Guest post: Jon Land – MURDER AT THE CDC

I love reading books set in cities I’m familiar with, whether it’s a city I’ve lived in or visited. I’m especially enamored with books that spotlight places I know or have visited. It’s probably one of the many reasons that I fell in love with Margaret Truman’s Capital Crimes series. Although Ms. Truman is no longer with us, I’m overjoyed to know that her series is continuing with one of my favorite authors, Jon Land, at the helm. I’m incredibly honored to welcome Mr. Land, author of the recently released Murder at the CDC, to the blog today. Mr. Land will be revisiting some of thrillers set in Washington DC. I’m sure there might be one or two that I’ll end up adding to my TBR or TBRR (to be re-read) list. I hope you’ll enjoy his visit today, add Murder at the CDC to your TBR list, and follow the blog tour to read some great reviews. Thank you, Mr. Land, for taking the time away from your busy schedule to join us today, the blog is all yours.

THE TEN BEST THRILLERS SET IN WASHINGTON
by Jon Land

Ever since Margaret Truman conceived the brilliant Capital Crimes series in 1980. Washington, DC has been the dominant, if not exclusive, setting. And the latest entry, number thirty-two overall and my second since taking the reins, MURDER AT THE CDC, is no exception. With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to list ten of the best thrillers set in the nation’s Capital.

SEVEN DAYS IN MAY by Fletcher Knebel (1962): Featuring a now scarily prescient plot to overthrow the United States government, and arguably the greatest political thriller of all time, this classic is set almost entirely in DC’s true halls of power. The book follows the desperate efforts of Colonel Martin “Jigs” Casey to thwart a plot spearheaded by popular Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General James Mattoon Scott. Mostly centered in the Pentagon and White House, the book also makes use of the kind of back alleys and little-known hideaways that helped define the city circa 1960. Some of the names have changed, but the haunts remain.

ABSOLUTE POWER by David Baldacci (2001): A burglar chooses the wrong house to rob and ends up witnessing a murder committed by Secret Service agents. The conspiracy stretches all the way to the White House and Washington, as well as Virginia, settings dominate the action. Made into a hit film starring Clint Eastwood, Baldacci’s debut thriller wondrously mines his former career as a DC lawyer in evoking a sense of Washington that rivals any book ever anchored there.

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (1974): Washington dominates the riveting narrative made all the more powerful by the fact that it’s all true. We’re treated to great sequences set in the Washington Post newsroom, but it’s the scenes in bars, restaurants, and even parking garages that make the city a primary character in its own right. Even scenes where a politico is merely a talking head identified as speaking from the Capitol or White House lend a resonance and true DC flavor to the mix.

MURDER IN THE WHITE HOUSE by Margaret Truman (1980): The first book in the longest-running thriller series going set a high benchmark for all the titles to follow. The murder of the secretary of the state in the Lincoln bedroom sets off a power struggle that stretches to the highest corridors of power. The daughter of President Harry Truman was blessed with a perspective on the city she loved shared by no other author, establishing the template that has endured for 40+ years.

ADVISE AND CONSENT by Alan Drury (1959): Drury serves up a bird’s eye, behind-the-scenes, Capitol view of all the mechanizations involved in confirmation hearings for a controversial selection for secretary of state. The book stitches together a trail dominated by duplicitous politicos, backroom manipulations, and the cloudy nature of the truth itself. The stunning take on the dark side of politics makes the process a character, and a villain, in itself. And the book’s genius lies in the fact that the system portrayed is pretty much the same, and even more broken, 60 years later.

THE PRESIDENT’S PLANE IS MISSING by Robert Serling (1967): One of the first thrillers I ever read and one I’ll never forget focuses on Air Force One vanishing. With the president feared dead, a desperate power struggle ensues within the halls of power, even as the Soviet Union seeks to take advantage of the chaotic situation. Camp David plays a big role as well, along with locales remarkably unchanged after more than half a century.

SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR by James Grady (1974): Giving credit where it’s due, New York City is featured equally with Washington. But the DC-based scenes are where the power struggle at the heart of the book takes center stage. So, too, is the fact that the character of Condor, hunted in New York, becomes the hunter in Washington, turning the tables on the forces aligned against him as he takes on the entire United States government. Made into a brilliant film starring Robert Redford, directed by Sidney Pollack, and distinguished by the climactic sequence that begins with the late Max Von Sydow’s deceptively deadly assassin telling Condor, “It will happen this way. . .”

ALONG CAME A SPIDER by James Patterson (1993): I had forgotten that the Alex Cross novels, at least the early ones, were set in the nation’s capital to supreme effect. The now-legendary Washington, DC homicide detective and psychologist helps distinguish his debut adventure from the pack by working and living in the seamier urban neighborhoods the other books on this list never even mention. This is a different Washington than we’re used to seeing in traditional political thrillers and what list would be complete without a serial killer entry?

DEBT OF HONOR by Tom Clancy (1994): This list wouldn’t be complete without this Clancy stunner that climaxed with a catastrophic attack on the Capitol Building that presaged 9/11. Clancy devotes even more pages to Washington, DC here than he did to the submarine in The Hunt for Red October to great results. Jack Ryan’s acting as the president’s National Security Adviser in this one, more of a cerebral role than the action-oriented ones he’s better known for. Ryan feels almost hemmed in at times as Clancy manages to turn the capital into a hive of claustrophobic warrens from which true power is wielded.

THE EXORCIST by William Peter Blatty (1971): Georgetown, including those famous stairs (located at 3600 Prospect Street), dominate the book, as well as the film based upon it. The university, the neighborhoods, and popular haunts have never been portrayed better in fiction, in large part because Blatty himself came of age attending Georgetown. It’s said that every year on his birthday, the author returned to his roots and revisited his love for the area. That passion leaps off every descriptive entry in the book, the area’s beauty forming a brilliant contrast to the evil that has invaded its borders.

Those are my picks for the Top Ten. Let me know if you think I left any Washington-centric titles out. And, in the meantime, here’s hoping you find MURDER AT THE CDC worthy of inclusion, too! ♦

Murder at the CDC

by Jon Land

February 14 – March 11, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

2017: A military transport on a secret run to dispose of its deadly contents vanishes without a trace.

The present: A mass shooting on the steps of the Capitol nearly claims the life of Robert Brixton’s grandson.

