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Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan
The Kobalt Dossier by Eric Van Lustbader
Chasing the Lion by A. J. Tata
Sons of Valor by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson
K-9 Hideout by Elizabeth Heiter
Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap
Red Deception by Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller
Bad Moon Rising by John Galligan
Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan

Murder at Sunrise Lake by Christine Feehan

Christine Feehan has written a lot of books, most of them bestsellers, which hasn’t stopped her from growing and improving. That trend is clearly on display in Murder at Sunrise Lake (Berkley), in which Feehan swaps her paranormal hybrid thrillers for crack romantic suspense.

Stella Harrison’s flight from a tragic and harsh past seems to have ended when she settled in the sleepy town of Sunrise Lake, nestled against the scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains, where she runs a top-notch resort. That is, until a serial killer whose deeds bear an eerie resemblance to a spree of killings committed by Stella’s father appears on the scene. For the haunted Stella, that offers a chance at a kind of moral and psychological redemption, but only if she can survive once she enters the killer’s crosshairs.

Murder at Sunrise Lake features a wondrously effective gothic motif, a kind of post-modern reinvention of the classic Victorian form. Feehan is at the top of her game yet again, daring enough to try something new and accomplished enough to nail it dead solid perfect.


The Kobalt Dossier by Eric Van Lustbader

The Kobalt Dossier by Eric Van Lustbader

Eric Van Lustbader has proven himself to be equally versatile, from the early Ninja novels he cut his teeth on to taking over the Jason Bourne series. And with The Kobalt Dossier (Forge), he returns to his roots as a hardcore thriller author with skill and aplomb.

The stalwart Evan Rider thought she’d seen the worst the world had to offer in her previous adventure portrayed in The Nemesis Manifesto. But Washington and the international political climate have other ideas, once the department she ran in the Department of Defense is shuttered, leaving Rider pretty much a pariah. That sparks an international romp to flush out a new breed of sinister organization determined to bring her down.

Lustbader swaps pure action for the kind of intelligent, thinking person’s thriller John le Carre is best known for. The Kobalt Dossier may seem a bit dated in that respect, but don’t be fooled. This is a prescient, cutting-edge tale that sets its sights high and exceeds them at every turn.


Chasing the Lion by A. J. Tata

Chasing the Lion by A. J. Tata

It’s good to see A. J. Tata entrenched back in his day job after striking controversy during the last presidential administration. And his latest effort Chasing the Lion (St. Martin’s) offers a most welcome return to the page.

Tata puts his experience as an Army Brigadier General to brilliant use in creating a kind of literary doppelganger in Lieutenant General Garett Sinclair. The fact that he’s charged with battling foreign forces determined to bring down America’s first female president brings memories of his own wife’s murder front and center. Because what if that killing was somehow connected to the woman he must now protect at all costs?

Chasing the Lion spins at a breakneck pace along a twist and turn-laden road. This is one of those rare political thrillers that hits home, even as it hits us in the gut. A stunning achievement of form and function.


Sons of Valor by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson

Sons of Valor by Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson

Speaking of great military action thrillers, look no further than Sons of Valor (Blackstone), the first in a new series from the team of Brian Andrews and Jeff Wilson, veterans of the special operations world themselves.

The hero and driving force of the book is Keith “Chunk” Redman, a legendary Navy SEAL who realizes the new world of war requires as much brains as brawn. In large part that’s because a new enemy has surfaced from the ashes of Afghanistan, a terrorist group for the 21st century, which will test the mettle of all Tier One special operators. In this case, that means going up against a foe much closer to their equal in terms of weapons and technology, threatening the very fabric of modern civilization.

This quasi spin-off of Andrews and Wilson’s primary Tier One series is like an early present under the Christmas tree for all military thriller fans as the duo positions themselves as the rightful heirs to Tom Clancy’s throne. Sons of Valor is every bit the equal of the best from Brad Taylor and Vince Flynn (Kyle Mills now), adding grit and first-hand experience to an already proven mix.


