Strong Sophomore Novel from Forsyth
583129
It is 1963 and Peter Miller is a German reporter who comes across the diary of a man who lived through one of the Nazi death camps, but recently committed suicide.  What he learns in the diary puts him on the trail of the camp's commanding officer, Eduard Roschmann.  Roschmann managed to disappear after the war with the help of his fellow officers in the SS, now known as the Odessa.  As the story unfolds we learn that Roschmann is currently the linchpin in a plan to destroy the still young and fragile state of Israel.  While Miller's dogged pursuit of the man began as a personal mission but the fate of a country hinges on his success.

The Odessa File is Frederick Forsyth's second novel and continues the pattern began in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Day-of-the-Jackal/dp/0553266306/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Day of the Jackal</a>&nbsp;as it integrates highly detailed research with fiction to create the feeling one is reading a historical account rather than a novel.  The pace is deliberate but steady and the tension builds continuously.  As with virtually every other spy novel, the book is clearly story driven first and foremost and those longing for a deep character study should look elsewhere.  But the characters are not two-dimensional and serve more than adequately to hold the reader's interest.

The only complaint I have regarding The Odessa File is a plot development in the final act.  Miller has methodically pursued his quarry in a careful way and after training for weeks to go undercover as a baker to infiltrate the Odessa, he suddenly throws all caution and common sense to the winds and starts driving around in his Jaguar even as he's pretending to be a poor common man.  This was so unbelievable that I could only imagine Forsyth wrote it in to push the plot to the crisis point and bring the story to a close.  It is the one sour note in the whole novel and while it tarnished the climax of the book, it did not ruin it.

In summary, The Odessa File is a compelling read virtually every step of the way.  While I found one major plot twist to be a ham fisted mistake, that doesn't negate the rest of the novel which is top notch.
923169
Another great Forsyth thriller, bringing back old characters to fight, once again, against evil.
And very smoothly done.
3530148
Landry Park was one of my most-anticipated novels of 2014, and it definitely didn't disappoint. So when it was confirmed that Jubilee Manor was going to be published in 2015, I immediately started counting down to the day when I could finally read the book.

After the events of the first book, Madeline is determined to find a way to have the Rootless and the gentry find common ground. It's an unrelentless challenge; there's mistrust on both sides, and Madeline's own position is unstable amonsgst both groups.

To make it worse, gentry heirs are now being murdered, and it's only adding to the discord. Now, it's up to Madeline to figure out just who is committing the murders, before things get too out of hand...

Madeline is a bit of an a-typical heroine, considering her position in life. However, from the moment I was introduced to her in Landry Park, I couldn't help but admire her willingness to challenge the status quo, and ability to try and create change amongst both the gentry and the Rootless.

She brings that same determination and resourcefulness to Jubilee Manor, as she literally finds herself in a rock and a hard place. There are various reasons for distrust from both the gentry and the Rootless, and Hagen really stresses Madeline's genuine skill and ability to navigate between both groups. It takes an innate diplomacy that not everyone has, especially when Madeline has to go against those that she loves.

Hagen not only writes a book with twists and considerably amped up stakes, but also does an excellent job of playing out Madeline's social and romantic struggles, against a detailed, well-plotted world of glittering opulence verses the downtrodden homes of the Rootless. We can very well see how the setting is both absorbing, while dually also adding to the social strife.

Though the ending does feel a bit rushed, it can't help but make me hope that Hagen will eventually revisit this world in future books. All in all, while Jubilee Manor is actually kind of the long-side, the 400 pages of glamour, opulence and socital strife makes every moment worth it.
4357000
"Signal" is Patrick Lee's second novel featuring former military operative Sam Dryden, and it's every bit as thrilling and entertaining as the debut ("Runner").  The Dryden novels are thrillers, featuring the skilled and tough do-gooder Sam Dryden--similar in feel to Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels.  As with "Runner" (mind reading/control), Patrick Lee adds a bit of a science fiction aspect to the story and it works well.  I actually enjoyed this novel more than its predecessor.

