STRONG ENOUGH TO DIE

By Jon Land

Caitlin Strong is a fifth-generation Texas Ranger, proud to wear the badge of her father and grandfather.  She and her partner are caught in a firefight with drug mules from the Mexican Mafia and her partner is killed.  

Damaged not only physically, but also mentally Caitlin is  trying to purge herself of the guilt she feels as a result of the loss of her partner and ultimate resignation from the Texas Rangers.  She takes a job working with victims of torture and makes a shattering discovery that will reopen old wounds.  Caitlin's renewed investigation into the truth behind the bloody desert firefight uncovers a deadly plot that reaches into every American home and threatens the very core of this country.

Her only hope for success and survival is to team up with a deadly felon she sent to prison and who has every reason to want to see her dead.  Cort Wesley Masters is a deadly outlaw, but he holds the key to the truth Caitlin so desperately seeks.  Caitlin's tormented quest takes her into a dark world ranging from Washington to Bahrain to the wastelands of Mexico where she battles a giant of a killer sent after her by a mysterious Mexican Drug kingpin.

Wow, this is a really great novel.  I absolutely loved Caitlin Strong.  She is interesting, intelligent, and confident.  Plus the novel is great fun to read.  What do you think?

To hear my interview with Jon Land, go to WebTalkRadio, or click on this link:

http://webtalkradio.net/index.php/show-hosts/3213-inside-the-writers-cafe-hosted-by-cheryl-nason

TREASURE OF EDEN

By S. L. Linnea

Author S. L. Linnea is actually two people.  Sharon Linnea and her co-author Chaplain Barbara Sherer who is currently serving a tour of duty in Iraq.

These two women have combined their considerable talent to write a thrilling trilogy.  TREASURE OF EDEN is the third book in the series, but it's a stand alone book.  A reader doesn't have to read the first two to enjoy this one.

The story begins when two Bedouin boys find a treasure, an ancient, jewel-encrusted box in a cave in the Judean wilderness.   More than a half-century later, the box is for sale on E-Bay.   The reappearance of the box, a Bedouin wedding and an Economic Summit, put Army Chaplin Jamie Richards in one of the most dangerous situations of her life.

Several years ago, Jamie helped discover the location of the Garden of Eden.  After a three-year stay in Paradise, she is armed with eternal secrets and knowledge that mere mortals will kill to possess. 

The plot thickens as Jamie renews her acquaintance with an old friend, only to find she has been betrayed and turned over to a rogue CIA agent who will make her pay the ultimate price unless she gives him the secret to the box and the Garden of Eden.  Can Jamie escape her captor and find the box before it falls into the wrong hands revealing its secrets?

Wow, this novel is a real thrill ride.  It is intelligently written with a plot that twists and turns.  I really enjoyed the complexity.  What do you think? 

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BLOOD ISLAND By H. Terrell Griffin

Matt Royal is a retired lawyer who finds the good life in Florida.  Royal ruined his marriage to the love of his life because of too much booze and too many late nights.  He finds his life in danger when his ex-wife comes to ask him to look into the disappearance of her oldest daughter.  Suddenly there are car chases, gun fights and bodies dropping everywhere.  Mix in a religious cult, a private island and some really bad guys, you have the right mix for this rock 'em, sock 'em action novel set in Florida.

 I like Terry Griffin's insider perspective in this novel.  He is a Florida resident who practiced law in Orlando, but he says he is not Matt Royal.  He told me that Matt Royal is "who he would like to be."  

I enjoyed the novel and the action, but I admit to enjoying a good mystery.  What do you think?    

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STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF

By Don Bruns

Skip Moore and his long time buddy James Lessor are two young men whose dreams haven't exactly come true.  They find themselves working in dead-end jobs with no bright hope for the future until they see the opportunity to make a load of money working as food vendors for a huge tent revival  held annually by the Reverend Preston Cashdollar who leads the largest church in the Miami area with a congregation of fifteen thousand members.  His revival's are legendary for their huge attendance and people have got to eat!

