Jon Land

Who do you think wrote Murder on the Metro? Margaret Truman? Jon Land? The Estate of Margaret Truman owns the copyright on the novel. She, of course, has been dead for over 10 years. Is the Estate licensing her name to make money? I don't know how this works but I do not believe that she wrote or plotted this novel. I guess it doesn't matter much as it was a fabulous read.

The story begins with a busy day. A drone killed people in a terrorist attack in Caesarea, Israel, an American vice show more president died of an apparent heart attack and a former spook thwarted a suicide bomber on Washington DC's Metro. There is a connection between all three of these events and the pursuit of the truth leads to the highest echelons of power in Washington. Israel's Lia Ganz and American Robert Brixton work as fast as possible to prevent millions of Americans from dying in a catastrophe that will change the U. S. forever.

The Washington DC setting is very familiar to me. I have visited there on countless occasions so I understand how secrets work. The author was able to harness his knowledge of the same with a bit of suspense too. The chapters are short, mostly 2 pages, making the pace seem super fast.

The main characters of the Capitol Crimes series are MacKenzie and Annabelle Smith. However, their roles in this story are minimal. They were basically secondary characters. As a regular reader of the series this did not seem normal to me. Israeli agent Lia Ganz and former State Department employee Robert Brixton take the Smith's place in Murder on the Metro. Both are great characters, though, at times I felt that I was reading a Brad Thor novel. The elements of a spy thriller are all on display here. Not that this is bad. It just wasn't what I expected from a Margaret Truman novel. Her writing showed more insight into why Washingtonians behave the way they do and her plots were different than the typical spy thriller.

The book is unputdownable and all mystery lovers will enjoy reading it. show less

Strong Cold Dead is the first book Caitlin Strong book I have read, but I'm pretty sure it will not be my last. I'm actually quite sure about that since the first thing I did after finishing this book was ordering the first book. Lucky me that have seven unread Caitlin Strong books to read.

So, what was it that got me so enthralled that I just had to buy myself the first book? When it comes to books so are some so good that I feel right from the start that this is a 5-star book. And, this one show more felt like that. And, not for a moment did I waver from that thought. Strong Cold Dead has several fascinated characters, and of course, Caitlin is one of them, but also just loved to read Caitlin's great-great-grandfather Steeldust Jack Strong's POV in the book, who like Caitlin was a Texas Ranger. I was fascinated with the mystery of what it was on the Indian reservation that was so special and what secret the people living there are hiding from the outside world. And, to top it all, suddenly we have ISIS also involved in the story. There is a lot of jumping between characters, but that never really bothered me and this is one book were both parallel storylines (the one in the present and the one 150 years before) were equally interesting to read. The addition of a mystery from the 1930s added some extra intrigue to the story.

Strong Cold Dead was a fantastic book, well-written, and I've taken to my heart both Caitlin and Steeldust Jack Strong. They are so well-developed and fascinating that I just can't wait to read more about them. There is a lot of action, but also some very poignant moments. In short, this book has all the ingredients I love, humor, action, mystery, and tragedy. And, I wish to God that I had the first book right now! I'm even tempted to order book two in the series, I'm hooked!

I want to thank Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede show less

I am so happy to be back into a rootin’ tootin’ Caitlin Strong adventure. The Texas Rangers and Nazis…doesn’t bode well for the Nazis. LOL

Right off, Jon Land does what he does so well, makes me so curious and surprised about our prisoner of war camps in Texas during World War II, that questions arise. Why have I never thought of this before? Was I never taught in school? Is is true? I know a lot of people don’t care one way or another about prologues, but this one sure did it’s show more job. Sent me straight to Google. I had to know more.

I can picture Caitlin on top of the fire truck, spraying the rioters with the fire hose like Al Capone sprayed his enemies with his tommy gun. A young woman is in distress, possibly being raped, and nothing will stop Caitlin from going to her rescue.

If you are not familiar with Caitlin, let me introduce you. She comes from a long line of Texas Rangers, but until she was raped in college, she had no plans to follow in their footsteps. Now…she’s a kickass, no holds barred force to be reckoned with. She goes in with guns blazing, her fists and legs pumping, doling out justice.

