Point of Attraction
Margaret Van Der Wolf
Mystery and Detective, Cozy
75,950 words
No. 19 - 2019
Rating 4.0 stars out of 5.0
Posted 7/19/2019
Point of Attraction was a great surprise for me. Not being a fervent reader of cozy romantic stories, I was pleased to find an actual thriller plot that could have stood on its own without the cozy angle. The two genres came together with feeling, high levels of emotion and action to culminate in an engrossing read.
Georgie Gainsworth is the main character. She owns a beauty solon where she also provides hair cuts to men. Her primary hobby is writing novels.
Mason Montgomery is a policeman and aspiring writer who signs up for a writing class.
You can surely imagine where their point of contact begins and where this is going.
Georgie is a widow. She clings to the memory of the perfect husband and her deceased mother. Before her death, the mother made a Raggedy Ann doll for Georgie so she would always remember that her mother was spiritually there for her.
But then the doll is suddenly stolen, Georgie is almost the victim of a hit and run, and the mystery grows and darkens the farther the plot develops.
The cast of charming but chaotic characters are described and developed with precision and feeling. Some of her friends are over the top kooks, but they love Georgie and would protect her with their lives.
The writing style is crisp and descriptive and flows smoothly throughout.
I recommend this book for all who read the mixed genre.
That's the good part, but the book is not without fault in other respects.
That old bugaboo, editing, reared its ugly head and detracted from the overall fine writing. There are missing words, extra words, misspelled words, and misused words. They are not in abundance considering the length of the novel, but they are there, and they are noticeable. I suspect this is self edited because silly little errors slipped through: using past for passed, he's for his.
Point of Attraction still deserves a high rating because the plot, the characters, and the writing are strong.
The book is rated 4 stars and I recommend it.
This is an unsolicited review of a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Margaret Van Der Wolf
Mystery and Detective, Cozy
75,950 words
No. 19 - 2019
Rating 4.0 stars out of 5.0
Posted 7/19/2019
Point of Attraction was a great surprise for me. Not being a fervent reader of cozy romantic stories, I was pleased to find an actual thriller plot that could have stood on its own without the cozy angle. The two genres came together with feeling, high levels of emotion and action to culminate in an engrossing read.
Georgie Gainsworth is the main character. She owns a beauty solon where she also provides hair cuts to men. Her primary hobby is writing novels.
Mason Montgomery is a policeman and aspiring writer who signs up for a writing class.
You can surely imagine where their point of contact begins and where this is going.
Georgie is a widow. She clings to the memory of the perfect husband and her deceased mother. Before her death, the mother made a Raggedy Ann doll for Georgie so she would always remember that her mother was spiritually there for her.
But then the doll is suddenly stolen, Georgie is almost the victim of a hit and run, and the mystery grows and darkens the farther the plot develops.
The cast of charming but chaotic characters are described and developed with precision and feeling. Some of her friends are over the top kooks, but they love Georgie and would protect her with their lives.
The writing style is crisp and descriptive and flows smoothly throughout.
I recommend this book for all who read the mixed genre.
That's the good part, but the book is not without fault in other respects.
That old bugaboo, editing, reared its ugly head and detracted from the overall fine writing. There are missing words, extra words, misspelled words, and misused words. They are not in abundance considering the length of the novel, but they are there, and they are noticeable. I suspect this is self edited because silly little errors slipped through: using past for passed, he's for his.
Point of Attraction still deserves a high rating because the plot, the characters, and the writing are strong.
The book is rated 4 stars and I recommend it.
This is an unsolicited review of a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – The Helsinki Pact
Author – Alex Cucia
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Political
355 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 18 - 2019
Posted 7/12/2019
The plot and story telling of The Helsinki Pact deserves a five star rating. The plot is full of surprises.
My impressions: intense, conflict, betrayal, danger, socialism, murder, theft, torture, love.
The story begins in East and West Germany in March 1989 shortly before the fall of the Berlin wall. The action is plentiful and intense.
Thomas Wundart is a West German economics student and aspiring opera singer. He is a scammer earning money by criminal activities in East Berlin.
Bettina List is an East German agent of the secret police, The Stasi.
Colonel Dieter is a high ranking officer in The Stasi.
Stephan Fischer is the assistant to Alfred Herrin the CEO of Deutsche Bank in West Germany. Stephan is Thomas's best friend.
Russia is facing financial collapse. Alfred Herrin represents the West German Government and has been authorized to facilitate a deal between Russia and West Germany. Russia will get the money it desperately needs in exchange for allowing the reunification of West and East Germany.
A second plot in the story finds four East Germans planning to dig a tunnel and escape to West Germany.
Unknown to the Stasi, Thomas has helped the four young people attempting to escape to West Berlin.
What the Stasi network does know, through his relationship with agent Bettina, is that Thomas has been involved in black market currency manipulation. He is arrested, and during interrogation Colonel Dieter learns Thomas's father was a successful West German banker at Bundesbank. Before his death, he enjoyed ties to other movers and shakers in the West German banking industry and government. Under threat of imprisonment in East Germany, Thomas agrees to become an informer reporting to Colonel Dieter.
Another twist in the plot is a group of six people headed by 'The Brain'. They plan to illegally collect millions of Deutsche Marks by manipulating the currency exchange rates during the East and West reunification.
The editing and sentence structure are to UK standards and are a bit different from what US readers are used to.
I strongly recommend this story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Alex Cucia
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Political
355 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 18 - 2019
Posted 7/12/2019
The plot and story telling of The Helsinki Pact deserves a five star rating. The plot is full of surprises.
My impressions: intense, conflict, betrayal, danger, socialism, murder, theft, torture, love.
The story begins in East and West Germany in March 1989 shortly before the fall of the Berlin wall. The action is plentiful and intense.
Thomas Wundart is a West German economics student and aspiring opera singer. He is a scammer earning money by criminal activities in East Berlin.
