A Taut Well-Written Thriller You Won't Be Able to Put Down
598134
Mr. Fraiser is quite a Renaissance Man: he's obivously a historian and a fine storyteller.  He has used these talents to craft a taut, thrilling novel that keeps your interest straight through to the tragic and surprising ending.  In this novel, a US Attorney who is a widowed father of a teenage girl and young precocious son, is assigned what appears to be an easy, simple criminal prosecution of a man who in full view of witnesses, assaults a federal lawman.  Along the way he strikes up a friendly romance with a beautiful stranger and begins receiving anonymous documents related to his particular interests in local and US history.  Contrary to the negative review here, I found these historical interludes to not only to be interesting, but also to further the narrative and explain the plot as it advances.  The author slowly weaves narrative threads to relate a story of domestic terrorism as it reaches into the sleepy capitol of Jackson, Mississippi.  I could not put this book down: every time I reached the end of a chapter, i just had to read further, thanks to the author's story telling skills.  The author's bio shows he is indeed a lawyer and federal judge, but also a thespian, historian and author of both fiction and non-fiction.  He has used all these talents to create a spellbinding novel .  I imagine he is quite a raconteur with whom I could have a very interesting and enjoyable evening over drinks. I hope his fiction writing days are not over because this book highlights his storytelling skills.
4927393
I liked everything about this thriller: the richly drawn characters, the exotic setting, the taut storyline, and the perfect pacing. Peyton's knowledge of Mexican culture is evident and is intricately interwoven in this unique novel. Artemas is a worthy protagonist, trying to fight corruption in a country steeped in it. While there are disturbing scenes of violence, they are done tastefully and there is even comic relief when the medical examiner from a neighboring town can't help but make a wry comment (gallows humor) about all the gruesome murders happening in Bustamante. The novel is realistic with a touch of mysticism that keeps the reader wondering what is really happening and what is going to happen. And just what is that winged creature that is decimating the goat population? Great suspense.
3010668
The release of Killer Instinct marks the return of Joseph Finder, the talented novelist who began to break onto the national scene with High Crimes, Paranoia, and, most recently, Company Man. Paranoia, a thoroughly entertaining modern thriller with depth, served as my introduction to the author, and I can thankfully report that this new Finder novel retains the admirable qualities of that earlier effort, plus a few new ones to boot. It also manages to avoid an overly ambiguous ending of the type that weakened that former book. Like Finder's other novels, Killer Instinct is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller largely set in the corporate world; the author has proven himself to be quite adept at writing this type of novel, thereby carving out a substantial literary niche for himself in the process. This book has all of the attributes that make up a quality modern thriller:  a story that moves along at a brisk and entertaining clip with plenty of plot twists and exciting sequences, engaging characters, and a solid dose of commentary on contemporary issues. Indeed, like Michael Crichton and excel at writing this type of book, Finder somehow manages to crank out a story that moves along at a near breakneck pace. Readers will be hard-pressed to put the book down at all; avid readers will likely gobble it up in only a setting or two. The characters are also engaging. Jason Steadman, the protagonist, is a likable Everyman, full of wisecracks and practically oozing empathy. Kurt Semko, his foil, is a splendid Finder creation - an intriguing and elusive character who adds an indescribable, but undoubtedly interesting, aura to the overall book.

Of course, many books on the bestseller rack today feature qualities comparable to these, so what sets Finder apart? For starters, he has a crisp, clean, and fluid writing style that has noticeably improved since Paranoia; he writes in a thoroughly admirable modern prose. Also, the domestic scenes and personal elements that Finder injects into the book give it an emotional depth often lacking in other contemporary novels. His interpolated comments on issues ranging from the Iraq War to national security to the nouveau riche -his satirical take on this last group is particularly incisive - also give the book added depth and relevancy that the products of many other present-day authors simply lack. All in all, this book comes highly recommended for anyone looking for an entertaining contemporary novel; indeed, it even has the potential, due to its additional layers of depth, to appeal to a broader audience than those who usually read such works. A final word to those who would have their fingers on the pulse of the national literary marketplace - keep a close eye on Finder. He is a rising star who seems to be improving with every new book and who is a likely candidate for eventually emerging as the next perennially best-selling author of his generation. After all, those who would read contemporary novels will be hard-pressed to find a better and more entertaining author than Finder; Killer Instinct, once again, serves as another bright spot in a career that is looking ever forward.
