath that pulls off heinous and audacious crimes and an Asian syndicate operating out of South America with big ambitions and formidable rivals, both of which adds depth, new personalities and expanding storylines that fit together with the original film’s plot like a perfectly tailored suit.  

Reading Heat 2 is akin to watching a movie in your mind.  It’s so detail oriented and graphic that you can picture every character, every move, every action sequence as if it’s on a screen in front of you.  And the best part is you don’t have to imagine what many of the characters look like or their mannerisms and speech cadence, because the original movie provides the blueprint.  Pacino, DeNiro, Kilmer, Sizemore, Voight, and Judd marvelously portrayed the main characters and therefore their images vividly leap off the page and into your brain.  As a result, it’s one of the most effortlessly visual books I’ve ever read.  So while watching the movie is not a prerequisite to reading Heat 2 (the prologue does an incredible job of summing it up in a few short pages), not doing so has the potential to suboptimize the reading experience.

But don’t let that stop you.  Because putting its cinematic qualities aside, Heat 2 is one hell of a thriller on its own merit.  This book provides dozens of anxiety-inducing, heart-in-your-throat, butthole-puckering moments through violent encounters, brazen actions and tenacious pursuits – car chases, shootouts, home invasions, highline heists, brutal murders and more.  It also supplies several moving, sometimes heart wrenching scenes to balance the viciousness with emotional depth – instances of mourning, love gained and lost, letting go of the past, etc.  Consequently, this novel the complete package.

Heat 2 is the epitome of unputdownable.  It is highly engaging, engrossing, enraging and exciting from start to finish.  Everything in the world stops while reading it, becoming a single focal point that completely sucks you into the realm of Hanna, McCauley, et al.  It’s a summer blockbuster in print form.  A surefire #1 hit that deserves to be consumed and experienced by as many people as possible.  Bravo to Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner for creating this flawless work of genius.  A top contender for best thriller of 2022.

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The Last Sentinel By Simon Gervais

Action-packed, fast-paced and containing audacious attacks by a resolute adversary, The Last Sentinel is an excellent thriller that proves the age-old adage: revenge is a dish best served cold.  

Ex-Secret Service agent Clayton White is enjoying some well-deserved R&R off the coast of Florida on a research vessel while his fiancée Veronica is working on her latest and greatest technology application.  After narrowly escaping an assassination attempt in San Francisco, they are hopeful the best is ahead of them.  But Clayton’s past has other ideas.  Their ship comes under attack while Veronica’s father, Vice-President Alexander Hammond, narrowly avoids being assassinated at the same time in another location.  Despite the Vice-President being Clayton’s future father-in-law, the two have an adversarial relationship that they now need to put aside to determine who’s after them and how to stop future attacks.  With a highly capable and determined enemy hellbent on getting revenge, Clayton must get back into the game to protect himself, the woman he loves and everyone dear to them both.  

Building upon events from the prior book in the series, The Last Sentinel features great character development within an entertaining storyline of blood lust and vengeance.  And while the plot is fantastic, the pacing relentless and the action violent, at it’s core this book is character driven.  We learn more about Clayton White’s past, his skillset and his motivations.  We also gain more insight into major characters like Veronica and Alexander Hammond, as well as key supporting characters like Emily Moss and Pierre Sarazin.  Additionally, the villains in this novel are expertly crafted and you can feel their unadulterated hatred for their enemy.  All of this allows the reader to connect with the characters and care about what happens to them on a deeper level, which is crucial not only to this novel but to the future of the series.  In fact, it’s the character development, combined with a huge cliffhanger, that drives an increased excitement level for what’s next in this series. 

Kudos to Simon Gervais for another stellar novel.  The first two books in this series have been highly engaging and enjoyable and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for Clayton White going forward. 

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The Neighborhood By Matthew Betley

Matthew Betley is back in a big way with The Neighborhood, an action-packed, bloody, highly immersive thriller that is guaranteed to elicit fist-pumps and gasps from readers as they progress through this entertaining novel.