No stranger to high-stakes investigations, Brixton embarks on a trail to uncover the motive behind the shooting. On the way he finds himself probing the attempted murder of the daughter his best friend, who works at the Washington offices of the CDC. The connection between the mass shooting and Alexandra’s poisoning lies in that long-lost military transport that has been recovered by forces determined to change America forever. Those forces are led by radical separatist leader Deacon Frank Wilhyte, whose goal is nothing short of bringing on a second Civil War. Brixton joins forces with Kelly Lofton, a former Baltimore homicide detective. She has her own reasons for wanting to find the truth behind the shooting on the Capitol steps, and is the only person with the direct knowledge Brixton needs. But chasing the truth places them in the cross-hairs of both Wilhyte’s legions and his Washington enablers.

“A wonderful mystery novel, riveting until the last page.”
–Strand Magazine

“A terrific tale that never lets up.”
–Sandra Brown

Book Details:

Author Bio:

JON LAND is the USA Today bestselling author of fifty-eight books, including eleven in the critically acclaimed Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong series, the most recent of which, Strong from the Heart, won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Best Thriller and the 2020 American Book Fest Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Novel. Additionally, he has teamed up with Heather Graham for a science fiction series that began with The Rising (winner of the 2017 International Book Award for best Sci-fi Novel) and continues with Blood Moon, to be published in November of 2022. He has also written six books in the Murder, She Wrote series of mysteries and has more recently taken over Margaret Truman’s Capital Crimes series, with his second effort, the recently released Murder At the CDC. Jon is known as well for writing the film Dirty Deeds, a teen comedy starring Milo Ventimiglia and Zoe Saldana, which was released in 2005. A graduate of Brown University, he received the 2019 Rhode Island Authors Legacy Award for his lifetime of literary achievements.

Catch Up With Our Author:
JonLandBooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @JonLand2
Twitter – @JonDLand
Facebook – @JonLandAuthor

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Guest Post: Jon Land – MURDER ON THE METRO

Good day, my bookish peeps. I hope you all had a wonderful week and got some reading in. One of the best things about starting a book blog has been my introduction to some wonderful authors that simply weren’t on my bookish radar before (I know, I was a very sheltered and limited reader, reading the authors I knew or were listed in the backs of books I’d just read). Several years ago, I had the pleasure of reading one of Jon Land’s Caitlin Strong books and I was hooked. (Seriously, if you haven’t read this series, check out my reviews, grab these books, and count yourself lucky that you’re now in the know.) Needless to say, when I heard that a favorite author, i.e., Jon Land, was taking over another favorite author’s series, I was delighted and intrigued as to how said series might proceed. Today, I am beyond happy to welcome acclaimed author Jon Land to the blog and he’ll be discussing taking over the legacy series, Capital Crimes begun by the late Margaret Truman with Murder On The Metro. Please help me welcome Jon Land to the blog. Thank you, Mr. Land, for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop by today. I’m honored to turn the blog over to you.

TAKING OVER A LEGACY

My attitude in the book business has long been, “The answer’s yes. What was the question?”

In other words, never turn down an opportunity, because you don’t know how long it will be before you get another, especially when it comes to taking over a legacy series like Margaret Truman’s Capital Crimes. Fortune had struck for the second time, in the wake of my similarly taking over the equally legendary Murder, She Wrote series.

I’d jumped at that opportunity too, then landed awkwardly—by which I mean the fit wasn’t right. In endeavoring to make the series my own, I diverted from the cozy formula and made Murder, She Wrote into what the television series was and the books should have been. By time I really found my voice, Berkley had decided “to go in another direction” with a different writer. Truth be told, I think I placed more value and ambition in the series than anyone else at the company who mostly seemed to be going through the motions. You know: Been there, done that, doing it again. Good people for the most part, but there are a couple who would be best advised to move to the other side of the street if they see me coming.

The Capital Crimes series was a much more positive experience right from the start. First off, these books fell squarely within my comfort zone, mystery thrillers in others words. Second, Capital Crimes is published by Forge, my own publisher who’s responsible for bringing my Caitlin Strong books to life. I knew it was the right fit, and this time my ambition to bring a legacy series to the next level was greeted with smiles instead of shrugs.

The first thing I wanted to do was bring the series back to its roots from a branding standpoint. The first 25 or so books that carried only Margaret Truman’s name on the cover all were branded around titles that began with Murder followed by a location in Washington, the first of which was Murder In The White House. But the last half dozen titles had deviated from that.

Alas, not anymore.

Since my initial offering dealt in one of the plotlines with the murder of the vice president, my original title was Murder At The Admiral’s House after the name once given to the vice president’s residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory. Except nobody knew that. Good thing the book happened to open with a failed terrorist attack on the Washington Metro. Hence the title, Murder On The Metro. Oh man, how much better is that?

Forge came up with the brilliant cover you’re probably looking at now. I had found my footing almost from page one on this one, the book written in the style I’d favored since starting down this road as a student at Brown University in the late 70’s: multiple converging plotlines, multiple points of view, conflict-riddled characters who evolve, and the opportunity to go big, I mean really BIG, as far as the story goes.

My editor Bob Gleason, who’s the best in the business, had been instrumental in gaining the freedom of Sister Megan Rice, an eighty-five-year-old nun who’d been sentenced to a stretch in federal prison for trespassing on federal property—specifically the Y-12 nuclear facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Why not, Bob and my brilliant publisher Tom Doherty suggested, center my first Capital Crimes book around Sister Megan’s real-life exploits? That conversation took place over dinner at the fabulous Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal, Murder On The Metro born not far from the raw bar and lobster tank.

I inherited international private investigator Robert Brixton from my predecessor, Don Bain, but felt right from the start that I could do more with him. Don had the wisdom a few books back to have Brixton lose his oldest daughter to a terrorist bombing in a restaurant where they were lunching. Sensing something’s awry, Brixton tells her they have to leave and starts from the table. He’s outside before he realizes his daughter didn’t follow him and then BOOM!

I picked up Brixton’s character from there, five years after the bombing. He’s not the man he used to be by a longshot, plagued by guilt and grief. Having him thwart that attempted terrorist bombing on the Metro starts him down the road to redemption, to becoming the man he was before his daughter’s death and more. I had nailed the emotional core of my story, that thing that makes you care about the hero who’s driving the action.

I knew I needed another hero, a Secret Service agent similarly guilt-ridden after the vice president dies on her watch. But Agent Kendra Rendine suspects the VP was murdered and needs Brixton’s help to prove it. I thought I had my structure then and there, but something was still missing, and that’s where retired Israeli commando Lia Ganz (aka, the Lioness of Judah) enters the scene in a third plotline.