In "Signal", Dryden is confronted with a tool capable of picking up radio signals from the future.  As you might expect, those in control of the system have plans to use the capability for control and evil purposes.  Lee does well to explain some of the conundrums involved with such a capability and also demonstrates uses both good and bad.  There's not much additional development to Dryden's character from the first novel, nor is it necessary to read "Runner" before this novel.  "Signal" stands just fine as a standalone read.  This is a fast-paced novel with a high body count (somewhere in the tens), plenty of adventure, a twist or two, a hero to root for, and a slight sci-fi flair.  A good and easy read.
51764
Not his best work, but certainly better than most other authors in this genre. Forsyth has a knack for drawing you in with the details. His characters are always strong and well defined, just thought this story was  a little too contrived.
2417678
As most sequels go, I was not expecting much from Keith Ablow's  "Projection". The first novel "Denial" was poorly written and I found very little of any value. "Projection" however is much better in every way shape and form. Ablow has a sharp nightmarish voice in this novel. He is slowly becoming like Thomas Harris with his ability to keep people up late into the night reading to find out what will happen next.
"Projection" picks up right where "Denial" left off.
This novel is much more well rounded and the last half of the novel will fly by. Clevender is still a main character that is very hard to like, due to his past and present demons tormenting him. Some of the chapters contain graphic acts of violence not suitable for every reader. Ablow has shown that he has grown a little as an author and should find some great new success in future novels.
4295860
Frederick Forsyth is a master of 'spy' story telling. This book was my starter to Forsyth's other works. The story line and the facts presented in  THE NEGOTIATOR is enticing by giving complete details as if I was in the  story with Quinn. The plot is  shocking due to many twists and exploding  action along the story. The characters are well developed and carried the  suspense till the end.  This book is an ultimate satisfaction. Because of  this book, which made me fall in love with Forsyth's work, I bought the  following books:- Icon, The Deceivers and Devil's Alternative.
364841
Okay, you're down here reading reviews, so you should already know that this book is the second stand-alone novel in The Revelations Cycle. If you're confused because you can't find the first book, look for Cartwright's Cavaliers, by Mark Wandrey. Kennedy and Wandrey are collaborating on a shared universe where mankind's chief interstellar export is our willingness to kill and blow stuff up for money.

In short, we're mercenaries.

Asbaran Solutions follows the story of Nigel Shirazi, black sheep of the Shirazi family, which owns Asbaran Solutions, one of the four most prestigious merc companies from earth, collectively known as the Four Horseman. Nigel has anger and confidence issues and has been cut off from the family business forever when he's pulled in to recue his sister, who has been kidnapped by the same alien forces that killed his father and brother.

Nigel is untrained, inexperienced, and completely unready to lead, but he receives help along the way on his mission to save his sister.

The story moves along rapidly, and we get to see Nigel start to grow up and get a handle on his temper as he learns to lead his forces. One of the nice things about the story is that Nigel continues to make mistakes; he doesn't become a tactical and strategic genius overnight. HIs growth is mor believable as he suffers setbacks throughout the navel.

Like Cartwright's Cavaliers, the secondary characters, with a few notable exceptions, are broadly drawn. We don't get much in the way of characterization. However, due to the high body count, it's not as obvious as the first book.

One of the good things about the two books taken together is that we are rapidly getting a picture of what is coming in this universe. Two of the Four Horsemen merc companies have been reduced to shambles, and in the case of Asbaran Solutions, it was a deliberate attack. I wouldn't be surprised if the troubles besetting the Cavaliers wasn't also a deliberate attack.

It appears that somebody wants the human Merc companies off the galactic board. What we don't know yet is why.

One warning. Cartwright's Cavaliers feels almost like a YA novel, particularly when compared to Asbaran Solutions. This is not meant in a bad way, only that if your expectations as far as blood gore mayhem and violence are set by the first book, be warned that things are kicked up a notch or two in this one.

Overall, a good read and I'll be waiting eagerly for book 3 due out this spring.
1859110
Jackson, described as a serial romantic, is able to resolve a highly convoluted mystery involving the loss and recovery  of a precious  Egyptian artifact with the help of his beautiful and brilliant wife of two years, Dasha.  He almost loses his life because of a psychopathic woman, Maria, who had seduced him with her body, moves, and strawberry blond hair before his marriage.

