You Can't Make This Up by Al Michaels and L. Jon Wertheim

It was pretty good, but for some odd reason I couldn't put it down. Wish Michaels had narrated the whole thing. Lot's of stories co-insided with my growing up timeline.

The Discarded by Brett Battles

The best of the books (earlier ones I read were pretty weak) in the Jonathan Quinn (Book 8) series. Would listen to the next.

The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow

Ex mafia hit man called back into action. Likable characters, I'd listen to Winslow again.

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

Enjoyable Sherlock Holmes.

Cliff Walk by Bruce DeSilva

Enjoyable.

Book of Souls Glenn Cooper

Too much going on in one book but the author still manages to put forth an interesting tale.

The Escape by David Baldacci

Very enjoyable.

Invisible Prey by John Sandford

Most excellent. PW In the richest neighborhood of Minneapolis, two elderly women lie murdered in their home, killed with a pipe, the rooms tossed, only small items stolen. It is clearly the random work of someone looking for money to buy drugs. But as Davenport looks more closely, he begins to wonder whether the items are actually so small and the victims so random; if there might not be some invisible agenda at work here. Gradually, a pattern begins to emerge, and it leads him to...certainly nothing he ever expected.

Brainrush by Richard Bard

Don't ever read this author again.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Fresh. Best book of the year.

Naked Prey by John Sandford

Lucas Davenport, book 14, consistent and enjoyable.

The Burning Room by Michael Connelly

A very enjoyable cop mystery but you always hope for outstanding with Connelly. This was not among his best works but even so I was compelled to come back to see what happened next.

Trident: The Forging and Reforging of a Navy SEAL Leader by Jason Redman, John Bruning

This was really enjoyable and I kept wanting to come back to hear more.

Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson

I look forward to Johnson's release each year and was disappointed when this one turned out to be a collection of short stories. Disappointed until I read them, these are super stories - bite sized chunks of pleasure. Very good.

The Collected by Brett Battles

Battles is never going to be a great read. He prefers to talk about incidental details rather than plot so his stories are only mildly enjoyable despite interesting characters. Jonathan Quinn, Book 6, is like his other books.

The Vig by John Lescroart

Entertaining would try another of the Dismas Hardy Novel View Series.

Pale Horse Coming: Earl Swagger by Stephen Hunter

Elmore Leonard says he cuts out the parts readers skip over. Hunter indulges in these side stories in a formulamatic predictable fashion that for some reason ambles pleasantly and maintains interest. Go figure.

Proof by Dick Francis

Very very enjoyable.

Re-read May 2019, still classic Francis!

The Mission, the Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander by Pete Blaber

Pretty good read, lessons from the battle field.

Deadline by John Sandford

Virgil Flowers, Book 8, is as fun as is its predecessors.

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

The writing style was wonderful, the narrator (Colin Firth) superb but the main character was so unlikeable that I stopped half way through.

The Destroyed by Brett Battles

Jonathan Quinn, Book 5. Well book 2 for me. Formulamatic and it feels like constructed drama but there is also some fun action. Probably try another Battles book.

Badlands by Peter Bowen

Excellent.

Becoming Quinn by Brett Battles

This is the 5th book of 9 that looks at how John Quinn became a cleaner. My first book of the series and it was enjoyable - will read another.

Year Zero by Rob Reid

Silly and hard to get through, entertaining enough to finish.

Brain farted and wrote two reviews for this book, the second review:

Kookie, funny, tiresome. Hard to get through, some good bits along the way.

Skink - No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen

OK book and narrator - too bad it was a young adult book. Fun to read Hiaasen.

Two Time by Chris Knopf

Re-read and enjoyed a lot November 2024.

Knopf has grown on me and his style engages me - looking forward to his next.

The Last Refuge by Chris Knopf

Re-read and enjoyed a lot November 2024.

Went back and listened to the first in the Sam Acquillo series and it was very enjoyable.

Sniper Elite: One Way Trip by Scott McEwen, Thomas Koloniar

Another fun special forces book.

