Unveiled

Most people hear the name of Jerry B. Jenkins and immediately think of the Left Behind Series, but Jerry is the author of of more than 175 books. Jerry’s latest, The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel, published by Tyndale, is the first in a police trilogy released earlier this year.
Young cop Boone Drake is living the dream with his beautiful wife Nikki and toddler son Josh. Attending a large church where Nikki is fully engaged, Boone coasts through his Christianity with little regard for it. He was “saved” as a young boy, proved to be a delightful son, and made sure bullies never got the best of him or any of his friends.

As a cop, he’s interested in advancing to a detective role and taking gang-bangers off the streets of Chicago with his older partner and mentor Jack Keller. When tragedy strikes his family, his loss surpasses his faith, and the core of who he truly is exposes his lack of substance in his relationship with God. His pastor and his family do all they can to comfort and  come along side of him, but he will accept none of it. His partner offers him the only solace and place of residence he will accept as he grinds through the crippling grief.

The Brotherhood, the title of which is twofold, is the story of a young man’s shallow views of faith and his journey toward a decision which restores life to his soul. It addresses the dichotomy of living in a sinful world and being able to accept a true lack of understanding for the reasons ugly things occur. Wrestling with the clichés of loss, the young protagonist finds only rage and pain. It also tells the tale of Boone’s association with the “baddest” and most feared of all the gang-bangers in Chicago when he’s released from prison, after Boone makes it into the desired Organized Crime Division. When Boone’s honest with himself, he can see the similarities in their lives.

I must admit I didn’t care for this novel, but there will be plenty of readers who will enjoy it. When I’m not fond of a protagonist, it’s a rare fete for an author to cause me to like a story. Boone demonstrated such a mean streak during his loss that he alienated me. And lukewarm faith never draws me to a character even though there’s a point to showing the journey. His eventual turnaround seemed to transform him suddenly as a logical result of a pastor’s persistence, but really I didn’t feel the character gave the inclination to push forward in his faith when, like a switch was turned on, he returned to what he previously never showed he possessed. His predictable association with the secretary of his unit felt forced, and her character came off strangely demanding and/or a bit quirky. Boone’s stereotypical mother seemed inserted just to annoy, portraying an insensitive woman of faith.

The Brotherhood: A Precinct 11 Novel by Jerry Jenkins is commercial fiction written with utility prose as the kind of two-part story of a young cop who suffers through horrendous loss and moves on to participate in his dream of bringing gang-bangers to justice. Billing it as a “thriller” is a bit out of bounds.

Reviewed by Nicole Petrino-Salter

Inside a little ark adrift across the universe, Sheridan Riddler removed an unfinished canvas from an easel. He put a blank canvas in its place. Sheridan Riddler picked up a brush. He dipped it into paint. He stared into the perfect whiteness waiting for him. And abandoning the opposite of art at last, the greatest artist in the world began to die.

Sheridan Riddler is the greatest painter of modern art in the universe. We know that because he screams it to the world at every possible turn. No one can capture reality, his reality, like Riddler. His muse and subject for all of his nudes is the love of his life, Suzanna. Yet she, the most beautiful woman he can imagine, remains faceless in his paintings. Even she cannot be allowed to cause people to think of anything but the great Riddler.

When Suzanna refuses to be painted nude again and walks away, Riddler pursues her deep into a Harlem of years gone by. But, as he walks in a drug induced stupor across the bridge above the Harlem River, Riddler is struck by a car and falls into the dark waters below. What happens in those waters is both revelation and curse. From the moment he awakens on the bank of the River with a river rat of a boy attempting to rob him, Sheridan Riddler is a man obsessed. The greatest artist in the universe saw something that is so immensely beyond him he will spend the rest of his life trying to recapture what he only knows to call “the Glory.”