Hidden Refuge is a safe and idyllic suburban neighborhood filled with big homes, each on 2 acres of land and inhabited by wealthy residents.  However, their world gets turned upside down when law enforcement personnel show up in the middle of the night, asking the residents to evacuate due to a chemical spill a few miles away.  However, there is no chemical spill and these are not police officers.  This is a band of violent and highly capable mercenaries who will stop at nothing to retrieve an item hidden somewhere in this neighborhood.  Prepared with a solid plan and thinking this operation will be in and out, they didn’t account for Zack Chambers, a man with a certain set of skills from his former life.  And Zack is highly motivated to protect his neighbors at all costs, ruthlessly taking the flight to the enemy with some unlikely allies.  Because this time, it’s personal!

The Neighborhood is a summer blockbuster movie waiting to happen.  It’s got everything you’d expect from a cinematic thrill ride.  Tons of action and bloodshed.  A psychotic megalomaniac bad guy who thinks he’s smarter than everyone, leading a band of trigger-happy mercenaries in it for the money.  A suburban family man who thought he left his past behind, only to be thrust into a situation he didn’t want but finding it invigorates him and allows him to address some unfinished business.  Improbable heroes stepping up and finding strength they didn’t know they possessed.  Young love blossoming under intense circumstances.  Acts of courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good.  Big blindsiding twists.  A satisfying conclusion to the siege.  And the door being left ever so slightly ajar for a sequel.  What more could you possibly want?

The result is The Neighborhood containing all the makings of the classic action flicks from the 80’s and 90’s.  Think Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Under Siege and The Rock.  Which is totally awesome and highly enjoyable, speaking as someone who grew up with those movies.  Big Props to Matthew Betley for crafting a fun, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a likable protagonist you can’t help but stand up and cheer for as he brings the fight to the detestable bad guys.  A very enjoyable experience!

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Tessa Goes Down By Jason Bovberg

I’m tempted to say Tessa Goes Down is – to paraphrase the fictitious movie Rochelle, Rochelle from Seinfeld – a young girl’s strange, erotic journey from Malvado to Decatur.  But it is so much more than that.  It’s a dark, carnal, and vicious tale of drugs, arson, murder and money.  It’s a multifaceted account about resiliency, retribution, following your own moral code/belief system and clamoring for a better life.  And perhaps most of all, it’s an epic love story filled with lust, arousal, animalistic sex and finding your soulmate in the unlikeliest of circumstances.  This thriller truly has it all!

Tessa Rae Jayne is on the run for the Mexican border to escape the consequences of her actions against a gang of sinister men in her hometown.  Almost to her destination in the far reaches of Texas, she runs into Floyd Tillman Weathers, a mysterious and handsome man with his own secrets…and a bag full of money.  Making an instant connection, the two find themselves intimately intertwined in more ways than one, leading to an adventure that they hope will result in finding freedom and building a life together.  But danger lurks around every corner and it’s damn near impossible to outrun your past.  So Tessa and Floyd are forced to make a decision deeply rooted in the human condition – fight or flight?  Their choice will set them on a path that will alter their lives forever.

This novel is unadulterated noir from start to finish and it’s fantastic. Tessa and Floyd are both flawed characters who are put through multiple trials of moral ambiguity.  They must make decisions that they believe are justifiable in the heat of the moment but still contain malice and go against most people’s views of conventional and acceptable societal norms.  With nothing less than survival at stake, it’s up to the reader to determine if their actions are defensible and if they have enough redeeming qualities to deserve forgiveness for their actions, past and present.  Can you root for these two young wayward individuals to find their happily ever after, considering their conduct along the way?  Does true love conquer all?  These are questions every reader will be faced with and forced to answer, and I know which way I’m leaning (hint: I just might be a romantic underneath all this cynicism, sarcasm and hair).

