You don't want to be on the BLACK LIST

This thriller by Brad Thor places his protagonist, Scot Harvath, in the most serious situation. Someone has placed his name, as well as the names of the other members of the Carlton Group, on the Black List.  The black List is a super secret list in which the nation’s enemies have been marked for death for traitorous crimes against the United States.  

Scot finds himself out of contact with the other members of the Carlton group.  Indeed all of them are dead due to the actions of the kill teams which are relentlessly hunting them down.  The sole exception is the founder and director of the Carlton Group who finds himself in the same situation as Scot. 

Both men are alone and they face an unknown enemy who has a deadly plan to institute a virtual takeover of the United States. 

The book deals with these resourceful individuals and also Nicholas, also known as the Troll who uncovers some of the details of the plot orchestrated by the Advance Technology Solutions or ATS.

ATS is a massive organization which has endeared itself to the NSA and many other government agencies and mastered the art of complete surveillance of much of the United States.  Through the use of Department of Defense “wet’ teams, ATs is eliminating its potential enemies (such as the Carlton Group) before undertaking its bold plan to seize control of the US.
Mr. Thor has one a brilliant job of portraying the plot through the point of view of the key players, including the head of ATS.  He has wielded together an intricate resolution to the plot.

That interface is for the reader to find out.


 Five stars. Highly recommended. Brad Thor



 

I have just ordered his newest thriller, Hidden Order

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Silken Praise for Sanford's Silken Prey

This novel brings together a murder, scandalous political tricks, an incumbent US Senator, the SUS senate contender, an election, sensitive politicians and Lucas Davenport who must make sense of it all.

 John Sanford has brought all these elements together in his latest novel, SILKEN PREY. The Governor enlists the help of Bureau of Criminal Oppression (otherwise known as the BCA) deputy to the BCA Director and chief investigator, Lucas Davenport when a child pornography charge slams a sitting US Senator days before the election.

Although a member of the other party, the Senator and the governor go back to secondary school. He asks Lucas to take a quick look into the situation and if the allegation is false, find out quickly so the Senator can recover before the election.

 Lucas enlists the aid of two hacker friends, ICE and Joe Kidd, and after a search of a dead political operative’s apartment discover the evidence which enables him to show someone has framed the Senator.

But the bodies start piling up, first a political operative then others as Lucas begins to cast his investigative net. Things get even more complicated when, right in the middle of things, a retired master Thief gets the bug and decides to rob the billionaire US Senate candidate.

Through ti all, Lucas runs his investigative game and when allowed, brings in the other members of the BCA , that Sanford readers have come to know . . that (censored) Flowers, Del, Shrake, and Jenkins.

Mr. Sanford, as always, presents his novel in a straightforward manner and uses the police procedural genre to display his characters.

There is humor, plot and cross-plot and a GREAT read. Those who have not had the pleasure should acquaint themselves with John Sanford. John Sanford

Jack and Jill is Classic James Patterson

I saw this book in my library’s Book Nook and realized I had not read it.  Even though it was written before 9/11, I decided to give it a read and I am very glad I did. 

I have been shying away from James Patterson books because of his recent habit of using co-authors.  I have read one or two or them and found them entertaining but they were not pure James Patterson.

This is an oldie but goodie and it is James Patterson at his best.  I say classic James Patterson!

Alex Cross is at his job as a homicide detective with the Washington, DC police and is faced with two unusual cases involving serial murders. 

First, there is the Truth School murders where some crazy is enticing and killing elementary grade students.  Then there are Jack and Jill, a pair of serial murderers who are stalking and killing prominent citizens in and around Washington and leaving cryptic messages behind.  The case gets bizarre when Alex Cross finds out the Secret Service code names for the President and First Lady are also Jack and Jill.

As with other James Patterson Alex Cross adventures, nothing is what it seems.  There are plots and sub-plots until at last all the killers are revealed.

If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend “Jack and Jill”.  It is a great read.

Maybe now, I go back and read those books where James Patterson has a co-author.

James Patterson

MUD Movie is an Excellent film

My wife and I went to see the movie MUD today and I must say that Jeff Nichols did an excellent job of writing this screenplay and also directing it.  The movie is a coming of age film with a great ensemble cast headed by Matthew McConaugey and backed up by Sam Sheppard, Reese Witherspoon, and Joe Don Baker.  The other actors in this drams also do a great job but it was nice to see the Oldies but Goodies in action again.

The story coneters around two young boys who are trying to help a fugitive, MUD (played by Matthew McConaugey) who is on the run from the police and a gang of blood-thirsty bounty hunters hired by King (Joe Don Baker).  Mud becomes friends with Arkansas teenagers Ellis and Neckbone. 

The fugitive attempts to reunite with his love Juniper, and the teenagers help him evade the authorities.

It is a coming of age tale with elements of true love, revenge, and much misunderstanding. 

I highly recommend this movie.