From Buddhist monasteries, to time with a Muslim wise man in Turkey, to Tel Aviv on the verge of Sadam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, to the Sistine Chapel, to the shrines of Mexico, Riddler spends the next decades of his life searching for what he thinks he saw in the now fleeting pale memories of “the Glory.” At every turn he is disappointed. Michelangelo’ s grand paintings of God and man are frauds. Nothing comes close to what he saw as he sank in the dirty waters of the Harlem.

And now, someone knows Riddler must still be alive. A daughter he never knew has seen new paintings that could have only come from the hand of her father. And, an obsessed collector/ assassin is following her to find Riddler. The collector has spent those years hoarding up Riddler’s masterpieces and doesn’t want any new paintings on the market. For him that means killing the artist the world still thinks is dead. All of their lives, father, daughter, beloved Suzanna, and assassin, are bound up in the artist’ reconciling what he has spent a lifetime trying to recapture and what he must finally die to – The Opposite of Art.

The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson is one of those rare novels I can manage such a detailed synopsis and yet have no fear of giving away the story. Any attempt to relate what is found within its pages in a review is as humbling as Riddler’s pursuit of “The Glory.” At best I can sketch a vague outline but only a writer with Dickson’s depth can paint the masterpiece.

This is magical realism at its best. Most of Riddler’s story is related through his remembrances as an aging man traveling with a quirky Mexican circus through the wilds of West Texas and New Mexico. Sometimes it is difficult to know if all that happens in the odd circus is the visions of a man with a mind rotted by drugs as a youth and addled by a fruitless pilgrimage.

One of the hallmarks of this kind of writing is that what is real is only known through the eyes and mind of its characters. What are we to think of an art collector assassin who believes justice is playing Russian roulette with himself before killing his target? Did Riddler really enter a circus trailer that in reality is an immense place of worship? Some of it seems wholly implausible but then again so is much of what we call reality. Magical Realism only works when the reader ceases to care if what they are reading could be true. It is true because that is the way the characters see it.

A synopsis barely scratches the surface of what The Opposite of Art is about. Take the time to read it. Read it slowly. Gaze at it like standing before the Grand Canyon for the first time. Ponder its images as Riddler does a canvas seeking to capture “the Glory.” My guess is a good number will grow impatient, flip a few pages in a book store, and go on to lighter fare. But for those brave and persistent enough to pursue the images and messages of this novel of a different kind the reward will prove more than worth it.

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Magical Realism
Publisher: Howard Books
Publication Date: September 2011

Imagine a world, our world, where every person on the planet is dead and doesn’t know it. Not zombies according to the current literary fad but rather a planet populated by people who are but shells of what they were created to be. Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee paints a picture of what might happen to a world so bent on eradicating its inner demons that it strips itself of all emotion. All that is, except fear.

Nearly five centuries have passed since a select group of scientists worked to tinker with humanity’s genetic code. Their discovery of a way to eliminate all emotions save fear gave way to a unified world ensured peace by the Order. But then, on one seemingly uneventful day, 24 year old Rom, finds his life altered forever thus beginning the first installment of what will ultimately be a trilogy called The Book of Mortals.

Ironically, Rom is a funeral singer. A funeral in which, like with most of his world, there is no body and no real sorrow. When Rom leaves the funeral he witnesses the unthinkable, a murder. As the old man who has been attacked is dying he gives Rom an ancient vial of blood that can grant something Rom did not even know he was lacking – life. The kind with real emotions: love, hate, jealousy, betrayal, passion, joy, ecstasy and despair. Real life. A life the world does not even know it is missing. To tell more would be to rob the reader of embarking on this journey with Rom and seeing it unvarnished through his eyes.

As with any fantasy or epic there is a fairly large cast of characters. Central to Book One is Rom, the ultimate unlikely hero. With no frame of reference to understand the emotions he now feels all he knows to do is to employ aid from the few friends he has. And he will need them because someone else has discovered the secret of emotions as well. Saric has to be one of the most unsympathetic villains ever created. His discovery of emotion only proves what man’s heart is capable of when all boundaries are removed. Other characters of note include Feyn the soon-to-be Sovereign of the world and sister of Saric, Avra, Rom’s best friend since childbirth, and though only introduced late in the story, the boy Jonathan.

