Book Review: Buried in Black by J.T. Patten

Buried in Black

 

TASK FORCE ORANGE #1

 

DEEPER THAN DEEP STATE

In this explosive new series, former intelligence expert J.T. Patten takes you deep inside the top-secret operations you’ll never see on the news: our deadliest weapons in the war against terror . . .

BURIED IN BLACK

In the clandestine world of shadow ops, he’s known as The Man From Orange. A master of surveillance, signals intelligence—and silent killing—special operative Drake Woolf has been groomed and trained by the old-guard intel community after his CIA father and mother were murdered in Tunisia. Now he works for Task Force Orange, handling cases the government doesn’t want its fingerprints on. Woolf can always be relied on to carry out an assignment with surgical precision—and exterminate a threat with extreme prejudice. But his latest mission is different. Woolf knows the targets personally. He trained them in Iraq to be the perfect killing machines. Known as the “Mohawks,” these Iraqi rebels know our secrets, our strengths, and our weaknesses. And they’re using this knowledge to launch the deadliest attack the world has ever seen—on American soil . . .

 

 

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Member of the SWAT squad with an assault rifle in a black uniform on dark background. Special weapons and tactics. Special Forces.

 

 

BOOK REVIEW

 

Former intelligence expert J.T. Patten breaks on the scene with the first Task Force Orange book, Buried in Black.  First, I LOVE Black Ops. The tagline “Blacker than Black Ops” rings true when you read this book. Special operative Drake Woolfe is a well crafted character with a great backstory that bleeds well into the course of the story. They’re books about Black Ops…and then they’re books that plunge you into the authenticity of this darker than dark realm. Patten is of the latter.  I’m really looking forward to the next Task Force Orange book!

 

 

 

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“J.T. Patten” has worked with the intelligence and special operations community in support of national defense and policy. He has a degree in Foreign Language, a Masters in Strategic Intelligence, graduate studies in Counter Terrorism from the University of St. Andrews, and numerous expertise certifications in forensics, fraud, and financial crime investigations. Patten shares these unique experiences with readers to give them a taste of “the black.”

His novel is written in a multi-layered non-linear plot style that provides a compelling inside view of larger than life covert activities in addition to the gripping turmoil that warriors suffer while battling foes and internal demons.

Disclaimer:
These novels do not constitute an official release of CIA information. All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) or any other U.S. Government agency. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying U.S. Government authentication of information or CIA endorsement of the author’s views. This material has been reviewed for classification.

 

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Blog Tour: Shadow Crimes by Michael Hambling

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Looking for a gripping mystery by a best-selling author? Full of twists and turns, this crime thriller will keep you turning the pages until the emotional conclusion.

 

 

SHADOW CRIMES publish

 

 

 

DETECTIVE SOPHIE ALLEN IS BACK TO SOLVE HER TOUGHEST CASE

An undercover detective disappears.
A retired prison officer is murdered.
Drugs and contraband phones are out of control in the local prisons. How are they getting in?

Can Detective Sophie Allen discover the links between these crimes?

AND WILL SHE FIND THE MISSING DETECTIVE BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT? 

A shadowy group with more influence than anyone suspected will stop at nothing to protect themselves.

Discover the truth in this enthralling crime mystery.

If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott, Colin Dexter, Ruth Rendell, or Mark Billingham you will be gripped by this exciting new crime fiction writer.

SHADOW CRIMES is book seven of a new series of crime thrillers featuring Sophie Allen, head of the Violent Crime Unit in Dorset.

THE DETECTIVES
DCI Sophie Allen is Dorset’s acknowledged expert on murder and violent crime. She is 42 as the series starts, and lives with her husband and younger daughter in Wareham. Her elder daughter is studying in London. Sophie has a law degree and a master’s in criminal psychology. Her brilliant mind conceals some dark secrets from her past.

DS Barry Marsh is based at Swanage police station. He’s quiet, methodical and dedicated, the perfect foil for Sophie’s hidden fragility.

THE SETTING
Dorset. A beautiful English county which includes a stunning section of the coastline, but whose beauty belies darkness beneath the surface.

 

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I love discovering great crime fiction. Michael Hambling hooked me from the opening scene. DCI Sophie Allen is a tough, likable character who can get the job done. Loved everything about the book and found the writing to very entertaining. It’s easy to lost in the story! I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series.