K-9 Hideout by Elizabeth Heiter

K-9 Hideout by Elizabeth Heiter

If it seems like I just reviewed a book by Elizabeth Heiter, it’s because I did, maybe a couple months ago. A master of penning lean, propulsive thrillers distinguished by a canine co-lead, Heiter is back with K-9 Hideout (Harlequin Intrigue), a more focused, personal story.

K-9 cop Tate Emory and his canine counterpart Sitka find themselves with a lot on their plate (or dog bowl, in Sitka’s case), starting with dirty cops on their trail and dealing with a stalker who’s after Sabrina Jones,  the only reason Sitka survived the pair’s last adventure. The result is an emotionally claustrophobic tale that forms the perfect contrast for the wide open expanse of Alaska where isolation is a way of life.

This fourth entry in Heiter’s K-9 Alaska series is romantic suspense writing of the highest order, giving the likes of Heather Graham and Sandra Brown a run for their money.

 


Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap

Stealth Attack by John Gilstrap

John Gilstrap’s terrific Jonathan Graves series takes me back to high-action thriller brands like Doc Savage and Don Pendleton’s The Executioner that made me fall in love with the genre. So it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed Stealth Attack (Kensington) as much as all the others, if not more.

The “more” in this case stems from the personal nature of the action, as special operator and hostage rescue specialist Graves ventures south of the border into the deadliest of deadly Mexican lands to recover the son of his closest associate who’s been kidnapped. Little does Graves know that the bad guys are lying in wait, having baited a trap they know he has no choice but to walk straight into.

Nobody does pacing and suspense better than Gilstrap. And in Graves he has created a series hero who continues to grow with each entry. Stealth Attack is riveting and relentless reading entertainment.


Red Deception by Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller

Red Deception by Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller

June must be the month for highly charged action thrillers. At the expense of sounding redundant, polished pros Gary Grossman and Ed Fuller have fashioned a stunner of a tale in Red Deception (Beaufort Books), the latest in their Red Hotel Series.

Terrorists are targeting America’s already decaying bridges to pretty much leave us stranded in our homes. It’s up to former intelligence officer Dan Reilly to pick up the ball everyone else has dropped in a game that includes a Russian offensive against neighboring countries that may or may not bear a direct connection to the chaos. Unfortunately, a hapless Keystone Cop American president seems determined to undermine Reilly’s efforts at every turn.

This is a red meat thriller from start to finish, chock full of cunning villains and resourceful heroes who are every bit their equal. Timely and terrific.


Bad Moon Rising by John Galligan

Bad Moon Rising by John Galligan

After so much mayhem, the small-town contained genius of John Galligan’s Bad Moon Rising (Atria) was an even greater pleasure to read.

The third in the Bad Axe Country novels again features Wisconsin Sheriff Heidi Kick who has a murder to solve in the midst of a difficult reelection campaign. The murder bears an eerie resemblance to dreams that have been plaguing Kick. Good thing the editor of the local paper, Army vet Leroy Fanta, has a line on a potential suspect in the form of a reclusive Unabomber-type character.

Galligan is every bit the equal of Craig Johnson, just as Kick feels like a fresh and feminine version of his vaunted Walt Longmire. If you like your thrillers seasoned with a hefty dose of noir, and a big tale wrapped in a small package, Bad Moon Rising should be on your must-read list for summer.


Jon Land

Jon Land is the bestselling author over 25 novels. He graduated from Brown University in 1979 Phi Beta Kappa and Magna cum Laude and continues his association with Brown as an alumni advisor. Jon often bases his novels and scripts on extensive travel and research as well as a twenty-five year career in martial arts. He is an associate member of the US Special Forces and frequently volunteers in schools to help young people learn to enjoy the process of writing. Jon is the Vice-President of marketing of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) and is often asked to speak on topics regarding writing and research. In addition to writing suspense/thrillers, Jon is also a screenwriter with his first film credit in 2005. Jon works with many industry professionals and has garnered the respect and friendship of many author-colleagues. He loves storytelling in all its forms. Jon currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island and loves hearing from his readers and aspiring writers.

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