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Waking Up in Medellin

Intrigue, Romance, and Suspense in Colombia
Kathryn Lane

2017 Silver Medal
270 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2017     Silver Medal
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Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

Waking Up in Medellin: Intrigue, Romance, and Suspense in Colombia by Kathryn Lane is a novel that is fittingly described in the subtitle, a suspenseful romance with a biting spice of intrigue, a pulsating read that is hard to put down. Nikki’s auditing career has brought her face-to-face with all kinds of men. Still recovering from a tragic loss, she accepts this new assignment as a distraction, and now she finds herself in a business world dominated by men, investigating accusations of mismanagement. What she discovers will shock her, and put her in grave danger. As she navigates the dangerous Colombian business world, she has to deal with guns and a powerful attraction for a handsome man that deepens by the hour. Can she keep herself alive in a world filled with danger, where the most innocent passerby could be hiding a gun meant to blow her head off?

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill thriller, but a story with a unique plot and characters that are original and sophisticated. I enjoyed the international setting of this work and the intricate nature of the plot. Nikki is a character that will arouse the interest of readers, one who reminds me of the characters in Sidney Sheldon’s novels. The narrative is impeccable and Kathryn Lane is deft with the first person narrative. Waking Up in Medellin: Intrigue, Romance, and Suspense in Colombia is balanced, masterfully crafted, and engrossing. It is a story with powerful conflicts, escalating swiftly and culminating in a satisfying denouement. I enjoyed the narrative voice and the originality in plot and character.

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Yeager's Law

An Abel Yeager Novel
Scott Bell

2017 Bronze Medal
260 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2017     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Java Davis for Readers' Favorite

Yeager’s Law by Scott Bell is a credible action story. It even had a small twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. The Yeager in the title is Abel Yeager, a divorced ex-Marine turned long distance trucker. His love interest is Charlie Buchanan, a bookshop owner whose ex-husband has involved her bookstore in shady dealings, putting Charlie and their son, David, in extreme danger. Abel’s best friend and former brother-in-law is “Por Que,” a childhood friend and former military chopper pilot. Between stolen money, angry drug lords, and acts of revenge, more than one mob is after Abel and the pallets of books in his missing truck. Good thing Por Que still has a helicopter and an extra pilot and ace mechanic, Cujo, a crazy man who is so brain damaged that he often forgets his given name.

Scott Bell has the background for all the different threads in Yeager’s Law, the first book in Bell’s series about Abel Yeager. His writing style is descriptive, but to the point. The chapter or section titles tell the reader the location of the next chunk of text, so it’s easy to follow along with the many shifts in locale. As the tensions build, these shifts get shorter and choppier, moving the action along quickly. The minor characters are perhaps more cardboard than they could be, but this isn’t enough of a negative to affect a reader’s enjoyment of this very interesting, action-packed story.

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Tsunami Storm

D F Capps

2017 Bronze Medal
317 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2017     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I must admit that these days my mind is very preoccupied with China. I live here and I teach here and I think it is good for everyone when America and China get along. We need to understand each other. America is the largest economy in the world. China is number two and predicted to take our spot at number one in a few years. There is a lot of potential for conflict in this. Tsunami Storm by DF Capps gives us one scenario how this might be played out and it is a tense one. Deception, arrogance, treachery, and deceit balance one side of the scale while courage, faith, honor, and determination sit on the other side. I like Tsunami Storm. I am always looking for a novel like this that shows the best and the worst in ourselves and our systems.

The plot of Tsunami Storm is awesome and I could see it happening easily in this new reality created since the last American presidential election. But as good as the plot is, I like the characters even more. Willa McBride is the kind of mayor we wish our small towns had. The kind of politician we hope is elected in most elections across America, but, sadly, probably is not. DF Capps can write. The story and the action are great. The writing is good, and the surprises keep coming. This is one you don’t want to miss and I predict you will see more and more stories like this as China continues its rise to the top.



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Nailgun Messiah

Micah Reed Book 1
Jim Heskett

2017 Honorable Mention
330 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2017     Honorable Mention
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Reviewed by Michelle Randall for Readers' Favorite

For most of his life, Micah Reed has been a screw-up, drinking his way through life, but the trouble he finds himself in this night has nothing to do with him, really, but unfortunately the big bad drug dealer isn't willing to believe him. Micah is able to escape and finds himself needing to get out of town for a while. Although visiting his sister is forbidden, that's exactly what he does, which turns out to be a good thing. His little sister has gotten herself into what she thinks is a religious group, but is really just a front for other illegal activities. Micah knows he has to get his sister out, but she is not really inclined to trust him, based on his past record of screwing up. Nailgun Messiah is a complex and multi-layered story of all the people living in the house and the complex relationships and controls over them. Author Jim Heskett has developed so many levels that you don't know who is really a friend or a foe until the very end.

