Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite

A day trader and seven-year divorcee, Linda has vowed never to be attached — not in the way her mom is attached, anyway — to any man. Marked for death, she finds solace in a small town on the coast of Oregon, making Sea Crest her retreat. She has just one friend whose life is as mysterious as her own, a widowed elderly woman who works as a consultant for no one knows what clientele. Linda Darby is disciplined — never dating a man twice, never giving her real name to a one-night-stander. Yes, she wants no strings, because they can be dangerous. But then she is dragged off to an alley by two men and a third man rescues her and disappears. The next thing is that the two men turn up dead and her best friend is tortured and killed. Then she wakes up from sleep to find a man watching her. It’s the beginning of a journey she never imagined, and is she prepared for what lies ahead?

The Woman by David Bishop is a by-the-numbers cozy mystery and distinguished by its unique narrative voice and the exquisite setting, the mysterious characters and the fast pacing. David Bishop builds an appealing political thriller with sophisticated characters, creating a sense of mystery around the characters that piques curiosity and interest in readers. I fell in love with the protagonist and the quirkiness of her character. She is your ordinary woman on the surface, but peel away the first layer and you discover a labyrinth in her personality. The prose is gorgeous, tantalizing, and the plot is filled with surprises that come at unexpected moments. The unpredictability of the plot is one of the aspects of this narrative that had me gripped. The Woman by David Bishop is spellbinding, a real thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

When Joseph Muamba, the eldest of nine children, was “sold” by his Congolese parents as an adolescent to an American couple looking to adopt, nobody understood the impact this young man would have one day on the strife-torn, poverty-stricken African nation. Blood Gold in the Congo by Peter Ralph sees Joseph initially struggling to adapt to life in the US, until the young man discovers he has a natural talent for all sports. After being convinced he was perfectly suited for the Decathlon, Joseph aims for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. To everyone’s surprise, Joseph is determined to compete for the country of his birth rather than his adopted country and he returns the first Olympic Medal and a Gold Medal, to boot, for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A national hero, Joseph sees his new status as an opportunity to work for the empowerment of the poor, downtrodden Congolese people in this mineral-rich country. Rich, powerful, and corrupt businessmen and politicians all want Joseph to work for their interests, to secure their wealth and power in the Congo, but Joseph feels he is pulled by a greater destiny to restore dignity and fairness to a country wracked by civil war and a brutal, murderous regime.

Author Peter Ralph was inspired by true events in the Congo to pen his novel, Blood Gold in the Congo, and his rendition of this tale is truly wonderful. From the very first pages, the reader is drawn in and rooting for this little boy, uprooted from his family and everything he knows, to be transplanted into an alien setting, albeit a very gilded one, in the United States. The story is an action/adventure worthy of “Boys Own” magazine and yet also has great undercurrents of social comment and extremely relevant issues of corruption of power that are well worth discussing and rereading. I enjoyed this book immensely and found the author's style easy and captivating. The secondary characters are developed and imbued with realism equally as well as Joseph Muamba was, especially his two boyhood friends, Maya and Yannick. Probably the saddest thing about this story is that it could have been written and equally applicable to almost all of the colonized African nations of the late twentieth century. The powers that ruled Africa for over a century inevitably left behind a legacy of corruption, violence and a power vacuum that would spur racial, ethnic and clan wars for decades after their departure. The recent revelations by CNN of child labour exploitation in cobalt mining in the Congo merely confirms the premise Ralph used for the basis of this novel. This is an outstanding read and simply a wonderful action/adventure story.

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

David M. Burke pens a political thriller with a supernatural twist in Return of the Founding Fathers’ Guardians. A rare group of patriots decides it is time to restore America to its original greatness. Their mission is to bring hope back to a hopeless nation by reestablishing the principles of the Founding Fathers. George Carnegie and his running mate, Adam Youngeagle, join together to expose the true intentions of the current government - the elimination of the middle class! The present administration desires to destroy the American Dream. George and Adam are not alone in their quest; they are visited and inspired by spiritual guardians. Angelic messengers and a mysterious covert operative assist them in their fight against tyrannical forces. It is time to make a stand and to reveal the truth. This is not just a presidential race; it is a reckoning!