Bettina List is an East German agent of the secret police, The Stasi.
Colonel Dieter is a high ranking officer in The Stasi.
Stephan Fischer is the assistant to Alfred Herrin the CEO of Deutsche Bank in West Germany. Stephan is Thomas's best friend.
Russia is facing financial collapse. Alfred Herrin represents the West German Government and has been authorized to facilitate a deal between Russia and West Germany. Russia will get the money it desperately needs in exchange for allowing the reunification of West and East Germany.
A second plot in the story finds four East Germans planning to dig a tunnel and escape to West Germany.
Unknown to the Stasi, Thomas has helped the four young people attempting to escape to West Berlin.
What the Stasi network does know, through his relationship with agent Bettina, is that Thomas has been involved in black market currency manipulation. He is arrested, and during interrogation Colonel Dieter learns Thomas's father was a successful West German banker at Bundesbank. Before his death, he enjoyed ties to other movers and shakers in the West German banking industry and government. Under threat of imprisonment in East Germany, Thomas agrees to become an informer reporting to Colonel Dieter.
Another twist in the plot is a group of six people headed by 'The Brain'. They plan to illegally collect millions of Deutsche Marks by manipulating the currency exchange rates during the East and West reunification.
The editing and sentence structure are to UK standards and are a bit different from what US readers are used to.
I strongly recommend this story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Haywood Micaye
Author – Ashlynne Doyle
Genre – Psychological Spy Thriller
Word Count 86,500
Rating 4 stars out of 5
No. 18-1 - 2019
Posted 7/5/2019
Haywood James Micaye is a seriously disturbed government agent who envisions himself to be above normal humanity. In fact, he sees himself as perfect and doesn’t believe he is human.
Micaye is more serious than Maxwell Smart but even more kooky. The action scenes are a bit tongue in cheek as the superagent manages to defeat overwhelming odds.
Micaye’s mother died before he knew her. His father, a highly successful business mogul, was a cruel, demanding, and demeaning tyrant. Grandpa was patient and loving but died when Micaye was six. Micaye turned inward and hardened into an arrogant, self-centered, sociopath who could murder without remorse
The world is threatened by a group named the Leviticus. Micaye chases leads and finally reached the group’s leader.
Throughout Micaye’s investigation he finally experiences the emotions normal humans feel. Guilt over his cruel attacks on other humans causes him to want to change and do good for the world. But does he?
This is not a typical crime story but a psychological romp through the main characters emotions, or lack thereof. I recommend it for readers who enjoy following a psychotic personality.
There are no sexual situations and only minor cursing.
The editing is poor. The plot and writing deserve better.
Some sentence structures need reorganization.
Character development is excellent
Details are adequate
Thorough research is apparent
The plot is fresh and captivating
The author’s writing style is exceptional.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Ashlynne Doyle
Genre – Psychological Spy Thriller
Word Count 86,500
Rating 4 stars out of 5
No. 18-1 - 2019
Posted 7/5/2019
Haywood James Micaye is a seriously disturbed government agent who envisions himself to be above normal humanity. In fact, he sees himself as perfect and doesn’t believe he is human.
Micaye is more serious than Maxwell Smart but even more kooky. The action scenes are a bit tongue in cheek as the superagent manages to defeat overwhelming odds.
Micaye’s mother died before he knew her. His father, a highly successful business mogul, was a cruel, demanding, and demeaning tyrant. Grandpa was patient and loving but died when Micaye was six. Micaye turned inward and hardened into an arrogant, self-centered, sociopath who could murder without remorse
The world is threatened by a group named the Leviticus. Micaye chases leads and finally reached the group’s leader.
Throughout Micaye’s investigation he finally experiences the emotions normal humans feel. Guilt over his cruel attacks on other humans causes him to want to change and do good for the world. But does he?
This is not a typical crime story but a psychological romp through the main characters emotions, or lack thereof. I recommend it for readers who enjoy following a psychotic personality.
There are no sexual situations and only minor cursing.
The editing is poor. The plot and writing deserve better.
Some sentence structures need reorganization.
Character development is excellent
Details are adequate
Thorough research is apparent
The plot is fresh and captivating
The author’s writing style is exceptional.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Outside Forces Days of Reckoning
R E Swirsky
Mystery, Detective, Thriller, Suspense
125,000 Words
No. 17, 2019
Rating 4.0 out of 5.0
Posted 6/28/2019
Tall and scrawny, eighteen year old, Michael Crowder finally has a girlfriend. But Lucy also has another boyfriend. Michael hides under Lucy's bed when she is abducted, and that heinous act leads to Michael's family being dragged into a series of nightmarish murder schemes.
The plot revolves around a secret vigilante organization named the Order; they were formed to correct the errors of an imperfect justice system. Toward the end, we learn the Order has run off the tracks and the leadership isn't the high minded group it started out to be.
Outside Forces is an excellent story, full of mystery and suspense. Conflict, intrigue, thrills, and unexpected twist abound.
The large cast of characters is described well and develops over the course of the story. Their intimate secrets keep popping out on all fronts.
There are evil antagonists galore to keep the reader guessing as to what is coming next and who will be impacted.
The pace is fast with multiple deceptions being played out on several sides.
To complicate matters further, Michael has suffered since childhood with a condition that would make his testimony to the police unbelievable and make him appear guilty.
The story ends in a cliffhanger that keeps open the option of a follow up story.
Editing, as usual, is the downfall preventing this story from being a perfect 5.0. While certainly not awful, there are enough missing, extra, and misspelled words to be irritating. Several sentence structures were clumsy causing one dialog to be difficult to pinpoint who was speaking.
Outside Forces receives a strong 4.0 out of 5.0.