I love that Jon Land is constantly challenging Caitlin in personal and professional ways.

She teams up with her sweetie, Cort Wesley. He’s an ex Green Beret, maybe a bit tarnished, but that will only serve him well when he meets up with Armand Fiskar. Armand is the son of the man who created the Aryan Nation, only he has more grandiose plans.

I am lovin’ Paz, an ex Venezuelan secret policeman, sent to kill Cort. Now they walk together. I love characters who have walked the wild side, yet are able to redeem themselves.

And neo Nazis…smacks of reality.

Cort, Paz, and even Caitlin, though she doesn’t acknowledge it, have a little bit of help from the paranormal.

Moments to laugh, moments of anger, smiles and frowns, humanity in all its glory and disgust.

Jon Land’s creative writing shows his humorous side, when he allows his characters to replace the Captain’s cigarettes with the candy kind. Do you remember eating them as a kid?

The Aryan Nation, neo nazis, bioterrorism, organ transplants, weapons of mass destruction…so many underlying plots culminate in a blown out ending. I am a lifelong fan and eagerly await each and every story Jon Land has to tell.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Strong to the Bone by Jon Land.

To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com show less

WOW. That Prologue sure got my heart pounding and it’s ‘funny’ I read this right now, because I was just talking about hazardous waste, how they transport it, where it goes, what happens to it over time, and how frightening the whole situation is.

It all starts for Robert, an investigator, and his soon to be ally, Kelly Lofton, who is a member of the Capitol Police, with a shooting on the capitol steps. Terrorists? If terrorists, are they foreign or domestic?

Robert prays that he won’t show more lose another member of his family to violence. His grandson, Max, was on those steps. Max is a chip off the old block. Because of his past ‘work’, Robert knows many people who work in the shadows and he will need all the help he can get. Robert and Kelly both play by their own rules, so it’s not surprising that the threads they are both following bring them together.

Kelly was unfairly let go from her job with Baltimore Homicide. She had been good enough to be the city’s youngest female homicide detective, and she was also African American. The Blue Wall (of evil) reared its ugly head and I am ticked off for her. She makes unilateral decisions, holding things close to the vest and opening the door for those close to her to betray her.

I love damaged characters. I find it interesting, how they struggle through their daily lives, striving to do the right thing, to have a happy home life, while situations beyond their control cause them to put their lives on the line.

Government secrets…I know we need them. How else can we fight against those who want to bring us down. But, that also leaves things open for abuse. Just like anything else, those who want to do good…will. Those who want to do bad…will. I love how Jon Land incorporates bits of reality into his stories. It’s these bits of reality that make the story even more frightening. Some even sound like current events you would hear on the news…or leaked from behind closed doors.

The suspense and tension are ramping up. The action is nonstop. I am beginning to be very worried for some of the characters. How much danger is coming their way? Will they all make it, or will someone pay the ultimate price. Either way, they are in it to the end.

The more I read, the more I feel a sense of urgency. Not just to stop whatever is coming, but to save the lives of the characters. And, isn’t there always some religious zealot making his grab for power, not caring how many he destroys to gain it? We get to see into the mind of evil and find his motivation.

Each chapter hops to a characters moment in time. I love/hate it because it ramps up my need to know, mauybe even stop what happens next. LOL As if I could.

Even though I always recommend starting a series with the first book, it is not necessary. Each book can stand alone. I had never read any of the series before Jon Land starting writing it and began the series with Murder on the Metro. I don’t feel like it affects the book, but it does make me curious about Robert and his past.

We have seen how fragile democracy is and how easily someone can twist things to try to achieve their own agenda, whether greed, power, or just plan hate. Murder at the CDC is a story that seems all too real, but…

WHEW…Brixton and Kelly will live to fight another day. Will they do it together? I know that Robert is the main character, but I love Kelly and hope I get to see more of her.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Murder at the CDC by Jon Land.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com show less