No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe

No Truth Left to Tell. Michael McAuliffe. Greenleaf Book Group Press. March 2020. pb, 320 pp.; ISBN: 9781626346970.

Adrien Rush is a federal civil rights prosecutor and is called to investigate and prosecute the criminals responsible for burning crosses on the lawns of private and public citizens in Lynwood, Louisiana.  The Ku Klux Klan is responsible and is proud of their actions.  However, one elderly lady, Nettie Wynn, suffers a heart attack on the night of the attack on the front lawn of her home.  She lives in an area of Lynwood that is home to a predominance of people of color.

Rush and an experienced FBI investigator, Mercer, continue their work and after a local police detective brings in one of the responsible persons, they manage to have the perpetrator judged guilty by a grand jury.  Nettie’s nice and Rush hit it off but their relationship is about to become complicated by the crime’s process. 

What happens if the means by which evidence is obtained turns out to be tainted?  Does that mean the rights of the accused become more important than the commission of a crime?  Such is the dilemma posed in this tense, controversial plot. 

It will leave readers with many confusing and complex questions about justice’s processes and the results obtained.  Who or what is the victim of such civil rights crimes and violations?  Who deserves a “fair” trial?  How are rights protected and guaranteed?  What will it take for prejudice and civil rights crimes to be abolished forever?  When does the behavior of police become excusable or inexcusable?  How many innocent people are sitting in jail because of a perversion of justice?

Rush is a cop with integrity. It’s because of that sense of fairness that the simple plot becomes so fraught with problems that challenge his relationship with both the people in town and the families of victims.  There also seems to be a well-known tension between federal and civil authorities.  Everyone wants to be top man on the totem pole and somehow justice and fair play are in danger of being obliterated.

No Truth to Tell is a fascinating read that is sure to please those who love crime novels and the stories therein.  Nice writing, Michael McAuliffe!  Look forward to more of same!

Who Slays The Wicked? by Sebastian St. Cyr C. H. Harris

Who Slays the Wicked? – Sebastian St. Cyr. C. S. Harris. Penguin Publishing Group. April 2019. pb, 352 pp.; ISBN #: 9780399585654.

A very evil nobleman who is married to Sebastian’s niece, Stephanie.  This quickly turns into a “was” married when he is found murdered in the most foul manner possible.  Years ago, he was responsible for a string of murders of young boys.  Lord Ashworth has some deviant sexual habits and is a very nasty individual with a habit of not paying his bills and sneering at those who demand payment.  When Sebastian asks who would want Lord Ashworth dead, the answer is obviously anyone and everyone who knew him. Although this is the 14^th St. Cyr novel, it’s a stand-alone that’s so very well worth reading.

So does one go after the poor vagabond prostitutes in the neighborhood or the other noble lords and ladies in London, especially quite a few from Russia here to encourage and celebrate a wedding of their own arrangement?  All have a reason to hate Lord Ashworth’s dead or alive guts.  The size of a blood stain even suggests that a small woman committed the gruesome deed, maybe even his wife Stephanie whom the Lord had married only to get an heir or he would have been cut off from the family money. 

What’s most interesting about this novel are the potentially guilty characters who carry an obvious hatred of the dead victim but also have a coldness about them that wouldn’t think twice about killing a person.  Motives boil down to they would just plain like to do it and no you wouldn’t get a smile with that verbal admission.

There’s a double whammy message here about how the aristocracy couldn’t care less about the suffering and cruel circumstances of the poor beggars, prostitutes, and local ragpickers, of whatever age.  St. Cyr has an obvious caring heart and this makes him sensitive to the suffering around him, a trait his beloved wife also shares.

One also gets a good picture of the politics of the time.  Politicians are out for money and not the good of their constituents.  Covering up evil deeds is par for the course.

This is a grand read with plenty of rumors, hints, scandals, etc. for those trying to figure out the mystery before the main character does.  Fine crime novel that will keep you enraptured for hours and hours – enjoy and then go for the other St. Cyr novels – all masterfully crafted!

One Minute Out: A Gray Man Novel #9 by Mark Greaney

One Minute Out: A Gray Man Novel #9. Mark Greaney. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2020. pb, 512 pp.; ISBN: 9780593098912.