This is an unsolicited review of a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
R E Swirsky
Mystery, Detective, Thriller, Suspense
125,000 Words
No. 17, 2019
Rating 4.0 out of 5.0
Posted 6/28/2019
Tall and scrawny, eighteen year old, Michael Crowder finally has a girlfriend. But Lucy also has another boyfriend. Michael hides under Lucy's bed when she is abducted, and that heinous act leads to Michael's family being dragged into a series of nightmarish murder schemes.
The plot revolves around a secret vigilante organization named the Order; they were formed to correct the errors of an imperfect justice system. Toward the end, we learn the Order has run off the tracks and the leadership isn't the high minded group it started out to be.
Outside Forces is an excellent story, full of mystery and suspense. Conflict, intrigue, thrills, and unexpected twist abound.
The large cast of characters is described well and develops over the course of the story. Their intimate secrets keep popping out on all fronts.
There are evil antagonists galore to keep the reader guessing as to what is coming next and who will be impacted.
The pace is fast with multiple deceptions being played out on several sides.
To complicate matters further, Michael has suffered since childhood with a condition that would make his testimony to the police unbelievable and make him appear guilty.
The story ends in a cliffhanger that keeps open the option of a follow up story.
Editing, as usual, is the downfall preventing this story from being a perfect 5.0. While certainly not awful, there are enough missing, extra, and misspelled words to be irritating. Several sentence structures were clumsy causing one dialog to be difficult to pinpoint who was speaking.
Outside Forces receives a strong 4.0 out of 5.0.
This is an unsolicited review of a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Thou Shall Not Kill
Author – John Leifer
Genre – Military, Political Thriller
Word Count 80,000
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 17 - 2019
Posted 6/21/2019
My Impressions: Diabolical antagonist, religious fanatics, horror, shrewd response to attacks.
Main Characters:
Commander John Hart – The U.S. President’s go to guy to save the nation.
Too many to list. They are listed at the front of the book
If Thou Shall Not Kill was written by a well-known author, it would be a best seller. The Syrian Coalition (Syria, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and Russia) mounted a surprise attack at Israel and capped it with a chemical agent that killed thousands. Agent John Hart has been sent to assist the Israeli forces as they are threatened with annihilation if they don’t capitulate to Iran within forty-eight hours.
The action is fast, well thought out, and furious
Many exchanges occur between the Israeli prime minister and the American president in deciding how to deal with the deadly, diabolical attack using WMDs, without starting an all-out world war. And, of course, Commander Hart is right in the middle of the negotiations and the battle plans.
The romantic side of John and the Israeli prime minister are brought out with intimate exchanges with their wives.
The author has captured the terror of modern warfare where huge explosives, chemical weapons and nuclear bombs cause innumerable casualties among civilians as well as soldiers.
The editing and sentence structure are professional grade, and character development is great for all the major players.
This enjoyable tale is highly recommended to readers of war and political intrigue novels. And it only cost $2.99
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – John Leifer
Genre – Military, Political Thriller
Word Count 80,000
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 17 - 2019
Posted 6/21/2019
My Impressions: Diabolical antagonist, religious fanatics, horror, shrewd response to attacks.
Main Characters:
Commander John Hart – The U.S. President’s go to guy to save the nation.
Too many to list. They are listed at the front of the book
If Thou Shall Not Kill was written by a well-known author, it would be a best seller. The Syrian Coalition (Syria, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and Russia) mounted a surprise attack at Israel and capped it with a chemical agent that killed thousands. Agent John Hart has been sent to assist the Israeli forces as they are threatened with annihilation if they don’t capitulate to Iran within forty-eight hours.
The action is fast, well thought out, and furious
Many exchanges occur between the Israeli prime minister and the American president in deciding how to deal with the deadly, diabolical attack using WMDs, without starting an all-out world war. And, of course, Commander Hart is right in the middle of the negotiations and the battle plans.
The romantic side of John and the Israeli prime minister are brought out with intimate exchanges with their wives.
The author has captured the terror of modern warfare where huge explosives, chemical weapons and nuclear bombs cause innumerable casualties among civilians as well as soldiers.
The editing and sentence structure are professional grade, and character development is great for all the major players.
This enjoyable tale is highly recommended to readers of war and political intrigue novels. And it only cost $2.99
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Dead Down East
Author – Carl Schmidt
Genre – Mystery, Humor
241 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 16 - 2019
Posted 6/14/2019
Jesse Thorp is a part time detective who also plays in a band with friends.
Cynthia Dumais was having an affair with the governor of Maine when she witnessed his murder.
Agnele is Jesse's attorney girlfriend.
The plot is soft core, interesting and humorous.
Jesse is a laid back New Englander who resists carrying Rhonda, his handgun, unless a dire need is perceived. Cynthia convinces Jesse that she was not involved in the Governor's death and he hides her in his home while the police and the murderers search for her.
The Governor and his wife were estranged and he had been involved in at least seven other affairs in the past five years, so Jesse had plenty to investigate.
Of course, there are side plots to hamper Jesse's investigation and threaten his safety.
Cynthia's ex-husband is a Maine State Police Trooper assigned to the Governor's security detail. He is arrested when it is determined that his gun was the murder weapon.
Finally, Jesse uncovers the reason behind the murder and forms an ingenious plot with a cast of his friends to procure evidence to expose the members of the deadly conspiracy.
Jesse and Angele are frequently romping in the bedroom, but the descriptions are vague at best. There are no graphic sexual scenes or references.
The editing and sentence structure is professional grade. Character development is thorough, and the writing style is clear and concise.
On the down side: Internal thoughts should not have quotation marks like dialog.
Supposedly the phone number and address of the Governor's parents was found on Wikipedia. I use Wikipedia often and have never seen any personal info of this type given. I can't imagine the site would provide this.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it for readers of soft core crime plots.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Carl Schmidt
Genre – Mystery, Humor
241 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 16 - 2019
Posted 6/14/2019
Jesse Thorp is a part time detective who also plays in a band with friends.
Cynthia Dumais was having an affair with the governor of Maine when she witnessed his murder.
