A riveting but grim and unflinching tale of two assassins.
In this debut thriller, the head of a newly formed organized crime unit searches for killers after a mob-related act of vengeance ignites a series of murders.
Denny Pogue, a New York college professor driving to work, fatally hits a boy on a bicycle. But as the boy was the son of Jimmy Morretti, who runs a criminal empire, authorities suspect the worst when Pogue later turns up missing. Meanwhile, Ben Hawkins, a contractor who once tracked down fugitives for the FBI, becomes the head of the Organized Crime Task Force. Before Hawkins can delve into Morretti’s crimes, which soon include Pogue’s homicide, someone starts taking out members of the mobster’s crew. Unexpectedly, another string of murders may have ties to these homicides, as some of the victims are associated with “assassin bureaus.” The OCTF’s theory is that a second culprit is hunting the contract killer targeting Morretti’s men. So there’s a chance Pogue’s relatives are in danger, as Morretti may conclude they hired the first assassin. While Hawkins and his team hunt both killers, the second one is “particularly savage,” and innocents sadly die in all the chaos. And if the assassins realize the OCTF is on to them, they may go underground. Lavi certainly doesn’t pull any punches in his hard-hitting tale. The murders are plentiful and especially coldblooded when involving family members and witnesses. Furthering the somber tone are perspectives from both killers, who, as professionals, are frighteningly methodical. Nevertheless, Hawkins, despite ongoing troubles such as a taste for alcohol, is sympathetic: He has endearing conversations with his wife, Vanessa, and, as a Black man, is no stranger to racism. The story moves at a steady clip thanks to shifting locales in various United States cities and brutal, concise confrontations that occasionally spin off into gunfights or close combat.
A riveting but grim and unflinching tale of two assassins.Pub Date: Dec. 24, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4991-9103-5
Page Count: 338
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
