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Archive for the ‘Thriller’ Category

Reviewed by Russell Ilg

Jon Land and Robert Fitzpatrick have combined to bring to paper the greatest “nonfiction novel” I have had the honor to read. The story of how the FBI protected and sheltered one of the most vicious and deranged killers in history is beyond what any fiction writer could scarcely imagine as a storyline and what Truman Capote had in mind when he coined the phrase in the wake of In Cold Blood. The story begins when Robert Fitzpatrick was transferred to the Boston Office of the FBI to do what he had done his whole career: close. And he was transferred to Boston to fix a broken office and reign in the problems there, just as he had done in Miami office with the ABSCAM investigation on top of his roles in the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination and civil rights murders and bombings in the 60s in Mississippi.

This book is such a page burner that I had to stop and see if the sun was still up. I simply could not put it down. It grabs you from page one and leads you on the ride of your life, and on that ride you will be brought to your knees in fear as to how corrupt the Justice Department and FBI were in this case. Officials in both simply sat back and allowed an Irish Boston gangster named Whitey Bulger to do whatever he wanted as long as they thought he was giving them info on New England’s Italian mob. And Bulger played them to the very end.

This will go down as one of the blackest eyes the FBI has ever received, Through his tireless work, Robert Fitzpatrick tried to make everyone up to the assistant director and head of the Organized Crime unit in Washington understand that they were being conned by one of the greatest con men in history. †The FBI was so sure that Whitey Bulger was giving them what they needed they did everything they could to stop Agent Fitzpatrick from doing his job to the point that he finally had to leave the only life he had known and loved and respected and honored his whole career. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Caryn St. Clair

When author Bazell’s Beat the Reaper hit the stores a couple of years ago, critics and readers alike were unsure what to think. Some instantly loved his style, others were put off by it. But as word of mouth spread, more and more people jumped on the band wagon and before you know it, even book clubs were discussing the book.

Bazell is back with his next installment of the life trials of Dr. Pietro Brnwa, former hitman for the mob who is now in the Federal Witness Protection Program (code name Ismael). After testifying against his former bosses in the mob, our protagonist had been put through medical school and in Reaper was working in a New York hospital’s ER until the mob found him and sent him on the run again. As Wild Thing opens, the doctor has had a crash course in dentistry and is working on a cruise ship-a job he is more than eager to leave behind. So when his handler Marmoset, calls with an offer of relocation he’s ready to go in a flash.

Brwna, who is now going by the name Dr. Lionel Azimuth, is sent to Portland, Oregon to meet with a reclusive billionaire who is obsessed with the possibility that there really are sea monsters. He has been given the opportunity to travel to see just such a creature in a lake in Minnesota. Wisely, the recluse has decided to send his personal paleontologist to check it out first and wants to hire Azimuth to go along to protect her. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Allen Hott

Quite a combination of assorted characters, plots, twists, and other necessaries to building a good novel. The author’s basic idea is certainly one of today’s world as he builds on a monumental Ponzi scheme. Without a doubt there are many investors interested in recovering at least some part of their contribution to the 60 billion dollars that Abe Cushman has stolen from them.

After Cushman took his own life by jumping from his condo tower’s window to the pavement below, Wall Street and the world felt even more anger. Not only was their money gone but also now the investors would not see the culprit stand trial and eventually go to prison.

There were those however who had thought they would get away with at least a part of the treasure. Many believe that much of the money has been hidden away by some of Cushman’s associates. Little do they know what all is involved in some of the billions that were in fact given to Gerry Collins, the closest associate.

Collins realizes that the money that he has hidden in various accounts as far away as Singapore are now definitely on the “hot seat”. Not only are the investors anxious to find their money but the government is also very interested in the monies but for other reasons. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Julie Moderson

I did not read the first two books in this three-book trilogy, and wish I had but it will be hard to go back and read books out of order since I know the ending.

From the first page to the last page this book is so interesting that it is hard to put down. Patrick Lee writes an incredible story. In the first chapter, as the president of the United States is addressing the nation from the Oval Office and a missile crashes into the White House, everyone who is watching this on TV sees the flash of light and then a black TV. In this day of instant news coverage they hear almost instantly that the President is dead. Within hours of the White House attack there is another attack against Boarder Town, a top secret place where scientist Tangent is located, and the only clue as to what happened is at the launch site and is says to see Scalar. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Teri Davis

What would you expect to be taken from you if you were mugged outside a local bar? Most of us would expect to lose our purse/wallet, keys, money, watch, or rings. Well, Jake Reese was mugged and all that was taken was his wedding ring with the finger. The finger was cut off with bolt cutters. They let him keep his money.