Agnele is Jesse's attorney girlfriend.
The plot is soft core, interesting and humorous.
Jesse is a laid back New Englander who resists carrying Rhonda, his handgun, unless a dire need is perceived. Cynthia convinces Jesse that she was not involved in the Governor's death and he hides her in his home while the police and the murderers search for her.
The Governor and his wife were estranged and he had been involved in at least seven other affairs in the past five years, so Jesse had plenty to investigate.
Of course, there are side plots to hamper Jesse's investigation and threaten his safety.
Cynthia's ex-husband is a Maine State Police Trooper assigned to the Governor's security detail. He is arrested when it is determined that his gun was the murder weapon.
Finally, Jesse uncovers the reason behind the murder and forms an ingenious plot with a cast of his friends to procure evidence to expose the members of the deadly conspiracy.
Jesse and Angele are frequently romping in the bedroom, but the descriptions are vague at best. There are no graphic sexual scenes or references.
The editing and sentence structure is professional grade. Character development is thorough, and the writing style is clear and concise.
On the down side: Internal thoughts should not have quotation marks like dialog.
Supposedly the phone number and address of the Governor's parents was found on Wikipedia. I use Wikipedia often and have never seen any personal info of this type given. I can't imagine the site would provide this.
I enjoyed this story and recommend it for readers of soft core crime plots.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Slaughter & Maneuver
By Tony Hernandez
Genre- Thriller - Espionage
271 Amazon pages
No. 15, 2019
Rating 4 stars out of 5
Posted 6/7/2019
Slaughter & Maneuver begins with a series of unconnected events around the globe: Saudi Arabia, North Korea, the U.S., France, Germany, England and Africa. The only common factor is that the same characters appear in several of those scenes. It's a bit difficult to follow at first because the story often shifts back and forth between the actions taking place in the various countries by a slew of characters. Slowly a terrorist plot develops as the reader becomes privy to more details.
Juan Bocanegra, or Boca, is with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team. Jason Henry is a member of the CIA's Special Activities Division, its special operations unit. Eventually the two men emerge as the stories main characters.
The story's locations are diverse, but the author pulls it all together and makes it work effectively. The plot in this action thriller is complex and intense, and there is abundant action and conflict.
Throughout the story Boca struggles with forgiveness, both giving it and accepting it. Near the end he learns to forgive several actions that have haunted his life, but he also finds that not all people can or should be forgiven.
Writing is wordy and there are occasional editing issues. The last 20% had more word and comma problems than the first part of the story. Sentence structure and continuity are good.
Characters are well developed and interesting.
If you like fast paced action and a creative plot with frequent twist and turns, I recommend this story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
By Tony Hernandez
Genre- Thriller - Espionage
271 Amazon pages
No. 15, 2019
Rating 4 stars out of 5
Posted 6/7/2019
Slaughter & Maneuver begins with a series of unconnected events around the globe: Saudi Arabia, North Korea, the U.S., France, Germany, England and Africa. The only common factor is that the same characters appear in several of those scenes. It's a bit difficult to follow at first because the story often shifts back and forth between the actions taking place in the various countries by a slew of characters. Slowly a terrorist plot develops as the reader becomes privy to more details.
Juan Bocanegra, or Boca, is with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team. Jason Henry is a member of the CIA's Special Activities Division, its special operations unit. Eventually the two men emerge as the stories main characters.
The story's locations are diverse, but the author pulls it all together and makes it work effectively. The plot in this action thriller is complex and intense, and there is abundant action and conflict.
Throughout the story Boca struggles with forgiveness, both giving it and accepting it. Near the end he learns to forgive several actions that have haunted his life, but he also finds that not all people can or should be forgiven.
Writing is wordy and there are occasional editing issues. The last 20% had more word and comma problems than the first part of the story. Sentence structure and continuity are good.
Characters are well developed and interesting.
If you like fast paced action and a creative plot with frequent twist and turns, I recommend this story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – The Devil's Due
Author – L.D. Beyer
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
273 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 14 - 2019
Posted 5/31/2019
The Devil's Due is without doubt one of the best book I've read this year. That's high praise because I've had the privilege or reviewing many highly rated books. It is a historical novel set in Ireland in 1921 and depicts the war with England. Frank Kelleher is the main character. In the opening scenes young Frank is about to be murdered as a spy and traitor to the Irish Republican Army. He's been beaten to a pulp by his company commander, Billy Ryan, and is on the verge of being executed when the British attack the barn where Frank is being held. The diversion is enough for a friend to help him escape.
A year later, Frank learns of the plight of his girlfriend, Kathleen, and returns to make things right with her and clear his name. How he goes about that and the perils it causes is the main plot of the book. He and a handful of loyal friends soon uncover a plot that lands Frank in the hands of his nemesis again. And again his death sentence is about to be carried out.
The action is plentiful, the conflict is intense, and the characters are colorful. As colorful as a country can be where a breakfast can consist of a plate of boiled potatoes and a cup of tea.
The editing is superb and character development is through. The writing style is crisp and descriptive but not overdone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it strongly.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – L.D. Beyer
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
273 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 14 - 2019
Posted 5/31/2019
The Devil's Due is without doubt one of the best book I've read this year. That's high praise because I've had the privilege or reviewing many highly rated books. It is a historical novel set in Ireland in 1921 and depicts the war with England. Frank Kelleher is the main character. In the opening scenes young Frank is about to be murdered as a spy and traitor to the Irish Republican Army. He's been beaten to a pulp by his company commander, Billy Ryan, and is on the verge of being executed when the British attack the barn where Frank is being held. The diversion is enough for a friend to help him escape.
A year later, Frank learns of the plight of his girlfriend, Kathleen, and returns to make things right with her and clear his name. How he goes about that and the perils it causes is the main plot of the book. He and a handful of loyal friends soon uncover a plot that lands Frank in the hands of his nemesis again. And again his death sentence is about to be carried out.