 

 

DISCOVER YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE MYSTERY SERIES NOW

THE DCI SOPHIE ALLEN BOOKS
 
Book 1: DARK CRIMES
Book 2: DEADLY CRIMES
Book 3: SECRET CRIMES
Book 4: BURIED CRIMES
Book 5: TWISTED CRIMES
Book 6: EVIL CRIMES
Book 7: SHADOW CRIMES

 

 

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Author Bio

 

Like many writers, I have been a keen reader all of my life. I remember one day as a nine year old in the summer holidays, when I visited the local library four times in one day because a child’s ticket only allowed one book out at a time! I can even remember the plot of one book, a story about a boy taking up fly-fishing, read while sitting outside in a sunny back garden in Bristol.

I still live in the west-country, and set the location of my novels in this area. The early novels in the series are based in the Isle of Purbeck, one of the UK’s most beautiful coastal regions. But the rest of the county of Dorset does get a look in, and there are scenes set in other locations in the central south of England.

I write because I constantly create scenes, people, imaginary conversations and unusual situations in my head. I have always done so, ever since I was a child. Using the richness of the English language to set down these creations in words is a great joy. Maybe by the time I’ve edited a passage for the umpteenth time it’s beginning to lose some of its sparkle for me, but I do believe in reshaping and polishing until it’s as good as I can make it. It then becomes something about which I can feel some justifiable pride.

Who are my own favourite writers? Hilary Mantel, of course. Not just the the recent Thomas Cromwell novels, but the brilliant and sly characterisation of Beyond Black.
Doris Lessing has written some startlingly original stories over many years. I’m also a great fan of David Mitchell. He shows great creativity in all of his novels.
Philip Pullman has written many books of startling originality, full of imaginative ideas. Not just the Lara series, but the earlier Sally Lockhart novels. One of my sons bought me La Belle Sauvage (volume one of the Book of Dust trilogy) for Christmas. I loved it, so much so that I’ve already re-read it a month later, something very rare for me. Wonderful stuff.
Another author I’ve come to admire greatly is Charity Norman. She writes about families in crisis situations and how the problem is partly resolved. I came to her books with “The New Woman”, a novel that probes the problems created by gender variance. Her other novels are equally good. Her writing style is outstanding.

In crime fiction I like Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie novels and the books of Mo Hayder. I also enjoy Colin Dexter’s Morse and Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels.

I cannot compete with these greats, so I aim for something different. I hope that I have succeeded to some extent.

 

 

 

Book Review: Close to the Bone by Kendra Elliot

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Widow’s Island Novella book 1

 

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back home on a remote Pacific Northwest island when she gets the call: a teenager’s skeletal remains have been found on a nearby island.

Together with Tessa Black, a childhood friend turned local deputy, Cate confronts dreary weather and bleak leads to make sense of the death. The complications pile up as Cate is distracted by the coroner on the case—and by nagging memories that draw her twenty years into the past. The remains suggest eerie similarities between this victim, and Cate and Tessa’s friend Samantha, who disappeared when she was fourteen.

Cate finds herself up against closemouthed locals, buried town secrets, and even her own heart. As the case unravels, will she be able to cut through the fog and find justice for the missing and the dead.

 

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Bestselling author Kendra Elliot kicks off a great beginning to the Widow’s Island series! This was so well written it didn’t really seem like a novella. It had all the necessary elements of a full novel complete with mystery, suspense, crime, character, and a touch of romance. I thought the idea for the Widow’s Island setting was genius; the culture, secrets, history of families, it made the story very appealing.

 

See my review of the Audiobook & Narrator Performance: Close to the Bone

 

 

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Kendra Elliot has sold over 5.5 million books, hit the Wall Street Journal top ten bestseller list seven times, and is a three time winner of the Daphne du Maurier award.

Her 2017 release, A MERCIFUL DEATH, was a #1 Amazon overall bestseller and has been optioned for TV by Warner Brothers Television and Ellen Degeneres’s A Very Good Production.

She is an International Thriller Writers’ finalist and a Romantic Times finalist. She grew up in the lush Pacific Northwest and still lives there with her family, three cats, and two Pomeranians. She’s always been fascinated with forensics, refuses to eat anything green, and can’t wait to wear flip flops every day.