Jake Reese had a rough upbringing. Today we would consider him as a child to be “at risk”. Fortunately, he has turned his life around. His drinking is under control. He recently married and lives together with his loving wife in a house in a decent neighborhood. He has a possibility for a secure future with his position as a professor teaching writing at a university. Everything seems to be falling into place until he is mugged. Jake decides to investigate this on his own placing his life at the university on hold when another weird thing happens. His wife, Diane, is missing. oes this have anything to do with the finger? Is this a kidnapping? Is this revenge for something in Jake’s past? He decides to look into his past for the answers, if there are any. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Teri Davis

Every parent sees that their child is special, but what if your child really has an ability that is rare and possibly prized by others? Would you take your child to a specialist to verify this ability or to improve this gift? Keep those questions in mind when reading this book.

Michelle Martinez was working in her kitchen when she heard her doorbell. Since she was personally working on not being a super-woman, she asked her boyfriend to answer it. Unfortunately she did not plan to hear the sound of gun shots using a silencer. Her training and adrenaline kicked in as she immediately ran from the house and grabbed her son who was playing in the backyard. Where do you go?

Michelle called the only trustworthy person who could investigate this incident and still protect, Sean Reilly. Since it has been five years, he was surprised to receive the call and to discover that Michelle kept a secret from him. Her son is also his son. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Julie Moderson

Martini is like a fine wine. He improves with age. Every book that I have read that Martini writes becomes my favorite book, the book I tell everyone they must read.
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Reviewed by Cy Hilterman

Mobs have been around since time has been recorded. When Anthony Pesare sent me his book I have been engrossed by its contents, questioning why and how these organizations run by thugs, killers, persuaders, financial controllers, and much more can control so much in the world. The book is excellent and will make you also wonder about the same things that puzzled me. The author, now the Chief of Police of Middletown, Rhode Island has seen it all and I am sure lived much of it. I also wondered what connection, if any, he had in the story.

The story begins as it follows a recruit for the Rhode Island State Police force, Gino Peterson. Gino was Italian and he knew that most of all police forces were very short on Italians, partially because of the many Italians in the mob. After his graduation Gino dug in as so many opposed him as an Italian on the state police force but Gino was determined to make a difference. While in training and the early part of his work, he was transferred around to many rural areas but Gino figured it was time to try to get into the intelligence part of police work. He had a rough life as a youngster, knowing that some of the things he did were not really legal but he followed orders given to him by his family. These things taught Gino much about the mobs. Sex, drugs, beatings, shaking down merchants, and killing were routine in the mob. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Julie Moderson

This has to be the best book I have read in a long time. Miles Corwin really knows how to draw you in and spit you out and leave you begging for more. Wow! Corwin is a former LA Times reporter and really knows his stuff and I can’t wait to read more of what he writes. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviewed by Sam Millar

“You want a bullet in the head?”

Writers of fiction are always advised to make sure that the first line of their book hooks the reader into the story and hopefully keeps them there until the very end. The above first line in Jon Land’s mesmerizing new book, Betrayal, is as sharp a hook as one is likely to find in today’s modern crime stories. However, what makes the quote all the more salient is that Betrayal isn’t fiction, but the true tale of two men, Robert Fitzpatrick, one of the most celebrated FBI agents of his time, and James Joseph ‘Whitey’ Bulger, the feared head of South Boston’s Irish Winter Hill gang, of whom Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning The Departed was loosely based on.

In 1980, Fitzpatrick was assigned to Boston when his boss Roy McKinnon needed an Irishman to ‘kick ass and take names.’ The reason being that no one in the Boston Bureau seemed to be in control or have a clue when it came to taking down Bulger’s empire of criminality. At least that was Fitzpatrick’s initial belief. However, it wasn’t too long before he discovered something more sinister in the cupboards of officialdom other than writing pads and pens: skeletons, and plenty of them.

Most of the skeletons belonged to Bulger, in one way or another. So why the hell wasn’t the king of crime languishing in the local lock-up, awaiting trial, instead of sitting on his throne of ill-gotten gains? The more rocks Fitzpatrick looked under, the more startling the findings he made. Almost everyone, it seemed, was in the pockets of Bulger. Worse, they appeared to be turning blind eyes to all the alleged murders ordered or carried out by Bulger. Something would have to be done to stop him. Now, not tomorrow. But as Fitzpatrick was soon to discover, that was easier said than done… Read the rest of this entry »