The action is plentiful, the conflict is intense, and the characters are colorful. As colorful as a country can be where a breakfast can consist of a plate of boiled potatoes and a cup of tea.
The editing is superb and character development is through. The writing style is crisp and descriptive but not overdone.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and recommend it strongly.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Faithless Elector
Author – James McCrone
Genre – Suspense, Thriller, Political
191 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 13 - 2019
Posted 5/24/2019
Duncan Calder, age 47, is a professor of Political Science. He teaches American Politics at the Univ. of Washington at Seattle.
Imogen Trager age 35, is a FBI agent and a past student of Prof. Calder.
Matthew Yamashita is a grad student under Calder.
Jerry Ingram is a friend of Matthew's and a reporter for the Washington Post.
Matthew Yamashita has a project to track how individual members of the Electoral College vote. When seven of those delegates die in accidents in a two month period he suspects a conspiracy is in play to shift the election results for the next President of the USA. He contacts his friend Jerry Ingram to look into his allegations. The next day Jerry dies in a car wreck.
Then Matthew is 'accidently' run over while on his bicycle.
Duncan is then drawn into the thriller when Matthew's keys and his laptop computer are both unexpectedly missing from the accident site as are other articles from Matthew's room.
Soon Duncan experiences break ins at his home and office and suspects he is under surveillance by someone.
Out of desperation, he contacts the only person he knows at the FBI, Imogen Trager.
Then the plot becomes even more intense as the action escalates to non-stop with the bad guys chasing Duncan and Imogen at every turn.
The editing, sentence structure and character development are good.
There was one issue with continuity: when Duncan went to visit the character Novaczeck he signed the log book at the guard station at the entrance. Yet no one knew who the unknown visitor was for quite some time.
I enjoyed this story, and the plot involving the little understood political angle was fresh and unusual.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – James McCrone
Genre – Suspense, Thriller, Political
191 Amazon Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 13 - 2019
Posted 5/24/2019
Duncan Calder, age 47, is a professor of Political Science. He teaches American Politics at the Univ. of Washington at Seattle.
Imogen Trager age 35, is a FBI agent and a past student of Prof. Calder.
Matthew Yamashita is a grad student under Calder.
Jerry Ingram is a friend of Matthew's and a reporter for the Washington Post.
Matthew Yamashita has a project to track how individual members of the Electoral College vote. When seven of those delegates die in accidents in a two month period he suspects a conspiracy is in play to shift the election results for the next President of the USA. He contacts his friend Jerry Ingram to look into his allegations. The next day Jerry dies in a car wreck.
Then Matthew is 'accidently' run over while on his bicycle.
Duncan is then drawn into the thriller when Matthew's keys and his laptop computer are both unexpectedly missing from the accident site as are other articles from Matthew's room.
Soon Duncan experiences break ins at his home and office and suspects he is under surveillance by someone.
Out of desperation, he contacts the only person he knows at the FBI, Imogen Trager.
Then the plot becomes even more intense as the action escalates to non-stop with the bad guys chasing Duncan and Imogen at every turn.
The editing, sentence structure and character development are good.
There was one issue with continuity: when Duncan went to visit the character Novaczeck he signed the log book at the guard station at the entrance. Yet no one knew who the unknown visitor was for quite some time.
I enjoyed this story, and the plot involving the little understood political angle was fresh and unusual.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – When Sally Comes Marching Home
Author – Richard Milton
Genre – Thriller
Word Count 88,000 plus extras
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 12-1 - 2019
Posted 5/17/2019
My Impressions: Exciting, well written, plenty of action.
Main Characters:
Major Sally Honeychurch - Army ex-S.O.E. undercover agent.
Teddy – The Duke of Buckingham, described as a lovely, dangerous man.
Lt. Gen. Stewart Menzies – Sally’s military boss.
Mac Mackenzie – Scotland Yard Detective Inspector and Sally’s partner during the war.
During WWII Sally was a member of an elite group of female operatives dropped behind German lines to aid the French Resistance in assassinating targeted Germans and wreak havoc. After the war, the females in her military group were discharged because they were women and politicians didn’t like the idea of women behind enemy lines.
After Germany surrendered, a plot to set off an atom bomb in London, England was uncovered.
Investigation of a theft from a warehouse where fourteen employees were gunned down discloses the presence of radiation. The ship by which the heavy crates entered London also showed radiation contamination.
The military leaders were sure the Russians or the Zionist were behind the plot. Sally differed with the hierarchy and opined diehards from Germany were behind the horrendous scheme. She had minimal evidence and was ignored by the male chauvinist pigs in charge.
Sally’s daring escapades rival any action hero and the male goons involved didn’t stand a chance when her anger went into play.
The story is loaded with conflict and intrigue and was enjoyable from start to finish.
Since the story was written by an Englishman, much of the editing differs from American standards. For example; half the hyphenated compounds are incorrect according to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. On the minor side, several words are missing, wrong, or misspelled. A few comma issues are also present. However, I seriously doubt most readers will be put off by these errors.
Character development is excellent.
Research is obvious, especially if the reader takes time to read the Historical Notes at the stories end.
I enjoyed the story immensely in spite of the perceived editing errors.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Richard Milton
Genre – Thriller
Word Count 88,000 plus extras
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 12-1 - 2019
Posted 5/17/2019
My Impressions: Exciting, well written, plenty of action.
Main Characters:
Major Sally Honeychurch - Army ex-S.O.E. undercover agent.
Teddy – The Duke of Buckingham, described as a lovely, dangerous man.
Lt. Gen. Stewart Menzies – Sally’s military boss.
Mac Mackenzie – Scotland Yard Detective Inspector and Sally’s partner during the war.
During WWII Sally was a member of an elite group of female operatives dropped behind German lines to aid the French Resistance in assassinating targeted Germans and wreak havoc. After the war, the females in her military group were discharged because they were women and politicians didn’t like the idea of women behind enemy lines.