You know, I think Murder On The Metro just might the first thriller whose hero and heroine, Brixton and Ganz, are both grandparents. And that’s kind of organic to the story because so many of the readers who grew up on this series are now grandparents themselves. I knew I had something, that the book was clicking, right from the get-go, because I was enjoying the hell out of writing it. I get asked so often what’s the most important advice I give younger or beginning writers and I used to say, “Tell a great story.” Now I say “Have fun telling a great story.” Because if you’re having fun writing the book, the reader is going to have fun reading it. Simple as that, in my mind anyway.

Murder On The Metro‘s been out a while now and the response (Knock on wood!!!) has been pretty terrific. After being skewered by a hefty number of Murder, She Wrote fans initially, I can’t tell you how great that feels. Taking over a legacy like Capital Crimes is like raising somebody else’s kid after they reach their teenage years: You know what you want the kid to turn into, but you’re not exactly sure of everything that brought him or her to this point.

But raising that kid means loving and taking ownership of where he or she goes from here. That’s exactly the way I feel about the Capital Crimes series. Whatever happened before, it’s mine now, starting with Murder On The Metro. And as much as I love that book, I think my next one, Murder At The CDC, might even be better.

What’s Murder At The CDC about, you ask? Well, in a nutshell— Oops, sorry. I’ve hit my word limit. Guess you’ll have to wait until the same time next year to hear the rest! Happy reading until then!

Murder On The Metro

by Jon Land

March 1-31, 2021 Tour

Synopsis:

Israel: A drone-based terrorist attack kills dozens on a sun-splashed beach in Caesarea.

Washington: America awakens to the shattering news that Vice President Stephanie Davenport has died of an apparent heart attack.

That same morning, a chance encounter on the Washington Metro results in international private investigator Robert Brixton thwarting an attempted terrorist bombing. Brixton has no reason to suspect that the three incidents have anything in common, until he’s contacted by Kendra Rendine, the Secret Service agent who headed up the vice president’s security detail. Rendine is convinced the vice president was murdered and needs Brixton’s investigative expertise to find out why.

In Israel, meanwhile, legendary anti-terrorist fighter Lia Ganz launches her own crusade against the perpetrators of that attack which nearly claimed the lives of her and granddaughter. Ganz’s trail will ultimately take her to Washington where she joins forces with Brixton to uncover an impossible link between the deadly attack on Caesarea and the attempted Metro bombing, as well as the death of the vice president.

The connection lies in the highest corridors of power in Washington where a deadly plot with unimaginable consequences has been hatched. With the clock ticking toward doomsday, Brixton and Ganz race against time to save millions of American lives who will otherwise become collateral damage to a conspiracy destined to change the United States forever.

Praise :

“Jon Land is one of the best thriller writers in the business, and the Capital Crimes series is in superb and skilled hands with him. Nobody does pacing better than Land, and Murder On The Metro starts with a bang and keeps on going at breakneck speed. If you haven’t read this excellent series, start with Land’s Murder On The Metro.” —Lisa Scottoline, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Forge Books
Publication Date: February 16th 2021
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 1250238870 (ISBN13: 9781250238870)
Series: A Capital Crimes Novel, #31
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Author Bio:

JON LAND is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifty books, including eleven in the critically acclaimed Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong series, the most recent of which, Strong from the Heart, won the 2020 American Fiction Award for Best Thriller and the 2020 American Book Fest Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Novel. Additionally, he has teamed up with Heather Graham for a science fiction series that began with The Rising (winner of the 2017 International Book Award for best Sci-fi Novel) and continues with Blood Moon. He has also written six books in the Murder, She Wrote series of mysteries and has more recently taken over Margaret Truman’s Capital Crimes series, beginning with Murder On The Metro in February of 2021. A graduate of Brown University, he received the 2019 Rhode Island Authors Legacy Award for his lifetime of literary achievements. Land lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Catch Up With Jon Land:
jonlandbooks.com
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook

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2020 Book 356: AND NOW SHE’S GONE by Rachel Howzell Hall

And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall
ISBN: 9781250753175 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781250753168 (ebook)
ISBN: 9781250772671 (digital audiobook)
ASIN: B08C7YBLRY (Audible audiobook)
ASIN: B082RSNH44 (Kindle edition)
Publication date: September 22, 2020
Publisher: Forge Books

Isabel Lincoln is gone.

But is she missing?

It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family.

Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat and mouse game, And Now She’s Gone explores the nature of secrets — and how violence and fear can lead you to abandon everything in order to survive.

Read an excerpt here.

Grayson Sykes is a female private detective on her first case with Rader Consulting in Los Angeles. The case is to locate a missing person, Isabel Lincoln, on behalf of her boyfriend, a local cardiologist. Initially, it appears that Isabel may have left her boyfriend because of an abusive relationship. But Grayson knows firsthand what an abusive relationship is like and she’s convinced that all is not what it appears. Although she doesn’t like the arrogant Dr. Ian O’Donnell, she begins to realize that he may be guilty of many things, but the charge of physical abuse isn’t one of them. She talks Dr. O’Donnell into allowing her to stay on the case to track down Isabel and is quickly led down a proverbial rabbit hole as she uncovers secret after secret in Isabel’s life.

Now, I could go on and reveal the secrets of this book, and there are quite a few. What I will tell you is that And Now She’s Gone is a smart, well-written, psychological mystery with layer after layer of twists and turns that kept this reader engaged until the very last page. There are bad guys — come on people it’s a mystery so of course there are bad guys — and horrible guys. The entire story is told as two stories, one as a flashback and the other as a more contemporary storyline. The flashback reveals the story of Natalie K. Grayson Dixon. She’s married to a Vegas big shot and is slowly isolated from her friends and family as well as constantly abused. She was raised in foster care until the age of 15 when she was adopted by Faye and Victor Grayson, both now deceased. Faye was a school teacher and Victor was an FBI agent who worked with Dominick Rader, former FBI agent and currently the CEO of Rader Consulting. For those of you that are sensitive to stories that include physical, mental, and emotional abuse themes, you may want to give this book a pass. However, for those of you that enjoy reading a taut and twisted psychological thriller with truly warped characters, then you’ll definitely want to grab a copy of And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall to read. Personally, I’ll be adding quite a few of Ms. Hall’s previous titles to my TBR list and possibly re-reading And Now She’s Gone over the next few weeks or months. I know, there are other books I should be reading, but I so enjoyed this one. There are many bad things I could say about 2020, but it has been great as the year of procrastireading (reading instead of doing anything else). One of the many great things about 2020 is that I’ve had the opportunity to read some wonderful books including And Now She’s Gone. I look forward to reading more by Rachel Howzell Hall in the future.