Nailgun Messiah is titled as the first book in the Micah Reed series, so it would seem that the author is planning to follow the main character through a few more books, which could be exciting. This book was full of adventure and intrigue, trying to figure how who was on what side, who you could trust and who you couldn't. Even after all that, I still found a few questions that were never fully answered, which is the mark of a good book. It leaves you still wondering about certain small parts and then there is the possibility that they show up again later in another book. This is a really good book, although there are themes of violence and mind control, in case any readers have issues with that. Definitely worth the read.

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Resort Isle

Detective Frank Dugan series Book 1
Paul Sekulich

2017 Honorable Mention
512 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

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Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Resort Isle: Detective Frank Dugan Begins by Paul Sekulich is the first book in the Detective Frank Dugan series. This is a book that would appeal most to a mixed audience of young adults and adults who enjoy thrillers and stories about prison islands. Detective Frank Dugan lost his wife and children to ruthless career criminals that murdered them all. This horrible event sets Frank on the path of establishing a prison island, surrounded by sharks, for those who commit capital crimes and second offenders. Resort Isle is a tropical prison island that is supposed to be impossible to escape from, yet when Frank gets sent there, that is exactly what he wants to do. Will Frank manage to escape the prison he built, or will he die in the attempt?

Resort Isle is a very well written book that made me think about whether or not a prison island like Resort Isle would actually be a good idea in reality. While I do not know how it would turn out in reality, the way it turned out in fiction was pretty cool. A good portion of the beginning of the book was focused on the murder of Frank’s family and the creation of Resort Isle. My favorite part was when Frank was sentenced to Resort Isle as that was when the thriller element made its first appearance. I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope that future books in the series further explore Frank’s interesting talent.



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Baroota

The Hunting Ground, The Director Series Book 1
Zach Fortier

2017 Finalist
171 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2017     Finalist
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Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

Nick Hudson is a former military man and retired police officer who just goes through the motions of living day by day in Baroota: The Hunting Ground by Zach Fortier. In this first book of the Director Series, Nick and his wife, JoAnn, meet her friend Jessica for dinner to meet Jessica’s new boyfriend, Jay. Given his suspicious nature, Nick feels that Jay is rather strange, especially when Jay asks Nick how he feels about ‘…women and children being kidnapped and forced into slavery overseas.’ Jay goes on to explain the Director’s formation of a new task force that will work outside of government interference to hunt down and bring these criminals to justice and invites Nick to join. After tremendous soul searching, Nick agrees but what he discovers once he is brought together with other team members is a shocking surprise. Along with Nõnkos Zia (Nõn) who is a survivor of human trafficking herself, Nick finds himself in the fight of his life. Will they win the dangerous game the Director has set up or will they become victims themselves?

Zach Fortier has created an amazing world in which the good guys have to fight for their lives against tremendous odds. Baroota: The Hunting Ground is Book One of the Director Series which promises tremendous action and well developed characters. Nick and Nõn are kindred spirits – two people who have seen the worst life has to offer – and they want to try to make a difference by removing some of this ugliness from the world. Great book! Quite exciting and hard to put down. The dialogue is tight and the descriptions are gripping. Excellent dialogue (with occasional bad language) and nail-biting action keep you turning the pages to see how these two may survive. Baroota: The Hunting Ground is definitely a must-read for fans of fast-paced action in thriller fiction.

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A Secondhand Life

Pamela Crane

2016 Gold Medal
312 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2016     Gold Medal
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Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

Fantastic. Fantastic. Fantastic. I could write that word ten more times and it still wouldn’t be enough to describe A Secondhand Life by author Pamela Crane. In this intriguing and thrilling work, we meet Mia Germaine. Mia is a woman in her thirties who, at the young age of twelve, had the very great misfortune of being in a terrible accident that claimed the life of her father, and the very great fortune of receiving the heart from a donor so that she could go on living. Now, twenty years after receiving this gift, she starts to have terrible dreams, nightmares really, about an unsolved crime: the murder of the very girl from whom she received her heart. Strained to the max by the messages she seems to be receiving, convinced she must avenge the murderer of the original owner of her heart, and now being stalked by a killer herself, Mia’s not safe at any turn. And the lengths she must go to in order to keep herself safe and quiet the voice within her could lead to her ultimate demise.

I loved this book. I don’t know how else to say it. A Secondhand Life was a great psychological thriller. It kept me on the edge of my seat and reading until the very end. Author Pamela Crane has a true gift in character development, as I continued to think about Mia Germaine long after I put the book down. She also has a clear understanding of the human psyche, what makes it take and what makes it break. I recommend this book highly to any reader who loves thrillers, mysteries, or just plain excellent writing and story craft. Great cover and great book! This is the first book I’ve read by Pamela Crane, but it absolutely will not be the last.