342083
You won't be able to put this book down. Kathy Hepinstall knows how to tell a story, and she won't let you escape.
Eleven year old Alice and her older brother Boone fear for their lives.  Their stepfather Simon has a murky past and a mean streak, though their mother Meg is oblivious because she is happy to be loved by a man again.  Wise and skeptical Alice sees the inconsistencies in Simon's stories and the frightening line of rage between his eyes.  When Simon discovers Boone's correspondance with an infamous teen who periodically escapes from the local mental institution, he threatens to poison them.  Alice and Boone have no defense against him other than memorizing details about the various poisons so they can avoid being tricked.  They know they are headed for a grisly end, even though they can not yet fathom what it might be.
The pacing of the novel is nearly flawless, and the prose carrries the reader effortlessly through this world of treachery.  Part thriller, part literary novel, this book expertly weaves the ordinary with the extraordinary, making the fear of being poisoned seem possible in a house that has Kool-Aid in the refrigerator and a not-so-bright dog in the yard.  The characters are deftly drawn, with personalities that seem all too real despite their idiosyncrasies.  Alice, although often seeming far older than her years, is consistently herself, with her smart aleck comments and instinct to survive.  Boone is less convincing as a Bible-quoting fourteen year old who "falls in love" with Persely Snow, the mental patient.  Dreamy and dependent Meg, though not a woman of substnace, has presence here, as does Simon and his mercurial personality.  Even the twins across the street are unforgettable, though they do not do much more than teach Alice's dog tricks and snitch on Boone.
The main flaw in this book - and believe me, it shouldn't keep you from reading it - is a few forced turns of the plot. Although Alice never seems 11 (more like 16), I found this distracting only when the author reminded me that she was younger than her brother.  These weaknesses pale in the hands of such an expert storyteller.
I highly recommend this book for anyone searching for an engrossing read.
156175
To enjoy this book, you first need to know what you're reading.  Unlike the other books by Greg Iles, this is a supernatural thriller in the vein of Dean Koontz or perhaps the less monster-filled books of Stephen King.  The plot isn't overtly original; a man's dead ex-girlfriend has come back to "haunt" him by possessing other people's bodies, causing all sorts of problems, as you can imagine.  But Iles has taken a rather contrived plot and made it very readable, keeping the suspense level high and the action at a nearly non-stop pace.  I found myself unable to put this book down, and that rarely happens with me these days.  I read the entire book in two days and was sad when it ended.  My wife reacted the same way, and she and I both read voraciously and go through half a dozen books every month while rarely finding one that grabs us like Sleep No More did.
I'll repeat, this wouldn't qualify as great literature.  It's escapist fiction, but it's damn good for what it is.  Take it on a plane, read it on the beach, use it to kill a few hours and you won't be disappointed.
2350829
A surprisingly good read if you are the sort who loves edge-of-the-seat thrillers. The Girl At The Bar begins with a gripping, seductive scenario with characters that get under your skin and behave in puzzling, unpredictable ways. Your cuppa has barely finished when Rebecca, a brilliant and stunning cancer researcher goes missing and her bipolar boyfriend Ragnar, from a single night of wild passion, finds himself staring at a murder charge. The only thing that saves him is the fact that there is no body so far, despite the discovery of her blood soaked dress. At stake is a revolutionary cancer cure, bitter pharma feuds, a deep dive into the fascinating and competitive world of medical research, lovable hackers, a psychotic killer and more all unfolding at a rapid, unputdownable pace in bold and beautiful New York.

Nicholas Nash is a skilled storyteller, openly inviting you to guess whodunit, page after intriguing page. Yet the truth eludes the sharp reader even as the machinations of a twisted mind are laid bare. By books end, I came away understanding a whole lot more about cancer thanks to Nashs extensive research and ability to explain complex things simply. I would have loved to see a bit more complexity in the development of the quirky characters, but as a first outing the book is certainly impressive.  All in all, an excellent read  delighted to have discovered a really good writer in the thriller genre. Disclosure: I was sent an advance copy for honest feedback from the author.
