Tag: thriller

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

REVIEW: The Nova Incident by Dan Moren

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Angry Robot in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Taylor is off-planet on personal business while Kovalic and the rest of the team are enjoying a little down time after their last mission [The Aleph Extraction] when a bomb goes off on Terra Nova – almost in front of Simon. And he sees someone in the crowd who should not be there.

But as the Special Projects Team tries to investigate, they run into roadblocks – both from the terrorists who set the bomb and the authorities. But Kovalic can’t shake what – who – he saw and what it might mean for his team – and their mission.

Review

Gah!! This is the best of this series so far! I loved all of this! There are some great surprises and an epic cliffhanger that left me stunned. I need the next book NOW! A few threads left open after Aleph go unmentioned here, leaving me to wonder how those pieces will tie into what happens going forward. Ack! This was excellent!

I can’t believe I have never reviewed one of these books on my blog – I looked! It’s a great sci-fi/spy series that’s a must buy/must read for me. I did a full re-read to prep for this, including the short stories, and it was the best idea I have had in awhile. It was great to get the full impact of the series at once. The stories, in order, are:

  • The Caledonian Gambit (considered a prequel or book 0 in the series) – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Pilot Error” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Bayern Agenda – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Showdown” (short story/deleted scenes) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • The Aleph Extraction – ♥♥♥♥
  • “Homecoming” (short story) – ♥♥♥♥½
  • and now The Nova Incident

Not only did my re-read refresh my memory of the characters and their earlier adventures, but it was also a great way to appreciate how terrific this series is.

Readers should definitely read these in order. Caledonian was published by another publisher which is why it is considered a prequel, but I think it fills in some important details and shouldn’t be skipped. (I actually did skip it initially since Bayern was listed as “Book 1.” But all the way through I felt like I was missing context and backstory, which I don’t enjoy. )

This series is perfect for readers who love action/adventure and spy stories – as well as those who love science fiction. The spy thriller is primary – the setting is space and a galactic cold war with great futuristic tech. It’s a great fit for me. And this book, The Nova Incident, is the best of the series in my opinion. Highly recommend! (Language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Gatekeeper by James Byrne

REVIEW: The Gatekeeper by James Byrne

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Dex has retired to California. He plays in bar bands when he finds one he clicks with. And he did. That’s how he got the comped room at the Hotel Tremaine. It was supposed to be a relaxed night in a luxury room. But then he spotted the sniper.

Thwarting the kidnapping plot is almost easy compared to what’s next. The near-victim is a hugely influential person in a multi-national corporation. And she’s been investigating some questionable things at her company. But that just means she’s angered people who are willing to do anything to see their scheme come to fruition.

Review

Fans of Baldacci and Hurwitz should not miss The Gatekeeper. I got a kick out of Dex as the hero. He’s tough and smart and makes do much of the time with whatever’s at hand. And he makes hash of the bad guy plans along the way. It was enjoyable to read!

The scheme is contemporary – the author anchors the story so it could happen today. He mentions American politics from the last 6 years as well as making a passing reference to the pandemic. The scheme is also intricate, making for a meaty story. The pacing is well done. I never felt like things were dragging or being drawn out or that the plot points were unnecessarily convoluted. This is more violent and gruesome at times – along the lines of Jack Reacher or Orphan X – than what I usually read. But fans of thrillers like those I mentioned should find a lot here to enjoy. (Language, references to sex, references to sexual assault, violence, suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

BONUS REVIEW: Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The Nowhere Man, Evan Smoak, is retired from government work  and from being a vigilante fixer. He expects that to mean the Nowhere Man phone will stop ringing. But that is not the case. Even more surprising? The latest caller insists that she’s his birth mother.

The woman asks Evan to help a man named Andrew Duran. Andrew witnessed a murder and was set up to take the fall. He’s on the run, and Evan is curious enough about the whole thing to try to find him.

But this case, that can’t be a case because Evan is retired and could lose his pardon, is going to bring Evan face to face with his childhood. And even though he knows his own Commandment Four by heart, this case is definitely personal.

Review

Wow!! There is a LOT going on here. The core of the book is the trouble Andrew Duran is in and how Evan plans to help him. And just when I think Hurwitz has hit the peak of his bad guy plots, he writes another one that takes things to a whole new level. The story in this book will literally chase Evan to the final page. Fans of this suspense series will find all the usual series pieces they love in this book. But there’s so much more.

