Allen Eskens delivers another standout suspense novel with Forsaken Country, an intense, heartbreaking story set against the wild beauty of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This latest installment in the Max Rupert series works seamlessly as a standalone, blending emotional depth with pulse-pounding action. Max Rupert, a former homicide detective, has retreated into isolation after the tragic loss of his wife. But his friend Lyle breaks through his solitude when he begs for help. Lyle’s daughter Sandy and grandson Pip have vanished, and the local authorities refuse to investigate. Max reluctantly agrees to dig deeper, uncovering a dangerous trail that leads to Sandy’s ex-husband Reed. Eskens crafts a riveting cat-and-mouse […]
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Here One Moment Keeps You Guessing
Imagine you are sitting on an airplane minding your own business when a sweet little old lady comes up and tells you when and how you are going to kick the bucket. Is she a crackpot or let her prognostication change everything? That’s the unique premise of Liane Moriarty’s brilliantly constructed recent novel, Here One Moment. Set aboard a delayed flight from Hobart to Sydney, Australia, this inventive tale introduces a vivid cast of characters: a newlywed couple still glowing from their vows, a tired mom wrangling two kids, a pregnant woman, and a brooding hipster. No one notices the unassuming elderly woman in the aisle seat. Dubbed “The Death […]
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A Slow-Burn Tale with Sparks of Suspense: A Review of Johnston’s Latest
Johnston’s latest literary suspense novel paints a vivid picture of a small Wisconsin town haunted by the mysterious disappearance of three boys in the 1970s. The story centers on Sean Courtland, a drifter who ends up working for Marion Devereaux, a man shrouded in suspicion. Alongside Sean is Dan Young, another wanderer with his own secrets, and Denise Givens, a local waitress whose life becomes entwined with Sean’s after a bar altercation. Detective Corrine Viegas, determined to uncover long-buried truths, watches as these lives intersect and set off a chain of events leading to devastating consequences. While the premise holds promise, the execution is slow. The first half drags with […]
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Espionage Meets Art: Gabriel Allon Returns in Portrait of an Unknown Woman
Daniel Silva’s 22nd Gabriel Allon installment returns the legendary spy to his original passion: art restoration. Now retired, Allon’s peaceful life in Venice with his wife and children gets upended when he’s drawn into the high-stakes world of art forgery. His old friend Julian Isherwood faces ruin over a dubious Van Dyck painting, pushing Allon back into the game. What follows is a skillful blend of art and espionage as Allon crafts forgeries of his own to ensnare a shadowy forgery syndicate and its financial backer. Silva’s sharp storytelling and insight into the art world shine, giving readers an inside look at the craft and deception of forgery. The plot […]
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A High-Octane Battle Between Good and Evil
Dark Angel, the second entry in Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson’s Shepherds series, delivers a gripping and intense military thriller with a unique faith-based twist. Former Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson is back, now training with the Shepherds, an elite organization of warriors tasked with confronting spiritual threats. But the challenge of stepping into his role as the rookie leader of a new team is just the beginning. Jed’s visions of an imminent overseas attack force him into action, and what follows is a pulse-pounding mission that blurs the line between the seen and the unseen. Andrews and Wilson skillfully weave together elements of counterterrorism, faith, and supernatural warfare, creating a […]
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Friendship and Corruption in Biloxi
In The Boys from Biloxi, John Grisham masterfully weaves a tale of friendship, betrayal, and the complex interplay of law and crime set against the backdrop of 1960s Biloxi, Mississippi. The story follows two boys, Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco, whose childhood camaraderie devolves into a fierce rivalry as the circumstances of their lives draw them onto opposing paths. Keith, the son of a determined anti-crime prosecutor, dedicates himself to the law, while Hugh slips into the seedy underbelly of organized crime, following in the footsteps of his father, a notable crime figure in Biloxi. Grisham’s narrative is both engaging and informative, shedding light on the historical context of Biloxi’s […]
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A High-Stakes Espionage Thriller
3.5 stars rounded down to 3. Night Owl plunges readers into a world of espionage, high-tech sabotage, and international intrigue. The story follows Brad Trasker, a retired counterintelligence agent still reeling from personal loss and disillusionment. He experiences an abrupt shattering of his quiet life when he attends the launch of a groundbreaking aircraft by Kylie Connor, an innovative aerospace CEO. The event takes a deadly turn when the plane explodes, nearly killing Kylie and setting off a chain of mysterious events, including missing data, a vanishing engineer, and a suspicious death. Mayne keeps the tension high with a mix of forensic detail, advanced technology, and relentless action. As Trasker […]
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A High-Octane Thriller with Unfinished Business
3.5 rounded up to 4. Deep Sleep is a pulse-pounding journey into the shadowy world of espionage and conspiracy. The story centers on Devin Gray, a countersurveillance expert drawn into a dangerous mission following the death of his estranged mother, Helen, a former CIA officer notorious for her paranoia. Most dismissed Helen’s obsession with a vast conspiracy, but when Devin discovers the clues she left behind, he realizes her fears were justified. With the help of former Marine pilot Marnie Young and a team of covert operatives, Devin uncovers a deep-rooted Russian sleeper network that has infiltrated the highest levels of American society. Konkoly’s military background shines through in the […]
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The Paris Betrayal Delivers Nonstop Action
4.5 stars I love finding authors I’ve never read before, and James R. Hannibal is the real deal! The Paris Betrayal is a fast-paced spy thriller that hooked me from the start. The story follows Ben Calix, a skilled operative whose life spirals out of control after a mission in Rome goes wrong. Tasked with uncovering a deadly bioweapon, Ben barely escapes, only to return to Paris and find his world in ruins. Disavowed by his agency, cut off from all support, and hunted by unknown enemies, Ben’s situation couldn’t be worse. The action is nonstop as Ben races across Europe to piece together the conspiracy against him. Along the […]
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A High-Octane Thriller of Betrayal and Suspense
Jack and Gabe are the best in the business at breaking into buildings and hacking security systems. As top penetration specialists, they get hired by high-profile companies to test their security vulnerabilities. But after a routine assignment goes terribly wrong, Jack returns home to a nightmare—someone brutally murdered Gabe, and the police suspect her of doing it. Determined to clear her name, Jack goes on the run to find the killer. She uncovers a connection between Gabe’s death and a dangerous zero-day exploit, a vulnerability in a popular app that could be worth millions to the wrong people. Jack must stay one step ahead of the authorities and the killers. […]
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