Happy Reading y’all!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

2020 Book 308: STRONG FROM THE HEART by Jon Land

Strong from the Heart

by Jon Land

on Tour August 17 – September 18, 2020

Strong From The Heart (Caitlin Strong #11) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765384706 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780765384713 (ebook)
ASIN: B07WPNFP54 (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: July 28, 2020

Caitlin Strong wages her own personal war on drugs against the true power behind the illicit opioid trade in Strong from the Heart, the blistering and relentless 11th installment in Jon Land’s award-winning series.

The drug crisis hits home for fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong when the son of her outlaw lover Cort Wesley Masters nearly dies from an opioid overdose. On top of that, she’s dealing with the inexplicable tragedy of a small Texas town where all the residents died in a single night.

When Caitlin realizes that these two pursuits are intrinsically connected, she finds herself following a trail that will take her to the truth behind the crisis that claimed 75,000 lives last year. Just in time, since the same force that has taken over the opiate trade has even more deadly intentions in mind, specifically the murder of tens of millions in pursuit of their even more nefarious goals.

The power base she’s up against—comprised of politicians and Big Pharma, along with corrupt doctors and drug distributors—has successfully beaten back all threats in the past. But they’ve never had to deal with the likes of Caitlin Strong before and have no idea what’s in store when the guns of Texas come calling.

At the root of the conspiracy lies a cabal nestled within the highest corridors of power that’s determined to destroy all threats posed to them. Caitlin and Cort Wesley may have finally met their match, finding themselves isolated and ostracized with nowhere to turn, even as they strive to remain strong from the heart.

Since the inception of the Texas Rangers, there has been a member of the Strong family serving as a Ranger. Caitlin Strong is a fifth-generation Texas Ranger and just as fierce and awe-inspiring as her forebears. One of the many things I enjoy about reading the Caitlin Strong series is how Caitlin’s present-day adventures often mirror those of her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, or great-great-grandfather. In Strong From the Heart, Caitlin is battling enemies on several fronts, including one with a very personal link to the children she’s helping to raise with her significant other, Cort Wesley Masters. Dylan Torres, Cort Wesley’s youngest son, has recently suffered an opioid overdose and the drugs were provided to him at his boarding school. Although Caitlin and Cort Wesley have often battled against enemies that have brought the fight a bit too close to home for comfort, this one has far-reaching ties and may require all of the help they can muster. While Caitlin is trying to reign in Cort Wesley from eliminating all drug dealers from the face of Texas, she must also work to find out who caused the deaths of close to 300 residents of a border town and the subsequent murder of a survivor. Will Caitlin and Cort Wesley be able to find the answers to their family’s drug issue before it’s too late? Is it possible the deaths of the border town residents due to cyanide gas are linked to the opioid crisis and if so, how and who is responsible? If the deaths aren’t linked to the opioid crisis, then what was the reason for the deaths and who is responsible?

If you’ve been following me for any length of time, then you know I enjoy re-reading books. Yes, I often re-read books when I should be reading new books. So of course, I spent the past eight days re-reading the entire Caitlin Strong series in preparation for reading the newest addition, Strong From the Heart I know, I know, I’ve told you that I love this series. You probably thought I was exaggerating. I wasn’t. I read the newest addition in one day even though I was dealing with a severe migraine AND back spasms. Let me tell you when you can’t comfortably sit upright or even recline, your pain medication isn’t working, and you can’t turn on a light or even have any music playing in the background but you continue to read, then you must enjoy the book you’re reading, right?! I recently described Caitlin Strong as a combination of Wonder Woman, Annie Oakley, and the Lone Ranger. She’s someone that is always out seeking the truth and fighting for justice no matter what. Caitlin isn’t exactly a social advocate, but she does constantly get into “good trouble” by fighting for what’s right. She’s willing to stand up for the underdog even against seemingly insurmountable odds and she isn’t afraid to go up against anyone, including the federal government when necessary. Case in point, she begins in Strong From the Heart by thwarting ICE agents from “taking several school children into custody” by putting them into “protective custody” as “material witnesses” for the Texas Rangers. She stands up against Homeland Security on a regular basis and has even stood up against US Senators. Strong From the Heart brings back a number of cast regulars, including Captain D.W. Tepper – Caitlin’s Texas Ranger boss, Colonel Guillermo Paz – a former Venezuelan Colonel/assassin/current guardian anger, Cort Wesley Masters – Caitlin’s significant other/former mob enforcer/retired military, Dylan Torres – Cort Wesley’s eldest son and current student at Brown University, Luke Torres – Cort Wesley’s youngest son and current boarding student at the Village School in Houston, Jones/Smith – former Homeland Security agent, Dr. Whatley – Rangers’ pathologist, Nola Delgado – Caitlin’s half-sister/assassin/pseudo-pharmaceutical representative, William Ray Strong – Caitlin’s great-grandfather and a Texas Ranger, and Pancho Villa (yes, that Pancho Villa). As always with a Caitlin Strong story, there are bad guys and worse guys. One of the bad guys in this story is an “enforcer” that seems to enjoy killing for the sake of killing and suffers from “congenital insensitivity to pain” or an inability to feel physical pain. (You can tell that’s not going to end well.) The worse guys, in my estimation, are the ones that have hired the enforcer and are willing to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their goals, which is ultimately making money and gaining more power. This story has a lot going on, as with all of the Caitlin Strong stories, including family angst and drama, government intrigue, behind-the-scenes power-brokering, prescription pain addiction, legal and illegal drug dealing (on a massive scale), mass murder, intrigue, and more. Yes, I could give you specifics, but if I did you wouldn’t want or need to read the book and you really need to read this book! Seriously, if you’re into suspense, thrillers, or books filled with twisted action and believable (and unbelievable but in a good way) characters, then you’ll want to read this book. For those of you that are just as addicted to Caitlin’s exploits as I am, you’ll definitely want to grab a copy of Strong From the Heart if you haven’t already purchased a copy. For those of you that haven’t already started the Caitlin Strong series, spend your staycation by starting with book one in this series, Strong Enough to Die, and read all the way through to Strong From the Heart. Trust me after the first book, you’ll be just as hooked as I am. The books are well-written, the stories well researched, the characters realistic, and the action based on real-life scenarios. I look forward to reading more about Caitlin and her exploits accompanied by her band of misfits in the future (okay, they’re more like a dysfunctional family than misfits, but you get the point). I really don’t want this series to end and am hoping that there were be a few more additions to the Caitlin Strong series before it eventually ends. So, while I wait for the next Caitlin Strong book, I’ll probably spend some time re-reading a few books in this series to tide me over.