Easy Prey by John Sandford

In an already excellent Lucas Davenport series this one (#11) shines.

Cold Shot by Mark Henshaw

OK, too many details and side trips but an enjoyable read.

Ash Child by Peter Bowen

Re-read 3/17, man is this good stuff. Jim Meskimen's narration is amazing. So good.

Secret Prey by John Sandford

Lucas Davenport, Book 9 is another solid.

Days of Rage by Brad Taylor

Too long but a fun story. Book 6 in the Pike Logan Thriller series.

Target America by Scott McEwen, Thomas Koloniar

Good macho Seal Team rough 'em up stuff.

Hounded by David Rosenfelt

Really enjoyable as usual. My only complaint is they don't last long.

House Reckoning by Mike Lawson

Book 9 is steady and enjoyable like the first 8 books. PW Joe DeMarco always knew that his father, Gino, had a shady job for a local mafioso, but he didn't understand that Gino had been a hit man until he was murdered. Now, nearly 20 years later, one of Gino's former mob associates is dying of lung cancer, and he wants to get something off his chest before retiring to his grave: the truth about Gino's killer. The shocking information, and the powerful position the killer now occupies, sends DeMarco on a mission of revenge with terrible consequences.

The Heist by Daniel Silva

A good continuation of the Gabriel Allon series. This doesn't stand out amongst the previous 15 books but it was enjoyable.

Seven for a Secret by Lyndsay Faye

Faye is up and coming and her previous two books were so good that I kept listening when I probably would have otherwise put this book down. The characters are likable and interesting but the subject matter (slavery and crooked cops) was predictable and tired material. This is a good premise for a first novel, the introduction of a police force in NY and the characters would be nice to return to. Hopefully, the plot will be fresher.

The Red Circle by Brandon Webb, John David Mann

The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen was very enjoyable.

Flash Boys by Michael Lewis

Very good.

Viper Pilot by Dan Hampton

Very enjoyable read. Didn't care much for the hero but the story was engaging.

Middle of Nowhere by Ridley Pearson

Not much plot and lots of wasted words e.g. trying to communicate with a person who can only blink, raiding the wrong place, multiple perspectives on the same situation.

The Raven in the Foregate by Ellis Peters

Another enjoyable Cadfael mystery.

Sudden Prey by John Sandford

Enjoyable but perhaps the weakest book in the Lucas Davenport series.

Cruzatte and Maria by Peter Bowen

Re-read 3/17 excellent! I wish this series would never end. PW: Montana native Gabriel Du Pre has been hired as a consultant by a group of filmmakers shooting a documentary on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Du Pre is a descendent of a Metis fiddler and voyageur named Cruzatte who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their journey. And Du Pre's daughter, Maria, has been cast in the role of Sacajawea. But trouble is afoot. First a fire damages the film props, and then two bodies are fished out of the river. Someone doesn't want them there.

Southtown by Rick Riordan

Lots of good bits, but the balance of focus on violence and rotten characters instead of the ones we've come to know and enjoy was off.

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Light and funny. Not great like previous Hiaasen tales but very enjoyable.

Sniper's Honor by Stephen Hunter

I could never suggest the 9th book in the Bob Lee Swagger series because it is preposterous but I really enjoyed it. Two parallel stories, one in July 1944 and one present day meet up and tie themselves in a unbelievable but pretty bow.

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson

Book 11 carries this excellent series forward with another solid, often funny tale of Walt Longmire.

Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Melton

Total chick book. Interesting bits but hard to listen to a lot at a time.

Slingshot: Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn

OK

The Toymaker by Chuck Barrett

Convoluted characters and telling the same story in sequential chapters from two points of view, left me wondering if this interesting story was worth the work.

Bullseye by David Balcacci

OK short story where Stone and Roby are held hostage in a bank.

Field of Prey by John Sandford

The 24th Lucas Davenport story is quite enjoyable. Its easy to see why this series carries on.

Without Warning by David Rosenfelt

Very enjoyable, a strong start to a new series.

