Tag: thriller review

Review: The Amalfi Secret by Dean and Catherine Reineking

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

When Gabe Roslo arrives in Amalfi, Italy, a long-awaited reunion with his grandparents takes a tragic turn. His beloved grandfather is dead—and a cryptic diary left behind is Gabe’s only clue to the mystery surrounding his sudden death. But what starts as a personal tragedy quickly spirals into a high-stakes international puzzle.

Teaming up with Anna, a resourceful Roman local, Gabe follows a trail of hidden truths that stretches from the stunning Amalfi coast to the corridors of global power. Secret codes, powerful enemies, and a legacy of deception pull them into a world where nothing is as it seems. With each twist, they are forced to question their allies and uncover dark secrets that could shift the global balance of power.

But as the walls close in, Gabe and Anna must risk everything to expose the truth before it’s buried forever. Will they decipher the mystery and reveal the sinister forces at play? Or will they become the next victims of The Amalfi Secret?
Perfect for fans of Dan Brown and Robert Ludlum, The Amalfi Secret is a pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the final, breathtaking twist.

Favorite Lines:

“She was slight of stature and frail to look at, but he knew from experience that she had an inner strength that would get her through almost any trial.”

“The Italians sure have style. Only  here would someone wear black leather driving gloves.”

“We Italians are more concerned with beauty than perfection.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Amalfi Secret is the kind of thriller that sneaks up on you. It starts quietly, almost cinematically, and before you realize it, you’ve been swept into a world of prophecies, politics, and secrets buried deep in the marble corridors of history. The story moves between the present and the past with a rhythm that feels effortless, and even when the stakes climb, the authors manage to keep the human element right where it belongs—at the center. What surprised me most wasn’t the espionage or the religious intrigue, but the emotion underneath it all. It’s a story about love, legacy, and how far people will go to protect the truth.

There’s a gravity to the writing that reminds me of old-school political thrillers, but with more heart. Gabe Roslo is not your typical hero; he’s quietly capable, haunted, and deeply loyal. His grief feels genuine, and his need for answers pulls you along as much as the mystery itself. The story’s backdrop—the cliffs of Amalfi, the solemn air of Rome, the shadowed corners of the Vatican—adds an atmospheric beauty to the unfolding tension. You can almost smell the sea salt and espresso as danger closes in.

I also appreciated that the authors didn’t rush the reveal. They take their time, letting secrets drip out through journal entries, coded mirrors, and the wary exchanges between friends who might not be what they seem. Every conversation feels loaded, every clue slightly out of reach. The pacing builds slowly but deliberately. And just when you think you understand the scope of the story, it widens again—to global conspiracies, ancient orders, and moral choices that test faith and loyalty.

This isn’t just a novel about espionage or religion—it’s about the spaces between them. About belief turned dangerous, power wrapped in prophecy, and how history never stays buried for long. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience and curiosity, a blend of The Da Vinci Code’s intrigue with All the Light We Cannot See’s emotional depth. If you like stories that balance intellect with heart, this one lingers after you close the book.

Summary:

Overall, The Amalfi Secret is a richly layered political and historical thriller that blends mystery, faith, and love against a vivid European backdrop. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers, religious or historical mysteries, dual-timeline narratives, and character-driven suspense. Happy reading!

Check out The Amalfi Secret here!

 

Review: Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan

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Synopsis:

For underworld enforcer Richard “Rico” Sanders, it seemed like an ordinary job: retrieve his gangster boss’s stolen goods, and teach the person responsible a lesson.

But the chase quickly goes sideways and takes Rico from the mean streets of Chicago to sunny Honolulu. There, the hardened hit man finds himself in uncharted territory, when innocent bystanders are accidentally embroiled in a crime.

As Rico pursues his new targets, hunter and prey develop an unlikely respect for one another.

Soon, he is faced with a momentous decision: follow his orders to kill the very people who have won his admiration, or refuse and endanger the life of the woman he loves?

Favorite Lines:

“If you were in a fight for your life against hopeless odds and could pick just one person to help even them out, he would be your choice every time.”