Happy Reading, y’all!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+ Edelweiss+ and NetGalley NetGalley courtesy of Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Author Bio:

Jon Land

Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of fifty-two books, including eleven featuring Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong. The critically acclaimed series has won more than a dozen awards, including the 2019 International Book Award for Best Thriller for Strong as Steel. He also writes the CAPITAL CRIMES series and received the 2019 Rhode Island Authors Legacy Award for his lifetime of literary achievements. A graduate of Brown University, Land lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Catch Up With Jon Land On:

JonLandBooks.com, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, & Facebook!

Tour Participants:

Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and giveaways!

Enter To Win!:

This is a Rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be five (5) winners of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card each. The giveaway begins on August 17, 2020, and runs through September 20, 2020. Void where prohibited.

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2019 Book 135: STRONG AS STEEL by Jon Land

Strong As Steel (Caitlin Strong #10) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765384676 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780765384690 (ebook)
ASIN: B07C75H648 (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication Date: April 23, 2019

Tough-as-nails Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong returns in this electrifying tenth installment of the series, by USA Today bestselling author Jon Land

1994: Texas Ranger Jim Strong investigates a mass murder on a dusty freight train linked to a mysterious, missing cargo for which no record exists.

The Present: His daughter, fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself on the trail of that same cargo when skeletal remains are found near an excavation site in the Texas desert. She’s also dealing with the aftermath of a massacre that claimed the lives of all the workers at a private intelligence company on her watch.

These two cases are connected by a long-buried secret, one that men have killed and died to protect. Caitlin and her outlaw lover Cort Wesley Masters must prove themselves to be as strong as steel to overcome a bloody tide that has been rising for centuries.

Caitlin Strong is a fifth generation Texas Ranger and a throwback to the days when the Rangers were considered fierce and awe-inspiring law enforcement officers. Her latest adventures mirror her father’s adventures from 25 years ago and it has to do with lost cargo, deaths from an unknown cause, a fearless Mexican cartel leader known as the Red Widow Spider, and a mysterious religious group known as the Order. Twenty-five years ago, Caitlin’s father, Jim Strong along with D.W. Tepper, was investigating the mysterious deaths of three men found on a train along with the murders of the train crew and several hired guns. That investigation led to a trip to Mexico and an encounter with the infamous Red Widow Spider or Luna Diaz Delgado. That meeting eventually led to Jim Strong rescuing Luna from a hit squad sent by the Order. Twenty-five years later and Caitlin is dealing with a local computer company with ties to Homeland Security that has been decimated by another hit squad sent by the Order. Caitlin’s significant other, Cort Wesley Masters is dealing with his own problems as he’s recently suffered a TIA (transient ischemic attack or mini-stroke) that has caused a partial paralysis of his right hand and arm. His eldest son, Dylan, is preparing to head back to college after taking a year off and seems to have been targeted by a pharmaceutical sales representative that is quite interested in both Cort Wesley and Caitlin in addition to being attracted to Dylan. Caitlin’s protector, Colonel Guillermo Paz, has recently escaped from a near hanging in Caracas and is back in Texas working at a preschool. Their Homeland security link, Jones, is working behind the scenes to try and figure out what was taken off of the train 25 years ago, where it has been hidden all this time, what exactly was in the freight, and why so many people want it. Little does Jones know that Caitlin is trying to answer the same questions and the answers just might be the end of the world as we know it.

I’ve read all of the previous Caitlin Strong novels and just when I think it can’t get any better, Mr. Land releases a new book with a storyline that knocks me off my feet. I wish I could say I read Strong as Steel in one sitting, but I had to take multiple breaks due to migraine headaches. This story pulled me from the very beginning and it was difficult to see where Mr. Land was leading because there are several twists and turns in the story (no, I’m not revealing what they are!) but the action and storyline packs quite a punch. I enjoyed revisiting with Caitlin, Cort Wesley, Dylan, Captain D.W. Tepper, Jim Strong, Jones, Guillermo, and Young Roger (a Texas Ranger tech guru). There were a number of interesting characters introduced in this storyline, including Dylan’s paramour – Selina Escalante, the Red Widow Spider – Luna Diaz Delgado, and just one of the bad guys to beat bad guys – Enrico Molinari – an enforcer/assassin for the Order. There’s a lot of action in this story and at first it seems like it will be taking a pseudo-religious turn like The DaVinci Code, well it kind of, sort of does, but not really (trust me, that will make sense when you read the book). Strong as Steel offers a darn good suspense-thriller read with some violence, drama, religious turmoil, and more. Yes, I enjoyed reading Strong as Steel and highly recommend it to anyone that has read the previous books in this series. If you’re a fan of suspense or thrillers or like to read books with a lot of action, then I encourage you to read the entire Caitlin Strong series. I can’t wait to see what happens next with Caitlin and friends.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Author Bio:

Jon Land

Jon Land is the award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of 50 books, including ten titles in the critically acclaimed Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong series, the last of which, Strong to the Bone, won both the 2017 American Book Fest and 2018 International Book Award for Best Mystery. The next title in the series, Strong As Steel, was published in April. Manuscript For marked his second effort writing as Jessica Fletcher for the Murder, She Wrote series, and he has also teamed with Heather Graham for a new sci-fi series starting with The Rising. He is a 1979 graduate of Brown University, lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Catch Up With Our Jon Land at:

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com Gift Card. The giveaway begins on April 22, 2019 and runs through May 23, 2019. Void where prohibited.

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2017 Book 409: STRONG TO THE BONE by Jon Land

Strong to the Bone (Caitlin Strong Novel #9) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765384645 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9780765384669 (ebook)
ASIN: B06XK6QSKH (Kindle edition)
Publication date: December 5, 2017
Publisher: Forge

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong takes on a gang of neo-Nazis in Strong to the Bone, an action-packed novel of the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series by Jon Land

1944: Texas Ranger Earl Strong investigates a triple murder inside a Nazi POW camp in Texas.