Graveyard of Memories by Barry Eisler

Pretty good. The latest (book 8) in the series is a retrospective of Rain's start as a contractor.

McNally's Gamble by Lawrence Sanders

Light and fun like the others in the series. Unfortunately, this is the last in the 7 book series.

The Target by David Baldacci

Another enjoyable episode in the series.

The Traitor by Stephen Coonts

Book two is a lot of fun, look forward to book three.

Code Zero by Jonathan Maberry

Joe Ledger, Book 6 was actually book 1 for me and probably the only one. Too much attention to non plot related details and character developments.

The Killer by Tom Wood

This is the first book in the Victor the Assassin Series. There are good bits but it drags and I probably wouldn't read another by this author.

Act of Valor By Dick Couch, George Galdorisi

Enjoyable Navy Seal macho shit, really liked it.

The Polaris Protocol by Brad Taylor

A talented author who needs an editor, this guy spends too much time on gory torture scenes and dragging out the ending. Without the fluff this would be a rocking book.

The Stick Game by Peter Bowen

Re-read March 2017 - very enjoyable. The bad news is that this books marks the 1/2 way point through the series, the good news is that they are all solid works.

The Investigators: Badge of Honor by W. E. B. Griffin

Book 7 is another macho episode in this soap opera series and I can't wait for more.

The Stick Game by Peter Bowen

The weakest title in the series but still very enjoyable.

Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto

Very well written, the story jumps around too much and could use some tightening. Would try this author again.

Influx by Daniel Suarez

Moments of greatness, but this novel is not as the Suarez's first two attempts.

Duty by Robert M. Gates

Insightful and long memoir of Secretary of Defense under presidents Bush and Obama.

McNally's Puzzle by Lawrence Sanders

Only one more book in this light, silly and fun series. This was entertaining fluff with the usual cast of characters.

Eyes of the Hammer by Bob Mayer

Probably wouldn't read this author again.

Winter Prey by John Sandford

Book 5, like all the books so far is very entertaining.  This is the story where Lucas meets Weather.

The Enemy: Victor the Assassin by Tom Wood

Too much detail and not enough action. Probably wouldn't listen to this author again.

The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy

The only thing that keeps me from calling this excellent is that it is way too long, like over 40 hours long. Fortunately, Michael Prichard is superb.

Liars & Thieves by Stephen Coonts

Lots of fun, look forward to hearing the next one. PW Tommy Carmelliniis sent to post guard duty at a farmhouse in Virginia's remote Blue Ridge Mountains, where top government operatives are debriefing a star defector: the ultimate KGB insider, a man with records on every operation and every dirty trick the shadowy intelligence agency has ever run, from Lenin to Putin. Carmellini arrives to find the guards shot dead, and a ruthless team of commandos - American commandos - slaughtering everyone in sight, then setting the house on fire. He escapes a hail of bullets and a deadly mountain car chase with what seems to be the sole survivor, a beautiful and mysterious translator who steals his car and leaves him for dead at the first chance.

McNally's Trial by Lawrence Sanders

Book 5 is light and fun like the rest, sorry there are only two more...

Dead Eye by Mark Greaney

Another in the Gray Man series, and like the others it just doesn't quite satisfy.

McNally's Caper by Lawrence Sanders

Book 4 is more of the same fun light frolicking Florida mystery series.

McNally's Caper by Lawrence Sanders

Book 4 is another fun and silly outing with Archy McNally.

Command Authority by Tom Clancy, Mark Greaney

Enjoyable.

Touch by Elmore Leonard

An interesting twist for Leonard where the main character is a person who can heal people, very little shoot em up. Fun and with Leonard's always interesting characters and dialog.

McNally's Risk by Lawrence Sanders

Light fun, will read the next in the series.

Long Son by Peter Bowen

Re-read March 2017 - very enjoyable. Series remains very strong, looking forward to the next.

The Murderers Badge of Honor by W.E.B. Griffin

The worst in any of his series, but still OK.