Blade Runner Author Delivers Scary Thriller
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"An overwhelming indictment of Los Angeles suburban life in this sensitive and catastrophic  story of two couples and their children.  Many of Dick's stories have been produced into very successful movies such as Blade Runner, but this is the frightening society that Dick is warning us about in his other novels."
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Paul McEuen, a professor of physics at Cornell, makes good use of his scientific knowledge in "Spiral," a provocative and frightening techno-thriller.  The story opens in 1946, with biologist Liam Connor witnessing a horrifying scene of destruction from the deck of the USS North Dakota.  Liam is a prodigy whose expertise includes "saprobic fungi, the feeders on the dead."  At twenty-two, he already has an impressive rsum, having spent four years at Porton Down, "the center of British chemical and germ weapons research."  Connor is dismayed to learn that the Japanese have a top-secret biological weapon derived from a species of fungus.  If unleashed, this mycotoxin could cause widespread devastation.  Although World War II is over, some Japanese soldiers cannot live with defeat; they are determined to strike back.

Sixty-four years pass.  Liam is eighty-six, still works hard, and has a delightfully puckish sense of humor.  He is a legend in his field and runs a laboratory in Cornell University, where he taught for half a century.  He is a brilliant, versatile, and creative scientist who dotes on his granddaughter, Maggie, and his nine-year-old great-grandson, Dylan.  Suddenly, Liam is attacked by a vicious and merciless predator.  Why would someone want to destroy a Nobel Laureate who has spent his whole life sharing his knowledge with the world?  The answer lies in a long-ago event that occurred on the USS North Dakota in the Pacific Ocean.

"Spiral" is fast-paced, engrossing, and greatly enhanced by fascinating technical details concerning robotics, nanotechnology, and microbiology.  McEuen conveys a potent and timely message about the misguided decisions made by heads of state who crave military and political supremacy.  The characters are generally well-drawn and include physicist Jake Sterling, a colleague of Liam's who is attracted to Maggie.  Jake and Maggie are heirs to Liam's distinguished legacy, but they face a particularly menacing villain--World War II veteran, Hitoshi Kitano.  For him, Japan's surrender was the ultimate humiliation.  He has vowed to bring America to her knees.

McEuen chills us with scenes of excruciating torture and grisly deaths, and there are a number of violent confrontations between our heroes and a sadistic female killer.  In 1969, Michael Crichton wrote "The Andromeda Strain," a terrifyingly realistic story about lethal microbes from outer space that land on earth.  Paul McEuen, in his electrifying debut, describes a different but equally appalling threat--from individuals so consumed by hatred that they would use virulent weapons of bioterrorism to annihilate millions of people.  Let us hope that this doomsday scenario remains a product of the author's vivid imagination.
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The Void by Brett J. Talley was made available through Library Thing Reviewers.  The Void is an interesting mix of horror and science fiction.  This book has space travel and gore rolled into an extremely frightening story.  I enjoyed the Sci-Fi mixed with bloody murder scenes.  The Void scared me on all levels of fear.  You just did not know what to expect on the next page.

This book shows what can go wrong with space travel, especially the form of travel known as warp speed.  You have to be asleep when you travel warp speed.  But with the sleep came the dreams.  Sometimes the dreams made people go insane.  Space travelers would murder their crew-mates.  Some space travelers would be have to institutionalized for the rest of their lives.
Each crew member of the Chronos experiences their own versions of the dreams.  Aidan Connor was on a ship called the Vespa and he was the lone survivor of  his crew .  Aidan does no remember what exactly happened , he just knew it was caused by someone gone insane from the dreams.  Aidan then becomes a member of the Chronos.  Things are not what they seem on the Chronos.  The Chronos encounters the lost ship the Singularity.  The Singularity attempted to travel warp speed with the crew awake and they went through a black hole.  The Chornos has to recover the ship to see what went wrong. The crew members  are forced to see what is responsible for the dreams, and how awful the dreams can be.
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Unnerving Magazine Review
The Hematophages by Stephen Kozeniewski is a sci-fi thriller with a fairly weighty horror bent.
This tale works in three distinct parts. Firstly, the reader settles in, getting comfy with all the science fiction lingo and future changes to our species. Then the mystery settles and theres not much new added by way of universal norms to draw away from the mounting tension. The third part is, obviously, the kablooey stage where playtime is over and where, if it were a movie, the hero might say something sarcastic and clever when it finally rounded out.
On a salvage mission in deep space, a crew, this including our hero, finds itself in the midst of something beyond their understanding. There is a living world, a flesh world, and just like our personal, individual flesh worlds, this one has buggers feeding on its leavings. Blood covers this planet and the creepers are swimmers. The scenery described invoked images of Fallout bunkers, mixing current day objects and comparatives with futuristic changes. There are moments where humor shines through the bleak and forceful situations. There are minor mysteries here and there, really stringing the arc along in what feels like a rapid pace from the opening pages.
Theres easy love between characters and most often Id moan a little over that (which maybe I did temporarily), but the payoff is too much fun when it finally hits. And when times get tough in this story, they really get tough, andnasty in all the right ways.
This one is ooey and gooey sometimes. It gets tense. Its fast. Its wildly imaginative. Its a whole lotta fun.
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The Violets in Woodworth's second book continue to bring the reader a unique blend of terror, science and ghostly goings on.  Violet Natalie Lindstrom has retired since last we met her, and she has a young daughter, Callie, the offspring of Natalie's now deceased lover, Dan.  Dan was a cop who was killed in the first book before he could meet his daughter.  Woodworth uses the Violet's ability to communicate with the dead effectively in the relationship between Dan, Natalie and their daughter.  But what works so well is Woodworth's ability to integrate this personal tragedy, along with Natalie's own parents, into a spinetingling tale of the return of a horrifying serial killer known as the Thresher, who was executed based on testimony given by Natalie's mother, also a Violet.  The governmental agency that virtually imprisons Violets is also a demonic presence in this well written thriller.  Woodworth builds the suspense and thrills without sacrificing credibility or character development; in the world of the Violets, anything is possible.  Also the inclusion of the "bad" violet and smug Scott Hyland, the parent killer, is also intriguing.