The Present: His granddaughter, fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong, finds herself pursuing the killer her grandfather never caught in the most personal case of her career a conspiracy stretching from that Nazi POW camp to a modern-day neo-Nazi gang.

A sinister movement has emerged from the shadows of history, determined to undermine the American way of life. Its leader, Armand Fisker, has an army at his disposal, a deadly bio-weapon, and a reputation for being unbeatable. But he’s never taken on the likes of Caitlin Strong and her outlaw lover, Cort Wesley Masters.

To prevent an unspeakable cataclysm, Caitlin and Cort Wesley must win a war the world thought was over.

Caitlin Strong, Texas Ranger, is back and starts things off with a blast…of water. Caitlin’s current day story begins in Austin, Texas where she has delivered a speech to law enforcement officers. After she and her lover, Cort Westley Masters, eat dinner and attend a show, there’s a ruckus down the street at Stubb’s Barbeque when a university party gets out of control and a woman has been sexually assaulted. It’s virtually impossible to get inside, so Caitlin commandeers a fire truck and uses a fire hose to blast the drunken collegiates out of the way. She finds the assault victim, shooting a suspect in the process, and considers her job done. Until she’s told the DNA from this assault victim matches the DNA collected from her rape kit 18-years ago. That’s one blast from the past that Caitlin could have done without. Now, she’s told she can’t investigate the assault case by none other than Jones at Homeland Security, but when does Caitlin ever truly follow orders. If that isn’t enough to contend with, the medical examiner, along with Captain D.W. Tepper, and even Jones fill Caitlin in on one of her grandfather’s cases from 1944 dealing with the Nazis in prison camps in Texas. Just to throw a little icing on the cake, so to speak, Cort Westley’s eldest son, Dylan, is still on sabbatical from college and is working at a garage with a Mexican-Americans of the legal and illegal variety AND he’s started mouthing off to a bunch of neo-Nazis harassing schoolgirls and others in the community. Things quickly go downhill from there with the neo-Nazi international drug cartel, the rape/assault cases, and more. Can Caitlin deal with the emotional and psychological trauma of her rape while continuing to investigate the current assault case, even if she’s not supposed to be investigating said case? What will happen to Dylan if he continues to stand up for what is right against insurmountable odds? What could possibly link Earl Strong’s 1944 case with the 2017 investigation into the neo-Nazis?

Strong to the Bone by Jon Land is another amazingly fast-paced, thrill-packed, and suspense-filled read. Mr. Land packs quite a punch when he presents his Caitlin Strong stories and I love every single one of them. Strong to the Bone, as most Caitlin Strong stories, begins with an older story about the Texas Rangers (usually one featuring Caitlin’s father or grandfather) that loosely ties to the current story being told. Each section of the book is prefaced with a bit of Ranger history or lore. Then we get to Caitlin, who is a throwback to the Rangers of yore, and doesn’t always do things “by the book” (I’m not even sure she’s read the book, but it works for her). I love reading each new Caitlin Strong book because I feel as if I’m visiting long-lost friends, such as Cort Westley Masters, Caitlin’s lover; Colonel Guillermo Paz, Caitlin’s erstwhile friend and protector and former would-be assassin; Captain D.W. Tepper, Caitlin’s boss and Texas Ranger leash-holder; and Jones (formerly Smith) with Homeland Security. Does it seem strange that Caitlin has a long list of friends and protectors and they’re all male? Not to me, she doesn’t really need these protectors because she can definitely take care of herself, but she inspires that sense of loyalty in people, especially men. Strong to the Bone introduces us to some really nasty bad guys along with returning cast of favorites. Armand Fisker took over the Aryan Brotherhood from his father and grew it into what is basically the equivalent of a Fortune 500 international business (without the taxes). Davey Skoll is a former hedge fund manager turned pharmaceutical company owner. He raised the prices of several older drugs almost 10,000% in order to make a profit (sounds vaguely familiar) and is also in cahoots (love that word) with Fisker to supply Oxycodone and Vicodin in massive quantities. Yes, there’s a lot going on in Strong to the Bone, but everything intersects towards the end (no, I won’t tell you how…read the book!). I enjoy the multiple storylines, the characters (even the bad guys), the action, and the settings. I know that I’ve said it before with this series, but if you enjoy reading suspense thrillers then you really need to read this book and this series. I’ve probably told you that about four or five times now already. What on earth are you waiting for?! Start from the beginning and work your way up to Strong to the Bone or read this and then go back to the beginning. I’m looking forward to reading the next Caitlin Strong story because I need to know what happens next! Before I forget, yes I enjoyed reading Strong to the Bone and will probably be rereading it along with the others in this series before the next book is released.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Partners In Crime Tours. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Author Bio:

Jon Land

Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of 43 books, including eight titles in the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series: Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller, and Strong Light of Day which won the 2016 International Book Award for Best Thriller-Adventure, the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller, and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery. Strong Cold Dead became the fourth title in the series in a row to win the International Book Award in 2017 and about which Booklist said, “Thrillers don’t get any better than this,” in a starred review. Land has also teamed with multiple New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham on a new sci-fi series, the first of which, The Rising, was published by Forge in January of 2017. He is a 1979 graduate of Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. There will be 1 winner of one (1) Amazon.com gift Card AND 5 winners of one (1) eBook copy of Strong To The Bone by Jon Land. The giveaway begins on December 4 and runs through February 2, 2018.

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2016 Book 349: STRONG COLD DEAD by Jon Land

Strong Cold Dead (Caitlin Strong #8) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765335135 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781466821088 (ebook)
ASIN: B01CXNZDIU (Kindle edition)
Publication date: October 4, 2016
Publisher: Forge Books

Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong returns in Jon Land’s Strong Cold Dead, a thriller with heart-stopping action and a high-stakes terrorist plot

The terrorist organization ISIS is after a deadly toxin that could be the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. The same toxin holds the potential to eradicate cancer. There is a frantic race to see who can get to it first, even as Caitlin Strong begins to assemble the disparate pieces of a deadly puzzle.

At the center of that puzzle is an Indian reservation where a vengeful tycoon is mining the toxin, disguising his effort as an oil-drilling operation. This is the same reservation where Caitlin’s great-great-grandfather, also a Texas Ranger, once waged a similar battle against the forces of John D. Rockefeller.