Return of the Founding Fathers’ Guardians by David M. Burke takes politics to a new level. Burke’s approach in telling his story is unique and thought-provoking. The conflict of good versus evil is portrayed in multiple dimensions, and in varying time settings. As the story unfolds, the primary characters are introduced and the plot is established. But, it is the rare historical inclusions, the angelic aspects and the clandestine figures that make the story intriguing. The story is detailed and politically informative, revealing the depth of ideology. However, at times, the long, political speeches and discourses delay the momentum of the plot action. The narrative is conservative in philosophy and principle, but the plot scheme is liberally imaginative. As Return of the Founding Fathers’ Guardians concludes, you realize this story is far from being over. It is just getting started.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

A political thriller at its best, Crosscurrents: Would You Kill Your Brother to Save Yourself? by Tom Bierdz presents readers with a powerful moral dilemma. Brothers Demetrius and George Tobias were separated at a young age because of their father’s mistakes. George becomes a crusading senator while Demetrius, with the first twelve years of his life blotted out by amnesia, becomes a skilled hit man for hire. He is contracted for an enormous sum of money to take out a politician, and even if he doesn’t understand why this job is so urgent, he accepts it. While he is about to unknowingly take down his brother, a blow on his head lifts the amnesia and he learns the truth. Demetrius has to choose between saving his brother or himself at the last moment. His choice and what follows will stun readers.

Tom Bierdz injects his characters with enough soul searching, risk, and compulsive action. It’s a thriller with a compelling premise and the follow-up is as strong as it is unpredictable. I enjoyed the compelling cast of characters, the balanced and focused writing, and the deft handling of plot elements which are enriched by the strong conflict. The story alternates between points of view, with a setting that readers from Greece to America will recognize. Demetrius is a complex character and readers will be eager to see how he evolves throughout the narrative. The plot has resonant themes of political intrigue, crime, and family, all masterfully integrated into the build-up of the conflict which moves the narrative to an explosive conclusion. Crosscurrents is a page-turner, with exquisite writing and deft plotting.

Reviewed by Tracy A. Fischer for Readers' Favorite

When building inspector Max Spalding dies in a terrible car accident, something just doesn’t seem right. Detectives Graisco and Wickland, assigned to the case by the local Myrtle Beach police department, quickly realize that his death was no accident. And when they start to look into what really happened, they realize that they're in for more than they ever expected. In an investigative novel that leads from the highest echelons of Myrtle Beach’s elite all the way to a Russian crime syndicate, The Versailles Conspiracy by author Robert “Digger” Cartwright leads the reader on a wild ride of mystery, suspense and action, from its beginning all the way to its exciting end.

Digger Cartwright’s new book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. A fantastic police procedural, the descriptions, explanations and backstory provided make it difficult for me to believe that Mr. Cartwright doesn’t have a background in investigation himself. The plot is engaging and complex enough to keep even those who are tired of mysteries and thrillers to stay involved. The development of the characters is fantastic; you’ll find yourself rooting for Graisco and Wickland, and despising the Russian Vladimir Stratavynski as well as the other unsavories this book reveals. The Versailles Conspiracy is much more than a simple story, and would appeal to any reader who loves mysteries, detective novels, police procedurals, action/adventures, political intrigue, or just a plain good book. This was the first novel of Robert “Digger” Cartwright’s that I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Romanov Legacy (A Natalie Brandon Thriller) by Jenni Wiltz is a spellbinding thriller that follows an unusual treasure hunt; the action is exhilarating and the characters mesmerizing. Natalie Brandon has a powerful revelation, one that no one would believe because of her schizophrenia — Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia, left a secret bank account with millions for his family. Even though people close to her look at her claims with disbelief, there are some who believe she may be telling the truth. When Constantine, a Russian spy with blue eyes, kidnaps Natalie and goads her into leading him to the treasure, things get complicated, but that is just the beginning. The Russian Prime Minister will do anything to reach the treasure before anyone else, so he puts his hit squad on the tails of Natalie and Constantine.

This is a story packed with action and many thrills as the two — Natalie and Constantine — try to stay a step ahead of the Russian Prime Minister's thugs as they race across countries and cities, looking for the treasure. But what if the voice of the angel Belial who speaks to Natalie and her intuition could be wrong? Jenni Wiltz had me well-entertained with her prose and storytelling skills. She creates characters that are interesting and memorable. The fact that Natalie doesn’t seem normal makes her an even more interesting character to follow. The plot is well-imagined and executed with mastery, with swift and surprising turns to pique the reader’s curiosity on every page. The Romanov Legacy (A Natalie Brandon Thriller) by Jenni Wiltz is great entertainment for fans of thrillers and mysteries.