After Germany surrendered, a plot to set off an atom bomb in London, England was uncovered.
Investigation of a theft from a warehouse where fourteen employees were gunned down discloses the presence of radiation. The ship by which the heavy crates entered London also showed radiation contamination.
The military leaders were sure the Russians or the Zionist were behind the plot. Sally differed with the hierarchy and opined diehards from Germany were behind the horrendous scheme. She had minimal evidence and was ignored by the male chauvinist pigs in charge.
Sally’s daring escapades rival any action hero and the male goons involved didn’t stand a chance when her anger went into play.
The story is loaded with conflict and intrigue and was enjoyable from start to finish.
Since the story was written by an Englishman, much of the editing differs from American standards. For example; half the hyphenated compounds are incorrect according to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary. On the minor side, several words are missing, wrong, or misspelled. A few comma issues are also present. However, I seriously doubt most readers will be put off by these errors.
Character development is excellent.
Research is obvious, especially if the reader takes time to read the Historical Notes at the stories end.
I enjoyed the story immensely in spite of the perceived editing errors.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Walking With Shadows
Author – Luke Romyn
Genre – Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action, Adventure
Word Count 430 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 12 - 2019
Posted 5/11/2019
Jonas Drake is a successful but reclusive novelist with a troubled past. He attempted to confront his childhood demons with his early fantasy short stories. Those stories didn't sell well so he changed genres and wrote crime stories for the money and fame they brought. However, that didn't bring the inner peace his tortured mind craved and needed.
On a return flight from Brazil, the plane crashed in the Amazon rainforest. Jonas and a ten year old boy, Jeremy, are the lone survivors. Jonas soon learned he was a product of the streets of New York City and was ill equipped to face the dangers of F.A.R.C. terrorist, wild animals, jungles natives and drug smugglers. Or was he?
To placate and support Jeremy, Jonas recounted tales about characters from his early fantasy books and soon drew the boy into the world he created to escape a troubled childhood.
I'm not a fantasy fan so some of those recounted stories were a bit long for my taste. But they were necessary to set the stage for what was to come.
In the end, Jonas found the strength to confront and accept his past and make life altering decisions that would reshape who he had become and who he chose to be.
Overall, this is one of the most interesting stories I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. I highly recommend it.
The editing, sentence structure and writing style of Walking With Shadows are exemplary.
In depth research is evident by its accuracy.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Luke Romyn
Genre – Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Action, Adventure
Word Count 430 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 12 - 2019
Posted 5/11/2019
Jonas Drake is a successful but reclusive novelist with a troubled past. He attempted to confront his childhood demons with his early fantasy short stories. Those stories didn't sell well so he changed genres and wrote crime stories for the money and fame they brought. However, that didn't bring the inner peace his tortured mind craved and needed.
On a return flight from Brazil, the plane crashed in the Amazon rainforest. Jonas and a ten year old boy, Jeremy, are the lone survivors. Jonas soon learned he was a product of the streets of New York City and was ill equipped to face the dangers of F.A.R.C. terrorist, wild animals, jungles natives and drug smugglers. Or was he?
To placate and support Jeremy, Jonas recounted tales about characters from his early fantasy books and soon drew the boy into the world he created to escape a troubled childhood.
I'm not a fantasy fan so some of those recounted stories were a bit long for my taste. But they were necessary to set the stage for what was to come.
In the end, Jonas found the strength to confront and accept his past and make life altering decisions that would reshape who he had become and who he chose to be.
Overall, this is one of the most interesting stories I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time. I highly recommend it.
The editing, sentence structure and writing style of Walking With Shadows are exemplary.
In depth research is evident by its accuracy.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – The Smart Kid
Author – Bob Miller
Genre – Mystery, Thriller
378 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No.11 - 2019
Posted 5/3/2019
The genre is listed as Mystery and Thriller but it also has a strong science fiction element throughout.
Michael Shale is a man in his mid-thirties who has the size and appearance of a twelve year old.
A powerful sitting US Senator heads a corrupt secret group within the FBI that captures Michael and holds him to draw samples from his body. Of course, it's done under the auspicious of national security.
The evil side of the Senator's involvement is his personal craving for a fountain of youth elixir to keep him at his present age so he can remain in office for an extended period of time. Other implications are to create an army of super soldiers who would remain in their prime fighting condition for many decades.
The story evolves as Michael escapes his imprisonment and begins a journey involving numerous identity changes while he hides in plain sight. While hiding he also leaves subtle clues for his normally ageing twin brother to locate him.
The editing and sentence structure in The Smart Kid are unusually good.
Character development is through and detailed.
There are adequate details of locations etc., but they are not flowery or excessive.
The core of the plot depends on science fiction and provides constant conflict and danger.
The writing style is straight forward and uncluttered.
There is minor occasional cursing and no graphic sex.
Toward the end there are several scenes I felt were somewhat contrived to make the ending mesh, but I was able to overlook those.
I enjoyed this story immensely but won't give more details at the risk of revealing too much.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Bob Miller
Genre – Mystery, Thriller
378 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No.11 - 2019
Posted 5/3/2019
The genre is listed as Mystery and Thriller but it also has a strong science fiction element throughout.
Michael Shale is a man in his mid-thirties who has the size and appearance of a twelve year old.
A powerful sitting US Senator heads a corrupt secret group within the FBI that captures Michael and holds him to draw samples from his body. Of course, it's done under the auspicious of national security.
The evil side of the Senator's involvement is his personal craving for a fountain of youth elixir to keep him at his present age so he can remain in office for an extended period of time. Other implications are to create an army of super soldiers who would remain in their prime fighting condition for many decades.
The story evolves as Michael escapes his imprisonment and begins a journey involving numerous identity changes while he hides in plain sight. While hiding he also leaves subtle clues for his normally ageing twin brother to locate him.
The editing and sentence structure in The Smart Kid are unusually good.