“You remind me a little of myself before I smartened up.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pigeon-Blood Red begins like a crime story you think you already know — a lost item, a hitman, a debt gone bad — but Ed Duncan turns it into something surprisingly human. Beneath the violence and deception runs a quiet thread of loyalty, fear, and the tiny sparks of conscience that survive even in people who’ve long given up pretending to be good.

The story follows Rico — a disciplined, unflinching enforcer whose calm masks something almost noble — and Robert McDuffie, a desperate gambler who makes one very bad choice: stealing a necklace worth far more than his life. It’s a story built on momentum — one thing going wrong after another, until everything comes crashing down.

What I liked most is how Duncan writes violence without glamorizing it. His sentences are clean and deliberate, as if his characters are trying to convince themselves that control is still possible. But there’s always something cracking beneath the surface — a conscience, a flicker of guilt, or maybe just exhaustion.

The pacing works—sharp dialogue, short scenes, no filler. You can tell Duncan knows this world, but he never overexplains it. I finished it in a single sitting and wanted to keep going, which is all you can really ask from a crime novel.

If you like your crime fiction with heart — not sentimental, but human — this one will surprise you. It’s about how easy it is to cross a line, and how hard it is to come back once you do.

Summary:

Overall, Pigeon-Blood Red is a fast-moving crime thriller that digs into the choices people make when survival is the only goal left. It’s not just about gangsters or stolen jewels — it’s about what happens when morality and necessity collide. It’s a story for readers who like their thrillers grounded in realism, where the danger feels as psychological as it does physical. Happy reading!

Check out Pigeon-Blood Red here!

 

Review: The Collectors by Richard A. Danzig

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Synopsis:

The Collectors is the third book in the award winning Chance Cormac legal thriller series. The first two books “Facts Are Stubborn Things” and “Punch Line” are both best sellers on Amazon.

Chance is retained by a client who believes that he has been the victim of fraud when he purchased a valuable abstract painting that may be a forgery. Chance soon learns that both the painting and his client, might not be what they seem.

Chance is then summoned to Costa Rica to help Damian and JR who are caught up in the black market of selling human organs. Facing police corruption and danger, it may be too late to help to save his friends.

Favorite Lines:

“Art is meant to be seen. A painting in a vault is like a flower growing underground.”

“I learned early on that one of the keys to success is to always delegate responsibility to the most capable person.”

“I’m the luck one. A dream job doing the two things I love most – looking at art and making money.”

“I think if she wants it, it’s the best lesson in life. To work hard at something you love, to build confidence and self-esteem. Learn to win and learn to lose. Laugh because it’s only a game.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Richard A. Danzig’s The Collectors is a fast-paced thriller set at the intersection of the art world and organized crime, following Chance, and a cast of allies and enemies as they navigate stolen masterpieces, criminal networks, and personal codes of loyalty. 

What drew me into The Collectors right away was its mix of adrenaline and atmosphere. This isn’t just a story about stolen art—it’s about survival, identity, and the ways people justify the choices they make when life pushes them to the edge. From the early combat fight scenes, to the moments of quiet reflection on scars—both physical and emotional—the book doesn’t let you forget that its characters are people who have already paid heavy prices.

The art-world angle was particularly fascinating. Paintings aren’t just commodities here—they’re symbols of power, greed, and memory. Beauty becomes dangerous when hidden, hoarded, or traded like currency, and Danzig captures that tension with sharp precision.

At the same time, the book is driven by relationships. Family promises sit alongside the betrayals and shifting loyalties of the criminal underworld. These contrasts give the novel depth. It isn’t just about art forgery or organized crime—it’s about what people decide is worth protecting, and what they’re willing to sacrifice along the way.

By the time the story edges toward its conclusion, it becomes clear that the heart of The Collectors isn’t the money, the fame, or even the paintings. That’s what stayed with me. For all its action, the novel lingers because it asks readers to think about what truly matters when everything else can be bought or stolen.

Summary:

Combining gritty action with meditations on beauty, family, and survival, The Collectors delivers both suspense and heart—reminding us that beneath the heists and betrayals, the real stakes are love, trust, and what it means to protect what’s yours. It’s a story that entertains, but it also lingers after the final page, asking bigger questions about what we value and protect when the world demands compromise. Readers who enjoy thrillers, contemporary fiction, and character driven crime novels may enjoy this book. Happy reading!