 

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October Book Recommendations with the Book Beast

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October Book Recommendations by the BOOK BEAST  Laura Rash a.k.a Wonder Chick

You can find her on Instagram at Wonderchick40 or on Twitter @RashLaura

Thanks Laura!

 

 

DI Murphy & DS Rossi Series

 

 

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The young girl you have found isn’t the first experiment I’ve carried out. She won’t be the last.

A tense, unpredictable crime debut that will not only have you gripped, but will chill you to the bone. Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride and Mark Billingham.

A serial killer is stalking the streets of Liverpool, gruesomely murdering victims as part of a series of infamous, unethical and deadly psychological experiments.

When it becomes apparent that each victim has ties to the City of Liverpool University, DI David Murphy and DS Laura Rossi realise they’re chasing a killer unlike any they’ve hunted before – one who doesn’t just want his victims’ bodies, but wants their minds too.

With a series of psychological twists Dead Gone will keep you guessing until the very end.

 

Other books in the series…

The Dying Place

Bloodstream

It Never Leaves You

Then She Was Gone

 

 

The Harry Hole Series

 

The Thirst Jo Nesbo

 

 

Harry Hole returns in the eleventh installment of the author’s best-selling, electrifying crime fiction series—published in 48 languages, more than 30 million copies sold worldwide.

In Police—the last novel featuring Jo Nesbø’s hard-bitten, maverick Oslo detective—a killer wreaking revenge on the police had Harry Hole fighting for the safety of the people closest to him. Now, in The Thirst, the story continues as Harry is inextricably drawn back into the Oslo police force. A serial murderer has begun targeting Tinder daters—a murderer whose MO reignites Harry’s hunt for a nemesis of his past.

 

Other books in the Harry Hole series…

 

 

The DI Callanach Series

 

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The body of a young girl is found dumped on the roadside on the outskirts of Edinburgh. When pathologists examine the remains, they make a gruesome discovery: the silhouette of a doll carved in the victim’s skin. And when a macabre ragdoll is found nestled beside an abandoned baby, DI Luc Callanch learns the killer’s horrifying game plan – cutting out dolls from the flesh of his victims.

When a series of drug-users are brutally branded with the letter Z slashed into their foreheads, Luc and his partner Ava must risk both their jobs and their lives to unearth the truth. Is this the merciless work of the same assailant?

As the killer’s twisted games persist, Luc knows it’s only a matter of time before he strikes again. Can they stop another victim from being silenced forever – or is it already too late?

 

Other books in the series…

Perfect Remains

Perfect Prey

Perfect Death

 

 

The Orphan X Series

 

 

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When darkness closes in―he’s your last, best hope. Evan Smoak returns in Gregg Hurwitz’s #1 international bestselling Orphan X series.

Taken from a group home at age twelve, Evan Smoak was raised and trained as part of the Orphan Program, an off-the-books operation designed to create deniable intelligence assets―i.e. assassins. Evan was Orphan X. He broke with the Program, using everything he learned to disappear and reinvent himself as the Nowhere Man, a man who helps the truly desperate when no one else can. But now Evan’s past in the Orphan Program is reaching out to him.

Someone at the very highest level of government has been trying to eliminate every trace of the Orphan Program by killing all the remaining Orphans and their trainers. After Evan’s mentor and the only father he ever knew was killed, he decided to strike back. His target is the man who started the program and who is now the most heavily guarded person in the world: the President of the United States.

But President Bennett knows that Orphan X is after him and, using weapons of his own, he’s decided to counter-attack. Bennett activates the one man who has the skills and experience to track down and take out Orphan X―the first recruit of the program, Orphan A.

With Evan devoting all his skills, resources, and intelligence to find a way through the layers of security that surround the President, suddenly he also has to protect himself against the deadliest of opponents. It’s Orphan vs. Orphan with the future of the country―even the world―on the line.

 

Other books in the series...

Orphan X

Buy a Bullet

The Nowhere Man

Hellbent

The Intern

Out of the Dark

 

Out of the Dark will be available January 29, 2019 Pre-order a copy now

 

 

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Book Recommendations by Book Beast Laura Rash

We Recommend

 

 

Books on the Radar with Book Beast Laura Rash

 

The Last Time I lied

 

 

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In the latest thriller from the bestselling author of Final Girls, a young woman returns to her childhood summer camp to uncover the truth about a tragedy that happened there fifteen years ago.

Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. But the games ended the night Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin into the darkness. The last she–or anyone–saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings–massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. When the paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale, she implores Emma to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor. Seeing an opportunity to find out what really happened to her friends all those years ago, Emma agrees.

Familiar faces, unchanged cabins, and the same dark lake haunt Nightingale, even though the camp is opening its doors for the first time since the disappearances. Emma is even assigned to the same cabin she slept in as a teenager, but soon discovers a security camera–the only one on the property–pointed directly at its door. Then cryptic clues that Vivian left behind about the camp’s twisted origins begin surfacing. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing mysterious threats in the present. And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale and what really happened to those girls, the more she realizes that closure could come at a deadly price.

 

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“A twisting, heart-wrenching journey into a marriage, a gripping thriller…Reardon grabs his readers on page one, then deftly ratchets the suspense until the breathless ending.”—Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author

Julia Swann, mother of two young boys, is on the phone with her husband, Michael, when the call abruptly cuts out. It isn’t until later in the evening when she discovers that something terrible has happened at Penn Station, where Michael was waiting for a train home.

Julia races to New York City to look for Michael, her panicked searching interwoven with memories of meeting and falling in love with the husband she’s now desperate to find. When someone finds a flier she’s posted and tells her they may have seen her husband, her prays seem to be answered. Yet as she tries to find him, her calls go unanswered. Did Michael survive? If so, why hasn’t he contacted her? Was he—or is he still—the man she fell in love with?

Part family drama, part tragic love story, The Real Michael Swann is a deftly plotted suspense novel with an unflinching portrait of a marriage at its heart, challenging us to confront the unthinkable–both in our country and in our own homes.

“Reardon masterfully delivers an intimate, heartbreaking portrayal of a family whose love, trust, and loyalty for each other is put to the ultimate test.”—Rhiannon Navin, author of Only Child.

 

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“A tense and gripping read that plumbs the depths of grief and longing. Leave No Trace is as thrilling as a whitewater rapid and as dark as the Minnesotan wilderness itself.” —Amy Gentry, internationally bestselling author of Good as Gone

“Dark and atmospheric, with palpably vivid details and complex characters harboring plenty of secrets, Leave No Trace is the perfect combination of gorgeous prose and edge-of-your-seat storytelling.” —Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of The Marriage Lie

“This novel deserves the top-spot on your reading list!”—Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of The Neighbors

From the author of the “compelling” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis) and critically acclaimed Everything You Want Me to Be, a riveting and suspenseful thriller about the mysterious disappearance of a boy and his stunning return ten years later.

There is a place in Minnesota with hundreds of miles of glacial lakes and untouched forests called the Boundary Waters. Ten years ago a man and his son trekked into this wilderness and never returned.

Search teams found their campsite ravaged by what looked like a bear. They were presumed dead until a decade later…the son appeared. Discovered while ransacking an outfitter store, he was violent and uncommunicative and sent to a psychiatric facility. Maya Stark, the assistant language therapist, is charged with making a connection with their high-profile patient. No matter how she tries, however, he refuses to answer questions about his father or the last ten years of his life.

But Maya, who was abandoned by her own mother, has secrets, too. And as she’s drawn closer to this enigmatic boy who is no longer a boy, she’ll risk everything to reunite him with his father who has disappeared from the known world.

 

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Anonymous Girl image

 

 

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us

Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding. As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

Praise for The Wife Between Us:

“A fiendishly smart cat-and-mouse thriller” —New York Times Book Review

“[A] seamless thriller that will keep readers on their toes to the very end…Readers will enjoy the dizzying back-and-forth as they attempt to figure out just who to root for and as the suspense ratchets up to one hell of a conclusion.” —Booklist

 

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After leaving her marriage to jealous, possessive oncologist Maxwell, Lily and her six-year-old son have a second chance at happiness with teacher Sebastian. Kind but vulnerable, Sebastian is the polar opposite of Maxwell, and the perfect match for Lily. After a whirlwind romance, they marry, and that’s when things start to go wrong. Maxwell returns to the scene, determined to win back his family, and events soon spiral out of control. Lily and Sebastian find themselves not only fighting for their relationship, but also their lives.

 

Amazon | Goodreads

 

 

 

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A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless.

