Action Thriller Archives

April 19, 2021April 19, 2021

The Vatican Secret-Books On Tour (Review)- Action Thriller-Available Now

I really enjoyed the first book (The Vatican Conspiracy) and was looking forward to this one.

I was not disappointed. In fact, I think this one was even better than the first.

I liked how the author jumped right into the action. It felt more like a continuation of the previous book rather than the same characters in a different plot.

That continuity allowed for a direct start. The first chapter sets the groundwork for all the events to come. There’s no need to have long, drawn out descriptions or tedious backstory.

If you read the first book, you pretty much know the players and why things are happening.

Now, that’s not to say that you can’t read this as a standalone as well. Because I know someone who read this one without having read the first one.

She really enjoyed this (said it reminded her of Dan Brown, but better) and didn’t feel lost at all. The only thing she mentioned was that she could tell that previous incidents had occurred by the way the characters referenced them. But that didn’t take away or distract from the plot at hand.

And what a plot it is. Once again, the Vatican is at the center of a global power move by internal and external forces.

That’s not a spoiler. It’s essentially in the title.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08QMZZ5ZWsocial
Apple: http://apple.co/3npYXsP
Kobo: http://bit.ly/3861dip
Google: https://bit.ly/34gylmz

I continue to be intrigued by Marco. To me, he is both a conundrum and a Renaissance Man, a little bit good at a lot of things and a lot good at other things. That makes for interesting reading because I’m never quite sure how he will react to a situation.

I don’t want to give any plot points away, but it is a quintessential thriller with secrets, betrayals, and lots of page-turning action.

As I mentioned, I think this could be read alone, but you will definitely enjoy it more if you read the first book in the series. You’ll have a better feeling for Marco, and you’ll understand the motivations of the characters that carry into this book.

TWITTER: phogenkampVT
FACEBOOK: peterhogenkampbooks

Author Bio:

Peter Hogenkamp was born in upstate New York and attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. (Go Crusaders!) He graduated in 1986 and was exiled to Europe for three years by his premedical adviser, for which he will be grateful the rest of his days. Spending the next three years – supposedly – teaching chemistry and algebra in Salzburg, Austria, he traveled extensively, drank a lot of beer and made many a lifelong friend. In his travels, he found dozens of great places for scenes in a thriller: castles perched on cliffs; monasteries tucked away in alpine valleys; villages built above rocky coastlines; cities soaked in history. When he isn’t writing or hiking with his strong-willed Cairn Terrier, Hermione, Peter practices medicine with his lovely wife, Lisa (who does most of the heavy lifting), hosts Your Health Matters, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast, and tends to the needs of his four children.

April 16, 2021April 14, 2021

Just Get Home-Blog Tour (Review)-Thriller-Available Now

To clarify from the beginning:

If you’re looking for a thriller about the aftermath of an earthquake, filled with excitement and suspense and action, you will get that only in small doses from this book.

If you’re looking for a thriller that is a character study of how people deal with tragedy and how it affects their behavior, you’ll get much more of that.

Really, I thought this would be more about the former, but ended up being much more focused on the latter.

I have mixed feelings about all of it.

It really was an excellent analysis of how quickly society could deteriorate in the face of a major catastrophe. I felt that several of the incidents were accurately portrayed and would probably recur across the landscape of the affected area.

These descriptions were brutally detailed. I think the author wrote them in such a way to really emphasize the desperation and barbaric behavior. When civil society disappears in an instant, what happens and who survives?

**BUY LINKS:** Harlequin Indiebound Amazon
Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million Target
Walmart Google iBooks Kobo

With that being said, I felt that some points were belabored a bit too much and took me away from the humanity aspect of all of it.

For example, I understand why the author wrote the characters of Beegie and Dessa with the backgrounds each had. They had pasts, secrets that they would never tell anyone in a “normal” situation.

But it’s possible that they both recognized that in each other even without actually acknowledging it.

However, there are certainly some uncomfortable parts of the book. And I’m not sure if they contributed to the overall story or were included to make socially aware observations.

Also be warned, there are a number of potentially triggering topics that are addressed in this book, including (but not limited to) sexual assault, infidelity, and racial bias. It’s a lot to take in, especially considering the harrowing post-catastrophe setting.

Honestly, I felt a little beat up myself when I finished reading this. I was emotionally drained. That’s not to say that I didn’t like the book – I thought it was fine. But at times I felt like it was all “too much.”

I would still recommend it. Just know that you’re not getting a simple post-apocalyptic action thriller – you’re getting a searing look at human nature as well.

As the blurb says, “A propulsive page-turner grounded by unforgettable characters and a deep emotional core, JUST GET HOME will strike a chord with mainstream thriller readers for its legitimately heart-pounding action scenes, and with book club audiences looking for weighty, challenging content.”

For once, that’s totally accurate.

AUTHOR BIO:

Originally from Colorado, Bridget Foley attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television. She worked as an actor and screenwriter before becoming a novelist. She now lives a fiercely creative life with her family in Boise, Idaho.

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

The Vatican Conspiracy-Books On Tour (Review)-Action Thriller-Available Now

Might as well say it up front. If you’re a fan of Dan Brown and Steve Berry, you do not want to miss this new series. Father Marco Venetti is as unlikely a hero as Robert Langdon. But where Langdon uses his smarts, Father Marco has a different set of skills.

He’s still plenty smart and wily, but he’s also a former member of the Italian Navy (having been rewarded its highest award for valor. His military skills aren’t much needed in his small coastal parish.

But when his former lover shows up with tales of kidnapping and human trafficking, he cannot resist helping her. And it’s a good thing he does. From the very opening scenes aboard her boat this book kept me hooked; the action never completely let up. Even in between the heavy action scenes, there was still tension.