Check out The Collectors  here!

 

Monthly Features – June 2025

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A Song at Dead Man’s Cove by Ana Yudin

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Never turn your back on the ocean…

2023. Another person has disappeared at Dead Man’s Cove in coastal Washington. Jaded from her job at the historic Irving Hotel, Zarya wanders to the scene of the tragedy. She has heard her Russian mother’s tales of rusalki—vengeful spirits that have died unclean deaths near a body of water—and never paid them much attention. But now, on a misty headland beside an abandoned lighthouse, Zarya locks eyes with the rusalka and is chosen to be the next victim. She must unearth the siren’s tragedy before Rusalka Week, a period in early summer when water-spirits roam freely on land.

1850. Josephine has just joined her newlywed husband in Washington, in the lighthouse erected by local businessman Hurley Irving. Marriage is not quite what she expected, and her melancholia grows over the course of the winter. The medic prescribes pregnancy as the antidote. What he doesn’t realize is how far Josephine is willing to go in order to become a mother.

The Gothic horror novel follows two protagonists, a modern-day misanthrope who fears intimacy and a woman in the Victorian era who thinks stealing love will make her whole. But how long can a person hide from love, and can love really be taken by force?

Summary: A Song at Dead Man’s Cove is a mesmerizing, multilayered ghost story that manages to be both otherworldly and deeply human. Ana Yudin delivers a narrative that is as much about ancestral trauma and unspoken truths as it is about sirens and shipwrecks. It’s a tale of women silenced by history—singing now through salt and shadow to be heard.

Highly recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Erin Morgenstern, and readers who crave gothic atmosphere with a feminist edge.

See the full review here: A Song at Dead Man’s Cove
Purchase here

 

With Time to Kill by Frank Ferrari

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Everyone deserves a second chance, but how far would you go for one?

In the gritty streets of Edinburgh, Garry Plumb is about to find out. Living life on the periphery, never fitting in and always on his own, Garry’s world opens up when he meets Billy, the peculiar bus driver who has been watching him. Billy knows exactly how it feels to be ignored and his influence on Garry is immediate.

For the first time, Garry knows what it means to have his very own best friend. But this friendship is unlike any other, as Billy reveals how Garry can fix his entire life by changing his past.

But when the DCI John Waters, a relentless detective hunting a clever serial killer, enters Garry’s life, their friendship is put to the ultimate test.

Garry is willing to do anything for a second chance at life but, after meeting Billy, he has to ask would he kill for it?

This dark and captivating tale of self-discovery, murder and redemption will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With Time to Book One, a perfect blend of Scottish crime and sci-fi thriller, will leave you wanting more.

Summary: Overall, With Time to Kill is a gleefully dark mash-up of police procedural, serial-killer horror, and high-concept time travel. If you like your thrillers smart, Scottish, and just a little bit unhinged, clear an evening—you’ll race through this and immediately want the sequel.

See the full review here: With Time to Kill
Purchase here

 

The People Who Paint Rocks by Michael Stewart Hansen

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: The People Who Paint Rocks is a multi-generational horror epic that transcends the boundaries of its genre. What begins as a period horror/drama in 1910 Santa Fe evolves into a chilling supernatural thriller by 1975, where a pregnant nurse and a detective tormented by spiritual doubt race to stop an evil older than memory. A moody, unsettling, and unrelentingly atmospheric work that grips the reader from the first page and refuses to let go.

The opening act is steeped in Western gothic, introducing us to Albert McCord, a grieving husband and father seeking revenge on the wolf that took his family. But the creature he hunts is no ordinary predator—it is the origin of something far more terrifying. Hansen cleverly seeds this early chapter with themes of loss, legacy, and the illusion of control. Albert’s struggle is both physical and existential, as he fends off his late wife’s scheming family while unknowingly chasing a malevolent force that will haunt generations to come.