When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of.

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant but socially awkward civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive…

 

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One of the most anticipated reads is now available.

 

 

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New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger delivers yet another “punch-to-the-gut blend of detective story and investigative fiction” (Booklist, starred review) as Cork O’Connor and his son Stephen work together to uncover the truth behind the tragic plane crash of a senator on Desolation Mountain and the mysterious disappearances of several first responders. This is a heart-pounding and devastating mystery the scope and consequences of which go far beyond what father or son could ever have imagined.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

To Stephen O’Connor, Hamlet’s dour observation is more than just words. All his life, he has had visions of tragedies to come. When he experiences the vision of a great bird shot from the sky, he knows something terrible is about to happen. The crash of a private plane on Desolation Mountain in a remote part of the Iron Lake Reservation, which kills a United States senator and most of her family, confirms Stephen’s worst fears.

Stephen joins his father, Cork O’Connor and a few Ojibwe men from the nearby Iron Lake reservation to sift through the smoldering wreckage when the FBI arrives and quickly assumes control of the situation. What seems like the end of the O’Connors’ involvement is, however, only the beginning of a harrowing journey to understand the truth behind the Senator’s death. As he initiates his own probe, Cork O’Connor stumbles upon a familiar face in Bo Thorson, a private security consultant whose unnamed clients have hired him to look quietly into the cause of the crash. The men agree to join forces in their investigation, but soon Cork begins to wonder if Thorson’s loyalties lie elsewhere.

In that far north Minnesota County, which is overrun with agents of the FBI, NTSB, DoD, and even members of a rightwing militia, all of whom have their own agendas, Cork, Stephen, and Bo attempt to navigate a perilous course. Roadblocked by lies from the highest levels of government, uncertain who to trust, and facing growing threats the deeper they dig for answers, the three men finally understand that to get to the truth, they will have to face the great menace, a beast of true evil lurking in the woods—a beast with a murderous intent of unimaginable scale.

 

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Book Review: Bloody Sunday by Ben Coes

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*The best thriller of 2018*

 

 

“Ben Coes’ Bloody Sunday is a propulsive read with enough plot hooks, twists, and action to fill five thrillers. Fans of Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, and Tom Clancy will tear throughBloody Sunday and close the book counting the days till Dewey’s next adventure.” —Mark Greaney, New York Timesbestselling author of Agent in Place

The latest in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Dewey Andreas series.

North Korea, increasingly isolated from most of the rest of the world, is led by an absolute dictator and a madman with a major goal—he’s determined to launch a nuclear attack on the United States. While they have built, and continue to successfully test nuclear bombs, North Korea has yet to develop a ballistic missile with the range necessary to attack America. But their missiles are improving, reaching a point where the U.S. absolutely must respond.

What the U.S. doesn’t know is that North Korea has made a deal with Iran. In exchange for effective missiles from Iran, they will trade nuclear triggers and fissionable material. An exchange, if it goes through, that will create two new nuclear powers, both with dangerous plans.

Dewey Andreas, still reeling from recent revelations about his own past, is ready to retire from the CIA. But he’s the only available agent with the skills to carry out the CIA’s plan to stop North Korea. The plan is to inject a singular designer poison into the head of the North Korean military and in exchange for the nuclear plans, provide him with the one existing dose of the antidote. But it goes awry when Dewey manages to inject a small amount of the poison into himself. Now, to survive, Dewey must get into North Korea and access the antidote and, while there, thwart the nuclear ambitions of both North Korea and Iran. And he has less than 24 hours to do so—in the latest thriller from Ben Coes.

 

 

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The best thriller of 2018 so far. Absolutely phenomenal!  A complete slam dunk by author Ben Coes.  Narrator Jay Synder even made it more exceptional with a stellar performance in the audiobook, so I highly recommend it.  I wouldn’t be surprised if this won a few awards. Dewey Andreas is back on the scene with one startling realization; his wife’s death was no accident. Bloody Sunday begins with the non-stop impulse of revenge on those responsible for her murder, but this is hardly the beginning.

The North Korean regime is bent on unleashing nuclear catastrophe on the United States–even without much consideration of the cost. An ailing leader. A loyal soldier. A definite promise of destruction. There’s only one man who’s capable of pulling off an exponentially impossible mission, but there’s only one problem. He’s not up to the task. His mindset is no condition for yet another mission. Dewey Andreas is absolutely sensational in every sense of the word. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the United States, the CIA, North Korea; or even more personal for long time agent Andreas. An explosive, extraordinary plot that’ll blow your socks right off.