Court Gentry, the Gray Man, is a hired assassin whose initial job is to take out a former criminal responsible for war crimes that destroyed hundreds of families.  However, as this job is panning out, he discovers that this criminal is involved with something much worse, that of trafficking sex slaves. This reviewer has a tough time with this subject as these young women are stuck in a situation that is horrific to say the least.  Anyway, Gentry knows he has a problem with a soft conscience but that means he can’t let this go.  So he starts out by killing the leader and many of his so-called guards.  Then he gets information on the fact that this business is far bigger than he had imagined.  In fact it’s world-wide.  We meet many of the leaders in the plumbing line, men who are interested in cruelty to these young women and beyond greedy for the millions they are making for their small part in planning and organizing the movement of this “product” as it’s called.  Add to that that each leader has no idea who the others are or from where they are operating.  This keeps the secret under wraps, but they are not used to the “Gray Man” who keeps showing up in the places where the product is being shipped. 

Some may say the girls were partially responsible for being snared into this hellish trap but one has to find this unacceptable when realizing how they are now living.  Add to this garbage the fact that the CIA, with whom Genry doesn’t have the greatest relationship, has an active interest in this group because they are also an active terrorist threat and so don’t want him near the top man of this trafficking organization known as the Consortium.

Two things work very well in this international crime novel.  One is the fact that Gentry is one wild agent whose fighting abilities are the best you’ve ever encountered.  The next is that he thinks everything out and really cares what happens to thee young women, wanting them to get to live a normal life that has no connection to sex trade.  He also acknowledges that he has dark secrets in his past and so can excuse a certain amount of same when he meets in these women individually. 

The novel doesn’t have a perfect ending but it’s a satisfactory one for the young girls and we learn that the CIA has an even “bigger” job coming up soon.  So stay tuned for another action-packed international crime thriller!  Mark Greaney has the plots ready and adds some very human elements that make this a huge success.  Yes, it’s somewhat stereotypical but so are most of the books and movies of the same nature.  It’s a good, adrenaline-pumping story that one could envision in film form!  Nicely crafted, Mark Greaney!

Lacey Goes to Tokyo: Miss Belle's Travel Guide #1 by C. H. Lyn

Lacey Goes to Tokyo: Miss Belle’s Travel Guide #1 by C. H. Lyn. Tirgearr Publishing. January 2020. pb, 277 pp.; ASIN: B0822W3HKV.

Lacey Devaine belongs to a spy ring operating under the guise of an elite escort service.  While in Tokyo with Ned, an ex whom Lacey is trying to adjust being with again, a newspaper reporter pushes his nose where it shouldn’t be and exposes a slave trade ring operating in Asia.  The exposure means Lacey is in full swing action and gets information pivotal to ending the illegal operation but also threatening to cause death to an entire village of Hmong citizens living in Laos.

Lacey and other women under the leadership of Miss Belle are women of style.  They dress to the hilt, are sexy as all get-out and have an upper-class reputation as well as generally being present where there’s trouble.  The cost to the ladies is high and very often they are in need of psychological counseling because of the high risks they run, often life or death situations.  But they’re also cool and suave no matter how fierce the pressure gets.  As a result they earn the respect and assistance of other men when they most need it.  And wow do they need it in the plot of this novel!

Products are designed to make plenty of money for mob-like characters and these men (or animals depending on your point of view) don’t think twice about the loss of lives during their transactions.  But Lacy enlists the aid of another dear friend who has seen this scenario long ago in Africa and uses his military skills to help Lacey end this horrific scene which threatens an entire village.  Thai police and other professional detectives are involved and only Lacey can manipulate all the options so that there is no further punishment falling on these poor people or anyone else for that matter.

Guts are a huge component in Lacey and Miss Belle’s ladies but also a profound sense of integrity sorely lacking for most of the characters in this story.  That ensures the success of Miss Belle’s ladies now and in other similar in this notable and highly recommended series!

Beautifully crafted C. H. Lyn! Keep these novels coming!

Kidnapped on Safari: A Thriller (Mbuno & Pero #5) by Peter Riva

Kidnapped on Safari: A Thriller (Mbuno & Pero #5). Peter Riva. Skyhorse Publication. January 2020. pb, 288 pp.; ISBN #: 9781510749009.

