A precisely written, enthusiastic thriller that definitely hits its mark
First-time author Wilcox’s thriller follows a former Marine sniper who attempts to solve his financial misfortunes by offering his services as a hit man.
Honorably discharged, Sgt. Oscar Wylton comes home to find his estranged wife remarried; she’s also legally booted him from the company he helped create. Despite his degree and experience, Oscar’s job search is fruitless. So he opts to go into business for himself, utilizing his military training as a hired assassin. Oscar stealthily contacts a troubled woman who could use his assistance, and she accepts his proposal. A successful hit breeds a generous payoff—and a contract referral. Several scenes illustrate the sergeant’s experience in Afghanistan, covertly trekking across the terrain at night. These passages are wrought with anticipation—and shrewd foreshadowing for the assassinations. Parts of the novel feel like shorter stories—Oscar’s saving a young girl in Afghanistan or his mission eliminating Serbian snipers. But this only engenders further sympathy for Oscar, who’s burdened with guilt for killing innocents to avoid capture or detection. Some aspects of Oscar’s life are a little too convenient: His children are flawless; clients send payments with gushing letters and unsolicited bonuses; and his sexual trysts are too easy, including a memorable one with the assistant who is simply passing time while waiting to speak with an arms supplier. Suspense, however, is derived from exhilarating sequences involving hits that rarely go off without a hitch; one narrow escape ends with Oscar hiding in the ceiling of a public restroom for several days, only coming down for water, use of the facilities and a shave. Additional highlights include the roller-coaster relationship between Oscar and his ex-wife, whose messages range from courteous to expletive-laden, and the always-appreciated dry humor: his decision to not “argue” with a large handgun pointed in his direction and the receptionist who offers Oscar coffee, tea, “but definitely not her.”
A precisely written, enthusiastic thriller that definitely hits its markPub Date: Dec. 9, 2010
ISBN: 978-1450257817
Page Count: 260
Publisher: iUniverse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 23, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.
What hasn’t legendary legal eagle Grisham tried yet? How about a thriller about serial kidnapping and international terrorism.
When Paul and Chelsea Tanner disappear during a day trip on their Paris honeymoon, their abductors demand a ransom of $2 million from Chelsea’s wealthy parents, and a few days later the same sum from Paul’s much less well-heeled parents. After orthopedist Lowell Clayburn, Chelsea’s father, ponies up the ransom without breathing a word to the authorities, his daughter is promptly released. But even though Paul’s parents sell their home, liquidate their assets, and borrow money from the Clayburns to meet the kidnappers’ demands, the villains hold on to Paul anyway. Asked whether he’s ever seen such an outcome in a double kidnapping, FBI deputy director Andrew Strong tells Lowell: “No, this is a new one.” But it’s not, as Strong knows all too well; it’s the third such active case, all involving honeymooning couples whose bridegrooms had served in the armed forces. After masterfully drawing readers in with his bare-knuckle account of the Tanners’ abduction and the attempt by their families and the CIA to tell the lies required to keep caring friends and the rapacious press at bay, Grisham effortlessly switches gears to follow CIA agent Rae Claire Russo and Stuart Nash, a former Department of Justice prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay who agrees to marry her so they can serve as bait for the kidnappers, whose motives include justice and revenge as well as cold hard cash. So much for the imprisoned Paul’s wistful reflection that “hopefully, it was only about money.”
The story unfolds so irresistibly that newcomers may think Grisham’s been writing thrillers like this his whole life.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9780385550543
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.
A violent attack hijacks a woman’s memory in this novel of domestic suspense.
McFadden wastes no time pulling the trigger in this harrowing story that starts with gunfire then swiftly propels readers into a crack tale of secrets and misdirection. Originally self-published in 2016, the book carries the same formidable weight as McFadden’s later novels featuring unsuspecting women who lose their power then fight to recapture it—mostly from men who have betrayed them. That formula perfectly fits Dr. Charlotte McKenna, a 37-year-old dermatologist who isn’t looking for love until the most handsome man she’s ever seen begins to woo her. There are warning signs about Clark Douglas and Charlotte overlooks them to her detriment—but is he a killer? The novel has dual timelines split between events leading up to the day Charlotte barely survives a head wound meant to kill her and the months afterward, when she struggles to reclaim her memory and her mobility. In real life, McFadden is a physician trained to treat brain injuries. Her expertise gives Charlotte’s rehabilitation authenticity, and her writing talent makes it interesting and engaging. As good as that timeline is, readers will yearn to get back to the alternate timeline about who wants Charlotte dead. It’s only a matter of time before Charlotte starts to remember who tried to kill her, and the clock is ticking toward their next attempt. McFadden dishes up plenty of suspects: Charlotte’s secretive husband, Clark; a former patient turned stalker who confronts Charlotte on her honeymoon; and the angry husband of a patient who blames Charlotte for his wife leaving him. Though the story is delicious and dark, McFadden brightens things up with a possible love interest for Charlotte and a surprise ending sure to please the author’s many fans.
Starts with a bang and closes with a knockout punch of an ending.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464249617
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
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