In her highest-stakes adventure yet, Caitlin Strong faces off against a host of adversaries that just might include the beautiful Comanche girl with whom the son of her ex-outlaw boyfriend Cort Wesley Masters has fallen in love, along with a mythic monster culled from Native American folklore that the tribe believes has risen to protect its land. The lives of those Caitlin loves most are threatened by the villains she’s pursuing; her own moral code is challenged. The fate of both the country and the state she loves are dangling on the precipice of a strong cold death.

History seems to be repeating itself with the Strong family front and center as representatives of the Texas Rangers. In the nineteenth century, Caitlin’s great-great-grandfather, Steeldust Jack Strong, fought a legendary oil man to protect the autonomy of a Comanche reservation. Now Caitlin is fighting against a slimy oil man and an international terrorist group in order to protect her family and the same Comanche reservation in Strong Cold Dead by Jon Land.

Caitlin Strong is a Texas Ranger from a long-line of Texas Rangers (her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather were all Rangers). She is a one-person wrecking team, subscribing to the kick-butt first, ask questions later methodology. Her method works and has tons of consequences but works nonetheless. Caitlin single-handedly stops what is building up to be a city-wide riot between Austen police and a local gang by having a retired Ranger drop an aerial stink bomb over the gang territory in an effort to subdue the gang and arrest the gang leader. Needless to say, the riot is stopped in its tracks but Caitlin is front-and-center as the person responsible for hundreds of homes being stink bombed. The very next day, she is called to a Comanche reservation because her lover’s son is protesting against a drilling company when he should be a thousand miles away at school. Who knew something as benign as a protest over drilling would lead to international terrorism? In a race to beat the clock, Caitlin, her lover Cort Westley Masters, her guardian-protector Guillermo Paz, a Homeland Security agent, and even a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer must work together to stop these terrorists in their tracks.

Strong Cold Dead is the eighth book in the Caitlin Strong series by Mr. Land. I found it to be a fast-paced, thrill a minute, and engrossing read. Caitlin and friends must contend with a Comanche shaman that is reportedly over one hundred and forty years old, a curse that supposedly protects the reservation and its inhabitants, a disreputable oil man, a malcontented and disenfranchised young man tired of being bullied, and an international terrorist group whose leader seems to be making up the religious rules as he goes along. Mr. Land takes the reader on a few twists and turns before the final pages and there worth it. Yes, there’s a lot packed into this story and there are wannabe bad guys, bad guys, and really loathsome evil guys. Once again, Mr. Land has mixed a historical storyline with a contemporary storyline and it works. I could go on and on about Caitlin and this story, but all you really need to know is that if you enjoy reading suspense thrillers, then you’ll want to read this book. Did I enjoy reading Strong Cold Dead? Yes, I did and something tells me I’ll be rereading the entire Caitlin Strong series while I’m waiting for the next installment. (Yes, this series is just that good!)

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book for review purposes via Partners In Crime Tours. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Author Bio:

Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of 38 novels, including eight titles in the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series: Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller and Strong Light of Day which won the 2016 International Book Award for Best Thriller-Adventure, the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller, and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery. The latest title in the series is Strong Cold Dead, to be published on October 4 and about which Strand Magazine said is “certain to rank Land among a handful of our most talented thriller authors of this decade.” Land has also teamed with multiple New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham on a new sci-fi series, the first of which, The Rising, will be published by Forge in January of 2017. He is a 1979 graduate of Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Catch Up with Jon on his website and on Twitter & Facebook

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This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land to celebrate the release of his 8th Caitlin Strong thriller, Strong Cold Dead. There will be 5 winners of one (1) autographed copy of Strong Cold Dead by Jon Land. This giveaway is limited to US & Canadian residents only. The giveaway begins on September 28th and runs through November 3rd, 2016.

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2015 Book 338: STRONG LIGHT OF DAY by Jon Land

Strong Light of Day (Caitlin Strong #7) by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765335128 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781466821071 (ebook)
ASIN: B00V34YLP2 (Kindle edition)
Publication date: October 13, 2015
Publisher: Forge Books

Texas ranger Caitlin Strong is involved in an international plot rooted in secrets from the Cold War in this seventh installment of the New York Times bestselling series

Afghanistan, 2003: During a mountain raid, a team of Navy SEALs discovers plans for a new and ingenious attack on the United States.

The Present: Fifth-generation Texas Ranger Caitlin Strong is summoned when thirty high school kids from a Houston prep school vanish during a field trip, including the son of her lover, Cort Wesley Masters. As if that wasn’t enough, Caitlin also has to deal with a crazed rancher whose entire herd of cattle has been picked clean to the bone.

The link between these two inexplicable events dates back to the contents of that Afghan cave raided by the SEALs, and a plot by forces within Russia to a win a war they never stopped fighting. At the center of that plot are billionaire Calum Dane and his multinational conglomerate, currently embroiled in controversy over a genetically engineered pesticide that has the potential to eradicate hunger across the world. Dane doesn’t know that this pesticide has spawned a new and deadly enemy capable of destroying the very fabric of American life.

Caitlin’s race to save the country weaves through the present and the past, confronting her with the most powerful and dangerous foes she’s ever faced. The Cold War hasn’t just heated up; it’s boiling over under the spill of a strong light only Caitlin can shut off before it’s too late.

Caitlin Strong is no stranger to adversity; just ask any of the criminals she’s arrested. Now she just may be facing one of the strangest adversaries ever in her attempt to protect her family, state, and country in Strong Light of Day by Jon Land.

Caitlin Strong lives up to her name and her family heritage as a kick-ass Texas Ranger. She’s unapologetic about her methods and isn’t hesitant to use deadly force when necessary, albeit as a last resource. Her boss, Captain D.W. Tepper, refers to her fondly as Hurricane. Caitlin’s morning starts out with a strange case of a cattle rancher in a stand-off with local law enforcement about cattle grazing rights. That’s quickly followed up with a phone call stating that an entire class of high school students have vanished from a local nature preserve, including the son of her lover. Fortunately, her lover’s son is found with one other student lost in the forest after she arrives at the preserve. Unfortunately, the rest of the class is still missing. Then things go crazy with another cattle rancher holding his family hostage over his ravaged herd. The weird just keeps coming when her lover, Cort Masters, is pulled in to work with a former officer at Homeland Security and has a run-in with some Russian, presumably, mob guys. The guys Cort had his run-in with then turn up dead in a local office with a map of Texas that highlights the nature preserve and both cattle ranches. Caitlin knows that the abduction and the ravaged cattle are connected, but can she put the pieces together before it’s too late?