Mbuno is an expert safari guide and Pero is a wildlife television producer.  They are presently filming wildlife hunting on Lake Rudolph in Nigeria.  After a successful filming day, Mbuno receives word that his nephew, Ubo, has been kidnapped in Tanzania.  Ubo’s past is troubled as his father was involved in some illegal business and died during that conflict.

This is an expose of a realistic news story, the capture of young girls by Boko Harem.  The group is involved in running a lumber mill where forests are cut down, cocoa is grown for drugs, the drugs are stored in the logs of lumber and transported out of Tanzania.  It also involves the business arrangement of receiving Russian gold for the drugs and money from the sale of drugs.  It becomes an international incident because it involves Russian and American top security and defense administrators.

Those running the mill are responsible for kidnapping Ubo because they thought he had films that could expose their illegal activities.  Those who team up with Pero and Mbuno risk their lives to rescue the thirty young girls.  It also winds up in some fighting and dying, a massive railroad accident, climbing through muddy swamps and fields, and living in the most wild and uncomfortable conditions.  Fortunately, many of the members of the team have antiterrorist positions and experience.  There are many references to past activities of these individuals in Iraq and elsewhere. 

The growth of the deforestation program in Africa is highlighted with little being done to stop its progress.

Kidnapped on Safari… is full of multiple characters, riveting adventures and danger, and strong individuals determined to preserve a moral good over the threats of negative terrorist activities.  Africa remains a changing, threatened continent with different countries vying for domination economically and politically.  Exciting and compelling read!

Firewall: An Emma Streat Mystery by Eugenia Lovett West

Firewall: An Emma Streat Mystery. Eugenia Lovett West. Spark Press.  November 2019. pb, 352 pp.; ISBN: 9781684630103.

Emma Streat is no stranger to mysteries and solving international and domestic crime.  Her husband was killed in the first case she later got involved in.  Now the threat is a bunch of criminals involved in international cyberterrorism.  This story begins when her elderly godmother is blackmailed, gives in to the demand but then sets out to find who is the blackmailer. She may be elderly but she’s a feisty lady who is no slouch and Emma shares many of the same attitudes and determination!

Her involvement will force Emma to bond with an ex-lover and other secret agents.  She will be compelled to travel to France, Italy, Ireland and Geneva, Switzerland.  In each place, more attempts at kidnapping will occur, some with horrendous attacks causing multiple deaths.  The flair of each character involves twists and turns that are unexpected.  Criminals may be multiple smart people but there are always miniscule mistakes they did not foresee which expose them to capture.

The bottom line of this mystery concerns multiple attempts to bribe wealthy individuals followed by the laundering of criminal monies.  All of this costs big money that must be moved around by other criminal types and the criminal plot just keep growing more convoluted and complex, with Emma moving forward on her best instincts, both with and without legal protection. Violence and death will occur to many involved, both planned and accidental.  She’s obviously a woman who thrives on following her instincts and love for adventure.  Her children are in college and now she has taken up what seems to be a new career, being a sleuth who’s very good at listening to people, observing them and following her gut instincts in a process that is breath-taking and nerve-wracking, a double whammy package that keeps the reader reading rapidly, flipping the pages and wanting both a solution and yet also not wanting it all to end.

Ms. West has remarkable talent and skills to make this a nail-biting, satisfying international mystery.  Readers are guaranteed to remember this read and to want more of the same in the near future!

The Art of Theft: Lady Sherlock #4 by Sherry Thomas

The Art of Theft: Lady Sherlock #4. Sherry Thomas. Penguin Publishing Group. Copyright 2019. Pb. 304 pp.; ISBN: 9780451492470

Lady Charlotte, a/k/a Lady Sherlock, has a new mystery to solve which involves adventure and romance.  A Maharani from India visits Lady Charlotte and at first decides she will not allow Lady Charlotte to help her because the Indian royalty does not believe Sherlock exists.  Over a brief time, however, after the visits of Lord  Ingram (who yearns for Charlotte as a lover) and Mr. Marbleton, who wants to court Livia, Livia’s sister, the plot is revealed.  It turns out the Maharani has a weak son who rules but has made a serious mistake that if revealed could make them lose the support of the ruling British. 

The questions are many.  What written secrets are hidden in the back of a painting about to be auctioned and perhaps sold at a ball being held in Paris, France.  The Maharani’s son had contacts with Prussia in which the latter promised to militarily help against the British.  But what’s on the papers is in code.  Her son is now in ill health due to this international communication gone nowhere and these paper machinations may be very dangerous if recovered by the wrong people.