If you (1) are a fan of gritty, suspenseful, dark crime novels, (2) believe in fate and (3) are a sucker for love, then Tessa Goes Down is the perfect book for you.  But even if you only check one of the three boxes, this book is still an excellent escapade worth taking.  Because Jason Bovberg delivers a tremendous reading experience that will leave you breathless and reeling, contemplating the journey, the destination and the multiple meanings of the title long after you close the back cover. 

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The New Neighbor By Karen Cleveland

The New Neighbor screams forward with a manic anxiety-inducing pace that ratchets up the intensity until the sweet release of the explosive, revealing ending.  Karen Cleveland once again leverages her insider knowledge of the intelligence community to craft a spy vs. spy counterintelligence gem of a thriller that will grab ahold of you early and play with your emotions throughout.  

From the outside looking in, Beth Bradford seemingly has everything going her way.  She lives in a wonderful suburban cul-de-sac with her family, has great relationships with her neighbors and has an important job at Langley.  However, things unravel quickly when her youngest son leaves for college, quickly followed by her husband leaving her and the CIA putting her out to pasture with an assignment to teach new analysis rather than chase an Iranian asset hellbent on hacking into the CIA network to access invaluable intelligence.  But Beth isn’t going to give up chasing this spy after pouring her heart and soul into this case for the past couple of years.  And as she progresses on her unauthorized investigation, she starts uncovering secrets that have her seeing her neighbors in a different light.  Is she finally onto something that will crack the case?  Or is she manifesting things that aren’t real as a result of all the major life changes she’s experiencing?  Ignoring the increasingly dangerous threats, as well as enduring former colleagues looking at her with pity, Beth has no choice but to take this investigation all the way in an attempt to save the CIA from a catastrophic and unrecoverable network breach.  She just hopes it’s not too late. 

A quick and entertaining read, The New Neighbor does a wonderful job of hooking readers early through Beth’s emotional trifecta of becoming an empty nester, moving out of the home she raised her children in, and watching her husband of 20+ years walk away from their marriage.  It then pulls you in deeper by casting suspicion on nearly everyone Beth knows and watching in frustration as she tries in vain to get others to believe what she’s uncovered, only to be stonewalled at every turn by people who should trust her and have her back.  So, while parts of the plot are slightly unbelievable and it might be relatively easy to guess ahead of time who’s compromised and how the story is going to end, this book still packs an enjoyable punch through sheer intensity and wanting to see Beth proven correct so she can tell all the haters to suck it!

Fans of espionage and counterintelligence thrillers should get their hands on The New Neighbor and buckle up for the ride. Because it’s a fun read that you can knock out in a weekend. And given the way this book ended, it’s set up to become a trilogy or series if Karen Cleveland so desires. And I hope she does because I would love to see what happens next.

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The Last Paladin By P.T. Deutermann

If you ever dreamed about what it would feel like to hunt enemy submarines during WWII, look no further.  The Last Paladin puts you directly in the middle of the action in a realistic, awe-inspiring, and thrilling tale of anti-submarine warfare.  But hold onto your ass because this mission is not for the faint at heart.

Based on the true story of a Buckley-class destroyer escort’s exploits in World War II, The Last Paladin puts you directly alongside the USS Holland’s CO and XO as they lead the ship on a mission to do what they do best: seek and destroy enemy submarines.  After plying their trade in the North Atlantic against German U-boats, the USS Holland has been ordered to the Pacific theater but receives a less than welcoming reception and is subsequently banished on a solo mission.  Their orders: to expose a rumored thousand-mile picket line of Japanese submarines serving as an early warning service for an impending US fleet invasion of Saipan.  Despite command’s minimal expectations of success, the USS Holland takes the mission seriously and maybe a little bit personally.  Behind the stellar leadership of the CO and XO, this little destroyer escort becomes legendary for their bravery, ingenuity and unprecedented results that had a critical impact on the war.  