 

 

Five Gold Stars

 

 

 

www.bencoes.com

 

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Ben Coes is the New York Times bestselling author of international political and espionage thrillers. He graduated from Columbia College, where he won the Bennett Cerf Memorial Prize for Fiction. He worked at the White House under Presidents Reagan and Bush and was a Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

 

 

 

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Sneak Peak of ThrillerFest 2018 via Mark Dawson

SNEAK PEEK word written under torn paper.

 

 

 

Sneak Peek into ThrillerFest 2018 with Mark Dawson

 

 

 

 

 

See which books won big in the ITW 2018 Awards via TheRealbookspy.com

 

 

 

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Blog Tour: Murder of a Lover by Faith Martin

MURDER OF A LOVER

 

 

 

DETECTIVE HILLARY GREENE IS SOLVING THE COLD CASES NO ONE ELSE COULD CRACK.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “A NARROW MARGIN OF ERROR.”

 

Ten years ago, Rowan Thompson was found stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in his student house. It turns out that Rowan was quite a lover, with many disgruntled partners left in his wake.
But did any of them have a strong enough motive to murder him?

Meanwhile. Hillary’s stalker is getting more aggressive with his messages and flowers. And it looks like he may be much, much worse than she thought.

Has Hillary finally bitten off more than she can chew?

Hillary Greene has returned to Thames Valley Police HQ, acting as a consultant for the Crime Review Team, looking into murders which the police have never been able to solve.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to go back. But solving crimes is irresistible for Hillary Greene. And it doesn’t hurt that her new boss is devastatingly handsome.

This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from start to the absolutely thrilling conclusion.

MURDER OF A LOVER is the thirteenth a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire.

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THE LOCATION
Number 8 Kebler Road is a three-story house in a typical leafy road in Oxford, near South Park. Victorian terraces face each other across the narrow street, whose pavements are interspersed with strategically placed lime trees. Keble College, an unmistakable building of red and white brick is the dominant feature. Quiet, pleasant, it’s in one of the city’s many attractive areas, and dedicated mainly to student digs and private residential properties.

 

 

 

 

Keble College

 

 

 

 

THE DETECTIVE
DI Hillary Greene
An attractive, single woman nearing the landmark age of fifty, Hillary Greene was a police officer of many years’ experience (earning the rank of DI) and came up through the ranks. Consequently, she knew how the system worked, and was always fiercely loyal to the force without being blinkered to its faults. Forced to retire early through no fault of her own, she has now returned to the force as a civilian consultant on cold cases. She still enjoys a rather enigmatic relationship with the wily Commander Marcus Donleavy, but it is her new boss, the very attractive Steven Crayle, who is likely to cause her the most problems now!

 

 

 

 

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I’ve come to love DI Hillary Greene in all her stories. But I’ve also come to realize that it isn’t just her story. It’s also the story of the victims that need justice. Now she is working cold cases doing what she does best–getting to the bottom of things. She always has a nose for the nitty gritty of detective work. Faith Martin has a knack for bringing you into the point of view of the protagonist leaving you with a personal impression like you know them. No easy feat I’m sure.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REVISED EDITION OF A BOOK FIRST PUBLISHED AS “A NARROW MARGIN OF ERROR.”

 

DI HILLARY GREENE SERIES
BOOK 1: MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BOOK 2: MURDER AT THE UNIVERSITY
BOOK 3: MURDER OF THE BRIDE
BOOK 4: MURDER IN THE VILLAGE
BOOK 5: MURDER IN THE FAMILY
BOOK 6: MURDER AT HOME
BOOK 7: MURDER IN THE MEADOW
BOOK 8: MURDER IN THE MANSION
BOOK 9: MURDER IN THE GARDEN
BOOK 10: MURDER BY FIRE
BOOK 11: MURDER AT WORK
BOOK 12: MURDER NEVER RETIRES
BOOK 13: MURDER OF A LOVER

Books 14-17 coming soon!