Nevertheless, Lady Charlotte, with the help of Lord Ingram, Mr. Marbleton, and Livia set out to recover the papers.  This involves learning more about the price of art, those who attend the ball and will auction after much eating and drinking.  Does such partying increase the value and worth of famous and valuable paintings? 

Of course, danger lurks in their pursuit.  Lord Ingram and Mr. Marbleton are almost drowned in the grounds of the site of the castle where the ball will be held.  Meanwhile, romantic ideas increase as the characters discover what their intended lovers are really like in peaceful and chaotic times. It all proceeds even to the very cliff-hanger style ending which leaves the reader anxious to read more of this group’s daring adventures and hope that these romantic plans will become serious.  For those who love a good mystery with lots of riddles and threats, this is your next read. Although this is the fourth novel in a series, it’s also an enticing stand-alone novel. Nicely crafted, indeed, Sherry Thomas!  More please!

The Washington Decree: A Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen

The Washington Decree: A Novel. Jussi Adler-Olsen. Penguin Publishing Group. Copyright 2018. pb. 592 pp.; ISBN: 9781524742522.

When chaos and breakdown create a domestic crisis, the President, Cabinet, Senate and House of Representatives are designed to handle every situation.  However, the scenario that shakes America within the pages of this novel defies the order, law and protocols set up for such a situation. 

The story begins sixteen years before Senator Bruce Jansen becomes President.  After winning a geographical contest, Doggie or Dorothy Rogers and a fellow contestant, Wesley Barefoot, and some other contestants win a free trip to China.  The days in China are filled with a lifetime of wondrous memories which are suddenly destroyed by an attack which winds up with the murder of Senator Jansen’s wife.  Years later, when Jansen has been elected President, he agrees to appear at an event in the hotel owned by Doggie’s father, Bud Curtis.  During that major event, President Jansen’s pregnant wife is assassinated, and the killer and Bud Curtis are arrested.  Bud Curtis is convicted and sentenced to Death Row.

But here is where the horror begins.  President Jansen has been unhinged by the deaths of his two wives, evidenced by the draconian measures he institutes, supported by a small cadre of powerful politicians.  All ammunition for guns of any kind must be surrendered.  The press is now to be censored by the government.  All TV shows about violence are removed.  In fact, most TV channels are closed if not censored for every soundbite that they transmit.  The National Guard and eventually all military are called to serve within America only as the rising tide of revolt, protest and violence increases.  Violent deaths, rapes, beatings and arrests are the new order of the day! America seems to be a civil war against itself.

The remainder of the novel centers on how several characters, mainly Doggie and some of her former colleagues, realize that the preceding events were not just caused by previous acts of violence but perhaps deliberately programmed so that someone could wind up with complete control of the government and the people of the United States of America!  Anarchy, however, still cannot be suppressed!

The Washington Decree… is a novel that could very well become reality.  The division in contemporary America certainly could foster such an attempt to wrest control from such divisive controls.  The author plots out the conflict deftly! Readers know it will evolve into a solution, but the tension is aptly placed so one is not quite so sure about the outcome!  In an epilogue, the author states that institutions such as FEMA, the Office of Homeland Security, and others might be unable to quell the consequences of such a scenario.  Jussi Adler-Olsen keeps the reader engaged but more than that makes the reader ask significant questions about the state of American democracy under threat!  Good contemporary thriller read!

All Systems Down - The Cyber War #1 by Sam Boush

All Systems Down: The Cyber War #1.  Sam Boush. Lakewater Press. February 2018. 284 pp.  ASIN#: B078CXKYQF.

Imagine for a moment that all the electric power in the world gradually and quickly turns off.  Everything! We’ve all occasionally had power outages at home but not everywhere else, including cars, planes, trains, cell towers, etc.  The world is dark and cold.  And forces are about to attack America!

Brendan Chogan is out of work. He was a parking meter attendant and former boxer but automation has forced him out of his job and he’s none too happy.  His interview for a new job goes nowhere and then suddenly his world situation gets so much worse after the power goes out – everywhere!

Cyber war is a problem that many fear will eventually happen on a world-wide scale but few realize what Brendan gradually realizes.  When there is no help to be had and no substitution for heat, water, transportation, protection, etc., then human beings show their best and worst characteristics. 

