Broker of Lies (Travis Brock Thriller #1) by Steven James | Political Suspense Review

Broker of Lies

Travis Brock Thriller #1

Steven James

Political Suspense

The man who knows all our secrets has a secret of his own.

When Travis Brock, a high-level Pentagon redactor with an eidetic memory, finds a clue to solving the tragic arson that took his wife from him, he risks everything to find the truth—and chances losing himself in the process.

With a terror attack looming on the horizon and a pair of assassins on his tail, Brock drops off the grid and joins forces with a disavowed Homeland Security operative. Together they race to stop the attack before Brock is neutralized by the people he trusts the most.

From critically acclaimed, bestselling novelist Steven James comes a smart, wire-tight, and emotionally resonant thriller that asks just how far across the line we might go to see justice carried out.

My Thoughts

I love a good political thriller and this was definitely a good one. If you've read much of Steven James' work you know that there will be plenty of plot twists and turns. Broker of Lies has taken that format and turned it up a notch.

There are surprises along the way but I felt like I was getting the idea of what was going on even in the background. I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact when I was 96% finished there was a twist that I didn't see coming. And then there was the ending. BAM! Let's just say that book two is going to be highly anticipated at my house. 

The plot deals with our nuclear energy and could seriously be taken straight from today's headlines. Scary but it makes for a very compelling story. I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a complex tale that has a ring of true life to it.

Disclaimer

I received a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate my review.
 

State of Lies by Siri Mitchell | Suspense Book Review

State of Lies

Siri Mitchell

Suspesnse

The secrets of those closest to us can be the most dangerous of all.

Months after her husband, Sean, is killed by a hit-and-run driver, physicist Georgie Brennan discovers he lied to her about where he had been going that day. A cryptic notebook, a missing computer, and strange noises under her house soon have her questioning everything she thought she knew.

With her job hanging by a thread, her son struggling to cope with his father’s death, and her four-star general father up for confirmation as the next secretary of defense, Georgie quickly finds herself tangled in a web of political intrigue that has no clear agenda and dozens of likely villains.

Only one thing is clear: someone wants her dead too. And the more she digs for the truth, the fewer people she can trust.

Not her friends.

Not her parents.

Maybe not even herself.

My Thoughts

Well hello Siri Mitchell! When one of your favorite authors decides to venture out of her usual genre it can be a little unnerving. Will it be any good? Should I give it a try? In the case of 'State of Lies' the answers are yes and yes.

'State of Lies' is filled with plot twists and turns that keep you guessing and rethinking your theories. By the end of the story I was about 50 percent correct in my assumptions. And I was totally amazed at what I had made wrong guesses on.

I really hope that Siri continues writting her signature historical fiction but I also want to read more suspense from her as well. Maybe a combination of both??? Anyway, if you are a fan of Siri Mitchell or of suspense (of the political nature) then I am quite sure you are going to enjoy this one.

Disclosure Statement

I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Checkmate: The Bowers Files by Steven James ~ A Suspense Book Review

Checkmate

The Bowers Files, Book 8

Steven James

Suspense

In Checkmate, critically acclaimed novelist 

Steven James offers the final, chilling chapter 

in his bestselling series, The Bowers Files. 

When a clandestine FBI facility is attacked, Special Agent Patrick Bowers is drawn into the vicious, ruthless story that a killer from his past is bent on telling the world. 

Clues lead to long forgotten secrets buried deep beneath uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Now, Bowers is caught up in trying to stop one of the most deadly attacks ever planned on American soil. 

Smart, tense and full of mind-bending twists and turns, Checkmate explodes onto the scene, bringing The Bowers Files to a climactic and unforgettable conclusion.

READ AN EXCERPT

My Thoughts

Could this be the end to the Patrick Bowers files? Say it isn't so!!! Checkmate is indeed the last in the series but the good news is that it isn't a series that ends with a fizzle. It definitely goes out with a BANG! 

I fell in love with this series right from the start so I am sad to see it end. One of the things that I really appreciated about Checkmate was that it didn't read like an ending. It continued to be a page-turner from the front to the back covers. I found myself holding my breath wondering just how Pat was going to get out of this newest situation. You would think that by the eighth book in the series the storyline would grow stale, but it didn't. 

The Bowers Files series stretches over eight books, but in my opinion they can each be read as stand-alone titles. You'd miss out on a lot of heart pounding suspense but it can be done. Checkmate alludes to past episodes but the author fills in the blanks enough so the seasoned reader isn't bored with the details but the newby can follow along. 

