Tag Archives: thriller

The House of Cross by James Patterson – Action-packed Thriller

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The House of Cross by James Patteson is the first book that I have read by this author.  I did not know what to expect, but it really lived up to its description, An Alex Cross Thriller. 

Following the election, the people in Washington, D.C. are getting ready for the Inauguration of the President-Elect Jackie Johnson.  After the murder of three prospective judicial candidates for the Supreme Court, law enforcement is on high alert.  Security of the existing Supreme Court Justices is of grave concern.  Who is murdering these people and for what purpose?  Could it be the work of Maestro?  Time to call in the finest FBI investigators and consultant Alex Cross. 

Alex Cross will be working on this case with his wife Bree Stone and friend John Sampson.  They will be traveling across the country and into Canada to pursue their suspects.  Will they be able find and stop them on time? 

The House of Cross is filled with non-stop action from beginning to end.  Alex’s family and friendships were my favorite part.  I especially like his grandmother Nana Mama.  Alex is a family man and good friend.  Another character that I liked was Canadian Mounted Police officer Molly Fagan.  She is the kind of gal you want by your side when trouble hits.  She is prepared and ready for a fight. 

The House of Cross is an action pack thriller.  While action takes up most of the story, there is also some character and relationship development.  I liked the characters.  The plot did stretch the imagination, but I liked the story.  

There is some profanity in the book, less than I expect.  Also, violence due to the nature of the story.  Thankfully, the author did not go into detail on the violence that movies often show. 

If you like an action-packed thriller and intrigue, I recommend The House of Cross by James Patterson.  It will keep you on the edge of your seat until you get to the last page. 

I would like to thank publisher Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The House of Cross by James Patterson.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

Fatal Witness by Patricia Bradley – Interesting Plot, But the Story Got Bogged Down

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I enjoy suspense and mystery novels and was excited to read Patricia Bradley’s newest book Fatal Witness, the second book in the Pearl River Novel series.  A cold case, family secrets, a repressed memory, and a family seeking justice makes for an interesting mystery. 

At age nine, Danielle witnessed her parents’ murders and was whisked away by her uncle Keith.  It has been twenty-five years and Dani has no memory of the events that changed her life.  Her uncle has protected and insulated her from all possible danger.  While she has no memory of her family, she inherited the natural artistic talents of her grandmother Mae.  The subject of a recent magazine article, Dani has been invited to attend an artist workshop in Cincinnati.  Though Dani has no memory of her early life, her grandmother has never forgotten her, nor stopped looking for her.  Seeing the article in the pottery magazine, Mae is certain that Dani may be her long-lost granddaughter. 

I found the storyline intriguing.  I liked Dani and was curious about her uncle Keith and how he would react to Dani venturing out on her own.  I liked her grandmother Mae who was willing to press law enforcement to investigate this cold case and find her granddaughter.  Law enforcement officers in the remote area of Tennessee were stretched thin and had a lot of area to cover.  But Mark Lassiter with his K-9 companion Gem, along with Alex Stone and her team would do what they could investigate this cold case and protect those in danger. 

Once Dani is back in Tennessee, things heat up and it appears the murderer will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.  At this point in the story, it seemed to get bogged down.  I struggled with the last half of the story. There were a lot of characters and potential suspects to weed through.  There were some strategic errors made by law enforcement several times.  Some risks and decisions that were made were not logical.  As a former military sharp shooter, I found it interesting that Mark allowed himself to be distracted. 

Faith was a small part of the story and a Bible verse was focused on in times of danger.  I would like to have seen Mark’s faith more fully developed and part of the story. 

I liked the storyline and characters in Fatal Witness, but found the story dragged in the last half of the novel. 

I would to thank NetGalley and Revell Publishing for the opportunity to read Patricia Bradley’s book Fatal Witness.  If you enjoy Patricia Bradley’s writing and like mysteries and intrigue, you may enjoy this book.  I was provided with a complimentary copy of Fatal Witness.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

Double Take by Lynette Eason – Action Packed Suspense

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I enjoy mystery and suspense novels and was excited to read Lynette Eason’s newest book Double Take.  This is the first book in her new Lake City Hero series.  This book will grab your attention from the get go. 

Lainie Jackson is a physician’s assistant at a hospital in Lake City, NC.  After stopping to check on a friend, Lainie headed to work on a rainy day.  A driver behind her was intent on passing and clipped her car which sent her car over the side of the mountain.  After calling 911, Lainie noticed a man peering over the edge of the road.  A man that looked like Adam, her former fiancé who was dead.  Or was he?

Detective James Cross and his partner, Cole Garrison responded to a domestic violence call.  James wants to do whatever it will take to get the children out of a very dangerous situation, including putting himself in the line of fire.  After sustaining injuries, James was taken to the hospital where he was treated by Lainie, his sister’s best friend.  Perhaps they can reconnect and help each other.

There was a lot going on in this story.  Lots of characters and relationships that were intertwined.  Some healthy and some not so good.  Both Lainie and James had a lot of baggage from their past, from family issues and PTSD that had left emotional scars.  It seemed like there some “blame the imperfect parents” that caused their children to have issues going on.  I don’t know any perfect families and life sure can be messy. 

Yet, I liked how Lainie was honest, straight forward, and respectful.  I appreciated how James evaluated how he had erred in his response to his father and how his father was willing to look at his own actions.  I liked the main characters, they seemed like decent, kind, and caring people.  They had good friends who were supportive and tried to be there for them, people they could trust.  I appreciated that Lainie did not do stupid things that unnecessarily put herself at risk and she was open to receiving help. 

The characters were likeable.  The storyline was a bit of a stretch on believability.  But I wanted to know whodunnit and why.  I liked how the characters grew and developed during the story.  There were some twists and turns, intense situations, and serious subject matters.  Topics like domestic violence, attempted murder, suicide, and dysfunctional families.  Faith was a small part of the story.  I would have like to have seen faith, trust and dependance upon God, and prayer more fully developed in the characters. 

If you like suspense and mystery, you may want to read Double Take by Lynette Eason.  I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading future books in the Lake City Hero series. 

I would like to thank Revell Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Double Take by Lynette Eason.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.