Sue Recommends American Assassin by Vince Flynn

Two weeks ago Rob recommended a Vince Flynn book featuring one of my favorite characters--Mitch Rapp. In the new book, American Assassin, Flynn takes Rapp fans back to the beginning of his CIA career to help us understand what drove a talented captain of the Syracuse lacrosse team to enter this dangerous profession of hunting terrorists.

Like all of the other books in the series, this book is non-stop action and makes your family try to tear the book (or in my case, the book on CD read byGeorge Guidall) from your clutches so you will get on with your everyday life. If you are a fan of the television series 24 featuring Jack Bauer, you might be interested to know that Vince Flynn was a story consultant.

Since this is now available, start here before you begin (and you will) to read the complete series and wait for the next one to be published! SH

Sue Recommends The Postcard Killers by Patterson and Marklund

James Patterson is one of the most prolific authors today. Last year he earned $70 million to become the world's highest paid author (according to Forbes) surpassing both J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and Stephanie Meyer (Twilight). This is all made possible by his teaming up with other authors, and his newest release, The Postcard Killers, falls in this category.

Liza Marklund, a bestselling author in Sweden, was a good choice for turning out an action-packed, will-they-ever-solve-the-mystery thriller. The story takes place in multiple locations in Europe where young couples are being killed in their hotel rooms while on vacation. The killers send a calling card, a postcard, to alert authorities that they will kill in their town. The authorities are puzzled by the staged placement of the victims that resemble well known art. Why take the time to do this?

It takes an unknown journalist and the father of one of the victims (who just happens to be a New York detective) to keep the investigation going and try to find an end to the killings and the father's obsessive grief. The plot and action keep you reading to find out who wins--the killers or their pursuers. One of Patterson's better thrillers.

Warning: not for those who do not want graphic descriptions of the murder scene. SH

Sue Recommends The Lion by Nelson DeMille

Yes! Nelson DeMille's newest book in the John Corey series, The Lion, has been released! Those of us who yearn for him to release another book starring John as soon as we finish one are ecstatic to have a sequel to his encounters with the Libyan terrorist you love to hate--Asad Khalil. This time Khalil has the financial backing of Al-Qaeda in exchange for his participation in a terrorist act for them along the lines of another 9/11. You can count on nonstop action to keep you turning pages. For even more entertainment, try the audio recording of the book read by Scott Brick. He truly brings John Corey to life!

If you have not read The Lion's Game, you will want to read it first to understand the history Corey, a former NYPD police Homicide Detective and special agent to the Anti-Terrorist Task Force, and Khalil have. The rest of the series does not have to be read in order but the books do occasionally make references to events and people in earlier books. Start from the beginning and enjoy them all! SH



Plum Island (Book 1)
The Lion's Game (Book 2)
Night Fall (Book 3)
Wildfire (Book 4)

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Sue Recommends Silent Sea by Clive Cussler

Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul fill the bill for readers looking for suspense, action, adventure, and a bit of history with Silent Sea, the 7th installment of the Oregon Files series featuring tough, smart, tech-savvy Juan Cabrillo. The book works well as a stand alone title.

The drama begins as Juan's crew is retrieving a downed satellite from Argentina and discovers the remains of a WWII blimp. This pushes Juan into a race with the Argentinians and Chinese to prevent them from laying claim to the politically unattached Antarctic continent. The thrills never stop, AND if you listen to the Book on CD read by Scott Brick, you race through the story and are left panting for the next installment. SH

Sue Recommends Midnight House by Alex Berenson

John Wells, a CIA operative, is the main character in Midnight House by Alex Berenson. After living undercover for years with the Taliban and saving the U.S. from another terrorist attack in earlier books, he cuts through political intrigue to find who is killing members of a secret unit who interrogated high valued terrorist detainees by any means in Poland. As a result, he uncovers a situation that was covered up by high level agency chiefs in a bid for power and control. This book is another offshoot of the aftermath of 9/11. It offers less action, more political jockeying, than previous John Wells books.
Start with the first and best book in the series--The Faithful Spy. SH

Sue Recommends Altar of Eden by James Rollins

In Altar of Eden, James Rollins leaves behind his Sigma Force stories to send the reader into action and adventure from the bayous of Louisiana to private Caribbean islands. The story begins with a shipwreck where the Border Guards find a cargo of animals--not just any animals, but a saber tooth tiger cub , a parrot without feathers, and more. Missing, however, is the cub's mother. Where is she and where did these bizarre creatures come from? Now the thrills begin!

Rollins, a veterinarian by training, draws upon that knowledge to tell this story that delves into viruses, fractal science and genetic engineering. The story is a thrill a minute and the Cajun characters are captivating. Highly Recommended. SH

Sue Recommends True Blue by David Baldacci

Take a just former NPD police officer, Mace Perry, wrongfully accused of a felony, mix her with a lawyer, Roy Kingman, who finds a colleague's dead body in the office refrigerator, add a NPD police chief, Beth Perry, who happens to be the sister of the felon, sprinkle with a secret government operation, and David Baldacci has the makings for another winning, suspenseful thriller and series

True Blue keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat while bodies continue to fall. Mace and Roy struggle to stay alive while solving a murder and possibly earn Mace her opportunity to be an NPD Blue again. Action and plot twists abound even though the characterization of Mace as a young woman with the skills of a super agent with knives, guns, outsmarting gang members and assassins is a bit unbelievable.

I listened to the Book on CD in my car and was disappointed when I reached my destination and had to leave Mace, Roy, and Beth behind as I returned to real life. SH