If you have become a fan of Steven James' work you'll be pleased to know that he has a new series in progress that is called The Jevin Banks Experience. The first two books have already been released and they are titled, Placebo and Singularity. It looks to be another award-winning series by James. 

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Photo Credit: © Dan Davis Photography

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Sky Zone by Creston Mapes ~ A Political Suspense Reveiw

Sky Zone

The Crittendon Files, Book 3

Creston Mapes

Political Suspense

Back Of The Book:

WHEN TERRORISM HITS HOME, 

WHO WILL RISE TO STOP IT?

Jack and Pamela Crittendon have hit the breaking point. After months out of work as a reporter, Jack is playing Mr. Mom and working part-time at Festival Arena with his survivalist friend Brian Shakespeare. Meanwhile, Pamela has gone back to work full-time while eight months pregnant.

With financial pressures boiling. Jack reports for duty at a rally for controversial presidential candidate Martin Sterling, where he expects a mindless night on the job. But when Homeland Security picks up intel about a potential terrorist attack, Jack and Shakespeare are thrust into a life-and-death battle to save themselves--and thousands of innocent people.

My Thoughts:

Have you ever gone to a sporting event or concert in one of those large arenas? Did you look all the way up to the top and see that area that has access to the lighting and technical areas for the arena? Did you see how dark it was up there? How about the security? Did you notice who was directing people where to go? 

In Sky Zone we meet up with Jack Crittendon again. This time he is a part-time security guard at Festival Arena. (He lost his job as a reporter, but I'm not going to say much about that because it will spoil the previous book if you've not read it.) Jack is desperate to provide for his family so he needs this job. Most of his fellow security personnel are retired men just looking for a little extra income. None of them are armed and most aren't even formally trained. 

One seemingly uneventful evening Jack reports to work and finds out that the night's event is a political rally for presidential hopeful Martin Sterling. Shortly after arriving the team finds out that there have been terrorist threats. After much debate it is decided that the event must go on. Soon enough they find out that the threats were real. Now Jack and his fellow workers have to find a way to keep everyone safe and get them out alive. The stakes are even higher because of the unexpected guests in the audience. 

I am thoroughly enjoying the Crittendon Files. This third installment just continues the heart-pumping, adrenaline rush that the first two books began. I like the realistic feel to this story. If you've ever been to a big arena you can completely imagine how the story could unfold. The characters are flawed but continue to work on being better people. I particularly enjoyed Jack's mother-in-law. That woman has spunk! 

If you like a good political thriller that will keep you guessing, this is the book and the series for you! Sky Zone can be read as a stand alone novel, but there is an ongoing story line that I think you would enjoy reading from the beginning. The first book in the series is Fear Has A Name then it is followed by Poison Town. The back of the book doesn't mention a fourth book in the series, but I suspect there will be one. There are too many little threads hanging loose not to have another installment! I know that I will be eagerly waiting to read it.

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www.CrestonMapes.com

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Book of Dreams by Davis Bunn

Book of Dreams

Davis Bunn
Political Suspense
4 out of 5

For Dr. Elena Burroughs, life is divided into two chapters—before and after the death of her husband. Today marks the point that her span of being a wife is equal to her span of being a widow. Even her success as a psychologist and her world-wide acclaim for a book on the interpretation of dreams is dimmed by an unspoken if only. Then a new patient arrives, one so private only her first name is given. Impeccably dressed and escorted by two bodyguards, Sandra recounts a frightening series of recurrent nightmares. Elena agrees to consider her case more carefully, convinced that something ominous may be at work here. Elena’s interpretation of her dreams confirms that, indeed, the patient and her family confront a powerful global network of dangerous forces. As the story unfolds, they face a key question of the Christian life: How do you understand and fulfill the will of God?

My thoughts:

Book of Dreams was an intense read. I know it was a work of fiction, but it could have been the headline story in our newspapers today. Mr. Bunn is very adept at using current events and historical Biblical facts to weave a riveting tale.

The blurb on the back of the book focuses on Dr. Burroughs and her interpretation of dreams. While that is an important element of the story, I thought a more important element was the way she learned to lean on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in all circumstances. Dr. Burroughs is taken on an excursion that she definitely did not plan to take. In the end she comes to realize that trusting God is the only way to live the journey that is her life.

The plot twists and the well-defined characters made this a classic Bunn novel. When I turned the last page I was left feeling as if I had gained knowledge, both in the political and spiritual realm. For me this was not a quick and easy read. It was more of a slow yet absorbing read. I came away from it feeling that it had been time well spent. 

*I was sent a copy of this book from Howard Books to assist in this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts are my own and may differ from others.