The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly

This is a Lincoln Lawyer book. If you aren’t familiar with the series, Mickey Haller is an attorney that does his work out of a Lincoln Town Car. He is also half brother to Harry Bosch a cop.   This book deals with the murder of a prostitute and the accusation that her digital pimp murdered her. 

As in all of Connelly’s books there are details on the details.   Mickey is a flawed character with a skewed look at the legal profession.  Connelly paints his characters well and in depth.   Mickey is sleazy but likeable.  He skates the edges of legality when defending his clients. 

I have really enjoyed Connelly’s work and this book. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

We Are The Kings by Ariane Torres

We Are The Kings by Ariane Torres

This is a story about a family.   It is complex and often confusing.  A family tree would help immensely in keeping track of the characters.   It read slowly and was not my cup of tea. 

I find action, adventure, science fiction and fantasy more to my taste. 

I couldn't finish it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Women’s Murder Club: The Medical Examiner by James Patterson

This was a novelette.  It was very short but interesting.  A corpse comes back to help solve her own murder.

The Women’s Murder Club was also a short run TV show which I did enjoy.   Lindsay Boxer, a detective; Cindy, an investigative reporter; Claire, medical examiner and Yuki, an assistant DA are the members of the Murder Club.  They work at odds and together to solve mysteries.  

Joan, the victim was never adequately diagnosed with whatever psychological problem she demonstrated.  I felt that should have been answered.

This read like a short story and was somewhat entertaining. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Spotlight on The Ryzhkov Vendetta by Barry L. Becker

Synopsis of the Ryzhkov Vendetta

Alexander Leonidovich Ryzhkov, a Russian oligarch and former general in the Russian Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU), runs a covert operation in the Middle East, supplying a Saudi terrorist with four Russian nuclear suitcase bombs and a list of two US cities to target. A CIA operation thwarts the planned attack and kills many Russian agents, including his brother Sergei Ryzhkov. The oligarch is out for revenge.

Ryzhkov approaches a former CIA station chief and offers him money in exchange for the CIA operatives’ names. Armed with this intelligence, he launched his vendetta, targeting the former CIA operatives Mark Ericksen, now CEO of EyeD4 Systems, his fiance’ Kate McDonald, a banking consultant, and Lars Wahlberg, COO of EyeD4 Systems. Ryzhkov’s asset also revealed Ericksen, a former Navy SEAL Team-Six officer killed several Russian agents while rescuing McDonald during the CIA operation.

Can Ericksen and his former operatives avoid the assassins’ poisoning efforts and turn around the deadly game of hunter and prey?

  About The Author

Barry L. Becker retired in 2013. He formerly was a marketing consultant to the biometrics security industry and consumer sector. He has served as both the vice-president of marketing for Eyedentify from 1984-1986 and transitioned to vice-president of international sales for Eyedentify, from 1986-1991. The company specialized in eye retinal technology for positive identification. He traveled over 500,000 miles during the period from 1985-1990.

He has been engaged in all aspects of marketing and sales for over thirty-five years. In 1987, his article entitled “Eyedentify counters security threat,” appeared in the Journal of Defense & Diplomacy, Volume 5, Number 8.

Barry earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Communications Arts and Marketing from San Francisco State University. He has completed Executive programs at both Columbia Graduate School of Business and Stanford Business School. The Ericksen Connection is his first published novel. He is currently working on his second book, a Mark Ericksen series novel.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Mercy by David Baldacci

Baldacci scores again.  I enjoy his books , and this was no exception unless it was even better.   Atlee Pine is a formidable FBI agent with the strength and skills to compete mentally and physically with her male counterparts.   I like that Baldacci is aware that misogyny has not disappeared and that there are still entirely too many men who have an unfortunate superiority complex that is all too frequently unwarranted.  Several characters in the book discover underestimating Pine may have dire consequences.  Atlee is still looking for her kidnapped twin sister, Mercy.  This is an ongoing theme.  This book wraps it up and we find out the hows and whys we’ve wondered about through the previous books.

I like strong female protagonists and apparently so does Baldacci.  Mercy finally appears and she is… well no spoilers here.  Britt is another character that is physically superior but with moral limitations.  Carol Blum may not bench 300 pounds, but she has strengths of her own. 

The book has a strong plot line with loads of action and some subtle twists. 

I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. 

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned

Spotlight on The Ericksen Connection by Barry L. Becker

Synopsis of the Erkicsen Connection

Mark Ericksen, the former Navy SEAL Team Six platoon leader and successful businessman, was all about duty, honor, and country. After the end of his tour with an elite tier-one team from the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Afghanistan, the Silver Star Medal recipient resigns his commission on May 10, 2002, enters civilian life, and over the next seven years works for three defense contractors, maintaining his top secret security clearance while concealing his PTSD. In 2009, the CIA receives actionable intel about a wealthy Saudi businessman planning to attack two American cities with enriched nuclear suitcase bombs, as well as shipping an eight-kiloton nuclear warhead loaded on a container ship bound for the Port of Los Angeles. The terrorist mastermind needs to acquire several classified biometrics encrypted communications security systems using the palm-vein scanning technology from EyeD4 Systems, an Oregon company, in order to maintain communications with his sleeper cell operatives in the United States. CIA Director Bill Sullivan meets with Ericksen, the executive vice-president of EyeD4 Systems and tasks him for Operation Avenging Eagles, to sabotage the terrorist mastermind’s horrific plans. Can Ericksen avoid discovery and thwart the nuclear plots before a network of sleeper cell terrorist operatives achieve their evil goals?

 About The Author

Barry L. Becker retired in 2013. He formerly was a marketing consultant to the biometrics security industry and consumer sector. He has served as both the vice-president of marketing for Eyedentify from 1984-1986 and transitioned to vice-president of international sales for Eyedentify, from 1986-1991. The company specialized in eye retinal technology for positive identification. He traveled over 500,000 miles during the period from 1985-1990.

He has been engaged in all aspects of marketing and sales for over thirty-five years. In 1987, his article entitled “Eyedentify counters security threat,” appeared in the Journal of Defense & Diplomacy, Volume 5, Number 8.

Barry earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Communications Arts and Marketing from San Francisco State University. He has completed Executive programs at both Columbia Graduate School of Business and Stanford Business School. The Ericksen Connection is his first published novel. He is currently working on his second book, a Mark Ericksen series novel.

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a purchasing link below.#CommissionsEarned