My husband is a HUGE fan of this series. He gave me book one, Orphan X, to read early last year (♥♥♥♥), and then challenged me to read book 3, Hellbent, last summer (♥♥♥♥½) because he thought I might enjoy the series a little more with the addition of Evan’s teen protégé, Joey. I also read book 4, Out of the Dark (♥♥♥♥), but did not enjoy the start of book 5, so I skipped it. I have also read the three short stories with mixed reviews (“The List,” Joey’s story, was outstanding! – ♥♥♥♥♥).  All that to say, I show up to this series for Joey, frankly, and for the relationship between her and Evan. I like Evan well enough, and his cases are pretty interesting. But the violence can be a bit much for me at times, and the missions drag in the middle for me. That’s not a knock on this series. I feel the same way about other suspense thrillers. I completely skip the Baldaccis my husband loves for this reason. But Joey and Even keep me returning to this one. Every scene with Joey is a delight. I love her on her own, but I absolutely adore what her presence does for Evan.

Then, in Prodigal Son, Hurwitz adds a new interpersonal wrinkle – the supposed birth mother. Her call forces Evan to look at his childhood, and his current relationships, in new ways. (The book includes scenes from Evan’s childhood in foster care which were fascinating.) I especially enjoyed watching how this mom issue shifted Evan’s relationship with Joey. This whole aspect of the story was brilliant. It added a fantastic new layer to Evan.

The ending will leave readers gasping – and grasping for the next volume. I have book 7, which hasn’t even been announced yet, on my mental wish list. I have to see what will happen next! Series fans will NOT want to miss this.

While I think you could probably read this without the rest of the series, I think it would be frustrating to not understand the interplay between characters, and Evan’s full history. So if you are new to the Orphan X series, start at the beginning and enjoy the ride. (I have skipped book 2 and 80% of book 5 without issue. I don’t think the short stories are essential reading, but “The List” is my favorite of the three.) This is one of the best books in the series, and thriller fans should not miss it. (Language, violence, alcohol addiction, vaping, sexual references, TW: rape and sexual assault, child abuse)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Game by Linsey Miller

REVIEW: The Game by Linsey Miller

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Underlined Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In the spring, the thoughts of the seniors at Lincoln High turn to college acceptance letters – and murder.

Well, not actual murder. Just to the annual game of Assassins. Armed with water guns, the teens of Lincoln track their peers with the hope of being the last one standing.

Lia Prince is counting on Assassins to be her claim to fame. Always in her older brother’s shadow, Lia is determined to make her name here. She’s been observing her classmates’ schedules for months, planning her strategy for this moment.

But when one of the players dies in an accident, the Assassin game is in jeopardy. When a second dies, and NOT in an accident, it’s clear something more than some good clean fun is going on in Lincoln.

Review

I knew this was billed as a mashup of Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders (which I know of but haven’t read) and Riverdale (which I’ve never seen). But I didn’t expect the tie-ins to the Christie mystery to be as clear as they were, starting with even the email address for the Council that is running the game. It was a clever set up for Christie, and it’s still a clever set up here. Those who aren’t familiar with the original mystery will probably catch on to the scheme quickly.

I enjoyed the suspense of this and the idea of a harmless game that turns deadly. The suspense and the stakes bring to mind books like #Murder Trending (♥♥♥♥) and thrillers by Karen McManus (One of Us is Lying – ♥♥♥♥, Two Can Keep a Secret). This one wasn’t as well executed as those, but there were some good moments.

The emotional beats to this didn’t click for me. I didn’t care for Lia or any of the other main characters. I also didn’t lock into Lia’s obsession over this game. She explained it several times in the book, but I wasn’t emotionally hooked into her rationales. She was pretty over-the-top in her preparation and her compulsion to put herself in danger for the sake of this game. I didn’t feel like the case for her drive was as clearly made as it could have been. I felt like her reputation as a puzzle person was more told rather than shown, and this skill/gift of hers wasn’t really reflected in the story.