Many collaborations fail miserably but not this one. Dekker’s imagination and sometimes almost maniacal focus on darkness and light coupled with Tosca Lee’s eloquence of prose is magical. Generally I can pick out who wrote what part of a novel but 50 pages into Forbidden I simply did not care. I was no longer reading a story by Ted Dekker or Tosca Lee. I was riding along side Rom, suddenly awakened to his former deadness and unsure if he can stand this new life on the ragged edge. Unsure if it is worth it. This hero’s journey is summed up in an exchange between Rom and the man they call Book, a keeper of the truth of former times.

“Keep your words. This pain is no life.”

“You only feel pain because you’re alive, boy!” the keeper thundered. “This is the mystery of it. Life is lived on the ragged edge of the cliff. Fall off and you might die, but run from it and you are already dead!”

The setup at the end of Forbidden leaves one impatient for what follows. Even so it can stand alone with its powerful prose, intense action, compelling characters, and premise that leaves one wondering how many walking our world are really dead and don’t know it. It’s been seven years since Ted Dekker revolutionized a genre with Black, the first in his Circle series. I have no doubt a new revolution is about to begin.

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Center Street
Publication Date: September 2011

Winter … didn’t ask for the gift of prophecy. She’s happy being a freak – but now everyone thinks she’s crazy … Students at her university are being attacked, and Winter know there’s more than flesh and blood at work. Her gift means she’s the only one who can stop it – but at what price.

The prophetess for a
new generation.

My reviews don’t usually begin with the author’s pedigree or personal comments but Winter by Keven Newsome begs for a different approach. When was the last time you read a novel about a Christian Goth engaging in spiritual warfare with dark powers intent on taking over a Christian College? And, when have you ever read a thriller whose author is pursuing a degree in supernatural theology? My guess is most of you haven’t.

Keven Newsome’s debut novel is indeed about a young lady, Winter Maessen, who actively embraces Goth appearance while exploring her newfound insights that can only have one source, the God she loves. Winter finds much more than she bargained for when her father drops her off at Tishbe University for her freshman year at what, for all appearances, was a safe haven of academic, social, and spiritual life. In the place of acceptance and safety she is quickly confronted with darkness, hidden agendas and outright opposition.

A masterful job is done of telling Winter’s story in two parts in one seamless narrative. Along with her present-day struggles with a secretive an evil influence attacking her school and new friends we find a much more personal story set four years earlier. Bit by bit the author helps us understand the factors in Winter’s life that led to her unusual appearance and sometimes defeatist attitude. And, as she reconciles her past with her present we see her evolve from a withdrawn and doubtful outsider to, by the time the last page is turned, a force to be reckoned with. Because – Winter is now a prophetess for a new generation.

The author is well qualified to take on the subject matter as he is pursuing a Masters in Supernatural Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Without being heavy handed he offers an insightful look into the obvious reality of the conflict between good and evil as well as the more subtle struggle with prejudice and hypocrisy. Winter reminds us to avoid judging externals and to focus on inward realities. And in the end, Winter reminds us ..

“We’re all freaks. It’s just a matter of perspective.”

While a self-contained story, the ending leaves little doubt the world hasn’t seen the last of Winter. Congratulations to both Splashdown Darkwater’s and Kenven Newsome’s debut effort. Good things can only follow!

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Splashdown Darkwater
Publication Date: June 2011

My thanks to Diane Graham at New Authors’ Fellowship for providing a review copy of Winter.

Check out our previous review of Back on Murder, J. Mark Bertrand’s first Roland March mystery. For a limited time this classic murder mystery is available as an eBook at both Amazon and Barnes and Nobles.   
                      Kindle    NOOK

____________________________________________________

The second Roland March Mystery, Pattern of Wounds, published by Bethany House and written by J. Mark Bertrand, reminds us of our first go-round with Houston Police Department Detective Roland March in Back on Murder. He’s cynical, can be abrasive, and he’s not about to submit to the perfect by-the-book investigations regardless of the reprimands involved when following his gut.