An excellent read; looking forward to more adventures with the Violets.
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This was truly a scary book! Its definitely science fiction/fantasy, thriller and probably could easily be placed in horror, too. Warning: you might not want to read this late at night before you go to sleep. I don't often read books of this type, but this was a good one. Stephen King said it scared him, so that should tell you something.

Five fourteen-year-old boy scouts go off on a camping trip with their scout leader on a deserted island not too far away from home for the weekend  something they do every year. Only this year is different. A stranger wanders into their camp, extremely gaunt, and hungry, VERY hungry.

Nick Cutter delves into the psyche of each of the five campers as they experience the terror of the weekend experience. For some of the boys, their darker side comes out and for others, their stronger, more courageous emerges.

The sickness that the stranger has brought is so contagious that merely touching him can pass on the infection. But this is an infection like no other. Bio-engineered in a laboratory, this contagion is not a virus, but something supposedly created as a weight-loss aid. In reality it is much more sinister than that, and incredibly deadly.

This novel was very gripping. I had to keep reading to find out what happened to each of the boys. It is a rather dark novel, so it isn't one for those who like a happily-ever-after ending. There is a fair amount of coarse language in it which I didn't think necessarily added anything to the book, so youll have to skip over those words if you don't like reading that kind of thing. I thought the book was fascinating and worth reading enough to do that.

I did like the style that Mr. Cutter used to provide the reader information that the main protagonists don't have (newspaper reports, reports from investigations after the incident etc.). I also liked the way the author wrapped things up at the end of the book after the return to the mainland (I won't say more than that for fear of spoiling things for those who haven't read the book).

This was a horrifyingly fascinating novel. I gave it four out of five stars.  Thriller and horror readers will love it.

Thank you to the publisher, Gallery Books, via NetGalley who provided an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.
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The thing that Jacob remembers about waking is the screaming. Waking up in a coffin to the knowledge that he had only a few minutes before being put back to sleep did that to most of the sleepers. But after several wakings, he decides to stop screaming and escape the almost permanent state of drug-induced dreaming.

Sam Best delivers another great story. `A Dream of Waking' takes us into a futuristic world where sleeping is a form of slavery, and dreams are harvested and sold to those who can afford them. Beautifully written, intense and scary. The final images of the story still haunt me. I definitely recommend this for SciFi fans or anyone who enjoys a good story with a freaky twist.
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Sworn to Silence is a chilling new series debut by Linda Castillo. The audio book is read by Kathleen McInerney. She does a fabulous job with different voices in this thriller.  The reader should be warned up front the the book can been pretty gory and there is a lot of violence toward women described.

Kate Burkholder grew up in the quaint town of Painters Mill, Ohio where many Amish residents still drive buggies, shun electricity, and distance themselves from the complications of modern life.  A serial killer, dubbed The Slaughterhouse Killer, shatters the peace of this little town and leaves the residents terrified and on guard. During this time, young Kate's life takes a fateful turn when she was just 14. She was sexually assaulted by an Amish man named Daniel Lapp. She shoots the man and seeing him lifeless on the floor, she is certain he is dead. Her father drags away the body, and the family never speaks of the incident again, and it is never reported to the police. She and her family are "Sworn to Silence". The area murders cease around the time that Lapp is killed, and the residents begin to live somewhat normal lives once again.