2320953
First and foremost, don't go into this expecting nonstop gunfights, high-speed car chases, and relentless action. What John Rector has done here is something far more interesting and admirable by truly developing a strong, spare thriller full of compelling characters and an almost relentless sense of pace that is still filled with more that shine light into the interior lives of those involved in the store. He writes with a sparse and stripped-down style that cuts literally everything to the bone, from character to action to plot. His writing is far less akin to thriller writers like Patterson and more almost to literary writers like Carver and Barthleme.

Not to say that this book is boring. You'll whip through the pages. To summarize the plot is to do Rector a great injustice; let's just say our protagonist gets a finger cut off in the first few pages and things move quickly from there. There's plenty of twists and reversals, and while the ending may not be entirely satisfying, the journey there certainly is.
353683
This is the book you want to read if you're seeking a blockbusting, thought-provoking tale with near endless twists. For all you thriller fans out there, hungry for a distinctly fresh approach, this is the book. You haven't read anything like THE DISCRETE CHARM OF CHARLIE MONK. David Ambrose doesn't write formula. In fact, this is about as far from formula as I've read in a long time.
Charlie Monk is an enigma from the first paragraph of this outstanding thriller and, with the turn of every page, becomes more of a mystery than ever. Ambrose gives nothing away as each new scene simply adds dimension to the puzzle.
Charlie thinks of himself as a highly trained assassin in a deeply covert department of some obscure government agency. Indeed, maybe he is, but then again, maybe not. You be the one to decide. Charlie not only remembers minute details of his past assignments, he has a host of lethal weapons at his disposal and knows how to handle sticky situations in astoundingly unique ways. In his somewhat peculiar personal life, he indulges his kinky appetites while secretly holding bittersweet memories of a lost love. He has vivid recollections of part of his childhood, with a few gaps here and there. But are his memories real? As he makes some chilling discoveries about himself, the seeds of doubt grow. He begins to doubt who he is and even begins to doubt what he is.
Meanwhile, Dr. Susan Flemying is working in a clinic of some type, trying to help patients with diminished memory, some with a cruel type of amnesia. In her research, she has unearthed some interesting results, results that may aid in memory enrichment --- or is that memory manipulation? Shortly after the story begins, Dr. Flemyng loses her husband John, also a doctor, in a tragic accident. At least it was reported as an accident. As she struggles to help her son cope with his father's death, a journalist contacts her, claiming inside knowledge about John's last days. She is curious but skeptical. Cautiously, she begins to question the official version of the plane crash. Inevitably, her path crosses with Charlie's.
The one constant in Charlie's life has been Control, his superior in the "agency." Their regular strategy meetings have always given Charlie not only his next assignment but also kept him supplied with the entertainment of his choosing. When Control's surprising identity is revealed, Charlie starts to formulate a plan, one he hopes will explain his entire existence. Dr. Susan Flemyng may be just the one to aid him in that endeavor. Their escape from wherever it is they've been is riveting, jaw clenching and quite possibly unbelievable.
You'll say "Hmm" about as many times as there are chapters. The more you read, the more questions you'll have. THE DISCRETE CHARM OF CHARLIE MONK soars to new heights in the thriller realm. As much as I like to savor, I couldn't put it down --- that is, if my memory serves me right.
  --- Reviewed by Kate Ayers
1979829
What a great book!  This is a very well written thriller with believable, well-developed characters.  Warning!  Allow time to finish the book in one sitting because you cannot put it down once you get into the plot.
4940992
This thriller is a truly suspenseful page-turner, as agents and profilers race against the clock to stop a heinous killer from taking more lives in a most unforgettable way. Full of twists and turns and all the politics that get in the way of investigations, with characters so real and believable they leap off the pages, DIE LAUGHING is no joke. Backstory, intriguing plot, and captivating writing style will take you from the stage to the crime scene to the media frenzy to the case files, in a way that will leave you wanting more from this brilliant new author.
712836
This is a fast-paced, well written thriller. The characters are complex and well crafted, as is the story. Action packed, you won't want to put it down until the end.
4755851
Jack Wilson, in "The Devil's Kiss", has written an engrossing thriller, one that you don't want to end. I liked the interplay between politics and global intrigue and the way he developed the rise of local amoral opportunists to positions of national influence. The style of writing is a mix of hard hitting action and an intricate weave of American politics and foreign affairs, done in a smooth and flowing manner. Looking forward to a follow-up book that will continue the tension filled suspense that Wilson depicted in this fine debut novel.