Authenticity leaps off the pages of The Last Paladin.  The terminology, the action, the ship’s maneuvers, the weapon functionality, and more are all spot on, making you feel like you’ve a commissioned officer in the US Navy and the USS Holland is yours to command.  You feel the movement of the ship in the waves, the blasts of the depth charges and hedgehog detonations, the pride of the sailors in their accomplishments, and the exhaustion of everyone onboard brought on by being on a 24/7 war footing.  In short, you feel like you were actually there and experienced first-hand everything the crew of this amazing ship went through.

Additionally, this book will teach you something about great leadership.  The CO and XO demonstrate this in spades.  They way they operate together to make decisions, gain the respect of the crew, know when to defer to others and how they keep morale up is something to behold.  There are a ton of great takeaways that us civilians can leverage in our daily lives to become better leaders at home, at work and in our communities.

There’s a reason P.T. Deutermann is the master of naval thrillers.  Start with his two-and-a-half decades in the US Navy, conclude with his tremendous storytelling ability, and throw in a whole lot of knowledge and talent in between.  All of it is front and center in The Last Paladin, one hell of a naval warfare story that military thriller and non-fiction fans alike will thoroughly enjoy.

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Things We Do In The Dark By Jennifer Hillier

Featuring perhaps the greatest opening sentence in the modern history of the written word, Things We Do In The Dark is a brilliantly constructed thriller featuring murder, abuse, blackmail, and deception.  Jennifer Hillier has delivered another fantastic and unputdownable novel filled with secrets, scheming, suspense and surprises.

Paris Peralta is in a lot of trouble.  Her famous comedian husband is dead and she’s found covered in his blood holding a straight razor in the same room as the body.  Arrested and charged with murder, you’d think that would be the worst thing she’s facing. But the thing is, Paris has a secret past she wants to keep hidden and the media attention threatens all she’s done to build a new life for herself.   Meanwhile, Ruby Reyes is about to be paroled after spending 25-years in prison for murder and she knows exactly who Paris is and what she’s done in her past.  So while Paris is facing murder charges and would love to keep past history dead and buried, she must face everything head on once and for all if she wants to remain free from prison…and her past.

This is a well-crafted thriller due to two reasons: storytelling and characters.  The premise might not be super original – someone running from their past hopes it won’t catch up to them when something bad happens in the new life they’ve created – but the flow, the flashbacks, the emotions it elicits and the slow drip of information are done in a perfect and precise manner to keep you suspicious of multiple characters and their motivations.  And these characters…whoa baby.  They’re all flawed individuals with remarkable backstories, some of which will hit you in the feels.  They’ve been tested and have experienced personal pain yet hold out hope for the better life they seek and feel they deserve.  And that “better life” isn’t clean and pure in everyone’s case.  Which means you’ll support some characters while hoping others go to hell in a handcart.  Especially Ruby.  She’s a first-class grade A narcissistic bitch who deserves a one-way express ticket to hell.  But holy crap is she a fantastically conceived character in a book filled with complex, well-structured individuals. 

Jennifer Hillier proves again that she is one hell of a thriller author and that readers should have her on “automatic read” status anytime she releases a new book.  So make sure Things We Do In The Dark is on your TBR list and preorder a copy from your favorite bookstore. It’s most excellent and not to be missed. 

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We Lie Here By Rachel Howzell Hall

Everyone knows a family that has crazy drama and more than a few secrets.  It could even be your own relatives.  But let me tell you something.  No family has as much drama, or are hiding as many secrets, as the Gibson’s from Palmdale, California.  I’m talking next level stuff.  Rachel Howzell Hall takes family drama to the extreme in We Lie Here, a psychological mystery that boils the brain and has more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco.  It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful, dramatic thriller that begs to be consumed quickly with a relentless desire to learn the truth.  