In a strict and exhaustive timetable approaching the Christmas holiday, we feel the fatigue and hear the silent clock ticking away the hours of chasing down leads, suspects, and the disappointments for a crime which eventually erupts into a second murder.

When a posed and carved up dead girl turns up by the pool of a female professor’s home where she was a boarder, there’s something eerily familiar about how she’s carefully positioned. When it hits March why he recognizes the layout of the crime, no one is willing to see the similarity. Except someone who is almost as familiar with the old crime as he is.

In the meantime the young Christian couple, Carter and Gina who were introduced in Back on Murder and who now rent March and Charlotte’s attached apartment, tentatively announces they are having a baby, knowing it could be difficult news since March and Charlotte lost their little daughter in a car crash. The news dredges up instant pain for March and multiple senses of loss. Along with this sorrow we learn more of March’s family background and none of it adds up to comfort and joy.

Roland March is an embittered, dedicated perpetrator of justice who holds a grudge the size of Texas against a God he can’t understand, refusing to try even when some things smack him in the face. Mark captures his character, unflinching at the exposure of his sometimes cold heart and his sometimes uncomfortable devotion to his wife. The detective is complex with multi-layered feelings even he can’t always rectify. As we learn more about his personal history in this second leg of the March journey, we can’t help but think much of his demeanor is a result of deep hurts he’s unwilling to turn loose. They’re as much a part of who he is as the brusque sarcasm, sharp wit, and unorthodox investigative hunches and practices.

Pattern of Wounds not only presents the reader with a great cover and a title full of innuendo, the story takes you step by step through the frustrations of pursuing the wrong suspects, the interference of a misled author, the deceptive efforts of an incarcerated murderer, and the histrionics of a deputy sheriff bent on attaching a serial killer to March’s murder victim.

Even more “noir” than its predecessor, Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand leaves us uneasy in the final scene but ultimately fulfilled for having read a so well-written and strangely touching story filled with dog-legged subplots and a more intimate look at Roland March

Reviewed by Nicole Petrino-Salter
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: July 2011

He was so very tired, unable to make sense of love and hate and covering. The faces of girls tore out at him from the darkness … screaming … He lay back, The stars stretched out vividly. The warrior of the stars was visible now, his mighty bow drawn. Across the galaxy, the lion roared his challenge, and the warrior met it, for all time, placed there by Yaweh for men like him to see.

Day of War is the story of a restless mercenary and the warlord rumored to one day be king to whom he pledges his allegiance. Benaniah’s troubled spirit has not been satisfied with skirmishes with Amalekites, Philistines or even one-on-one contests with man eating lions. But in the mysterious warlord David, he senses something of destiny. Something worth living and dying for.

By way of disclaimer I must admit Biblical novels are not my favorite. Too often writers, in an effort to spin a good story, try to one-up the sacred account. Plus, telling a story in which anyone who has read the original already knows the plot and giveaways is seldom done with the effect of great fiction. In this case debut author Cliff Graham has not only managed to stay true to the Scriptural account and avoid the usual pitfalls of such novels but has raised the bar to level that will take quite a while for anyone else to surpass.

Once joined with David’s men, Benaniah soon becomes acquainted with what the troops call, The Powerful Three, Josheb, Eleazar, and Shammah. They have all been on a campaign far from their home base of Ziklag bolstered by iron weapons from the Hittite Keth, a master forger. We are warned in the preface that this is a story of war written by a man who has seen it firsthand. There are pulse pounding battles with killer lions, terrifying raids on helpless civilians and heroic charges against overwhelming odds. This is the story of David’s Mighty Men, a diverse and disaffected group of warriors held together by their leader’s charisma, military leadership and the unyielding sense he hears from a God that has become a dim memory to those he leads.