Author has a fine and dry sense of humor, dominates this first novel with clever dialogue, uses adult (but never vulgar) vocabulary, and plants clues with foreshadowing throughout the book.

Book is a page-turner designed for well-educated and thinking readers of both genders.  Richard Drayton  joins many good writers such as Philip Roth and Graham Greene as a keen observer of the human condition and  provides insights and detail on paranoid schizophrenia with delusions along with soccer, vegetarianism, and many other topics.  It all fits together neatly while maintaining a rapid pace toward its surprising and violent ending.

The book warrants a sequel and could form an intriguing  screenplay for a Pitt-Jolie film.  It is far better new fiction than most found in our libraries and bookstores.  Read this book with the red strawberry on its cover.
2663957
Enjoyed The Avenger immensely.  Highly recommend to any mystery reader.  Another well done piece by Forsyth.  I am looking forward to reading The Deceiver and the Negotiator as well.
3335920
Savannah Harris left her life as an investigative journalist following the death of her husband and daughter, but she finds herself getting deeper than shed like when immigrant workers harvesting local crops begin to disappear and there are whispers of murder.

Dubosity is an excellent thriller, with enough of a touch of romance to keep me happy. There was plenty of suspense, especially as the reader knows Savannah is being watched  but we don't know by whom. But there are plenty of likely suspects, including landowner Landon Kavanaugh, and Clive Miller, who is new in town.

Savannah is an intelligent and likeable character, despite abandoning God and withdrawing from life following the death of her family, and it was easy to want her to determine the identity of the evildoer, rediscover her faith, and get her happy-ever-after.

The writing was excellent. I have read one or two of Barritts earlier books, and while they were good, they were shorter works of fiction, and this was better: the longer novel gave more opportunity for subplots and character development, and it was well done. Recommended for suspense fans.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
4580177
This is the second book in Julie Leto's Forsyth Phantoms series, and although it can certainly stand alone, in my opinion you can better appreciate the intricacies of the plot as well as several returning characters if you've read the first book - Phantom Pleasures.  This contemporary romantic paranormal adventure series is about six brothers from the mid-1700s in England who tried to rescue their sister from an evil sorcerer, Lord Rogan, who had betrayed their family and the enclave of gypsies that were under the protection of their father, an English nobleman.  Each brother is trapped in an item - in this book a sword with a jeweled hilt - that is also imbued with some of the dark lord's magic.  The woman who can release the man trapped in the item is inexplicably draw to it, and when they come into physical contact with it the Forsyth brother is partially released, existing in a phantom state during the days and taking physical form only at night.

The quest in each book is for the hero to be fully released from the spell, the romantic conflict to be resolved, and the hero and heroine to get closer to finding the items where the remaining brothers are imprisoned and discovering the fate of not only their sister but also the entire village of gypsies that mysteriously disappeared just as King George's soldiers were advancing to slaughter them more than 250 years ago. Each, however, has a formidable adversary in the followers of K'vr, a secret organization of the descendants and worshipers of Lord Rogan, who are trying to exploit his dark magic for their own means and seeking the very items in which the Forsyth brothers' spirits are imprisoned as the keys to unlock Lord Rogan's powers.

In Phantom's Touch, Aidan Forsyth is released from the sword by movie star Lauren Cole, a woman with a mysterious past and her own "demons" to conquer before she can trust herself to fall in love. Lauren Cole is an actress who plays an action-adventure heroine in the movies (think female warrior), and her real-life skills are impressive.  She is a strong heroine who knows what she wants. Aidan is an 18th century man adapting to a world he could never have imagined.  Leto very skillfully uses the magic elements of this book while still keeping the action - and many of the dangers - firmly grounded in reality. This is an exciting adventure tale with new twists and turns that will keep you from putting the book down.  It's also a very sensuous story, and Leto uses the phantom's daytime ability to touch while remaining in his noncorporeal form to stretch sexual tension to the breaking point.  The balance between the challenges facing the characters in this book and the overall quest of the series is perfect - this book standing alone is a very satisfying read, that still leaves you intrigued by the overall story and wanting to know the rest of the unanswered questions.  I give this book my highest recommendation.
2029898
Although the mystery at the center of The Mercy Oak involves the possible murder of a young Hispanic girl, what ultimately makes the novel such a satisfying read is the masterful way the author connects that story to the mysteries of the human heart.