Yara Gibson has come home to Palmdale to throw her parents a 20th anniversary party.  However, she would rather be anywhere but here.  Between her increased asthma attacks from the climate and dealing with her overbearing mother Barbara, this is not a stress-free vacation.  On top of everything going on, Yara receives a text from an unknown number stating the individual possesses life changing information and needs to urgently meet.  But before Yara can get the information, this person winds up dead.  Oh, and the individual is her mother’s cousin, whom she’s never met.  Anxiety levels immediately increase and Yara starts to dig into her family’s past, finding things that don’t add up and put her in growing danger.  But Yara won’t stop until she learns the truth.  A truth that will change things forever.  

To say We Lie Here keeps the reader guessing is a gross understatement.  It literally takes until the final chapter for the big reveal.  Meanwhile, you’re constantly evaluating the actions of each character, wondering what they’re capable of and questioning their motives.  Who’s lying?  What are they hiding?  Are things as they seem?  Is someone pulling the strings from behind the curtain?  Who’s capable of murder?  All great queries that you’ll change your mind on numerous times throughout the story.  And even if you think you’ve correctly guessed the answers to these questions, you won’t have strong conviction until the end because Rachel Howzell Hall introduces plenty of reasonable doubt to all your theories.

Kudos to Rachel Howzell Hall for crafting this intricate, anxious, winding tale centered on family drama.  While I certainly hope the vast majority of people haven’t experienced this level of family dysfunction, everyone can easily find a way to relate with interesting family dynamics.  Which makes it easy to connect with certain characters, building hopes in the reader for what they want to see happen to/for certain individuals.  And you’ll just have to read all the way through to see if those hopes become a reality. 

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Armored By Mark Greaney

With the intensity level dialed up to an 11, Armored is a thriller that reads like a hit summer blockbuster film.  Mark Greaney has absolutely and unsurprisingly nailed the start of a new series with a smart, capable and determined, yet imperfect, protagonist that you root for with all your heart to succeed.  

Josh Duffy is a mall cop trying to make ends meet and support his family.  But he’s more than meets the eye.  Previously he served in the Army and then as a close protection agent and elite operator, until a mission went bad in Lebanon and he lost his lower left leg saving one of his protectees.  So when he bumps into an old friend who gives him an opportunity to get back into the game, he jumps at the chance to see some action and make serious money he desperately needs.  The only catch is that he’s joining a private military contractor that has a less-than-stellar reputation.  But Josh needs the money and he signs on for a mission deep into Mexican cartel country to protect government and United Nations officials attempting to negotiate a peace.  There’s no chance this will be a walk in the park.  The only question is how bad it will be and if Josh and his fellow operators survive the inevitable violence.

There are numerous features that make Armored a hell of a read.  The military weapons, gear, vehicles and tactics come across as impressively authentic.  The Sierra Madre Mountains acts as its own character, providing an unforgiving locale with danger lurking around every turn, peak and valley.  The characters – whether it’s Duffy, the other contract operators, the delegation they’re charged to protect, the cartel leadership and sicarios, and others – are expertly crafted and developed to fit the story flawlessly.  The plot is powerfully treacherous, driving anxiety through the roof and testing the characters in incredible ways.  And the writing is sublime, hiding motives until the perfect time to reveal game-changing twists that increase your desire for certain characters to be victorious while simultaneously praying for others to face an imminent and permanent demise.  It’s straight non-stop action with no let up, providing hours of high-speed entertainment.

Mark Greaney is one of the absolute best in the business, so it’s expected that everything he writes will be pure gold.  However unfair it is to assume greatness will be attained with every novel, it’s a product of his own consistent success and ability to raise the bar time and time again.  Incredibly, Greaney unflinchingly continues to produce banger after banger after banger.  I don’t know how he does it, but thriller fans are the great beneficiaries.  And Armored is the latest gift he’s given to us readers. 