What sets this story apart, however, is the depth Cliff Graham plums, in exploring the nature of manhood and the relationships forged between those men in the most horrific of circumstances. Benaniah is a great warrior but he is also a man beset by guilt, insecurities and nagging frustrations. Many of David’s band of misfits simply follow him for the sake of plunder and women. But Benaiah perceives something more in the warlord many call The Lion. He sees a man of purpose with a supernatural destiny. He sees a man who hears a voice he wishes he too could hear and understand.

For those who say fiction from Christian publishers does not touch on the realities of life enough, I suggest they might rethink that after reading Day of War. This is a brutally honest book. It tells of broken men seeking to make some sense out of a broken world. It is the ultimate antidote for the whimsical and too often feminized version many have come to believe a follower of God to be.

This is the first of a scheduled five installments that begins in Day of War with an introduction to David’s mighty men as they fight as mercenaries alongside pagan kings and will conclude with Twilight of War which will explore the effects of a life time of war on David and his kingdom. What began as a self-published work in 2009 has now morphed into a fully contracted series with Zondervan, multi-media graphic novel, and an option for a major motion picture that is fast on its way to full production by no less that the producer of Spider Man fame. In other words, this is story is already a franchise.

All I can say is – It’s about time.

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: June 2011

Review copy provided by Zondervan

A church cannot be as big and influential as Diamond Point … and not harbor some ugly secrets. Immorality? Manipulation? Fraud? Abuse of its tax-exempt status? Hypocritical pastors cashing in on the gullible flock? He was looking for a new investigative project … something Pulitzer worthy. As painful as this thing … was, it couldn’t come at a better time.

The Ambition is a story about just one thing – unbridled ambition. And, the best way to introduce it is through its cast of characters and the one ambition that drives each of them.

Tom Ryan O’Sullivan – second rate attorney son of a first rate Chicago legal legend whose one ambition has come to be paying off a gambling debt to people you don’t want to be in debt to.

Gary Strider – investigative journalist whose one ambition is to get that Pulitzer that he has come so close to in the past.

Eric Snow – one time head of a software empire and now CEO of an enterprise of a different sort, Diamond Point Fellowship. Though head of a mega church, his ambition is to do have a bigger stage for his vision of the Gospel.

While The Ambition is Les Strobel’s first novel, he is certainly no newcomer to the world of writing. And his credentials for writing this kind of story are beyond comparison. Strobel was legal journalist for the flagship paper, The Chicago Tribune, of a city known for strong arm politics. He was an atheist turned staff pastor in two of the cutting edge mega churches in America, Willow Creek and Saddle Back. And he has written numerous defenses of the faith seeking to answer some of the deepest questions of the human experience.

That firsthand knowledge permeates the pages as Strobel weaves a story of political power and greed, personal failing and hopes for redemption and a very real plot that has played out all too often among those who look to the political arena as a stage to carry out the Great Commission. Though Eric Snow, the pastor of Diamond Point Fellowship, at first seems to be the lead character he is really more like a leaf in the wind carried along by forces much greater than him. His ambition to be appointed interim senator of Illinois quickly removes him from the scene of real power – a church where God has decided to do something in spite of its leader.

The ending does seem a bit rushed leaving me to wonder if a sequel is not in the future. But, perhaps the ambiguous ending is intentional to the story. The reader is left to imagine how successful the characters are in finding their way after allowing ambition to rule over them. Even though there are some weighty elements to The Ambition, it is first and foremost a great story of suspense and intrigue. The plot is tight and the dialogue first rate.

There is no doubt this story will make some people uncomfortable while others will cheer, but be careful how quickly you see any one person as the villain. Strobel does a great job of pointing out how ambition and hypocrisy is not the sole property of any one element of the American political, journalistic or religious scene.

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: May 2011

Review copy provided by Zondervan electronically through NetGalley

Crocket Grey is a school teacher, a divorced weekend dad and a man on a collision course with his own inner demons. His story begins with his annual drunken binge held in honor of a daughter whose death a few years earlier left Crocket missing a piece of himself. But on this night before the Scotch Whiskey has had a chance to completely dull his pain or senses, he sees the ghost of his lost daughter at the window. What follows will change everything about the way Crocket Grey perceives the world and life.