 

 

Author photo

 

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

 

Faith Martin has been writing for over 25 years, in four genres and under four different pen names. She was born in Oxford and sets most of her crime novels within sight of the city of dreaming spires. A real nature lover and afficionado of the countryside, descriptions of wildlife and native flora often find their way into her manuscripts. Right now, JOFFE BOOKS are re-issuing the DI Hillary Greene novels in new updated editions! The first 13 books in the series are available now.

Her romance novels, written under the name of Maxine Barry, are now available from Corazon Books. IMPOSTERS In PARADISE, and HEART OF FIRE are both out, and others will very quickly become available in the future.

Her first foray into writing ‘spooky’ crime, (and written under the pen name of Jessie Daniels) comes out in November 2017. THE LAVENDER LADY CASEFILE is published by Robert Hale, an imprint of Crowood Press.

As Joyce Cato, she writes more classically-inspired ‘proper’ whodunits. So, if you like an amateur sleuth, plenty of clues and red herrings, plus a baffling murder mystery to solve, these are the books for you.

Bestseller: The President is Missing by James Patterson & Bill Clinton

Bestseller neon sign on brick wall background.

 

 

 

 

The President is missing

 

 

The President is Missing a thriller written by James Patterson and Bill Clinton has sold over 260K copies in the first week. 

 

The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view . . .

Set over the course of three days, The President Is Missing sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Filled with information that only a former Commander-in-Chief could know, this is the most authentic, terrifying novel to come along in many years.

 

Amazon | Goodreads | Google Play Books | Barnes & Noble

 

I just read the first chapter and it’s quite  a whopper. Full of intrigue, tension and questions that go unanswered. It begins with President Duncan being questioned by the Speaker of House regarding his actions regarding the world’s most wanted cyber terrorist. He’s definitely in the hot seat but is unable to provide answers due to the nature of the conflict, classified information, and the interest of national security.

By reading the first chapter you can sense the tense history between the Speaker and President of the United States. I also love where this story begins. Obviously something already substantial happened to put the President in the hot seat, but what? The suspense is palpable! And that’s only the first chapter! Can’t wait to devour this one.

 

 

Check out the Book Trailer…

 

 

 

 

Bill Clinton And James Patterson On Their Thriller, ‘The President Is Missing’ | TODAY

 

 

 

The Headlines

The Washington Post

Hollywood Reporter

The Guardian

 

It’s not every day the 42nd president of the United States and the most successful novelist in modern history collaborate to write a thriller.

 

 

 

 

recommended

 

 

 

 

 

Books of the Year by Bibliophile Vikki Faircloth

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I asked fellow bibliophile, Vikki Faircloth, some questions about her favorite books and authors. Let’s see what the results are…

 

 

FAVORITE AUTHORS 

David Baldacci, Greig Beck, Matthew Betley

Lee Child, Preston & Child, Clive Cussler

Matthew Fitzsimmons

Meg Gardiner, Mark Greaney, Michael Grumley

Alex Lukeman

Luke Murphy

Matthew Reilly, James Rollins

S.L. Shelton, Jack Silkstone

A.J. Tata, Brad Taylor, Brad Thor

 

 

 

The Best Improve Great Performance Development Concept

 

 

 

 

 

BEST BOOKS READ THIS YEAR

Matthew Betley: Overwatch and Oath of Honor

Mark Greaney (was a new author to me): all Gray Man books this year

Meg Gardiner: UNSUB and Into the Black Nowhere

Alex Lukeman: Project Book 16

 

 

 

Matthew Betley: Overwatch & Oath of Honor

 

 

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Mark Greaney

 

 

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Meg Gardiner: UNSUB and Into the Black Nowhere

 

 

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Into the Black Nowhere image

 

 

 

 

Alex Lukeman: Project Book 16

 

 

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Search book

 

 

 

BOOKS IN QUE

David Baldacci: The Fallen

Jack Carr: Terminal List

David Ricciardi: Warning Light

 

 

 

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The Terminal List image

 

 

 

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Anticipation

 

 

 

 

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RELEASES

Matthew Betley: Field of Valor

Brad Thor: Spymaster

Robert Parker: Jesse Stone Debt to Pay

James Rollins: Hammer of Witches (the title has changed?)

 

 

 

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Crucible: A Sigma Force Novel (Sigma Force Novels) by James Rollins

The cover has yet to be revealed! Pre-order here

Available January 8, 2019.