Reviewed by Natasha Jackson for Readers' Favorite

David Bishop has managed to combine two of my favorite elements, politics and puzzles, into one thrilling read! The First Lady’s Second Man is the story of Linda Darby and how she ends up in the middle of a life or death scandal. You see, Linda has been charged with a pretty awful task, one that she wouldn’t even entertain as a possibility - unless of course a child’s life wasn’t on the line. She desperately needs her on-again, off-again sexy man of mystery Ryan Teslar, but he’s off in some dark and dangerous part of the world. On top of all this, Linda has to deal with an actual proposal from a man who wants her to move to the middle of the country while she’s struggling to give up her life on the coast. And those are just the details I can give you without ruining this incredible thrill ride of a story!

The First Lady’s Second Man is about just what you’d expect; the woman behind the man has a man of her own. That alone was so salacious I knew I had to give David Bishop’s writing a try. It isn’t just the action that unfolds, it’s the writing style that pulls you right into the story and drops you smack in the center of political intrigue, assassinations and secret missions in the Middle East. You get several stories in one and, when they converge, the excitement reaches a fever pitch that will have you gripping your e-reader in anticipation. It’s hard to find good politically based novels, and as a fan of the genre I held my breath and hoped for the best. David Bishop more than met my expectations.

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

When Bill and Cheryl Parker are visited by an aggressive reporter who has recognized them from news footage of an earthquake on Molokai, their idyllic, love-filled lives are turned upside down and inside out by more than the earthquake in this riveting political thriller, The Quiet Coup by Rob Lubitz. Imagine, if you will, suddenly beginning to wonder if you really are who you think you are, and finding out after some research, that you aren't Bill and Cheryl Parker. Worse yet, that you might have been a porn star in some life you cannot remember at all. How could such a thing happen? And suddenly, after you've told the rude reporter to get lost, all hell breaks loose. Someone tries to kidnap you both. When you try to get away, you find yourself being charged for trying to escape in restricted areas at an airport. As you frantically rush to solve the riddle of a past you can't remember, you are plunged into a terrifying trip across the mainland where those trying to protect you end up dead and where, to protect yourself, you also murder the assassin sent to "erase" you.

Wow! Talk about an exciting thriller. The Quiet Coup is anything but a quiet read. The tension builds chapter after chapter and the reader is swept along in a tale that seems unbelievable, but is actually based on a very real probability...that of a drug so strong that it can wipe out all memories and leave only those planted by powerful people using the drug for political reasons. Most of the action is set in the US and digs into the deception and intrigue that no doubt does take place in the upper levels of the government and CIA. The drug component is based, as Rob Lubitz tells us in the afterword, on "Project MKUltra," "a secret and illegal CIA program that used drugs and hypnosis to manipulate mental states and brain functions" back in the fifties, but was exposed in 1975. Apparently, information on Project MKUltra is available on the internet if you wish to research it. How does the reader know that the tale Rob Lubitz has woven here and the implications he's made about how things work in the government, Department of Justice and CIA aren't all just the figments of a creative mind? One only has to read his bio: this author has worked for years in those upper levels. He is a criminal justice expert and has been quoted many times in major newspapers.

It's exciting and fulfilling to read fiction like The Quiet Coup that moves at such a fast pace it's impossible to put down, and yet realize that what you're reading is entirely possible, even probable. There were two previous books in this series that will fill readers in on Bill and Cheryl's lives and how they ended up where we find them in the opening to this story. After reading The Quiet Coup, you will want to read those too. One of the most thrilling and fast reads I've ever had. Excellent writing, Rob Lubitz!

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I knew where this story was going when I read the quote from the Quran on page five, right after the dedication. I love New Orleans. I grew up about a three-hour drive from there so I have visited often. Judith Lucci gets the feel of the city right in Viral Intent. Viral Intent starts in an emergency room and ends with a party. As you can imagine, that is one hell of a roller coaster ride. A ride that includes nurses, doctors, terrorist, cops, and politicians. I imagine this scenario has at least been thought about by a lot of nervous Americans concerned with the war on terror. Judith Lucci has created a thrilling suspense novel based on the possibility that the next time terrorists decide to target the United States, they will use something a little subtler than airplanes, guns, or bombs. A great idea.

I liked Viral Intent. I especially liked that Judith Lucci got the setting right. She put us there in a big hospital and the hospital scenes were well written and very tense. Judith also got the police and terrorists right, and having terrorists who are international students studying at an American university is a timely detail with the current public discussion on immigration and one candidate’s idea to ban all Muslim entry into our great country. With a great plot and lots of interesting characters, I found Viral Intent hard to put down. If you love terrorist stories, politics, or medical drama, then this is definitely the book for you.