In the Canary List, Sigmund Brouwer, immerses the reader in the story of a man forced to rethink everything about his life and reality. The image at his window is not a ghost but rather, Jamie, a 12 year foster child from his school class. Jamie’s request to spend one night in peace can’t be refused. And even though Crocket has the sense to have his elderly neighbor keep the girl for the night, the die is cast for his world to be turned inside out.

Jamie feels Evil. Not evil in some generic form but rather Evil personified in certain people she comes into contact with. As a result she has come under the guidance of a psychiatrist seeking to help her and a representative from the Vatican who has answered the doctor’s call for help. Before Crocket knows what is happening he is ensnared in a web of deception, cover-up and an incredible plot that threatens to either save or destroy the Catholic Church.

What makes this story work is its ambiguity. Crocket doesn’t believe in God, the supernatural and certainly not demons. The reader can’t miss the irony of a man who memorializes his dead daughter and failed marriage by drinking himself into oblivion but dismisses the possibility of demons without a thought. When he becomes a captive of a plot within the Vatican to “fix” the selection of the next Pope, he meets Cardinals just as conflicted, including an official exorcist who doesn’t believe any more than Crocket Grey.

If you are beginning to think this is a horror tale with little girls’ heads twisting in the wind, forget it. The Canary List is not that kind of a story. Instead, it is a story of intrigue that will leave you guessing to the very last page what really happened.

Some will take offense to Brouwer’s pulling back the curtain of secrecy on decades of sexual abuse by some officials within the Church. And, to further suggest chronic pedophilia among some priests is the result of even darker influences operating secretly within the Church will surely lead others to cry foul. Those that are offended need to read the book again! Hard answers are never offered. Instead, what the author does is tackle a difficult subject that deserves some explanation but too often has been covered up.

On a side note, the main character also leads the reader to consider how easy it is for someone’s life to be ruined by false accusations of child abuse. Crocket learns early on what even the hint of sexual abuse can accomplish. His nights in jail and dimming chances of reconciling with his ex-wife are testament to that. The moral of this story is that nothing is ever as it seems and simplistic answers to complicated problems can be as dark as the evil they claim to combat.

Aside from the difficult subject matter this is a great tale of suspense, intrigue and a frantic search for truth. It has all the elements this kind of suspense needs and in the tradition of Hitchcock leaves room for readers to debate among themselves what really happened

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Publication Date: June 2011

Advanced Readers Copy provided by Waterbrook Press

Nick Polchak is a forensic entomologist who understands one thing well … bugs. Everything else about life and people, not so much. And that is what has made Dr. Polchak such an interesting character in all of the novels in Tim Down’s, Bug Man series (Shoo Fly Pie, Chop Shop, First the Dead, Less Than Dead, and Ends of the Earth).

Author, Tim Downs left readers twisting in the wind at the conclusion of his last installment of his “Bug Man” series with Nick was facing the most terrifying crisis of his life. He had faced murderers and examined countless dead bodies but nothing had prepared him for that one. On the last page of Ends of the Earth, Nick asked someone to marry him. Unfortunately we didn’t know who. Nick of Time answers that question.

As we begin Nick of Time we now know Nick and Alena are preparing for their wedding. At least Alena is. Nick is still Nick. He is determined to attend a monthly meeting of experts who assist law enforcement in solving cold cases. Adding fuel to the fire of his determination is a message from an old friend that indicates there is a mystery to solve. So, amidst the protests of his wife-to-be he heads off with a promise to return in just a day. Their wedding, he reasons, isn’t until the weekend and he will be back in plenty of time. If you believe that you haven’t read the other Bug Man stories and you don’t know Nick Polchack.