Amazon: https://geni.us/B08D6NVWB1Social Apple: http://ow.ly/TAAd50ACRX0
Kobo: http://ow.ly/fXEb50ACRTG Google: http://ow.ly/hAEU50ACS2Y

I thought that the choice of main character was interesting because he was fighting an internal war between his vows/faith, his dedication to Elena, and the task at hand. And boy, is that a good one. The title of the book pretty much tells you what it is.

In light of current world situations, and with what happened at Notre-Dame last year, this was a very timely topic. It was well-researched and detailed with enough information to make it plausible and not just “Hollywood” thriller.

Honestly, I don’t want to give anything away. I enjoyed this book because I didn’t read anything about it before – I went from the description and the title. Sometimes I think it’s better that way.

As I said at the outset, if you are a fan of Dan Brown, you definitely want to get in on the ground floor of this exciting new series.

WEBSITE: peterhogenkampbooks.com
TWITTER: phogenkampVT
FACEBOOK: peterhogenkampbooks

Author Bio:

June 10, 2020June 7, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): First Shot by John Ryder

One of three stunning thrillers I read this past week, this one had all of the expected action and then some! It’s a fantastic start to what looks like a new series. Get excited!

Grant Fletcher (our hero) has an intriguing backstory. He is a Royal Marine. While previously serving in Afghanistan, his life was saved by a US Marine, Don Ogilvie. When Don’s daughter goes missing, he calls Grant to help find her.

But it’s not all as simple as that.

In the course of following leads, Grant finds out that several girls have gone missing in a small, backwater town in Georgia, so the case becomes infinitely more complicated. He teams up with FBI Special Agent Zoey Quadrado, who is also investigating the missing girls. What follows is lots of page-turning action. And that’s all I’m going to say about the plot itself.

**BUY LINK:** https://geni.us/B085DXSTKLSocial

I liked Grant a lot. He was patient and astute but could kick some ass when necessary. He wasn’t a typical “fight his way through everything” action hero. He always thought through a problem. I liked his attitude and his demeanor when dealing with other characters. He actually reminded me a lot of Gibbs from the television show “NCIS.” Calm and measured most of the time, but don’t mess with him.

I was less taken with Zoey, although I did understand her character. Their initial meeting was less than ideal, and from that, I didn’t find her to be especially impartial. But they ended up having a relationship that has promise.

As to the town they were working in, holy moly was that a weird one. From odd characters (loved how Grant gave them nicknames to distinguish them) to a cult-like atmosphere, Daversville was a unique setting that gave angles and depth to what could have been a run-of-the-mill missper case.

I enjoyed this book overall, and I look forward to future thrillers featuring Grant Fletcher.

Author Bio

John Ryder is a former farmworker and joiner. He’s turned his hand to many skills to put food on the table and clothes on his back. A life-long bibliophile, he eventually summoned the courage to try writing himself, and his Grant Fletcher novels have drawn inspiration from authors such as Lee Child, Tom Cain, Zoe Sharp and Matt Hilton. When it comes to future novels, he says he has more ideas than time to write them.

When not writing, John enjoys spending time with his son, reading and socialising with friends. A fanatic supporter of his local football team, he can often be found shouting encouragement to men much younger and fitter than he is.

**Author Social Media Links:**
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnRyderAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnRyder101

June 8, 2020June 7, 2020

Books On Tour (Review): Gone in Seconds by Ed James

Picking up essentially where Tell Me Lies left off, the action in this book just keeps on rolling.

As in the first book of the Max Carter series, we start with a child abduction. If you read the first one, you know that makes sense because that’s Carter’s specialty. But it becomes apparent early on that there is much more going on than just that. There are nefarious characters, intricate connections, ulterior motives, and shady pasts (and presents) that need to be sorted out.

Fortunately, Carter is a hero who looks at the whole picture. Although there are times that he is on the wrong path, he is astute enough to realize it and change course accordingly. I like that he follows his instincts as much as the clues. I think his background (having been abducted by his father) sometimes gives him a different type of instinct.

**Amazon:** https://geni.us/B088FP74XHSocial
**Apple:** https://apple.co/3fDOxCm
**Kobo:** https://bit.ly/2WIxuqc
**Google:** https://bit.ly/2LmHoZi

As mentioned, there are a lot of mysterious connections and not everything is as it seems during the investigation. If you did not read the first book, you will definitely be missing some of them, and a few plot points may seem out of place (but they really aren’t).

I did find Carter’s relationship and interactions with his father to be somewhat jarring as they took me out of the main story. But I understand why they were important to the plot, because they gave more depth and insight into Carter’s reasonings and motivations.

There is an awful lot going on through the whole book, and there were a few times that I had to go back and make sure I knew what the connection or who the character was; and I read the first book. If you didn’t read it, I would highly recommend doing so, because it will make this one much clearer. And there is definitely a cliffhanger that indicates at least a third book in the series.

It’s a good one to get in on before the story gets more complicated, so start with Tell Me Lies and then move into this one for a strong hero and page-turning action.

Author Bio

Ed James is the author of multiple series of crime novels. The bestselling DI Simon Fenchurch series is set in East London and published by Thomas & Mercer. The self-published Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals features a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he’s desperate to climb. The first book, “Ghost in the Machine”, has been downloaded over 400,000 times, hitting both the Amazon UK & US top five.

The Craig Hunter books is a sister series to the Cullen novels, with a PTSD-suffering ex-squaddie now working as a cop investigating sexual abuse cases. With lots of slapstick and banter.

Ed lives in East Lothian, Scotland and writes full-time, but used to work in IT project management, where he filled his weekly commute to London by literally writing on planes, trains and automobiles.