Strong Light of Day is the seventh book in the Caitlin Strong series by Jon Land and it packs a wallop. Mr. Land takes scenarios that might seem extremely farfetched in anyone else’s hands seem plausible and probable (sorry, I can’t tell you any more than that…read the book!). There are plenty of good guys, bad guys, and not-so-good-or-bad guys. Each section within the book is prefaced with quotes on history about the Texas Rangers and that just added a little something extra to my overall enjoyment. I found Strong Light of Day to be a fast-paced, easy and very enjoyable read. I enjoyed the characters (yes, even the bad guys), the interwoven storylines (there are quite a few), and the action. The current action ties in nicely with the action from 1983 between Caitlin and Cort’s fathers, as well as the early 2000s find by the Navy SEALs in a cave in Afghanistan. Parts of the story also take place in Russia, New York, and Kansas (there’s a lot going on, but it is all tied together at the end). Strong Light of Day provides suspense, thrills, chills, terrorism, agroterrorism, murder, and more (yes, there’s violence but it isn’t gratuitous violence nor is it gory). One of the many things I appreciate about Mr. Land’s series is that it is possible to read a book out of sequence and still understand what is going on. I strongly recommend Strong of Light of Day for readers that appreciate well-crafted suspense-thrillers. I enjoyed Strong Light of Day so much, I plan to binge-read the entire series within the next few months (yes, it was that good).

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book for review purposes from the author via Partners In Crime Tours. I was not paid, required, or otherwise obligated to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Enter to win 1 copy of Strong Light of Day (multiple winners). This giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Jon Land. The giveaway begins on October 12th, 2015 and runs through November 14th, 2015. For US residents only.

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Book Showcase: BLACK SCORPION: THE TYRANT REBORN by Jon Land

Black Scorpion: The Tyrant Reborn by Jon Land
ISBN: 9780765337238 (hardcover)
ISBN: 9781466832169 (ebook)
ASIN: B00NKB9RGO (Kindle edition)
Publisher: Forge Books
Publication date: April 7, 2015

The next adventure of The Seven Sins’ Michael “The Tyrant” Tiranno, Jon Land’s Black Scorpion is a pulse pounding action-thriller as he takes on a worldwide human trafficking cabal.

Five years have passed since Michael Tiranno saved the city of Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. And now a new enemy has surfaced in Eastern Europe in the form of an all-powerful organization called Black Scorpion. Once a victim of human trafficking himself, the shadowy group’s crazed leader, Vladimir Dracu, has become the mastermind behind the scourge’s infestation on a global scale. And now he’s set his sights on Michael Tiranno for reasons birthed in a painful secret past that have scarred both men.

Already facing a myriad of problems, Michael once more must rise to the challenge of confronting an all-powerful enemy who is exploiting and ravaging innocents all across the globe and has set nothing less than all of America as its new victim. Black Scorpion has also taken the woman Michael loves hostage: Scarlett Swan, a beautiful archaeologist who was following the dangerous trail of the origins of the ancient relic that both defines and empowers Michael, a discovery that could change history and the perception of mankind’s very origins.

Read an excerpt:

Part One

BEFORE

ONE

Northern Israel, 950 BC

“They come, oh great King.”

Solomon, weary and weak from going so long without rest, leaned heavily on the shoulder of his son as he emerged from inside his goat-hair tent. Already he and his private guard had fought off two ambushes. Bandits appeared to be to blame, but Solomon suspected otherwise given their weaponry, skill, and the fact that they hadn’t fled when confronted.

Now his heart pounded with anticipation, but also with fear, in the night’s heat. He was so close now, so close to fulfilling the destiny shaped by his father, the great King David. And that reality filled him with the awesome scope of the responsibility before him, along with the price of failure.

He could not fail. The fate of his kingdom was at stake.

Solomon cast his gaze down the road to see a single wagon kicking up a dust cloud in its wake. Traveling under cover of darkness greatly lessened the threat of a raid by bandits and, in any event, at first sight the wagon seemed to be carrying nothing more than a farmer’s crops being taken to the open market in Jerusalem.

Solomon peeled back his beggar’s hood to reveal long locks of shiny brown hair and finely etched features that looked chiseled onto his face. He’d just nodded off, dreaming of Jerusalem, imagining the lanterns lighting the city twinkling in the night, when the captain of his private guard alerted him to the wagon’s coming.

Solomon eased his hand from the shoulder of his fifteen-year-old son Rehoboam as the wagon drew closer, so the boy wouldn’t feel him stiffen. “Keep a keen eye, my son, for our enemies are everywhere.”

“Father?” the boy said, sliding a hand to the knife Solomon had presented him on the occasion of his bar mitzvah. He was small for his age and a bit frail. But, as heir to the kingdom of Israel, he needed to be part of such a vital mission, no matter how perilous.

“They would seek to destroy this symbol of our people and the foundation of our future. With our temple complete, we have safe refuge for it at last.”

The Temple of Solomon had taken nearly eight years to build, requiring men and materials the likes of which had never been seen before in the known world. A staggering two hundred thousand workers had ultimately played a part in its construction, milled from vast quantities of local stone and imported cedar wood. It was a sprawling, palatial structure, perhaps the greatest ever erected— and with good reason, since it would be housing the vast stores of priceless treasures amassed by the Jewish people through time. What Solomon had kept secret from all but his most trusted cadre was the construction of a special chamber within the temple called Kodesh Hakodashim, or Holy of Holies. This would house the ark of the covenant, containing the remains of the stone tablets that held the actual Ten Commandments, along with the contents carried in the rear of the simple farmer’s wagon approaching now.

It drew close enough to reveal the snorting of the horses and pounding of their hooves atop the roadbed that was dry and cracking from the long drought Solomon took for God’s impatience. And, as if to reinforce that belief, he felt the first trickle of raindrops and took this as a good omen, until thunder rumbled in the distance and it became something much different.

A warning.

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THE TEN BEST THRILLERS SET IN WASHINGTONby Jon Land

Murder at the CDC

by Jon Land

February 14 – March 11, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

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“A wonderful mystery novel, riveting until the last page.”–Strand Magazine

“A terrific tale that never lets up.”–Sandra Brown

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Murder On The Metro

by Jon Land

March 1-31, 2021 Tour

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Strong from the Heart

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THE TEN BEST THRILLERS SET IN WASHINGTON
by Jon Land

“A wonderful mystery novel, riveting until the last page.”
–Strand Magazine

“A terrific tale that never lets up.”
–Sandra Brown

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