As with all things that seem too good to be true, the whole operation may not be what it appears to be.  The unsolved murder of a young woman, a senator, and a TV talk show host are somehow connected to the revival and it's message from Corinthians "You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion!"

The other food vendors turn out to be a group of men with questionable backgrounds who run a fixed poker game.  James and Skip find their truck tires flat from bullet holes and receive a note telling them to "get out of Dodge."

This is a fast-paced novel filled with friendship, betrayal, dreams of greatness, and the world of reality.  You won't know who did what to whom until the very  end.  An intriguing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  What do you think?      

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THE ASSASSIN

By Stephen Coonts

Admiral Jake Grafton, now a spy for the CIA, is approached by a group of international billionaires who want to fund a private army to fight terrorism.  He gets a "Mission Impossible" clearance   (if anything happens, we disavow any knowledge of the operation) to work with the group and is drawn into battle with an old nemesis, Abu Qasim.

The rich and powerful often feel untouchable, but there is an informant within the billionaire's midst and the body count begins rise.  Who is behind the leak?  How does Qasim manage to stay one step ahead?  Has the hunter become the hunted?

Jake Grafton and Tommy Carmellini are caught in a web of danger, intrigue and non-stop action trying to anticipate Qasim's next move.  Carmelline infiltrates the ranks of the rich and famous by tracking an old flame who is a gorgeous, seductive woman who may  or may not be Quasim's daughter.  Is she trying to protect Qasim or kill him herself?  Carmellini must rely on all of his wits and street smarts if he and Grafton are to get to the bottom of who is actually behind the methodical killings of the wealthy and powerful vigilante team before the chameleon Qasim slips through the net again.  

Fabulous read ... fun, exciting, a real page turner!  What do you think?    

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HELL FOR THE HOLIDAYS By Chris Grabenstein
No this book isn't about visiting your in-laws during the holidays! The premise of this action packed novel came to author Chris Grabenstein after reading a story in a newspaper.

The novel opens with a kidnapping. A young boy is grabbed on Halloween for no apparent reason. There are no ransom demands and he comes home unharmed. FBI agent Christopher Miller finds himself going up against a group of home grown domestic terrorists who are copying Al Qaeda's tactics by operating in cells with a twisted fundamentalist doctrine as their guide book.Their initial plan is to bring down an airliner as it takes off from JFK. Miller can't seem to get anyone's attention because the focus is on foreign terrorism. This is a rock 'em, sock 'em thrill ride of a novel that will give you way more to think about during the holiday season that gaining a few pounds and what's under the tree with your name on it! In addition to a really good story, Grabenstein has provided us with food for thought. What do you think?


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THE ABDUCTION by Mark Gimenez

The plot of the novel is one that could have been ripped out of the headlines of any major newspaper in any major city across America, any day of the week. 10-year old star athlete Gracie Brice is kidnapped after her soccer game right from under the nose of her soon-to-be-billionaire and genius father, and the other parents of her teammates.

Mark Gimenz has the reader's hearts in their throats as he takes us into the world of the parents and of the FBI, as they struggle to understand the abduction. Gracie's grandfather, retired Viet Nam war hero, Ben Brice, has a special connection with his granddaughter. He knows she is a survivor and a fighter. He firmly believes she will be found when all others have given up hope.

The plot of the novel takes unexpected twists and turns, leaving the reader breathless with anticipation. This is a well-written work of fiction, and you will find yourself rooting for Gracie as if the case were happening in your hometown.You will also see into "the heart of darkness" that was the Viet Nam War. At the conclusion of the novel, you may have insights into what must be the reality of that war and the nightmare tortured individuals who came out of it alive.

Note: Usually when I read a new novel, I see the main character as an individual, not as any actor, but from the minute I met retired Col. Ben Brice, I saw him as Bruce Willis! The character fits Willis like a glove.