Small groups begin to form, looking to steal and kill just for the sheer pleasure of it.  Families have only each other and seek to escape away from the highly volatile urban areas.  Nine strangers learn to rely on each other and we never learn the full outcome of this Portland, Oregon area.  It seems there will be more to come of this cyberwar series.

North Korea is behind this masterful hacking job and there’s a story behind the solution, but there are human frailties that almost prevent that from happening.  

Sam Boush is a writer who knows how to craft a completely engaging story that is all too real, given our knowledge (and lack of it) about hacking, cyberwar and international spying.  This goes deeper and the rollercoaster ride herein is highly recommended reading!

Offenbunker: Cold War Spies Face Nuclear Menace by A. G. Russo

Offenbunker: Cold War Spies Face Nuclear Menace. A. G. Russo. Red Skye Press. May 2017. 260 pp. ASIN: BO71ZQN2JQ.

Many of us who lived in the Cold War era remember the years of 1960 and 1961 when America and Russia were engaged in a hot-button contest, threatening the detonation of a nuclear bomb.  Families took protective measures which one could debate would be totally ineffective should such a devastating attack take place.  But few knew about Offenbunker which was a carefully built underground shelter designed to protect the President, Vice-President, Senators, etc. in the event of a nuclear disaster.  While this shelter is being finished, there are spies trying to discover where the bunker is and stay one step ahead of those preparing to attack our nation.

The novel begins with revelation that the spies now operating in divided East and West Berlin are alive and well, that is all of them except our CIA spies who keep getting killed.  Yes, there’s a mole in the house and part of this plot is to discover who it is.  Unfortunately, not all who serve our government have pure motives (no newsflash there).  The fight for promotion is often depicted as a dividing factor among men and women who should be cooperating and not waiting to stab the next person in the back.   

Now one of these characters is assigned to be in charge of security in the bunker deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  Quite a bit of historical information is dumped in between the chapters which some may find annoying but which are actually highly relevant to the plot and intensity of the time.  The atmosphere of these times is perfectly conveyed when every second counted and could be the difference between life and death for millions of Americans.

Oh, by the way, the bunker also holds a nuclear missile to be launched the minute American government officials realize a Russian missile is on its way. 

The characters herein are very realistic, albeit somewhat stereotypical.  You will find yourself heartily disliking one in particular and anxiously awaiting his demise. 

Fine international terror novel with plenty of action, trust, betrayal, pulse-racing changes! Nicely done historical fiction!

Ring of Fire - A Pike Logan Thriller #11 by Brad Taylor

Ring of Fire: A Pike Logan Thriller #11. Brad Taylor. Dutton/Penguin Random House Publishing Group. December 2016. 416 pp.  ISBN#: 9781101986196.

Dexter Worthington made an agreement to become a successful defense contractor. That agreement was secretly linked to Saudi Arabia who was indirectly linked to the horrendous act of 911.  Now part of the “Panama Papers” have been leaked to the public showing how many businesses and individuals have been linked with various terrorist acts committed by ISIS and other like-minded terrorist groups.  

Now Pike Logan’s Taskforce is assigned the job of stopping a second leakage because the next leaks may reveal the work of the Taskforce which is a group approved by the President of the United States and the Oversight Council, the Board of Directors of the Taskforce but cannot be found anywhere in print within government records.  However, in seeking to prevent another leak, a far greater and devastating plan is revealed.

A group of Saudis is planning to finish what they believe was never perfectly carried out on 911.  The plane that should have crashed into a significant target such as the White House, Camp David or a nuclear facility, instead crashed into a field in Pennsylvania due to the bravery of the passengers who attacked the on-board terrorists and died for their efforts.  Now the Saudis are looking for a completion of that task through a plan known as The Ring of Fire, a series of attacks on the ports of America and one final explosion of a dirty or nuclear bomb that will render life unlivable wherever it explodes!

This then is what the Taskforce is attempting to discover and stop.  The action is intense and nonstop.  The machinations of the terrorists are for most of the novel always one step ahead of the Taskforce. The Taskforce members are highly skilled, perceptive investigators – the best in their field of work!  A couple of side conversations keep this maze-like journey from becoming monotonous.  One involves a woman being “selected” for the Taskforce and what that entails, including some dialogue that reveals prejudices of tried and true male members of the force.  The other involves dialogue between an Arab and one of the Taskforce members in which myths and truths are thrown at each other, revealing how prejudice grows through misinformation and how generalizing costs lives.

