Book Review of “End of Enemies”

“End of enemies” was published in 2014 and is the first in the “Briggs Tanner” series by author Grant Blackwood (http://grantblackwood.com). Mr. Blackwood is the author or co-author of eight novels. This eBook is available on Amazon.

I obtained this novel for free through https://www.netgalley.com for review. This is a thriller and is told 3rd person with the primary characters being Briggs Tanner and his partner Ian “Bear” Cahil, though there are many others.

The real story begins with a submarine just off the coast of Japan in the last days of World War II. Then we skip ahead to present day where Briggs is on vacation in Japan. There he witnesses a murder. That starts an unofficial, then more official investigation. In Washington, D.C. the intelligence community is concerned about an agent that has disappeared in Beirut, Lebanon. Why was he suddenly taken and what does it mean?

Briggs is a former US Navy SEAL, and now works for an off-the-books US intelligence agency. What seemed at first like a random killing turns into an international crises which spans the globe. There is action, danger and intrigue as the story rapidly unfolds to involved a Japanese billionaire, the middle east, and a threat to world peace.

This is the first novel by Mr. Blackwood that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed the 12 hours spend reading it. I look forward to reading others by Mr. Blackwood. It reminds be of Clive Cussler stories, which isn’t a surprise since Mr. Blackwood has co-authored three novels with Clive Cussler. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Book Review of “The Red Hot Fix”

“Red Hot Fix” was published in 2014 (June) and is the second novel by Ms. Terri “T. E.” Woods in her “Justice” series. The eBook is available at Amazon.

I was given early access to the book for review through https://www.netgalley.com. This mystery/suspense novel takes place in Seattle, WA. The writing was well paced, never letting the reader get bogged down.

The story picks up after the first novel “The Fixer”. It is centered around Mort Grant the chief of detectives for Seattle PD, the chief of forensics Jimmy DeVilla and detective Micki Petty. They are working the “Trixie” serial killer case, but making little progress.

The murder of a wealthy man occurs that is meant to look like a “Trixie” murder, but clearly is not. The detectives follow leads trying to not only identify the serial killer, but the copycat murderer as well.

In a somewhat side story, psychologist Lydia Corriger returns from the first novel. She has moved to a remote community to recover from her gun shot wound. Mort consults with her off the books as to the character of the serial killer. Things are not as peaceful as she had hoped in her new home. She has stumbled upon troubling events and is torn as to how to respond.

I enjoyed this book and give it a 4.5 out of 5. There is plenty of suspense, action and mystery. I thought each character was well developed and responded dynamically to the events around them.

Book Review of “Deep Blue Secret”

“Deep Blue Secret” was published in 2011 and was written by Christie Anderson (http://christieanderson.org). This is the first book of “The Water Keepers” series, and was the first of three books published by Ms. Anderson. The eBook is available on Amazon. I obtained this book for free through http://www.moreforlessonline.com/.

This is a Young Adult SciFi/Romance, though I would say it is about 95% Romance and 5% SciFi. It also seems targeted at young teenage girls even though the primary character is a 17 year old High School Senior.

Sadie James is the primary character. Sadie has always had a strange birthmark, but she discovers that it is more than simply a birthmark. She is being watched over by a intriguing young man to whom she is strangely drawn. Sadie becomes the pawn of an escaped criminal in his efforts to regain what he thinks has been wrongly taken from him.

This novel is written in the third person and set in contemporary southern California. It was well enough written and I would categorize it as G tending a little towards PG. While the general plot idea is good, I found it too watered down with far too much romance. I felt that the novel was a slow relatively boring read. The writing seems to be targeted at very young teen, or even pre-teen girls. I have read many YA novels and like many of them. This is a series I will not read further in. I give this novel a 3 out of 5.

All of the book reviews I have written can be found at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/

Book Review of “The Butcher”

“The Butcher” was published in 2014 (July) and was written by Jennifer Hillier (http://www.jenniferhillier.org) and is her third novel. The eBook is available on Amazon.

I was provided the manuscript for “The Butcher” for early review through NetGalley (https://www.netgalley.com). “The Butcher” is set in contemporary Seattle, Washington. It is a mystery/thriller written in the 3rd person. I would rate it “R” as it has some language and a little sexual content, as well as violence.

Edward Shank is the retired Police Chief of Seattle band widely respected. He was a successful detective, but most of his success can be attributed to his finding the serial killer known as “The Butcher”. You find out in the first chapter that the Chief (as he likes to be called) has a much darker, hidden side.

The story primarily revolves around Edward, his son Mathew “Matt” Shank who is a successful Seattle area restauranteur and Samantha “Sam” Marquez. Sam is Matt’s girlfriend and an author of True Crime novels. Sam is currently working on a novel about “The Butcher”. He was supposed to have met his end in 1987 when Edward, then a Police Captain, led a group of officers to capture suspect Rufus Wedge. When confronted Rufus reached for a gun and was killed by the officers.

That was supposed to have brought the series of deaths from “The Butcher” to an end, but Sam feels certain that her mother was killed by “The Butcher”. And killed weeks after Rufus was shot dead.

The tension between Sam and Matt begins to escalate when Matt moves into the Chief’s old house, the Chief having moved to a retirement home. Matt’s anger issues, his commitment to his career and secrets discovered at the Chief’s old house drive a wedge between he and Sam.

Sam while frustrated with Matt continues to dig into the case of “The Butcher”. She starts to find new evidence to support her belief that Rufus was not “The Butcher”. As the novel progresses, there are more killings and many unexpected secrets exposed.

This is the first novel by Ms. Hillier that I have read. I found this novel to be excellent. It is not a mystery in the traditional sense, as you find out early in the book who “The Butcher” is. The mystery is from the secrets that are gradually divulged. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Short Story Review of “Pennsylvania 1”

“Pennsylvania 1” was published in 2013 and is the first short story in the series “Pennsylvania” by author Michael Bunker (http://journal.lazarusunbound.com). Mr. Bunker is the author of several books. The short story is available on Amazon.

This is a short story (98 pages) set in a future Pennsylvania. Amish Jedediah “Jed” Troyer is 18 and has purchased passage on a colony ship to New Pennsylvania. He leaves his little brother and parents behind for new opportunities in the Amish colony on the new world. Earth is running out of resources and the new world will open up the opportunity for Jed to get a farm of his own.

The Amish are looked down upon by many, so he has a little trouble while on his way to the colony ship from his home. But he meets a new friend Jerry Rios who is also bound for New Pennsylvania and who helps him get through. He boards the colony ship and goes into hibernation for the 9 year trip, but when he wakes up things are far from what he expected.

I read this in a little less than three hours and enjoyed it. It was well written and the characters well developed. I look forward to reading the rest of the story. I give this short story a 5 out of 5.