Fans of thrillers, fans of The ABC Murders, and those intrigued by the premise of this one should consider it. If you are new to the genre, this might be a nice starting spot. A weird, mysterious ending could indicate that there is a sequel planned, which I know will make fans of this story excited to see what is next for Lia and her friends. (Violence)

Rating: ♥♥½*

*I have a new rating system. ♥♥½ is “Mostly solid to solid. May have some issues.”

BONUS REVIEW: The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

BONUS REVIEW: The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mason “Mace” Reid trains cadaver dogs. And Elvira is his latest trainee. She survived a rough beginning to her life and has become a great HRD – Human Remains Detection dog. She’s bright, and she picked up the tasks quickly. It helps that Mace treats the training like games for his “kids,” the pups.

On Vira’s first real case, she finds the body in less than 2 minutes. And while she and Mace wait to make an official statement to the police, Vira zeroes in on a guy in the watching crowd – and she attacks. The guy is hospitalized for his injuries. And Vera is supposed to be put down. But Mace believes in her and believes there might be more to the guy she attacked. Mace has to investigate in order to save her life. That’s what she means to him. He’d sacrifice anything for her.

That’s what puts Mace on Everyman’s radar. He’d been loosely connected to that other case. He’d been almost mentoring the young sociopath involved. And when Mace ruins that situation, Everyman turns his attention to Mace – and his dogs – instead.

Review

I received an offer of a review copy of this book because of my love for the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt, another dog-related mystery/suspense series.  This felt darker, thanks to the serial killer angle, but there were similarities, too.

The dogs in this book are excellent. And the investigative work is as well. Vira is a more active part of the story here than Rosenfelt’s dogs tend to be, at least in the Andy Carpenter series. I got a kick out of the questions about Vira’s special skills. She’s pretty amazing!

The mystery here, while dark, was well executed (pardon the unintentional pun). There were a couple interesting twists to this, plus a side case to show off Vira’s gifts that was very clever. I would definitely read more books in this series to see what happens with Vira and Mace in the future.

Thriller fans, especially those who enjoy stories with dogs and/or law enforcement, should be sure to check this out. You could hand this to other Rosenfelt fans as well as fans of books like A Borrowing of Bones with other working/law enforcement dogs. (Language, including one use of the word “retarded.”)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Broken Genius by Drew Murray

BONUS REVIEW: Broken Genius by Drew Murray

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Will Parker was one deal away from becoming the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. But a tech error – maybe from the arrogance of youth or success, or from the distraction of his next big deal – leaves a young woman dead and Will yakking into a trashcan, overwhelmed with shame and disgust. He can barely focus on the fact that at that exact same moment an earthquake is about to destroy the business deal that would have changed not only Will’s life and company, but also the world.

So Will becomes a special agent with the FBI – his penance for what he feels was an egregious and inexcusable error. And his tech expertise sends him to the middle of Indiana to work with a Special Agent from Counter Intelligence on a murder at a small comic convention.

Why would a murder at a comic convention require someone from Counter Intelligence? Or someone from Cyber? Because the dead man was found with a radioactive case in his hotel room – an empty one. And the space inside is just right to be the tech that disappeared from Japan in the wake of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. The tech Will was going to buy all those years ago.

Review

This was fantastic!! I loved this twisty, suspenseful mystery/thriller. Will Parker was the key to my enjoyment of this book. He’s smart and geeky. But he’s also good at his job for the FBI (even if he’s not a great shot).

There’s TONS going on here with the murder, dangerous tech up for bid on the dark web, kidnapping, and the convention, not to mention the ties to Will’s past and his ongoing guilt about what happened. It was all excellent. The layers to this reminded me of a David Rosenfelt mystery, but this is a more active story since it’s law enforcement rather than trial work.

I read several passages of this aloud to my husband because I was enjoying the story so much. Eventually he picked up  his phone and ordered a copy of the book. I know he’s going to love this one. Mystery/thriller/suspense fans, especially those who enjoy stories with law enforcement officers, should not miss this one. It was a delight to read. I hope there will be more Will Parker books in the future. (Language, violence, off-page sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Tell Me Lies by Ed James

BONUS REVIEW: Tell Me Lies by Ed James

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Megan Holliday is shopping at the mall with her two kids. Avery is four. Brandon is three. They can both be a handful. The family has  no idea the guy in the elevator with them has been waiting for them. Watching them.