Character development is through and detailed.
There are adequate details of locations etc., but they are not flowery or excessive.
The core of the plot depends on science fiction and provides constant conflict and danger.
The writing style is straight forward and uncluttered.
There is minor occasional cursing and no graphic sex.
Toward the end there are several scenes I felt were somewhat contrived to make the ending mesh, but I was able to overlook those.
I enjoyed this story immensely but won't give more details at the risk of revealing too much.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Genesis
Author – G.E. Forth
Genre – Spy Thriller
Word Count 91,300
Rating 4 stars out of 5
No. – 10-1, 2019
Posted 4/30/2019
My Impressions: exciting, intense, great characters.
Main Characters:
Robert Chase - a non-violent CIA operative specializing in abductions.
Samantha D’Aubrisson – Robert’s soul mate.
Andreas – a hacker supreme, member of PLL and a dangerous person.
There is a large cast of support characters.
Robert Chase is a rare CIA agent. He is nonviolent even though he has a dangerous job. When the agency wants a suspect captured for interrogation, he is charged with making the snatch and grab apprehension as smooth as possible. Although he professed non-violence, he is capable of subduing enemies or defending himself. At forty years of age, he sees and is drawn to a beautiful Parisian woman. Slowly a relationship evolves over several years’ time and a love story becomes an additional genre.
An offset of the story is a major planned attack by the Iranian leadership. Our military, of course, shuts it down through intense data gathering and then sheer force. The entire process was intense and exciting.
Then Robert has to deal with professional, murderous thugs as he closes in on the master hacker Andreas
Now the bad news. Editing in the first ten percent of the story is sorry. There are far too many hyphenated compound words that are incorrect and extra commas are scattered far too often. Then the editing improved. Comma placement and hyphens were still minor issues throughout but not a major problem. I doubt most readers will be slowed by them.
The writing style is crisp and fast paced.
Character development is good. I came to know the main characters and anticipate their responses.
In spite of its listed faults, I highly recommend Genesis for the strong plot and writing.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – G.E. Forth
Genre – Spy Thriller
Word Count 91,300
Rating 4 stars out of 5
No. – 10-1, 2019
Posted 4/30/2019
My Impressions: exciting, intense, great characters.
Main Characters:
Robert Chase - a non-violent CIA operative specializing in abductions.
Samantha D’Aubrisson – Robert’s soul mate.
Andreas – a hacker supreme, member of PLL and a dangerous person.
There is a large cast of support characters.
Robert Chase is a rare CIA agent. He is nonviolent even though he has a dangerous job. When the agency wants a suspect captured for interrogation, he is charged with making the snatch and grab apprehension as smooth as possible. Although he professed non-violence, he is capable of subduing enemies or defending himself. At forty years of age, he sees and is drawn to a beautiful Parisian woman. Slowly a relationship evolves over several years’ time and a love story becomes an additional genre.
An offset of the story is a major planned attack by the Iranian leadership. Our military, of course, shuts it down through intense data gathering and then sheer force. The entire process was intense and exciting.
Then Robert has to deal with professional, murderous thugs as he closes in on the master hacker Andreas
Now the bad news. Editing in the first ten percent of the story is sorry. There are far too many hyphenated compound words that are incorrect and extra commas are scattered far too often. Then the editing improved. Comma placement and hyphens were still minor issues throughout but not a major problem. I doubt most readers will be slowed by them.
The writing style is crisp and fast paced.
Character development is good. I came to know the main characters and anticipate their responses.
In spite of its listed faults, I highly recommend Genesis for the strong plot and writing.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – The Killing Face
Author – Ken Humphrey
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Crime Thriller
532 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 09 - 2019
Posted 4/26/2019
Main Characters:
Aramis Archibald White, Arch, is a detective with the Chicago police department.
Sheila Walters is a reporter with Chicago's Fox 32 news station and Arch's estranged girlfriend
Griffin Toms is Arch's partner who is ready to retire.
Detective Arch White is not a favorite son to the Chicago police force. He filed a racial discrimination lawsuit to gain admittance to the group for an ulterior reason.
When a prominent African American leader is murdered, Arch is next in line to be the lead detective on the case. Quickly, one killing grows to seven and pits Arch at odds with several of his superiors who want the case buried before the public can react with outrage.
Instead, Arch and his partner follow leads that encompass Chicago's entrenched power brokers and discover a larger plot of ethnic cleansing.
The Killing Face is an enjoyable, fast paced read.
Editing is good with only a few noticeable errors. There is some mixing of past and present tense.
Character development is thorough.
Details are rather sparse, but definitely enough to clearly set the stage without being excessive or flowery.
The plot is complicated and intense.
The writing style encompasses some short, choppy sentences for effect.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Ken Humphrey
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Crime Thriller
532 Pages
Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 09 - 2019
Posted 4/26/2019
Main Characters:
Aramis Archibald White, Arch, is a detective with the Chicago police department.
Sheila Walters is a reporter with Chicago's Fox 32 news station and Arch's estranged girlfriend
Griffin Toms is Arch's partner who is ready to retire.
Detective Arch White is not a favorite son to the Chicago police force. He filed a racial discrimination lawsuit to gain admittance to the group for an ulterior reason.
When a prominent African American leader is murdered, Arch is next in line to be the lead detective on the case. Quickly, one killing grows to seven and pits Arch at odds with several of his superiors who want the case buried before the public can react with outrage.
Instead, Arch and his partner follow leads that encompass Chicago's entrenched power brokers and discover a larger plot of ethnic cleansing.
The Killing Face is an enjoyable, fast paced read.
Editing is good with only a few noticeable errors. There is some mixing of past and present tense.
Character development is thorough.
Details are rather sparse, but definitely enough to clearly set the stage without being excessive or flowery.
The plot is complicated and intense.