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Rising Tiger By Brad Thor

Gripping, action-packed and containing a fresh storyline/setting that you can’t help but think is a geopolitical prediction of the future, Rising Tiger is a humorous yet deadly serious thriller featuring an unleashed Scot Harvath on the warpath.  Brad Thor has once again used his incredible knowledge, research and understanding of the world landscape to craft an extraordinary novel that I certainly wouldn’t be shocked to learn is closer to reality than one might expect. 

An American diplomat on a secret mission to India is murdered and Scot Harvath is tasked with the investigation.  Harvath teams up with Vijay, a streetwise, wisecracking retired Indian law enforcement officer who works for the US Embassy, to navigate the seedy underbelly of India’s criminal element in search of answers.  Along the way they cross paths with the beautiful and brilliant Asha, a rising star for India’s vaunted foreign intelligence agency RAW, who is on the hunt for those responsible for downing a military helicopter and also for an attempt on her life.  Are these isolated incidents or do they have connections that tie to increasing hostilities from a certain neighboring country?  Together, the three will have to act fast to uncover the answers they seek, get revenge for their fallen compatriots and thwart a potential war with global implications.  

Using India as the backdrop for this story and the context behind it are both brilliant choices by Thor.  In a time where many thrillers are reigniting the cold war narratives between the US and Russia, Rising Tiger offers something different.  It still contains the exceptional tradecraft, witty sarcasm and colorful characters you expect from a Brad Thor novel, but it also offers up a fresh take on the geopolitical landscape with a setting that provides an incredible range of locations, from luxurious hotels to dangerous slums, in which Harvath can operate.

And let’s take a moment to talk about the characters.  You know what badassery to expect from Scot Harvath, so that’s not a surprise.  But Vijay and Asha in particular are exquisitely developed and perfectly compliment Harvath in every way.  Their exchanges are witty and contain dark humor that match the situations they find themselves in.  They possess intelligence, tenacity, honed skillsets and just enough crazy to make them critically good at their jobs. And they possess courage and heart in abundance, making it easy to root for them to emerge unscathed from malevolent situations.  

None of this is a surprise to fans of Brad Thor’s work.  He delivers year after year and has constructed another wonderfully entertaining novel, the result of a simple, yet flawlessly executed formula:  take an unexpected setting and add in well-crafted characters, a fresh storyline and constant no holds barred action.  Simply put, the master has done it again.  Rising Tiger is fantastic!

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First Born By Will Dean

With an intriguing plot, identical twins and idiosyncratic behavior, First Born is a top-notch psychological murder mystery with blindsiding twists that hit you in the face like a coin-filled sock.  Will Dean has produced an absorbing thriller guaranteed to keep you hanging on every word and action, where nearly everyone is a viable suspect with motive to commit murder.

First Born follows the peculiar, risk-averse and routine-driven Molly Raven as she travels to New York upon learning of her identical sister Katie’s death.  When the police deem it a homicide, Molly starts her own investigation by diving into the world her adventurous and extroverted sister inhabited.  Molly quickly finds herself outside her comfort zone and feeling lost without her other half, yet continues to push forward to help the police find the culprit and put them behind bars.  But as answers start to present themselves, it becomes apparent that Katie wasn’t the person Molly believed her to be.  And like her monozygotic twin, Molly may have a few secrets of her own.

Will Dean has once again delivered a dark, twisted and slow-burning thriller that will bust your brain trying to figure things out.  It’s filled with intricate character development.  From the twins to their parents, the suspects, and even the guy selling smoothies out of a roadside cart, each person that graces the pages of First Born adds depth and value to the story via their well-crafted backgrounds and motivations.  Throw in some seriously big reveals along the way and the result is a glorious character-driven thriller that keeps readers guessing while also cheering for the demise of certain individuals due to their unscrupulous actions.  

