Rob Sinclair

Dead Reckoning by Rob Sinclair
Simon Peake #1

~ Dark, gritty, action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end ~ Couldn’t put it down ~

What I liked:
* Simon Peake: warrior, ex-military for British, checkered past, dark-gray anti-hero, protective, a bit of a cipher as little is learned about his past and who he really is, his willingness to do “the job” and his impressive array of skills, that he actually seems to care…maybe?
* The women in this story that Simon got to know and care show more about: his neighbor - Jelena and Katie - a potential love interest
* The dual timeline moving between Simon’s time on black ops assignment Operation Zeus eight years before he lands a job with the Lafferty family
* That I was grabbed on page and had to find out what happened
* Beginning to care about Simon and a few of the others even though there weren’t any really “good” people in the story
* That though graphic in portraying what happens in painful scenes…it is not so detailed and explicit that I had to close the book or skip pages
* That this is not a “Reacher wannabe” but of a similar genre – I think Simon might have more personality as we get to know him…maybe?
* That I was left wanting to find out what will happen next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how war and being in some military positions must impact a person mentally, physically, and emotionally while enlisted and then after they return to civilian life
* Thinking about how evil some people, and governments, are and what they are willing to do to promote their agendas

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars show less

It's the party of the year and Sophie Blackwood is waitressing. When one of the guests sexually harasses her, Oliver, the son of the party's hosts, rescues her and invites her to leave the party for a stroll around the grounds,. At one point Oliver disappears. As time passes, she begins to worry and when she hears a sound, she's terrified that Oliver is returning with friends to take advantage of the isolation. What happens, though, is much much worse. Then the bodies really start piling show more up.

The Rules of Murder by author Rob Sinclair is the second book in the Dani Stephens series and it is one hell of an addicting, fast-paced, twisty, no-holds-barred thrill ride. The story is told from the perspective of Dani, one of the officers investigating who is recovering from an earlier attack that has left her with some brain damage. Her narrative is occasionally interrupted by that of the killer. Although the murderer is quickly uncovered, it is obvious that he couldn't possibly plan the murders so the real question is who is manipulating him. And here is my one real quibble with the book-we are given several possible candidates that are quickly eliminated mostly because he kills them until we are left with only one but it is never fully clear, at least to me, what's behind his actions now or in the past - then again, this is the second book in the series but the first I have read so maybe if I had read the other, I would have a better understanding. Despite this, I quite enjoyed The Rules of Murder and highly recommend it with one caveat - there is some extreme violence and some gruesome descriptions of the victims so you might want to consider that before you read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

This is one rip-roaring roller coaster ride involving Carl Logan, a very damaged individual who works for an organisation jointly funded by the US and the U.K. Set off to try and find what has happened to the US Attorney General who has been kidnapped in Paris, he becomes involved with a Federal Agent, Angela Grainger, also with a past. When Selim, a long time target for Logan, becomes involved the whole matter escalates into something else entirely. Logan is good at what he does which show more involves harming others and also making many enemies. Most of the story is set in France. There is quite an amount of violence and action, and it really motors on with just a few calmer moments helping to provide explanations and background. I look forward to the next in the series. show less

First book I read from Rob Sinclair was [b:Sleeper 13|36513537|Sleeper 13 (Sleeper 13, #1)|Rob Sinclair|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509510796l/36513537._SY75_.jpg|58234254] (if you are fan of action thrillers and did not read it by all means give it a go). It was fast paced story with likeable characters and lots of action.

While waiting on the sequel for the above book in my local bookstore I came across The Red Cobra. Synopsis intrigued me (former show more intelligence officer trying to live off the grid using new name when his past starts catching up with him) and I have to say that this one is quite a tour de force.

Main character (Logan aka James Ryker) is drawn into investigating death of the famous assassin, woman known under moniker Red Cobra. She and Ryker crossed paths before and this qualifies him to perform the investigation and finally determine if Red Cobra is dead or not.

And this is from where the story starts. If Jack Reacher is self guiding missile tackling injustice where he encounters it, Ryker is a bloody cluster bomb that goes for full effect. Unlike Reacher who has some boundaries and is known to circle around the enemy before taking them down, Ryker comes up as a type of person that has the skills and does not care who is on his way (1, 2 or battalion of bad guys or full concrete wall and tank or two) he goes full frontal - if he is out to get them he will get them and opposition wont like it. At all.

Action is very gory and this might not be everyone's cup of tea. Everything is very visual and you can see all the broken bones and bodies with your mind's eye.

All in all very good action thriller. Ending was quite a twist and I have another series to track :)

Recommended to all fans of action thriller. show less