2837100
Get ready to be on the edge of your seat.  Malin Fors is a sympathetic character - she has human flaws that are explored as she works her way through a taut thriller.  Read it!
2380112
A very well-written thriller that delves into a 30+ year murder of Henry's mother. The visually stunning story starts at the suicide of Henry's father. With more twists and turns than a maze, Duty and Deceit is not just the story of Betsy and her untimely death, it is the love story of Henry and Niall, the cold case detective who has just been tapped to solve the decades-old mystery and cover-up. The characters are so well developed, the scene so well described, the reader feels like a guest at Melcham Park, ready to knock the snow from one's boots. Masterful until the final sentence, this author knows how to capture the imagination and take you on a journey that will have you holding your breath and turning the page. And impatiently waiting for the next book!
1434445
A taunt thriller that will have you turning the pages from the opening paragraph to the shocking and unexpected ending! Highly recommended!
2198209
In, Erased, Jeramy Gates creates a fast-paced thriller with an intricate plot that will please most readers, and particularly those who enjoy government conspiracy theories.  The characters are interesting and the plot careens along like a good roller coaster all the way to the finish, with well-written prose that enhance the narrative.  This is a fast and engrossing read, despite its flaws.
 If you start reading this book and find yourself confused and unable to figure out who the characters are and how they relate to each other after the first few chapters, keep reading.  Things will start to sort out and youll be happy that you didn't give up.  But, it is not easy to figure out the many characters in the early chapters.  The reader also has to get used to the authors somewhat unusual literary device of re-telling the same scene from the different perspective of a different character, so that the reader is covering the same temporal ground twice and it takes a little while to figure that out and adjust to it as a reader, but in the end it is an interesting format that does add texture to the narrative.
 There are some gaping plot holes in this story, not the least of which is the bouncing ball (briefcase) that we are trying to follow and which disappears and reappears without much explanation about where it has been.  The very beginning of the complex plot includes a courier who is killed off in an early chapter (no surprise there) by a cab driver without any explanation about how this particular cab driver could possibly have arranged to pick the courier up at the San Francisco airport so that he could fulfill his part in the drama.  There is also another pick-up much later in the story that is important to the plot and which seems impossibly coincidental and is not explained by the author.
 Meanwhile, the central character, Sarah Murphy, is described in lush detail and the reader genuinely cares about what happens to her. She turns out to be more plucky and resourceful than anyone expected (and shes a lawyer, so its nice to see a lawyer portrayed in a heroic way).  The peripheral characters are less well formed, but still interesting.
 This is an enjoyable read and great for a summer weekend at the beach.  Nothing too overly politically heavy-handed, despite some opportunities, which is good.  No deep meaning, but lots of fun and excitement.  Dont think too hard  just keep reading.
 [Spoiler warning  stop here if you're concerned]  the main plot premise of the story is that Sara was kidnapped and brainwashed in a Manchurian Candidate kind of way and ends up acting upon post-hypnotic suggestion and is supposed to be the patsy in a plot to assassinate a rap star who has commissioned a documentary film that will expose terrible conditions in a Chinese manufacturing plant owned by powerful American interests.  The black ops agents who set up the elaborate scheme are using Sara to disguise their intentions, which is why this otherwise unassuming lawyer is suddenly caught up in the grand conspiracy and all the action of the story.  Its a bit implausible to think that this kind of mind control could really work as described, or that the black ops assassins would go through all the trouble to use it rather than just kill people themselves (as they do plenty of in the story).  But, thats the plot device and so we suspend reality enough to buy into it and then let the plot go from there. Im fine with that, and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the story despite all the holes and despite the dubious premise.]
804773
This is a gripping thriller, with sprinkles of young adult action and romance thrown into the mix for good measure.

Ava, a happily married woman with two sons, is suddenly thrust into an impossibly scary scenario where her husband files for divorce, gets temporary custody and starts poisoning the local community against her. Told from the points of view of Ava, her eight-year-old adopted son, her husband, Ava's attorney and the child psychologist, the story grabs you with both hands and drags you in so quickly you can't stop.

The changing points of view with the pacy yet lyrical writing style and fast-moving plot combine to bring an explosive suspense thriller. Highly recommended.

*I received a free copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.