All in all, there’s enough violence and excitement in this eleventh Pike Logan thriller to satisfy every fan of thriller, adventure, international crime, terrorism fiction.  An enjoyable, fast-paced, somewhat long and unpredictable but exciting thriller!

K Street: A Kay Hamilton Novel #3 by M. A. Lawson

K Street: A Kay Hamilton Novel #3.  M. A. Lawson. Penguin Publishing Group. January 2017. 304 pp. ISBN #: 9780399573842.

K Street in Washington, D.C. is renowned as the home of lobbyists of special corporations, business groups and companies representing special interest.  Their job is to influence the course of American policy through the Senate and House of Representatives.  However, on the same street is one group that carries out activities that the President wants done secretly, and so the group exists with absolutely no connection to any member of government.  The novel opens with a killing job that goes awry.  When it’s all over, two of the attackers are dead as well as Callahan, the head of this secret group, landing in the hospital in critical condition and another of his employees dead.  Kay Hamilton had been going to meet with Callahan to let him know she was quitting as his worker; instead she walked into a barrage of bullets flying and dead bodies everywhere.  Before he goes into a coma, he whispers a letter to Kay, which immediately sets her in a specific direction to find the thieves and murderers.

Kay is determined to find out who is behind this attack.  No spoilers here.  Suffice to say that the people in charge of this mayhem are just as determined not to be found.  The question is twofold: should Callahan and Hamilton be allowed to live or can they remain alive and harmless regarding a higher mission, the passing of military secrets to a foreign government? 

Kay Hamilton was originally fired from her DEA job for doing things her way instead of following rules and protocol.  She’s no different here as she refuses to carry out someone else’s narrowly-defined investigation.  The result is a satisfying romp with constant surprises, tension, deaths, and answers slowly revealed.  Kay Hamilton is an intelligent, street-savvy investigator who gets the job done and keeps the reader guessing through the entire process!

K Street.. is a great read and will thrill all those who love adventure and a great mystery!

The Con Man of Lagos: A Novel of Espionage by Francesca Salerno

The Con Man of Lagos: A Novel of Espionage.  Francesca Salerno. Amazon Digital Services. October 2016. 577 KB.  ASIN#: B01MAYEND9. 

Francesca Salerno’s second espionage novel takes the reader through the realities of terrorism in the world of Boko Haram, a small but dangerous group affiliated with Al Qaeda.  Boko Haram is located in Africa, and the plot in Lagos involves a Soviet submarine loaded with nuclear tipped missiles that explodes in the waters around Lagos and the surrounding area.  It also concerns their plan to take barrels of sludge-like chemicals siphoned off barrels of gasoline and explode them in an area guaranteed to kill many Nigerians.  Although Nigeria financially prospers from the sale of gas and oil to nations around the world, the terrorists believe Nigeria is a superior country that should gain most the benefits of the gold mine to the world. 

There is very little action in this novel.  However, the essence of its appeal lies in the knowledge of its characters and the expanded knowledge accumulated through the political, military, business and ambassadorial connections.  This is a very different style for an espionage novel but one that works well herein.  You will meet upper officials of Nigeria’s petroleum business, an ambassador from America who is really a CIA operative, an Imam whose connections make him able to make huge amounts of money and use that money for terrorist purposes, a shady employee who carries out the plans of the Imam but who fails to realize the plot involving a far greater risk until it is too late, a Pakistani ambassador who works for the glory of his country although his job in Lagos is a demotion for getting too cozy with the Americans, and more men and women who are astute chess pieces in a game that’s headed for a showdown between the King and Queen.

Another notable feature of this novel is the characters whose idealism and dedication to the betterment of Nigerian interests supersedes the financial greed or fundamentalist spiritual fanaticism threatening the permanent demise of Nigeria and other global powers.  It’s also fascinating to follow the motivations and changing plans of these characters as they coalesce and vie with each other.  Sometimes in the real world, volatile terrorism is thwarted, actually more times than is obvious from the news we view or read every day.  Francesca Salerno has obviously researched her topic well and been to the setting she so aptly describes.  The Con Man of Lagos… is a good read that is recommended for those who like to learn more about this imaginary but all too realistic terror plot!