Fast-forward to 1975, and the novel pivots into psychological horror, following Charlie, a pregnant nurse caught in a web of ritualistic murders, and Alonzo, a detective whose beliefs are unraveling. This shift is not jarring but deliberate, echoing the disjointed sense of time that defines much of the book’s unsettling tone. The narrative connection between Albert and the events six decades later becomes a dark thread pulling the characters toward an inevitable confrontation.

Summary: Overall, The People Who Paint Rocks is a gritty, big-hearted mash-up of western, creature feature, and generational ghost story. Come for the demon wolf and six-gun showdowns, stay for the way Hansen turns painted pebbles into the creepiest grave markers this side of Stephen King country. It’s messy, mean, and—when the sun finally comes up over Red Rocks—oddly hopeful.

See the full review here: The People Who Paint Rocks
Purchase here

 

Review: Deadly Vision by T.D. Severin

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Synopsis:

A revolutionary medical breakthrough. A technology, so advanced, people will kill to prevent its discovery. Dr. Taylor Abrahms, rising above his troubled past, is an expert in the burgeoning field of Medical Virtual Reality. A gifted researcher, he’s created an experimental fusion of virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and microsurgery that will revolutionize the way surgery is performed. With the Virtual Heart Project (VHP), Taylor can enter a virtual recreation of his patient’s beating heart and perform critical, life-saving surgery entirely within the realm of virtual reality. But in the political war zone of San Francisco University Medical Center, not everyone is thrilled. With a health care crisis threatening to bankrupt the nation, advanced biotechnology is a flashpoint in health care reform. Taylor’s research is scapegoated and he finds himself caught between warring factions in medicine and politics that will do anything to shut his project down, a battle that rages all the way to an upcoming Presidential election. Soon, Taylor finds himself the target of nonstop attacks: the destruction of his career, scientific sabotage, and murder, as those associated with the Virtual Heart Project are killed, one by one. Fighting for his medical career and eventually his life, Deadly Vision tells the tale of Taylor’s battle against overwhelming odds, political machinations, sabotage and murder, to bring this modern technology to reality and save the life of someone he loves.

Favorite Lines:

“Face time was a powerful currency in power-hungry Washington.”

“Blind idealism is a death sentence, Taylor.”

“Taylor didn’t think he’d ever get used to how amazing it was, to be standing inside a beating heart.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Todd Severin’s Deadly Vision tees up a Silicon-Valley whistle-blower murder, a bleeding-edge medical breakthrough, and a scorched-earth U.S. Senate race—then fires the starting gun on page one. The plot bounces between Dr. Taylor Abrahms, an earnest ER resident refining a “Virtual Heart” laser-surgery platform, and Senator Randolph McIntyre, a savvy populist who smells political gold in attacking Big Tech. Their collision course is set the moment a frantic programmer is gunned down on his way to the Justice Department, and the tension never really lets up.

Characters drive the fun. Abrahms is the sort of bright-eyed idealist who still believes science can change the world if you just work hard enough, while McIntyre is a back-slapping master of the photo-op who weaponises public fear with chilling ease. The supporting cast pops off the page too—think caffeine-fueled coders, hospital lifers who can fillet a budget request with two sharp questions, and money-men who treat venture capital like live ammunition.

What makes the thriller click is how grounded the breakthrough tech feels. Severin layers in the grant meetings, committee approvals, and cost-benefit knife fights that usually get hand-waved in this genre. When Abrahms finally demo-drives his digital heart, it’s exhilarating and utterly believable—but you can feel lobbyists and bureaucrats waiting to pounce the second something misfires.

Beneath the chase scenes and Senate hearings lurks a real ethical debate: how far should medicine bend to politics, and who actually benefits when it does? Severin lets those questions simmer without slowing the pace. A couple of late-book twists flirt with movie-villain bombast, yet the breathless energy carries them over the line and straight into a satisfyingly tense finale.

Summary:

Overall, Deadly Vision is a big, crunchy page-turner for anyone who likes their techno-thrillers wired with hospital monitors and Beltway intrigue. Expect smart science, messy conspiracies, and a hero stubborn enough to keep swinging even when the stakes jump from research funding to national security. Happy reading!

Check out Deadly Vision here!