Some 16 years later, Kate now 30, is the police chief in Painters Mill.  She must deal with a series of brutal crimes in which the female victims are tortured and raped, and Roman numerals carved onto their stomach. These crimes are very similar to those that occurred when she was a young girl. Is this a copy-cat? Kate begins to asks herself if Daniel Lapp is really dead. She is determined to track down this killer before he strike again.

My Thoughts:  This is one thriller that I thought I had figured out early on, but I was wrong.  It wasn't until the last third of the book that my second guess was correct. (I like when this happens in a thriller).  I thought this book was very good. There was a part where some romance was woven into the story, and my personal feeling was that this aspect, took away from the story instead of enhancing it. Despite this I would still recommend this novel I you enjoy a good thriller.
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Few techno-thriller writers manage to fuse believable, cutting edge science with the heart-thumping suspense and sure hand of a seasoned thriller spinner.  Cornell Professor Paul McEuen does just that with Spiral, a biotech thriller that uses the seeds of a Japanese World War II-era biotech program as the basis for a modern doomsday scenario.  This thriller has it all, from multi-dimensional characters, to diabolical villains, to swift pacing, to a plot that will keep you guessing until the end.  Set primarily in and around Ithaca, New York, Spiral paints a great picture of Cornell University's campus, something I appreciated having done my undergraduate studies there.  But even when McEuen jumps to Washington, D.C. and elsewhere he never loses his footing or sacrifices believability. The author also writes with a cinematic flair, creating some great set-piece scenes and leaving me hopeful that I'll be able to experience this story a second time on the big screen.
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Once in a rare while a writer comes along who makes one glad to be alive at the time he or she is writing. Patrick Lee is one of those writers. Blending speculative and very imaginative sci-fi (alien artifacts doesn't give away much; other genres would), and the best of thrillers, he has created "the best book of 2011". At least until you read his second book, which is even better (this is a trilogy; get all 3).
Amazing, fantasic and exciting all blend together. A must read if you like sci-fi or thrillers.
10 Stars would be adequate for this writer.
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Mark de Castrique's standalone thriller is fast-paced and absorbing, filled with hair-trigger action and cross after double cross. With the rise of computers, information warfare is "where it's at," and the need for a super computer with moral parameters is a must. I grew up on Sci-Fi movies about computers taking over the world and making Orwell's 1984 look like a walk in the park, so I definitely found The Singularity Race to be an interesting read.

Normally I am a character-driven reader, and de Castrique's characters do not disappoint-- from Rusty Mullins to Dr. Li and Peter Wang to Brentwood the eccentric billionaire; however, I do think the story could have used a bit more about the computer that was being built. It stayed a bit too much in the shadows when it could've given the book more substance.

If you like your mysteries and thrillers with a bit of science fiction, I think you should give The Singularity Race a try.
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Great and frightening story. In particular, I like how Hertling grounded the story in the ordinary day of his main characters. Good Job! I particularly like Sci-Fi that feels real. This author has accomplished that task very well. My day job is in IT. As a project manager for a large multinational corporation, I appreciated the verisimilitude he used to ground the more fantastic parts of the story. Writing Sci-Fi is about coming up with an entertaining story that has something to say. His characters are believable, and as I am a novelist myself, "Phoenix Republic, The Lone Star Gambit," & "Sovereigns Journey," I don't have time for stories that don't feel realistic and are without a point.
While reading the novel I kept thinking how one would prevail in a similar real-life situation. I believe that a technological singularity is coming, and likely, it is coming fast. Already today there is no such thing as privacy, and every convenience we embrace only accelerates that process. Be very careful what you wish for.

Suffice it to say that I plan to read the rest of the series.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Danielle-Wedgeworth/dp/B00FE08BHA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Danielle Wedgeworth</a>
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Tanya R. Taylor knows how to take a nugget in her brilliant mind and make it shine like stars in a cobalt sky. Haunted Cruise: The Shakedown is delectably dark and wickedly scrumptious. This is what a thriller is supposed to evoke in readers  chills, imaginations on overload, licks of fear pulsating up and down their spines, and whispers of terror summoning to come, all the while knowing you should bolt.

Taylor delivers an ending that is as expertly crafted as the beginning.  Unfortunately, far too many authors are rushing their endings and it has become the shoddy norm. If you want to be an author who delivers dreck that is your choice, but when a gem enters the scene, you learn to appreciate the gift for all its worth and Taylor is that gem. Taylor does not toss shoddy endings at readers to get it done and to hit the publish button. This selfless action showcases not only her impeccable writing skills, but that she truly cares about her readers.

Unequivocally, Taylor is a prolific storytelling phenomenon who not only gets your attention, but holds it. She knows how to write a story and keep it propelling forward without losing steam.