In Kathryn Wall's most recent novel in the BayTanner Mystery series, Bay, (a.k.a. Lydia Simpson), a private investigator at Simpson & Tanner, Inquiry Agents, on the Island of Hilton Head, South Carolina, takes on a potential case of murder. Bay is haunted by the ghosts of her past--she has lost her mother, Emmaline, her husband Rob (murdered three years before The Mercy Oak begins), and her former partner, Ben Wyler. But Bay is slowly building a new relationship with her brother-in-law, Red Tanner, the sergeant at the Beaufort County Sheriff's office. Red's commitment to law enforcement is often at odds with Bay's work. The friction between them heats up when Bay agrees to take on a new investigation.

The plot of The Mercy Oak involves two crimes. Less than two weeks before Christmas, a young girl is killed in a hit-and-run accident. Initially believed to be Serena Montalvo, her death is at first ruled accidental, but when Bobby Santiago, the son of Bay's Guatemalan housekeeper Delores, calls to ask Bay for help, she soon learns that the dead girl is actually Serena's sister, Theresa.

At the same time, a series of bank robberies have distracted the police from pursuing an investigation into Theresa's death. When Bobby and his mother Delores disappear, the investigation takes on a more personal aspect. Bay learns that Theresa's death may be connected to a local campaign to support the rights of illegal immigrants, and the FBI is involved. Threatening phone calls, vandalism, and the involvement of a family friend in the hold-ups, all lead Bay to believe the two crimes are related and that she is the common thread.

The Mercy Oak is a fast-paced, romantic mystery, recommended reading for a day lounging on the beach, or a crisp autumn evening nestled by the fire.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique background story for this mystery.
3855755
The second book of 'After the Flare' moves much faster than the first and develops the main characters, Mia and Andrew, into a loving couple who are devoted to each other AND to helping others, something they had been told by Mia's dad not to do.  The truth behind the flare and subsequent collapse of society is dealt with in some detail and an insidious plot by remnants of the 'old order' is exposed.

Mia and Andrew are getting closer, and a bit more physical, but they are still controlling themselves.  There are moments of levity to offset the overall grave nature of the story.  More characters appear and are developed well and Mia and Andrew both come into their own despite their youth.

I'm well into book 3 at this point and will probably review it in a couple of days.  It is already moving the several plots ahead, as well as adding some new twists.
4025997
The first book of Forsyth that we've ever read. Catches my attention from the first page itself. Non stop thriller with riveting plot that kept  building up along the story. Quinns' character is so well developed through  out his adventure. The story line is so real with a clear detail of what  happening around the characters environment. The story also gives  emphasisation for all the characters making the book a very exciting read.  After reading this book we got so hooked up with Frederick Forsyth's books  and started buying all these books:- Icon, The Deceiver, Fist of God and  Devil's Alternative.
This is an ultimate satisfaction for both of us.  Keep writting good books.
622354
There is no doubt, Forsythe is a master of the thriller, with his "Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File," some of my favorites of all times. In "The Afghan," he deftly blends fiction with real facts and real people but the characters could be more memorable. I recently read a credible international suspense, "Facing Justice, by new comers Diane and David Munson, and found the characters genuine and believable by camparism. Still, Forsyth's newest is worth the read.
4044666
Matthew Guinn's sequel to "The Resurrectionist" brings Detective Thomas Canby back to Atlanta to chase down a notorious serial killer. He finds a new sidekick in the character of Atlanta Detective Cyrus Underwood, who has the distinction of being the city's first African American Police Detective. This turns out being a match made in historical novel heaven, as the two detectives give the reader plenty of action and some thoughtful banter, as well.

As with his first novel, the author combines historical fact and suspenseful fiction with a gifted touch. This is a book that is hard to put down. The setting of late 19th century Atlanta and the many references to the Civil War and Reconstruction is a fascinating backdrop. And what could be better than a cameo appearance by William T. Sherman, himself, during the novel's climax?  I am a true fan of the author's works, and look forward (very hopefully) to a 3rd installment in this series. I can hardly wait.