Give Us This Day: A Brooke Burrell Thriller by Tom Avitabile

Give Us This Day – A Brooke Burrell Thriller. Tom Avitabile. The Story Plant. October 2015. 350 pp.  ISBN#: 9781611882095.

Brooke Burrell is tired and would like to step away from her FBI Director role and retire to Hawaii with her husband Mush.  But she also still has the fire in her belly and is now quickly drawn into a devious plan in which certain high finance leaders are funneling money into terrorist pockets for use in an act of terrorism as yet unknown.  What initially comes to light is that there’s a leak somewhere in the group trying to find out how the Prescott firm is involved in the financial side.  Even Brooke is subject to temptation but chooses otherwise. She seems to be one of the few who realize how many deaths could result from the successful transfer of monies to these fundamentalist Islamic groups. 

Meanwhile violet acts are occurring at an increasingly alarming rate.  An art gallery explodes to the point where there’s nothing left to analyze inside the non-existent building.  Several women who are involved in passing funds are now romantically involved with some very, very dangerous people.  Even some of the criminals involved in this carefully planned act of terrorism are being watched carefully as they aren’t deemed as religiously committed as they should be.

Now the countdown toward disaster is moving forward far too quickly but the terrorists have been sloppy and left behind evidence that only someone of Brooke’s high caliber intelligence is able to find.  The search is fraught with danger and even ambivalent support from her Washington boss who suffers from a case of paranoia about Brooke and the President who holds the power to decide everyone’s future. 

As the reader is now fast and furiously turning the pages, the violence accelerates and many will die before Brooke’s discoveries bear fruit.  One extreme act will kill far too many of Brooke’s team but her action will prevent something ten times worse from occurring.

Give Us This Day… is an awesome thriller that will please lovers of that genre and particularly of Tom Avitabile who never fails to provide powerful, realistic scenarios reminiscent of the best spy or thriller novels.  Highly recommended reading that again would also make for a captivating movie!

404 by J. G. Sandom

404.  J. G. Sandom. Cornucopia Press.  November 2014. 331 pp. paperback and e-book. ISBN #: 9780985695484.

John Decker, a cryptanalyst forensic examiner, is working at the National Counter-Terrorism Center when some violent, strange occurrences begin throughout America.  Right before they begin, a number of crimes happen where the perpetrator is caught on camera and to Decker looks like his old Arab nemesis who was thought to be dead, El Aqrab.  Decker and his family soon become the target and indeed messages seem to be luring Decker into danger and at the same time are compelling him to discovery the mystery behind Aqrab’s reappearance. 

Two planes collide; a nuclear reactor has a disastrous shutdown of its most protective technology; the government’s defense system is easily hacked, and more disasters affecting thousands of Americans lead this country to the brink of physical, political and financial disaster. 

Decker is drawn to receive the help of a Chinese computer expert, Xin Liu (known to all as Lulu).  At the same time Decker’s career is in jeopardy as it is beginning to look like there’s a mole in his department and it looks like it’s him.  This is another mystery as there is a period of his life involving his first encounter with Aqrab when something happened to him that he doesn’t remember.  He actually wonders if he’s going mad.  Lulu helps him to pursue the answers to his multiple questions as his personal life parallels the national disasters growing larger and larger by the minute!  Lulu’s a funky, unpredictable character, is an evolving wonder of a character who easily matches the skills of any expert on computers and martial arts as well!

This novel addresses the well-known, but little understood by the average person, issues of cyber-hacking and cyber-terrorism.  For those who are computer buffs, you’ll be in your glory as there are explanations galore about the technology of hacking and how the Internet keeps systems flowing or breaking throughout the world.  For those not as computer savvy as the experts, there’s enough riveting action and nail-biting intensity with each new level added to the complex plot to keep you flipping the pages and reading faster than you can imagine!

This reviewer has been reviewing J. G. Sandom’s novels over the years and must say this is his BEST story yet.  The most harrowing part of it all is that it’s REAL and we may be closer to this story’s coming to pass than we ever imagined!  It’s not a game at all!  404 is a best-selling crime thriller that is sure to please any reader who loves a great story with layers of depth and thrills.  It would also make one heck of a movie!  Congratulations, J. G. Sandom!  404 is a gem of a read!