Tanya R. Taylor is the possessor of one of the most ingenious and infinite minds in the horror genre to come along since Clive Barker, Stephen King and Ruth Rendell.

Haunted Cruise: The Shakedown is disturbing, evocative, well-written, with a fast-paced twisty plot, and Dellie is a remarkable protagonist you will not soon forget - this novel is Tanya R. Taylor inheriting the crown from the legendary Ruth Rendell and doing her proud.

Copyright  2016 by Diane Morasco

Review first appeared in Blogcritics.
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David has been plagued with massive headaches, mood swings, and depression that resulted in a traumatic brain injury due to a horrific car accident. He has lost his girlfriend and most importantly his job due to his erratic and scary behavior. Now David finds himself haunted by a ghostly black shadow of a man who has been stalking him. C S Dixon has written a frightening tale of David slowly going mad in his imagination or for real? I highly recommend this suspenseful horror story that this author has been able to write in his most clever and chilling thriller.
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Tim LaHaye and Jerri Jenkins can retire now.  With such a huge interest in apocalyptic fiction these days (witness the 'Left Behind' series by the afore-mentioned authors, the popularity of shows like 'the X-Files', and  movies like 'The Matrix' and 'End of Days'), this thriller should get alot  of well-deserved attention. A politico-military world government that would  scare Orwell and Huxley, lots of supernatural wierdness, and non-stop  action set this novel a notch above the others.
  Most fiction in this  setting tends to follow the biblical book of Revelation so closely as to  make it predictable, or it follows some convoluted idea of a  quasi-spiritual new age. Both idea's make for cliche' reading at this  point. Jacob's Trouble instead focuses on the life of a government  operative, Jacob Zen, in his quest to make sense of the changing political  scene around him and recover the life he once knew. The scenes buzz back  and forth between past and present, taking you deep into the thoughts of  Jacob as he agonizes over his lost girlfriend Karen. His determination to  get her back and expose the truth leads him even deeper into danger and the  workings of the new world order.  This is definitly one of the most  character driven books I've read in quite awhile. Although told in third  person, you feel as if you're actually seeing a new, terrible world through  the eyes of Jacob Zen. The author does an excellent job of casting Jacob's  woes upon the reader, pulling you into his plight and searching for  solutions.
  The plot becomes increasingly deeper and more twisted as  the book continues on, so if you're a casual reader- hang on! It's worth  the ride.
  I highly recommend this one for anyone into  Clancy's D.C. novels, or King's futuristic horror (i.e. The Stand). If  you're a LaHaye/Jenkins fan- you ain't seen nothin' yet.
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I can't decide if this book is more fantasy or horror. Maybe the idea of technology adding the possibility of reality is what creates the indecision. Walking through the dimly lit house at night, with wind blowing outside, spooked me after reading the conclusion.

With his characterization of Freeman Sullivan,  Martin Adil- Smith combines intellect with paranoia ingeniously.  George Tate's pursuit of truth is dealt with a a series of plot twists and surprises combining real life with other realms that creates tension and action in ways imaginable only by this great author.

I've read the comparison to well-known horror authors, and I must say, this is a page burning cut above the others.
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Secret Service Agent Kevin Quinn tries unsuccessfully to poison the President at a dinner party.  Quinn wants revenge after witnessing the President killing his wife and unborn child, as well as confessing to other evil murders.  But while on the lam, Quinn contacts his boss receives a shocking revelation that things aren't what they appear to be.  A couple of mercenary killers find his hideout, and he learns that his memory has been tampered with by an evil man, and that Rachel Howard, the world's preeminent neuroscientist, is next on the hit list.  Kevin teams up with Rachel to find who is behind the evil plot, what happened to himself, and why the evil mastermind wants her dead.  [There's a lot more to the plot, but that's the gist of it.]

This book is a "techno-thriller," Richard's expertise.  The story is set in 2022, so it is slightly futuristic.  The technology is very well researched, and while it seemed like I was reading science fiction, the author explains in the Afterword that most of the technology described in the book either exists or will soon.  Scary!

Typical of thrillers, you find out who the bad guy is in the first half of the book, the hero repeatedly gets put into impossible situations and finds a way to escape, and the ending gets a little wild.  Although the book was very well written, one has to be in the right mood to read techno thrillers, and I wasn't.  So now comes the tough part: my rating.  I would give the writing and story 5 stars, but that's not what the Amazon rating system says.  It's based on whether I liked the book, which I didn't so much.  Being an engineer, I found the science fascinating, especially when I learned that most of it is real.  So my feeling about the book is best described as "it's okay," mostly since I'm not a big fan of techno-thrillers.  But that's on me.  If you're a fan, I'd highly recommend this one.  I'm going to compromise and say 4 stars.