Archive for the ‘Thriller’ Category

THE AMBITION: A NOVEL
Lee Strobel
ISBN: 978-0310292678 (Hardcover)
ASIN: B004DCAUYC (Kindle)
May 2011 (Hardcover)
May 2011 (Kindle)
Zondervan Publishing
Inspirational Fiction/Suspense
Inspirational Fiction/Thriller

Start with a murder case being brought to trial along with a corrupt judge. Then toss in a cynical reporter looking for a big story that might put him back in contention for a Pulitzer; and just to give the story an added twist fold in a disillusioned Evangelical pastor who is now hungry for more power and you will have most all of the ingredients for the intricate suspense thriller THE AMBITION penned by the New York Times best selling author Lee Strobel.

***   THE AMBITION started off with a bang. With a small time bookie trying to make a little extra on the side by skimming of of his street tax. Only the bookie got caught and was murdered by a relative of the reigning mob boss.   Now the hit man was a relative of the ‘boss’ so he contacted a lawyer who owed the ‘boss’ a great deal of money, because of a gambling addiction, to bring a monetary bribe  to a corrupt judge.  Said lawyer taped his conversation with the judge and soon after most all the lives he touched were in danger.  This whole scenario set up THE AMBITION for the events that followed.

What author Strobel did was to throw in the frustration of a cynical, once top news journalist who was looking for that one story that would help him regain his once notable status in the shark tank of his journalistic society.  Using his own notable journalistic background Strobel was able to make Gary Strider come to vivid life, with the endless leads, follow-up background checks, and simply an instinct for finding that one bit of information that opens the whole “can of worms” which would put his name back on the top of the heap.

The bigger story is an insiders view of what goes on behind the closed doors of the political big-whigs.  Mainly the grooming and molding of a candidate for a senatorial seat. Namely the attractive and dynamic Pastor Eric Snow, a man who had built a back room congregation into a colossal mega church.  Strobel showed Eric as a good man, but sometimes good men can be manipulated and Strobel exhibited this with a deft hand and keen understanding.

Bottom Line:  THE AMBITION  is a fast paced thriller that covers a lot of ground from the back rooms of the mob to the fast deals, manipulations and payoffs going on in the highest political offices of this country.  The scenario’s may be fiction, but the question remains, “what if.”  Very interesting reading!

Marilyn Rondeau for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

GHOSTWALKERS BOOK 6: PREDATORY GAME
Christine Feehan
Performed by Tom Stechschulte
ISBN:  978-0515144284 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B002GPFIOK (Unabridged Audio Book)
ASIN: B002YKOXEI (Kindle eBook)
Feb 2008 (Mass Market Paperback)
July 2009 ( Unabridged Audio Book)
Feb 2008 (Kindle eBook)
Penguin Putnam/Jove Books/BBC Audio
Romantic Suspense
Thriller

Saber Wynter is on the run when she meets ex-Navy SEAL and Ghostwalker Jess Calhoun (introduced in MIND GAME – Book 2 of the series).  Saber had been brought up as another orphaned (adopted) child of Dr. Whitney’s lab rats; trained to kill with her psychic power of generating electric impulses by touching her victims and causing heart seizures. Finally escaping and trying to stay one step ahead of Whitney’s goons to force her back, Saber had become a loner, trusting no one, until meeting Jess and working in his radio station.  All was going well until Saber became the target of a perverted stalker, who was in the employ of Dr. Whitney who eventually brought danger down on both of them.  With Jess in a wheel chair it seemed as though Saber would have to fight alone, but Jess had a few tricks up his sleeves including a massive supply of gadgets and weapons – as well as a long life line to the rest of his ‘brothers in arms’ the Ghostwalkers.

***  In book 6 of Christine Feehan’s incredible Ghostwalker series, PREDATORY GAME ends up being more about relationships versus her normally high octane adventure.  Jess had in MIND GAME lost the use of his legs, however it had no impact on his abilities of being a safe anchor to Saber.  Ms. Feehan kept the riddle of how both Saber and Jess’s past would collide softened by the respect and love that grew between them before shattering any promise of a future.

As mentioned before Jess had some inkling of Saber being different but he never delved into her past and respected her privacy, just as Saber respected his.  In that way their relationship was easy to watch and grow as their physical desire increased  somewhat by the pheromones (enhanced by Whitney) helped to induce the attraction.

Saber was a great lead and it was amazing to discover what kind of psychic talent Ms. Feehan gave this  character; her ability to be a silent assassin was pretty mind blowing where all she had to do was touch and cause a heart attack.   Pretty wild stuff!

Jess, although confined to a wheel chair was still a deadly weapon with all the gadgets he’d designed for the safety of his home and person.

Bottom Line: This was not as high an adventure as other books in the series as the action took place in a more confined space but the human emotion, love, and sensuality was a joy to watch.  Definitely a recommended read.

Marilyn Rondeau for, www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com