Like Downs’ other novels in this series it is impossible to say more without ruining the fun. There are plenty of twists and red herrings in the mystery so I will leave those for the reader to discover and enjoy. It is better to focus here on the character that rises to the foreground and that is Alena. She is a woman who lives alone with her amusing crew of highly trained dogs that become important bit actors in this drama. If Nick has no focus, outside of bugs and mysteries, Alena is totally focused. She now knows what she wants and who she wants it with. She will not let go of Nick regardless of how distracted he may be.

With Nick failing to call for days (that’s another story in itself) Alena heads off in her truck to find him. Along the way she faces down would be molesters, a serial thief and an FBI agent. But you don’t need to worry about her. He canine companions are better protection than most heads of state have. If you know anything about Nick, Alena is the only woman on earth that could love him or live with him.

One of my favorite things about this series is the time Tim Downs has taken to develop Nick’s character. Like Dr. House in the popular TV show by the same name, Nick is one of those people that fascinate and frustrate all at the same time. Thankfully the publisher has allowed Downs the time to develop this character over time. There is a payoff in Nick of Time. We learn what happened early in Nick’s life that caused his disconnection from people and fascination with bugs. We get to see Nick have a couple of epiphanies of sorts. And we finally get to see the light bulb go on in Nick’s heart about what loving another human being, namely Alena, really means. But if you are expecting a neatly packaged ending you haven’t read the other Bug Man novels. There are always surprises in store when Nick Polchack does anything.

Reviewed by Tim George
Genre: Suspense
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: May 2011

Review copy provided by Thomas Nelson

The satisfaction of . . . Targets Down

Nothing is better than a retired FBI agent turning to writing fiction for his next career. Bob Hamer’s Targets Down is published by Broadman & Holman’s imprint Fidelis Books and delivers the authenticity a reader expects from a former undercover agent.

The cocky but accomplished Matt Hogan works undercover for the FBI, and when the wife of a fellow agent has car trouble on a quiet road and is beaten, shot, and left for dead but survives, Matt’s instructed to find out who and why. This assignment takes him to a Russian-owned and operated strip club where the young performers service men in various ways. Determined to discover how the Russian gangster-capitalist Boris operates, Matt gains his favor through the cousin of a meth-head who happens to be one of Boris’ henchmen.

More than once Matt’s cover is almost blown and the operation seems always to be hampered by the woman he dubs the “Queen Mother”, the Special Agent in Charge of the Terrorism Division of the Los Angeles Field Office of the FBI. Woefully inexperienced in the perils of undercover work, she constantly makes everything more difficult and treacherous than it already is.

The ruthless Boris and his equally sadistic inner circle who favor neo-Nazism dispose of anyone who causes Boris problems or dissatisfaction while Boris exploits the needs of those who will pay a lot of money for what they want, including terrorists. Matt’s quick thinking keeps him safe when his cover is threatened, and because Boris can use him, he seems willing to accept Matt’s explanations.

Bob connects the seemingly loose threads in this novel concerning Caitlin, Matt’s wife who is an elementary teacher and a woman of faith, and a Russian illegal immigrant, making his way through the dangerous Sonora desert to Los Angeles to find Boris, in a satisfying manner.

Bob’s use of dialogue and Matt’s asides work well to establish both the character and intensity of Matt’s work, portraying the undercover agent as fully aware of the challenge involved in not slipping too deep into the cover personality while trying to shake it off to be the loving husband he is at home. If there’s a weakness, it might be a couple of extraneous predictable and improbable plot elements but none that really disengage the reader from the overall story.

This novel illustrates the complexities and constant dangers involved in undercover work at this level. More of a suspense novel than a thriller Targets Down works for readers who enjoy procedural FBI stories with a solid but flawed hero who’s a bit of a rebel when it comes to ridiculous rules: my kinda guy! I think Bob Hamer will improve with every new book he writes.

Reviewed by Genre: Nicole Petrino-Salter
Suspense
Publisher: B&H
Publication Date: June 2011

Advanced reader’s copy provided by B&H