I’ve quickly become a fan of Will Dean’s writing.  Last year with The Last Thing To Burn and this year with First Born, he’s provided two compelling yet different thrillers that show his versatility within the genre.  His character development is superb, his writing style is effortlessly engaging and his signature ability to string readers along until dropping game-changing twists is world-class.  I can’t wait to see what explodes out of his diabolical mind next.

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Outside By Ragnar Jonasson

Tense, chilling and filled with suspense, Outside is one hell of a messed-up story about survival in the harsh elements of a remorseless terrain as well as from dangerous secrets that find the light of day.   Ragnar Jonasson has delivered a layered and unrelenting thriller that contains a slow but constant drip of “oh shit” moments, giving readers no choice but to keep turning pages with an urgent desperation to find out how the story ends.

Four friends set off on a hunting trip in the Icelandic highlands when the weather turns against them and they’re stuck in an unforgiving blizzard.  Fortunately, they are able to find emergency shelter in a small cabin.  But it turns out they’re not alone.  And perhaps even more frightening, dark secrets start coming to light that threaten to tear them apart.  So while they are safe from the elements for the moment, they might not be safe from each other.  And one thing is for certain.  They’re not all coming out of this alive.  

In a well-conceived and perfectly executed concept, Jonasson tells this story chapter by chapter from the point of view of one of the four friends.  He progresses the story seamlessly while lending a different voice and perspective to each chapter.  This technique is highly effective as it shows the thought processes and increasing anxiety each one of them is going through.  Which significantly ratchets up the suspense and tension felt by the reader.  

Additionally, the inhospitable environment that is Iceland in the winter brings an added dimension to Outside, almost as if the setting is its own character.  You don’t just read about the icy wind, the harsh conditions, the inability to see farther than a few feet in front of you, or the distressing feeling of being stuck in a blizzard.  You experience them as if you’re there right beside the characters.  You involuntarily shiver from the cold being described on the page, even if you’re sitting in your temperature-controlled home, office or favorite reading location.

Outside will leave you reaching for a warm blanket and a mug filled with a steaming hot beverage, wondering how you would react if thrust into this situation and pondering if your own friends are hiding massive secrets from you.  It’s a mind-bending mystery that burrows inside your head and sets up shop, refusing to leave even when you’ve finished the book.  If you want an intense and fucked up story, look no further.

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Lethal Game By John Gilstrap

Containing ceaseless violence that elicits a strong desire for vengeance, Lethal Game is an excellently crafted book that will really piss you off before you fist pump in triumph.  John Gilstrap has delivered another winning novel in the Jonathan Grave series, filled with action and emotion that hits hard and never relents.

The team at Security Solutions find themselves in the crosshairs of would-be assassins.  Jonathan Grave and Boxers are targeted during a hunting trip to Montana while Gail Bonneville and Venice Alexander fight for their lives back home in Fisherman’s Cove, Virginia.  While dodging bullets the team must figure out who is behind the attack, which is no easy task given the very long list of enemies they have made over years and years of covert operations.  As they figure out who’s pulling the strings and why, these special-ops veterans transition from defense to offense to take the fight right to the enemy.  Which is bad news for the bad guys.  Because the Security Solutions team is the best there is and they always get their man.

The best thrillers evoke an emotional reaction to the events unfolding in the story and Lethal Game has this in spades.  The ruthless brutality of the lead assassin, the vicious attacks on the good guys, targeting a beloved elderly character, children in harms way and more all conjure intense feelings of anger, disgust, contempt and wanting revenge.  There are times I had to put the book down and take a few deep breaths to calm myself before I could continue.  That’s the hallmark of a very good thriller.

After fourteen books in this series, it’s abundantly clear that John Gilstrap has mastered the creation of fast-paced, action-packed, highly entertaining military style thrillers.  Each book is non-stop from start to finish and guaranteed to be an enjoyable experience.  One of the more underrated and engaging thriller series in print today.  If you haven’t read one of the Jonathan Grave novels, you’re missing out.  But the good news is that Lethal Game is a great place to start!

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