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Banished Threads

Volume 3
Kaylin McFarren

2016 Silver Medal
258 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2016     Silver Medal
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Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

In an excellently written and thrilling murder mystery story by author Kaylin McFarren, Banished Threads: Volume 3 is a book that will keep readers obsessively turning the pages from the very start, hearts in their throats, and pulses racing! Follow the story of characters Rachel Lyons and Chase Cohen. They attend a soiree at her uncle's home in which a very valuable art collection goes missing. Rachel's aunt's granddaughter, Sloan Rafferty, is blamed, and Chase is determined to clear her name and at the same time win the favor of Rachel's uncle. What he finds might not exactly be what he is looking for, however, as Rachel's uncle is soon accused of an unsolved murder, and both of these cases might be more related than they appear. Will Chase finally get to the bottom of these crimes? You'll need to read the book to find out!

I so, so enjoyed Banished Threads. Author Kaylin McFarren has done a fantastic job in writing an exciting story with excellently drawn characters that her readers will be able to connect with, relate to and will care about. If that isn't a hallmark of a great author, I'm not sure what is. The mystery isn't one that's easily solved, even for a reader like me who frequently figures out the end quite early in the book, and there are plenty of creative twists and turns that will keep readers guessing. I highly recommend Banished Threads, and I certainly look forward to reading more from the very talented author, Kaylin McFarren, in the near future!

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This Way Madness Comes

A Novel
Robert Alan

2016 Bronze Medal
711 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2016     Bronze Medal
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Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

This Way Madness Comes by Robert Alan combines the genres of mystery, thriller, and suspense together in one novel. It will appeal to an audience made up of mature young adults and adults who enjoy suspenseful fiction set during the Cold War. The story follows Dr. Alexi Truskov as what he first thought was a ground breaking discovery, that would lead to a peaceful ending of the Cold War, instead leads him down a dark rabbit hole that has him questioning his own loyalties. Dr. Alexi Truskov was first and foremost a scientist who devoted his life to “uncovering the fundamental truths of nature,” yet he is forced to decide between betraying his country or betraying humanity as a whole. His decision will shape not just one country, but the entire world and all of humanity.

This Way Madness Comes by Robert Alan reminded me a bit of the X-Men First Class movie in how both main characters have to weigh their own morals, their loyalty to their country, and the fate of humanity. I greatly enjoyed reading the book as, besides being remarkably well written, its suspenseful narrative refused to release me. I simply could not stop reading at any point as I simply had to know the fate of Dr. Alexi Truskov and the world; this caused me to finish the entire book in one sitting. While I enjoyed all of This Way Madness Comes, my favorite aspect was the very beginning where author Robert Alan gave me insight into Dr. Alexi Truskov's beginnings as a scientist, a student, and a person. This insight allowed me to truly sympathize with Dr. Alexi Truskov and to understand him better as a character.

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Yukon Audit

A C.E. Brody Novel
Ken Baird

2016 Honorable Mention
522 Pages
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Fiction - Thriller - General

2016     Honorable Mention
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Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Yukon Audit by Ken Baird is a thriller beyond all thrillers. The Yukon is a mystical place. It is the land of the midnight sun. It is the home of the Klondike gold rush. And it is a place to launder money with a gold mine. Brody lives in a tiny cabin on the Yukon River. He’s happy with his life, flying an old plane and running a repair shop, living alone with his dogs. He doesn’t like phones or the police and is happy to live the quiet life. Until he repairs a car for a beautiful woman who hires him to fly her over a gold mine. Seeing nothing sinister in her request, they go off and, on their journey, they spot a missing plane. Landing, they investigate and find it contains two dead men – Brody knows the pilot and the woman knows the passenger. All of a sudden, Brody’s quiet life is turned upside down as he comes to the attention of the FBI and the Mounties, not to mention a couple of underworld gangs. Having to deal with romance, a kidnapping, a beating and a hijacking, Brody is determined to get to the bottom of this.

Yukon Audit by Ken Baird is a brilliant novel, packed full of action and color. It is one of those page-turners that are impossible to put down and, indeed, I didn’t. For starters, it is full of wonderful descriptions about the Yukon, descriptions that really make me want to go there. Second, the plot is amazingly well developed, with plenty of action and lots of twists and turns that keep a reader on their toes and firmly entrenched in the novel. The characters were full of life and well matched to the story. Ken Baird clearly knows a great deal about the Yukon and it shows in the plot, which is intricate and tightly woven. If you love thrillers, mysteries and adventures, with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, you will love this book. An absolutely riveting story that you will not want to let go of.
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