The writing style encompasses some short, choppy sentences for effect.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Lockdown
Author – Scott Black
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Military Thriller
294 Pages and 96,400 words
No. 10 - 2019
Rating 5 stars out of 5
Posted 4/19/2019
My impressions: dark, devious, insane, psychopath, bad management choice.
Lockdown is a peacetime naval story of revenge against an obnoxious superior officer. A vicious murder is committed during a raging hurricane while the USS Miller is at sea.
Tyler West is the main character and the lead petty officer of the small contingent of men in the hull repair technician's group.
After the officer is brutally murdered rumors abound, both false and true. The ship is placed on lockdown and the crew member’s are confined to their sleeping compartments during their free time. Tempers soon flare due to the close confinement and Tyler's friends begin to cast suspicion on each other.
A team of investigators is air-lifted to the ship during the storm to interview crew members to gather information to determine the killer's identity and facilitate a confession.
Aside from the effort to catch a killer, members of the crew, enlisted and officers, find themselves dealing with their own personal emotions and short comings.
The editing of Lockdown is good, character development is excellent, research is thorough, and the plot is complex and intense.
I highly recommend this compelling story, especially to folks who like military plots.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Scott Black
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Military Thriller
294 Pages and 96,400 words
No. 10 - 2019
Rating 5 stars out of 5
Posted 4/19/2019
My impressions: dark, devious, insane, psychopath, bad management choice.
Lockdown is a peacetime naval story of revenge against an obnoxious superior officer. A vicious murder is committed during a raging hurricane while the USS Miller is at sea.
Tyler West is the main character and the lead petty officer of the small contingent of men in the hull repair technician's group.
After the officer is brutally murdered rumors abound, both false and true. The ship is placed on lockdown and the crew member’s are confined to their sleeping compartments during their free time. Tempers soon flare due to the close confinement and Tyler's friends begin to cast suspicion on each other.
A team of investigators is air-lifted to the ship during the storm to interview crew members to gather information to determine the killer's identity and facilitate a confession.
Aside from the effort to catch a killer, members of the crew, enlisted and officers, find themselves dealing with their own personal emotions and short comings.
The editing of Lockdown is good, character development is excellent, research is thorough, and the plot is complex and intense.
I highly recommend this compelling story, especially to folks who like military plots.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Title – Ogrodnik
Author – Gary Coffin
Genre – Mystery
302 Pages
Rating Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 08 - 2019
Posted 4/12/2019
Main Characters:
Elliot Forsman - criminologist teaching at the local university and a detective
Rivka Goldstein - ex Montreal cop who works for Elliot's agency, also an iron man competitor.
Dr. Alex Banik- at Biovonix Pharmaceutical
Rayce Nolan. - bad assed ex-special forces soldier
Criminologist Elliot Forsman teachs at the local university. He also has a private detective agency. His father, Hubert was murdered in an apparent robbery gone awry.
Rivka Goldstein is an ex Montreal cop who works for Elliot's agency. She's also a no nonsense iron man competitor.
After allowing the local police to conduct an investigation into his father's death and seeing the case shelved as unsolved, Elliot starts his own investigation.
Soon Elliot finds that his father anticipated being attacked and left small clues to guide him in his investigation. Hubert's string of clues leads Elliot to Dr. Alex Banik at Biovonix Pharmaceutical. As part of the back story, readers learn Elliot's wife died in a tragic accident three years earlier. Or was it an accident?
Elliot hires a retired cop to follow a suspect and the man is murdered while on stakeout. The murderer texted Rivka, stuns her, and introduces himself as Ogrodnik. Something he says convinces her the ugly giant is the Stungun Killer she pursued on her last case as a police officer. The serial killer murdered nine women. In an instant she and Elliot have two dangerous investigations going.
For strong arm support, Elliot enlists the aid of a mysterious, bad assed ex-special forces soldier named Rayce Nolan. Of course, he has a stash of hard to obtain weapons and knows how to use them. Together they take on a large gang of mercenaries working for the antagonists.
The plot is interesting because it's not predictable, and character development is detailed to paint vivid pictures of the good and bad guys.
Editing is unusually good.
I highly recommend this intense story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Gary Coffin
Genre – Mystery
302 Pages
Rating Rating 5 stars out of 5
No. 08 - 2019
Posted 4/12/2019
Main Characters:
Elliot Forsman - criminologist teaching at the local university and a detective
Rivka Goldstein - ex Montreal cop who works for Elliot's agency, also an iron man competitor.
Dr. Alex Banik- at Biovonix Pharmaceutical
Rayce Nolan. - bad assed ex-special forces soldier
Criminologist Elliot Forsman teachs at the local university. He also has a private detective agency. His father, Hubert was murdered in an apparent robbery gone awry.
Rivka Goldstein is an ex Montreal cop who works for Elliot's agency. She's also a no nonsense iron man competitor.
After allowing the local police to conduct an investigation into his father's death and seeing the case shelved as unsolved, Elliot starts his own investigation.
Soon Elliot finds that his father anticipated being attacked and left small clues to guide him in his investigation. Hubert's string of clues leads Elliot to Dr. Alex Banik at Biovonix Pharmaceutical. As part of the back story, readers learn Elliot's wife died in a tragic accident three years earlier. Or was it an accident?
Elliot hires a retired cop to follow a suspect and the man is murdered while on stakeout. The murderer texted Rivka, stuns her, and introduces himself as Ogrodnik. Something he says convinces her the ugly giant is the Stungun Killer she pursued on her last case as a police officer. The serial killer murdered nine women. In an instant she and Elliot have two dangerous investigations going.
For strong arm support, Elliot enlists the aid of a mysterious, bad assed ex-special forces soldier named Rayce Nolan. Of course, he has a stash of hard to obtain weapons and knows how to use them. Together they take on a large gang of mercenaries working for the antagonists.
The plot is interesting because it's not predictable, and character development is detailed to paint vivid pictures of the good and bad guys.
Editing is unusually good.
I highly recommend this intense story.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