Megan wakes up on her porch with a note in her lap telling her not to call the police. Her children and her van are gone.

Senator Chris Holliday is in a congressional hearing when his phone buzzes. It’s in bad taste to check it, but it’s his private cell. Megan might need him. He sees a picture of Avery and Brandon with the morning paper, asleep in their van. The message that accompanies it sends him into a panic.

Special Agent Max Carter heads up the Seattle Field Office for the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team. He interviews Megan. She can’t reach the Senator. Carter promises he’ll do all he can to find the kids. But inside he’s wondering where the Senator has disappeared to.

Review

This was a great, suspenseful thriller. The twists and turns in this were like trying to get through a complicated maze. Every time a character made progress toward finding the truth, it opened an alley to another cover up, another lie, another suspect.

I liked the multiple perspectives in this. It allowed the reader to get into the heads of several characters including the kidnappers. There are so many secrets and lies in this, it added to the suspense to read the story from different perspectives. The reader keeps having to ask, “Is this character even trustworthy?”

There’s some darkness in this – violence, a good bit of foul language, and the dark subject matter. Kidnapping, murder, cover ups. It didn’t feel excessive for the story, but sensitive readers might run into issues with some story elements/moments.

If you love suspense, thrillers, conspiracy stories and twisty mysteries, be sure to check this one out. It’s a wild ride! It looks like this is the first in a series starring Special Agent Max Carter. There are a couple threads of this left open, so future books might pick up pieces from this one, but the case is mostly resolved by the end. (Language, sexual references, violence, TW: suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros

REVIEW: Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Tyler is sitting in class when his phone rings. The next time he is aware of anything, he’s standing in a strange house holding a gun.

He’s drawn to Shannon the first time he meets her. She seems familiar. She understands him in ways no one else does.

Elizabeth meets Hades at a fundraiser she attends with her parents. He seems familiar. It’s like he knows her. Surely she would have remembered someone so gorgeous and mysterious.

Hades is an assassin. He knows who he is and how he was trained. He’s good at his job. He knows all three of the other teens, but they don’t know him.

What secrets link these four kids? And what is Project Pandora?

Review

Wow. This is a dark, violent story that is extremely well written. It is darker than than the books I usually read, but I was compelled to finish and find out what the heck was going on!

I found myself taking notes as I read, trying to puzzle out what was happening. And in the end, I felt like I only had the smallest bit of the big picture figured out.

I can’t say that I liked the characters, but I was completely engrossed in finding out what had happened to them. And I was stunned by the endig. I don’t know what to believe and will have to wait for book 2 to find out.

This is definitely for older teens in my opinion. There’s drug/alcohol use, mature language, abuse and violence. This is not my usual style of book, but I couldn’t put it down. If you love dark suspense with some science fiction thrown in, you should definitely check this out.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Zero Day by David Baldacci

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

John Puller is Army CID – Criminal Investigative Division (Like NCIS, except with the Army). He’s sent to West Virginia to work with local law enforcement on the murder of an army colonel. Sure, it’s weird that he’s going in without a team. And sure, it’s weird that he’s the investigator going when there are other units closer in jurisdiction. But Puller is an exceptional soldier. He follows orders.

But it’s not just the colonel dead. It’s his whole family. And the crime scene is kind of… off. Then more bodies start dropping. Puller just can’t get a handle on what’s really going on in this town and with this case. And as he keeps digging, he becomes a target.

Review

This is not my usual cozy mystery! I don’t generally read thrillers, but my husband was reading book three in the series, The Escape, and enjoying it immensely, so I decided to give book one a try.

While this is not my usual style, I really enjoyed it. The characters were fantastic. I love Puller’s subtle sense of humor and sarcasm. His partner on this case is a great, nuanced character. I really liked the glimpses into her personal life and family which enhanced the story rather than distracting from it. Puller’s family is intriguing. I’m looking forward to reading more of this series and seeing more of this family dynamic.

The mystery was outstanding. Four hundred-plus pages in, and I had no idea what was going on. But I was frantically flipping pages trying to piece it together. Terrific wrap up! The technical pieces were over my head but didn’t keep me from thoroughly enjoying the story. (Some language)

Rating:♥♥♥♥½